Daily Reflections for Ordinary Time Weeks 18–34: Catholic Daily Reflections Series Two

By John Paul Thomas

"My Catholic Life!" now offers two complete four-volume series of daily Gospel reflections that cover the entire liturgical year. Each four-volume series can be used from year to year since every Gospel option is covered in each series. "Daily Reflections for Ordinary Time: Weeks 18-34" is Volume Four in the second four-volume series. As a devotional, it is a great resource for daily meditation and prayer offering reflections on the Gospel of the day in a practical, faithful, and down-to-earth way. It is formatted in such a way that it can be used for any liturgical year, offering reflections on every Gospel option, including Sunday Years A, B & C, every daily Mass option, and all Feasts and Solemnities.

Note: Some of the weekday reflections in this series were first published in book form for Ordinary Time 2021. This new and updated version contains all new Sunday reflections for Years A, B & C as well as other new weekday reflections.

Like the first series, the books in this second series are as follows:

Catholic Daily Reflections: Series Two:
1. Advent and Christmas
2. Lent and Easter
3. Ordinary Time: Weeks 1–17
4. Ordinary Time: Weeks 18–34

All reflections are available free of charge from our website, through our mobile app, or through our daily email service. Both of the complete four-volume series are also available in paperback and eBook format.

• Language: English
• Publisher: My Catholic Life Inc.
• Release date: Sep 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005011864

John Paul Thomas

"John Paul Thomas" is the pen name this Catholic priest chose in honor of the Apostles Saints John and Thomas and the great evangelist Saint Paul. This name also evokes the memory of the great Pope Saint John Paul II.John is the beloved apostle who sought out a deeply personal and intimate relationship with his Savior. Hopefully the writings in this book point us all to a deeply personal and intimate relationship with our God. May John be a model of this intimacy and love.Thomas is also a beloved apostle and close friend of Jesus but is well known for his lack of faith in Jesus' resurrection. Though he ultimately entered into a profound faith crying out, "my Lord and my God," he is given to us as a model of our own weakness of faith. Thomas should inspire us to always return to faith when we realize we have doubted.As a Pharisee, Paul severely persecuted the early Christian Church. However, after going through a powerful conversion, he went on to become the great evangelist to the gentiles, founding many new communities of believers and writing many letters contained in Sacred Scripture. His letters are deeply personal and reveal a shepherd's heart. He is a model for all as we seek to embrace our calling to spread the Gospel.

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Table of Contents

Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Years B&C)

Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Years B&C)

Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Monday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

The Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year A)

The Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year B)

The Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year C)

Monday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Wednesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Friday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Feasts and Solemnities

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, August 6

Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, August 10

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle, August 24

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, August 29

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, September 15

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, September 21

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels, September 29

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, October 2

Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist, October 18

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles, October 28

Solemnity of All Saints, November 1

Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day), Nov. 2

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, November 9

Thanksgiving Day, United States

November 30, Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle

Additional Books in This Series

Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Giving What You Receive

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over—twelve wicker baskets full. Matthew 14:19–20

An important aspect of this miracle that is easy to miss is that Jesus performed this miracle through the instrumentality of His disciples. He did this by inviting them to assist in the distribution of the loaves and in the gathering of the fragments left over. This reveals that God often uses us as mediators of His superabundant graces given to others. Though God could pour forth His mercy directly, most often He does so through others.

As you ponder this miracle, try to see yourself as one of the disciples who was invited to distribute the bread to the people. If you were there and were hungry and then were given bread, you would be tempted to eat the bread yourself before giving any away. But Jesus gave the bread to His hungry disciples with the instruction to first give it to others.

Sometimes, when God calls us to give His mercy to others, we become selfish. It’s easy to think that we must first take care of ourselves and our own needs. We erroneously believe that we can only offer mercy to others after our needs are met. Imagine, for example, if upon receiving the bread from Jesus the disciples would have decided that they should eat of it first. Then, if there was anything extra, they could give it to others. Had they done this, the superabundance of the multiplication of the loaves would not have happened. In the end, the disciples themselves received a superabundance of food precisely because they first gave away what they received.

Spiritually speaking, the same is true with us. When we receive spiritual nourishment from our Lord, our first thought must be to give it away. We must first see all that we receive from God is an opportunity to bestow those blessings upon others. This is the nature of grace. For example, if we are given a sense of peace or joy within our hearts, we must realize that this peace and joy we receive is a gift that must be immediately offered to others. If we are given a spiritual insight into the Scriptures, this is given to us first and foremost to share with others. Every gift we receive from God must be understood as a gift given to us so that we can immediately share it with others. The good news is that when we seek to give away that which we have received, more is given to us and, in the end, we will be far richer.

