Archive for June, 2015

A Tail of Abraham Lincoln

June 28, 2015

Abe Lincoln reportedly said, “How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.”

Someone today might ask, “Why do you hate dogs, Mr. President? Don’t you want them to be happy?”

I can imagine Abe honestly replying, “I do not hate them (while I personally prefer felines*, I also like canines) but declaring their tails a leg won’t help them run any faster. And if some poor creature attempts to run on it, it just won’t work. He’ll hurt himself and he won’t be happier. God’s creatures, in order to be happy, must walk in proper ways.”

(*– When asked if her husband had a hobby, Mary Todd Lincoln replied, “Cats.” )

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The Meaning of Life

June 9, 2015

Homer Simpson once had this exchange with “God”:

Homer:  God, I’ve gotta ask you something.
What’s the meaning of life?
God:      Homer, I can’t tell you that.
Homer:  C’mon!
God:      You’ll find out when you die.
Homer:  I can’t wait that long!
God:      You can’t wait six months?
Homer:  No, tell me now!
God:      Well, OK. The meaning of life is…

[The theme song and ending credits interrupt before we hear the answer.]

So what is the meaning of life? Why are we here, for what purpose do we exist?

Philosophers and TV writers may balk at the answer, but for Christians this is not an unanswerable riddle. Jesus Christ tells us what we are meant to do on earth (and likewise, in Heaven): first, to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and second, to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:30-31, & Luke 10:27-28)

Nothing is more important than this. This is what the Law, the Gospels, the prophets, and the saints are all about. Loving relationship with God and each other is the meaning of our lives. Of what enduring value is anything else if separated from this?

Blessed with knowing this precious knowledge, how are you going to live?

Posted in Christian Perfection, Love, Reflection, Television | 2 Comments »

Fallaciously Faithless — Monday, 10th Week in Ordinary Time—Year I

June 8, 2015

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 1:1-7

St. Paul writes to the Christians at Corinth:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all encouragement,  who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.

When I was in college, there was a span of a couple of weeks when I stopped receiving the Holy Eucharist. I kept going to Mass, but I hesitated to approach for Communion. I refrained because I feared that I did not have enough faith in the Lord to receive Him worthily.

pondering-at-a-question-markI shared my concerns with our Newman Center parish priest. Father Mark did not provide me with any specific answers, but I remember him saying, “Perhaps God is allowing you to experience this so that someday you can help other people who are going through the same thing.” Inside, I felt like saying, “Thanks for nothing, Father.”

I kept praying and pondering for several days until this realization finally came to me: “People who don’t believe in God don’t spend time worrying about whether or not they believe in God—that’s something only a believer would do.” If I was worried about whether I had faith, then there was no reason to worry. Freed from my fear and greatly relieved, I returned to Holy Communion.

If you know someone trapped in the same spot I was, please feel free to pass this helpful insight along. Father Mark and St. Paul were right. God encourages us in our every affliction so that we may encourage others with the same encouragement we receive from Him.

Posted in Faith, Homily, Weekday Homilies | 1 Comment »

June Scripture Suggestions for Prayer

June 1, 2015

June 1              Exodus 24:3-8

June 2              Psalm 116:1-9

June 3              Psalm 116:10-18

June 4              Hebrews 9:11-15

June 5              Mark 14:12-16

June 6              Mark 14:22-26

June 7              (Corpus Christi Sunday)

June 8              Ezekiel 17:22-24

June 9              Psalm 92:2-10

June 10            Psalm 92:11-16

June 11             2nd Corinthians 5:6-10

June 12             Mark 4:26-29

June 13             Mark 4:30-34

June 14             (11th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

June 15             Job 38:1, 8-11

June 16             Psalm 107:1-22

June 17             Psalm 107:23-43

June 18             2nd Corinthians 5:11-15

June 19             2nd Corinthians 5:16-21

June 20             Mark 4:35-41

June 21             (12th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

June 22             Wisdom 1:13-2:11

June 23             Wisdom 2:12-24

June 24             Psalm 30

June 25             2nd Corinthians 8:7-15

June 26             Mark 5:21-34

June 27             Mark 5:35-43

June 28             (13th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

June 29             Ezekiel 2:1-10

June 30             Ezekiel 3:1-15

July 1                Psalm 123

July 2                2nd Corinthians 12:1-6

July 3                2nd Corinthians 12:7-10

July 4                Mark 6:1-6

July 5                (14th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

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