Reflections for August 2022

A theme of humility started to emerge in our readings last week. This week it comes front and center (Lk 14:1, 7-14). Jesus starts with a very clear illustration of why it’s a good idea to avoid overreaching, simply to avoid embarrassment – nothing very spiritual about that!  So there’s nothing complicated here. The objective […]

The need to separate ourselves from those we consider different and inferior must be a very strong human motivation. It seems to be present at the beginning of human history and it remains true today. The Jewish people started with a strong sense of difference and superiority. The prophets, most notably Isaiah, pointed out that

It would be nice to imagine that the church was a happy family, always united in bringing the saving message of the Gospel to the world. Of course we know that this is far from the truth. For every individual Christian that has succeeded in living the Gospel and demonstrating the love of the Father

I sometimes think we’d be better off if somehow we could read our readings backwards! Inevitably we are left with the strongest impression from what comes at the end. If these were speeches or homilies that would be appropriate – any experienced speaker knows to finish with the thought that she or he wants to