Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”

Gospel Reading: John 11:19-27

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

What is it that we all hope for but to share in the eternal resurrection with Jesus Christ.  Today’s Gospel message talks about the joy and the hope of our own resurrection. Martha approached Jesus with great confidence. She had no doubt that Jesus could raise her brother from the dead. She did not say if you can - she says I know you can, but will you… We too need to approach Jesus Christ with the same level of confidence. Jesus tells us that he is “the resurrection and the life, … and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” This is our hope, that through our faith we will find eternal life. Martha recognized in Jesus this hope of eternal life. She says to Jesus, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Again, her statement is made without doubt. The grace of hope which was given to her allows her to realize the eternal salvation which awaits her. When Jesus asks her if she believes she replies, “Yes Lord; I have come to believe…” She realizes that Jesus is the Christ and the kingdom of heaven which is “coming into the world.” The miracle of Lazarus is a sign of Christ’s power to give life to people. Therefore, as Christians, we believe and hope that death is not the end, but simply a step into eternal life. The Roman missal says, “Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.” What are you willing to die for? Do you believe in the resurrection and the life of the world to come? Do you believe that Christ is the source of eternal life? It is through our hope that we are saved.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Christ, you are the resurrection and the life.

Give me the strength to die to the worldly treasures so that I may know the eternal treasure of heaven.

I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:44-46

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

What are the treasures that you hold most dear to your heart? What treasures really matter in your life? In today's gospel reading Jesus tells us that "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field…" If you were to find the Kingdom of Heaven today, would you be able to give up everything you own for it? This question is difficult to answer honestly because we all want the kingdom of heaven, but when we find it, it is difficult for us to give up our earthly treasures. If we look around, the kingdom of heaven is forth coming today.  We do not need to wait.  In the Lord’s Prayer, we say “Thy kingdom come” recognizing that the kingdom of heaven is before us.  The real question is – “Are we a part of the construction crew?” When we do charitable work, it is easy to see the kingdom of heaven in the work that is being done. Also, when we have the opportunity to sacrifice our own time and talent, the joy we experience is truly the kingdom of heaven.  If you stop and look, you will see the kingdom of heaven is all around us in the love that we and others give unselfishly to help others experience God. However, fully discovering and embracing the kingdom is a different story. To embrace the kingdom of heaven means to sacrifice and to suffer for God. Sometimes those sacrifices may mean giving up friends who lead us away from the kingdom. It may also mean making difficult decisions in which you must choose between church and a movie or a retreat over a football game. If you truly discover Christ, you will truly discover the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is here and now. It is being built around you. If you want to go to heaven, don't wait, it's here. When you help someone else, when you give freely of the talents you were provided you experience the joy heaven today.  You experience the greatest love of all, a love for both God which is expressed through our love for neighbor.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me reveal the kingdom of heaven.

Help me lead others to your gates.

Help me give up the earthly treasures for the truly eternal treasure.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Today's gospel reading reflects on the deeds that we do. We are the seeds of the sower and our deeds and our actions are fruits of those seeds. The big question is, “What kind of seed are you?” Will your seeds produce weeds or will they produce bountiful fruit? Weeds choke the good plants robbing them of the nourishment that they need to survive. The weeds take away from the harvest. Will the seeds that are sown choke out the good plants or will the harvest be plentiful? In the end of our earthly life, we will all be judged by the quality of the harvest. "For a person will reap only what he sows, because the one who sows for his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows for the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit. Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest." (Galatians 6:7-9). We have many opportunities to sow good seeds every day.  We can either chose to help others or to be selfish and only worry about our own needs.  These seeds will not only benefit our own harvest, but more importantly, they will encourage others to sow better seeds. While it is much easier to sow the seeds of weeds because they do not take as much care to grow; good seeds take sacrifice and commitment. They take a sacrifice for others. You must water them, you must fertilize them and most importantly, you must provide good light.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, you are my inspiration and my light.

You provide me with all that I need.

And while I may want, you know what my soul needs

to live in the Kingdom of God.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 20:20-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over  them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Today’s gospel reading reminds me of the school playground when I was in elementary school. It seems like one kid was always had to be the king of the playground and the rest of the kids regarded him as the ruler. Once somebody took charge, every other kid wanted to be his second in command. The apostles John and James were no different. They were beginning to realize that Jesus was the head of the playground, the Messiah, and they wanted to position themselves at the right and left hand of the new king-of-the-hill. Jesus asks them if they can handle the pressure. He tells them that it won’t be easy being his follower and that life on the playground is tough. They tell Jesus not to worry, that they can handle the playground. When the rest of the apostles hear that John and James are jockeying for position, they become agitated and upset. So Jesus calls them all around to explain the rules of the playground. He tells them: “that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.”

Jesus was sent to this earth to be our Lord and savior, not to lord over us. To be at the right hand of the Father, we must not be the master but be the slave. We must be willing to do for others. We must be willing to make great sacrifices for the benefit of those in need. Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, we too must take on a life of service for others. Jesus’ service to mankind was exemplified in all his actions and his teaching. His mission was one of enduring love and compassion for all man, not just those that believed. He reached out to the sick and to the sinner; to the Jew and the Gentile. Jesus lets us know that for us to have any true authority, we must sit in the back and humble ourselves to those that need us. He tells us that we must be last to be first. God gives each of us so many graces not so we can hold these powers over people, but so we can use these powers to create the Kingdom of God right here on earth. We must be a community for others. We must be willing to be generous with our gifts, our talents and our time for everything that we own was given to us by God above. Even the life that we breathe is a gift from God. We do not own anything. We may not always be popular nor seen as the king of the playground, but we will always be loved by our Father in Heaven. Are you willing to commit to God? Are you willing to drink from the same sacrificial cup? For us, the sacrificial cup means a daily commitment to Christ, daily prayer, a daily renewal of our faith and most of all, service to others.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, Jesus, make me a servant; humble and meek.

Lord let me lift up those who are weak;

And may the prayer of my heart always be - Make me a servant.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whom are you looking for?”

Gospel Reading: John 20:1-2, 11-18

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he had told her.

In today’s Gospel reading, Mary Magdalene is seeking out Jesus at his tomb. It says that she was weeping outside the tomb and when she looked inside the tomb she saw two angles. The angles wanted to know why she was weeping. She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him.” In response to her sincere desire to see Jesus, he appeared before her, but she did not recognize him.  How many times are we seeking Jesus in our life but do not see him standing there with us?  He never abandons us, we abandon him.  To find the kingdom of heaven, we are called to constantly seek out Jesus Christ in our lives. Mary Magdalene was looking for Jesus and He was right there in front of her. Finally, when Jesus calls her name, she recognizes him. Being filled with the joy of the encounter with him, she goes and tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” It is not enough for us to know about the Lord, but we must encounter Jesus Christ in our lives. You must experience Him when He calls your name. You must be willing to go to others and say, “I have seen the Lord.” An encounter with Christ is the very foundation of the Christian faith. To be truly Christian is to have experienced Christ first hand. It is through your faith that you can see the power of the resurrection and eternal life. It is through the eyes of your faith that you encounter the Kingdom of God here on earth. Celebrate your encounter with Christ and shout out, “Alleluia, Alleluia, I have seen the Lord!”  A true encounter with Christ is life altering.  It is through the grace of God that you encounter Christ in your life.  We have the choice to accept that grace or to deny it.  Your eyes will be opened and you will be given the light if you accept his grace.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, Father in heaven.

You are the risen Christ.

It is through you that my sins are forgiven.

It is through you that I find eternal life.

Give me the eyes of faith to see you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”

Gospel Reading: Luke 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day.” The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage?” When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus heals an infirmed woman on the Sabbath, a day when the Jews were to rest and honor God. When Jesus saw this woman with an infirmity, he called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” This infirmity had bound this woman for eighteen years and prevented her from experiencing life. It says that Jesus laid his hands on her and “she at once stood up straight and glorified God.” So what was her infirmity? Was it physical or spiritual? Because of her crippling illness, was she not able to see God? It says that Satan had hold on her body. The good news is that Jesus was able to conquer Satan and free her from the bonds which crippled her. She was now able to stand straight and see God in all his glory. We too may be infected by Satan. He may have us bound and bent over unable to stand straight. It is through trust and belief in God that Christ can reach out, touch us and save us. Christ can wash away the evil in our lives, but only if we let him.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, have mercy on my soul.

Free me from the bondage which prevents my soul from seeing you.

Free my body from evil so that I may stand righteously to do your will

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 12:38-42

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here."

Are we no different a society then was present at the time of Jesus. I think that Christ would still call us an “evil and adulterous generation.” Society still wants proof or scientific evidence of the existence of God? People still try today to prove that the historical Jesus existed through ancient writing and artifacts. Why is it that we still demand proof that Jesus was around. Instead, we should be focused on living the life of Jesus and not trying to validate his existence. It is simply a matter of faith. In today’s gospel message, the Pharisees and the scribes demand to see a sign from Jesus so they can validate that he is the messenger from God. So why does Jesus call the Pharisees adulterous? He calls them adulterous because of their spiritual infidelity. Not only did they question God, but they demanded God give them a sign. Jesus tells them that he is the sign and they should need no other. However, the Pharisees and the scribes rejected Jesus as the sign. They could not accept him as the Son of God because they were looking for someone who was a military leader who would defeat the Romans. Jesus did not fit the mold of the person they were looking.  Unfortunately, healing people, freeing them from their internal demons and bringing people back from the dead was not enough to convince the Pharisees.  To believe in God and recognize the signs which He so clearly provides should be enough for us as well.  However, at times we still demand more. We say to him, “If only …, then I would believe.” Can we not open our eyes and see God in the little flowers that bloom in the fields?

God performs miracles right before our very eyes so we can witness his greatness. What other signs do we need? Instead, we allow the darkness of evil in the world to blind our vision. When we witness a miracle, we should fall to our knees and praise the blessing which he has bestowed upon us; that he has provided a sign so we may believe. Jesus told the Jews that “Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,  so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” This would be the ultimate sign proving that he is truly the Son of God, the Messiah. It is ok to have doubts, but do not let your doubts become demands of God. We should seek the answer and not allow the doubts to grow into demands of our God. We just need to open our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with wisdom and he will show us his glory. Miracles occur every day. If we wish to have the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in us, we must humble ourselves to the Lord.

A Simple Prayer:

Lord Jesus, fill my soul with the Holy Spirit so that my faith may grow.

Give me the strength to shed my doubts so that I can truly see you as the Son of God.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Medition Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 12:1-8

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath." He said to the them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

After reading today’s reading, one might conclude that keeping holy the Sabbath is no longer a commandment. Jesus’ disciples are chastised by the Pharisees for not keeping the Sabbath. According to Jewish Law, the Sabbath was set aside as a time of rest and the Jews were not to do any work or labor. Today, conservative Jews take this day very seriously. They go as far as to even limit the number of steps one takes, everything they eat on this day is prepared the day before and they go to great lengths not to expend any labor. The elevators are set to stop on every floor so they don’t even have to hit a button.  While this may seem extreme, they believe this is what God commanded them to do.  However, Jesus says that they are taking this commandment beyond what God had intended.  This day was set aside to honor the greatness of God’s creation. In the gospel story, the disciples were hungry and therefore were harvesting and eating corn. This action was forbidden on this day. Jesus explains that these actions are not in violation of the Sabbath and that when men are hungry, it is okay for them to eat. Jesus says that God “desires mercy, not sacrifice.” He is telling the Jews while the ritual of the Sabbath is important, compassion for man’s basic human needs are more important. Jesus was trying to tell the Jews that they were missing the truly important meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is truly about honoring the greatness of God’s creation. If we allow God’s creation to suffer on this day, then are we really honoring this day. If God is Love, them would God want his servants to starve when food was sitting right in front of them.  If we see a person who is hungry, should we not feed them. Allowing him to starve would be dishonoring this day. Feeding our fellow man shares the love and compassion that God shared with us through his Son.

But have we gone too far in the opposite direction.  Modern Christians have lost the meaning of honoring the Sabbath. Stores are now open on Sundays. Most of us work on Sundays or are involved in activities that take us away from the greatness of this day. Many Catholic Christians do not even go to Mass anymore or Mass is second to all the other activities in our lives. We are so busy that we forget the importance of this day. We are still called to keep holy the Sabbath day. This is still one of the commandments. Dishonoring this commandment is a sin. This means that we are called to rest and to reflect on this day. We are to go to church, to pray and give thanks for all the things that God has given us. Many of us are so busy that this day goes on like any other day. We should take the time on this day to cherish what God has given us. We need to take time to smell the roses. We should celebrate the graces that God has bestowed upon us. We should spend time with our family and most importantly, we should spend time with Christ thanking him for the sacrifice he made to save our souls.

A Simple Prayer

Lord God, thank you for all of creation.

Thank you for the mountains and thank you for the seas and the oceans.

Thank you for all the living creatures on this earth.

Give me the wisdom to know the Sabbath and to honor it.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“You have revealed them to the childlike.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:25-27

At that time Jesus exclaimed:  "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Why would God hide things from adults and reveal them to the babes? Think of the time when you were very young, maybe even before you were in school. You believed in God and Jesus and all His miracles without question. You believed the stories and were amazed at the wonder and awe expressed by Jesus in his works on earth. I can remember sitting there listening to my religion teacher teaching us about Jesus and never once did I doubt the things that I was told. A child is simple and tends to think in a simple way. This simplicity allows Jesus to be revealed to a child in his full glory. A child is naturally humble with no consuming pride which prevents them from seeing God as our creator, Lord and master. The questions and the comments that young children ask are from their innocence and reveal to them the greatness of the Father in Heaven. Yet as we grow in world knowledge and understanding, we somehow let this new found intelligence cloud our vision of God. We begin to rationalize his existence and justify his being. We try to use science to confirm his miracles instead of just simply accepting Jesus as who he is. We want the physical evidence to explain the unknown.

We are all called to have a childlike belief in the Father and the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only does a babe express unconditional belief in our Father in heaven, they also express unconditional love. The clearest example of this is a child’s loves for their parents. This love is unbounded and without limitations or conditions. Jesus Christ expressed this same unconditional love when he walked on the earth saving us from our sins and lastly when he died on the cross to defeat evil. Jesus expressed love perfected and without blemish. Jesus tries to reveal himself to us through his miracles and his teachings. We must become childlike in our belief to fully grasp the unconditional love that was expressed by Christ for us. We must humble ourselves. It does no good to brag about our intelligence if this intelligence keeps the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit from being fully revealed to us.

A Simple Prayer

Lord I ask for childlike belief and understanding so that I can see you in your true glory.

May this childlike expression of love fill me with a deeper relationship with you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld. For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

What would Jesus say to us if He were to visit our community, our church or even our family? Do you wonder if Jesus would say woe to Spring or woe to your town? Even worse, would he say woe to your family?  Today’s message is again a warning to his disciples. Jesus is just a little upset with the people from these two towns for he has done great miracles in these towns and the people have not repented to the Lord. Chorazin and Bethsaida were two small communities probably represented by a single Jewish synagogue. He compares them to the towns of Sodom, Tyre and Sidon. These towns were known for loose living, prostitution, gambling, drunkenness. We all know what happened to Sodom and how they were punished for their loose living and sinful ways. Jesus tells the people from these two towns “it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.” This is probably the harshest warning that Jesus gives in the Gospel of Matthew.  The people have witnessed the great miracles preformed of Christ. They have seen Jesus cure people of ailments, being deaf or blind, and even people possessed by the devil. They have heard His teachings first hand and yet they are indifferent to him.

Would Jesus deliver the same message to us today? What would he think about our own home? Is Jesus Christ alive in our house? When people visit your house, can they tell that you are a disciple of Christ. When we look at our community, can we see the miracles of God that occur all around them? We are called to proclaim the word of God and we are called to repent. When Jesus said that these towns did not repent, he implies that they did not change their ways. We need to change our ways to create change within our community. We need to convince others to change their ways so that they can realize the salvation of the Word of God. It is through our actions and our words that our family and our community can see the change in us. Jesus’ anger in today’s gospel is really sadness for us. He is sad because we have not seen the light of his salvation. If we do not change then we will not be with him in heaven. Christ calls each of us to walk with him; to carry our cross and to repent for our sins. We are all sinners and we must all repent, we must all change. None of us are perfect.

A Simple Prayer

Most Glorious God in Heaven

Open my heart and my mind so that you can reign in on me.

Shower me with your grace so that I can change.

May my change be seen by others as new light leading them to Christ.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:34-11:1

Jesus said to his Apostles: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household. "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward." When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

Generally when we think of the gospel message from Jesus, we think of love and joy and hope. Jesus’ words usually instill compassion for his fellow man. However, today’s gospel message appears to be rather harsh and condemning. Jesus tells us: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” Why would Jesus want us to take up a sword against our parents or to be in opposition to our families? This does not sound like a person who came in peace to love and serve the world, but one who wants to start a war. Not only was Jesus sent to love the world, he was also sent to defeat the powers of evil and free us from darkness. Jesus is trying to tell us that our true salvation comes from obedience to Him and that we must follow Him no matter what the cost. We must open our hearts to hear the Word of the Lord and not let others lead us astray, not even our own families. The sword that we must take up is not a sword of steel, but the Holy Scriptures. We must be willing to take up our cross and follow him no matter what happens to us.

The gospel message goes on to have a very positive message: “Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” Christ asks us to find good in the world. We must seek good and not evil; we must look for the good in everyone. We must try to find the good in the least of our brothers. Not only will this make you a better person, it will bring you closer to Christ. Christ came to help us find the way, the truth, and the life. By seeking the righteousness and goodness in people, we are showing them the truth and the way. The true love expressed by God is for everyone and we must express that same love. We are not only asked to love our families and our best friends, but those who are difficult to love. If we give to others, Christ tells us that we will be rewarded in heaven. We are not called to serve ourselves but to serve God, for he who serves God will celebrate with our Father in Heaven.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, lead me to you.

May I be obedient to you;

May my actions and words be pleasing;

Help me to find the goodness in others

So I can receive the rewards that you promised.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:16-23

Jesus said to his Apostles: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

Have you ever felt that when you are around your friends that you needed to defend your faith or that you are attacked because of your faith or are told that you’re not really Christian. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that we are sent out as “sheep in the midst of wolves.” The gospel reading tells us that we will encounter opposition to our faith: “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.” We must stand strong in our faith and be the example of what it means to be a member of the one true universal church. Be proud to be a Catholic, but do not let the pride become boastful. It is through your example that others will learn what it means to be a member of the one catholic and apostolic church. When you are put on trial by others, God tells us, “do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.” Every week when you go to mass and receive the Eucharist, you receive the energy you need to defend the church and to defend your faith. You become a living tabernacle of Christ and a symbol of the love that was poured out for us on the cross. There are many false churches out there that are not true to the teachings of Christ, some even promise earthly riches, and others contend that a simple statement of belief is all you need to be “saved”. The commitment to Christ is much more significant than that. It is a journey with many trials and we are not the judge or the jury in these trials. Only God can judge our actions. We will fail in some of these trials, but our faith is what gives us the strength to get back up and return to the path. Be strong my young lambs for you are among wolves, wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. But God gives us hope. If we endure and have patience to conquer these trials, we will be saved in the end.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, I am a sheep among wolves.

Give me the wisdom and knowledge to defend my faith.

Allow me to be a beacon of hope for others.

Give me the strength to accept the persecution of others.

Give me the courage to do your will.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Without cost you have received; without cost you   are to give.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:7-15

Jesus said to his Apostles: "As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us to preach because "the kingdom of heaven is at hand". So what is the kingdom of heaven? The kingdom of heaven is the reign of God on earth through us. Each and every one of us is a creator of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is every man and woman who has committed their life to Christ. Every day we pray, every day we give without repayment and every day we fast for our Lord Jesus Christ, we help reveal a little more of the kingdom of heaven on earth. In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that " Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." God has given us so much. He gives us the bounty we receive each day. He gives us nourishment for our minds and our souls. He gave us His son who died for our sins. Now we are called to give back without any expectation of return. We are called to live and preach the gospel every day without any expectation of reward. In fact, we might even be ridiculed for preaching the word. The Gospel may bring sorrow, but in the end you will experience the joy of eternal life with God. Our first call is to serve God in heaven. If we expect material gain for our efforts, how can we bond with God? We have been chosen to bear witness to the Gospels. Live them daily.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, God of heaven on Earth,

Nourish me and give me strength to preach your Gospel.

Let me want not for your glory is all I seek.

Let me be a living testament to your Word.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:1-7

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, "Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

Jesus called each of his twelve Apostles by name to go out among the people of Israel and preach the Word and to heal those afflicted with disease and illness.  They were sent out not to preach to the non-Jews, but to preach to the Jews who had fallen away.  We too are called to do the same today.  We called to go out among those who have fallen away from the church and to heal them of the aliments which keep them from the Eucharistic table.  Do you hear the call of God to be his servant? He calls all of us to celebrate at his table because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom of heaven is made up of all those people who hear the calling and are willing submit their lives to God and the message of the Gospel. He called these twelve men to be the first twelve men of the New Covenant. These men were ordinary people just as you and I. They we not kings or rulers, but common people who gave up their life for Christ. These men answered faithfully to the grace of their calling. When Jesus walked this earth, He spread a message of hope and joy. He sent these new apostles out into the world to spread the good news. These men gave up everything they owned for the glory of God. When God calls us to serve, we must also be willing to faithfully commit to him. We must be willing to hear the calling and respond with our lives. This is the year of the Priest.  In this year of the Priest, we should all go out and invite those who have fallen away back to the flock.  It is time to invite your friends and neighbors who once attended church but maybe have stopped for some reason.  Ask them to join you this Sunday at Mass.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, I am your apostle.

Give the strength I need to spread your word.

Give me the wisdom I need to speak the truth.

May I always be a servant of your glory.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:32-38

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the prince of demons." Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."

In today's gospel, Jesus is out wandering through Israel “curing every disease and illness.” Jesus was brought a dumb man who was plagued by a demon. His friends, realizing the pain and suffering that this man was going through, were in hope that Jesus could rid this man of these evils. Jesus cast out the demon and the man was able to speak. The crowds of people were astonished by this miracle. They commented, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” However, the Pharisees accused Jesus of “driving out demons by the prince of demons.” So what was the different between the people who witnessed and proclaimed and the Pharisees who accused. The people who rejoiced in the miracles of Jesus had faith in the power of Jesus. He gave the people hope that their sins and their afflictions could be healed. Because of their belief, Jesus set them free from the demons that tormented them. We too can go to Jesus with our afflictions and our sins. Whenever we yield to the power of God with unconditional faith, he frees us from evils that binds us and the sins that darken our lives.

Jesus acknowledges the massive amount of evil in the world and the people who need help. He tells his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” We are called to be his disciples to heal the sick and to reach out to those that are in need. Sometimes our needs are satisfied by taking care of the needs of others. By going out into fields, we too can give faith and hope to others. We can be there to set them free. Whenever we approach Christ with expectant faith, he will set us free from the things that keep us from the kingdom of heaven. But even greater is to approach Christ for the needs of others. If we set the needs of others before Christ, he will also answer those prayers. Be willing to lay your needs before the Eucharistic Table. We should offer up these inflictions and be willing to pray for forgiveness and healing.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, may my work shed light and free those that are caught in darkness.

Let me be an example of your compassion so others know love.

Give me the compassion to be your laborer so others may learn to love.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and  understanding and revealed them to babes.” 

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and  understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and  any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and  understanding and revealed them to babes.”  Why would Jesus tell us this in today’s gospel? Who is it that accepts Jesus without question?  Think of the time when you were very young, maybe even before you were in school. You believed in God and Jesus and all his miracles without question. You believed the stories and were amazed at the wonder and awe expressed by Jesus in his works on earth. I can remember sitting there listening to the stories about Jesus and never once did I doubt the things that were said. A child is simple and tends to think in a simple way. This simplicity allows Jesus to be revealed to the child in his full glory. A child is naturally humble with no consuming pride which prevents them from seeing God as our creator, Lord and master. The questions and the comments that young children ask are from their innocence and reveal to them the greatness of the Father in Heaven.

As we grow in world knowledge and understanding, we somehow let this new found intelligence cloud our vision of God. We begin to try to rationalize his existence and justify his being. We try to use science to confirm his miracles instead of just simply accepting Jesus as he who is. We allow pride to consume us.  We are all called to have a childlike belief in the Father and the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only does a babe express unconditional belief in our Father in heaven, they also express unconditional love. The clearest example of this is a child’s loves for their parents. This love is unbounded and without limitations or conditions. Jesus Christ expressed this same unconditional love when he walked on the earth saving us from our sins and lastly when he died on the cross to defeat evil. Jesus expressed love perfected and without blemish. We must become childlike in our belief to fully grasp the unconditional love that was expressed by Christ for us. We must humble ourselves. It does no good to brag about our intelligence if this intelligence keeps the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit from being fully revealed to us.

Once we realize the true power of Christ, we can then learn to trust in him.  He tells us to take his yoke and learn from him.  We are most at rest and at peace when we truly trust in the Lord.  Christ calls us to trade our burdens for his love.  To shed all our worries and place them on his shoulders. In return, he gives us a new yoke to carry.  His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  It does not weigh us down.  The yoke that Christ gives us is one of peace and love.  God replaces the burdens of our life with the joy and happiness of Heaven.

A Simple Prayer

Lord I ask for childlike belief and understanding so that I can see you in your true glory.

May this childlike expression of love fill me with a deeper relationship with you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon