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Showing posts from August, 2020

Take on the Heart of Jesus

The Gospel story at today's Mass is a difficult one to hear at first.  Jesus appears to be rude to the Canaanite woman who is pleading for her daughter's life.  "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!"  These are startling words coming from a Gentile.  At first Jesus appears to be ignoring her.  He doesn't answer or even look her way.  The disciples want to send her away so annoyed are they at her behavior.  Then Jesus himself seems to dismiss her as well:  "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."  But this woman is undaunted in her desire to get Jesus' attention.  She believes with all her heart that he can help her and cure her daughter who is tormented by a demon.  She continues to call out, unfazed by her dismissal.  "Lord help me!" she cries out again.  What determination and strength of character.  She will not give up.  She keeps calling out to the Lord in her misery.  Once again, Jesus appears to refuse her plea:  "It is no

Keeping the sin of anger at bay

I’m certain that I can’t be the only one who has noticed that we live in a culture where there is a growing volume of anger on display. We see it everywhere. Earlier this week as I sat at a traffic light which turned green someone became incensed that I didn’t move more quickly through the intersection, screaming profanity and nearly running me onto the sidewalk. Incidents of road rage are spiraling; people attacking others in stores and on the streets; politicians spewing angry and hurtful diatribes on television every day; the list goes on and on.   But anger can also be in our homes and in our hearts and yes, even in our church communities – sometimes bubbling below the surface.  There are a good many people, for example, who are angry at the Church because they have to wear a mask or because a particular church building can’t be reopened.  Some have even let their anger prevent them from coming to Mass.  It is high time that we fight this spiritual evil that is so poisonous,