Category Archives: Catholic

The Torah and the Gospel

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Dear Folks,
Our first reading this Sunday is from Nehemiah and describes when the Israelites came back from exile and had to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple. In the wreckage of the temple, they found a copy of the law. When the Bible talks about the law, it’s talking about the Torah. A rabbi told me that translating “Torah” as “law” does not really convey the meaning. He said that sin is missing the target and Torah is hitting the target. The Torah
is the first five books of the Bible (also called the Pentateuch) and is a central reference point in the Bible. Whenever it speaks of God’s precepts, statutes, and decrees, this is what they mean. When Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple in obedience to the Law of
the Lord (Luke 2:22-38), it is this law, which Mary and Joseph faithfully followed. When Jesus disputes with the Pharisees over picking grain on the Sabbath, they are arguing about the proper interpretation of the Torah (which is suspect is a longstanding rabbinic tradition). In the Old Testament, one was considered righteous (in right relationship with God) if one followed the Torah.
Psalm 1 (quite short) and Psalm 119 (somewhat longer, the longest chapter in the Bible) are hymns to the Torah. They both teach that the Torah is the way to blessedness in a way that Jesus invokes when He says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” This blessedness is the fullness of life to which God calls us.
For Christians, Jesus is the new Torah. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is modeled after the presentation of the Law of Moses Compare with Exodus 20: up on a mountain, starting with the Ten Commandment
(pocket sized version) then longer elaboration. Jesus goes up a mountain, gives the Beatitudes (pocket sized version) and then elaborates on them. St. Paul will argue that righteousness comes not from following the Law of Moses, but from faithfulness to Jesus.
We come to the fullness of life and right relationship with God through a love relationship with Jesus. This includes learning Jesus’ teaching, which is not just the four Gospels (John 21:25), but I would claim that the whole of the Catholic faith is the truth about Jesus (explanation and defense of that position is for another day). It would include spending time with Jesus, sharing ourselves. It would include encountering Him in the sacraments. It would include putting our lives into His hands, continually inviting Him to transform us however He wants and sending us to serve Him however He wants. This gives us the fullness of freedom (John 8:32), the fullness of life (John 10:10), and the fullness of joy (John
15:11; 16:22; 17:13).
Blessings,
Fr. Jim

The Bride and the Lamb

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Dear Folks,
This year most of the Gospel readings on Sunday will be from Luke, but today we slip into John to talk about the wedding of Cana. The Bible regularly uses the image of marriage for
God’s relationship with His people. We can see for instance Isaiah 62:4-5; book of Hosea, book Song of Songs, Psalm 45; Ephesians 5:29-32; Luke 5:33-35; John 3:29; Revelation 19:6-9, and Revelation 21:9-14. At the wedding at Cana, we see Mary coming to Jesus with
the problem of running out of wine. If you read Brant Pitre’s excellent book “Jesus the Bridegroom” he will explain that the responsibility for providing the wine falls to the bridegroom, so Jesus is being revealed as the bridegroom. John the Baptist will make this point in John 3:29, and then in the wedding of the bride (the Church) and the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9; Rev. 21:9-14).
Someone once said, “If you treated your friends the way you treat God, would you have any friends?” We could ask if you treat your spouse the way you treat God, how good a marriage would you have?
I’ve recommended John Gottman’s book “Seven Principles for making Marriage Work” before. He has empirical data to back up his ideas, and they are very interesting. I wonder how some of them could be applied to our relationship with God.
Enhance your love maps. Your love map is what you know about your partner, their likes, dislikes, favorite food, favorite TV show, etc. Are we curious to know more about how God has revealed Himself and interacted with His people. This would include stories from the Bible and the lives of saints, how God calls us to worship, and what He teaches. It starts with being curious.
Nurture your fondness and admiration. What do you appreciate about your spouse? How did you first fall in love? What were good times and what attracted you to each other in the early days? How did we first come to know God? What have we found good about
Him? What have been good experiences of His work in your life?
Turn toward each other instead of away. Gottman uses the example: if your beloved calls you to the window to see a cardinal (I presume the bird) in the back yard, do you come and look, or do you roll your eyes and move on? Those experiences make a difference. How do you connect in little ways with God throughout the day? Do we let Him have a bit of attention and interest in little ways? How do we connect Him to our world?
Let your partner influence you. Have you let your partner change the way you do something, look at something, approach something? How has our relationship with God changed the way we do things?
Build shared meaning. Take the two separate life stories and weave them into one story. What is your life story? God’s story, the story of salvation, the Bible story and the story of the Church is one big tapestry. How do we see ourselves woven into it? Love relationships can be nurtured. God loves with infinite love, and we have a lot of room to grow. How might we let God have more of ourselves?
Blessings,
Fr. Jim

Baptism of the Lord: New Beginning

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Dear Folks,
This is the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the final day of the Christmas season. I believe that Epiphany was the end of the season, and celebrated the coming of the Magi, the miracle at Cana, and the baptism of the Lord, butsomeone decided that the Baptism should have its own feast day.
I challenge everyone to read Luke chapter 3 and get a sense of John’s call to renewal. Notice his images of the axe and the tree, then the wheat and the chaff. Now if you read Psalm 1, then Luke
13:1-9. We see how the Bible reinforces lessons by the repeated use and development of imagery.
The Gospel of John does some interesting teaching on baptism.
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born* from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot
reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.e 7 Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind* blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but
you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (John 3:3-8).”
The word “born” can also be translated “begotten,” as in “Abraham begat Isaac. Isaac begat Jacob…”. In Biblical times, the seed of the father determined what you were and was the key to your
identity. We see Jesus talking about this in John 8:39-44, who your father really is makes all the difference.
It is in this light, we see that baptism changes who we are, and now we are children of God.
Jesus, of course, was already the begotten Son of God, so His baptism did not transform Him. He who was without sin, took on the mantle of sinner to suffer for our sins. “But he was pierced for
our sins, crushed for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5).” He reversed our journey to perdition so that we could be saved. We remember when people were created, they were first tested in a garden and
failed. Then with Moses, they were tested in a desert and failed. Jesus, right after His baptism, went to the desert to be tested, and passed. His journey would lead him to the garden of Gethsemane and He would pass again. Then he would be crucified to save us.
Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of His mission, and our baptism marks the beginning of our journey as disciples, children of God. Everything follows from that. How is God calling us to renewal? What form might that take in our journey of 2025?
Blessings,
Fr Jim

Seeking the Light

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Dear Folks,

This is the feast of the Epiphany. We celebrate the mystery of Jesus being opened to the larger world, and the Magi are a reminder that Jesus is for everyone. We are not meant to keep the Gospel for ourselves, but to share it with the world.

I would suggest that our future as Church depends on how deeply we understand that Catholics are not meant to be customers in the Church but coworkers in mission.

First, let’s recognize that passing on the faith to the next generation requires more than people have thought. Given that so many do not practice the faith when they grow up, it is clear that running them through the programs is not getting the job done. What does it take? Let’s keep asking that question.

Many Catholics are uncomfortable with the ideas of being missionaries and evangelists. We were not trained to do this. Two thoughts: First, how can you read the New Testament and think disciples of Jesus Christ could remain in their comfort zones? Second, we don’t have to be St. Paul. There are some simples things we can do that can start us on our way.

The American bishops put out a document called “Go Make Disciples.” I suggests three goals for sharing the faith: 1.) To bring about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm for their faith that, in living their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others, 2.) To invite all people in the United States, whatever their social or cultural background, to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ so they may come to join us in the fullness of the Catholic faith,

and 3.) To foster gospel values in our society, promoting the dignity of the human person, the importance of the family, and the common good of our society, so that our nation may continue to be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ. That is to say, we are to grow in the faith ourselves (continue to evangelize ourselves. We are not done getting evangelized until we get to heaven). We are to evangelize other people (Invite outsiders in,

and invite insiders deeper in). We are to transform society by the power of the Gospel (evangelize the culture).

I suggest four aspects of drawing people in. First, we tell the Gospel stories. We can hone our story telling skills. Our faith involves lots of great stories: Bible stories, stories of the saints, stories of our own walk with God or others that we know, stories of the history of

the Church. Stories engage people like lectures do not, and they have helped shape thinking and culture since the dawn of the human race. Second, we can work together as community. This includes how we invite, and it includes how we reconcile our differences. If we get good at that those two things, our faith community can be a very attractive haven in a hostile world. Third we can worship God. If we worship like we really mean it, like we believe we are touching the deepest transcendent reality and the core of the meaning of our lives it will show, and it will attract those hungry for deeper meaning. Finally, we can be a mighty force for helping people in need. The more we do to help those in need, and the more lovingly we do it, the more people can see the love of Jesus is at work here.

It begins by believing that the Gospel is meant for everyone, and that it is for us to bring it to them. If we accept God’s call, He can get us from wherever we are to where He wants us to go.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Gaudete Means Rejoice!

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Dear Folks,
This is Gaudete Sunday, and Gaudete means rejoice! In the midst of our dark season of anticipation and recognizing our need for a savior, we rejoice that He is coming.
Some people, of course, will not feel like rejoicing. They are going through a very hard time, and they are focusing on coping and surviving. Even in the midst of struggles, there is a meaning and a hope that cannot be taken away. “We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13).” When we suffer loss, we still grieve, but along with grief we have
hope, and the hope keeps us from getting crushed. When grief is intense, it can be hard to feel hope, but we know it is there. Our suffering is real, but not the final word.
I’ve mentioned before how St. Paul wrote a very joyful letter to the Philippians when he was living under harsh conditions. He did also have his crabby days (we see this in the letter to the Galatians). It is clear he had a full range of emotions and was quite honest about
them, but his disposition, his general approach to life was joyful. I suggest that this had to do with a deep awareness that both the good and the bad he faced were parts of a journey to his ultimate destination, which would be infinitely worth all the trials (Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight
of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).” We remember that what he called “momentary light affliction” was years and years of trials that would
crush many people.
We remember joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The Holy Spirit helps us attend to the bigger picture, in which God is doing wonderful things, and that what we are enduring is worth the journey.
If we exude joy that is authentic, even in difficult times, that bears witness that the power of the Gospel is greater than the evils of the world.
So today is a day to rejoice for all those who can, and there is much to rejoice about. For those who are overwhelmed with pain, grief, stress or other troubles so they cannot feel good about anything right now, they can know (even if they can’t feel) that the pain is
walking with Jesus, and this walking with Jesus is noble and fruitful in growing treasure in heaven. It is a gift that can be offered to Jesus, and one that He holds precious.
Whatever the situation, today we remember especially that what holds us down is no match for the One who is coming.
Blessings,
Fr. Jim 

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Road Construction for the Soul

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Dear Folks,

Our first reading for the Second Sunday of Advent is from Baruch talking to Israelites in exile. He talks about smoothing the roads “For God has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, and that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God (Baruch 5:7).” This is about Israel coming back from exile and doing so in safety.

Our sins exile us from God and from each other. They close our minds and hearts to His goodness, and we need Jesus to bring us back. In our Gospel in Luke 3 we see a text similar to Isaiah 40:3-4 being repurposed to the work of John the Baptist preparing for the coming of Jesus.

During the season of Advent, we are called to prepare the way of the Lord, first Jesus coming to us and then smoothing the path of Jesus to others, removing obstacles.

Critical point: we need a lot of clearing of obstacles. We tend to underestimate how seriously our obstacles are holding us back.

Jesus warns us not to be complacent. It is so easy to let our trust in the promises of God fade and trust more and more the promises of the world. “He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He answered them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter, but not be strong enough (Luke 13:22-24).’” We notice some things. First Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, which is on His way to the Cross. Luke 9:51 references His going to Jerusalem and tells us He is on His way to His death, the terrible price He will pay for our salvation. If you keep reading, Jesus tells a very sad story of someone who doesn’t make it and is surprised. Can anyone read this teaching, take it seriously, and still believe that their salvation can be taken for granted and that we can coast into heaven? I suggest He is telling us the opposite, and we need to be payingfull attention, for heaven’s sake (yes, for heaven’s sake).

This suggests to me that we need all the help we can get. I would say it does not mean we are to be in a constant state of fear, but to a love that drives out fear (1 John 4:18). However, St. Paul gives us a different model of attentive focus. 1 Corinthians 9 compares discipleship to training as an Olympic athlete. Serious athletes, it

seems to me, don’t live in fear (that burns energy uselessly) but drive themselves because they are determined, and seek everything that can give them the fullest advantage possible. Everything that holds them back has got to go, because that can make the difference between winning and losing.

During this Advent, how can we find some time to reflect? What sinful habits are holding us back? What are not themselves sins but set us up to commit sin? What are distractions that lead us to lose focus? How can we smooth the highway for Jesus to come into our

hearts?

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Hope

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Dear Folks,

We have begun the season of Advent, and that is the season of hope. Pope Francis has designated 2025 as a Jubilee year, and the theme is Pilgrims of Hope. It will begin December 24 with the opening of the holy doors at St. Peter’s Basilica.

If we are going through bad times, we need to believe there is something on the other side that will make it worth it. Otherwise we will likely be crushed. I suggest there are many people today who are crushed, depressed, and despairing because they found no

reason for hope. Sharing the Gospel brings the gift of hope to a world in despair.

At the priests’ conference, we were reminded that Christian hope is different from worldly hope. Worldly hope is basically a wish, like “I hope there will be good weather this weekend.” It might happen, or it might not, and it is always temporary. We might have good weather this weekend but bad weather the next. When “our” side wins the election, we know, if we understand the history, that our side will almost certainly lose an election in the future. Christian hope is based on the faithful promise of God. Of course, God did

not promise a life free of troubles, but called is to carry the cross, and promised to be with us. God’s promise involves salvation and a more abundant life. Even in hard times, if our lives have deep meaning and we have strong hope, we can find joy.

Our first reading is from Jeremiah, and he had a very hard life, but did not give up hope. St. Paul knew a great deal of hardship because if his service to the Gospel, but he was able to teach hope and joy with great confidence.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, for the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us (Romans 5:1-5).”

The letter to the Philippians can teach us much. He wrote it in prison (a very nasty place), but this letter exudes a powerful joy because his relationship with God was stronger than his circumstances: “I am confident of this, that the one who began the good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).” And also: “It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ [Jesus]. Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).”

This letter is a good resource during Advent, and is worth getting to know.

Our hope is part of how we prepare the way of the Lord.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Christ the King

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Dear Folks,
This is the Feast of Christ the King! This is the culmination of the Liturgical year, and the happy ending to the great story of life, the universe and everything! Next week we begin the Year of Grace 2025. We will read a lot of the Gospel of Luke, and that has some powerful stories on hope for the sinner.
Pope Francis has said that it is time to strengthen and share hope, so the Jubilee year 2025 will be themed Pilgrims of Hope. Pilgrims are, by definition, on a journey, and so they focus in on a hoped-for destination. Our hope is in the Kingdom of God. We can hope for
good events happening now, but the goods of the earth all pass away. Civilizations rise and fall. We can build things and see them destroyed. The Kingdom is forever.
Our ultimate hope is for Jesus being seen by all as King of Kings, Lord of Lords. “Every knee shall bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (See Philippians 2:10-11).” At this time, all evil will be vanquished, all lies exposed, and justice will reign forever. If we ever get discouraged by world events, and how evil seems to be prospering, we remember
that it will lose in the end and goodness will win.
This is not, by the way, an excuse to be lackadaisical about building a better world now. First, our work to help those in need, defend the helpless, and lift up the lowly is part of our witness to the Gospel. We cannot evangelize if we are not reflecting God’s love with our actions. Second, if we are not doing this work, we are rejecting Christ and will be counted among those who do not know Him (if you doubt this, I challenge you to read Matthew 25
very carefully!).
Those who truly believe in the victory of Jesus can be an unstoppable force for good, because nothing in the world will discourage them. We might not live to see the fruit of our
labors, but Jesus said “One sows and another reaps (John 4:37).” If we try our best ten thousand times and fail ten thousand times, we are still doing the work of the Kingdom, and when the time comes, we will rejoice. Not only that, but we can rejoice now, in good times
and in bad, because the King is coming.
Blessings,
Fr. Jim 

S

Jesus is Coming

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Dear Folks,

Today we get into the Apocalyptic chapter of the Gospel of Mark. Matthew (chapter 24), Mark (14) and Luke (21) all have a chapter that starts with the destruction of the Temple, and winds up talking about the Second Coming of Jesus.

The destruction of the Temple would have been a horrible thought for Israelites. It was the center of their national identity and their relationship with God. Going to the temple was a sacred act, and there were hymns celebrating the trip (See Psalm 122). I saw a video of the tearing down of St. Jean’s church in Muskegon, a church that had been there since 1885.

Those who were attached to it were surely grieving. The destruction of the Temple would have been a far worse trauma. It had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B. C., and Israel had ceased to be a nation for over a generation, being slaves in exile. The destruction of the Temple in A. D. 70 was also a huge trauma, and the letter to the Hebrews

spends a lot of time helping Jewish Christians on how to understand the faith in light of the destruction of the temple. The Gospel of John will teach powerfully, that Jesus is the new Temple, and we have everything we need.

A critical apocalyptic text is Daniel chapter 7. It speaks of “coming on the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man.” Jesus frequently referred to Himself as the Son of Man, and when interrogated by the high priest if He was the Messiah He said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven

(Mark 14:62).” The closer He got to the cross, the more open He was about His identity.

“Apocalypse” is from the Greek word for “removal of the veil.” “Revelation” is from the Latin equivalent. Apocalyptic literature will use strange images, and sometimes numbers to show the meaning of what is happening at the time. It is often written in times of persecution, and the basic message is that it may appear that God’s plan is failing, but if you could see past the veil of appearances, that plan is unrolling and on the path to success.

Therefore, however discouraging things are, don’t give up. However bad things get, don’t get slack. However corrupt other people become and how horribly they behave, we are called to be faithful. Remember that what we see is not all of reality, and not the best part. Our story is part of a much larger story. Even if civilization collapses, God will be able to do great things, and the kingdom will still be winning. Jesus said, “heaven and earth

will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Mark 13:31). Nothing of the earth is guaranteed. The truth of the Gospel is. Our job is to grow strong in our faith such that whatever happens, our faith in God will rule our lives.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

How Deep is our Faith?

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Dear Folks,
There are some people in the Bible who deserve more recognition than they usually get. Our first reading this Sunday; 1Kings 17:10-16, tell the story of the Widow of Zarephath, and I consider her one of the great heroes of the Bible.
Consider her situation. She had gotten married and had a son (I’m guessing recently, since the son was apparently still too young to help collect sticks). Her husband died. Widows didn’t have a lot of options financially, but she did the best she could. Then came the drought, and therefore the famine. She now had no one who would hire her, nothing left to sell, no one from whom she could beg anymore, and now her food was almost gone. She was getting ready for her and her son to have one last taste of food before they starved to death. Imagine the heaviness of her heart as she ponders all her hopes and dreams being crushed, the horrible fate that
was looming.
Then this scruffy looking strange man comes and asks for a drink of water. Immediately she goes to get it. Even in her current situation, her hospitality goes so deep that she doesn’t hesitate. The he calls after her asking for some food.
Oh.
Any other time it would not have been a question, of course she would feed a stranger. Not so easy today. She explains the situation, and the reasonable expectation was that he would respond, “I’m so sorry. I’ll go ask someone else.” Instead, he has the nerve to say okay fine but first feed me. I don’t imagine she put much stock in his promise “The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.” There was nothing about him to tell her he could work miracles, and it would be more likely he would say anything to get what he wanted, even scamming a starving widow. I expect she figured she and her son were going to starve to death and nothing could change that. She had one last decision to make in her life, and that was to be generous to a stranger. She chose to be generous. She had so little to give, but gave with great love. God rewarded her, and I consider her one of the underappreciated heroes of the Bible.
I would also mention Shiphrah and Puah (Exodus 1:15-21). They were Israelite midwives who were being oppressed in Egypt. They defied the mightiest king in the world to save the babies
from slaughter. They succeeded because they were clever and had tremendous courage. They had a terrible situation and responded in faith. Their faith went that deep.
In our Gospel this Sunday, we see the contrast between the Scribes and Pharisees, whose faith was just on the surface and the widow giving her small coins whose faith was deep enough to give when she had so little.
Challenge for us: how deep does our faith go? Will it still work when we are at the end of our rope, worn down to nothing, crushed by life? May God grant us the grace.
Blessings,
Fr. Jim