Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a 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 all our earthly treasures for the only treasure that matters. If we truly open our eyes and look around us, we will see that 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 truly unfolding before us.  The real question is – “Are we a part of the construction crew or the wrecking crew?” When we imitate the life of Christ and do charitable work or make sacrifices for others, it is easy to see the Kingdom of heaven in the work that we do. When we sacrifice our own time and talent for the good of others, the joy we experience is truly that of the Kingdom of heaven. 

 

If you stop and open your eyes, you will see that the Kingdom of heaven is all around you in the love that we and others give unselfishly to help others experience God. Unfortunately, because of our selfishness and our unwillingness to surrender our treasures of this world, 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 or soccer game.  Church must come before everything else – no exceptions. If you truly discover Christ, you will discover the hidden treasure contained in Kingdom of heaven. The Kingdom of heaven is here and now. It is being built around you. The song lyrics, “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die” is never more true a statement.  We want the Kingdom without making the sacrifices and dying to the world.  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, when you give up this worlds treasures for the treasures of the Kingdom of heaven, 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.”

 

I pray you pay attention to today’s Gospel message. Jesus says, “Whoever has ears ought to hear,” warning us that the end times will not be pleasant if one is not a good seed. 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 and the fruit of our efforts. "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:

 

“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:

 

“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."

 

How many times do we ask Jesus for special privileges?  How many times do we fall on our knees and ask God to make us the top dog.  In today’s Gospel reading, James and John’s mom, kneeling before Jesus in a position of humility, ask Jesus to put her sons in a position of superiority over the other Apostles.  Jesus does not say no, but replies, “You do not know what you are asking.”  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:

 

“He who has ears, let him hear.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:1-9  

 

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow and as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  He who has ears, let him hear."

 

Today’s Gospel reading has a very simple message, “He who has ears, let him hear.”  We must be attentive to the Word of God.  We must be open to hear what Christ has to say through his teachings and his parables.  When we are born, God places a very special seed within each of us.  We are given the basic desire and hope for God’s love.  Therefore, the question is, “What do you do with that seed.”  Is that seed nourished and fertilized and allowed to grow.  Are you open and receptive to the word of God?  For some, that seed is quickly consumed by the material treasures of this world for ever to be lost to the kingdom of God.  These people completely shut out the Word of God and allow other things to control their lives.  These seeds bear no fruit at all.  For others, the seed has no foundation.  You are introduced to the Gospel, but the Gospels do not take hold in our lives.  We may hear the message, but it only momentarily impacts our lives.  Then there are those who have set their roots in the message of Christ and make themselves fruitful for the kingdom of God.  These people listen to the Word of God and make it a fundamental part of their lives.  Yet even some of these people, still cannot let go of the things that bind them to this world.  They let the weeds and thorns of this world distract them and prevent them from becoming fully enveloped by God.  Where is your seed sown?  Do you need to clear out some weeds in your life.  Take some time to reflect on the message.  It may be time to replant your seed in good soil and nurture it so it can become a productive seed producing many fruits for our Father in heaven.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, you are the Master Gardener.

May my seed be planted in your soil.

May it grow vigorously and be fruitful.

Help me clear the weed and thorns from my life.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 12:46-50

 

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you." But he said in reply to the one who told him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."

 

I think if you were to ask people who is the most important person in their life, a large number of people would respond their mom.  A Mom is the very definition of caring and compassion.  She is the one who cares for us and who comforts us when we are sick or we are sad.  But in today’s gospel reading, it would appear that Jesus is blowing off his own mother and family. When he is told that his mother and family are there to see him, Jesus responded, "Here are my mother and my brothers,” indicating those that had gathered to hear the Word of the Lord were his family. Jesus was not ignoring his mother, but instead he was teaching his disciples the significance of a relationship with God. Our relationship with God is the most significant relationship we can seek and that all who seek the Lord are one family in Christ.  We are one community gathered to bring forth the kingdom of heaven.  We gather in communion to form a single body. When I begin my letters with “My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ” I am acknowledging the fact that we are all part of a family of Christ. I consider that we all form a unique community centered on the teachings of Jesus and the Gospels. Christianity is centered on this relationship with God; a relationship that binds us together like family. When we think of a family relationship, we think of the trust, the compassion, the loyalty and the love that our fellow family members put forth for the family unit. When we establish a relationship with others, we are forming a community. If we form this community out of love, we are forming this community with God. Whoever does the will of God is a member of this family. God is our Father. Like a Good Father, he seeks us out and tries to keep us safe. He provides for all our needs, both earthly and spiritual. We must love him and our fellow brothers and sisters.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Most Heavenly Father, You are the leader of my Family.

You provide for us and keep us safe.

Allow me to glorify your family,

To show love and compassion as you have shown me.

Allow me to grow within the family and to become a worthy member.

 

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:

 

“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 push 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:

 

“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 you, 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.” The evil ways and lack of faith were expected from these other towns, but not Chorazin and Bethsaida.  This is probably the harshest warning that Jesus gives in the Gospel of Matthew.  The people have witnessed the great miracles preformed by Jesus. 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. This same thing can happen to us at church.  Mass comes second to the other activities in our life.  Jesus is only honored when it is convenient.  We may say that we honor him, but do our actions follow through.    

 

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:

 

“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.  That person may even be you.  Today’s message is one of reflection and one of prayer.  The Kingdom of Heaven is that place where God opens his doors to give us a taste of the eternal.  It is a place where we become extraordinarily linked to our Father.  This not only happens during Mass, but everytime we set aside time for prayer individually or in community.  During this time, we should become especially attentive to Word of God.

 

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 to 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 like you and I. They were 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 first spread the good news to their Jews, to reawaken the spirit within. 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 year, Pope Benedict is calling upon us to initiate the New Evangelization. In this initiative, we are asked to first, nurture and grow our own faith and then those of our fellow brethren who may have fallen away.  If we do not restore our own house, how can we serve others.  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 him of these evils. Jesus cast out the demon and the man was able to speak. The crowds of people were astonished by this miracle yet the Pharisees accused Jesus of “driving out demons by the prince of demons.” So what was the difference between the people who witnessed and proclaimed and the Pharisees who accused. The people who rejoiced in the miracles of Jesus had faith that Jesus was the Messiah.  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:

 

“Take heart, your faith has made you well”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:18-26

 

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter!  Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus performs two different miracles to help two different people. It was the uncompromising faith of the two that yielded Christ to answer their prayers. The first is an earthly ruler that comes to Jesus and must humble himself to ask for help. He tells Jesus that his daughter has died and says, “come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Touched by his faith, he gets up to help the ruler. But before he could come to the aide of the father, a woman who suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years reaches out to touch Jesus’ garment to receive his healing powers. Jesus turned to this woman and said, “Courage, daughter!  Your faith has saved you.” Then Jesus went to the ruler’s house and was able to bring his daughter back to life. In both cases, it was the unconditional faith of the individuals that spurred Jesus to help these individuals. Just imagine, you’re a powerful Jewish ruler and you have to go to Jesus to ask for his help. Not only do the Jews dislike Jesus, they think he is a heretic and one who blasphemies the church. Not only did he go and ask Jesus, but he prostrated himself before Jesus in recognition of the Messiah, our Lord and savior. He does this knowing that his followers and friends were laughing at him. He did this knowing that his followers would not respect him anymore. Likewise, the woman that was hemorrhaging was thinking if she could just touch his garments that would be enough to cure her. So she reached out for him and Jesus, realizing her faith cures her of her aliment. Who do you reach out to help you when you need help? Are you willing to lay it all on the line for Christ?

 

Belief was not enough. Both people believed in Jesus, but Jesus says, “Take heart, your faith will make you well.” We too must have faith. We must not only believe in God, but we must have faith in his powers. Jesus opened his arms for these people and expressed the deepest form of love. He showed them a love that yielded hope and compassion, at the same time. We too can take our problems and troubles to God. We must be sincere and have faith in what he does. We must be willing to prostrate ourselves before him, even when our friends may make fun of us and laugh at us. It is your faith that will set you free. Through Jesus’ actions, we see the infinite love God extends to all of us. He gave this love freely to each person who needed it. This love was able to cure the sick and raise the dead; it was able to expel demons and heal sinners.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, your love is all I need.

It heals my pains and makes me well.

Help me to give that same love to others so that I too can be healing.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Today is the feast day for St. Thomas the Apostle. Happy feast day to all the Thomas’s out there.

 

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”  

 

Gospel Reading: John :20:24-29

 

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

 

Have you ever doubted the existence of God?  Or have you ever said, “If you’ll just show me a sign, I’ll believe.”  Thomas, in today’s gospel reading probably reacts like most of us have done from one time or another.  We want proof before we will believe in the risen Christ.  Some people say that Thomas challenged God so that future man would truly know of his existence.  Thomas asks the question that we all want to ask.  It is through Thomas’ questioning that the true existence of God in Christ is revealed to man. Can you imagine what it must have been like at this time?  The apostles thought that Jesus had been defeated on the cross.  In their own fear, they abandoned Jesus at his time of glory.  Thomas’ doubt becomes our revelation as to the real existence of Christ.  It is through him that our abandonment can be restored.  Jesus mysteriously appeared in the locked room among the apostles and once Thomas sees the wounds of Jesus, he immediately believes.  This witness is now passed on to us as our confirmation to his resurrection because Christ knew that some of us needed proof of his resurrection.  Jesus walks among us every day.  He appears to us in small miracles and in the Eucharist.  He appears to us in so many ways, yet we still let doubt creep into our lives.  Thomas becomes the witness that helps us fend off the doubt and realize that Christ is among us even though we do not physically see him except through his miracles.  This is why Christ tells us, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”  This Beatitude is a statement about our belief because our belief will bring us to the faith that leads to heavenly happiness.  Jesus offers us the Holy Spirit so that we may believe.  Open your eyes and let the light shine in for he is standing next to you.  If you need, reach out and touch him, he is there among you.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, give me the strength to become one with you.

Let me believe in you without doubt;

Let me trust in you without fear;

For you are my savior and Lord.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

 

Gospel Reading Matthew 8:23-27

 

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

 

How do you react to conflict in your life?  How many times have you felt that your life was a total wreck or that life was just tossing you around like a violent storm?  In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus’ disciples are being violently tossed around.  When they cry out for help, Jesus responds, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”  Jesus says the same thing to us when we let the world overwhelm us.  It is easy to feel like life is batting you around like a terrible storm.  During this period it is easy to fall into a position of despair.  Despair is the opposite of love and if God is love then despair is the most powerful tool that Satan can use to pull us away from God.  Satan uses these periods of despair to attach our soul and to get us down.  However, it is through our faith that we can turn these stormy periods in our life around and defeat despair.  It is during this periods that we can find calm in the storm and comfort in the arms of Jesus Christ.  We need to put our storms into the hands of God an let him control the winds and the sea.  It is only through our faith in the power of our God that we will find calm in the storm.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, you are the calm in my life.

You subdue the winds of turmoil and calm the seas of despair.

Take my life and help me rebuke the storms.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 8:18-22

 

When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other shore. A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, 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.” Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”

 

I just returned from a week at the Catholic Heart Work Camp in Louisville, Kentucky.  I was joined by 47 others from our parish.  The theme for this week was “be seen.” What does it mean to be seen? It means to be a disciple of Christ.  In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells his disciples, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”  Fox holes and bird nests are refuges where these animals can hide and find sanctuary from their enemies.  To be a disciple, we must give up the comfort of our refuge and seek the mission of God – to be seen.  A true Christian is a person who is baptized with the Holy Spirit and is bound to do whatever and go wherever Christ calls them.  We must be willing to give up our home, our family and even our friends if Christ calls us to do that.  When one of his disciples said he needed to go home and bury his father, Jesus replied, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”  The dead that Jesus refers to in this passage are those who have not seen or are not willing to see the light of true faith.  Following Christ is not easy.  He calls each of us personally to follow him.  Each of us will have our own unique mission different from everyone else. 

 

So why is it so difficult to follow Christ, to be his undivided disciple?  In our hearts and in our souls, we feel the calling and many of us have a deep rooted desire to follow him; however, fear and lack of self confidence in our Spiritual growth prevent us from becoming fully attached to God.  Thomas Merton said, “As long as there is any refuge where man can curl up by himself and hug some private good that nobody else is allowed to share, there remains in his heart a cranny in which the dirt of selfishness accumulates.”  If I desire something and hold that something and keep it to myself, then I cannot drink of the fruit of the Lord.  I separate myself from Christ.  I must be willing to release these things.  Jesus promises us if we release those things that are most dear to us, we will be rewarded 100 times in heaven.  Our life on earth is short; our new life in heaven is eternal. 

 

Tonight, as you reflect upon the day and recount your sins and the graces, think of the items which you cannot release.  Make a list of those things that you hoard and ask God to give you strength to release the clutch you have on these things so that you can free up your arms for his service.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

“Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will. 

All that I am and all that I possess you have given me.

I surrender it all to you to be disposed of according to your will. 

Give me only your love and your grace —

with these I will be rich enough and will desire nothing more.”

 

Prayer of St. Ignatius Loyola

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon