PRI Reflections on Scripture | Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Monday of the 16th Week of Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: July 24, 2023 === Gospel Matthew 12:38-42 Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.” Reflection Jesus’ response to the Pharisees who ask for a sign is an indication of the disposition of the Pharisees. They didn't want to see what God really wanted to show them through Jesus, because it was too frightening to them. Because what Jesus is revealing is the power that he has is the transformation that he can affect within human beings. The transformation, say, of Jonah and that work of Jesus is the greatest of the miracles. Closing Prayer Father, there's a way in which we can expect a miracle in our life, where all of a sudden the thing that we can't do, is given to us the power to accomplish things. It's not that simple. We're not here to be powerful human beings, but to be ministers to one another and to be transformed into service, and not positions of authority. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

HOMILY - The 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Original Airdate: July 19, 2020 Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 | Romans 8:26-27 | Matthew 13:24-43 or 13:24-30 Opening Prayer Show favor, oh Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping commands.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen. Closing Prayer Father, you are mysterious, and the beauty of your love for us is that you’ve always met us where we are. You’ve always dealt with us exactly in a way that would reach us.  You presented yourself at times in the Old Testament as someone harsh and demanding and willing to destroy those who don’t follow you, and at the same time, you revealed yourself in the New Testament as the most loving, forgiving, patient, kind, desiring nothing but our transformation.  Give us wisdom to discern the truth.  It’s fundamentally in all the stories, and most especially give us the hope that is our inheritance so that our heart will always be filled with joy and peace.  And we ask this through Jesus’ name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: July 20, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 12:14-21 The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope. Reflection This gospel carries with it the image of the final major conflict between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Pharisees see Jesus as a great threat to their system, and they're deciding they must kill him. Jesus realizes this, and he's not retaliating. He's not angry. He's not calling upon angels to go and destroy these people. No, he simply continues to do his work, to be with people, to heal them of their diseases and their shortcomings. He's a gentle, loving man. And it’s clear that from the very beginning of the revelations in the Old Testament, we see a prophet coming who is radically different than the prophets of the Old Testament. No fire and brimstone, no threats, no condemnation, just a loving, giving figure who represents who the father really is. Closing Prayer Father, you teach us in so many ways, often by a story like this, where we're just watching you respond to something that you should have this negative overflow of emotion. And yet there you are, back at doing just what you came to do. Keep us focused on what we came in this world to do. The thing you've asked us to do to heal, to help, to be there for one another. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Friday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: July 19, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 12:1-8 Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath." He said to the them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.” Reflection The hypocrisy of the Pharisees was well known, and it's clear that the weakness of the system that was working there was all about rules and regulations. Obligations one must do something or be punished or excluded. And Jesus comes along with such a different message. He's not focused on law, but on love. And it's not then an obligation, but an invitation to freely give to others what they need. And through that giving, receive the most abundant feeling of well being. The temple didn't work. Jesus’ message works every time. Closing Prayer Father, we can easily create a relationship based on rules and regulations. And we don't have to have a temple to tell us how to do that. But we do have also is the ability to not have so many do's and don'ts in a relationship, but just have something more flexible, fluid and life giving, understanding, compassion, empathy. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: July 18, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Reflection When Jesus says these words to his disciples, he's really reminding them about the fact that everything that God asks us to do is something that he promises he will do with us. And the work that we have is our part, and it is going to be enough. And as we do it, if we're not in a hurry, if we're not depending on our own skill and only our own talent, we'll find this mysterious thing that you can do when you're really working, and that is you rest while you work. It's a beautiful way of understanding God's presence in the work with us. Closing Prayer Jesus, you have promised us that as we work together with you to establish a kingdom of love and peace and oneness, that you are the major source of how it's going to happen, and we are with you in it. And it's your power that we mostly depend upon. So keep us out of that anxiety driven world where we feel like we are the one in charge, or we're the one that has to make it happen. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]