Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“I will follow you wherever you go.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:57-62

 

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him,  “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

 

Have you made the decision to follow Christ no matter what he asks of you? I know your first answer is going to be yes. But, have you really made the decision to follow Christ unconditionally. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus’ disciples come to tell him that they want to follow him. But Jesus tells his disciples that following him is not going to be an easy task. He told one disciple, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Following Jesus means giving up the things that make us comfortable. Our home is a place of warmth and comfort. A place that we feel safe. While we may not have to give up our home, Jesus is telling his disciples that they will have to give up things that prevent them from being fully committed to God. A second disciple tells Jesus, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” and a third tells Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” These men want to follow Christ, but only on their terms and conditions. They still have things that are preventing them from being fully committed to Christ. Jesus says to these men, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.” How can you plow a straight line if you are looking back to where you were and not where you are going? We are all called to follow Christ. When Christ calls, you must follow unconditionally. You must be willing to sacrifice. This calling is a gift from God which we must receive into our hearts. If your heart is too busy worrying about what you left behind, how can you focus on what needs to be done to build the Kingdom of God.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, I will follow you.

Give me the strength to abandon those things which prevent me from following you.

Help me remove those obstacles which prevent me from moving forward with you.

I am your servant; all that I have is a gift from you.

These gifts I put before you so I can serve you according to your will.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: John 1:47-51

 

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.”

 

Do you wonder what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree.  Was he praying to God?  Was asking God to give him faith?  Did he ask God for something?  In today's gospel reading, Nathanael is really questioning whether Jesus is truly the Son of God. Unfortunately, we do not have the advantage of the previous part of this reading.  In the preceding passage, Phillip announces to Nathanael that he has found the Messiah.  Nathanael is rather obstinate about Jesus when Nathanael says to Phillip, "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. Phillip challenged Nathanael to “come and see.”

 

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. 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 and 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:

 

“For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.  Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”  Then John said in reply,  “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him,  “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

 

Today’s Gospel reading is all about pride and ambition. The apostles are arguing over who is the greatest among them. One of them feels that they must be first among the rest. Jesus, sensing the tension between them grabs a young child and places him at his right hand and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” It’s amazing that Jesus uses a young child to set the example. Children in the time of Jesus had no rights or standing in society. They were at the very bottom of the ladder of society. When we are ambitious and seeking glory for ourselves, we are trying to elevate ourselves to the very top rung. A young child is meek and humble and innocent and does not see the ladder.

 

Not only are his disciples arguing over who is first, but they are also upset that they are not exclusive. John complains that someone else was casting out demons in the name of Jesus. The apostles told him to stop because he was not one of the twelve. But Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” What gave them the exclusive right to Jesus? Are we not all called to cast out demons in Christ’s name? Are we not all called to be servants of the Lord? We must humble and set ourselves at the bottom of the ladder to truly be first in the eyes of God. Jesus came to this earth to serve and not to be served. We are called to mimic Christ.  We are called to be servants.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, allow your grace to overflow into me,

To give me strength to be humble and meek,

To have a childlike level of innocence.

May that grace give me strength to serve others.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Who do the crowds say that I am?”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 918-22

 

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.  He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

 

Christ asks us to answer a simple question; “Who do you say that I am?” How do you respond to this question. Peter responds, “The Christ of God.” In this passage, we see that Peter finally realize who Jesus is. They identify him as the priest, king and profit to all of mankind. It was by the faith placed in Peter by God that Peter recognized Jesus. No one on earth could have given him this faith. It had to come from God. We too are given that same faith, but do you see Jesus through the eyes of your faith? Do you see Christ in your daily life? To see Christ, one must have faith. Faith is something that needs to exercised. And from time to time, our faith may be challenged and put to the test.

 

This gospel goes beyond just having faith, this readings was also a prophecy of Jesus’ upcoming passion and death. Jesus tells them that, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” He tells his disciples this so they can be prepared for what lies ahead. Jesus lets them know that he must suffer before he can be truly glorified. Jesus freely accepted his fate and embraced what was going to happen. We all must face suffering in our lives just as Jesus did when he was crucified on the cross. We can either allow the suffering to control our lives and we can become overwhelmed with it or we can endure the suffering as a sacrifice to God in Heaven. On the cross Jesus defeated Satan and the powers of sin. Jesus’ own suffering and death on the cross gave us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of sin. Suffering provides the same grace for us. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit we can endure the suffering. Our knowledge of who Christ is encourages us to carry our cross and to live the gospels. Do not let suffering lead you from God, but closer to God. Let the suffering strengthen your faith in Christ. “Who do you say I am?”

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, you are my light and my salvation.

Take my life and make it yours now and forever.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.

 

Do you desire to see God? If so, why? That may seem like a weird question, but it is a very important question. In today’s Gospel reading, Herod the tetrarch heard about the miracles and healings that Jesus had preformed and “he kept trying to see him.” Unfortunately, his desire to seek out Jesus was not to form a relationship with him but to satisfy his curiosity. Herod had the same desire and curiosity to meet John the Baptist, but after he met him, he killed him to please others in his family. His seeking out John the Baptist was to demonstrate his own power. Who is it that you seek to know? Do you gravitate toward people of fame, power and wealth or do you seek to know God and people of God? At school or work, do you hang with people because it will elevate your status in this earthly society? It is so easy to seek out the popular crowd and to be with them. However, does this crowd lead one toward Christ or away from Christ? If you want to be united with God, then you should seek out people who are godly people. We should associate ourselves with people who express God’s love and truth. You, yourselves should be an expression of God’s compassion towards others. Allow the grace of God to fill you with the faith and courage one needs to follow the godly crowd and not necessarily the popular crowd. We should seek out the meek, the poor, the merciful, the hungry for these are the people who will inherit the Kingdom of God. We should seek out those who also seek God. Seeking these people is the same as seeking out the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Heavenly Father, it is you that seek.

I seek you not for your power, but for your grace and mercy.

I seek you not for your popularity, but because you are the source of new life.

May I be godly and lead others to you.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:1-6

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the  journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Christ empowers the Twelve to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News about the Kingdom of Heaven. He sent them not only to proclaim the Word, but also to heal the sick. Christ not only empowered the Twelve, He also empowered all the generations to come to do the same. We have all been given special graces of the Holy Spirit through our baptism and we are re-nourished through the power of the Eucharist and our participation in the sacraments to continue the mission of Christ in this world. The Word of God has the ability to change your life and to set you free from the pain and suffering. Through the Gospel we find salvation and eternal life. We defeat death and sickness, pain and suffering for the glory of God in heaven. We find salvation from sickness, heartache and every earthly infliction. God gave us the same power he gave to the original Twelve. We too can change the world by preaching the gospel not only in words, but in our actions. We become the beacon of light which leads others to the narrow gate to eternal life.

 

What is most interesting about today’s Gospel is Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve.  Jesus tells them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.” He tells the Twelve that to truly preach the Gospel, they must separate themselves from the earthly treasures that keep us from seeing Christ in the world and finding the Kingdom of God. We must release the burdens which tie us to earth and keep us from heaven. How can we ask others to sacrifice if we are not willing to sacrifice ourselves. The more earthly treasures we give up, the more room we make for Christ in our lives. If our life is filled with new cars, the latest electronic gadgets and new clothes, how can we find space for Christ. Do you set aside time for others in need? Do you set aside time for your family and friends? Do you set aside time for Christ?  As you reflect upon your conscience today, ask yourself what material items keep you from total surrounding to God.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, you gave me the power to proclaim the gospel.

Give me the power to use these gifts to bring others to your table.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 8:19-21

 

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

 

News Flash – Jesus rebukes Mary, his own mom – or does he?  In today’s gospel reading, it might appear that Jesus is rebuking his family. His family comes to see him but because of the crowds they cannot get to him. He is told of their desire to see him, but Jesus responds, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” There is no doubt that Jesus loved his mother very much, but today’s message helps us understand the depth of the relationship we should seek with God. He is calling all of us to be one of his siblings. God never intended humans to be alone.

 

In the beginning when God created man and he was alone, God saw that was not good and Adam was lonely. To respond to this solitude, God created a companion for Adam. Man formed a relationship with woman. In today’s gospel, God is telling us that while this relationship is important, your relationship with God is more important. Only through your relationship with God can you elevate your earthly relationships. All relationships should include the communion with God.  To be in communion with God, we must be will to participate in the Word.  We must willingly allow God to take control of our life and lead us to Him.

 

Being a good Christian is more than following the Ten Commandments, it is about establishing a relationship with God. Today’s gospel challenges us to take the relationship deeper by elevating the importance of that relationship. By making your relationship with God the most important relationship, we commit to a relationship of love. Any relationship founded on true love includes trust, commitment, loyalty, kindness and compassion. If we have this type of relationship with God, it will flow down into our other relationships. It will become the foundation for all relationships we form on earth. Every relationship you form on earth should mirror your relationship with God. Your relationship with other men and women should be Christ centered. The relationship should mirror the relationship you would have with Christ.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

My Heavenly Father, I love you and cherish you.

I desire a relationship with you.

May all my relationships mirror the one you desire from me.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Follow me.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:9-13

 

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician,  but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

 

What were you doing when Jesus called out to you, "Follow me." Jesus calls each of us by name to follow him. Matthew rose to the challenge and became one of the twelve. We too are called to leave the comfort of our normal everyday lives to become Disciples of Christ. There is not one person on this earth who has not been called to serve. Are you ready to be one of his disciples?  You might be saying to yourself that I am not worthy of his calling.  But if not you, then who?  Jesus called forth Matthew, a tax collector.  In the days of Jesus, the tax collectors were considered some of the most evil and corrupt men on earth as they would pilfer and steal from others. The tax collector was put on par with the thieves and prostitutes. They were the worst of worse individuals.

 

So why would Jesus call Matthew? He was not like other apostles called into service. In fact he was probably strongly hated by the townspeople in the village he lived. Matthew was chosen because he experience the salvation shared through the grace of God. The simple command “follow me” was all Matthew needed to abandon his sinful ways and become a true disciple of Christ. Matthew became a loyal and dedicated servant of Christ at such a simple request. So why would Matthew become an apostle? Matthew, a greedy tax collector, must have realized after simply experiencing the presence of Christ that the treasures of the Kingdom of God were far greater than the treasures he pilfered from the local Israelites. Jesus did not have to tell Matthew any long parable or convince him to be an apostle. He just simply looked into his heart and said, “Follow me” - two words that must have translated into “You’re forgiven” or “You’re loved.” Two words completely changed the life of Matthew forever.

 

After Jesus called Matthew into service, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. Matthew’s calling opened the door for other sinners to come to God. However, the Pharisees were not happy that Jesus would sit and break bread with such men. They say to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus hearing their complaints responds, “Those who are well do not need a physician,  but the sick do.” Jesus came not to heal the righteous, but to heal the sinners. We are all sinners, and yet we are all called into service to spread the word of God. There is no sin so great that you cannot repent and become a missionary for Christ. In two words, Jesus healed Matthew. In two words, Jesus can heal you too.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, our Savior and Light, I hear your calling to “Follow me.”

Give me the strength and wisdom to let go my sinful life so I can follow you.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 8:1-3

 

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and  infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

 

Jesus’ mission was to spread the good news of the Kingdom of God; to open our eyes and our ears to the message of our Father in heaven. So often we hear the stories of the twelve men who dedicated their lives to God. But in addition to the Twelve, Jesus was joined by a number of women who dedicated their lives to his mission. They not only gave of their time but they gave from their coffers. All of these people heard the call to follow Jesus; both men and women were called to follow Christ. He called the rich and the poor, the clean and the unclean. These people not only dedicated their lives, they dedicated their resources to provide the support for Christ on his mission. When Christ calls us to spread the good news, He is not only calling us to bring ourselves, we must be willing to bring all our resources to help bring people to Christ. These women dedicated their lives and their resources to support the mission of Christ. We must be willing to commit everything to the mission of God because nothing is more important than bringing forth the Kingdom. We must remember that everything we have, all our riches, all our treasures are a gift from God. How we use those treasures is how we thank God for giving them to us.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, I hear your calling.

May my soul be set on fire so I have the strength give everything I own.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 7:36-50

 

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

 

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus teaches a very important lesson about forgiveness. A Jewish Rabbi or Pharisee invites Jesus to have dinner with him. When he arrives, a woman, who is described as a sinner or prostitute, greets him with special reverence. “She stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears.” The Pharisee was rather indignant at what he saw. The Pharisee thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus, knowing his inner thoughts, responds to the Pharisee in a parable about two debtors who cannot repay their debt. One who owes 50 days pay and the other owes 500. In this story, we have a Rabbi who is thought to be a righteous man and a woman who is likely a prostitute. Both are sinners. The woman falls on her knees and praises Jesus’ mercy yet the Pharisee does not even greet him with a simple kiss. It is obvious that the grace of God has filled the woman with repentant sorrow. She falls to his feet, she is crying with resentment for her sins and she anoints Jesus with precious perfumes. She disgusts the Pharisee who would not ever associate himself with such a woman. He also chastises Jesus for allowing this woman to come near him. So who loves Jesus more, the Rabbi or the prostitute? The Rabbi did not even greet Jesus with the customary greeting yet the woman used precious oil which would have been extremely valuable.

 

The real message here is that the woman, through her own humility, fell prostate at his feet and showed true love and compassion for Christ. Because of this demonstration, Jesus says, “So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” We are all sinners. Are you willing to fall prostrate before him and ask for true forgiveness? Do you love him enough to spend the valuable perfume to anoint him? Do you shed tears over your sins? Do you open yourself to the grace and unlimited mercy of God? We can take the position of the Pharisee and reject God’s love or we can take the position of the sinner and accept God’s love. When you take time to examine your conscience and evaluate your sins, you are at the feet of Christ. It is through the humility of reconciliation that we shed the tears that open us up to true forgiveness. It is through our faith, Christ’s grace and love, that we are saved.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus Christ, I fall to your feet.

A weep in sorrow because I am a sinner.

Let me anoint you with my tears and my sorrows.

I give these things up to you my Lord so I can be filled with your grace.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 7:31-35

 

Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,  ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.

 

When Jesus spoke to his disciples, his message must have fallen on deaf ears. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is disappointed at the Israelites because they do not get excited about the message that was delivered by John the Baptist nor himself. They ignored the message that was being delivered. Can you imagine Jesus coming and speaking to you and your response is to yawn in boredom? You turn and walk away. To what shall he compare the people of today. Can you image Jesus giving one of his sermons and you fall asleep? Can you image him coming and getting mad at him because he celebrates with sinners, beggars and prostitutes? The Israelites were “bored” with Jesus’ message. They did not want to hear what he had to say. They yawned at him and made up excuses not to be with him. Is this our reaction when we hear Jesus? Do you try to avoid going to be with God? Are you excited to be able to celebrate the Eucharist or do you makeup excuses to miss Mass? Anytime you have the opportunity to engage the Word, whether through formation, fellowship, adoration, or reconciliation, you should dance with joy that you have the opportunity to commune with God. Jesus gave us the sacraments so we could have a life-long encounter with Christ. When we meet Christ in the sacraments, we should praise God with all the same fanfare we celebrate New Year’s. The Israelites were “bored” because they could not see the greatness of the Lord. It is out of our blindness that we cannot see the celebration which Christ has brought to us. We let the devil enter the picture to divert our eyes from the true happiness we should experience when we are with Christ. God is piping us a beautiful song, we should stand and dance with the Lord. We should get lost in his celebration.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, I want to hear your music and celebrate,

May the good news of gospel fill my heart with joy and love

So I may serve you here on Earth.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest  Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: John 19:25-27

 

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

 

Today’s gospel reading is rather short, but extremely comforting. Especially after the turmoil on going in the world. Jesus refers to the “disciple there whom he loved.” Many scholars have suggested that Christ’s church is his beloved disciple. Therefore, in today’s gospel reading, Jesus would be speaking directly to us from cross. Jesus looks down upon us to provide what we need to make it through the situation. Not only is he there to help us, but he sends his mother to our side to look over us. The best source of love and compassion is the love and compassion of a mother. Jesus gives us his mother to help us in our time of need to reach out and comfort us. When Mary has appeared to her children, she has always been comforting with extreme compassion. As we reflect on the ongoing turmoil in world, we should thank the blessed mother for protecting us and caring for us through this storm.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus Christ, through the cross we have found the door which leads to eternal life.

You gave us your life and now you give us your mother to hold us and comfort us.

May my life be worthy of the sacrifice which you made for me.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

 

Gospel Reading: John 3:13-17

 

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear one of the most popular bible verses of all – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” But it also tells us that God sent Jesus to us not to condemn us, but to save us from our sins. He sent his only Son, to suffer and die for our sins and on the third day He would rise again to save us from the fires of Hell. Jesus is the light that came into the world to show us the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. God sent his son to be our beacon so that we might be saved.  Jesus is the example which will lead us to eternal life.  He burdened the cross to free us from our sins so that we might find eternal life with his Father in Heaven.  He does not condemn us for our sins, but frees us from the our earthly bonds which can lead us to the fires of Hell. To find Christ, we must be willing to imitate his life and ultimately his sacrifice.    

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Christ Jesus, you are the gift which saves us from our sins.

You are the light which leads us to the gate.

Strengthen our will so we can find the light of God.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

 

We are all called to be disciples of Christ.  As a disciple of Christ, your job is to proclaim the liturgy of the Word to lead others to Christ.  How can you proclaim what you do not know?  In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus questions his disciples, “Can a blind person lead a blind person?”  He is telling us that we must not only read the Scriptures, but we must study the Scriptures.  We need to know the message of God and know what God teaches us through his message.  This does not mean that you need to memorize Scripture passages, but that you must know the meaning of message.  Once we know the meaning of the message, we must learn to live the message.  By living the message, are we not teaching others?  St Francis of Assisi tells us to preach the Gospel daily and if necessary to use words.  Jesus is telling us to get trained so that by our own lives we can lead others.  We need to remove “log” from our eyes which blinds us so that we can clearly see the message of Christ.  Once we have done that, our example will lead others to the message.  When we teach the Scriptures, we must not judge our fellow man or use the Scriptures to condemn.  When we condemn others through the Word of God, are we not placing ourselves above others.  Each of us is a sinner and is no better than the next.  We are each a gift from God who loves us unconditionally.  When we teach the Scriptures, we must teach with unconditional love and compassion.  The message we give through our actions and our words should lead others to the banquet table.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

God, open my eyes to the Scriptures.

Allow me to be a instrument of our love and compassion.

Allow me to become your disciple.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:27-38

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount.  But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.  “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

 

Today’s Gospel reading is very fitting as we prepare for the anniversary of 9/11 and considering the current political scene in the US. Jesus tells us that we must be compassionate, not to our friends but to our enemies. We are called not only to love our enemies but to pray for and bless them in the name of God. This may be the most difficult thing the Christ asked us to do. When we are born, God gave us the grace to love and to hope. He does not give us the grace to hate. We learn to hate from the world around us. How much better this world would be if we could abolish hatred. Hatred leads to retaliation and retaliation leads to more hatred. Unless we break the cycle, hatred continues to grow. Christ tells us that we must be willing to give up everything we own to our neighbor, we must be willing to give them the clothes from our back and all the money that we have in hopes that this will lead to peace and unity. How we treat our enemies is a true testament to our treatment of Christ. It is easy to love those who love you, it is a true symbol of character to love those who hate you. Christ tells us “love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” Who are the kind and the ungrateful? We are. No matter what we do, our Father in heaven always loves us. He cherishes us and pours out his unconditional love for us. If we are to find the path to heaven, then we must line it with prayers and blessing for those we have learned to hate. The message is simple, “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. Today, say a special prayer for your enemies and most importantly say a prayer for those who hate the US and who are in turmoil with our government and politicians that we can become brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, you are the master of the world.

You gave me the gifts of love and hope, but I have learned to hate.

Help me abolish hatred in my life so that I may help end hatred in the world.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:20-26

 

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:  “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.  For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

 

Today's message is quite clear, those that suffer on earth will be rewarded in the Kingdom of God. Those who sacrifice everything for God and give up all the earthly items will find a special joy in heaven. I have heard many a preacher say that someone must be blessed because they are rich or that they have a good job. Not that these people cannot be blessed, but this implies that those who have nothing are being punished by God. Today’s gospel reading tells us something quite different. The truly blessed people are those who have found God and have absolutely nothing. Those are the people who one would expect to be the soured at their position in society. Christ tells us that if you are poor on earth, you will be rich in heaven; or, if you had a sad life on earth, you will have a very happy life in heaven. We will all suffer and experience some degree of pain, suffering, sickness, and even death. Some people appear to be burdened with an abundance of pain and suffering. At times we may think that a dark cloud is just sitting over our head. Why does God allow us to suffer? Why must people be poor and homeless? We are called to have faith in God and offer this suffering to him. This offering transcends earthly happiness and allows us to reach a spiritual happiness in the kingdom of heaven.

 

We have all seen people who absolutely nothing, yet they laugh and have fun. They are content with what God has given them and they take satisfaction in their simple lives. Why are they not sad? The word Beatitude literally means happiness. True happiness comes from the suffering. Are you really happy if you are given everything? Do we not get bored with material things to only want more? Then we become bored with this stuff and want even more. Is that really happiness? How long does that brand new IPod or Xbox keep you happy? True happiness is found in the Beatitudes. This message is really trying to tell us that the poor are not held captive to material things and therefore can see the things that bring true happiness. They can see the Kingdom of God because their site is not blinded by greed for earthly materials. To find true happiness in heaven, we will need to empty our lives of those things that prevent us from seeing God. This is why we are asked to fast, pray and give alms. During this time, we separate ourselves from the earthly things and allow our souls to unite with God in Heaven. These are things we typically do during lent; however, we are called to live Lent year round, not just during the Lenten season.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, I desire to find your happiness,

Give me the strength to separate myself from the earthly things that keep me from you.

I hunger for your love.

May my suffering allow me to see you more clearly.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“They shall name him Emmanuel,  which means “God is with us.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-23

 

The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.  Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.  When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,  which means “God is with us.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear both the genealogy of Christ and the commitment of Joseph. So why do we need to know our genealogy? It helps us understand who we are and where we come from. We hear that Jesus is a direct descendant of Abraham, the Father of God’s chosen people and of the house of David, the King of Israel. This genealogy fulfills the Old Testament scriptures which promised that a descendant of the house of David would come to save us from our enemies. The linage presented in Matthew confirms that Christ is the promised Messiah, the Son of Man sent to save us. But it is not only about knowing where we come from, it is also about knowing that God has called us to do special things. Joseph has just found out that Mary is pregnant with Jesus and being a just man and not wanting to shame Mary, he resolves to divorce her quietly. But an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When he woke up he did as he was commanded by the angel. This story has two great messages. The first message is the willingness of Joseph to obey the will of God. His fiancé is pregnant and they are not married. How embarrassing that would be for his future wife to be pregnant and they are not married. Yet Joseph listened and obeyed the angel of God. The second message, which is more subtle in this Gospel reading, is the faith and trust of Mary. Mary also has to trust in God and have faith that he will take care of her and provide for her. In the time of Christ, Mary would likely have been stoned or cast out of the community. This was a huge commitment by both. Mary, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was able to go to Joseph and trust that he would be there to take care of her.

 

We too are called to be obedient to the will of God no matter what he asks us to do, no matter how embarrassing, and no matter how uncertain the outcome. The Holy Spirit comes down upon us and gives us many gifts wrapped in strange packaging. We are called to use those gifts to spread the word of God, to make way for the Kingdom of God. We are also called to have great trust and faith in God. We need to trust that he knows what he is doing. In our daily lives, it is so easy to get caught up in the materialistic aspects of “All I want is…” when I should be saying yes to the angel of God when he calls. We should be willing to take the time to reflect on the gifts which God has given us and give him thanks and praise for these gifts are given to us freely without any expectations of return. We should reflect on our talents which were given to us by God. We should decide whether we are using our gifts how God intended us to us them. We must be willing to sacrifice the material gifts that we receive for the spiritual gifts which are wrapped up in the paper of the Holy Spirit. We should celebrate the family that we have and blessing that we were given. We should celebrate the gift of Christ in our lives. Once we accept these gifts from God, we can truly appreciate the other material gifts which we receive.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

God, you give me more graces than I deserve. Give me the strength to use those gifts to your satisfaction.

May I have the obedience of Joseph and the faith of Mary to use the gifts which you have given me.

Your son was the greatest gift of all for he came to forgive us our sins; may I also forgive those who sinned against me.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 5:33-39

 

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the  skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

 

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is being challenged by the scribes and the Pharisees. These people were generally very legalistic and believed in the literal meaning of law. They said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Fasting was a major part of the Jewish lifestyle so why was Jesus letting his disciples avoid fasting? Jesus replied, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” So what is Jesus really trying to tell the disciples? The disciples of Jesus were feasting in the presence of Christ. Now was not the time to fast, but the time to celebrate because in the near future he was going to be taken away from them. Jesus explains this in a parable about placing new wine in old wine skins. If you place new wine in old skins, the fermenting wine will cause the wine skin to burst. New wine needs to be placed in new skins. Jesus is trying to explain to the disciples that there are times when old traditions are appropriate and times when we need to let the new traditions begin. This relationship/discipleship with Jesus was new and exciting. Jesus filled them with the Holy Spirit and they were alive. Why would you fast when you’re feasting on the Holy Spirit? While there is nothing wrong with old traditions; new traditions can be just as rewarding. This also goes for fasting and feasting; there is a time to fast and a time feast. When we walk with Christ we are feasting in his presence, but when we need to atone for our sins, it is a time to fast.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit so I can feast in your presence.

Help me to find your presence in my prayers and my fasting.

May you become a tradition in my life which frees me from the bonds on sin.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon