May  7,  2022

 

Thought for Today

“A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned."

 

J.B.  Synge

The Aran Islands 1907

May 6, 2022

Reflection 

May  6,  2022

Thought for Today

 

“Why  do born-again people so often make you wish they’d never been born the first time.”

Kathleen Whitehorn,              

 May 5, 2022

Thought for today

 

“All sins are attempts to fill voids.”

 

W.H. Auden

A Certain World, 1971

May 5, 2022

Reflection 

 

REJECTION:

I  WILL NOT  REJECT ANYONE

WHO  COMES TO ME

 

 

The title of my homily for this 3rd Wednesday after Easter
is,  “Rejection: I Will Not Reject Anyone Who Comes to Me.”

That’s quite a statement – quite a promise – quite a belief – quite a hope.

It’s the second part of John 6: 37 – a sentence in today’s gospel

I believe this idea of  rejection – not being rejected - is the central  message of the gospel of John.

The key Greek word here is EXBALLO – the Greek word is translated:  “cast out, thrust out, rejected.” – or all around.  The word and the sound  “BALL” – has much the same meaning in many languages -  a round sphere that is thrown or rolling to or from.

Every Catholic should read Chapter 6 of John over and over again.

It’s the long Eucharistic text – 71 verses long.  It’s all about the bread  being the flesh of Christ. The big question: “Do you accept this text, this message or do you reject it?  Do you catch it or reject it?”

You’ll hear Jesus saying in this 6^th chapter of John that he Jesus knows people are going to walk away – reject him the Christ.  Listen to John 6: 66: “After this many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him.

That’s rejection – especially after Jesus says in 6: 58,  “But anyone who eats this bread will live forever.”

 We who come to Mass  - especially not just on Sunday – but also during the week – need to eat, digest, become these words of John 6.   The Word needs to become us – become our flesh – and walk within us.

Amen. Catch the ball.

 May 4, 2022

Reflection