Reflect, today, upon the action of the disciples receiving this food from our Lord and immediately giving it away. See yourself in this miracle, and see the bread as a symbol of every grace you receive from God. What have you received that God wants you to distribute to others? Are there graces you have received that you selfishly try to hold onto? The nature of grace is that it is given to give it to others. Seek to do this with every spiritual gift you receive, and you will find that the graces multiply to the point that you receive more than you could ever imagine.

Most generous Lord, You pour forth Your grace and mercy in superabundance. As I receive all that You bestow, please fill my heart with generosity so that I will never hesitate to offer Your mercy to others. Please use me as Your instrument, dear Lord, so that, through me, You may abundantly feed others. Jesus, I trust in You.

Hunger for God

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Rabbi, when did you get here? Jesus answered them and said, Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. John 6:25–27

The day before, Jesus fed the crowds at the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. The next day, the people were hungry again, so they went looking for Jesus thinking that He might miraculously feed them again. In the passage above, Jesus uses their physical hunger to point them to a deeper spiritual reality.

Each one of us is hungry. We continually have cravings that we want satiated. Certainly, food and drink are among our cravings, but the deepest craving we each have is a spiritual one. The problem is that we often try to satiate ourselves in ways that will never satisfy us. Therefore, we each need to hear Jesus say to, Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. What is that food that the Son of Man will give to us? Of course, it is His very Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is the Most Holy Eucharist.

This passage begins the lengthy Bread of Life Discourse from which we will read over the next three Sundays. Throughout this discourse, Jesus makes it clear that His flesh is true food and His blood is true drink. Eating Jesus’ flesh and blood is the only way to eternal life. Some who listen to this teaching find that it is too difficult to accept and, as a result, reject Jesus and His teaching. The discourse ends with Jesus asking the Twelve if they want to leave too. Peter gives the perfect response by saying, Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.

As we ponder this teaching of Jesus over the next few weekends, it is important to start with the foundation. The foundation is our spiritual hunger. We each experience it. We each are aware of it. We cannot escape it. For that reason, look into your own soul. What do you see? Do you see a certain restlessness and unfulfilled desire? Do you sense the cravings within your own soul? When you see this, know that you have discovered the starting point of the life of fulfillment. Unless you can see that hunger within, you cannot turn to the source of satiation.

The Eucharist is the source of all that we long for in life; however, too often we fail to see that. We can easily fall into the trap of seeing the Eucharist as an obligation we must meet each week. Sometimes Mass can even be seen as an inconvenience. If this is your struggle, try to use the next few Sundays to reexamine your understanding of the Most Holy Eucharist.

Sunday Mass, more than anything else in life, must be understood as the source of our deepest satisfaction in life. It must be seen as the answer to every interior longing and restlessness we have. It is not money, recognition, status, power, or anything else in life that fulfills us. It is God. And God comes to us first and foremost in the celebration of the Mass. Do you believe this? Do you understand?

Reflect, today, and for the next few weeks, upon the Gift of the Most Holy Eucharist. As you do, try to see it as the answer to every interior longing and hunger that you have in life. Try to make an act of faith in this spiritual truth. If you do not regularly experience the satiation offered by consuming the Eucharist, ask yourself why not. Believe in everything that Jesus teaches in this holy discourse of the Bread of Life. If you do, you will also begin to receive the nourishment that our Lord promises.

My Eucharistic Lord, You are the Bread of Life and the source of all satisfaction in life. Your Body and Blood, given to me through my participation in the Holy Mass, is the greatest Gift I could ever receive. Please renew and deepen my love for You in this Gift so that I will find full satisfaction and fulfillment in You alone. Jesus, I trust in You.

Being Cheated

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me. He replied to him, Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator? Luke 12:13–14

Many things in life are not fair. Children are keenly aware of this any time they sense they have been cheated by a sibling. They complain to their parents, just as the person in the crowd quoted above complained to Jesus about his brother. We want justice and can become quite upset when we feel that we have been dealt an injustice.

The passage above is interesting because Jesus gently but clearly refuses to be the arbiter of justice for this man. It may indeed be the case that he was cheated out of his inheritance by his brother. But it’s interesting that Jesus not only refuses to resolve the dispute, He then goes on to teach about greed, suggesting that the cheated man was acting out of greed.

If you were cheated out of your inheritance by a sibling, how would you react? If a sibling were to do this, it would clearly be a sin and an injustice. But the question at hand is your reaction to being cheated. Being cheated by another might result in one of two responses. The most common response is to immediately seek justice, to fight back. But this is not always what God will inspire us to do. Instead, when we experience injustice, we are given an opportunity to love on a very deep level. And this must be our response. This is why Jesus said we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In the big picture of eternity, earthly injustices are always an opportunity for grace. This is evident by simply looking at the gravest injustice of the suffering and death of the Son of God. Jesus did not complain about being so cruelly treated. He did not call on the angels of Heaven to destroy the Pharisees and Romans who attacked Him. Instead, Jesus used the injustice inflicted upon Him as a foundation for His gift of salvation.

As we journey through this life, we need to decide whether we are going to live for this life or for eternity. We cannot have both. However, by choosing to live for eternity, we also enhance our lives here on earth in ways that nothing in this world can match. For example, say you experienced the unfortunate situation of extreme poverty. Say you were cheated out of your home and possessions and were left with nothing. Would this make you miserable? It might, but it doesn’t have to. Instead, such an unfortunate circumstance has the potential for you to live day-by-day, trusting in God’s providential care and to offer mercy in the face of injustice. And that is good. It is good for your eternal soul. It is good because it will motivate you to trust God on a very deep level and to become a beacon of God’s mercy. By contrast, if you had everything you could ever want in this world, it would be seriously tempting to rely less upon God and more upon the things you possess in this world. But the things of this world cannot save your eternal soul. In fact, they are a serious hindrance to your ability to trust in God alone. So, truth be told, poverty and injustice actually open the door to an opportunity for much more grace in our lives than material wealth does. But so often we still long to have more and more of the things of this world.

Reflect, today, upon the spiritual and eternal blessings that come from relying solely upon God and not upon material wealth. This is a hard lesson for most people to learn. If this is your struggle, then try to take on the eternal perspective. Try to look beyond the temporary stability and pleasures that come from accumulating earthly wealth, so that you will see the eternal riches that come from seeking God alone. Everything in this world will one day pass away. In the light of that fact, recommit yourself to the embrace of God’s riches by loving others through every injustice you encounter in life.

Most merciful Lord, You endured the greatest injustice ever known. But in the face of that injustice, You offered mercy and the gift of salvation, transforming that injustice into the greatest act of love ever offered. Help me to imitate Your merciful heart and to see injustice, poverty, and every difficulty I encounter as an opportunity to turn more fully to You. Jesus, I trust in You.

When Faith Falters

Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Peter said to him in reply, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. He said, Come.  Matthew 14:28-29a

What a wonderful expression of faith!  St. Peter, caught in stormy conditions on the sea, expressed his complete confidence that if Jesus were to call him out of the boat to walk on water, it would happen.  Jesus does call him to Himself, and St. Peter begins to walk on water.  Of course we know what happened next.  Peter was filled with fear and began to sink.  Fortunately, Jesus caught him and all was well.

Interestingly, this story reveals much to us about our own lives of faith and much more about the goodness of Jesus.  So often we begin with a faith in our head and have every intention of living that faith.  Like Peter, we often make firm resolutions to trust in Jesus and to walk on water at His command.  However, all too often we experience the same thing Peter did.  We start to live the trust we express in Jesus, only to suddenly waver and give in to fear in the midst of our hardship.  We begin to sink and have to cry out for help.  

In some ways, the ideal would have been if Peter expressed his faith in Jesus and then walked to Him without faltering.  But, in other ways, this is the ideal story in that it reveals the depth of Jesus’ mercy and compassion.  It reveals that Jesus will catch us and draw us out of our doubts and fears when our faith gives way.  This story is much more about Jesus’ compassion and the extent of His help than it is about Peter’s lack of faith.

Reflect, today, upon any way that you have had great intentions of trusting Jesus, started down that path and then have fallen.  Know that Jesus is full of compassion and will reach out to you in your weakness just as He did to Peter.  Let Him grab your hand and strengthen your lack of faith out of His abundance of love and mercy.

My compassionate Lord, I do believe.  Help me when I falter.  Help me to always turn to You when the storms and challenges of life seem to be too much.  May I trust that, in those moments more than any other, You are there reaching out Your hand of grace.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Jesus is Always There

Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Years B&C)

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.  Matthew 14:13–14

Humanly speaking, Jesus’ heart was grieved by the death of John the Baptist.  He loved John and was deeply saddened by his beheading.  Jesus withdrew alone in a boat to a deserted place.  But the crowds were hungry for more!  They wanted to see Jesus and listen to Him.  They knew many who were ill and wanted Jesus to heal them.  So they sought Him out despite the fact that He had withdrawn from the crowd to be alone.

What was Jesus’ reaction?  Did He look at them and sigh, saying to Himself, Why don’t they leave me alone.  Don’t they know I am grieving?  No.  Instead, Jesus was filled with mercy and compassion for them, and He went to them to heal many of their sick.

This gives us insight into the heart and compassion of our Lord.  Many times, we are afraid to go to God.  We are afraid to turn to Him because of our sin.  We are afraid of what He will think and say to us.  We feel guilty and ashamed and, as a result, fail to seek Him out.

But just as Jesus had compassion for those who sought Him out in this story, so also He will ALWAYS have the deepest of compassion for us every time we seek Him out.  If we find our lives steeped in sin, but run to Him anyway, He will look at us with compassion and mercy.  He never tires of us returning to Him, seeking His healing and mercy.  We should always have hope in Him and turn to Him with the greatest confidence.

Reflect, today, upon how comfortable you are in turning to Jesus just as you are.  Are you afraid or worried about what He thinks of you?  Are you ashamed of your sin or weakness?  Do you worry that He will judge you and not care?  Have confidence in His abundance of mercy and run to Him without fear.

Lord, help me to trust in Your love and compassion.  Help me to know that You always long for me to come to You.  As You never tire of me coming to You, may I also never tire of coming to You.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Courage, Charity & Truth

Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Then his disciples approached and said to him, Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said? He said in reply, Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.  Matthew 15:12-14

Why were the Pharisees offended? In part because Jesus just spoke critically of them. But it was more than that. They were also offended because Jesus doesn’t even answer their question.

These Pharisees and scribes came to ask Jesus what was, in their minds, a very important question. They wanted to know why His disciples failed to follow the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before they ate. But Jesus does something interesting. Instead of answering their question, He gathers a crowd and says, Hear and understand. It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one (Mt. 15:10b-11). So they were offended by Jesus both because of what He said and because He didn’t even say it to them but spoke it to the crowds.

What’s interesting to note is that sometimes the most charitable thing one can do will result in another being offended. We ought not recklessly offend. But it seems that one of the cultural tendencies of our day and age is to avoid offending people at all costs. As a result, we dumb down morality, ignore clear teachings of faith, and make getting along one of the most important virtues we strive for.

In the passage above, it’s clear that Jesus’ disciples are concerned about the fact that the Pharisees were offended by Jesus. They worry and appear to want Jesus to fix this tense situation. But Jesus makes His position clear. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Mt. 15:14).

Charity requires the truth. And sometimes the truth will sting a person to the heart. Clearly this is exactly what the Pharisees need even though they fail to change, which is evident by the fact that they ultimately killed Jesus. But, nonetheless, these truths spoken by our Lord were acts of charity and were the truth that these scribes and Pharisees needed to hear.

Reflect, today, upon how willing you are to speak the hard truth in love when a situation requires it. Do you have the courage you need to charitably speak an offensive truth that needs to be spoken? Or do you tend to cower and prefer to allow people to remain in their error so that you do not agitate them? Courage, charity and truth must become deeply intertwined in our lives. Make this your prayer and mission so that you will better imitate our divine Lord.

Lord of perfect Truth, please do give me courage, truth, wisdom and charity so that I may be a better instrument of Your love and mercy to the world. May I never allow fear to control me. Please remove any blindness from my heart so that I can see clearly the many ways You desire to use me to lead others to You. Jesus, I trust in You.

When Faith Falters

Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Years B&C)

Peter said to him in reply, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. He said, Come.  Matthew 14:28–29a

What a wonderful expression of faith!  Saint Peter, caught in stormy conditions on the sea, expressed his complete confidence that if Jesus were to call him out of the boat to walk on water, it would happen.  Jesus does call him to Himself, and St. Peter begins to walk on water.  Of course, we know what happened next.  Peter was filled with fear and began to sink.  Fortunately, Jesus caught him, and all was well.

Interestingly, this story reveals much to us about our own lives of faith and much more about the goodness of Jesus.  So often we begin with a faith in our head and have every intention of living that faith.  Like Peter, we often make firm resolutions to trust in Jesus and to walk on water at His command.  However, all too often we experience the same thing Peter did.  We start to live the trust we express in Jesus, only to suddenly waver and give in to fear in the midst of our hardship.  We begin to sink and have to cry out for help. 

In some ways, the ideal would have been if Peter expressed his faith in Jesus and then walked to Him without faltering.  But, in other ways, this is the ideal story, in that it reveals the depth of Jesus’ mercy and compassion.  It reveals that Jesus will catch us and draw us out of our doubts and fears when our faith gives way.  This story is much more about Jesus’ compassion and the extent of His help than it is about Peter’s lack of faith.

Reflect, today, upon any way that you have had great intentions of trusting Jesus, started down that path and then have fallen.  Know that Jesus is full of compassion and will reach out to you in your weakness just as He did to Peter.  Let Him grab your hand and strengthen your lack of faith out of His abundance of love and mercy.

Lord, I do believe.  Help me when I falter.  Help me to always turn to You when the storms and challenges of life seem to be too much.  May I trust that, in those moments more than any other, You are there reaching out Your hand of grace.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Perseverance in Humble Faith

Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon. But he did not say a word in answer to her. Matthew 15:21–23

The district of Tyre and Sidon was non-Jewish territory. The people there were said to have been descendants of Cain, the son of Adam and Eve who killed his brother, Abel, and was banished. He and his descendants settled in the area of Tyre and Sidon and were not heirs to the faith given through Abraham, Moses and the prophets, making them Gentiles. Jesus and His disciples traveled about 40 miles by foot to this district from Galilee to flee Herod and the Pharisees who were seeking to kill Him. While there, Jesus intended to keep a low profile, but word of His presence spread, and this Canaanite woman came to Him to beg that He heal her daughter.

At first, it is surprising that Jesus remained silent. She came to Him with deep faith and trust, and He did not answer her at first. His disciples wanted her to stop bothering them, and Jesus Himself eventually responded to her stating that His mission during His public ministry was to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, meaning, to the Jews. Of course, later Jesus would expand His mission entrusted to the Apostles to include the Gentiles. But at first, Jesus’ mission was to the descendants of Abraham.

As we read this story today, it is clear that it was by God’s providence that this woman came to Jesus as she did. The Father drew her to Him, and Jesus participated in this discourse, not to be rude or dismissive but to allow her to manifest a faith that was clearly lacking in the lives of many.

In our lives, at times God seems silent. But if He is silent, we must know that it is for good reason. God never ignores us; rather, His silence is a way of drawing us even closer to Himself than if He were to be immediately loud and clear, so to speak. Silence from God is not necessarily a sign of His disfavor. It’s often a sign of His purifying action drawing us to a much fuller manifestation of our faith.

As for the Gentile woman, unlike many of the Jews, she manifested a faith in the fact that Jesus was the Messiah. This is evident by her calling Him Son of David. Her trust in Jesus’ ability to heal her daughter was expressed in very simple and clear words. She didn’t need to present herself as worthy of His help, because her trust in Him was all that was needed. Furthermore, she persevered in her prayer. First, Jesus is silent. Then, His disciples try to dismiss her. And then, Jesus gives the appearance of refusing her request. All of this results not in her discouragement but in perseverance and hope. And that hope was also extraordinarily humble. Jesus’ goal of allowing her to deepen her faith and manifesting it for all to see was accomplished.

Reflect, today, upon the qualities of this woman’s prayer. Try to imitate her by first acknowledging the truth of Who Jesus is. He is the Messiah, the Son of David, the Savior of the World, God Incarnate and so much more. Calling Jesus’ true identity to mind is a wonderful way to begin to pray. From there, make your prayer simple, clear and humble. Don’t present your wants, present your needs. What do you need from the Savior of the World? Of course God knows what we need more than we do, but asking is an act of trust, so do so. Lastly, persevere. Do not get discouraged in prayer. Be fervent, relentless and unwavering. Humble yourself before the almighty power and mercy of God and do so without ceasing and God will always answer your prayer in accord with His holy will.

My Saving Lord, You are truly the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of God. You and