I wonder if the time of year that birthdays or other milestones fall is significant. How does that affect people? My birthday just passed and it is often just before Ash Wednesday (one year it landed on the day of and that made for an odd birthday where I mostly celebrated the night before). Milestones as New Years In recent years, I find that my birthday is another milestone in the chain of reminders to continue reflecting on who I... Read more
Luke 21 starts off with the widow’s offering. As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4 Years ago, newly married and... Read more
At this point in Luke’s Gospel we are beginning to see conspiracy to try to trap Jesus. Jesus is questioned by Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes all looking to catch him in falsehoods so that they can turn him in to the government. Jesus is Questioned on Authority While teaching in the temple, elders and scribes ask Jesus where his authority comes from. This makes me wonder if it was what Jesus was teaching that gave them reason to ask this,... Read more
I was on the road quite a bit today, so rather than reading my passage, I made an adjustment and listened to it. I never did finish the Bible in a Year podcast with Father Mike Schmitz, so maybe I will have to start that back up next year. It was helpful today, as I found the episode where Father reads Chapters 17-19 of Luke. As I covered Chapter 17 yesterday, I was mostly focused on Chapters 18 & 19.... Read more
Luke 17 consists of some sayings of Jesus, as well as some warnings. We can summarize them as Jesus’ call to forgiveness, faith, gratitude, and selflessness. Jesus’ Call to Forgive The chapter opens with Jesus teaching his apostles that “temptations to sin are sure to come” (Luke 17:1). I don’t hear this spoken of very often, but it is nice to know that even then men who followed Jesus physically would have their own struggles ahead. Jesus knew this. His... Read more
Chapter 16 of Luke’s Gospel has three sections that all tie together how important it is that we focus on our spiritual lives and strive to detach from earthly concerns and riches. Especially during these last few weeks of Advent, making sure our spirit is in order is the best way to start Christmas and the new year. Prudence of a Dishonest Steward To summarize Luke 16:1-13: a man hears that his steward is being dishonest and wasteful, so he... Read more
Happy Gaudate Sunday. Today we will reflect on the joy of repentance. Luke 15 contains 3 parables. All three show the joy of being reunited with what was lost. It is fitting that day 15 of our advent gospel study lands on Gaudate Sunday when we sing “Gaudete in Domino Semper! — Rejoice in the Lord always; Again I say rejoice! The Lord is near” (Antiphon for the third Sunday of Advent). Rejoicing in What Is Found Many of us... Read more
As we wrap up our second week of advent focusing on peace, we read Luke 14 which shows a practical way to keep our eyes on heaven and not be anxious. In this chapter we see a few parables each about a banquet. We get to see examples of how we should be invited, be a guest, and host a banquet. Being Invited to the Banquet In this parable of the great banquet, a man invites many people to this... Read more
Reflecting on Luke 13 today, I would like to reflect mostly on the narrow gate and how repentance can help us to get there. Repentance or Perishing “I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:5 Luke 13 opens strong with this bold statement from Jesus. It sounds to me like we have two options, repentance or perishing. He says this after the people tell him about people who died tragic deaths. However, in... Read more
With Christmas approaching, many people are shopping, wrapping gifts, preparing their homes for gatherings and more. It is easy, especially in the online world of social media, to fall into comparison and anxiety. In Luke 12 however, Jesus offers timely comfort for Advent telling us “Do not be anxious” and to “instead, seek his kingdom”. Holiday Anxiety It isn’t new to be anxious leading up to Christmas. In 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas, started out with this opening scene. “I... Read more
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