Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:16-30

 

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims that he is the Lord promised to us in the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah tells us that the Messiah would come to, “proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” The Messiah was to free them from the burdens of life which held them back and to give them sight so they might see the Kingdom of God which was unfolding before them. Jesus proclaims that, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” The people of Nazareth were expecting great things and the Gospel says that they “all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.” But they expected more, they expected him to perform miracles to prove he was the Messiah. Jesus is preaching to his own home town. As the hometown boy, they expected a lot from him. They expected that he would heal all them and perform miracles just because he grew up in Nazareth. But Jesus tells them that there are many people who need to be healed, but only those with faith are healed. He tells them, “there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” Naaman was healed not because he did what God told him, but because he had faith that if he did what God told him he would be cured. The people of Nazareth felt that they were entitled to Christ’s miracles and demanded that they be healed. However, this would not change the hardness in their hearts.

 

Jesus knew that they lacked the faith that would make the healing possible. Healing comes through conversion. One must truly submit to God to open ones heart to the power of faith. Jesus performed no miracles in Nazareth because of their lack of faith. His attitude towards their selfishness pride upsets them so much that they want to kill him. Instead of falling on their knees and asking for his love, their true feeling of hatred and resentment come forth. But Jesus demonstrates his power over them by paralyzing the crowd so that the crowd cannot harm him. Do you approach Jesus with expectations. When you pray to God, do you get upset when does not answer your prayers the way you want him to answer them. So often we have expectations that are not founded in the true love and faith which God demands of us. We must be willing to fully commit ourselves with no expectation in return. We must be willing to turn our lives over to Christ.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Christ Jesus, give me the power to open my heart and my soul.

My I be an example of your love and compassion to my family and friends.

May I lead them to your table to take part in the bounty of your salvation.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael F. Marcon

 

 

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:1-13

 

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.  Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!’  Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’  While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.  Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’  But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’  Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

 

In today’s gospel reading, we hear the story of the ten virgins. Like yesterday’s message, today’s message emphasizes the need to be vigilant in our quest for communion with Christ, the bridegroom. The ten virgins had oil lamps, five had a surplus of oil and five did not. The virgins were the bridesmaids whose job it was to light the way to the house of the bride. When the bridegroom approached, they would light their lamps so that the bridegroom would know where to find them. The five young virgins who had a store of excess oil where well illuminated and prepared for the bridegroom. Their lamps shone brightly all the time. The other five were not prepared because they ran out of oil. While they left to go buy more, the bridegroom arrived and entered the house. He closed the door behind him to keep out the strangers. The five who were prepared were let in and the five that were not were stuck outside. They cried out, “Lord, lord, open the door.” But the bridegroom replied, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.” It is unfortunate because these five virgin’s were originally inside the house, but because they were not ever vigilant, they were drawn away from the house when the bridegroom arrived. We too must be prepared for the Lord. We may be in the house, but if we are not vigilant in our pursuit of the Kingdom, then we too can be lead away from the house. We should be prepared. We should stock up on grace so that our lamp will shine forever bright. If our lamp is week or it runs out of oil, the Bridegroom will not know us and will not let us in. We should continually renew the oil of our lamp by actively participating in the Eucharist, by living the gospel and by sharing the love which God has poured into our souls. God will provide us with an endless supply of oil if we only look to heaven for his grace.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, make vigilant and attentive to the presence of the Bridegroom,

May I be prepared when he calls me into his house.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:42-51

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. 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. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.  “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? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, 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.”

 

As a new school year begins, so often we are focused on what we are going to do this year.  We’re concerned about homecoming, classes, getting the best parking spot and so on.  Often we hear the saying, “Today is the first day of the rest of my life.”  But what if 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 “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.” 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 the Kingdom 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.” In other words, Christ says we will spend eternity in 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 another opportunity to live and help bring forth the Kingdom of Heaven for others and then ask yourself, “What if today were 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 I 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

 

Jesus said, “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. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; 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 ones, 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 own closet. Christ is telling us that it is time to open the closet door and clean out the junk that we keep 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 our 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

 

Jesus said: “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. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!  “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. 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 tithing.  He tells the Pharisees that they are sure to tithe the small things such as mint and dill and cumin and yet they neglect the more important  things such as 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 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:

 

“Come and see.”

 

Gospel Reading: John 1:45-51

 

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

 

In today's gospel reading, an Israelite is questioning whether Jesus is truly the Son of God. Nathanael stated, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Not only did he question Jesus' authenticity, he kind of smacked him a little for being from the other side of tracks. There are times in our life when we too can become skeptical about the Son of God. We might ask the question, "Was He real?" Did Jesus really die on the cross? Did He rise from the dead? If we question, then how do we find the faith to believe? Instead of arguing with Nathanael, Philip invites him to "come and see" Jesus and meet him. He knew that a personal encounter with Jesus would open his heart. There is nothing I can say to make you believe and there is nothing I can do to make you have faith. You must "come and see." Jesus invites us every Sunday to His alter to "come and see" the miracle of the Eucharist. We also witness His great works in the miracles we see everyday around us. He also invites us to come and see the Gospels. Think of the retreats that you attended and how you felt after the retreat. You probably didn't want to go to the retreat, but afterwards your heart was opened. Jesus opened Nathanael's heart so he could witness Christ. If we "come and see" Christ, He too will open our hearts. Once our hearts are open, the Kingdom of heaven will flow in. He will give us faith.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

God I come and see the goodness of the Lord.

Open my heart and fill it with the Holy Spirit so I do not doubt.

Give me the strength to bring people to you so they can come and see.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”

 

Gospel Reading Matthew 22:34-40

 

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Christ lets us know the most important commandment, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  But he also tells us the second most important commandment – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Christ says that the second is like the first.  If that’s the case, is it just as important as the first?  When you think about the second, how can you obey the first without obeying the second.  How can you love God and not your neighbor.  If we have hatred or dissent for our neighbor, then we express the same feeling toward God. 

 

The second commandment calls us to not only love our neighbor, but to love our neighbor as our self.  We are to be ourselves to our friends, to our family, and to those who do not even know.  But most importantly, we must learn to love those that we hate.  We must love absolutely everyone.  The second commandment does not tell us to love our neighbor except those we do not like.  So what does it mean to love your neighbor.  It is simple.  You must be willing to put your neighbor’s needs before your own needs.  You must be willing to help them when they are in need.  You must be able to feed them when they are hungry, clothe them when they are naked, hold them when they are sad and comfort them when they are sick.  If we ignore our neighbor’s needs then we are ignoring the basic needs of good.      

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord in Heaven, help me overcome the hatred in my life.

Give me the strength to open my arms to all my neighbors

That I might bring the love of God into their lives.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 21:1-14

 

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.  Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

 

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells us yet another parable, this time about a pending wedding feast. The wedding feast is a celebration of the union between the bride and bridegroom. In this particular story, a King’s son is to be married and the King sent out invitations well in advance of the celebration. However, the invited guests, his supposed loyal subjects ignored the invitation. In this parable, the King represents God and the son is Jesus, the heir to throne. In the Gospels, Jesus is commonly referred to as the bridegroom and we, the church, his bride. We are called to celebrate this union around a great feast. God has sent out so many invitations, yet how often do we ignore them. As it states in the scripture, “Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.” Instead of listening to the word of God, we make light of our obligations. We do not take seriously the call to obey the commandments and to be united with Christ. We are too busy with other distractions in our lives. Jesus is waiting for us, are we willing to come to the table.

 

The parable indicates that the wedding feast was attended by “both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.” This means God is inviting everyone, even sinners to the wedding feast. All are welcome and no one is turned away; however, you need to be properly dressed for the festival. If we come unprepared and improperly dressed, we will be turned away. Even though God extends his grace, we must be willing to take on the responsibility of his grace. God’s grace only comes into our souls when we are truly receptive and prepared to receive his grace. God invites each of us to the table that we may celebrate in joy with the Lord - be prepared and properly dressed.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Father in heaven, your grace is enough,

You have prepared the banquet table for a feast

Help open my heart to your feast.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew: 20:1-16

 

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off.  And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

 

Who deserves the rewards of heaven more - the person who worked all their life for God or the person who found God just minutes before their death. In today’s gospel reading, we hear the parable about the laborers in the vineyard. First thing in the morning, the owner goes out and gathers a group of laborers and agrees to pay them a day’s salary. Each hour throughout the day, the master hires more laborers. At the very end of the day, he still hires more laborers.  For their portion of the work, each of the laborers receives the same pay. The laborers that worked only one hour were paid the same amount as the laborers that had worked 12 hours. The laborers that worked 12 hours said to the master, “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.” But the master replied, “My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?” God does not care when we find him, but only that we find him. All our labor is equal if it is given to God in heaven. Our God is most generous and most forgiving. Why should we expect anything else from Him? If He is truly compassionate, then the last will receive what He has given the first. We should feel relieved that all the lambs we bring to God will be allowed into the Kingdom of heaven. This is also why we must be forgiving and not dwell on the past. We should only look to the future when we all celebrate at the table of our Lord.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, I am your servant and your laborer,

May I be worthy to sit at your table.

Give me the strength to bring others to your table.

 

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 19:20-30

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said,  “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

 

After reading yesterday’s gospel reading and then reflecting on today’s, one would again think that being a “rich man” would be a sin. Jesus tells his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” Like in yesterday’s gospel, the reference to being a “rich man” again refers to our alliances and our worldly possessions. Who do we love more, money or God? Jesus is telling us that if we put our hearts into worldly investments, we will not share in the Kingdom of God. We must be willing to invest our time and our talents in the church. Jesus is not opposed to the wealthy; in fact he has friends who are wealthy.

 

Jesus uses the reference of a camel passing through the “eye of a needle” to explain obedience. The eye of the needle is the small door that allowed late night travelers to enter the city without having to open the large gates.  This was done to keep the marauders out of the city and protect its inhabitants. A man would have to bow down to enter through this door, but a camel would have to get on his knees and crawl through the door. This was a very difficult task for a camel, but not impossible. Jesus reassures disciples that “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” We must put our faith in God if we want to make it into heaven. We will not be riding high on the camel, but on our knees crawling in forgiveness and penance. Jesus promises that those who have “given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.”

 

God calls us to put him first. We must put him before everything else. Not just before money and wealth, but before life itself. We must accept what God calls us to do. It may mean giving up significant things including wealth. Our reward for our sacrifice is eternal happiness and joy in the Kingdom of heaven.  We are rewarded for the sacrifices we make in the name of Jesus. Jesus is telling us that no sacrifice will go un rewarded. Whatever we place on the altar of God will become a new treasure for us in heaven.

 

A Simple Prayer

Most heavenly Father God,

My time and my talents are yours,

Use them as you will.

You have given me so much,

May I always love you first,

And do your will.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 19:16-22

 

A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

 

What is it that we all seek? I think the simple answer is everlasting happiness. In today’s world, the definition of happiness is redefined by what the media wants us to understand as happiness. In today’s Gospel reading, a man poses this question to Jesus, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus first replies, “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” The young man replies that he is obeying all the commandments, so what else must he do. In his heart, he realizes that just keeping the commandments is not enough.  Then Jesus gives him the most difficult task of all, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” The man left sad because he could not let go of his treasures.

 

The young man in today’s story was blessed with many treasures including significant wealth and security but yet this was not enough to make him happy. These things that he treasured kept him from fully uniting with God. Why, because he loved these treasures more than he loved God. At first read, one may think that being wealthy is a sin and that God is calling us all to become poor. This story is quite the opposite. In fact it has nothing to do with monetary wealth, but with spiritual poverty. It has to do with the releasing the treasures we hold closer to heart then God so that we can abound in the joy and happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

God gives each of us many talents and many gifts. If we do not use these gifts for the glory of God, then we place these gifts higher than God. If these gifts cause us to become possessive and greedy, then we are not truly aligned with God. These treasures could be our friends, our car, our clothes, our stereo. Right now – what is the most important thing in your life? Think hard. what do you treasure more than anything else? What is it that you can’t do without? If you answered anything else beside God, get rid of it. It is keeping you from the Kingdom of Heaven. It is causing you sadness. The gifts that God gives us will reign down on us if we release the treasures that cause us to become possessive. God always provides more to us then we give. The more we give, the more of God’s love will overflow in us. “Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” Again, if the answer to “What is the most important thing in your life” is not God, then you need to get rid of it to let God more fully into our lives.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus Christ, you have blessed me with so many gifts,

I know that you are the source of all happiness,

Give me the strength to get those things out of my life that I possess more than you.

Help me to make you the greatest treasure in my life.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 19:3-12

 

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”  They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

 

Did you remember to thank God today for all he has provided? Have you thanked God for all the graces that have overflowed in you? Have you thanked Him for giving you the breath of life? When you awaken in the morning, take 5 minutes to just lay there and think of all the glorious things that God has given you. You have been blessed with life, the ability to breathe yet another breath. You have been given the ability to touch and see God in this world. We are united with our Father in heaven through the gift of life and baptism. Before we were born we were a spiritual being known to God and placed in the womb of our mother in our earthly body, a body which was formed from the dirt of this earth. Eventually we will be freed from the bonds of this earthly state and we will return to our spiritual life in God. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 19:3-12) talks about the union formed in marriage. In the beginning, we were created “male and female.”  We were one body united with God.  Because of our loneliness, God separated us into two.  Through marriage, we are reunited in this one body.  Through our sacrificial love for each other, we become bound with our Father in heaven.  The Pharisees question God about the legality of divorce. Jesus answers them, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.” Through our Baptism, through the Eucharist and through Confirmation we form a union with God.  We become married to him through our faith and our hope for eternal life.  We are united with God like the marriage between a man and a woman. No man should do anything to separate us from his love and compassion for we are the Bride and Christ is the Bridegroom.  From the beginning of time, we have been linked with our creator.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, you are the Bridegroom and I am your loyal spouse.

Like a good spouse, you provide me with everything I need.

May I cherish you love and compassion forever.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“If my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:21-19:1

 

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. 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. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. 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.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,  ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to  the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” 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 say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” 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 give forgiveness to 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:

 

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “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. 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.  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. 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. 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. 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? In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is asking us 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 “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, “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.” 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 won over 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 a source of healing love and peace in this world.

 

Sincerely

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

 

Gospel Reading: John 12:24-26

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

 

What does it mean to serve God?  Today’s gospel reading (John 12:24-26) is the parable about the seed. Jesus compares our spiritual life to a grain of wheat.  For a plant to prosper, it must die. In the process of dying, it produces seeds for new life. If these seeds fall to earth, they will produce many new plants. This message was a foretelling of the pending fate of Jesus. He would have to die on the cross and be buried in the earth before he could rise from the dead and become our savior. Jesus is the ultimate seed of new life. He knew that our salvation over sin was through his death on the cross. Jesus defeated sin by dying on the cross. We too are called to “die” to ourselves so we can “rise” in the new life of the Holy Spirit. In this paradox, death leads to life. So what does this really mean? It means that we must kill those things in our life which opposes the will of God. We must experience self denial and sacrifice before we can enjoy the resurrection in the Kingdom of heaven. We must be willing to take our sins to the cross. If we die to our sins and those things that cause us to sin, we will become fruitful in God. Jesus blesses those who sacrifice. We must die through mortification before we can yield a most blessed harvest.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Most Heavenly Father, I offer up my sins and my sinful ways.

Let me die to those ways which kill my soul.

Give me new life in your ways.

 

Yours in Christ

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, 12-14

 

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.  “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. 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? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.  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.  How can I become the “Big Man on Campus?” They want to know who is the greatest in the eyes of God. Do we not all want to be King of the Hill. In answering the question, Jesus points to a child, someone who has no social standing in Jewish society, someone who is simple and innocent.  Someone who has not allowed doubt and greed into their life to corrupt their image of God.   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. Their 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 goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?” A shepherd is dedicated to his flock. Not only will does he risk his life for the whole flock, but also for each individual sheep.  No sheep is anymore important that than the whole flock.  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.  People lost in sin become disoriented, confused and die to true path of righteousness. They become complacent with their sinful life and lose site of the trail which leads to the Kingdom of heaven.  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 the souls of those 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