Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

"Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you."

Gospel Reading: Mark 6:17-29

17 Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. 18 John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19 Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. 20 Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. 21 She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 Herodias's own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you." 23 He even swore (many things) to her, "I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom." 24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the Baptist." 25 The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made her request, "I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist." 26 The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. 27 So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. 28 He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

In today’s Gospel, John makes the ultimate sacrifice for his faith. John stood firm on his beliefs and because of this he lost his life. How strong is your faith? Are you willing to make sacrifices for Christ no matter what the cost. When asked, most Christians say that they would be willing to give their lives for Christ. Throughout the ages, many Christians have given their life in defense of their faith and Christianity. The blood of the martyrs has lined the path to the kingdom of heaven. In their sacrifice, we find the strength to defend our faith. Through Christ’s own sacrifice and victory on the cross, we too should be willing to make the sacrifice. But are we really ready to make the sacrifice? When our faith is challenged, do we stand strong or do we cower? When deciding between right and wrong, which path do you choose? We must learn to stand strong, even when we must choose the path which cause us to suffer. The Holy Spirit gives us the strength and courage to defend ourselves. We must learn to have faith in our commitment. We do not need to fear those who try to lead us astray or those who oppose the Gospel. We need to realize that Christ’s love is stronger than fear and death itself. Jesus Christ is our source of eternal happiness. We are called to make Christ known to all through our words and our actions no matter what the consequences.

A Simple Prayer

Jesus Christ, fill me with the Holy Spirit so I can defend your Gospel.

Give me the strength to stand strong in the face of opposition.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:42-51

42 Jesus said to his disciples, “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. 43 Be sure of this, if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. 44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. 45 "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. 47 Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is long delayed,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, 50 the servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour 51 and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

So often we hear the saying, “Today is the first day of the rest of my life.” But what is today was the last day of your life. Today’s gospel reading has two stern warnings. The first is that we will not know the time of our death and the second is that we better be ready for our death when it comes. Jesus compares death to a thief. He tells us “that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.” The same thing applies to us. If we knew when we were going to die, we could prepare for our death and avoid the unpleasantries we may experience during our final judgment. We could actually wait for the last minute to ask for absolution from our sins. We wouldn’t have to worry about the things that will keep us from entering through the gates of heaven. We could party with the drunks and dance with the sinners with no threat of the consequences. But because we do not know the time nor the place, Jesus tells us that we must always be prepared. Jesus says, “Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.” This parable tells us that we should live life like today is the last day of our life.

Jesus’ second warning tells us what will happen if we are not prepared for our final judgment. Jesus says, “The servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” This is a metaphor for hell. Basically, if we live life among the wicked, with those that have no regard for the laws of the church, then we will spend eternity crying and weeping with the rest of the unrepentant sinners for salvation. However, if we live out the gospels, if we bring Christ into this world through our actions and our words, then we will be prepared and will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven. Each morning when you wake, first thank God for allowing you the opportunity to live another glorious day, then ask yourself, “What if today was my last day on earth? Am I prepared?” If you’re not prepared, take today to seek out the salvation you need to purify your soul.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, help me to be vigilant in preparation for my end time;

Help me be strong so that can be ready when death comes.

I ask that your love and grace fill my heart with the passion to live the Gospels so that I may enjoy eternity in heaven.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 23:27-32

27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. 28 Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. 29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, 30 and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood.' 31 Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; 32 now fill up what your ancestors measured out!

The past couple of Gospel readings dealt with warnings about our spiritual purity. The sixth woe, like the preceding one, deals with our concern for our external image and neglects what is inside. Since contact with dead bodies, even when one was unaware of it, caused ritual impurity for the Jews, tombs were whitewashed so that no one would contract such impurity inadvertently. Jesus tells us that we cannot just whitewash over the filth, that we must truly purify our inside. Just because we appear pure, God sees through the whitewash and sees the skeletons that we keep in our closet. Christ is telling us that it is time to open the closet door and the clean out the junk that is inside. It is time to get rid of the impurities in our life. Jesus warns that what truly corrupts a person is not what we see on the outside but the impurity of our sinful attitudes. Our pride, greed, sloth, envy, hatred, gluttony, and lust lead us to sinful behavior. It is the inward reality of our hearts which will be judged.

The last woe is the most serious indictment of all. It portrays the scribes and Pharisees as standing in the same line as their ancestors who murdered the prophets and the righteous. In spite of honoring the slain dead by building their tombs and adorning their memorials, and claiming that they would not have joined in their ancestors' crimes if they had lived in their days, the scribes and Pharisees are true children of their ancestors and are defiantly ordered by Jesus to fill up what those ancestors measured out. This order reflects the Jewish notion that there was an allotted measure of suffering that had to be completed before God's final judgment would take place. They not only neglected the poor and the weak, but they were intolerant towards anyone who challenged their idea of religion. That is why so many of the prophets who warned about tolerating evil desires and unjust behavior towards one neighbor were persecuted and even killed by their own rulers and people. They rejected Jesus as their Messiah because their hearts were blinded and hardened to the voice of God by their own outward pride and greed. Only the humble of heart can receive forgiveness and purity from God. It is through our humbleness that we receive the grace of true wisdom and understanding, pardon and healing. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to renew our minds and hearts and to teach us God's way of love and holiness. We must ask the Holy Spirit to purify your heart and mind and to fill us with the wisdom and understanding of God's word.

A Simple Prayer

Come Holy Spirit, purify my heart and mind.

Cleanse my inner body and rid my of the sins which corrupt my body.

Fill me with wisdom and understanding so that I can truly see heaven on earth.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 23:23-26

23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. (But) these you should have done, without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! 25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus talks about paying tithes of mint and dill and cumin and yet we neglect the weightier things of judgment, mercy and fidelity. In the days of Christ, spices were used to cover up the spoiled tastes and smells of the food to make them palatable. Jesus tells his disciples while it is important to have the spices, we must make sure that we are not spoiled. He is telling us that we must look inward before we look outward. We must make sure that we are worthy of the Lord. To cleanse our soul, we must first know how to tell if it is dirty. We do this by the process of examining our conscience. This is an exercise we should do daily. Every evening we should kneel down and reflect on the things that transpired that day; the good things and the bad things. We should look at the things that moved us closer to the Kingdom of Heaven and those things that diverted us. We should reflect on how we can make ourselves better people and reflect on the sins that kept us from God. By looking inward, we check to make sure that our soul is clean. If our soul is truly clean, then our outer image will also be clean. Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees, “Woe Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.” It does no good for us to look clean if internally we are dirty. Would you drink from a cup when the inside of the cup is unclean? Who cares what the outside looks like if the liquid is in contact with filth, you probably won’t drink it. Through the examination of conscience, we make ourselves aware of the things that make our soul unclean. However, to truly purify the soul, we must go to reconciliation. Reconciliation is the dishwasher for our souls. We go in dirty, and we come out clean – both inside and out.

A Simple Prayer

Most Heavenly Father, Make me aware of my sins and trespasses,

Help me avoid these sins so my soul remains clean.

Fill my heart with your compassion and love

So I may find the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“One who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 23:13-22

13 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. 14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. Because of this, you will receive a very severe condemnation.” 15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. 16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.' 17 Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.' 19 You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; 21 one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus gets a just little upset with the Pharisees because they are trying to outdo each other with their offerings. They put more worth in the offering itself instead of who it is being offered too. What good is it to take your treasures to the altar when the purpose of your offering is to impress others. As they brought people to God, they required them to give large offerings to demonstrate their worthiness. Jesus tells them that it is not the offerings of gold and silver that make us worthy but the offerings from our heart. What treasure do you bring to God’s altar? The gold on the altar does not make the altar any more valuable. Jesus tells them, “You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?” We cannot make God any more valuable then he already is. There is nothing we can give him that will make God more Godly. God asks us to make a full commitment to Him and not to earthly things which are placed on the altar. The offerings that we bring and the oaths that we make must be to the altar of God and not to our treasures. We should not measure our heavenly value by our earthly treasures but by the commitment we give to God from our hearts. Jesus tells the Pharisees that “he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.” Today’s gospel reading is a direct attack on the Pharisees because they treasure the wealth that is placed on the altar and not the God that makes the treasures valuable. To enter the Kingdom of heaven, to make it through the narrow gate, we too must put our allegiance in the hands of God. We must be willing to give our lives to God. We must be willing to turn it all over to create heaven here on earth.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, you are my master and I am your servant.

My loyalty is to you and the things that are sacred,

For it is you that makes all things sacred.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:39-56

39 During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord ¹⁴ should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed ¹⁵ that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." 46 And Mary said: ¹⁶ "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior. 48 For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. 49 The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. 51 He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. 52 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. 53 The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, 55 according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Today’s gospel is the joyful story of the Mary’s visit to see Elizabeth. Both Mary and Elizabeth, through the miracles of God in Heaven, are with child. Mary’s womb contained that which filled the universe, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. She was filled with the Holy Spirit and the fully human God of Heaven and Earth. An expecting mother is normally glowing with the elation that she has new life within her womb, but Mary had the Christ child. Can you just image the joy and happiness that radiated from Mary in her state of motherhood? We are told that when Mary entered Elizabeth’s house, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb (John the Baptist) leapt with joy as he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, radiating from Mary, embraced both Elizabeth and her unborn child. The Lord Jesus Christ had entered all three lives. Mary proclaimed, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

We too are filled with this same Holy Spirit through our baptism. Is it obvious that you have the Holy Spirit within you? Can your fellow brothers and sisters identify you as carrying Christ? To have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us one of the greatest graces God bestows upon us. We should be excited and sing out that we have God present within our souls. It is our job, through our actions, our words and thoughts to radiate outward the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to share the gifts which God has bestowed upon us and the Gift of the Holy Spirit is one that was given to us freely and we must share freely.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the World, Thank you for filling my heart with the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for allowing me to be a vessel of your love and joy.

Give me the strength to share this love and joy with others so that they too may know you as I know you.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

PS

I am going to be traveling for a week with my family. I may or may not have the ability to send out emails while traveling so it may be a week before I send another email. Pray for us as we travel.

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:22-19:1

21 Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. 23 That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. 25 Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. 26 At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' 27 Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. 28 When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' 29 Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' 30 But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. 31 Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. 32 His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. 33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' 34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. 35 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart." 19:1 When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.

Today’s gospel reading is a compliment to yesterday’s message. Yesterday’s gospel reading commanded us to seek out those that have trespassed against us and to heal the injury of their sin. So how many times must I forgive someone who trespasses against me? Peter guesses seven times. But Jesus responds, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” Basically, Jesus is telling Peter that there is no limit to amount of forgiveness we should have for others. There is no specific number of times we should forgive somebody. The servant begs the master for forgiveness and out of his kindness, the master forgives the debt while at the same time the servant could not forgive one of his own. How can we expect forgiveness if we cannot forgive those who trespass against us. When we turn to God to ask him to remove the greatest burdens of our sins, we must also ask for the strength to forgive those who trespassed against us. How can we ask to have these burdens removed if we cannot forgive our fellow man for the sins he has committed against us. The parable tells us that we must always forgive others, no matter what and we must do it whole heartedly. If necessary we must force ourselves to forgive those that offend us from the very moment the sin occurs. The offense that they commit against you is nothing compared to what God has sacrificed to forgive us. If we do not forgive, then that trespass becomes resentment and hatred. Hatred builds inside our soul and eats away at our ability to love. Resentment forms hatred which destroys our capacity to love. To forgive our fellow brother or sister is to love them as Christ loved us. Christ was willing to be crucified for our sins. What are you willing to do for the sins of others?

A Simple Prayer

Lord, you are so kind and merciful.

Give me the grace to be kind and merciful.

Free me from the resentment and jealousy.

Fill my heart with the compassion to forgive my fellow man.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

15 "If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

If one of your fellow brothers or sisters were lying injured on the side of the road, would you be a Good Samaritan and help them? If they we sick in bed with the flu, would you not wish them comfort and pray for their speedy recovery? Today’s Gospel reading is about our requirement to be a Spiritual Good Samaritan. Not only must we care for those with physical injuries, we are also called to care for those with spiritual injuries. Jesus tells us that “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.” If a person does something to injure you, then you should seek out this person and try to make amends. Jesus tells us if we do not try to repair the relationship, then we are worse than the person who caused the sin in the first place. In the Our Father, we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.” How can we be forgiven for our own sins if we do not forgive those who have sinned against us? Today’s reading takes it a step further, we must approach this person and let them know that they are forgiven. Our position should not be one of condemnation or judgment, but one of compassion and forgiveness. It is good to forgive and forget, but the person who sinned against you is still wounded. Their soul is damaged by the sin they committed. Therefore, we are called to repair that wound. It is so important to repair this wound that Jesus tells us, “if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Maybe you are not capable of the needed compassion to repair this wound because of the depth of the hurt. Then you should bring along someone who is level headed enough to be the mediator. Lastly, if this does not repair the injury, you should seek out the church community to pray for the situation and to give guidance. Unattended wounds caused by sin will fester and create hatred that runs deep. Hatred is the sword of the devil which he wields freely about to create chaos in the world. Just look at how many of the major world conflicts are born out of hatred; a hatred that started between two children of God. We must do all we can to eliminate and fight hatred before it grows. Hatred becomes contagious and spreads like wildfire. There is no greater feeling then reconciliation among friends. Therefore, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

A Simple Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, forgive me for I am a sinner.

But before you forgive me, give me the strength to forgive others who have sinned against me.

Give me the strength and courage to encounter them and to heal this wound.

Make me source of healing love and peace in this world.

Sincerely

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14

1 At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 He called a child over, placed it in their midst, 3 and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. 10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. 12 What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? 13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. 14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.

In today’s gospel reading, the disciples of Jesus want to know "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" The disciples, like most people, want to know how to get to the top of the list. They want to know who is the greatest in the eyes of God. Do we not all want to be King the Hill. In answering the question, Jesus points to a child, someone who has no social standing in society, someone who is simple and innocent. So why did Jesus use a little child? It simple, a child believes without doubt or reservation. A child does not express hatred, he does not allow pride to control him, and his faith is uncompromising. His life is simple and without the complications we as adults add to it. It is the grace of humility that all children possess that Jesus says we too must possess to be great. We must receive the children of God because they truly reflect Jesus. They are innocent, pure and tender hearted as was Jesus. Therefore, to be greatest in heaven is easy, we must simply exhibit a childlike faith.

The second half of today’s gospel compliments the first. The first half talks about the innocence of children and how they are the greatest in heaven. But the second half talks about the sinner, the lost sheep. Jesus tells us, “If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?” A shepherd is dedicated to his flock. Not only will he risk his life for the flock as a whole but even for one. If one of the sheep goes astray, he knows that the sheep will become disoriented, confused and likely die. We are also challenged to seek out the lost sinner because he too will become disoriented, confused and can die to Christ. What great joy God must feel when a lost sheep is brought back into the fold. Jesus calls us to act like the Good Shepherd and to actively seek those souls who are lost. We are all challenged to seek out and to bring the lambs home. This was Jesus’ mission on earth, to bring every lost soul to the Kingdom of God.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, teach me to have faith like a humble child.

Teach me to relive that innocence I had when I a child.

May I become a guiding light to lead others to you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 17:22-27

22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were overwhelmed with grief. 24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" 25 "Yes," he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, "What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?" 26 When he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the subjects are exempt. 27 But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you."

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus predicts his own death and resurrection. He tells his disciples that he must suffer great pain and be put to death, but that he will be raised on the third day. The Gospel reading says that his disciples were “overwhelmed with grief.” In today’s message, Jesus is telling the disciples that the world will have many demands on them and many of the demands are painful and will cause great suffering. At the same time, Jesus is confronted about paying the temple tax; again, an earthly demand. Jesus tells his disciples that they must pay so as not to set a bad example. He tells Peter to go to the sea and to catch a fish and in its mouth will be a coin worth twice the temple tax. He is to give all of it to the tax collector. Jesus is giving his disciples two lessons; first that they must go beyond the earthly demands and set an example by overpaying the taxes and secondly, that God will provide for all their needs. He is telling his disciples that they are not free from the demands of the world and that if they put their faith in God, he will provide for both their spiritual and earthly needs. God demonstrates his abundance and love in many ways. Not only does he provide the money necessary to pay the tax, but he provides enough money to pay twice the tax. Our sins are like the temple tax, Jesus was sent by his Father to pay for those sins. His actions more than covered every trespass we commit against God. It is in the death and resurrection of Christ that all our spiritual taxes have been paid and that our souls are set free from eternal damnation. Christ gives us the ultimate example in today’s Gospel. He tells us that God gives us the abundant grace of forgiveness. That through our own suffering, we too are called to pay the spiritual taxes of our fellow brothers and sisters. Are you willing to suffer for your brothers and sisters?

A Simple Prayer

Lord God, you sent your son to die for my sins.

I am truly sorry for every trespass I commit.

And I forgive all those who have trespassed against me.

Give me the faith to trust in you and your salvation.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:24-28

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. 28 Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

What does it take to be a disciple of Christ? To be a disciple of Christ, you must be able to deny oneself. To deny oneself is to disown oneself as the center of one's existence. A condition for true discipleship is the readiness to follow Jesus even to the point of giving up one's own life for Christ. Jesus compares our decisions to investments. “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” We must be willing to completely sacrifice everything that we own if we are to make it to heaven. Christ tells us that whatever offering we make on earth will be repaid at the final judgment. It would be ashamed to get to the heavenly toll booth and not have enough money to get in.

Christ is telling us that we must realize that everything we own, everything that we have is a gift from God. We must realize that nothing we have is due to us but due to the grace of God. To be truly appreciative of those gifts, we must be willing to give up every single gift we have been given. Some may argue that they cannot afford to give up their money, or their other treasures because they mean too much to them. Christ says if you’re not willing to give up your earthly treasures, then you will forfeit your eternal life with God. We will be repaid according to our conduct. Do you make offers to the church? Do you give of your time and your talent? Or do you hoard these things for yourself. The treasures we build on earth could become the road block that keep us from experiencing the glory of God our Father in heaven. If we build the wall too high, we will never be able to get over to the other side.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, you gave the ultimate sacrifice, you suffered and dies for our sins.

Give me the strength to take up my cross and follow you.

Give me the strength to release my earthly treasures for the kingdom of God.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:13-23

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."

After reading all four of the gospels, it has become quite clear that Jesus’ disciples didn’t really know who he was until the very end of his ministry. This fact becomes very clear in today’s gospel (Matthew 16:13-19). Jesus knows that the disciples lack the wisdom to recognize him, so he asks Peter, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?" And they respond that "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Jesus again asks his apostles, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter quickly responds, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." It is only Peter who recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. Peter could not know this on his own. It had to be revealed to him. Jesus tells Peter that it was not man that revealed this to him but God our Father in Heaven. It was his undivided faith in Jesus that allowed him to understand and see who Jesus really was. We are also called to have this same undivided faith. Jesus calls Peter a rock because his faith is rock solid. Is your faith rock solid? Would Jesus call you Peter (which means Rock) or would he refer to you as swamp muck. Take time today to ask yourself the difficult question – Who am I? A true and honest evaluation can help you refocus your life to be more like Peter. Even swamp muck can be formed into a rock under great pressure. Try to define what you need to do to strengthen your faith and to build the rock.

Jesus showed his disciples that through suffering, one could solidify their faith. He showed them that the true strength comes in ones willingness to stand strong for ones faith no matter what the outcome. We must be willing to carry a cross for our faith. Peter rebuked this notion and told Christ that they would not let him suffer. Peter wanted to interfere with the will of God. He could not understand why the Messiah must suffer and die. At this time, he could not understand the that through the crucifixion and resurrection our souls were saved for eternity. Jesus saw in Peter a temptation to avoid the will of God so he responded sharply to Peter to let him know that he must let God’s will come forth, no matter whether it was what we wanted.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, solidify my faith.

Make me a rock to build you church upon.

Make my faith strong like Peter's.

Give me wisdom to bring others to you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

" This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

Gospel Reading: Matthew 17:1-9

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." 5 He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."

Have you seen the glory of God? Have you climbed the mountain to hear the word of Christ? Jesus often separated himself from others so that he could pray and talk to his Father in Heaven. Peter, James and John made the venture with him on this very special day. They witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. They saw the true glory of God shine through Christ on top of the mountain. We too must be willing to climb mountains to hear the Word of God. We must be willing to separate ourselves from the rest of the world so that we can see the light of the Holy Spirit and hear his message. On this day, the apostles said that Jesus was “transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.” Then a bright cloud appeared before and again they were awestruck as God told them, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When you pray to God do you listen for the Word of God? We must not only speak to God, but more importantly, we must listen to God. He speaks to us in so many ways. Through the Gospel, through the Eucharist and through the actions of his disciples. Listen and you will hear the Glory of God. It will shine through like the radiant white light that transfigured Christ. Seek the Word of God and you will be transformed.

Yours in Christ

Most heavenly Holy Spirit

I am listening.

Fill me with your glory.

May the light of Christ shine through to my life.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat." 10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?" 13 He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit."

Today’s gospel message is quite clear. It’s not what’s on the outside that important but what’s on the inside. We must have a clean heart and a clean mind if we are to find the kingdom of heaven. The Jews were more worried about what went into their mouths and not what came out. Jesus tells us that the true defilement is in our words and the sentiment in our hearts. Hatred and evil are born within us, deep inside our minds and our hearts. It starts in our thoughts and our desires. Our soul is the source of our hatred. If we do not purify the thoughts of our soul, what good is it to have clean hands. Jesus compares our thoughts and desires to the seeds of plants. The thoughts and desires are like plants in our soul. We must uproot the weeds so the good plants can grow and prosper. If we do not tend the garden, the weeds will overtake the goodness that was naturally placed in our souls at our birth. We must be ever vigilant. It is through the grace of God that we can kill the weeds and purify our hearts.

What is inside our hearts is what comes out our mouths. If we have a clean soul, we will have clean thoughts and our words will be the words of God. Only God can change our hearts. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can find the power we need to clean out the junk that prevents us from doing God’s will. We must be willing to see and recognize the sins in our lives. Once we recognize the sins, we can call upon the Holy Spirit to give the strength we need to purge ourselves of these sins and desires. Eventually, you can overcome the evil which dwells within, but only through the grace of God. It is through the loving grace of our Father in heaven that we are provided the power to change. Call upon God. Ask him to come forth into your life and purify your heart and your mind.

A Simple Prayer

Lord God, master of all.

Help me to identify the sins in my life.

Give me the wisdom to recognize wrong from right

And the power to change and cleanse my soul.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 14:22-36

22 Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." 28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." 29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; 30 but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." 34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent round to all that region and brought to him all that were sick, 36 and besought him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.

In today’s gospel, we hear about the miracle of Jesus walking on water. The apostles had taken a boat to cross Lake Gennesaret, a very large lake which commonly experiences strong storms. While crossing the lake, one of the fierce storms had formed causing the apostle to fear for their lives. They cried out for help. Jesus, up in the mountains praying, hears their cries for help and comes to their rescue. The apostles see Jesus walking on water and this too frightens them. Peter cries out, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” Jesus calls Peter forth from the safety of the boat. Peter leaves the boat and begins to walk on the raging seas toward Jesus. However, Peter’s faith is weak and he begins to doubt and sink into the raging waters. Realizing who his savior is, Peter cries out to Jesus, “Lord, save me.” Jesus reaches out to Peter and says, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus and Peter get into the boat with the rest of the disciples and the waters are calmed.

The message is clear, we must trust in the Lord and have faith in his powers. We must realize that all our strength and ability come from God and not from us. However, even if we begin to let the raging waters consume us and experience doubt, we can still cry out to the Lord and he will save us. When we are facing the raging waters of life, Christ is there to help us. He will carry us if we believe in Him. Peter believed in the power Christ and left the boat. He stepped into the raging waters. We too may be called to leave the security of the boat and to enter the raging waters. We will face many challenges in our life, some of them beyond our imagination. We must trust in the Lord; we must realize that he is truly the “Son of God.” Only through him can we walk on water and calm the seas. It is his power that allows us to accomplish great miracles. If we do not have faith, how can God help us? If we deny his power, God will cease to help us. We must be willing to come to Christ and accept him as all powerful.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, if it is your will, bid me come to you on the water.

Give me the strength to trust you and

If I experience doubt and weakness,

May I cry out to you for help.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”

Matthew: 13:54-58

54 and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?" 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Have you ever tried to impress your own family or the neighbors you grew up with? In today's gospel, Jesus returns to the town where he grew up. They would not recognize him as the Messiah. How could he be, he was the son of a carpenter. We all have difficulty believing that those we are familiar with can do extraordinary things since all of us are ordinary people. Jesus' own town folks commented that this can't be the Messiah, he's the son of Mary, and he's only a carpenter's son. Our most sever critics are generally those we are closest to. They are the ones who can't believe we did that extraordinary thing.

We are simple people, how can we perform miracles? How can we preach to those that we know? Every day ordinary people do extraordinary things. Every day ordinary people step out of their ordinary lives and experience something miraculous. How many of your friends would believe that you can do something amazing and miraculous. Christ called ordinary fishermen to come follow him. He is also calling us, ordinary people, to come and follow him, to do his will and spread his word. Do you hear him? What is he calling you to do?

Have we become so familiar with Christ that we do not recognize him and his miracles that are all around us? Many times we do not recognize the blessing which have been bestowed upon us. Do you go to church and not recognize or sit in awestruck at the Eucharistic Mystery because it is familiar? Today's gospel challenges us see God's miracles as if it were the first time we met him. We should great Jesus like we do a new born baby. Everyone wants to hold the new baby and embrace the miracle. We should do this every day with our faith and our commitment to God. God breeds new life in us through his miracles. If we do not believe, how can we recognize the miracles when we witness them?

A Simple Prayer

Father, give me the new life.

Help me renew my friendship with you.

Help me, an ordinary person, become extraordinary.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon