Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:51-56

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.

 

In a world filled with violence and revenge, today’s gospel reading has a very important message.  On his journey to Jerusalem, Jesus decided to travel through Samaria, a territory which was not friendly to the Jews.  Even more importantly, Jesus wanted to stay in a Samaritan village, but he was not welcomed because he was going to Jerusalem.  In their anger, the two disciples wanted to bring down “fire from heaven” to destroy the village.  How often do we hear the same retaliatory remarks because someone has not welcomed us?  It is easy to respond with hatred and a desire to kill when we are not welcomed.  This response is so often the first response when someone snubs or rejects us.  Our first response is often one of violence. 

 

Because someone rejects us, we want to respond with violence.  But Jesus calls for us to be tolerant of others, to respect their views and to take a peaceful position.  Jesus’ eyes were already set on Jerusalem and his final destination.  He knew his journey would lead him to the cross and on that journey he would be rebuffed by not only Samaritans, but by his fellow Jews.  He knew that he would be crucified for the very people who rejected him and still he went to the cross for their salvation.  It was the love of Christ for all of man that allowed him to be tolerant of the hatred. When we are rejected, we too must keep our eyes on the cross.  We must not respond with violence, but with love and compassion.  We must understand that we too are journeying to Jerusalem and the cross.  If we retaliate with fire, we will lose our way.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God in Heaven, give me the strength to love those who do not love me.

Give me the strength to reach out with compassion for those who snub me.

Help me to stay the journey so I do not lose sight of the cross.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Today is the Feast of the three Archangels – Sts. Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel.  It is through these angels that we are protected from Satan’s minions.

 

Gospel Reading: John 1:47-51

 

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

 

You got to wonder what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree.  Was he praying to God?  Was asking God to give him faith?  Did he ask God for something?  In today's gospel reading, Nathanael is really questioning whether Jesus is truly the Son of God. Unfortunately, we do not have the advantage of the previous part of this reading.  In the preceding passage, Phillip announces to Nathanael that he has found the Messiah.  Nathanael is rather obstinate about Jesus when Nathanael says to Phillip, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Not only did he question Jesus' authenticity, he kind of smacked him a little for being from the other side of tracks. Phillip challenged Nathanael to “come and see.”

 

There are times in our life when we too can become skeptical about the Son of God. Jesus is present before us in so many ways, yet we do not let him fully into our lives.  We allow doubt and denial to form a wall barricading the door to our soul.  Because of our skepticism, we might ask the question, "Was He real?" Did Jesus really die on the cross? Did He rise from the dead? If we question, then how do we find the faith to believe? Instead of arguing with Nathanael, Philip invites him to "come and see". He knew that a personal encounter with Jesus would open his heart.

 

There is nothing I can say to make you believe and there is nothing I can do to make you have faith. You must "come and see." Jesus invites us every Sunday to His alter to "come and see" the miracle of the Eucharist. We also witness His great works in the miracles we see every day around us. He invites us to come and see the Gospels. Think of the retreats that you attended and how you felt after the retreat. You probably didn't want to go to the retreat, but afterwards your heart was opened. Jesus opened Nathanael's heart so he could witness Christ. If we "come and see" Christ, He too will open our hearts. Once our hearts are open, the Kingdom of heaven will flow in and He will give us faith.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

God I want to come and see the goodness of the Lord.

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

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

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“But who do you say that I am?”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:18-22

 

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

 

Christ asks us to answer a simple question; “Who do you say that I am?”  How do you respond to this question?  Peter responds, “The Christ of God.” In this passage, we see that the apostles finally realize that Jesus is the Christ Messiah. They identify him as the priest, king and profit to all of mankind. It was by the faith placed in Peter by God that Peter recognized who Jesus was. They do not have the hindsight benefit that we have.  Jesus has not been resurrected.  No one on earth could have given him this faith. It had to come from God. We too are given that same faith, but do you see Jesus through the eyes of your faith?  Do you see Christ in your daily life?  To see Christ for who He is, one must have faith.  Faith is something that needs to be exercised.  And from time to time, our faith may be challenged and put it to the test.  If you do not exercise your faith, your belief in God might fail when it is challenged.

 

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

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, you are my light and my salvation.

Take my life and make it yours now and forever.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“They set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:1-6

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A Simple Prayer

 

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

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

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

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

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 8:19-21

 

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

 

This reading always shocks me when I read it.  Jesus appears to blow-off his mom.  How much trouble would you be in if you didn’t acknowledge your mom.  After reading the Gospel, it might appear that Jesus is rebuking his family. His family comes to see him but because of the crowds they cannot get near him. He is told of their desire, but Jesus responds, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Did he just rebuke his mom? If I would have done this, my mom would have come unglued on me. There is no doubt that Jesus loved his mother very much, but today’s message helps us understand the depth of the relationship we should seek with God. He is calling all of us to be one of his siblings. God never intended humans to be alone. In the beginning when God created man and he was alone, God saw that was not good and Adam was lonely. To respond to this solitude, God created a companion for Adam. Man formed a relationship with woman. In today’s gospel, God is telling us that while the relationship with your family is important, it is nothing unless that relationship is centered on God. Only through your relationship with God can you elevate your earthly relationships. All relationships should include the communion with God.  To be in communion with God, we must participate in the Word.  We must willingly to allow God to take control of our life and lead us to Him.

 

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

 

A Simple Prayer

 

My Heavenly Father, I love you and cherish you.

I desire a relationship with you.

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

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

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

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 8:1-3

 

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

 

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

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, I hear your calling.

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

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

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

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 7:36-50

 

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

 

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus teaches a very important lesson about forgiveness. Why are we compelled to do the things that we do?  A woman, who is described as a sinner or prostitute, greets Jesus and begins shower him with gifts of special reverence. “She stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears.” What compelled her to prostrate herself before Christ except for the sorrowfulness for her sins.  She came to the feet of Christ and bathed his feet with her tears.  These tears expressed the contriteness of her heart.  She was truly sorry for her sins and knew that she had offended our Father in heaven.  On her knees, crying in sorrowfulness she expresses her remorse for who she is. It was her contrite heart that Jesus saw and forgave. 

   

Many times we are blind to the actions of others and judge them wrongly.  The Pharisee was rather indignant at what he saw. The Pharisee thought, “If this man were a prophet, he would know … that she is a sinner.” Jesus, knowing the inner thoughts of the Rabbi, uses the moment to teach the man about forgiveness.  It is obvious that the grace of God has filled the woman with repentant sorrow.  It is this repentant sorrow that compels her to kneel at the feet of Jesus.  It is also the hardness of the Pharisee’s heart that causes him to wrongly judge the motives of the woman.  Out of pure love, the woman worships Christ.  In response to her act of love Jesus forgives the woman of her sins.  Because of his blindness to the truth, the Pharisee cannot see the forgiveness.  In his blindness, the Rabbi does not even greet Jesus with the customary greeting yet the woman used precious oil which would have been extremely valuable.

 

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

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus Christ, I fall to your feet.

A weep in sorrow because I am a sinner.

Let me anoint you with my tears and my sorrows.

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

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

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

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 7:31-35

 

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

 

When Jesus spoke to his disciples, his message must have fallen on deaf ears. Jesus was disappointed at the Israelites because they were not excited to hear his message. Can you imagine Jesus coming and speaking at church and you yawn in boredom? Or even worse, you completely ignore him while you’re talking with your friends or fall asleep. Can you image him coming and getting mad at him because He celebrates with sinners, beggars and prostitutes? The Israelites were “bored” with Jesus’ message. They did not want to hear what he had to say. They yawned at him and made up excuses not to be with him. Is this not our reaction when we hear Jesus? Do we try to avoid going to be with God?

 

Are you excited to be able to celebrate the Eucharist or do you makeup excuses to miss Mass? Anytime you have the opportunity to engage the Word, whether through formation, fellowship, adoration, or reconciliation, you should dance with joy because God is with you in a very special way. Jesus gave us the sacraments so we could have a life-long encounter with Christ. When we meet Christ in the sacraments, we should praise God with all the same fanfare we celebrate New Year’s. The Israelites were “bored” because they could not see the greatness of the Lord. But it is out of our blindness that we cannot see the celebration which Christ has brought to us. We let the devil enter the picture to divert our eyes from the true happiness we should experience when we are with Christ. God is piping us a beautiful song, we should stand and dance with the Lord. We should get lost in his celebration.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

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

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

So I may serve you here on Earth.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

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

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:20-26

 

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

 

Today's message is quite clear, those that suffer on earth will be rewarded in the Kingdom of God. Those who sacrifice everything for God and give up all the earthly items will find a special joy in heaven. I have heard many a preacher say that someone must be blessed because they are rich or that they have a good job. Not that these people cannot be blessed, but this implies that those who have nothing are being punished by God. Today’s gospel reading tells us something quite different. The truly blessed people are those who have had to sacrifice everything for God. Those are the people who one would expect to be soured by their position in society. Christ tells us that if you are poor on earth because of your love for Him, you will be rich in heaven. Or, if you are criticized and made fun of because of your relationship with Christ, you will find great joy in heaven. We will all suffer and experience some degree of pain, suffering, sickness, and even death. However, some people appear to be burdened with an abundance of pain and suffering, yet they still find great solace in our Father in heaven. It may even appear that a dark cloud is just sitting over their head, yet they give off a bright ray joy. They suffer, yet they find happiness. 

 

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

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, I desire to find your happiness,

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

I hunger for your love.

May my suffering allow me to see you more clearly.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:12-19

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.

 

In today’s gospel reading, we see that Jesus called forth from his disciples a group of twelve.  Jesus spends all night in prayer and discernment with His Father in heaven before selecting the twelve men who would become the first leaders of the Church.  It says that he named them his Apostles.  The word apostle means somebody who tries to persuade others to share in an idea or cause. These twelve men became the chief spokesperson for Christ. 

 

You would think that he would call forth the rich, the wealthy and the politically connected.  But instead he calls forth the ordinary, the poor, the laborers and fisherman to be his Apostles.  The job of the twelve was to go forth and invite the people of Israel to be Disciples of Christ. Eventually the twelve would be sent beyond the borders of Israel and bring Christ to the entire world. These twelve Apostles were given special gifts of the Holy Spirit to help them form the Church and grow it into the vessel which it has become today.  These twelve men became the very foundation from which the church was built.  However, the church was not complete.  We too are called to be Disciples of Christ. 

 

He calls us by name to help spread the Word of God to the world and to continue to foster and build the Church.  We are all graced with the Holy Spirit to lay down our worldly belonging and sacrifice the comfort of our own homes to go out to bring others to his banquet.  As we are filled with the Eucharist, we are called to bring the Eucharist to others so that they too can be filled with the body and blood of Christ.  It is easy to say “I can’t,” but God gives us the strength to say “I will” through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  If we seek Christ, we can be healed of the things that torment us.  Seek Christ and touch him for the power will come forth to strengthen you and heal you.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Most heavenly Father, I reach out to you for your healing power.

Inflame my heart so I can go out and spread the Word of God.

I am here Lord, take my life and do with it as you will.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

 

The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

 

Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In today’s Gospel reading, we hear both the genealogy of Christ and the commitment of Joseph. So why do we need to know our genealogy? It helps us understand who we are and where we come from. We hear that Jesus is a direct descendant of Abraham, the Father of God’s chosen people and of the house of David, the King of Israel. This genealogy fulfills the Old Testament scriptures which promised that a descendant of the house of David will come to save us from our enemies. The linage presented in Matthew confirms that Christ is the promised Messiah, the Son of Man sent to save us. But it is not only about knowing where we come from, it is also about knowing that God has called us to do special things. 

 

Joseph has just found out that Mary is pregnant with Jesus and they are not officially married yet.  Being a just man and not wanting to shame Mary, he resolves to divorce her quietly. But an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid …” When he woke up he did as he was commanded by the angel. This story has two great messages. The first message is the willingness of Joseph to obey the will of God. His fiancé is pregnant and they are not married. How embarrassing that would be for his future wife, yet Joseph listened and obeyed the angel of God. The second message, which is more subtle in this Gospel reading, is the faith and trust of Mary. Mary also has to trust in God and have faith that Joseph will take care of her and provide for her. In the time of Christ, Mary would likely have been stoned or cast out of the community. This was a huge commitment by both. 

 

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

 

A Simple Prayer

 

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

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

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

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 5:33-39

 

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

 

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is being challenged by the scribes and the Pharisees. These Jews were generally very legalistic and believed in the literal meaning of the law. They said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers; … but yours eat and drink.” Fasting was a major part of the Jewish lifestyle so why was Jesus letting his disciples avoid fasting? Jesus replied, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” So what is Jesus really trying to tell the disciples? The disciples of Jesus were feasting in the presence of Christ. They were celebrating His very presence among them.  Now was not the time to fast, but the time to celebrate because in the near future he was going to be taken away from them.

 

Jesus explains this in a parable about placing new wine in old wine skins. If you place new wine in old skins, the fermenting wine will cause the wine skin to burst. New wine needs to be placed in new skins. Jesus is trying to explain to the disciples that there are times when old traditions are appropriate and times when we need to let the new traditions begin. This relationship/discipleship with Jesus was new and exciting. Jesus filled them with the Holy Spirit and they were alive and celebrating. Why would you fast when you’re feasting on the Holy Spirit? While there is nothing wrong with old traditions; new traditions can be just as rewarding.  And in this case, bring us closer to God. This also goes for fasting and feasting; there is a time to fast and a time feast. When we walk with Christ we are feasting in his presence, but when we need to atone for our sins, it is a time to fast.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

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

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

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

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 5:1-11

 

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

 

Can you imagine what it must have been like for Peter?  You’re in your own boat minding your own business when along comes God.  Of all the people He could pick, He picked Peter.  He climbs in his boat and now Peter has an up close and personal seat with Christ.  When Jesus is preaching to the crowd, Peter has the best seat in the house.  From this story, you know that Peter must be special, he has the prime seat in the house.  Now Peter is also probably tired and weary.  He has been up all night fishing and hasn’t caught a thing.  He was busy putting his nets away when Jesus asks him to go out and try again.  Peter must of thought to himself, “Is this guy crazy, I’m ready to go home and go to bed and this guy wants me to dirty my nets again!”  He tells Jesus, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing!” But somehow he is touched by Jesus’ words and does as he commands.

 

How often does God call us into service, yet we find excuses to ignore him.  When we encounter Christ in our lives and He asks us to be His servant, a lot of times our first response is to reject his request either out of fear, insecurity or doubt. But once we abandon our fear and follow His commands, we find that our reward is more abundant than we could imagine. Our nets are full and we need help bringing in our catch. At that point, we are so excited about the catch that we do not realize that our boat is on the verge of sinking because we do not know how to handle this new fragile faith and fulfillment. Our faith is so fragile. It is easy to get discouraged either because you have been overloaded or because you do not know how to handle the cross you have been given. But if you follow Christ, He will take care of you. Even though the boats were overload, they made it safely to shore.  He will make sure that your boat stays afloat even in troubled waters. The more we grow in faith; the easier it is to follow Christ. But not only must we follow Christ, we are asked to lead others to his way. We are all call to be “fishers of men.”

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus Christ, fill my heart with your compassion and love.

May I learn to use this love and compassion to lead others to you.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“They were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:31-37

 

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

 

What does it mean when it says that Jesus “spoke with authority?”  Young Rabbis would rely on the teachings of the prophets and the Rabbis that came before them.  Jesus did not need to refer to the prophets for he was God himself speaking, he was the Word made Flesh – He spoke with “authority”.  Therefore, his word was the Word of God, there is no higher authority.  His word was so powerful, he was able to call the demons forth from the people they infected.  Jesus challenged his disciples to define who has control over our life.  In today’s gospel, we see that the man’s life was possessed by an unclean spirit. His life was controlled by this unclean spirit, but in an encounter with Jesus Christ, the unclean spirit was banished from him.  We too may have unclean spirits in our lives who have control over our lives.  These demons are the addictions and actions which separate us from God.  When we encounter Jesus in our life, He has the power to overcome and control these demons.  Through his authority He can destroy the demons and free you from their grip.  At times these demons are so intertwined in our lives, we do not recognize them or we discount the power they have over us.  To recognize these demons, we need to examine our lives.  We also need to recognize that only Jesus has the authority and power to free us from our demons.  It is through our own submission to the will of God, that we will be freed from demons which consume our lives.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, you are the supreme ruler,

You are God of all.

Call my name and I will come to be your servant

For your word is my authority.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon