Ordinary Time | blog.theologika.net

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Aug 24, 2025

Coming From the Ends of the Earth

Again and again through the history of the world, groups of people have had to leave their homes and travel to other regions in search of a safe place, with resources available for them to use, so they can live and raise their families. We still see in our world today many of the different ways that people have found to gain the resources for their survival and even the thriving of their cultures.

Some peoples have been what anthropologists call hunter/gatherers. These folks may live in a specific region, but their livelihoods depend on having enough animals to hunt or fish and plants that can be harvested and preserved for use throughout most of the year.

Other folks follow their herds of animals from one grazing area to another. Many types of animals make up these herds – sheep, goats, cattle, llamas, alpacas, reindeer, etc. Horses, donkeys, dogs, and camels are among the other kinds of animals used to travel with and manage the herds or serve as pack animals. These animals also offer an advantage when times get hard and the community must move into the lands of other peoples, whether as traders or as invaders.

We’re more familiar with peoples who have both cities and rural lands, with a form of government that places some persons in charge or provides for the people to select representatives to manage the access to resources for living as communities.

The Hebrew people, originally herders but later a settled people with cities and rural areas, found themselves on more than one occasion either as the invaders conquering a new land for themselves or being conquered and displaced from the land. After the conquest by the armies of Babylon and its allies, they spent many years outside their former land. Eventually, however, the armies of Persia conquered Babylon and the people of Israel were allowed to return to Judea. Isaiah the prophet describes their return and the promises of the Lord as they rebuild the city of Jerusalem, the temple, and their way of life.

Near the end of the book of Isaiah, the Lord promises: “I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory. … They shall proclaim my glory among the nations. They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the Lord.” (Is 66:18-21)

The words originally were understood to refer to Jewish/Hebrew exiles who lived throughout the Middle East and North Africa and also to good people from the nations among whom they lived. They would return to offer sacrifice in Jerusalem. The Lord notes that although not all are of the tribe of Levi, some of these who come will also be chosen to serve as priests and teachers. It is not necessary to be of the correct ancestry to serve the Lord.

Jesus also stressed the importance of following the way of the Lord in his teaching. “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”

Not strong enough? Yes – not living in the way shown by “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God.” Yet others, he tells us, “from the north and the south will recline at table in the kingdom of God.” Not the powerful or comfortable as would be expected in most societies. “Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Jesus makes clear that our choices matter. The narrow gate does not necessarily refer only to a physical gate into the city of Jerusalem. It is also a way of living: choosing to live according to the Law of love, the Law given by the Lord to guide his people in his ways. Anyone who lives in this way, will be welcomed to the kingdom of God. (Lk 13:22-30)

As might be expected, this kind of life is not easy. There will be successes and failures. When we fail to live by the law of love, to enter through the narrow gate, consequences will not be pleasant. It might seem the easy way at first, but in the long run, things can turn out very differently than first expected. What seemed a great way to live may prove to be a great way to fail to love.

The author of the letter to the Hebrews speaks of the consequences as “discipline” in the sense of the punishment a parent might impose on a wayward child to teach the child the proper way to act. The easy way, the way we are most likely to find attractive, is so often not the narrow way, the way of sacrifice that puts the well-being of others at the forefront of our considerations.

Our author reminds all that such training “brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.” He encourages all: “… strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.” In the long run, doing the right thing will bring its own rewards – the rewards of on-going life in the kingdom of the Lord. (Heb 12:5-7, 11-13)

Fine and good. But what does it mean for us today? Most of us live in settled communities. We have our national origin stories and mythic histories of how things came to be. We speak of rugged individuals who settled the lands known as the United States of America. We ignore the fact too often that these lands were settled long before Europeans, many of them refugees, came here seeking a new start, a way to build a community that is rather like those they left, but with the freedom to worship or govern themselves in a different way. We also ignore the contributions of people from all over the world who came to work and build the communities and institutions we take for granted now.

How do we ourselves fit into the kingdom of God? Would our communities be recognized as followers of the Way of Jesus by the early Church? What is it about us that sets us apart from the larger society? What does it mean today to go through the narrow gate? Who are those coming from the north and south, the east and west, to eat at the table of the Lord? Will we be invited to join them for dinner?

These are important questions to ask ourselves. In what ways do we help and support those with fewer resources who struggle to support themselves and their families? How do we welcome and help those who have had to flee their lands to save their lives and those of their families? How do we help children who struggle in school or who are hungry or un-housed? Do we quietly accept policies that take away help from those in need? Do we act as if all would be well if only everyone did X, Y,or Z?

When I was growing up, we lived in a working-class neighborhood. My parents grew up during the Depression and World War II. They had been to college and we had many skills that our neighbors didn’t have, including our practice of making soap and noodles – not on the same day or using the same equipment, of course! But we felt, or at least I felt, rather smug that we knew how to support ourselves better than some of our neighbors did, because our great-great-grandparents had been pioneers and passed on the skills they used in the late 1800s through the generations to us.

It was only later, as an adult, that I discovered to my shock that due to the cost of flour and eggs, it could be less expensive, more affordable, simply to buy a package of noodles to feed a family for a day than to buy the ingredients in packaging quantities that would be far more than needed for that day. If money is not an issue, it’s fine to buy enough to last for a month. But if money, or lack thereof, is an issue, then our middle-class solution would not work! Flour isn’t usually sold in one or two cup packages and it’s hard to buy just one or two eggs at the grocery store! It’s easier and more affordable simply to buy a bag of noodles.

What then do we do? How do we find the narrow gate?

Maybe we find the narrow gate by opening our eyes to those who have come and are coming from the ends of the earth. What can we learn from those who leave all behind and travel to a new land, with a new language, and new ways? How can we be a welcoming people rather than a people or even just a person who is afraid that sharing what we have will mean we don’t have enough for ourselves?

“Limited Good” or “Enough for All?”

We easily fall back on a notion common around the world that anthropologist George Foster called “limited good.” Limited good is the notion that there is only just so much of what is needed for a good life available in the world. To the extent that my family and I get a larger share of that good, you and your family will get less.

The challenge and limitation of this perspective is that it can be a source of conflict, unless a social method has been developed for sharing the wealth. In many societies, those who have much are expected to share what they have in ritual ways, including giving most of it away in specific ceremonial gatherings. Those who give away the most get the highest honor!

Suppose we could shift the idea a bit and instead of thinking about Good as a limited property or thing, we could conceive of it as being unlimited if we just work together to help each other along the way? In this scenario, I help you when I have something you need and you help me when the tables are turned.

Rather than cutting taxes for the wealthy and taking benefits away from the poor, all could benefit from providing the basic support to allow people to grow up and contribute to the good of all by using the talents they bring to the table. An approach such as this has proven to improve the well-being of most of the people of the country when actually put into practice in each community. To the extent it hasn’t worked, it’s often because the funds have not been redistributed effectively or justly to help those most in need of them.

The problem with this approach, of course, is that it’s hard to remember that having more is not necessarily the goal of life. Social respect and praise go to those who amass fortunes and live large. Having resources and sharing them freely is not valued and often not respected. It is the narrow way, the way of love, the way of the Kingdom of God.

As we go through this coming week, may we be aware of the times we have forgotten to seek and follow the narrow way. May we work to share what we have been given and work to help those with less opportunity to get the resources they need to thrive. May we help newcomers and the vulnerable among us. And most importantly, may we remember that the Lord is present in the young, the old, the poor, the un-housed, the sick, those in prison, and those who are refugees. If we want to meet him, look around. He’s right here among us.

Readings for the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Fr. Ron Shirley on Aug 17, 2025

Division

My initial response to today’s Gospel reading is to resist it. I find it very difficult to think of Jesus as a divisive person. It is much easier for me to regard him as a healer of human relationships. I have seen too many fragmented families and felt their pain. When fathers and sons cannot even be civil to one another, it is very sad. And when mothers and daughters stop speaking to each other, it is heartbreaking. How can we believe that Jesus is the source of such division?

In most cases, it is clear that he is not. Something else is ripping the family apart. My sense is that, if given the chance, Jesus would heal the alienation in such a home. And I am sure that he is not pleased with the division of the people involved. A little three-year-old girl, who could not yet pronounce her “r” sounds, said to a friend, “My mommy and daddy ah sepawated.” Do you think our Lord caused that? Do you think he is pleased with that? Not a chance in the world. I have no doubt that he weeps with that child.

Still the words of today’s Reading cannot be denied. Jesus clearly said: “Do you think I have come to establish peace on earth? I assure you the contrary is true. I have come for division.” (Lk 12:49-53)

What then, is the meaning of these strange words about division?

It is obvious that Jesus did not get along with everybody. He did not walk around with a smile plastered on his face, spreading the good will everywhere. Otherwise, how did he manage to get himself crucified? Why did he tell his disciples that the world would hate them, just as it had hated him?

He was often in conflict. And almost always, the dividing line was the sacredness of human person. The people of his own home town wanted to kill him. What was the source of that conflict? It was his insistence that God cared for Gentiles just as he did for Jews. He often clashed with the Pharisees about healing on the Sabbath. The issue that drove them apart was his conviction that helping people was more important than keeping the law. He came to the rescue of a woman who had been caught in adultery. The guardians of public morality were ready to stone her to death. Again, the issue was keeping the law or helping people. And he always came down on the side of helping people.

Jesus resisted abuse of others with all the intensity of his soul. He even died for it. Robert Louis Stevenson put it like this: “It is our cheek that we are to turn. But when another’s face is struck, perhaps a bit of the lion would become us best.”

You and I have no right to stand by and watch the strong trample on the weak. We are to take a stand, even if the abuser is a member of our own family. People have done that. And it has driven a wedge between them and the ones they love. A young man was making a determined effort to live out his Christian faith. His father was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. The son confronted him and said: “What you are doing is wrong. And I must resist it.” His father ordered him out of the house and never spoke to him again.

Something like that is what Jesus had in mind, when he said, “I have come for division.” The sacredness of the human person is the only issue I can conceive of where it is wrong to compromise.

In closing, it is easy to talk of “Jesus meek and mild,” and to portray the infant in the crib as lovable, and the Crucified One as forgiving. It is easy to criticize and oppose evildoers on the other side of the world, people like Hitler and Saddam Hussein. It is by no means so easy to take a stand on moral issues right at home which divide our society. But we cannot avoid the cutting edge of the gospel or the commitment that goes along with our baptism. We cannot accept, nor should we live by, a cushioned Christianity, a velvet cross, a vertical expression of faith concerned only with “God and myself.” Nor can we exclude those neighbors we don’t like. Christian life and witness is difficult. In fact, it would be impossible without the example of Jesus, and the grace of God.

Lord, give us the courage to follow you – even though it causes us to struggle – even though it causes us to be persecuted – even though, sometimes, it sets us in opposition to our families and friends and society – let us never forget that there is actually one thing worse than evil itself, and that is indifference to evil. Amen.

Fr. Ron Shirley
August 17, 2025

Readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Aug 17, 2025

One More Time With Feeling

Activities that require a certain amount of skill to complete successfully typically also require much practice before they are successfully mastered. I’m thinking of things like learning to catch a baseball, or ride a bicycle or a horse, or skate across a frozen pond in the winter. Sometimes the attempt is successful and all are happy and excited. Sometimes the attempt is not. Then several outcomes are possible. One is that the person trying to learn a new skill simply gives up and doesn’t try again. There are times when that might be a good option, especially if the activity in question is very dangerous and could end with a serious injury or death. But most skills or activities don’t fall into that category.

Another possible outcome is for the individual to get back up right away and try again. One expression in such cases is to “get back on the horse.” We like to see this determination when the skill is one that will help the individual or community in the future. It’s how most of what we learn as we grow up happens.

But then there is the in-between situation. The skill is hard or is an activity that doesn’t come naturally to the individual. Others are watching and may laugh at one’s failure. The individual has seriously tried to master the skill (arithmetic anyone?), but it doesn’t come easily. It’s a skill one can go through life without ever mastering. So many reasons not to keep trying.

This is where “One more time with feeling” comes into the picture. If those around us, or those teaching us, or simply those who care about us can encourage another attempt, or as many as it takes, we are more likely to succeed eventually.

I suspect God looks at us often, and with a resigned shake of the head, thinks, “Well, one more time with feeling …” and sends someone once again to remind us all of what our calling is. How many times do we need to be reminded to care for the poor, the little ones, those who have to leave their homes to find safety or a way to support their children? How many times will a messenger need to be sent to remind the leaders of the community of the importance of working for the common good rather than personal power and wealth?

In the time of Jeremiah, before the conquest of Jerusalem and exile of the community in Babylon, the authorities were angry that he, Jeremiah, refused to remain silent as they looked to their own interests rather than those of the community and their common relationship with the Lord. They were so angry that they convinced the King to let them get rid of this troublemaker. He was thrown into a cistern, a place like a well where water was stored in time of rain and used in drier times. Fortunately, there was only mud in the bottom, but that was small consolation to Jeremiah as he prepared to spend the last days of his life being deprived of food and water, sitting or standing in the mud!

Fortunately for Jeremiah, a man who was not from Israel but was an official of the court interceded for him with the king. The man’s name was Ebed-melech and he was from Cush. We don’t know today where Cush was, whether in Africa or Mesopotamia. It doesn’t really matter. He had the courage to speak to the king and ask permission to rescue Jeremiah from the cistern. (Jer 38:4-6, 8-10)

Jeremiah didn’t stop speaking the Lord’s word after his rescue. He continued to warn all who would listen that the Lord was not happy with the way they were acting. Eventually the Babylonians did come. Jerusalem fell. The temple was destroyed. The leaders who survived and much of the population were taken to exile in Babylon.

“One more time with feeling … and they didn’t listen again! Drat! … Well, maybe next time,” says the Lord.

When Jesus first began teaching, not a lot of people knew about him and the amount of controversy surrounding his words and message was relatively limited. However, as he continued teaching during the three years between his baptism in the Jordan and his crucifixion, the controversy grew much louder and stronger. This was especially true as he began teaching that so many things considered to be wise or expected and acceptable in social interactions were actually foolish in God’s eyes. For example, he told of the farmer who had a hugely successful harvest, tore down his barns and built bigger ones so he would have food for years to come. Unfortunately, it was all a waste, because he died that night!

Another time he told of the servant whose master was away and had left him in charge of the household and business/farm. The servant who did what he was expected to do would be rewarded. The one who abused those below him in authority or disobeyed the master’s orders knowingly would be seriously punished. And then the surprise – the one who didn’t know what the master wanted and as a result did the wrong thing, would receive a lesser punishment.

With all of these surprising, unexpected teachings, his followers could be excused for wondering how a person sent by God could cause such conflict among those who heard his words!

Jesus didn’t sidestep the question. “I have come to set the earth on fire… Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you but rather division.” (Lk 12:49-53)

Wait, what? Isn’t he supposed to be the Prince of Peace?

But Jesus wasn’t here to tell us all that the way things were being done as a general rule was the way God had intended them to be from all eternity. He came as the Father’s “One more time with feeling” outreach to all of us. Would we get the message this time? Would we have the courage and compassion to listen and act? Would we set the world on fire with love? Would we share the good news of love through our actions rather than just our words?

Jesus was no gullible fool. He knew he faced great opposition and would pay a high price for his integrity in proclaiming the will of the Father. He didn’t want to have to do it. But he was resolved to carry on with the mission. One more time with feeling – Who would respond and join him on the journey?

As it turned out, after the Resurrection, those who had been his friends continued to be his friends. When the Spirit came upon them, they moved forth bravely, carrying the message to those they met in their daily lives – God wants us to love and take care of each other. The poor must be helped. Those from other lands must be welcomed and helped to make a home among us. All people are loved by God, not just one nation or group. People need the basics of food, shelter, clothing, schooling, health care.

In the early years, it was not easy. Followers of Jesus and The Way were tossed out of their worship communities. They were arrested and punished. Some were killed. Many left their homes and traveled to other areas where they could be safer.

This history has continued through the ages, even to the present days. In our own lifetimes, men and women have paid the ultimate price for their lives of witness and service to the Gospel. Those who give their lives are known as martyrs – a word that means witnesses.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminded his readers of this. He spoke of a great “cloud of witnesses” who surround us all. Those who have gone before us. Those who speak out today and encourage the rest of us to act with courage. Jesus is our leader and our model, giving his own life as witness. We have not yet been called to give everything including our lives in witness. Still, God is counting on us to be the ones today who speak out – One more time with feeling. (Heb 12:1-4)

Feed the poor, especially the children and their families. Teach the children. Make sure homes are available for everyone. Help people get healthcare. Welcome immigrants and those who seek asylum. Respect the legal rights and human dignity of all people.

These are the works of the Lord. These are the things he hopes we will eventually understand and put in place, so the kingdom of love and peace can come into being in our world.

May we listen with open hearts and ears to the Lord’s voice this week and keep trying.

“OK, you fell down this time, but get up and try again. One more time with feeling now!”

Readings for the Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jul 27, 2025

Be Bold and Persistent

“Ama, you sit here and I’m going to sit in this chair. Now you can read to me.” Thus says the two-and-a-half-year-old grandchild as she brings a story to be read to her. She has no hesitation about telling an older person what to do and when or how to do it. She is still so very innocent that she boldly expresses what she would like to have happen and trusts the rest of the family will comply. Of course, it doesn’t always work out that things go her way, but she’s confident that most of the time it will, especially on visits with grandparents.

As we get older, we learn the world doesn’t revolve around us. We learn that people in power don’t always listen to those with lower status or power. We learn to be cautious in our expectations and not to aim too high.

Yet is this the way to approach our relationship with God? Maybe not.

Abraham’s visitors went on their way after having a fine meal at the camp of Abraham and Sarah at the terebinth of Mamre. But one stayed behind to speak further with Abraham. It seems he, the Lord, was going to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to see if the people there were indeed as wicked as he had heard they were. If that turned out to be the case, he planned to destroy the cities and all within them.

Now Abraham found this quite disturbing. He had family members living in Sodom and didn’t want to see any harm come to them. So, he began to appeal to the softer side of the Lord. What if there are fifty good people in the city. Would you kill the innocent with the guilty? Well, when put that way, the Lord agreed it would not be fair to the fifty, so he agreed to spare the city if fifty good people were found.

So far, so good. But Abraham didn’t stop there. He boldly asked, What about if there are only forty-five? The Lord agreed that forty-five would be enough to hold off destroying the city. The bargaining continued until they finally agreed that if there were as many (or as few) as ten good people, the Lord would not destroy the city.

Abraham was polite, respectful, and yet bold in his advocacy for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord responded with kind respect as well, willing to listen to a plea for mercy. A very different response than can be expected from most rulers. Abraham was bold and persistent. He started with a large number and continued bargaining, requesting mercy for a population with fewer and fewer examples of good behavior and good will. When he stopped, it was probably because he assumed at least his own extended family would make up enough good people to save the cities. (Gen 18:20-32)

The question of how to be an advocate with the Lord has continued through the centuries.

Jesus was asked one day by his disciples to teach them how to pray. He responded with what we often call “The Lord’s Prayer,” a.k.a. “The Our Father.” We begin, speaking to God as a loving father, with the hope that his power and authority will be recognized and respected by all. We hope for the coming of the Kingdom and that the Lord’s will should be done everywhere. Then come the practical things – daily bread, forgiveness for our offenses, protection from temptation, and deliverance from evil. One hitch is that forgiveness is requested to the degree that we ourselves forgive others. That’s not always easy. But all in all, it’s a strong prayer that rests on the loving, intimate family relationship of parent and child. “Daddy, you sit here while you read me a story.”

Jesus didn’t stop with just how to pray. He went on to encourage great confidence in prayer. “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened.” Keep knocking even if you get a negative result the first time. The neighbor who won’t get up and wake his whole family to get you an extra loaf of bread for a guest the first time you ask will do so if you keep asking again and again in the night. Be persistent. Be bold. (Lk 11:1-13)

Now, do we always get what we ask for in prayer? No. So what about that promise of ask and you shall receive? Maybe it’s a question of what is requested and for whom?

Abraham asked on behalf of the innocent people in Sodom and Gomorrah. For the innocent ones, the Lord was willing to change plans.

When we ask for things that only benefit ourselves, there’s no guarantee the request will be granted. But if we ask on behalf of another person, and what we ask is genuinely what will be best for that person, our request is more likely to be granted. Sometimes, when we ask, it begins the process of consideration of what would be a good thing to see happen. Might we do something ourselves that would help? We are the Body of Christ now in our time. How can we do the Lord’s work and bring about needed change or help for those in need?

Sometimes it takes a long time for change to happen. Sometimes suffering continues far too long, because the forces causing the pain are strong and don’t easily surrender. It’s then that persistence is essential. It may take many years, but with enough people working for reform or change, the new way comes into being. Doors open. Opportunities appear. And lives are changed.

As we move through the days and weeks to come, may we remember to pray constantly, seeking ways to bring the Kingdom and the freedom of loving response to the challenges of our time into our everyday lives. How do we help the poor? How do we support immigrants? How do we keep healthcare accessible for those whose employers don’t offer it? How do we provide books and opportunities for children in school to learn? How do we feed children so they can learn when they get to school?

So many, many challenges face us all at this time. Yet the Lord assures us, “Ask and you will receive.”

So, let us ask boldly and act with courage to open the doors of our hearts, minds, and homes to live in the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Love for all, regardless of social or legal status. All are God’s children. All are our sisters and brothers. All…

Be bold and be persistent.

Readings for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jul 18, 2025

The Day the Lord Came to Dinner

Imagine for a moment that you got a letter, special delivery, saying the King of England was coming to dine at your home tomorrow evening. Once you got over the shock, how would you prepare? You’re an ordinary person, with no servants or staff to make things happen. Your home is well lived-in, not always perfectly tidy, but comfortable.

What are the most important things or rooms to have clean? What will you serve for dinner? Which dishes should you use? Why would the King ever think to come to your house? So very, very much to do in such a short time… How can it be possible to get everything ready on time?

In a great whirl of activity, the house is cleaned, the meal prepared, best clothes are worn, and at the appointed time, the King arrives. It proves to be a memorable dinner, because, surprise, he can be just a regular guy when he’s not acting as King!

Now most of us will never have this challenge land on our doorstep. Kings don’t often drop in for dinner and I would guess most of us have never received a letter from the King of any country. Still … there are times when hospitality is the most important thing we can offer.

One very ordinary day, Abraham and his wife Sarah were camping by the terebinth of Mamre. A terebinth is a shrub from the cashew family that grows to be the size of a tree and also produces turpentine. They traveled with their sheep from one part of the land to another. But this particular day was noteworthy.

It was around the middle of the day and getting hot. Abraham came out of the tent, perhaps to cool off in the shade of the tree. He noticed three men approaching as he left the entrance of the tent. Visitors were not common in those days and places, so he ran out to greet them and invite them to stop for a meal and a rest in their journey. He was delighted when they agreed to do so. It would be a chance to catch up on the news from far away.

He quickly went into the tent and asked Sarah to make rolls for the meal, using plenty of fine flour. He chose a choice steer and ordered a servant to prepare it to be eaten. Then he took curds and milk, along with the meat of the steer and the rolls and served the three visitors a fine meal. He stood beside them as they ate, ready to provide for anything more they might request.

After they finished eating, they asked Abraham where his wife might be. He responded that she was in the tent. A modest woman would not go out to meet strangers in those days. One of the visitors told Abraham that in a year when he, the visitor, returned, Sarah would have a son.

Now Abraham and Sarah were both old and they had never had children, so this sounded pretty far-fetched. In fact, Sarah laughed out loud at the preposterous thought! But as it turned out, she did have a son the next year and his name meant, “I laughed.” (Gen 18:1-10a)

It wasn’t the King of England who visited Abraham and Sarah. It was the Lord who came without warning and happily accepted the hospitality of a man and his wife. The blessing of their gift of hospitality by the Lord opened the door for all the blessings that would follow through the centuries, from the time of Abraham to the present.

Jesus too stopped in for dinner unannounced on occasion. One day he visited the home of his friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. His visit was unexpected and there was much hustle and bustle in the house and kitchen to get dinner ready. The men were not expected to help fix dinner. Their role was to visit with and entertain the guests. The women were to get the food ready and serve it.

But this day, Mary couldn’t resist the urge to sit with those around Jesus and listen to him talk. He was always such an interesting person. Martha, on the other hand, was very aware that an important part of the team was missing from the kitchen. What was Mary thinking! She needed to be in the kitchen helping. No excuses.

When Martha went to Jesus to demand that he send Mary to help in the kitchen where she belonged, she got a surprise. Jesus responded, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Lk 10:38-42)

Wow. That would be hard to hear, I imagine. How can it be that not doing what is needed to provide for a guest is better? Yet there’s an important lesson for all of us here. Sometimes we can’t and don’t need to make sure everything is organized and ready on time or in the usual way. Sometimes we simply need to stop and listen and learn what is really important for that moment. The gift of the present moment can’t be replaced. Somehow, folks will find food to eat. They may need to work together in unfamiliar ways, but generally no one starves for want of getting into the kitchen and preparing the food that’s there! In the meanwhile, there are treasures of wisdom that will be missed if the focus is too strictly on what is expected of each person at any given time.

The Lord came to dinner that day. They didn’t know he was the Lord. He was their friend, Jesus of Nazareth, who happened to be a traveling preacher and healer. Maybe even a prophet. His words to Martha that day were really a reminder that there’s a time to take off the apron of management of the kitchen and hosting the meal and instead sit to be present with the guests, honoring the gift of their presence.

Years later, in his teaching, St. Paul explained to the Colossians that all the hardships and suffering he had experienced through his many years of travel and teaching were worthwhile. They made it possible for him to share the great wonder of the incarnation. Christ is present now in each person in the community, following the death and resurrection of Jesus. Each person may bring the presence of the Lord into every encounter with another. As we live as a community, or as a family, or as individuals with friends, we bring the presence of the Lord to our encounters. When we gather at the table at home, the Lord is present with us. When we gather at the table of Eucharist, the Lord is present with us. (Col 1:24-28)

We don’t need to receive a letter announcing the coming of a special guest. Each person we encounter, each person with whom we share our lives, brings the possibility of meeting the Lord in a new way. The big challenge we face is to remember to stop and listen, to hear the deeper message of love. Not always easy. Often we miss the boat. But always an important goal.

This week, may we remember to take time to welcome each person who joins us at table. Even the family with whom we eat every day! There’s always something that can be learned or shared if we take time to listen and ask questions. And when we meet others outside the family, may we be open to hear the Lord’s voice from them as well.

Peace and joy be yours as the Lord joins you for dinner.

Readings for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jul 13, 2025

Hidden in your Hearts

Children’s songs are passed down from generation to generation, sometimes with slightly different words, but with essentially the same tune and ideas. One such song is “Goin’ on a Lion Hunt.” I learned it as a Brownie Scout and we sang it through the years around campfires or in troop gatherings. It was always fun to act out the words as in the song we came up to a tree and had to “go around it” or a creek or a field and had to “go through it.” Of course, when we finally found the lion, we were far from prepared for the sight and had to repeat all of the motions in reverse as fast as we could until we arrived safely at home!

Quest stories are a feature of most cultures. A person is presented with a challenge and must go forth, away from all that is familiar, in search of the answer to the question, or a treatment for an illness or enchantment, or their true calling in life. Sometimes the quest includes other persons of about the same age. Sometimes, the hero must go alone, seeking advice from those met along the way, including spirits and animal friends. Trials abound, traps for the unwary, surprise sources of inspiration, and eventually, the goal of attaining the wisdom or prize of the quest.

Many of my favorite stories have been those of quests, especially those that include young people and some historical or mythological characters as well. It’s fun to learn about other cultures or historical events through the eyes of observers who are witnesses or participants in them.

Sometimes we think a quest must also be necessary to figure out God’s will for us. What are we to do? What does God want of us? Where will we find the answers? Surely something important enough to please a divine being must be big and elusive!

Yet shortly before his death, Moses spoke to the Israelites, descendants of those who had been enslaved in Egypt and freed through Passover. “If only you would heed the voice of the Lord, your God, and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this book of the law…” It sounds like these commandments must be something difficult to find. But no, the command “is not too mysterious and remote for you.” It’s not up in the sky or across the river. It’s not like going Lion hunting – through many dangers and challenges.

“It is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” (Deut 30:10-14)

Already in our hearts? How can that be? What are the commands that can be in our hearts?

The Law states very clearly what is expected. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

OK, but what does that mean in terms of actions? A scholar of the law asked Jesus that exact question one day. “Who is my neighbor?”

Jesus didn’t send him on a quest to find the answer to the question, though in a novel he might have done so. Instead, he told the man a story.

“A man fell victim to robbers…” The poor man was stripped of his clothing, beaten, and left half dead by the side of the road. We’ve heard the story many times. A priest saw him and moved to walk on the other side of the road. A Levite, a person who could assist with sacrifices in the Temple, also crossed the road to avoid contact with the injured man. Only a man from a stigmatized group, a Samaritan, stopped to help the injured man.

The Samaritan was “moved by compassion” and stopped to offer first aid and care. He took the man to an inn, carrying him on his own animal. He had to continue on his journey the next day, but he paid the innkeeper to continue to care for the wounded man, promising to pay any additional cost of the care when he returned.

Jesus asked the scholar, “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” When the scholar answered, “The one who treated him with mercy,” Jesus confirmed his observation. “Go and do likewise,” he said. (Lk 10:25-37)

Compassion, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, gentleness. All are signs of obedience to the commands of the Law. They are shared among all people.

Jesus, “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” through whom all was created, who holds all things together, tells the young man, “Go and do likewise.”

Each of us is included in that command. “Go and do likewise.”

We are born into a family, a culture, a nation, and we learn the ways of those who raise us. Some of those ways may not exactly be loving or welcoming of differences among peoples. Some may be hostile to ways of being that are not acceptable to “our people.” Some are fearful of outside influences and seek to remain “pure” in beliefs and actions. Some are afraid of change.

In a way, we each have a quest on which we embark as we grow up. We learn the ways and expectations of our families and peers with our mothers’ milk, and we take them as absolute truth when we are very small. As we grow, we learn of other peoples and other ways. We seek to find the right way to live as human beings.

In our quest, Moses told the people, we are not to think it necessary to go up to the sky to find the Lord’s command, nor are we to think we must cross the sea to find it. It is already near to us, “already in your mouths and in your hearts.”

Jesus too tells us that the place to look is within our hearts – to look for mercy and kindness and compassion that reaches out to those in need, those who are not from our own group, those who may be from other countries or ways of living. We each have gifts from the Father that are to be used for others. Part of our quest is to identify those gifts. One way to do it is by serving others. Opportunities open up, walls fall down as we approach, a smile opens the door to a heart.

Jesus is “the head of the body, the church … in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things…” (Col 1:15-20)

Following his instructions, may we too go out this week and serve our fellow travelers on the way with gentle, compassionate, acceptance and understanding. We’ll meet some amazing people and have some wonderful adventures along the way.

Readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jul 6, 2025

Two by Two and Away We Go

There’s an old song that includes a phrase I couldn’t find on the internet, but which I remember clearly. The phrase is from a little ditty and it goes, “Hey Dearie Dee and away we go, heigh ho, heigh ho, heigh ho.” It’s similar to songs from “Pinocchio” and “Snow White,” but the song I learned as a child had a different tune to go with these words.

This little song came to mind as I was thinking about the Gospel reading. Jesus sent seventy-two of his disciples out, two by two, to tell of the coming of the Kingdom, as well as to heal the sick. The disciples went out without any provisions, trusting in the goodwill of the people of the communities they would visit for meals and places to sleep. They came back amazed at the fact that they were able to heal the sick and even to “cast out demons.” Jesus was not surprised at this, encouraging them to continue to trust they would be protected from dangerous creatures such as scorpions and snakes.

Interestingly, the phrase regarding snakes in the Gospel is in quotation marks – the power to “tread upon serpents.” In the Book of Genesis, it’s the serpent in the Garden who tricks Eve into disobeying God by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In this, Jesus is saying that spirits which oppose the Kingdom can be defeated as well. However, and more importantly, he reminds them and us, “do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Lk 10:1-12, 17-20)

In some ways, the buddy system we see in youth organizations such as Scouting is similar – designed to protect participants, aid in learning new skills, and offer built-in companionship for activities. When things are going well, a buddy shares the joy. When things are hard, a buddy is there to share the difficulties and offer encouragement to keep going. Buddies also help each other figure out why things aren’t going as expected and what alternatives might work better.

Jesus and the early Christians used the buddy system too. Jesus traveled with a group of disciples. Paul and the other apostles traveled with companions on their journeys. The people they met formed communities, sharing what they had and working out differences of opinion. Early Christians tussled over the importance or need for circumcision. They tried to understand the meaning of the crucifixion. They suffered violent opposition from the authorities or influential people in the cities and towns they visited.

Yet through it all, they worked together to understand and share a completely new insight. Through the cross of Jesus and through baptism into this mystery, something new emerges. People become more than they were before the experience. They are a new creation, a new people, not divided by historical family ties into Jews and Gentiles, but one that is the new people of God.

Paul speaks of bearing the marks of Jesus on his body. Many times he suffered physically for his testimony to unwilling audiences, including at least one occasion when he was stoned and left for dead. Yet each time he continued forward, shaking the dust of the unwelcoming community from his feet and traveling on to the next town. (Gal 6:14-18)

Through the witness of the first Christians, a new community was born. This new community was a direct descendant of those who returned from exile in Babylon and rebuilt the city of Jerusalem and the temple of God on the holy mountain where it had been historically. The city is still in the same place today and the holy mountain continues to be a holy place for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Isaiah presents the Lord speaking of Jerusalem as a mother who nurses her child, calling on all to rejoice at her restoration. “Be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! … As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap … in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.” Jerusalem will prosper again, says the Lord, and the people will rejoice and flourish as the power of the LORD becomes clear to those who serve him. (Is 66:10-14c)

Once again, we are not hearing about a solitary person. An entire people are included in this call to rejoice. The city was rebuilt and, like many cities through the course of history, it was conquered multiple times afterwards. Foreign rulers came and went. The city was destroyed more than once. But it’s always been rebuilt. And those who rebuild it rejoice in its rebirth.

Through the life and ministry of Jesus and the apostles, as well as all their successors through the ages, we too rejoice in the Lord’s presence and working in the world.

We too are called to go out into our own worlds of home, families, friends, work, community, and the wider world to share the Good News of God’s love and the coming of the Kingdom of God. Two by two symbolically, we encourage each other. Sometimes the interaction will be more solitary, but always we know we are part of a larger community and we share our experiences with each other. The message is not always welcome. It can be difficult to explain why we behave as we do, why we refrain from certain activities because they would harm or demean others, why we share what we have even if we don’t have as much as others might have. But with the support of our families and communities, we move forward in faith.

As we move through this next week, with all the potential changes and uncertainty it will bring, may we remember that we are not alone. We are a community, a group of people who have met the Lord as we reach out in service to those most vulnerable among us. We have met the Lord in our worship, in our sacraments, in our own quiet prayer times. We have met the Lord in the beauty of creation, the wonder of a sunrise or sunset, the roar of the sea, the power of a wind or thunderstorm. We have met the Lord in the help we ourselves have received in the hard times – brought for us by our buddies in the journey.

May our eyes and ears be open to see and hear – “Two by two and away we go, heigh ho, heigh ho, heigh ho!”

Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Theologika on Jun 29, 2025

Peter and Paul – Unlikely Heroes

Peter and Paul – One a Galilean fisherman, the other a Pharisee, scholar of the Law, immigrant from the city of Tarsus in the province of Cilicia in Asia Minor, and Roman citizen. The first’s original name was Simon and the other’s was Saul.

The chances they would ever meet, let alone become co-workers, sharing the news of the coming of the Christ to all they met and serving as leaders in the community of disciples of Jesus were miniscule. Both would eventually meet their death in Rome in 64 CE – capital city of the Empire. According to tradition, Peter was crucified, upside down per his request. Paul, as a Roman citizen, was beheaded – crucifixion was reserved for non-citizens!

A simple fisherman

Simon/Peter first met Jesus in the fishing town of Capernaum. Jesus saw him, mending and drying nets with his brothers after a long fruitless night of fishing. They had not caught anything. St Luke tells us that Jesus got into the boat to teach the people gathered on the shore. After a while he told Simon and the others to take the boat out again and toss out their nets for a catch. What nonsense! Fish didn’t bite or get caught during the day.

But something about Jesus was different, compelling even, and so they set out again. Imagine their amazement when the nets filled to overflowing with fish! They had to call the other boat with whom they usually worked to come help. Both boats were filled to the brim and more. Simon dropped to his knees and begged Jesus to leave him, a sinner not worthy of such a miracle. Jesus’ response was totally unexpected. “Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching men.” They took their boat to the shore, left everything – boat, nets, fish, even families – to follow this man. And, oh, the wonders they would see.

Through the next three years they witnessed healings of all kinds, children and adults raised to life again, storms on the Sea of Galilee calmed at a word, thousands of people fed with just a few fish and loaves of bread, a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and so much more. All the while, Jesus was teaching them about the Father and the Kingdom of God.

So many people came to hear Jesus and follow, but Simon held a special place among the twelve who were his closest friends. More than just followers, disciples, they were his friends. Clueless friends sometimes, but Jesus was patient with them and kept teaching about the Kingdom.

They traveled through the Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. Many times Jesus had to correct their expectations of who the Messiah would be and what their role would be. After the times he had fed thousands of people who had come to listen to him with just a few fish and loaves of bread, he asked his disciples one day, “Who do people say that I am?” They replied that folks thought he might be Elijah the prophet returned to earth, or John the Baptist raised from the dead, or Jeremiah or some other prophet. Then Jesus asked a more personal question. “Who do you say that I am.” Simon replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Pretty daring words, but Jesus didn’t deny it. He acknowledged what Simon had said, adding, “… You are Peter (Rock) and on this rock I will build my church.” (Mt 16:13-19)

No one understood what Jesus meant at the time. Peter continued to learn without clearly seeing what was coming, even denying he knew Jesus in the garden of the high priest during the trial. He didn’t believe when Mary of Magdala brought word of the resurrection and he and the others hid in fear of the authorities before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Yet Peter became and remained the leader of the community. He and the other apostles, none of them trained in theology or leadership, learned how to lead a community and proclaim boldly what they had seen and heard. They preached, they healed the sick and lame, they witnessed to the religious leaders about what they had seen and come to believe, and rejoiced when as a result they were publicly whipped and otherwise shamed.

When Herod was persecuting the community, Peter was arrested. Herod planned to have a trial and execute him after the festival of Unleavened Bread. Sixteen soldiers were set to guard him, lest he escape. The community prayed fervently for his release, and God answered. The night before his trial, while sleeping chained to two soldiers – one on each side of him – an angel came and woke Peter. The chains that held him bound to the guards dropped away. The angel was quite practical, telling him to get his belt and pouch and to put on his cloak, then follow. He was led out of the prison, past the other guards and out the door and the iron gate, which rose silently and automatically as they approached. He found himself free on the streets of Jerusalem. He went to the house of John Mark, where all were amazed to see him, assumed he must be a ghost, and then gave thanks for his release. Afterwards, he wisely left the area to work in another community. (Acts 12:1-11)

A Pharisee and Student of the Law

Paul/Saul, on the other hand, was a tent-maker by trade. He never met Jesus before Jesus’ arrest, condemnation, death, and resurrection. In fact, he was so absolutely positive these people were liars and heretics – probably low-life scum out to take advantage of others and lead them astray – that he actively set about to arrest and convict them of crimes punishable by death.

When Stephen was arrested and charged with heresy, Saul was among those outraged by his words testifying to his faith. He watched over with approval the robes of those who stoned Stephen to death – the first to die as a martyr, a witness to the coming of the Kingdom.

Following Stephen’s death, Saul led a group from Jerusalem to Damascus to arrest the Christians there. On the road, he met Jesus and his life was turned upside down! Left blind by the vision of Jesus with whom he spoke, he went on to Damascus and there was visited by Ananias, who taught him of Jesus’ life and teaching. Saul, now known as Paul, became such a persuasive preacher that the community had to lower him in a basket outside the city walls in order for him to avoid death at the hands of Jewish authorities there!

Folks in Jerusalem were not ready to trust or welcome him. The leaders eventually accepted him, but his preaching was so compelling it attracted too much attention from the authorities. It was decided that it would be better for all if he just went home to Tarsus and went back to making tents.

Several years later, he was called back to Antioch and sent on the first of his missionary journeys to another part of western Asia Minor to preach the Gospel. He found a more willing audience among non-Jews, though he always began with the Jewish communities in his preaching.

His ministry to the Gentiles, combined with Peter’s experience in the house of Cornelius when the Spirit came upon the Romans there before they were baptized, led to the decision at the Council of Jerusalem, called to determine whether folks had to become Jews in order to be Christians. The decision, based on the experiences of Peter and Paul, was that it was not necessary and the Church set out on a new and broader path.

Eventually, both Peter and Paul ended up in Rome. Peter went there freely to work with new Christians in the city. Paul appealed to Rome for trial after having been arrested in Jerusalem. It was his right as a Roman citizen to be tried in Rome. Both died there.

Paul wrote of his life and hope for the future to his close friend and disciple, Timothy, as his death approached. His words have been an inspiration for centuries. (2 Tim 4:6-8, 17-18)

A new leader was chosen for the people of Rome after Peter’s death. To this day, the Bishop of Rome, as successor to Peter, is the leader of the Roman branch of the Catholic church community.

Heroes who changed the world

Two very unlikely heroes. One with little formal education. One with quite a lot of it. One from a conquered country. One a citizen of the conquering nation because he was born in a city of the empire. In art, one is portrayed carrying a set of keys and the other with a book and a sword. Peter and Paul.

Together, they became essential leaders of a community whose beliefs transformed the world in which they lived. Western civilization developed in a different way than it would have before they accepted the call they received to go out to the ends of the earth and teach everyone about the man they had met who turned out to be the Son of God, the Chosen One come to show humans how to live as children of God, heirs to a greater Kingdom.

None of us is likely to become as famous as they became. But each of us is also called to be part of that Kingdom they brought from a seemingly insignificant land out into the broader world. Each of us will influence others as well, for better or worse, in hearing about and choosing to become part of the Kingdom or not.

In that Kingdom they helped introduce to the rest of the world, the poor are helped to find food and shelter, welcome from the community and a chance to build a new life. Those who are sick receive care. Those who are from less honored communities are respected. Those whose lives are threatened by the strong are given refuge.

We are the ones called today. We follow Peter and Paul, and so many, many others after them as we live our lives in service to the Lord through our own families and communities, and even to the ends of the earth.

As the psalmist proclaims in song, “Taste and see how good the Lord is: blessed the one who takes refuge in him.” (Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9)

Peter and Paul – unlikely heroes, who model a life of faith and witness for us all.

Readings for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Mar 2, 2025

From the Fullness of the Heart

“Think before you speak!” “You have two ears and one mouth.” “Listen carefully before speaking.” “Out of the mouths of babes …” “Stop, look, and listen.”

We have many expressions that describe the relationship between our thoughts and our words, between what we perceive and the objective reality of what is happening around us. When we blurt out our first response to something unexpected, we often discover that our reaction does not take into account the total reality of the situation. There can be many factors we haven’t noticed that played a part in the way the situation developed and reached its climax.

Wisdom lies in quieting the inner and outer tongues that speak our thoughts, often before we have time to consider them carefully. “Think first, then speak,” is advice well suited to the complexity of our personal and public lives.

Around 200 years before the birth of Jesus, a man named Jesus, ben Eleazar, ben Sirach collected wisdom sayings from his community. Wisdom tales are told around the world, passing on to younger members of the family or village the traditions and common-sense approaches to the challenges of life we have come to understand. We still tell these stories ourselves, because they offer practical examples for dealing with complex realities. For example, “a watched pot never boils” reminds us to be patient as things work their way to a conclusion for which we have every reason to hope. Ben Sirach’s words are remembered today, though their fullest meanings are not always clear to us.

The first verse we hear today speaks of a sieve being shaken, which results in the appearance of husks. This is paired with a reminder that our faults too appear when we speak. What do our words have to do with grain and husks? Not something most of us would suggest, but something obvious in his times. There were no “combines” in those days, the big harvesters which could cut the grain, thresh it, and separate the grains from the chaff as they moved through the fields. In those days, oxen walked across the cut grain, breaking up the heads of wheat or other crops after they had been cut and placed together for threshing. The grain would fall out on the threshing floor. Later, everything on the floor would be scooped up and run through a sieve to separate out the grain from the chaff and excrement of the animals used for threshing the crop. When the time came to complete the harvest, the grain, chaff, and anything else on the threshing floor would be tossed into the air using a sieve. This allowed the smaller grains to pass through and keep the waste from contaminating the harvest. In many places even today, grain is threshed and prepared for use in this same basic way. Ben Sirach reminds us that “… one’s faults (appear) when one speaks.”

Ben Sirach notes that trees bear fruit when they receive the proper care and offers an important piece of advice for us today too. “Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.” In other words, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” (Sir 27:4-7)

Jesus offers similar advice as he finishes the Sermon on the Plain. He points out that when “the blind are leading the blind,” both can land in a pit. Through a series of examples, he cautions against judging others, lest we fail to notice our own weakness and sinfulness as we point out that of others. Those who are good will bear good fruit. Their goodness will become apparent through their choices and their actions. “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good…” When the heart is filled with negative emotions, a different scenario emerges and we see evil spreading. Words matter and reflect the beauty or ugliness of the heart when they are spoken. “… From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Lk 6:39-45)

As we move through life, we find times that are discouraging and hard to get through. Sometimes it seems that evil will triumph. We may feel like everything we try will end in failure. “Life is hard and then you die,” goes the saying today. People in ancient times experienced the same thing. St. Paul explains that a time will come in which the pattern of death and failure will end. “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory! Where … is your sting?” We have gained the upper hand, the victory, through Jesus. Our response of loving service will not be in vain. (1 Cor 15:54-58)

We are living through a time of great turmoil today. Wars are raging. Leaders of countries are meeting, but not always peacefully or respectfully. The fate of nations is hanging in a balance that is not at all certain to end well for anyone. In our personal lives, we are called to make choices and offer a hand or an ear to others we meet.

As we move forward, holding on with all our might to hope in the Lord’s help in the great work of protecting the vulnerable, caring for the young, the very old, and those who can’t care for themselves, seeking justice for those who face persecution or discrimination, safeguarding the vision of hope and liberty for all which we received from our parents and grandparents, may we remember the wisdom from of old. Wait and hear that what people say or do is wise and just before following their lead or obeying their commands. Be sensitive to our own faults before condemning others. In what ways do we try to correct in others the faults of which we ourselves are more guilty?

May our words be kind and merciful, flowing from a heart that has known forgiveness and acceptance. From the fullness of this experience of being loved and forgiven, may our mouths speak to those we meet each day.

Readings for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Feb 23, 2025

The Weight of a Snowflake

Each year a conference takes place in Southern California, for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles which is attended by people from all over the country and the world. Formally known as the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, most folks simply call it LA Congress. This program first started in 1956 in Los Angeles, but quickly grew large enough that it was moved to Anaheim. This year was no exception. Blessedly, the organizers have taken advantage of today’s technology and live streaming has brought the arena sessions to those of us who can’t be there in person.

One of my favorite speakers each year is the Rev. Terry Hershey. Terry writes a regular column, “Sabbath Moment.” His great insight and mission is to share the importance of taking time for reflection and stillness in our busy lives. This year he shared a story near the end of his presentation that expressed a vision of hope for these very difficult times in which we live today.

It seems there was a small bird, a coalmouse or coal tit, that was talking with a dove. Somehow the subject of the weight of a snowflake came up. The dove said that snowflakes were so light that they really make no difference at all in the world. The coalmouse boldly told the dove that in fact the weight of a snowflake matters. One afternoon, the coalmouse had nothing better to do, so he sat on the branch of a tree and began to count the snowflakes that were falling. Finally, the total reached 3,741,952 snowflakes that had fallen on the branch where the coalmouse was sitting. And then, one more snowflake fell on the branch – number 3,741,953. When that snowflake landed on the branch, the branch broke. That last snowflake was too much for the branch. It was too heavy.

There are times when everything going on in the world around seems too much to bear. Everything seems to be crashing. People are losing their livelihoods. Institutions are being broken down. No one knows when it will end. Where will it all end? Has anything like this ever happened before?

In point of fact, turmoil, upheaval, pain, suffering, fear, dismay – so much can and has happened so quickly and more than once in the history of the world. Like one snowflake on the branch of a tree, all can come crashing down.

Long, long ago, when Saul was king of Israel and Samuel was the Lord’s prophet, Saul ceased to follow the will of the Lord. He began to look out for himself and his cronies first, rather than caring for the people he had been selected to lead and care for. David had been anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. Saul was not happy about this and took an army of 3,000 men out to find and kill David.

One night, while Saul and his men were sleeping, David and a few of his men entered the camp. They found Saul and some of his men in a tent. David’s friend offered to use Saul’s spear to kill the sleeping king, but David refused the offer. “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the Lord’s anointed and remain unpunished?” David and his men left the camp, taking Saul’s spear and water jug with them. From a far hill, David called out to Saul and his army, “Here is the king’s spear. … Today the Lord delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm the Lord’s anointed.” (1 Sam 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23)

Eventually David became king, but it took many years before peace returned to the land.

Jesus lived in a time when his nation had been conquered and people were very aware of who their enemies were. In his teaching, he clearly stated a series of rules for living that were contrary to what humans typically do. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. … Do to others as you would have them do to you. … Love your enemies and do good to them.”

These words of Jesus are not what we hear every day. But they are the fundamental ground rules for our lives as followers of Jesus. He promises, “Forgive and you will be forgiven. … the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Lk 6:27-38)

These words speak deeply to anyone who will hear. They offer hope for a future in which we together offer love and help to those who are in need, to those who seek a safe place to live, to those whose bodies don’t reflect their sense of who they are in the depths of their being, to those who simply need a place to call home and a family to love them.

St. Paul spoke of the first Adam and the last Adam. The first “became a living being, the last Adam a life-giving spirit.” Jesus is the last Adam in this teaching. He brought the earthly and heavenly realms together, so that “as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.” (1 Cor 15:45-49)

Terry told another story right after the story of the coalmouse. This story was of a boy on an ocean beach. A bunch of sea stars (aka, starfish) had been washed up onto the beach. The boy was picking them up, one at a time, and tossing them back into the water, so they wouldn’t die on the beach. An old man asked the boy what he was doing and explained to the boy that there were lots of starfish in the ocean. It wouldn’t make a huge difference overall if these on the beach didn’t make it back into the water. The boy picked up another sea star and tossed it into the water, saying, “It made a difference for that one.”

Today we are called to live in hope in the face of upheaval and injustice. We are to act with love and respect both for those whom we seek to help and those who are responsible for causing great harm to others. The weight of one snowflake can cause a branch to break. One action can lead to healing the heart of another person. One action can stop a chain of harm from continuing. One starfish thrown back into the ocean makes a difference. One snowflake of mercy and compassion, when joined with others, can lead to healing of a nation and a world.

What starfish will we be called to help this week? When will the snowflake of our refusal to go along with orders to harm others begin to bear fruit in changing those orders? How will our light shine into the darkness and give hope?

We live in hope.

Readings for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Feb 16, 2025

Dreams and Their Consequences

In the early years of television, a show called “Truth or Consequences” was quite popular. Contestants were given a trivia question to answer and if they didn’t get the correct answer in a matter of moments, they had to perform some kind of crazy or embarrassing activity or action. The program continued for several decades and its producers pioneered some of the film and live-broadcast techniques that are basic to video and television productions today.

The show came to mind as I was reflecting on the readings this week. The prophet Jeremiah, writing in the years before the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 587 BCE and the years that followed, begins a prophetic oracle with these words, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.” He contrasts this with a contrasting statement, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” (Jer 17:5-8)

Each of these statements is followed by descriptions of the behaviors that characterize each type of trust and its ultimate consequences. The words used – cursed/blessed – are easy to misunderstand. Who curses? Who blesses? What does the word mean fundamentally?

For the Hebrew people, the messages proclaimed by the prophets are announced with the words, “Thus says the Lord.” It is the Lord, the Most High of Israel, who is speaking this message to the people through the prophet. We hear the word “cursed” and think of an angry, violent, vengeful, jealous person who doesn’t hesitate to punish and hurt the ones who don’t obey. Similarly, when we hear the word “blessed,” we typically think of a person who loves and rewards conditionally. As long as the person over whom the authority holds power obeys, all will be well and they will prosper.

But is this what the prophecies really mean? Is the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, really an angry, jealous, vengeful deity? Or are we maybe misunderstanding what is meant by the words.

Imagine a child with a new scooter. This child is excited to go out and try it on the hill behind the house. The hill is high and pretty steep at one end, the edge of a higher plateau. There are some shorter parts of the hill. One section is about half as high as the highest one and not as steep. The final section is much lower. A gentle slope that started out steeper than the bottom – it smoothed out to a level sidewalk up to the back door.

The parents will assess the age and strength of the child when deciding to allow the child to go try out the scooter. The high plateau end is going to be too high for the child, even for an older child. Heavens, it’s too high even for an experienced adult to slide down safely! The admonition not to go there will be much stronger about that steep hill. “Don’t even think about it. You’ll break your neck!”

The intermediate size hill may be safe for an older child. The parents will say, “Be careful. Watch what you’re doing. Don’t get going too fast.”

A younger child will be able to enjoy the scooter on the lower hill. The instructions may well sound like those given to the older child on the intermediate hill. But the parents will be watching much more closely and maybe running down the hill alongside the child on the scooter, to help keep both child and scooter safe.

Perhaps the words of the Lord given by the prophet are more in the style of the words of these parents of the child with a new scooter.

“Cursed are those who …” might mean the same thing as “Things could go very badly in the end for those who …”

The images Jeremiah uses are those that the people of his time will understand – “A barren bush in the desert, … a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.” On the other hand, for those who listen to the advice of the Lord, he speaks of “a tree planted beside the waters that stretches its root to the stream … in the year of drought … still bears fruit.” The results for this person will be positive in the long run.

Jesus used a similar style in speaking with a large crowd of people who gathered to hear his words. “Blessed are you …” describes people who do not hurt others in order to live their lives. For those whose behavior was not kind and loving, his words were “Woe to you who …” (Lk 6:17, 20-26)

Was Jesus condemning those whose behavior seemed to indicate divine blessing? People who were financially rich, never hungry, welcomed as an honored, well-loved guest, or praised by all who knew them – is he condemning them? Or was he offering a warning that those in power can so easily find the tables turned and themselves disgraced, imprisoned or out of work?

And those who were in need? Was it because of something they had done? Were they lazy or unwilling to try to help themselves? What about that old saying, “God helps those who help themselves?” But Jesus says, those who help others are blessed. Those who don’t worry about having approval from the rest of the world are the ones who are pleasing to God.

Consequences don’t have to be unpleasant. They don’t have to be embarrassing. They come along as a result of decisions we make and actions we take. Those who have great wealth don’t always feel secure. They can lose it very quickly. Those who put all their money into homes or possessions can lose everything in a fire, flood, or tornado. But those who put their energy and resources into supporting and helping other people will find help and love from those they have helped when they themselves are in need. “Asbestos checks” don’t necessarily help those who die with great riches but little history of having cared for or shared with others. But the help and love we share with others grows and flows out into the world, growing ever broader and stronger.

Truth or consequences. Do we believe the truth spoken by Jeremiah and Jesus? Which consequences do we want to see in our lives? Do we trust in money, fame, lands, power to save us from loss and suffering? Or do we trust in mutual support, help for those in need of an extra hand, comfort offered to those who have experienced great losses, and decide to continue to do so despite the opposition of those who find their power threatened by this freedom?

Which will lead to everlasting blessing? Which joins us to the life of Christ?

In the days to come, may we trust that our Lord is good and loving, caring for all of us, and hoping we will join in helping and supporting each other, no matter where we have come from or where we live now. We are the Lord’s hands and voice here and now. May we speak the truth and share in the blessings promised.

Readings for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Feb 9, 2025

Somebody Oughta Do Somethin’ About It

If you or I had a nickel for every time we heard the phrase, “somebody oughta do somethin’ about it,” I think we would have enough cash for a special treat, if not a fine vacation. As people, we are social beings. We get together and share our thoughts and experiences, whether within our family circles or in our larger communities of work, school, church, clubs, gyms, etc. Since life is not perfect, there always seems to be something about which someone can and will complain. Wages are too low, the work is too hard, there aren’t enough safety measures, there are too many restrictions, too much homework, too many new people are moving into town, housing costs too much … And have you seen the price of eggs lately?

These sentiments are heard even in relatively good times economically, socially, and politically. Life is not perfect, despite our wish it could be so – and what is good for me is not necessarily good for you or the neighbor down the street.

In our world today, it sometimes feels like everything has been tossed willy nilly into a big pot and stirred with the proverbial dirty stick. As Goofy might say, “Sumpin’ wrong here!” Things we should be able to count on are no longer steady and predictable. Will I have a job tomorrow? Is my Social Security deposit going to happen? Who has access to my health information? Is any data secure anymore? We simply don’t know.

“Somebody oughta do somethin’ about it!” But who and what? And is this something that has never happened in the world before our time? No, not really. We have gotten used to a system here that was designed to help keep things stable and predictable, governed by laws and branches of government that balanced each other out. It’s been a very special time and place where we have lived.

When we look at the experience of the Hebrew people through the centuries, there have been many times of upheaval and change. Invading armies carried people off into exile. Other nations conquered the conquerors and the people were allowed to return to their own land. Sometimes good kings served as rulers. Sometimes not. The land we call the Middle East today has witnessed thousands of years of turbulence.

The prophet Isaiah began his public career sometime around 742 BCE. This was a time when the king of Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Ahaz, was the ruler of Judah in the south at the time. Despite the conquest of the northern kingdom and Samaria, Judah was not harmed. But later, under King Hezakiah, the Assyrian king did invade Judah and was miraculously defeated.

Isaiah tells the history early in the book that bears his name of how he became a prophet. “In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple.” He goes on to describe the scene further and the praise that shook the doorframe and filled the house with smoke. At this, he realized that there was no way he should be there and have any expectation of survival. “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips … yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Isaiah was saved from doom when one of the angels, a seraphim, flew over to him with an ember from the altar. The seraphim touched Isaiah’s lips with the ember, removing his “wickedness.”

The Lord then called out, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” Isaiah volunteered, “Here I am … send me!” (Is 6:1-2a, 3-8)

Somebody oughta do somethin’. “Here I am, send me,” was Isaiah’s response as he set out into his vocation as a prophet in his homeland. Sometimes it went well. Sometimes not so well. But he was faithful. When he heard the call, he answered.

St. Luke described the call of the first followers of Jesus, those who became his closest friends. Jesus had already been teaching near Lake Gennesaret in Galilee. Although Luke doesn’t mention it as this point in his writing, Jesus spent a lot of time in Capernaum and nearby communities by the lake.

Jesus was at the lakeshore and people were crowding around him. Two boats had just come in from a night of fishing and the fishermen were cleaning up their nets before going home to sleep. Jesus got into one of the boats and asked the fisherman, Simon, to take him out into the water a bit, so he could teach from the boat without getting overwhelmed by the press of the crowd.

He sat in the boat and taught for a while. Then he told Simon to go back out into the deep water and drop the nets again. Simon protested. This was crazy. They had fished all night without catching anything. Fish didn’t get caught during the day. What a waste of time and energy. And with a newly cleaned net? Double work in having to clean it again!

But Simon agreed to lower the nets, against his better judgement. What a surprise when the nets were suddenly filled to overflowing. There were so many fish, they had to get their partners in the other boat to come help bring in the catch.

Simon immediately knew he was beyond his depth when it came to this prophet who had asked him for a place to sit and teach. “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

But Jesus had other plans for him. “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And Simon and his partners left their boats and nets and followed him that very day. (Lk 5:1-11)

Somebody oughta do somethin’. That somethin’ for Simon and his partners was to follow the one who called them from their everyday lives into a new way of living and sharing in the mission of their Lord.

Paul was called by Jesus much later than Peter and company. He was a persecutor of the followers of Jesus, until he met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. His life was turned around completely by that encounter. Sent out to preach and share the Good News outside Israel, Paul traveled through Asia Minor and Greece for many years. His letters to members of the communities that grew up in those lands remain with us today.

In Corinth, there were disputes about many things, including the details of the faith he had taught them. He wrote to the community, restating the basics of Christian belief and concluding with an account of his credentials as an apostle. Christ appeared to many people after the Resurrection, “Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.” Jesus needed someone like Paul and chose him personally, turning his life around completely. (1 Cor 15:1-11)

Somebody oughta do somethin’.

The Lord continues to call people to do the somethin’ that is needed right here and now. We don’t typically meet him in a great flash that knocks us to the ground as Paul did. He doesn’t usually come and ask to borrow our boats or cars or stages so he can personally teach our communities. But he does call. It’s a quiet, often subtle call. We notice something that is a surprise. Someone invites us to come to a gathering for prayer. Someone introduces us to a visitor who tells us about a need in their home community. Someone goes off to the missions and writes home with a request for help to get supplies needed by the people there.

As we move through the coming weeks and months, we too are called to pay attention to those around us. Keep our ears open to hear the Lord’s call. Who needs our help and how can I personally help? How can you help?

Somebody oughta do somethin’ today. What is it for you to do? What is it for me? The Lord needs our hands, our eyes, our feet, our hearts, and our willingness to go out into the unknown, out on a limb and saw madly if needed, to help those who are in danger, those who have come seeking help, safety, and a new life, those who have special needs, those who have been the victims of discrimination, and those whose lives have been “stirred around with a dirty stick.”

We are called to be people of peace, kindness, love, gentleness, and firm faith in the call to serve and protect all of the Lord’s children, from the wealthiest to the very poorest. All are children of God. All are our sisters and brothers. All are welcome. All have gifts to share with us.

We move forward now in faith. We share our hopes and dreams. We share the struggles. We share the joy. And one day, we will share the stories of how the Lord called, we answered, lives were saved, and our communities were enriched by the gifts brought to us by those we helped along the way.

Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jan 26, 2025

Fulfilled in Your Hearing

The gift of hearing is one most of us don’t truly appreciate. We are born able to hear and part of our growing and maturing is to begin to make sense of the sounds we hear. We copy the sounds of our world without really understanding their meaning. Often the tones and rhythms are repeated accurately long before the actual words are spoken and used in communication. Waiting in line in the grocery store, for example, one day a little child in a stroller looked up at me and in absolutely perfect rhythm and tones the asked, “ow ah oo.” I responded, “I’m fine, thank you. How are you?” The child beamed. His friendly question had been understood. His mother looked at me like I had two heads. She hadn’t realized he was speaking in tones. I recognized that he was asking a question only because my mother had once pointed out to me the way children first communicate with tones and sounds rather than words.

As we get older, hearing can begin to fail. We don’t hear what others say to us and wonder why their feelings get hurt when we continue to walk away rather than turn and respond to their words. We don’t notice the lack of sound and get used to the peace and quiet. When our families or friends point out that we are losing our hearing, it can be an upsetting thing to hear. “What do you mean, I can’t hear? I hear just fine!” But really, communication begins to fail. And eventually, if not treated, the nerve pathways for hearing get reprogrammed to do other things. There is convincing evidence that hearing loss can contribute to the development of dementia.

What does all of this have to do with the readings for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time? Hearing, understanding and remembering are all activities that can be lost or forgotten. Sometimes, we need to be reminded to open our ears and minds and hear what is being communicated.

A People Reminded of their Calling

At the end of the exile of the Jewish people in Babylon, King Cyrus of Persia sent them back to Jerusalem, to the land from which they had been taken. He sent Nehemiah, one of his trusted officials, along to help them rebuild their city, the temple, and their community. Ezra was a priest who worked with Nehemiah in the enterprise.

During the time in exile, most of the people had lost their connection to the ancient covenant with God that was established at the time of the Exodus. The people at the time of the Exodus had traveled through the Sinai peninsula and surrounding lands for forty years before entering the land to the west of the Jordan River where they settled, the land that came to be known as Israel. As part of the renewal of their community, Ezra gathered together all those returning from Babylon to re-introduce the Law.

Standing on a platform higher than the gathered people, he opened the scroll of the Law and began to read at dawn to all the people, including the children old enough to understand. As he began, he offered a prayer of blessing, a kind of thanksgiving prayer, to the Lord. In response all the people raised their hands in a great acclamation – “Amen, Amen!” They bowed down, prostrate on the ground in honor of the scroll and the law they would hear.

Ezra read from the scroll, the book of the law of God, and explained what was meant by its words. Many no longer understood their own ancient language, the language in which the scroll was written. As he read, the people began to cry, but Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites who were teaching the people all explained that the words were ones of encouragement and hope. It was a time to celebrate. “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those had nothing prepared; for today is holy to the Lord.” Furthermore, they proclaimed, “…rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength.” (Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10)

Hearing for the first time the words of the covenant with the Lord was a time for rejoicing. A new beginning. A reminder of the ancient words calling them to a life of faith, of caring for each other, of welcoming strangers (foreigners) who would come to live among them, of justice and peace.

In addition to the Law, the people of Israel had the traditional teachings of the prophets who had guided the nation for centuries. Again and again, the prophets reminded the people and their leaders of the Lord’s demand that they care for widows and orphans, welcome peoples of other nations who came to live among them, not cheat others in business dealings, forgive debts, free captives who were being held unjustly, and share their belongings freely. The prophets also spoke of the One who would come and re-establish the relationship between God and the people, ruling the nation with justice.

Through the centuries, sometimes Israel was a free nation. Sometimes it was a conquered colony of another people. Their land was part of an extensive set of trade routes from China and India to Egypt and lands farther west. Whoever was the strongest warrior always felt a need to control their land. Through it all, the people held on to their faith in the Lord and trust that, one day, their God would send a person, a savior, to lead all to freedom.

A Prophecy Recognized and Received

St. Luke begins his narration of the life of Jesus with a formal note to a person named Theophilus – Lover of God. He assures Theophilus that the information he will be recording has been verified by many and he can be assured that what he will be reading is true. With this introduction, we skip over to the time after Jesus’ baptism when he has begun to preach and teach in Galilee.

One day, Jesus returned to his hometown, Nazareth. As was normal for him, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. There he was welcomed and invited to read from the Scriptures. This was not unusual, particularly since he was already developing a reputation for preaching and teaching. He opened the scroll to a passage from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was one of the major prophets and spoke in many different times of the one who was to come, the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of Man.

The passage Jesus selected was memorable, powerful, and not generally expected to refer to anyone who had grown up in their town. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor … liberty to captives … recovery of sight to the blind … to let the oppressed go free … to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

It’s a marvelous passage, filled with hope and joy in the great promise of salvation. People would have heard it regularly. But not what followed. Jesus sat down after reading the passage and returning the scroll to the attendant. As all watched him, waiting to hear what he might say about the prophecy, he said quite simply and unexpectedly, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21)

Wait, what? What did he say? Is he saying he is the one who is to come? Who does he think he is?

We don’t actually hear these words in the section of the Gospel we read today, but that was the reaction of those who heard his words.

What do we hear today? Do we hear clearly what he is saying? Sight to the blind? Liberty to captives? Help for the poor? Freedom from oppression (whether from outside or inside the culture)? When does this happen? He said it is “fulfilled in your hearing.” That means it has already begun. It is a reality. It is for all of us, here and now too. We too have been anointed for this mission.

All of us? Those born here? Those who have come here from other places? Those who might not have legal documentation? Those who need special help? Those who are older or who have limited incomes? Those who have lost their jobs or can’t find work that pays enough for them to have a simple home? Help and healing and support for all people?

Who is Called to Respond?

Many times, people in communities begin to compare themselves to each other. Hierarchies of respect and privilege begin to appear. It was no different in the city of Corinth in the years after the resurrection. St. Paul took the news of Jesus’ coming and the coming of the kingdom to the people of Corinth. A community of people grew up, sharing in a life of faith together. But over time they began to argue about which of them had gifts that were more important to the community and therefore more worthy of respect and privilege. This development harmed the community and the witness of their lives to those who had not yet come to believe in Jesus and the Resurrection.

St. Paul famously explained the importance of each person in the community by comparing the gifts of the Holy Spirit and those who received each of them to the parts of the body. Some are more acceptable and presentable than others, but all are important. He reminds us all that we give greatest honor and protection to the parts of our bodies that we consider least presentable publicly. So therefore, we need to remember that all gifts are important and some that we think are among the least notable may actually be the most important. (1 Cor 12:12-30)

We all have important gifts from the Spirit to nurture and share. Some are called to speak. Some are called to help others heal. Some are good at administration. Others are great at coming up with bright ideas that need someone else to make them actually work. Each of us has gifts to share.

How do we hear these words? How do the words of Jesus continue to be fulfilled in our midst?

These questions are particularly important at this point in time in our land and our world. How do we love, respect, and support those with whom we live? How do we protect those who have come here from other lands in search of protection from gangs who have taken their land? How do we welcome those whose gender identity would lead to their murder in their own lands? How do we share the riches of our land with those around the world who don’t have the same resources or opportunities? How do we work for international peace? How do we help our own children to be able to learn by making sure they can have enough to eat each day and get healthcare when they need it?

We have come through many years of increasing anger and distrust that has damaged our ability to talk with each other and find solutions to the challenges we all face. How do we begin to break down those barriers when those in power prefer to keep us divided? If we don’t find a way, we will all pay a steep price.

How do we begin again to hear? What kind of hearing aids do we need? Can we begin to hear communication that is not in easily understood words? “Ow ah oo?”

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

May we open our ears and hearts to hear and respond.

Readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Jan 19, 2025

Marriage Feasts – Celebrating Together

“We only seem to get together for marry’ns and bury’ns.” (Spelling?) This comment was often heard as I was growing up when a wedding or funeral drew our large, extended family together. It was generally spoken towards the end of a gathering, accompanied by the sentiment that we really ought to get together more frequently, when we might have a bit more time to visit.

While the weddings were typically happy occasions, we had a great time at funerals too. It was sad to have lost someone, but so good to see family, tell stories, share favorite foods, play games, and get caught up on all that had happened since our last gathering.

Many families in industrialized countries do not live in the same town as others of their relatives. As a result, the times they gather are different than gatherings among people who see each other often and frequently get together. They can feel very hurried and way too short.

The type of family structure also affects the nature of such gatherings. In patrilineal or matrilineal families, for example, the only ones who are seen as family are those related through the father’s line or the mother’s line. The bride or groom marries into the spouse’s family, but the spouse does not become part of their family of origin. In Western societies, we typically trace our lineage through both mother’s and father’s lines. When we marry, both bride and groom enter a second family – each other’s.

The wedding feast Jesus, his mother, and his followers attended at Cana in Galilee was a family affair that included many guests. The bride was joining her husband’s family. It was a new beginning and important to show abundant hospitality to the guests – a matter of honor for the groom’s family to offer joyful feasting with plenty of everything to eat and drink. To run out of anything was a serious source of shame for his family, particularly since the bride’s family would be witnesses of the shortfall.

Unfortunately, the wine was running out. Wine was added to water to make the water safe to drink. The amount the wine was watered down might vary, but it was essential to have the wine. It wouldn’t do to have nothing to offer guests to drink.

Jesus’ mother noticed the problem. She told him about it, then instructed the servants to do whatever her son told them to do. What a leap of faith! Jesus didn’t think it was time for him to do anything yet. It was not his time. But Mary set the stage and he acted.

Water jugs for washing the feet of guests were not what one would expect to find used for wine. But Jesus instructed the servants to fill the jugs with water – just regular water. Then, he told them to serve it to the headwaiter for approval. The servants must have been very nervous about those instructions. The headwaiter was not going to be happy about receiving water from the washing-water jugs to drink! But somehow they accepted Mary’s vouching for her son’s ability to help and they filled the jugs with water, gave them to the headwaiter, and I suspect they were more astounded than the headwaiter to learn that the plain, old, everyday water had become fine wine.

“You have kept the good wine until now,” he said to the bridegroom with amazement. This observation sets the stage for Jesus’ mission. In fact, St. John says this was the first of the signs Jesus gave that revealed his glory – who he truly was and is. His disciples began to believe in him when they saw this sign. (Jn 2:1-11)

Why would this sign at a wedding signal the glory of the Lord present in a city in Galilee?

There is a history of weddings and the relationship between men and women, husbands and wives, in Hebrew religious tradition that points to the relationship God wants to have with humans. The prophet Isaiah speaks of this to the people who have returned from captivity in Babylon. The people who have returned to Jerusalem will rebuild the city and the temple. Their trust in God through their long exile will be vindicated, as God’s protection shines forth over the city like dawn breaking after a long night. Jerusalem’s victory is compared to a burning torch, shining brightly.

The people themselves, loved and freed by their God, will no longer be seen as forsaken and their land desolate. God has rescued them and takes them as his bride, the one loved and protected as by a husband. It’s a new beginning. A time for great joy. An example and blessing of human love and marriage. (Is 62:1-5)

And so, when Jesus begins his ministry of teaching and healing at a wedding, we see a new beginning for humanity again. Just as the bride and groom begin their new lives together, so humans and the Lord begin a new relationship as children of God, heirs of the kingdom. The messenger has arrived. The best wine is ready to serve. The story begins.

We have many new beginnings in our lives as individuals and communities. Sometimes the new beginnings go smoothly. Other times they are more bumpy. Sometimes people are happy with the change. Other times they have their doubts about it. Sometimes people get along with each other. Other times they find all sorts of things about which to disagree and argue.

The people of Corinth got to arguing about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Which one was best? Who got the best gifts? Why did one person get a highly valued gift and another get one that was seen as humdrum and common? St. Paul reminded them that the gifts received from the Spirit were not a reward of any sort for good behavior. The gifts were from the Holy Spirit of God, given to each person in order to be used to help build up the community. One person might be called to offer wisdom. Another might be gifted with the ability to heal or to understand what the spirit is calling someone else to do. The gifts given to each person were only good insofar as they were used for the community as a whole. (1 Cor 12:4-11) Such controversies are not at all uncommon among people who live together and must find their way to agreement on what to do in any given situation. We look at a challenge and bring our own gifts to the effort to address it.

We are at a time in the world with many new challenges to address. Leadership of many countries is changing. The approach to solving common challenges facing communities and nations can vary widely. But it’s important to remember that we humans are loved like a bride by our God – all of us. As a result, we are called to love in return.

Part of that requirement of love is to listen to each other and honestly try to find ways to work together to solve common problems. How do we help those who have come to our homelands seeking protection? How do we help those who simply need work to support their families? How do we assure our fellow women and men that they and their children can get healthcare when they need it? How do we grow, harvest, and distribute food so that all can eat and grow to a healthy adulthood and old age? How do we find affordable housing for all? How do we educate and support our children, helping them grow to be loving, competent adults?

Just as at the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus is present when we invite him into these conversations. How will water be turned into wine in our lives? Will we trust him enough to put the water into the jars and take it out to those who will judge its quality and pass it on? Which gifts of the Spirit are we sent to bring to the conversation? Will we have the courage to speak based on insights we have received through the gifts we have received?

We are not just guests at a wedding this time. We are the Bride of our God, sisters and brothers of Jesus, children of the Father. May we always remember this and work to bring others into our family of love and support. The wedding feast has begun. It’s time to celebrate that love and take it into our world.

Readings for the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Posted by Kathleen Brewer de Pozos, PhD on Nov 16, 2024

Missed the Rapture Again?

We have a joke in the family that gets repeated once in a while. Living in a tourist destination community, we are used to seeing busy highways and local roads at certain times on weekends and during holidays. But every so often, when we would usually expect the highways to be full, they aren’t. On those days, returning home, one or another of us will note, “Well, we missed the Rapture again!”

Our liturgical year is drawing to a close. We have celebrated Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and all the days in-between. We have heard God’s word proclaimed in Scripture, through worship, and in our daily lives for another year. We hope that we have grown a bit in wisdom and grace as we have in age.

Now, here we are again, at the last two weeks of the year. The readings speak of final days and describe cosmic disasters that bring an end to all and usher in the final coming of the Son of Man.

If we look at these readings literally, and look at the state of the world today, it can be terribly distressing. Is the world really coming to an end? Are we among those left behind to suffer for our evil behavior? Is there any hope? Did we miss the Rapture?

Objectively speaking, things are something of a mess out there in the world. For that matter, sometimes at home they’re a mess too. We’ve come through a world-wide pandemic, with economic and social upheavals as a result of it. We see wars raging in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. War has been threatened in Asia as well. One long one in Afghanistan ended, but there are other areas of conflict that have not risen beyond the level of “trade wars” yet. Families are under stress. Inflation has been high, because of many pandemic and trade war-related issues. Unemployment has come down dramatically, but it was high for a while when businesses had to close or cut back due to the pandemic and associated supply-chain problems. Food costs have risen. Housing is in short supply. And so on and on.

On the physical front, we are having to deal with droughts, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and all the natural “disasters” that occur when humans and the forces of nature meet in dramatic ways. How many hurricanes or cyclones or typhoons should any area have to endure? Why so many tornados? Will the rains come so the fires stop? Why so much rain at a time? Can’t we have just a bit and when we need it rather than all at once?

People are divided over how best to deal with the economy, with the wars that are raging, changes in what we expect of our environment, emerging understandings of gender, the role of women and others who have traditionally been kept at lower status than the leadership of our communities and of industry, to mention just a few issues. Elections around the world are reflecting the divisions among us over how to move forward. Lots of fear and angst are expressed in these votes.

When the victors emerge, again, there is dismay among one group and rejoicing by others. Yet we are all still in this together. None of us got out in a Rapture of any sort. None were swept up to Heaven for protection while God deals with the messiness of the lives of the rest of us. We all missed the Rapture!

The readings from Daniel speak of the distress that can arise in life. The book of Daniel was written during a period of conquest and persecution under King Antiochus IV, a Selucid King ruling from 167-164 BCE. They offer hope that an end will come to the trials of the age and that peace will come. There is a mention of the dead rising again to life and of others remaining dead. (These conversations continued into the time of Jesus and his followers. We even hear them today!)

Nevertheless, the reading ends on a note of promise. “The wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.” (Dn 12:1-3)

Things can get very bad, very frightening, very distressing, but hope is not lost. Wisdom will continue to shine forth and people will emerge who will continue to work for justice and peace.

So, who is this Son of Man person? “Son of Man” as used in the readings today is the title given to an apocalyptic figure who comes to the rescue. The individual is human, but gifted with special powers to accomplish God’s work and then be raised to Heaven. Daniel speaks of the Son of Man as the one who will come to make all right again. In the midst of great turmoil and destruction, the Son of Man will come with power and glory. Those found worthy and faithful will be rescued before all ends.

Jesus tells his followers that no one knows when the end of the world will come, when the present age will end, but a time will come when all is concluded. Worlds end. Do they always end physically? No. But we are to be alert to see the signs of change, of transition, in our day. (Mk 13:24-32)

Where do we see these signs? That is the big question. Where do we see the love of God shining into our lives and our world. When God comes, it will not be as a punishing, vindictive bully who is out to get revenge on all who have done him wrong! God is Love. Love doesn’t behave that way.

So where do we see the signs of the coming of the Son of Man? Where do we see the Lord in our lives?

We see the Lord in those who reach out to others, including those with whom they disagree. We see the Lord in those who work to protect others who are being persecuted because of who they are and how God made them. We see the Lord in those who seek to assure that children and their families can get enough to eat and still have a place to live. We see the Lord in those who care for the sick. We see the Lord in those who work to protect prisoners from abuse. We see the Lord in those who step up to serve in leadership roles that allow them to enact laws protecting rather than exploiting the weak and powerless.

We see the Lord in the work of those who are willing to give of their time, talent, treasure, and lives to serve others and make a better world for all. Jesus gave us a set of guidelines in the Beatitudes. He told us where to find him in the story of the Last Judgement. He willingly faced torture and death, put his very life on the line, in the process of reconciling humanity with our Father, the creator of all.

We missed the Rapture, all of us. Now it’s time to learn from the fig tree, to see the signs around us, and to roll up our sleeves and get to work. It’s time to continue to work and build a world of love and support for our sisters and brothers, wherever they are from, and whoever they are. We’re in this together. The Kingdom is coming to birth among us. Let’s get going!

Readings for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Be Bold and Persistent

The Day the Lord Came to Dinner

Hidden in your Hearts

Peter and Paul – Unlikely Heroes

A simple fisherman

A Pharisee and Student of the Law

Heroes who changed the world

From the Fullness of the Heart

Dreams and Their Consequences

Somebody Oughta Do Somethin’ About It

Marriage Feasts – Celebrating Together

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