Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“And one of them, realizing he had been healed, … fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 17:11-19

 

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed.  And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.  He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?  Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”  Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

 

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad! (Psalm 1218:24) In today’s gospel, Jesus is teaching us about reverence and respect.  Zt the same time we are asked to give thanks and praise God for all he has done for us.  Give thanks this glorious day for it is truly by God’s grace that we are here to celebrate this wonderful day.

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, I want to thank you for all you have given me.

I want to thank you for your mercy which you give me unconditionally

I want to thank you for your compassion and kindness

I am afflicted and you make me clean

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 21:5-11

 

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”  He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’  Do not follow them!  When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.”  Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the Jews admiring their great temple in Jerusalem. In response to their joy, Jesus begins an eschatological discourse on the end of the world. Today’s gospel deals with the destruction of the beautiful temple in Jerusalem. Jesus tells his disciples, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone ...” He tells them this not to scare them, but to prepare them for the events that are to come. He warns them to stay true and not be led astray that there are many out there who will try to deceive them. This same message is still as true today as it was at the time of Christ. The church is constantly under attack by society. Our religious freedoms are constantly being trampled upon as the Church continues to spread her word.

 

Every time you turn around you hear another attempt to remove Christianity out of society. We can no longer have the Bible in public places; pornography is running rampant on the internet and abortion is nothing but an after-thought to many. One year ago, the Association of Pediatricians recommended that the Morning After abortion pill be made available over the counter for all women, even underage teenagers. This nightmare becomes reality this year. We are being led to believe that a child born to a teenager is somehow bad.  Jesus told his disciples to take heed and not be led astray. I pray that you take that same warning today. We must be careful not to follow the false prophets which are leading society through a moral decline.  We must resist the temptation to go with the flow and stand up against the atrocities which try to rob our soul of eternal life with our Father in heaven.  The Jews came under attack by the Romans and the temple was destroyed. However, the faith of the Jews persisted and the church surveyed. Today, we are under attack by a society so focused on money and wealth that our temple will also be destroyed because of the weakening of the foundation. The destruction of the foundation is evident in our economy and the dependency we place on these material goods. We are also told that the Catholic Church cannot uphold its moral teachings in its own hospitals. 

 

Jesus told the Jews not to seek signs but rather to seek God's kingdom. We too must seek the kingdom of God for it is through the narrow door which leads to the kingdom that we shall all find salvation. Today’s message may appear apocalyptic, but it is actually a message of hope; a hope that is founded in the glory of the kingdom of God. Where is it that you place your hope? The things we long for are our temples. Do we long for material riches or do we long for a relationship with Christ. It is not easy to choose Christ, but the joy and the rewards are unlimited. The sadness that plagues a material desire is only compounded by the desire for more. If we turn this material desire into a spiritual desire and longing for Christ, our longing will be turned into riches that are not measurable. As we approach Thanksgiving we are called to reflect on the things we have in our lives. We should not forget to give thanks for the spiritual riches which God has given us.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, you have unlimited grace and mercy.

I desire to be a faithful servant, everything I have belongs to you.

Use these possessions to help increase my spiritual wealth.

Help me to overcome my fears so that I may find the kingdom of heaven.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 21:1-4

 

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the story of the widow’s mite. Jesus is sitting with his disciples when Jesus saw some wealthy people making an offerings to the church.  He also noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins, all the money that she had.  This act was so significant that he said to his disciples, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; she has offered her whole livelihood.” So what is Jesus really telling his disciples? Today’s message is about sacrifice. We are told that we must be willing to give not out of our excess but out of what we need. He is not complaining about the offerings of the rich, but celebrating the fact that a poor woman gave everything she had. This shows a true love and trust for God. The rich offerings were from the excess of their lives, but this woman sacrificed everything of value that she had. The poor woman gave both coins, the only coins she had. She could have given just one coin, but she gave both coins leaving her nothing. Some might say that this was foolish and reckless of the woman and I would agree. Christ calls us to be foolish and reckless with our love for him. He calls us to give everything we have to him. Not just 10 percent or even 50 percent, but 100 percent of what we have must be given to God.  What we have to offer the Lord may look pitiful and insignificant and not of much value, but if it truly comes from the heart, if it is truly a sacrifice then that gift will be graciously accepted by the Lord.

 

This Sunday, we begin the season of advent where we are in preparation for the second coming of the Lord. What gifts and sacrifices are you offering to prepare the way for the Lord? We often do not think of this season as a time sacrifice, but a time of celebration. However, the Christmas season has become more about material glory and wealth and less about giving to others. Christmas has become so commercialized that we forget that this is the time of year when Christ was born. We should prepare the way for the Lord. We should make straight the path which leads to his Manger. It is time for us to give not only from our excess, but from the whole of our existence. We must be willing to give everything back to God, for it all belongs to Him anyway.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, your love for me knows no bounds.

I know that all that I have is a gift from you.

I pray that I have the strength to give it all back to you.

I pray that I have the strength to give my life, my gifts and my talents back to you.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“My house shall be a house of prayer.”

 

Gospel Reading Luke 19:45-48

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.

 

In today’s gospel, we hear the conclusion of yesterday’s reading.  Jesus drives out the merchants and traders from his Father’s temple telling that they have made his house “a den for thieves.” Why does he call it a den of thieves?  Because the merchants are masking the items they are selling as offerings when in reality they are defiling the temple.  All of us are called to be temples of God, but what is it that we are selling within our temple?  When we partake of the Eucharist we become a tabernacle for Christ and carry him with us.  This gospel reading is challenging us to examine “What’s in your temple?”  Jesus is really challenging us to discern our souls by asking the question, “What do I store up in my heart?” Are you more concerned about the material things in the world, the clothes that you wear or the car that you drive? Or, are you more concerned with what Jesus sees inside your heart, the charitable acts that you commit and the prayer time you give him. Jesus ran the merchants out of his temple and so must we drive the material desires and sinfulness out of ours. We are about to enter into the new liturgical season of Advent. The season is the preparation for the birth of our Lord. Unfortunately, this season has become less about the preparation and more about material commercialism. Christ wants us to stop and reflect upon our inner desires to make sure they are pure. He wants to lead us into a life of reflection and reconciliation where we see the error in our ways and focus our eyes on his truth and justice. There are those who would like to destroy God in your life, but do not let them in. It is time to run them out of the temple and return it to a true house of worship.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, yours is the Temple of Truth and Justice.

Help me empty the temple of those who would rob my feeling for you.

Purify my actions so that they are pleasing to you.

Cleanse my thoughts so that they are not that of the materialist.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“If this day you only knew what makes for peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 19:41-44

 

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

 

What things in your life bring turmoil or keep you from a relationship with God. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is weeping because of the pending actions of the people of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was supposed to be the center of the Jewish kingdom; the most holy city in the world. Yet the people from this city were about to crucify him. Jesus is upset because the citizens of Jerusalem are about to reject the Son of God and in turn reject God himself. Jesus came to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth, to establish joy and righteousness. He came to bring us peace, hope and the joy of knowing God personally. He came to concur evil and defeat Satan. Instead of accepting him, they rejected him.  So many times in our own lives we are overcome with turmoil because we fail to accept Christ into our lives.  We refuse to encounter him and form a relationship with him.  Because of our refusal to encounter him, our lives our upside down. 

 

Even though we deny him, Jesus still allowed himself to be crucified for the sins of all the world for all of time.  Even today, the world continues to reject Christ.  It is up to us to encounter Christ and renew him within the world.  For there to be peace, we must begin with a simple encounter in prayer.  Our prayer leads us to communion with Christ and ultimately communion with the rest of the world.   Like Christ, we must be sorrowful for our sins and our failings.  Being sorrowful for our sins is what leads to true reconciliation for the trespasses we cause against others. Jesus’ wept over our sins and our unfaithfulness. Our weeping leads to true peace and reconciliation not only with God but with our neighbor as well. This weeping brings about the peace which makes for lasting friendship, joy, and unity. This is what forms communion.  Therefore, our sorrowfulness for our sins is a demonstration of true penance.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, you weep for my sins and my unfaithfulness.

May I learn to be remorseful for my sins to bring joy and happiness to you and your church.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 19:11-28

 

While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’” After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.

 

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells the parable of the gold coins. This parable talks about our loyalty and commitment to God. In the first part of the parable we see that the nobleman, God, trusts his servants because he gives the servants his treasures. The servants are to trade and barter the riches until the nobleman returns. God has entrusted us all with his graces. In our baptism, we are filled abundantly with the grace of the Holy Spirit to live a life in the church; in our Confirmation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit to live out our faith for others; and in receiving the Eucharist, we are nourished with the body and blood of Christ to strengthen our ability to grow in faith. Each of us has been given a bounty of grace from which to barter and trade. These blessing which God bestows upon us are our test.

 

Through our baptism, we are all servants of God. We are all commanded to “go forth and multiply” and take charge of the earth to make it “fruitful and bountiful”. God gives us the graces we need to do His will. The kingdom of God is present among us. God has entrusted us with many talents and gifts to help foster the kingdom of God here and now. If we use these gifts to help prosper the kingdom, God will repay us with a bounty beyond our comprehension. The size of our reward is based on the size of our heart. The more we do, the more we give to others, the more God entrusts upon us. Everyone who gives of his talents is repaid. But if we hoard our talents and gifts and keep them hidden in a napkin, we will be punished and lose everything we have been given. To waste the gifts which God has given us is the same as telling God that you do not love him or that we do not want him in our lives. Jesus said, “With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant.” Because of our free will, God does not force us to do anything. It is through your own desire and actions that you will become separated from God. If you do not use his gifts, you are saying I do not want to be in communion with you for eternity. By your own desire, you shall be punished for eternity.

 

Our reward lies in the kingdom of God. We all hope to spend eternity in the kingdom with God. Eternity starts today. Do not wait until tomorrow because it may be too late. What gifts and talents has God given you? Are you using this gifts and talents to further the kingdom of God or do you squander the gifts and keep them hidden from others? At this time of Thanksgiving, we should focus thanking God for giving us gifts to share with others.

 

A Simple

 

Oh dear Father in Heaven,

You grace me with so many gifts and talents.

Give me the strength and wisdom to use these gifts wisely

So they will bring about the kingdom of God to others.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon