Thanks for listening! For questions or feedback, please email deaconrudyv@gmail.com.

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Acts 14:21.27
Responsorial: Psalm 145:8-13
Reading 2: Revelation 21:1-5a
Gospel: John 13:31-33a, 34-35

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031322.cfm

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the summary of faith. It almost sounds too easy – it’s too simple! What does it mean to be a Christian? Jesus says we must, “love one another” (John 13:34a). Then Jesus says, “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 13:34b).

Why does Jesus qualify this new commandment? Because Jesus specifies a particular kind of love – the love of the cross. Jesus loves us so much that he totally gave himself for us – no strings attached. That’s a very peculiar kind of love that we call agape. Total self-gift. <1>

And as Jesus loves us, we are called to love others. So, before we go any further, we have to start with Jesus loving each and every one of us. We don’t start with, “Look at all we do! Look at how much I love,” like some badge of honor. We start by saying, “Look what love has done to me.” “Look at all the ways love has touched my life.”

I can tell you I am a very different person today than I was when I was first starting out in life because of the ways love has touched my life. <2> Don’t get me wrong, you might have problems in your life. Maybe your life isn’t going the way you hoped. Maybe you’ve experienced a series of unfortunate events. But rather than focusing on the negative, we need to from a place of love to reach out to others in love.

Who is the other we’re supposed to reach out to? Jesus tells us in the Gospel (Luke 10:25-37), that the other is our neighbor. Jesus says we should love our neighbor as ourselves. A scribe will ask Jesus, “And who is our neighbor?” (Luke 10:29) Jesus then tells the story of the Good Samaritan. Of course, that is one of the primary points of that parable is that everyone is our neighbor. <3> My neighbor might look or sound different than me. “Neighbor” is not limited by race, color, language, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. Everyone is my neighbor.

Alright, everyone is my neighbor. But how do I show love for them? Jesus gives us that answer too in the Bible. This is very important, especially for all of you type A’s out there who love rubrics and metrics and KPIs.

In the Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46), Jesus says that when the Son of Man comes in his glory, he will separate the people like a shepherd separates the goat from the sheep. To those on his right he will say, “because you cared for me when I was hungry and thirsty; when I was naked and sick; imprisoned and homeless, you are blessed.” And those on his left he says, “because you did not do these things for me, you are condemned.”

Then both sides will be confused and say to Jesus, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, naked or sick, imprisoned or homeless?” Jesus will answer by saying, “whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me; and conversely, whatever you didn’t do for the least of these, you ignored me.”

Whew! Those are some KPIs! But they’re concrete – something actionable. Ok, so, we know who is the other, and we know what we are supposed to do. How do we do it? How do we show love for others?

Here’s one suggestion that the Church teaches us. It’s called the ART method of social justice. Social justice is a term we use to describe the practical dimension of living out love in the world. “ART” stands for act, reflect and transform. <4>

Let’s start with act. You see a homeless person on the street, so you give them a little money, or you give them a bottle of water. This time of year you might keep a little cooler in your car so you can give them a bottle of water. Or maybe you go to the store and buy some premade sandwiches and them in your cooler. You might say, “but what if they don’t really need help? What if they’re going to use the money to buy drugs or alcohol?” I don’t.

Jesus didn’t say, “Judge them.” Jesus said, “Love them.” The sainted Mother Teresa once said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” So, we love first – that’s act.

Next, after we’ve taken some action, then we reflect. We ask, “why is this person begging on the street? Why do people come to our country illegally? Why do people get into abusive relationships?” – or whatever the question is that God placed on your heart. We discuss these questions with our family and our friends. We’re trying to understand the root causes. To do that, we’ve got to move beyond the fluff, beyond the Twitterverse, and beyond social media and cable news. We need to try to identify the real root causes of the problem. How can we possibly fix anything if we don’t understand the root causes of the problem? So we reflect.

After we have reflected on the problem and hopefully come up with some possible solutions, then we transform. Let me give you an example.

Let’s say that in your neighborhood, there’s a road and people speed down that road all the time. And someone almost got hurt the other day. So maybe after going through this process, you seek to transform and you advocate on behalf of your neighbors to City Hall and you say, why can’t we put a stop sign here, or maybe some speed bumps to slow traffic down? That’s an example of transform. Right? As we start to think about potential solutions for whatever problem God laid on our hearts, maybe we get involved in our community, we vote. We get involved in a ministry or a nonprofit organization that tackles one piece of whatever’s on my heart. Or maybe I start a new ministry or a new nonprofit, to work on that idea. Whatever it is, we act, we reflect and we seek to transform.

Is that easy? No. Trying to make a difference in the world is not easy. The reality is, that we might get discouraged. We might experience rude awakenings and disappointments along the way.

There will also be distractions. The world wants us to focus on ourselves. Look, in this Snapchat kind of world (is that even still a thing? Snapchat?), in this Snapchat kind of world, it’s easy to on me. It fills the internet with selfies. What’s a selfie? It’s all about me. We focus on me.

How do we overcome distractions and disappointments?

We come home. We come to mass. Because Jesus gave us this church to support us to nurture us to help us and he infused the church for sacraments, to heal us, and to nourish us.

So, when we come to church, and we see other people we remember, it’s not all about me. It’s about other people. When we participate in the sacraments that go into confession and that little cubicle back there. We allow Jesus to heal us to embrace us to lift us up. When we come to Mass, we allow Jesus to feed us at least twice: Once in the Bible, and once in the Eucharist. We are empowered by the Mass to go back out into the world.

Do we have to do that alone? No! In our first reading from Acts, Paul and Barnabas were sent out as a pair. All the disciples were sent out in pairs. So, we don’t do it by ourselves. We open ourselves up and allow Jesus to walk with us. Allow the church to walk with us. Allow our friends and families to walk with us so that we can go out and love other people through the art of social justice.

Can you imagine what kind of world this would be? If every Catholic – if every Christian reached out all the time in love? Man, we could set this world on fire!

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. (Fr. Peter Scholtes, 1960s)

Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, there’s one thing I asked you to do this week.

First, remember God loves you. God loves you. How can you use ART to transform the world? God loves you, how can you use art to love other people?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional loving disciples that Christ Jesus calls us to be. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Then let’s go out there and share the Good News!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

Notes:
<1> Himes, Michael, The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism, “Chapter Five Church,” Kindle.
<2> “Love,” Daily Meditations Newsletter, May 12, 2022, https://cac.org/daily-meditations/love-2022-05-12/.
<3> Himes, Michael, The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism, “Chapter Five Church,” Kindle.
<4> United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Leader’s Guide to Sharing Catholic Social Teaching, (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 37.

References:
1. Himes, Michael J. The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism. Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2004. Kindle.
2. Kurz, William S., SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.
3. “Love.” Daily Meditations Newsletter, May 12, 2022. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/love-2022-05-12/.
4. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.
5. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Leader’s Guide to Sharing Catholic Social Teaching. Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 2000.
6. Williamson, Peter S. Revelation. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.

From the Catechism http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. “as I have loved you”: 459, 1823, 2074, 2196, 2822, 2842
2. A new heaven and a new earth: 756, 865, 1042-50, 2016, 2817
3. Church as God’s temple and Bride: 756-57, 796
4. Characteristics of the people of God: 782
5. Ordained ministry: 1546-51
6. Charity: 1822-29
7. Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper: 2746-51
8. Petitions in the Our Father: 2822, 2842

Fifth Sunday of Easter https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031322.cfm
Lectionary: 54

Reading 1
Acts 14:21-27
After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news
to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God.”
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Responsorial
Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13
R (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R Alleluia.

Reading I2
Revelation 21:1-5a
Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away.”

The One who sat on the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.”

Alleluia
John 13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 13:31-33a, 34-35
When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”

Mass Readings

Thanks for listening! For questions or feedback, please email deaconrudyv@gmail.com.

First Reading: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Responsorial: Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14
Second Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1 OR Philippians 3:20-4:1
Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031322.cfm

In today’s reading, Jesus climbs a mountain with Peter, James, and John. And while they are on that mountaintop experience, Jesus is transfigured. Jesus’ real identity is revealed. In the awesomeness of that experience, Peter, James, and John want to hold on to it. So, Peter tells Jesus, “Let me build three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” They wanted to stay connected to God in that place, in the relative safety of that mountain. They did not fully understand their call, to go out into the world to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ – not yet at least.

Just a few passages down in this same section of Luke, Luke says that Jesus set his face resolutely on Jerusalem. It is a journey that leads Jesus to the cross. There are some people who say and have told me that clearly, Jesus failed. Look at that corpse on that cross? How can that be any sign of success? People like that don’t understand how God can use the resurrection to transform an instrument of state terror into a radical act of love.

On the mountain, Moses and Elijah speak to Jesus about his exodus. What does the word “exodus” mean to you? When I hear the word exodus, I’m immediately taken back to Hebrew Scriptures, to that defining moment in the history of the Jewish people, when the chosen are led out of slavery, to freedom.

My brothers and sisters, we too are being called to an act of transformation. We’re being called to an exodus to go out into the desert for these 40 days of Lent. Is exodus easy? No, it wasn’t easy for the Jews, right? They wandered around the desert for 40 years. It took a lifetime to reach the promised land and that in itself is worth spending some time unpacking. Scripture tells us that the Jews complained, “let us go back into the arms of slavery! Better to die a slave with a full belly than to die in the desert, hungry.” Sometimes it takes a radical act on our part, to cause us to examine the things we’re attached to.

When I hear the word exodus, I can’t help but think of all those people coming across the Polish border from Ukraine. When I see those images, mainly images of women carrying small children and the elderly trying to get to safety, they’re not carrying very much with them. What will they do? Where will they go? Can you imagine what it would feel like to walk in their shoes? To pack a backpack and just walk to a foreign country, not knowing whether I’d ever see my family or friends again, let alone my house?

When we lived overseas, there was an anti-immigrant sentiment that swept across Europe. And in fact, in Poland, there is one political party that called for the construction of a wall on the border with Ukraine to keep out Ukrainian immigrants who are stealing, Polish jobs.

Almost all of that sentiment has disappeared today. In fact, one of those politicians Wojciech Bakun who’s the mayor of a village on the Polish side of the border, just this week was being interviewed and asked for more assistance so that his little town of 60,000 people can serve more refugees. <1> What a radical about-face brought about by sitting in close proximity to the real face of evil – not the evil that politicians like to talk about – but the real face of evil has caused some Christians in Poland to wake up and let go of strange teaching.

The Knights of Columbus in Poland and Ukraine are setting the example for all of us, just like the Knights of Columbus in our own parish, who would give you the shirt off their back or their last dollar if you were in trouble, the Knights in Poland and Ukraine have set up mercy huts on the Polish side of the border. A mercy hut is a place where people can get a hot meal or coffee and clean water free of charge. The Knights internationally first deployed mercy huts during World War One to serve refugees – European refugees fleeing the combat zone. Here we are 100 years later, deploying mercy huts again in Europe to serve European refugees leaving a combat zone. It’s almost overwhelming but it’s also inspiring.

Our readings today, particularly in light of current events, challenge us to change just like Abraham who answered the call in our first reading. We’re being asked to answer the call and go out onto our exodus journey for 40 days of Lent. Just like the people St. Paul talked to in the second reading, we’re asked to let go of earthly things. We are challenged to ask ourselves, “what things are we enslaved by?” – maybe possessions, maybe ideas, maybe their strange teaching. We are challenged to let go of all of that. Like Peter, James and John, we can’t hold on to our faith in the relative comfort and safety of our church. We’re challenged to go out into the world to bring the good news of Jesus Christ.

Homework nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist. I asked you to think about one thing.

What is God calling you to do right here, right now? That will look different if you’re eight or nine or 80 or 90 or somewhere in between, and that’s okay! What is God asking you to do right here, right now?

I think doing our homework will help us be transformed into the intentional disciples that God is calling us to be you got it. Do you got it? Do you get it? Are you going to do it? Good. May each of us come to know the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image Credit: Unknown. PNG file.

Footnotes:
<1> Bakun, Wojciech, “Hundreds of thousands of refugees are passing through this Polish city, mayor says,” interview by Ari Shapiro, NPR, March 10, 2022, https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1085838465.

References:
1. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
2. Hamm, Dennis SJ. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Jesus reveals the Father: 516
2. Transfiguration: 554-56
3. Cloud manifests the Holy Spirit: 697
4. New Exodus: 1151
5. Church and state, civil authority and conscience: 2234-46
6. Moses and Elijah: 2583
7. Jesus at prayer: 2600

Second Sunday of Lent https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031322.cfm
Lectionary: 27

Reading 1
Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
The Lord God took Abram outside and said,
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

He then said to him,
“I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans
to give you this land as a possession.”
“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
“how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.

When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”

Responsorial
Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14.
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Reading 2
Philippians 3:17—4:1
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord.

or:

Philippians 3:20—4:1

Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

Verse Before the Gospel
Cf. Matthew 17:5
From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Gospel
Luke 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

Mass Readings

Thanks for listening! For questions or feedback, please email deaconrudyv@gmail.com.

First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Responsorial: Psalm 104:1-30
Second Reading: Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7
Gospel: Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010922.cfm

Today we celebrate the baptism of the Lord. And it gives us an opportunity to reflect on some aspects of our own baptism.

You know, we just came through Christmas, and we’ve already reflected on the Incarnation and the Nativity. Right? We said that God loves you and loves me so much that he’s willing to enter into the chaos of our lives. Why? Why does God want to enter our world?

Because he wants to save us, right? He wants all of us to be saved. That’s his great desire. Not that everyone in the world will be saved. We’re not talking about universalism. But he desires everyone to be saved. That’s what Paul is talking about. In today’s reading his letter to Titus. He’s exploring that desire of God to save us. That should be enough to convert us so that we begin to live a life of virtue that Paul starts to talk about that in Titus. Jesus is the manifestation of God’s desire to save us all.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is baptized by water, and the veil that separates heaven and Earth pulls apart, and we hear God say, “You are my beloved.” The apostles and the first disciples imitate what they see and they go out and baptize new believers. To this day, Christians across denominations baptize new believers, and by our baptism, you and I become adopted sons and daughters. of God. Just like God says to Jesus, “You are my beloved,” so too does God say to you, and God says to me, “You are my beloved.”

Whoa! That’s pretty amazing! It’s astonishing to me because there have been times in my life when I did not feel very beloved. There was a time in my life when I totally bought into what the world says beauty and success look like. And you know, that’s a real challenge for me because nothing I do is going to transform me into a six-foot-tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed cut guy. It’s not going to happen. Sorry, Gold’s Gym!

The other problem that I faced during this time of year is that I would create all these New Year’s resolutions that were completely unattainable – totally false. I would invest my time, my effort, and my money chasing a fantasy. And that’s exactly what the devil wants me to do. The Devil wants me to be a true believer who is so busy I end up doing nothing.

But my brothers or sisters, I have good news! Our baptism sets us free – free from all those false images of beauty free from all those false images of success that we see on TV and in the movies.

But wait, there’s more. Our baptism unites us into a community of believers. And that’s awesome because I don’t have to walk this journey alone. And God didn’t place me in a community so that I could just put my head down and be quiet. No, Jesus engaged the apostles and the disciples. And so too, we have to engage one another. And that’s wonderful because maybe there’s something you have – some gifts or some talent that can help me become the best version of myself. And maybe there’s something I can offer you that can help you become the best version of yourself. And so, we help each other and as a community, we flourish according to God’s design.

But wait, there’s more! What did Jesus do after His baptism? He went out into the world to spread the good news. He did miracles, He ministered to people. And so, we to have an opportunity to reach outside of our parish to other people, because the world is full of people who are anxious, who are scared, who have this desire to believe in something bigger than themselves, but they’re not sure what to do. We have an opportunity to reach out to them.

But how do we do that?

We do that by participating in our own parish community. Our bulletin is full of all sorts of opportunities. Why do we do these things? Why do we have Christmas with Santa or the Christmas Encuentro? Or later this week we have the Lunch & Learn and later this month country dancing? Why do we have all these activities planned all the way through to Vianney Fest in October? Why do we do that? We do them for lots of reasons. But one of the reasons we do that is so that we can meet each other. You see, there are so many new faces in our parish community, and so many people are moving into the area. We want to create opportunities where we can meet each other and build relationships with each other

Why? Because maybe one of us might say to our new friend, “Hey, I noticed you signed up for Deacon Gene’s class that’s about to start where they’re going to unpack the scriptural foundation of the Mass. I was afraid to go along but because you signed up, I’ll go with you.” Or later this year, when we start doing street evangelization, you might say to your new friend, “Whoa, you’re going to go out and give out rosaries and pray with people on the street? That freaks me out! But if you do it, I’ll do it!” If we work together in our community, imagine the amazing things we can do.

And God has blessed us with the wonderful facilities here at St. John Vianney. I know it’s a patchwork of facilities, but they’re still wonderful. It’s a foundation where we can come to, to help ourselves, to help each other, and to reach out. But it requires our work, right? It requires all of us to take care of it and to donate our time. We have to donate our talents and we have to make financial contributions to the parish. Other churches bring speakers. It costs money to bring speakers. It costs money to put on retreats. It’s going to cost us some money to do St Paul Street Evangelization.

One day wouldn’t it be nice if all the lights up there? See all those lights that are out? If you’ve ever been down this road right next to the church at night, you might have noticed it has no lighting and no signage. Wouldn’t it be nice if it had proper lighting and signage so the visitors to our campus could actually find the PAC or the Vianney Center or St. Francis? Wouldn’t it be nice when we walk out those doors if the Marian garden was restored? Wouldn’t it be nice if the labyrinth down at the end of the property was restored? And those two stations of the cross that have fallen over? Wouldn’t it be nice if they were reset in concrete the way they’re supposed to be? And there’s no lighting down there and that would be kind of nice.

The point is none of those things should be any one person’s responsibility. It takes all of us working together. Somebody in the community might say, “You know what? I don’t have time and I don’t have money. But I know how to design a garden. That’s what I do. And I can design a garden for you that integrates with the irrigation and the electrical, so I’ll donate that.” Someone else might say, “I can’t physically do the work, but I’ll write a check and I’ll help pay for that garden.” And someone else might say, “I have all the time in the world. I’ll plant all the bushes you want” or “I know how to do electrical work so I can do some of the light electrical projects around the property.” Wouldn’t that be awesome? That just a few examples. But it takes all of us working together and being willing to step up and own our baptism.

Are you willing to approach Father and say, “Father, what do you need to help us be successful and accomplish our mission as a parish?” If we work together, imagine the hearts that we could save! Our baptism sets us free from all the false images the world throws at us. Our baptism unites us with other believers. And our baptism empowers us to reach out into this world to bring a message of hope to people who desperately need to hear it.

Homework, nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I ask you to reflect on one New Year’s resolution. Whether you’re a student in high school or college, or you’re a retiree at home, we all got to do it.

Find a mirror in your home. Walk up to that mirror look yourself in the eye and say to yourself, “You are beloved. You are part of a community. What are you going to do this year to help your community? You are beloved. You are part of a community. What are you going to do this year to help your community?”

I think if all of us do our homework, it will help us become the intentional disciples that God desires us to be. Do you got it? Do you get it? Are you going to do it? Good! Let’s get out there and make new disciples!

Image Credit: Dave Zelenka. Baptism of Christ, Retrieved January 9, 2022. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baptism-of-Christ.jpg. JPG file.

References:
1. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
2. Montague, George T. SM. First and Second Timothy, Titus. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Beloved Son: 444
2. John the Baptist: 535, 696
3. Jesus’ baptism: 535-37, 565, 608, 1223-25
4. Descent of the Spirit: 701, 1286
5. Jesus at prayer: 2600

The Baptism of the Lord https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010922.cfm
Lectionary: 21

Reading 1
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

OR:

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.

        A voice cries out:

In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
the rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Go up on to a high mountain,
Zion, herald of glad tidings;
cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out
and say to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes with power
the Lord GOD,
who rules by a strong arm;
here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.

Responsorial
Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

OR:

Psalm 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30
R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul.
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
you are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
You have spread out the heavens like a tent-cloth;
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
You have constructed your palace upon the waters.
You make the clouds your chariot;
you travel on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers,
and flaming fire your ministers.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them allC
the earth is full of your creatures;
the sea also, great and wide,
in which are schools without number
of living things both small and great.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
They look to you to give them food in due time.
When you give it to them, they gather it;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
If you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

Reading 2
Acts 10:34-38
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”

OR:

Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7
Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own,
eager to do what is good.

        When the kindness and generous love
                    of God our savior appeared,
        not because of any righteous deeds we had done
                    but because of his mercy,
        He saved us through the bath of rebirth
                    and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
        whom he richly poured out on us
                    through Jesus Christ our savior,
        so that we might be justified by his grace
                    and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Alleluia
Cf. Mark 9:7
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

OR:

Cf. Luke 3:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
John said: One mightier than I is coming;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”

Mass Readings

Thanks for listening! For questions or feedback, please email deaconrudyv@gmail.com.

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Responsorial: Isaiah 12:2-6
Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Gospel: Luke 3:10-18

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121221.cfm

Happy Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice,” and we hear that a lot in today’s readings! Our rose-colored candle today because the Church invites us to celebrate! We celebrate and we rejoice because we are halfway to Christmas! Can you believe it? Rejoice because the Lord is near!

Today also happens to be the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We don’t celebrate it this year because it falls on a Sunday and the Sunday liturgies take priority. But there is something important about that story that is relevant for us today.

Five hundred years ago, the Church had been struggling in its missionary efforts throughout central and south America. So, our Lady appeared in Mexico to encourage in the faith. But she didn’t appear to the bishop. No! She appeared to a poor indigenous laborer. The bishop wanted proof.

Oh, how our Lady provided proof!

Mary presented St Juan Diego with roses to take to the bishop. Why was this a sign? First of all, it was December and there was frost on the ground. Second, the roses weren’t native plants. These roses came from the same part of Spain where the bishop was from. What an extraordinary sign!

Now, in today’s Gospel, John the Baptist who had been preaching in the region of the Jordan (Luke 3:3) didn’t ask the people around him – the people he had just called a brood of vipers – to produce an extraordinary sign. But he told them they needed to repent and to prove their conversion. Or to put it another way, their repentance needed to produce fruit. You see, repentance is not about saying, “I’m sorry.” Repentance is about radical change – a turning from our old way of life. When we repent, we turn away from the lifestyle that caused us to sin. And the fruits of that change are corporal works of mercy – sharing our blessings with others.

The people ask him, “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10)

John the Baptist tells the people that if they have two cloaks, they should give one away. Or whoever has food should give some of it away. (Luke 3:11) Tax collectors shouldn’t collect more than they should. (Luke 3:13) And soldiers shouldn’t extort people. (Luke 3:14)

Notice that it isn’t the occupation of the tax collector or soldier. John the Baptist doesn’t care what the job is, but how we conduct ourselves on the job. We can’t just say, “it’s business” to justify taking advantage of people.

Why these particular fruits?

Well, if I’m holding on to stuff I don’t use; if I’m hoarding more food or supplies than I could use in a year; if I’m taking advantage of people through my job, who’s the focus. The focus is on me. How often sin revolves around me. But repentance – changing my life means I’m willing to see someone else to offer them help.

Alright, let’s look at this from another angle. Isn’t mercy the other side of repentance? We repent and place ourselves at the mercy of God. But when we look out and forgive others or help others, we show them mercy. What is mercy?

Just this week my spiritual director reminded me about the definition of mercy. The Jesuit moral theologian Jim Keenan defines mercy as the willingness to enter into the chaos of another.

Doesn’t that sound like what’s happening in the Incarnation? God willingly enters into the chaos of our world – of our lives. Maybe you’re experiencing a little chaos because someone you loved just passed away. Maybe you’re experiencing a little chaos because you or someone you love received a bad diagnosis and they’re facing a difficult road ahead. Maybe you’re experiencing a little chaos because you’re a single parent or your parents of young children and it’s a struggle – balancing work, schoolwork, the shopping, and the cooking and the cleaning. And let’s face it, the kids have more energy than we do so we feel like we’re racing just to keep up. And by the way, how is it December? It was just September, wasn’t it?

Despite the chaos of our lives, Jesus willingly steps into our lives, not like some phantom. But to walk with us as a human – to be just like you and just like me in every way except sin. Jesus says to you and to me I’m willing to step into your chaos.

John the Baptist tells us we can’t just reach into our pockets and toss a little change into the Salvation Army bucket, you know with the people ringing their bells. Do they still do that? No, John the Baptist tells us we need to look the other person in the eyes – to see them as a human being and to say to them “I am willing to bring the chaos of my life and get involved in the chaos of your life.” Like those roses that Our Lady gave to St. Juan Diego 500 years ago, I need to break through the frost of this post-Christian world and to share the joyful hope of Jesus Christ with everyone I encounter because we’re all in this together.

That’s another beautiful lesson learned from Our Lady. I’m sorry if you missed the talk by Christy Wilkens about Lourdes this past Thursday. She’s the daughter of parishioners. The family donated a copy of her book Awakening at Lourdes. Just as soon as our library volunteers can get that into the card catalog, it will be available in our library to be checked out. But one of the lessons she learned is that it’s not that God won’t give you more than you can handle. But rather, it’s God will not give you and your community of friends and family more than you can handle.

What a beautiful lesson.

We’re not alone on this journey. We’re part of a community. So, my repentance means that God is willing to show me mercy – to get involved in my chaos. So too must I be willing to get involved in the chaos of the community by sharing what I have – by sharing my particular gifts of time, talent and treasure. I think that’s one of the lessons from today’s Gospel.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following question.

John the Baptist tells us we need to share what we have with others and to not use our jobs to take advantage of other people. Ask yourself, “how do I joyfully put my time, my talents, and my money and possessions at the service of others?”

I think doing our homework will help us prepare to celebrate Christmas as intentional disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Then go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPEG file.

References:

1. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
2. Hamm, Dennis SJ. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.

Catechism References:
1. Joy: 30, 163, 301, 736, 1829, 1832, 2015, 2362
2. Jesus the Savior, 430-5
3. John prepares the way for the Messiah: 523-4, 535
4. John the Baptist: 535, 696
5. Fruits of repentance: 1460
6. Works of mercy: 2447

Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 92

Reading 1
Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.

Responsorial
Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.
R. (6) Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Reading 2
Philippians 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Alleluia
Isaiah 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 3:10-18
The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.

Mass Readings

Thanks for listening! For questions or feedback, please email rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.

Reading 1: 1 Kings 17:10-16
Responsorial: Psalm 146:7-10
Reading 2: Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel: Mark 12:38-44

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110721.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and together we’re going to break open the Word!

I’d like to share a brief reflection as I try to catch up. In today’s Gospel, Jesus points to the donation of the poor widow. His comments get right to the heart of all of our contributions to the church and to charities. He says she contributed the most because the wealthier people gave from the excess while she gave it all! (Mark 12:43-44)

She gave everything she had! Talk about trusting in God’s providence! What sort of faith she must have had to put it all in believing that God would take care of her like the poor widow from our first reading?

How easy is it for us to reach into our pockets and donate whatever loose change or few dollars we’re carrying? Jesus reminds us that we have an obligation to contribute to the church.

We need the church – the building and the staff – to nourish us with the Word and the Eucharist – to create opportunities of encounter with Christ Jesus – to walk with us on our journey of faith. We need our local churches to be there for us to celebrate our baptisms and weddings, and to mourn with us in death. We need our local churches to serve the poor and needy in our communities. We need the larger church – our dioceses and the Vatican – to train the next generation of priests and deacons; to help educate our children; to feed the hungry and to give drink to the thirsty; to clothe the naked; to visit the sick and imprisoned; to advocate for social justice. But that infrastructure costs money.

What should we give?

The Church does not interpret Scripture to suggest we should donate everything we have. Rather, the Church suggests we should allocate 10%. There are many different suggestions about how to divvy this up. The suggestion that makes the most sense to me is to give 5% to your parish; 1% to the diocese; and 4% to other Catholic or religious charities. Donations to secular or non-religious charities should be on top of the tithe.

I know that sounds like a tall order. In fact, it hurts. But I think that is what Jesus is getting at – give until it hurts and not from the loose change you find between the cushions or in your car.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following challenge.

My brothers and sisters, Jesus invites us to support the Church in a way that may sound challenging. Ask yourself, do my contributions of time, talent and treasure come from my surplus, or from my first fruits?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Then go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word! Peace!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

References:
1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Christ in God’s presence on our behalf: 519, 662, 2741
2. Christ’s death once for all: 571
3. Judgment day: 678-79
4. Reincarnation: 1013
5. Judgment after death: 1021-22
6. Giving to the Church: 1351, 2043
7. Love for the poor: 2443-49
8. Greed: 2536

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110721.cfm
Lectionary: 155

Reading 1
1 Kings 17:10-16
In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
“Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
“Please bring along a bit of bread.”
She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die.”
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'”
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

Responsorial
Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
Hebrews 9:24-28
Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Alleluia
Matthew 5:3
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

OR:

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Responsorial: Psalm 18:2-4, 47, 51
Reading 2: Hebrews 7:23-28
Gospel: Mark 12:28b-34

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103121.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and together we’re going to break open the Word!

In today’s Gospel, a scribe approaches Jesus out of what seems like a spirit of goodwill. <1> He asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment (Mark 12:28b).

Why?

The Torah has 613 commandments! There were often debates among scholars whether anyone commandment was superior or provided a framework for the rest.

Jesus answers the scribe, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

The scribe says to Jesus, “Well said, teacher.” (Mark 12:32) You see, the scribe knows that Jesus didn’t dodge the question. The law was so important that Jesus said it two ways. <2> You cannot say you love God but turn around and hate your neighbor or worse – pretend they don’t exist.

What happens next is extraordinary. Jesus gives the scribe the single greatest compliment given to anyone in the Gospel. <3> Jesus tells the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34)

Why did Jesus pay the scribe a compliment? Because the scribe gets it. You can’t just talk the talk. You have to walk the walk!

But the compliment is also a challenge! Jesus said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” He didn’t say the scribe was already there. The scribe is on the right path but hasn’t fully realized missionary discipleship in his life.

This is a wildly important point for us. The scribe in Mark’s Gospel account is an example for all of us. How can we do better? By remembering that everyone we encounter is a creation of God. Everyone – even those people we don’t agree with – are worthy of our love and respect simply because they are created in the image and likeness of God.

Living that can be a tall order in our lives. How can we grow in understanding the Greatest Commandment? One way is to step outside our comfort zone – to go to the margins like Pope Francis suggests. The Pope reminds us that we are encouraged to reach out to people around the world.

I am a missionary disciple and I volunteer with Friends of los Niños. We work with orphans and abandoned children in Honduras, and we also minister in villages like Brisas del Salto. Why? Why should we travel or send support to a program outside our own country when there is so much need in our own country? That is an excellent question!

Traveling to another country and ministering to the poor is like jumping into a swimming pool filled with cold water. It shocks us awake. There is a family of children at the orphanage where we work. Mom was desperate. She had no income – no means of supporting her family of 6 children and her baby. She was all alone. So, one day, she decided to force-feed each of her children poison. Maybe she thought if she killed her babies, she could spare them from going to bed hungry one more time.

Through God’s providence, mom didn’t give her children enough poison to actually kill any of the children. Oh, they got sick and that’s how she got caught. The children came to COPPROME, the orphanage where we minister. Today, the youngest, that little baby, is a healthy growing boy. He’s sharp as a tack and honestly a little spoiled by all the love and attention he’d get when he was a baby.

You see, that’s one of the main things we do through our sponsorship program – we shower the children and the staff with love. We share our love for God with these innocent children. Through our work, we offer these children and the villagers we work with some hope – hope that God has not abandoned them – hope that God hears their prayers.

Who is we? We are all the people – people just like you – who sign up to sponsor children at the orphanage or at the village of Brisas del Salto. People like you who travel with us to Honduras to see for yourselves where the money goes. People like you who look into the eyes of these beautiful children and say to them, “You can make a difference!” How can we say that? That is the hope of Sister Teresita Gonzalez. She is a School Sister of Notre Dame and her life’s work has been to try to break the cycle of poverty through education.

Our work is not easy. We’ve had some ups and we’ve had some downs. Two of the graduates from the orphanage – two sisters, Karen and Amerita – became psychologists. Not only do they maintain a thriving practice but inspired by people like you who’ve they’ve met over the years, they became quite the entrepreneurs. They started youth leadership program augmented by coaching and counseling to help shape the next generation. And they work with children at the orphanage. We lost Karen through an act of senseless violence, but Amerita pushed forward with the love and support of friends including many volunteers from the United States. Amerita recently got married and Katrina was fortunate enough to be in town for the wedding. Going on is made easier by the example of our volunteers who model strength and resolve.

These two sisters are a success story despite the tragedy they’ve experienced. Their hope is a gift from God and nourished by volunteers who travel to Honduras to share the love of Jesus Christ. There are so many more opportunities to help – so many children with tremendous potential to make a difference. All they need is our love, encouragement, and support. Won’t you join us? As one of the priests who travels with us says about our children, “I dare you not to fall in love!”

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following challenge.

My brothers and sisters, through today’s Gospel, Jesus is inviting you to step up – to share your love for God by sharing your love with people like the children and villagers we work with in Honduras. I encourage you to think about the ways you can make a difference in the life of a child on the margins.

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Then go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word! Peace!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

Notes:
<1> Mary Healy, Hebrews, 246.
<2> Michael Himes, “Chapter Three: Incarnation.”
<3> Ibid.

References:
1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Himes, Michael. The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism. Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2004. Kindle.
4. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. The two great commandments: 201-2, 2055, 2196
2. Jesus’ intercession for us: 519, 662, 2634, 2741
3. Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice made present in the liturgy: 1084-5, 1364-8
4. Priesthood of the old covenant: 1539-43
5. Holy orders in the economy of salvation: 1539-47
6. The first commandment: 2052, 2093-4
7. Commandments as a call for a response to love: 2083

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103121.cfm
Lectionary: 152

Reading 1
Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“Fear the LORD, your God,
and keep, throughout the days of your lives,
all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you,
and thus have long life.
Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them,
that you may grow and prosper the more,
in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers,
to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength.
Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.”

Responsorial
Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
The LORD lives! And blessed be my rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

Reading 2
Hebrews 7:23-28
Brothers and sisters:
The levitical priests were many
because they were prevented by death from remaining in office,
but Jesus, because he remains forever,
has a priesthood that does not pass away.
Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him,
since he lives forever to make intercession for them.

It was fitting that we should have such a high priest:
holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners,
higher than the heavens.
He has no need, as did the high priests,
to offer sacrifice day after day,
first for his own sins and then for those of the people;
he did that once for all when he offered himself.
For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests,
but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law,
appoints a son,
who has been made perfect forever.

Alleluia
John 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord;
and my father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 12:28b-34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
‘He is One and there is no other than he.’
And ‘to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself’
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Jeremiah 31:7-9
Responsorial: Psalm 126:1-6
Reading 2: Hebrews 5:1-6
Gospel: Mark 10:46-52

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102421.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and together we’re going to break open the Word!

There is always such depth and richness to the readings. But what catches my attention is blind Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus is sitting alongside the road of Jericho. Jericho was the town captured by Joshua. The story is in the Book of Joshua. Remember the story? The Israelite priests blew their trumpets as the army marched around the walls of Jericho seven times. And the walls of Jericho came crashing down (Joshua 6:1-27).

Now Bartimaeus is sitting on the roadside. Can you picture him begging for money from the people coming and going along this dusty road? He hears that Jesus is passing by as Jesus was leaving Jericho (Mark 10:46).

He begins to call out, “Jesus, son of David, have pit on me” (Mark 10:47). The people around him tell him to be quiet. Maybe they told him not to bother someone as important as Jesus. Maybe they were frustrated because this guy is always sitting on the side of the road begging. Maybe they thought he was a nuisance or a pain. Maybe they wished he’d move on.

How did Jesus react?

Scripture says that Jesus stopped and called for Bartimaeus (Mark 10:49). Only then did the people around Bartimaeus tell him to get up and go to Jesus.

Jesus asks Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). It’s the same question that Jesus asked James and John in the Gospel last week. But instead of self-interest, Bartimaeus only asks to be healed – to be made whole. He believes that Jesus can help him. And so, Jesus tells him that his faith saved him (Mark 10:52). Once healed, Bartimaeus follows Jesus as a disciple.

How many Bartimaeuses sit along our path? How tempting is it to simply ignore the Bartimaeuses of our day? Don’t make eye contact with them when you drive past them. Roll up your windows so that you can’t hear them call out.

Maybe Bartimaeus is the homeless person who you see on your drive to work. Maybe Bartimaeus is the person in the car behind you in line at the coffee shop who looks like they’ve been crying. Maybe Bartimaeus is that elderly person who lives all alone and never has any visitors.

My brothers and sisters, we are disciples of Christ Jesus. So often we are counseled that to be like Jesus means to imitate Jesus. What did Jesus do in this Gospel passage? Jesus stopped, looked around and called for Bartimaeus. Maybe that means that we should stop and acknowledge Bartimaeus too especially on this weekend of World Mission Sunday. We are called to look beyond our comfort zone – called to go out to the periphery – to reach out to those in need.

Maybe we could keep basics in our car so that we encounter a homeless person, we can offer them some socks or a bottle of water or maybe something warm during the winter. Maybe when we pull up to the window, we could let the barista know we’d like to buy the coffee for the person in the car behind us. Maybe when we see that elderly person who lives alone and comes to Mass alone, maybe we could say hello. Maybe we could sit with them. Maybe we could invite them to join our family for lunch or dinner after Mass?

Today, our highly polarized political environment could cause us to either dismiss Bartimaeus or to judge Bartimaeus. It’s Bartimaeus’ own fault they’re in that situation. Those are the voices in the crowd trying to silence Bartimaeus from calling out to Jesus. Participate in politics – absolutely. That’s our civic and moral duty. But we can’t allow our politics to drown out the voice of Bartimaeus. We cannot allow politics to prevent us from carrying out our Christian duty to bring comfort to those in need.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following question.

Jesus stopped and called for Bartimaeus. Reflecting on your most recent experiences, how likely are you to stop and acknowledge Bartimaeus in your life?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word! Peace!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

References:
1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Signs of the kingdom: 547-50
2. Ministerial and common priesthood: 901, 1545-7
3. Priesthood of the old covenant: 1539-43
4. Priesthood of Christ: 1544-5
5. Jesus hears our prayer: 2616

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102421.cfm
Lectionary: 149

Reading 1
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.
Behold, I will bring them back
from the land of the north;
I will gather them from the ends of the world,
with the blind and the lame in their midst,
the mothers and those with child;
they shall return as an immense throng.
They departed in tears,
but I will console them and guide them;
I will lead them to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
Ephraim is my first-born.

Responsorial
Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Reading 2
Hebrews 5:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
Every high priest is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness
and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself
as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself
but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
In the same way,
it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the one who said to him:
You are my son:
this day I have begotten you;
just as he says in another place:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.

Alleluia
Cf. 2 Timothy 1:10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 10:46-52
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Isaiah 53:10-11
Responsorial: Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
Reading 2: Hebrews 4:14-16
Gospel: Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101721.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and together we’re going to break open the Word!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I came to serve, not to be served” (Mark 10:45). What a powerful line – a powerful theme – that’s at the heart of what it means to be a Christian disciple – service. It’s also at the center of so many our vocation stories. I’d like to share a little bit of my story with you.

When I was in high school, I wanted to be an attorney. I wanted to earn my first million by the time I turned twenty-one! And then of course that movie came out. You know, the one with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson – A Few Good Men. Who didn’t want to be the suave debonair attorney in a courtroom saying, “I want the truth!”

Man, did I have a plan!

One day, there was an event going on at school and an event going on at the parish. So, my dad let me take the other car and go to school first and then come to the church when it was finished. I remember walking into the parish hall, and some adult I didn’t know saw me. He jumped out of his chair and rushed over to me. He said, “You must be our new seminarian.” In my heart of hearts I said, “good one, Lord, but I’ve got plans.”

Things like that kept happening to me – too many to share today. I even had a series of conversations with the director of campus ministry, a priest, about my call. Ultimately, I told him that I believed I was being called to married life. I thought that was that! Man was I wrong!

The next year I met this beautiful girl. A few years later, we married. And a few years later, we started a family. But we both kept feeling this call to serve. So, we served in a variety of ways – as a couple, as a family, as individuals. But for me, something was missing.

So, I kicked it up a notch. I became an acolyte much like our CALM up here. One year, I was coordinating the altar servers. The diocese had a workshop for altar servers in Belton. So, some parents and I took a group of altar servers to Belton. While I was there, I ran into an old college buddy who I hadn’t seen in years. He saw me, threw his arms in the air and he bounded up to me and said, “Father, Rudy!” In my heart of hearts, I said, “Well played, Lord, well played.”

I felt God was trying to send me a message. I felt I was being invited to be a deacon. So, I went home and I talked with my wife. After some discussion, prayer and some tears, we decided to speak with Father. And then we decided to attend an inquiry session. An inquiry session is an opportunity to learn more about the diaconate, to learn about the application process, and to learn about the formation process. And the rest is history.

What about you? Does any of that sound familiar to you? When you hear Jesus say, “I came to serve,” does something in your heart stir? Have you ever considered serving God as a priest, a deacon or a consecrated religious brother or sister?

You might be thinking, “Hold on now, Deacon! Don’t ask me that question! I can’t serve! Jesus doesn’t want a person like me!”

I get it! I used to think that way and to be honest, sometimes I doubt my call. I remember saying to Jesus, “You don’t want me! I’m a dreamer! I’m a big picture guy! I’m not the best or the brightest or the most organized. I don’t like the straight path! I like to meander my way through the woods and take my time. You don’t want me, Lord.”

God addressed my concern on the radio, believe or not! I remember listening to KLOVE, and someone rattled off a list of people in Scripture who have problems, yet God was able to work through them. Now, I don’t remember the whole list, but it went something like this. Isaac, one of the patriarchs was blind. Jacob who led his family to Canaan, walked with a limp after wrestling with the angel Lord. Rahab, that important spy who helped the people capture Jericho, was a prostitute. Moses spoke with a stutter. Peter denied Jesus three times. James and John in today’s Gospel asked Jesus, “What’s in it for us?” And Paul stood by and watched as Stephen, one of the first deacons of the church, was stoned to death.

God said to all of them, Despite all your problems and faults, I can work with you. He said to me, Rudy, despite all your problems and faults, I can work with you. And he says to each and every one of you, I can most assuredly work with you.

Okay, next question. Why does Jesus need me? Aren’t there enough priests, and deacons and religious brothers and sisters in this world? And the short answer is no.

But the need in our own parish is great!

There are retired people in our parish who think to themselves, “This isn’t what I had in mind for retirement.” Maybe their independence is threatened because their bodies aren’t cooperating or the money they saved for retirement is running out too fast.

Do you know, there are grandparents whose adult children are so busy trying to meet the challenges of life that they can’t bring their own kids to faith formation classes? So, the grandparents who believe it’s important for their grandchildren to be grounded in the faith bring their grandkids to faith formation classes.

There are single parents who struggle like so many people living paycheck to paycheck. The come to mass, and they feel completely alone.

I was reminded last night that there are also people in our community who are hurting over the loss of their spouse or a close family member. And they’re trying to figure out what’s their role in life now that their children have grown up and left the house.

The need is great right here, right now. None of those people want the Church to solve their problems them. But they need us to be here in ministry – to walk with them on their journey of faith. They need you right here, right now. Will you answer the call?

Ladies, next Wednesday, Project Miriam is hosting a dinner at St. William for young, single ladies who would like to know more about becoming a religious sister. Just go on to the Diocese of Austin’s vocations website to RSVP.

To the single men of our community, the diocese is hosting a dinner next Thursday at the Cathedral for men considering the priesthood. Just go on to the diocese’s vocations page to RSVP or talk with Father.

Gentlemen, if you’ve between the ages of 30 to 59 and wondered whether Jesus is calling you to be a deacon, then I have really good news for you! The diocese will begin hosting inquiry sessions at various locations beginning this November and running through next Spring. An inquiry session is where you can learn more about what it means to be a deacon, the application process, and the formation process. I encourage you to check it out. Talk to Father. Talk to me. Talk to any one of my brother deacons or our wives. We’d love to listen to how God is calling you and we’d love to share some more of our vocations stories with you.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites you to a life of service. What are you waiting for?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following question.

Jesus said he came to serve, not to be served. Ask yourself, “How am I answering Jesus’ invitation to serve?”

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May each of us come to know the grace and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word! Peace!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

References:
1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Christ as truly man: 467-70
2. Jesus’ temptations: 538-40
3. Jesus’ sacrifice: 599-618, 1225
4. Jesus’ sinlessness: 612
5. Christ the high priest: 662, 1137, 1544-45
6. Authority as service: 876, 2235
7. Jesus’ sympathy for us: 2602
8. Confidence before God: 2777-8

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101721.cfm
Lectionary: 146

Reading 1
Isaiah 53:10-11
The LORD was pleased
to crush him in infirmity.

If he gives his life as an offering for sin,
he shall see his descendants in a long life,
and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.

Because of his affliction
he shall see the light in fullness
of days;
through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.

Responsorial
Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Reading 2
Hebrews 4:14-16
Brothers and sisters:
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has similarly been tested in every way,
yet without sin.
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Alleluia
Mark 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him, “Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, “We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

OR:

Jesus summoned the twelve and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Wisdom 7:7-11
Responsorial: Psalm 90:12-17
Reading 2: Hebrews 4:12-13
Gospel: Mark 10:17-30

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101021.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and together we’re going to break open the Word!

So, in today’s Gospel, is Jesus picking on rich people? Let’s try to sort that out.

In today’s Gospel, a rich young man ran up to Jesus and asked how he can inherit internal life (Mark 10:17).

Let’s pause for just a second. This person asks Jesus about his spiritual life. Clearly, this person is concerned about their own spiritual wellbeing and that’s a very good thing! Jesus was clearly moved by this brief encounter because Scripture tells us that Jesus loved him (Mark 10:21). But shockingly, the young man walked away from Jesus.

What’s going on here?

Well first, see that Scripture says Jesus loved him. So, no, Jesus doesn’t hate rich people. But the young man walks away because he had many possessions (Mark 10:22). Then Jesus tells his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:24)

Now, Jesus says this to a people who believed that material wealth was a visible sign of God’s blessings. The people are stunned by what Jesus said. So, Jesus tries to make a point by saying it a different way. “It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)

It sure sounds like Jesus is picking on rich people. Before we can go there, let’s step back and see if the other readings offer an insight.

Our first reading comes from Wisdom. Tradition tells us that King Solomon is the author of Wisdom. So, Solomon writes that he prayed for the spirit of wisdom to come upon him (Wisdom 7:7). He even says that he prefers wisdom to his scepter and throne (Wisdom 7:8).

Now, let’s put this into perspective. Scripture says that Solomon was the wealthiest and most powerful of all of Israel’s kings. There is no one around with more money or more stuff than Solomon. And Solomon says he’d happily trade all of it for the gift of wisdom. Wow!

What does that tell us about Solomon? He was wealthy beyond all compare, and he certainly took care of his wealth. Just like in our world today, there are people who are quite skilled with money – with the ability to generate wealth, to take care of that wealth, to grow that wealth. Those people like Solomon are not bad people.

How does Solomon treat his wealth? In the language of the spiritual life, he treats his wealth with a holy indifference. He is detached from his wealth. Detachment doesn’t mean irresponsible. It just means that Solomon was not distracted by his wealth. He knew what was important and he desired the fruits of the spiritual life.

Now, in the Gospel, a young rich person comes to Jesus. Clearly, that person is interested in spiritual growth. The person by his testimony keeps the commandments. And Jesus loved him for it! But the young man felt something was missing. He wanted to take his spiritual life to the next level.

Solomon represents the next level. So, Jesus asks the young man to sell everything, give it all to the poor and then follow him. The young man goes away sad because, unlike Solomon, he is not detached from his wealth. He loves what he has. He probably worked hard to get where he is. And so, he can’t see parting with any of it.

No, Jesus is not picking on rich people. If anything, Jesus is calling out those who are more attached to their possessions than they are to the God who saves. That’s why Jesus says, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:24) It’s not the wealth that’s the issue. It’s the attachment.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following question.

If Jesus were to ask me to sell everything and follow him, how would I react?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word! Peace!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

References:
1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Christ, unique Word of Scripture: 101-4
2. Power of God’s word: 124, 131
3. Scripture in life of the Church: 131-3
4. Rendering an account to God: 678-79, 1039, 1059
5. The evangelical counsels: 915-18
6. Eternal life: 1020-29
7. All things possible for God: 1058
8. Poverty of heart: 1723, 2536, 2444-7
9. Jesus and the commandments: 2052-55
10. Giving to the poor: 2443-49
11. Detachment from riches: 2544-47, 2728
12. Scripture as a fountain of prayer: 2653-4

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101021.cfm
Lectionary: 143

Reading 1
Wisdom 7:7-11
I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
and I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands.

Responsorial
Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
R. (14) Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Reading 2
Hebrews 4:12-13
Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.

Alleluia
Matthew 5:3
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 10:17-30 or 10:17-27
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
Peter began to say to him,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

OR:

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Genesis 2:18-24
Responsorial: Psalm 128:1-6
Reading 2: Hebrews 2:9-11
Gospel: Mark 10:2-16

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100321.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and together we’re going to break open the Word!

Today’s first reading from Genesis gets right to the heart of our understanding of the human person. God presents all of creation to Adam, but nothing can be Adam’s equal. Nothing can think like Adam or talk like Adam. Nothing can help and encourage Adam – offer hope on those difficult days or share in Adam’s joy. So, God takes a rib from Adam and forms the woman.

This reading in no way implies that women are somehow less than equal to men. Eve is the same as Adam. That’s why Adam proclaims, “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…” (Genesis 2:23). Finally, Adam has an equal who completes Adam. They are equal and yet different.

Funny how we can take a difference and manipulate it for our own benefit. Why do we do that? Maybe it’s pride or jealousy, envy or desire. But these vices can lead us far off the path. Instead of helping each other get to heaven, we can exploit or abuse each other for our own gain.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tries to correct our understanding. All of those ambitious and selfish thoughts cannot save us. If we truly want to be saved – if we truly want to experience the Kingdom of God, then we need to approach life with the innocence of a child (Mark 10:15). We need to look upon this created world and our relationships with a sense of awe and wonder, and not with a thought about how I might best profit from it.

How do we do that? That leads us to homework! Nourished by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following question.

How can I look at my relationships and the world around me as a gift rather than a source of profit?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word! Peace!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

References: 1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle. 2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle. 3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm: 1. Satan’s power: 407 2. Becoming a child: 526, 2785 3. Jesus’ love for us: 609 4. Jesus’ atoning death: 615, 1992 5. Jesus tasted death: 624 6. Laying on hands: 699 7. Marriage and fidelity: 1601-17, 1638-54, 2360-2400 8. Fidelity, a fruit of the Spirit: 1832 9. The fidelity of the baptized: 2044, 2147, 2156, 2223, 2787 10. Divorce: 2331-6 11. The gift of children: 2373-9

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100321.cfm
Lectionary: 140

Reading 1
Genesis 2:18-24
The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a suitable partner for him.”
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.

So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep,
he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib
that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said:
“This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called ‘woman, ‘
for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.”
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.

Responsorial
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
R. (cf. 5) May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Reading 2
Hebrews 2:9-11
Brothers and sisters:
He “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels, “
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”

Alleluia
1 John 4:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If we love one another, God remains in us
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 10:2-16 or 10:2-12
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”

And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me;
do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

OR:

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”