Weekly Reflections
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 31, 2025
What is true humility and why is it hard to attain?
Gospel: Luke 14: 1, 7–14
When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to pay you
What is true humility and why is it hard to attain?
Luke 14: 1, 7–14
On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.
“Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
“Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Preparation / Centering
If done in a group setting, the prompts are read aloud by the leader; otherwise a silent meditation.
Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025
Spend several minutes in silence, centering yourself and opening your heart to the presence of Jesus.
Presence of God:
Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Freedom:
Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Consciousness:
Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life.
[2-3 minutes of silence]
Opening Prayer
From “Living Space” a service of the Irish Jesuits, 2022:
Lord, you invite us to your table and ask us to live the truth of who you are and who we are, for that is humility. We pray for hearts that serve without counting the cost or looking for rewards.
Companions for the Journey
From “First Impressions”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province:
Jesus seems out of character in the advice he gives today to his host, “one of the leading Pharisees.” Is he assuming the role of a social consultant, advising ambitious people how to get ahead while avoiding public embarrassment?
If you want a higher or more prominent place at an important function then choose the lower seat. Then your host will publicly usher you to a higher place at the table. You’ll look great and everyone will note your moment of glory! Who wouldn’t want such an esteemed place and the admiring and envious glances of peers? So, is Jesus suggesting a pretense of humility to get the first place at important gatherings? This doesn’t sound like the Jesus who had a bad reputation for eating with the disreputable. His table companions certainly wouldn’t have merited for Jesus a, “Here, come up higher,” from a leading Pharisee. He is not suggesting a feint in the direction of humility to earn public esteem. He is doing what he has consistently done, teaching his disciples to be truly humble, putting aside ambition for worldly honors.
Jesus isn’t suggesting we slack off at school; or work less diligently at our jobs; or not accept compliments for the good things we do. He wants us to use our talents as best we can since they are gifts from God and will not only benefit us, but can be used for the well-being of others. But Jesus is reminding us that, behind all our attempts to work hard and do good for others, we must reflect on our reasons for doing what we do. As Christians we try to share the gifts of life we have, not so that we stand out, but so that others can stand up with us, relish life and celebrate the God who has blessed us.
Even more than now, in the ancient Near East, meals were guided by strict rules: the guests were carefully chosen; the foods specially selected; the seating arrangements scrupulously determined. There may not have been place cards, but people had their assigned places nevertheless. Jesus may have been the one invited to dine by his host, but before the meal even started, Jesus became the host, as he suggested a change in the rigid seating arrangements and instructed people about the seats they had chosen. Remember that this is a Sabbath meal. The very people Jesus says we should invited to a “banquet” are those who would have been excluded from the Sabbath meal at this distinguished Pharisee’s home, and possibly from the synagogue itself, because their social or physical condition would have labeled them as sinners. But the Sabbath meal was to be a place that celebrated God’s choice of an enslaved people and God’s gift of liberation for them. When God found them, the Israelites were slaves. God reversed their condition and invited them to the table. The Sabbath meal not only celebrated God’s gracious actions on their behalf, but it also reminded them that they were to do for others what had been done for them: free the enslaved; welcome the stranger; care for the children and protect the widows.
I am sure Jesus doesn’t want us to stop having meals and sharing special occasions with those nearest and dearest to us. That’s not what he means when he turns to the Pharisee who is hosting him and tells him to invite those to lunch or dinner who can’t return the favor. If we make a point to invite the least, “the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind...,” then while at table with them, we might enter into new relationships. Not only would the poor be fed, but we would discover the Christ who identifies most closely with them.
Those neglected by our society not only need our material gifts, they also need the dignity that comes with being acknowledged; they need the gift of our friendship—and we need theirs as well. Together with them, we will experience the God Jesus has revealed to us, who loves us, not because we are distinguished or esteemed in our world, but because God has chosen to love us, rich and poor, haves and have-nots. The reality is that we seldom, if ever, go outside our social and familial circles. Sitting at table with one another will remind us of what God has done for us and who we all are, children of a loving and caring God, who has gifted each of us, whether we are hosting the meal or called in from the highways and byways of life to share in it.
No, Jesus hasn’t had a shift in character. He isn’t suggesting subtle ways to climb the social ladder so as to get places of esteem and influence. Rather, he wants those who have—to reach out to those who have not. And if we sit across the table from each other, who knows where our conversations will lead? Imagine the dinner scene: food and drink being passed and people who previously didn’t know one another, involved in animated conversation. What might we hear at the table as we get to know the guests we have invited? We might hear and come to understand their need for: food and shelter; protection for their rights; good and safe schools for their children; a voice to speak out on their behalf in the community; health care and medicine for their families; help to process legal documents; employment, etc. We rarely get to know those whose lives are at the other end of the spectrum from us. But if we did, by having a dinner together, or initiating a conversation with them, we might come to recognize the others as unique persons and we might come to know their needs as well. Then, first hand, we will know what we must do to be Jesus’ faithful disciples.
Of course, it wouldn’t all be sad talk, would it? At table, we would share stories of our family origins, our children’s antics, recipes and traditions. At table we would discover how much we have in common as human beings, we would see less of what separates us and more of what unites us. Are we being too idealistic? Are we describing a purely imaginative scene that has no parallels in the “real world?” Maybe. But here at Eucharist we are gathered around a shared meal. The kind Jesus has described. He has invited us and we have accepted the invitation. Granted, our parish communities can be pretty homogenous. But if we look a little more closely, we will notice more than enough diversity, especially these days in our very mobile world and with the arrival of so many immigrants.
There are many differences that would keep us separate. Nevertheless, here we are, together at the same table. We will listen to our common family story. It goes all the way back to Abraham and Sarah and to such sages as Sirach, in our first reading. In our worship our story focuses on Jesus and his Spirit makes his words relevant to our day. We may be very different in the world, but here at Eucharist we are family. What have we learned about one another at this table? When we leave this worship space, what can we do for others, those whom Jesus would have us love the way he loves them?
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to pay you
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
- What in this gospel sounds very noble and right, but is ignored as not practical by most of us?
Henri Nouwen says that the way to follow Jesus is through “downward mobility”. What does that mean, in real-life terms?
Is it attainable? - What forms of self-indulgence do I engage in, because “I am worth it”?
Who might suffer or be neglected in the process? - What about our culture encourages us to put ourselves in the forefront of discussions or events?
What elements of our everyday existence (such as social media) encourage self-promotion? - What value do we place on celebrity?
What value do we place on insignificance?
What value do we place on popularity?
What value do we place on ordinariness?
What value do we place on success?
What value do we place on obscurity?
What value do we place on money ?
What value do we place on service? - What individuals do I think it is important to cultivate, and why?
What, in others, am I impressed by? - To whom do I give either time or money without expecting a payoff? (whom do I invite to the banquet?)
- How do I rank myself in relation to others?
- Have I ever felt overlooked or not especially welcome at a gathering of friends or family?
How did I feel?
How did I react? - Who, in our society, are constantly sent to the wrong end of the table?
Who, in our society, are not invited to the table at all? - Have I ever been “surprised” by my special welcome at an event or at someone’s home?
How did it feel?
To whom can I extend a special welcome as an “honored guest”, metaphorically speaking? - Why is it important to welcome the poor and marginalized to our tables, and not just donate money to good causes?
- What is humility?
What is false humility?
Meditations
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
We are each special and unique. But sometimes we need to be more special or more unique than everybody around us. We sometimes need to have the “honored place” at the table of life, and unconsciously expect others to agree. There are subtle tools we employ to get others’ attention, to arouse other’s envy, to stand out from the crowd—self-promotion, complaining about how unappreciated we are, humble bragging, and fame-by-association, to name a few… So we need to look to Jesus as our model; his actions and words were focused on the Kingdom, not on himself. What of my actions/words put the poor, the marginalized or those otherwise unnoticed in the spotlight? What of my actions/words point to me? What lies have I told myself about how under-valued I am compared to others? Have I ever stopped to consider those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder who work so hard for so little? Do I publicly engage in a type of false humility, which might encourage others to tell me I am selling myself short, and expect others to let me know again and again how valued I am? Do I feel the need to demonstrate how close to God I am or how important I am to other important people? What steps can I take to fix at least one of these behaviors?
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Consideration:
Adapted from “Sacred Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
How difficult it is to practice the art of humility! How difficult it is not to take the best seat, grab the best bargain, and be the first in line for the concert I must see! Jesus asks us to think of others, to be more award of others’ needs, step back a bit and allow others to be center stage for a change. At the end of each day I take some time this week to look back and examine the subtle or not-so-subtle ways I stepped in front of others to gain attention, praise or some advantage. In my heart, I look at those I might have overlooked in my need to be noticed and instead, I put myself in their shoes. And finally, I consider those times when I was irritated, disappointed or angry because I was not noticed enough, was not praised enough. I ask Jesus to help me with my humility issues.
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:
“When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to pay you.” We all know that we may not each take this injunction literally. We also know that it is hard to be generous in the face of hostility or lack of appreciation for our generosity. But rather than dismiss the idea out of hand, try to think of some way that you can help the poor, the lame and the blind reach the table of plenty. In addition, there must be someone in your life that you can help in some way, either monetarily or with your time, who cannot, or will not, return the favor. Do it anyway. And, let go of the resentment at doing so.
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship
Try to pray the following Litany of Humility every day this week:
“Litany of Humility”
Author: Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, O Jesus. That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Poetic Reflection:
This poem captures the sense of true humility, which starts with honesty before God, and a plea for God’s help:
IV
How calmly I balance here,
On the verge of loving you
again, in ways
I have forgotten.You love out of your surplus;
I cannot accept out of my need.
How clever this pride
that dresses as humility
that makes of weakness
an excuse for mediocrity.I am a weak man, Lord—
wrapped simply but completely
in my refusal to try.Depart from me.
How can you bear my company
and even wish to cleanse me?
I remember you would have washed
Peter's feet, his hands, cleaned
away the remnants of his life.
Yet there was no room in his smallness
for your greatness.Lord,
if you should but take this withered hand
of mine, and straighten it in love
then suddenly my square world
would go round, my eyes take on a new source
of light, then suddenly,
I might know the urge to fly—From “War Poems; Eight days in Retreat”, from Psalms of the Still Country, by Ed Ingebretsen, S.J.
Suggested reading:
- Nouwen, Henri J.M., The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life
- O’Connor, Flannery, “Revelation” from Collected Works
Closing Prayer
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 24, 2025
What is “the Kingdom” and what does it take to get a place in the choir?
Gospel: Luke 13: 22–30
Strive to enter through the narrow gate.
What is “the Kingdom” and what does it take to get a place in the choir?
Luke 13:22–30
He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’
And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where [you] are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
Preparation / Centering
If done in a group setting, the prompts are read aloud by the leader; otherwise a silent meditation.
Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025
Presence of God:
Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Freedom:
Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Consciousness:
Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life.
[2-3 minutes of silence]
Opening Prayer
Lord, I ask for inner freedom and the humility to understand that what counts is not my past successes or failures, not what religious groups I belong to. Help me to see that my destiny depends on the outcome of my encounter with you. Jesus, where, exactly, do I encounter, you? [pause to reflect on your answer]. Help me to know you, my Lord, and to understand what “knowing you” really entails.
Companions for the Journey
From “First Impressions 2022”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province:
I wonder if the person who asked Jesus, “Lord will only a few people be saved?” was asking out of curiosity, or because he or she was feeling cozy and part of the “in crowd.” Did this person feel safe and secure thinking that what Jesus was saying about being rejected at the end time could not possibly apply to him, or her? Was the “someone” who asked the question one of those traveling with Jesus towards Jerusalem? Did the questioner think that membership in Jesus’ band automatically brought dividends with no further self-investment; just being with the Teacher would be enough?
The opening of today’s gospel narrative should cause us in the pews and at the altar to squirm. Are we just going along with the group, we who are members of the community and lead respectable lives? We follow the rules and fulfill our obligations. Is that enough? Maybe for us and those who admire us – but not for Jesus. Instead of playing the numbers game, answering the question about how many are to be saved, Jesus deflects the questioner’s inquiry. Forget about how many will be on the final guest list for the banquet, look instead to your own quality of discipleship. Jesus says we are to “strive” to enter through the narrow gate. From the Greek for “strive,” (“Agonizesthe”) we get our word “agony.” This gives us a sense of what effort will be involved to get through that gate. The word could be applied to a strenuous athletic effort, the energy, pain and dedication athletes put into competition like the Olympics. Years of herculean efforts have brought them to the games, it has been a “narrow gate” indeed for them. Jesus calls his disciples to such efforts on behalf of the reign of God. He knows the goal is worth the effort.
If we are not careful, this passage can be a trap for us listeners. In calling us to “strive,” to work hard to enter “the narrow gate,” to be “strong enough,” the impression we might get is that if we put enough effort into it, we can enter the reign of God. All it requires is a lot of sweat, dedication and perseverance. But remember that grace lies beneath the surface of the biblical stories. Entrance through the narrow gate begins with an invitation from God. Having heard and accepted the invitation, we are in the realm of God’s grace, the constant source, energy and inspiration for our “striving.”
Today’s Isaiah and gospel readings show how inclusive is God’s saving outreach. We may have our notions of who is “in” and who is “out”; who is worthy and who is not – but the gospel cautions us not to jump to conclusions and not to be smug. What kind of logic and world are we being invited into when the first are last and the last first? That’s certainly not the world to which we are accustomed. Of course not, it is an entirely new world – a new way of reasoning, judging, rewarding and giving entrance. In fact, the gospel suggests we put our math and standards in storage and let God be God when it comes to who comes through the admissions gate. We should tend, Jesus reminds us, to our own concern. We have heard the gospel, accepted Jesus’ promises, known the difference grace can make in our lives – and now we can strive to reach the finish line – thanks to God!
To help make the point that we do not earn entrance to the reign of God on our own, today’s account begins with a reminder of place. Remember Jesus is on the road, making his way to Jerusalem. A major section of Luke’s gospel (9:51-18:14) takes place on the road to the holy city. So, the reading begins with a reminder that the “striving,” the difficult task and struggle needed to accomplish our salvation, will be first achieved through Jesus’ dying and rising in Jerusalem. Jesus will faithfully fulfill his mission to preach and practice the good news, even though it will mean his death. In today’s passage, as Jesus makes his way to Jerusalem, Luke would not have us forget that the source of our new lives is Jesus; through him we are given the desire and commitment to “strive” to get through the narrow gate.
In Jesus’s society, when people ate together they became part of the inner circle, they were like family members. Those who are locked out of the house, in his brief parable, are claiming prerogatives from Jesus because, they say, they belong to his “company,” they ate and drank with him and his disciples. Based on their standards of acceptance, they are right, they belong with Jesus. But Jesus says more is required of those who sit at table with him. For those of us with him at this Eucharistic table, more is required than membership in our church, parish and community. Salvation is not guaranteed to a privileged group who claim rights based on membership. Those requesting admission at the door proffer still more credentials to get in. They claim Jesus taught in their streets and sat among them in their synagogues. Jesus’ response is abrupt. More than hearing him is necessary; more than being able to recite correct doctrine is needed to make us people who bear his name – Christian. We have to put his words into practice. But how inclusive should that practice be? As wide as the world in which we live. We must be open to all, “from the east and the west, and from the north and the south,” for those who are good, no matter what their background, will be invited to dine with Jesus and the great ancestors of faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Such a vision must have startled Jesus’ hearers who thought they would be among the privileged because they could claim Jesus as “one of ours.”
Why is this gate “narrow?” Gustavo Gutierrez, OP, puts it this way:
The narrow door is clearly restrictive not in reference to people but in terms of the “right” to be saved. Salvation does not come from a mere physical closeness to Jesus (vv. 26-27). It is not enough to have eaten and to have drunk with him or to have listened to him in the public squares. It is not the consequence of belonging to a specific people either, in this case the Jewish people (v. 28). The text does not say it, but in fidelity to the spirit of Jesus’ answer we could add that salvation is not limited to one race or one culture. Salvation comes when we accept Jesus and start to follow him. This is the narrow door, the only door to life and it is a demanding entrance.
We may be too restrictive in our estimation of where God is present and acting. We tend to look only within our church walls to see God’s special ones; we tend to rank one denomination over another as “truer” than others; we tend to make too sharply-defined distinctions between the useful and useless; we tend to jump to conclusions about people’s worth from how they look and speak, the jobs they have or don’t have, the income they make, their place of origin. Well, the last shall be first and the first last and “they” will come from all the points of the compass to sit at the table. So, we had better put on our biblical lens, look again and, if we have not already done so, start “striving” to live as people with another vision of reality.
When we enter the final and everlasting banquet, Jesus tells us, we will be surprised at those enjoying the feast. God has a pretty broad vision and we will be surprised at those who “made it” through the narrow gate. If we accept this vision of the end time then we should start preparing or it now. We need a change of glasses; we need to look at our world through the biblical lens and act accordingly.
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
Strive to enter through the narrow gate.
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
Meditations
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations* will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Why is it not enough to “eat and drink in Jesus’ company”? Ronald Rolheiser, quoting pastor James Forbes, said: ”nobody gets into heaven without a letter of reference from the poor”. What does my resume look like in reference to my attention to or the help I have rendered to the poor, the sick, to migrants, to those suffering from the effects of war and famine? Father George Bobowski prints the following lines on the envelopes that he distributes for fundraising for education of seminarians in Russia: “You cannot buy Heaven with what you have. You can buy Heaven with what you give”. What do I give, and to whom?
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
The way to eternal happiness, the way to Kingdom Jesus has envisioned, is through a narrow gate. It is not an impossibly small entry, but it is difficult. If you have ever loaded yourself up with as much carry-on luggage as they will let you take on the plane, and then tried to squeeze yourself, your pillow, blanket, rolling bag and a huge carry-on down the narrow aisle, bumping elbows and murmuring “sorry” then finding out the overhead by your seat is full, you know what impedes our entrance through a narrow gate. It is the baggage we carry. That baggage could be money, position, complacency, success, power, comfort, etc. What am I carrying that makes me too wide to fit through that narrow door? Going through that narrow door seems to require both commitment and discipline, not just showing up and demanding to be let in. What must I commit to in order to enter the kingdom, and what discipline do I need to impose on my own behavior? What, as the rich young man asked Jesus, must I do to earn eternal life?
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:
The Irish Jesuits, in Sacred Space, have a lovely meditation for this gospel passage:
I spend some time imagining the scene, with myself as the one who asks the question of Jesus. What is Jesus like as he speaks the reply to me? How do his words sound to me? Surprising? Threatening? Liberating? Jesus does not give a direct answer to the question: Will only a few be saved? St Paul insisted: God wants all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. But there is a challenging image here: a narrow door, like a turnstile in a stadium. We cannot take salvation for granted. I need to keep my eye on that turnstile, keep pushing towards it. Salvation is a gift from God and not the right of any particular group. The door may be narrow but the crowd in God’s kingdom will be great. The entrance-key to God’s space and kingdom is to live in the spirit of the gospel and in the forgiveness of God for ways in which we have not lived in his way. In prayer we can offer ourselves to God, and to give to him the best desires and deeds of our lives, leaving judgement to him.
Literary Reflection:
Mary Oliver looks at living in the Kingdom as bringing awareness and gratitude to her everyday life, not by being famous or wealthy, or even overly pious:
“Messenger”
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird—
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.
Literary Reflection:
If you have time. Read the short story “Revelation” by Flannery O’Connor, about the delivery and effect of a revelation to a sinfully proud, self-righteous, middle-aged, middle-class rural white Southern woman that her confidence in her own Christian salvation might be in error. It is just great!
Closing Prayer
Lord, you are not saying that many will be lost in the end. But you are warning us to deepen our relationship with you and to accept others. Let me play my small but essential part to ensure that all of us may be gathered safely into your kingdom.
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 17, 2025
A warning that the life of a Christian will not necessarily be peaceful or tranquil
Gospel: Luke 12: 49–53
I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!
A warning that the life of a Christian will not necessarily be peaceful or tranquil
Luke 12: 49–53
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Preparation / Centering
If done in a group setting, the prompts are read aloud by the leader; otherwise a silent meditation.
Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025
Presence of God:
Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Freedom:
Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Consciousness:
Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life.
[2-3 minutes of silence]
Opening Prayer
Lord, you told anyone who would listen that you were distressed—or stressed—about the eventual outcome of your commission from the Father. Help me in my times of personal stress, over decisions that must be made, over divisions in my family or community, over possible pain and loss. Help me to be strong and courageous, as you were, but at the same time, understanding of those who do not share my convictions.
Companions for the Journey
From Living Space 2025, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
Commentary on Luke 12:49-53
We have some passionate and disturbing words from Jesus today.
First, he expresses his deep desire to cast fire on the earth. In the imagery of the Old Testament, fire is a symbol of God’s powerful presence. We remember Moses at the burning bush, the pillar of fire that accompanied the Israelites by night as they wandered through the desert to the promised land, as well as the tongues of fire that hovered over the disciples at Pentecost.It is this Pentecostal fire that burns men’s hearts and draws them to change the direction of their lives. For Jesus’ wish to be fulfilled, we have to play our part in helping to spread some of that fire of God’s love everywhere.
Second, Jesus expresses a longing for his ‘baptism’ to be accomplished. Baptism here refers to his immersion in the terrible suffering and death by which we will be liberated. In fact, the ritual of baptism, where the person to be baptised was immersed in the baptismal pool, was seen as a parallel to Jesus’ going down into death and emerging to the new life of the resurrection. It is about this that Paul speaks.
Third, Jesus says he has come not to bring peace, but division on the earth. At first sight, this is a hard saying and it does not make any sense. Is Jesus not the Prince of Peace? Did Jesus not say at the Last Supper that he was giving his peace to his disciples, a peace that the world could not give and that no one could take away? Did he not say: Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matt 11:28)
Was not the final greeting of the Risen Christ to his disciples in the upper room: Peace be with you. (John 20:21)
Yes, but he also warned his disciples that, after he was gone, they could expect a rough ride. They would be hauled before rulers and governors; they would be beaten and jailed and put to death. People would think they were doing well in ridding the world of them. In that sense, Jesus was certainly not going to bring peace. And, by the time this Gospel was written, Jesus’ prophecy had been well borne out—and there was a lot more to come.
The break-up of families, father against mother, parents against children, in-laws against in-laws, was unfortunately only too common as one or more members in a family decided to follow Christ and be baptised. These must have been very painful experiences which no one wanted. Anyone who has studied the history of the Church, all the way back to its beginning and in many places throughout the world, knows how many families were torn apart by their accepting Christianity. In the Gospel, we see it in the story of the blind man who attached himself to Jesus and whose parents, terrified of the authorities, wanted to have nothing to do with it. It is surely an image which was quite familiar to converts in the early, not to mention the later, Church.
Jesus had warned that those who wanted to follow him had to be ready, if necessary, to leave home and family and enter into a new family of brothers and sisters. To follow the way of truth and love, of freedom and justice is always going to arouse the hostility of those who feel threatened by goodness.
But is it right to break up one’s family? We might counter by asking which is the more loving thing to do: to be true to one’s convictions and one’s integrity, or to compromise them for the sake of a merely external peace?
The one who leaves a family for the sake of Christ and the Gospel shows a greater love for one’s family and will never cease to love them, no matter how viciously they may react to the choice the Christian has felt it necessary to make. In the long run, truth and love will prevail—they must.
Finally, hostility, division and persecution, provided the Christian is not directly responsible, does not take away the peace that Jesus spoke about. On the contrary, it is only by being true to one’s convictions and one’s integrity, whatever the price that has to be paid, that peace can be experienced.
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
- At the end of this gospel reading we all respond “Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.” Do we feel like praising God at the end of this reading?
- What was my first reaction to Jesus saying that he has come to set the world on fire?
What could that possibly mean? - Does it bother me that Jesus says he has come not to bring peace, but division?
How does that statement square with “Love those who hate you” from chapter 6 of this gospel? - What does this passage have to say about peace at any price?
Am I someone who values peace, even when it comes with a price?
What price will I NOT pay for the sake of peace? - Do I feel like I am living in a Luke moment in our political and cultural divisions?
- Are there divisions in my family about some teachings of the Church, or the church leadership at any level?
- Are there divisions in my family over politics?
How do we handle dueling convictions at family gatherings? - Am I estranged from anyone in my family because of religious, political, career or lifestyle choices?
- Is there competition in my family or among my friends, colleague?
From First Impressions, a service of the Southern Dominican Province:
Enter today’s firebrand Jesus, who attacks such superficial security, who calls us to God’s peaceable dominion. Here a new set of values governs the community of believers, where the citizens do not purchase their worth and esteem before God, but are given them as gift.
Jesus will continue to preach and live the peace given only to those who love and strive to live in a community of concern for their sisters and brothers; who work to tear down walls of division created by a near-sighted world.
How comfortable is our American ethos of rugged individualism with this Jesus?
How comfortable am I with this Jesus? - Is the energy for goodness and the zeal for reform of our lives, apparent in the words of Jesus, evident in my church today?
Is this energy for goodness and zeal for reform of my life evident in me today? - Have I ever had to make difficult ethical or religious choices?
Did a specific ethical or religious choice I made cost me family or friends?
Was that cost hard to bear?
Did I see the hand of Jesus on my back, comforting and sustaining me?
Meditations
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
From Dom Cingoranelli, a Benedictine Oblate:
Living in a Luke 12:53 moment? I use that term to refer broadly to our current cultural milieu. We live in a time when we find serious division, even within families, over many current issues. In the Gospel, Jesus refers to differences between those who follow Him, and those who do not. Of course, differences within families and other groups have existed since Jesus walked the earth. And now we live in a time characterized by extreme division on so many levels. This issues can be over religious differences, political differences, personal choices, and cultural divides. It doesn’t matter where you stand on any of the issues I’ve mentioned. Just consider yourselves blessed if your family remains unified, even with differences of opinion among the family members on these issues. More and more families, though, are finding fissures in the foundation of the family unit. If you are one of them, you already may have tried resolving differences, albeit with less than outstanding success. What to do, then? For one thing, monitor your own behaviors to avoid creating a wider crevasse. Be charitable in your responses, be open to discussion. And pray. In any event, never give up. With God all things are possible.
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style: Imagination:
I recall the famous story of Mary and Martha when Jesus visited them in their home. One sister sat at the feet of Jesus and welcomed him through her undivided attention. Another sister welcomed Jesus through her hospitality, which meant she missed a lot of what Jesus was saying. Now imagine that Jesus has gone, and the two of them face each other, having publicly displayed their different priorities and approaches. Play over in your mind that probably slightly acrimonious discussion about what each should have done or said. I put myself in Martha’s situation. Have I ever felt that a parent or sibling was not contributing his/her share? Then I put myself in Mary’s shoes. Was priority ever something that was not approved of by some friends or family? Which sister do I most identify with?
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship:
From Sacred Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits:
Jesus can bring division among people--those with him and against him. He can also bring divisions inside each of us. Prayer is a time to sift with him the different desires and actions of our lives. In prayer we ask the grace to know him more, love him more, and serve him more faithfully in our lives.
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
This gospel of Luke is often hailed as a gospel of mercy and love. Consider Chapter 6:27 passim:
Love your enemies’ do good to those who hurt you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly… If you love those who love you, what credit can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit can you expect? For even sinners do that much….. Be compassionate as your father is compassionate. Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Now consider today’s passage: 12:49 passim
I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! Do you suppose I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; father opposed to son, son to father, mother to daughter, daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law to mother-in-law.
Does this passage of threats belie that description of this gospel as one of love and mercy? Why does Jesus often say “Peace be with you”? How do you reconcile the two points of view? Should we consider the situation of Luke’s audience of 75 CE as possibly different from the situation Jesus’s actual followers were in in 30 CE?
Closing Prayer
“A Story that will save us”
Tell us a story that will save us (and that will have been enough) all the great songs have been prayed save only one Tell us a story that will save us Go down Lord, & bring us home May our promises free us not chain us May what we desire fill us not entrap us May those persons we love finish us not bind us Go down Lord, & bring us home You are our history, Lord We neither begin nor end outside you May you be for us not weapon, not answer, but cause of peace May our questions show us not division but the smallness of human answers. Go down, Lord & bring us home May our words create Not destroy May our hands nurture Not break May our dreams lead and encourage us Not trap us in despair Go down, Lord & bring us home We are anxious about many things We are lost in many ways Go down, Lord & bring us home.
—Rev. Ed Ingebretzen, S.J.
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 10, 2025
Do not be afraid, for God has given us the Kingdom. However, much will be required of the person entrusted with much.
Gospel: Luke 12: 32–48
Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it.
Do not be afraid, for God has given us the Kingdom. However, much will be required of the person entrusted with much.
Luke 12: 32–48
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Preparation / Centering
If done in a group setting, the prompts are read aloud by the leader; otherwise a silent meditation.
Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025
Presence of God:
Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Freedom:
Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Consciousness:
Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life.
[2-3 minutes of silence]
Opening Prayer
Jesus, help me to remember where my real treasure lies. Help me move my focus off material security, security based n human relationships alone, even personal security, all of which can be fleeting. Help me to avoid being distracted by worries about the future, regrets about the past; help me to see clearly where my heart lies—with you. Keep my heart and soul in readiness for your message. Help me to trust in your immutable goodness. Give me gratitude and honesty.
Companions for the Journey
From First Impressions. A service of the Southern Dominican Province:
Bear with me for a moment, for we need to pay extra attention to the structure of today’s gospel. This will help our preparation strategy and may simplify our message. Today’s lectionary selection is more complex than in previous weeks and is a preaching challenge. This week we don’t have a neat focused package, for example, a parable or a miracle story. Instead the passage is in pieces. The first section (vv. 32-34) carries over and concludes a previous discussion in Luke on possessions. We heard part of it in last Sunday’s parable of the rich fool and his greed (12:13-21). The section right after that is about anxiety and possessions, but we skipped over it in the lectionary’s Sunday sequence. It concludes with the first three verses of today’s reading. After these opening verses, the focus shifts to the teaching on preparedness and Jesus’ return.
Remember the context. Jesus has already said that he does not want us preoccupied by fear and anxiety in fulfilling our daily needs. While the world presumes that possessions can guarantee us a secure future, Jesus says such concerns will not really help in daily life, will not “add a moment to our life span” (v. 25). God cares for the needy and will provide for them. But how? Are we being unrealistic and naive expecting God to take care of those in need? No, because we are a community. We live in a life-partnership and those who have must provide not only for themselves, but for those who have not. So, in the opening of today’s selection we are asked to sell our belongings and give alms. (As Raymond Brown comments, “Sell your possessions and give alms is very Lucan in its outlook.”) God helps others through the care we give to one another. We also live in a God-partnership. With our sights set on God’s reign, which is a gift to us from a gracious God, other needs should fall into place. We, in the meantime, must realize that our true treasure is within, where lies the “inexhaustible treasure that no thief can reach, nor moth destroy.”
The second part of today’s passage, beginning with verse 35, has to do with being prepared for the Lord’s coming. Recall where we are at this moment of Luke’s gospel. Beginning with 9:51, Jesus has turned his face to Jerusalem where he will be crushed by evil. This decision is now directing the narrative and enters in some way into moments along the road to Jerusalem. Luke’s community needed to be reminded: though Jesus seems to be gone and things were going poorly for his community, nevertheless, he is with us now and he will return. This reminder is important. If the disciple were to look around at the world, with all its ambiguities and outright injustices and suffering, one might ask, “Who’s in charge here anyway?” Based on today’s passage, Jesus would invite us to believe that our present and future destiny are in our loving Parent’s (“Your Father’s”) hands. This parental God is gifting the “little flock” with the fullest life, the really essential life, the “reign of God.” (“Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.”)
The first disciples were mired in the present moment. Most were poor. Like their contemporaries, they were living from day to day in a harsh world. (The cruel treatment of the servant in charge in the parable gives the reader a sense of the harsh realities of the world in which Jesus lived and from which he drew his stories.) And they were suffering. They may have been so absorbed in their present distress that they couldn’t look up to envision anything different in their future. Believing in Jesus’ return would help put daily life in perspective. The community faced daily struggle, persecution and the passing of its members, without seeing the victory of their faith. Nevertheless, Luke is telling them that the Lord will return. In the light of this hope, early Christians could look at their lives through the lens of expectation. He will come again.
If that is so, the seeming victories in modern society, especially in the first world, its pride, accomplishments and privileges for the few, are illusionary and temporary. The powerful and rich seem triumphant. Nevertheless the caring community of Jesus is called to be less anxious about its own welfare and more concerned about those in need. The comfortable and the competent are the ones who are really on shaky and insecure footing. For with the Lord’s return, their powerful rule will be revealed for the illusion it is. Jesus likens his return to a thief’s breaking into a house. It will come as a complete surprise to those not prepared for it, to those living in false security and distracted about other things.
While we wait, we servants have been put in charge, given responsibility. Our gaze isn’t distracted by a restless search for more possessions. (Remember the teaching last week on greed?) We realize that what we really need has been given us free of charge. “Don’t be afraid any longer little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the reign of God.” Freed from anxiety, even the striving we thought we had to do to gain God’s pleasure, we can turn our attention elsewhere and tend to the servants’ real concern—the care of the household. We attend diligently to those who suffer, are unloved, undergo injustice and who need guidance in learning the ways of God’s household. Remembering Jesus’ promise to return, also empowers the disciple in the struggles each of us face. Guided by today’s Word, we remember that even defeat is not the last word. It wasn’t for Jesus in Jerusalem and it won’t be for us who follow him there.
Are we so worn down by present concerns and stresses that we see little possibilities for the future? We conclude, things are the way they are and little feels like it can change. Can anyone break the cycle of daily routine that makes life such a drudgery? For example, there’s the “sandwich generation,” overworked parents who are squeezed in the middle by constant concerns for both their children and their elderly parents. A recent study found working mothers as the most stressed members of our society: sleep deprived, trying to balance both home and work schedules. What does this passage of expected return (and relief!) mean to them?... That the daily and necessary labors have meaning..... That the responsibilities that ask fidelity and perseverance are the very tasks that are in accord “with the master’s will”—as the parable puts it. We were cautioned previously about greed. But for these struggling servants, greed is not their concern as they try to remain faithful in the “second and third watch” of their stewardship. Not losing hope and seeing what they are doing as a form of discipleship might be more the issue for these hard working nuturers.
There are other servants, “further on down the road,” who also are called to keep vigilance in their discipleship. They are an older generation with different responsibilities, called to discipleship at another stage of their lives. I had dinner recently with a retired couple, with 35 grandchildren. They were still doing what they were doing 5 years ago when last I saw them—being faithful to their Christian calling. They attend church frequently; he is a eucharistic minster, she a lector. They visit a couple of shut-ins, older parishioners who can’t get to church too often. He belongs to a meditation group, she presides at weekly communion services. They continue their involvement in social issues: working to get local corporations to clean up groundwater pollution in their neighborhood and trying to close the School of the Americas in Georgia. Regardless of their age, they call themselves “involved disciples.” They say they have “widened the tent” of the Lord’s work. They don’t have to worry about the hour the Lord returns, as the figure has it, they have been faithful for the much that has been entrusted to them.
These parables are not meant to be an escape clause. We cannot shirk our responsibility as disciples with our gaze fixed on some future return of Jesus. “All will be taken care of in the next life.” Rather, we are called to tend to what is not well in this life. Jesus’ strong reminder that he will return like a thief who catches the unprepared, should keep us on our toes, focused on what occupied Jesus’ attention while he walked among us: healing the sick, welcoming strangers, eating with outcasts and forgiving wrongs done against us. We cannot succumb to a dualism that focuses on our destiny with God, while the current distress of the world God created in love goes unaddressed.
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it.
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
Meditations
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:
I read Mark 10:1-22 (the man with great wealth). I imagine that I am the man who approaches Jesus with a question: ”What do I do to earn eternal life?” Am I sincere? Then I imagine His response to me: (keep the commandments). At that point, I look around and see all of His disciples watching this exchange. How do I feel? Can I honestly say, for example, that I have faithfully kept all of the commandments, which are telling me what NOT to do? But what a challenge when Jesus faces me with a challenge to go beyond avoiding sin, but to do something radical, something that would change my live forever! When Jesus goes a step further and tells me to sell all that I have, give the proceeds to the poor and follow Him, how do I respond? Why do I respond the way that I do? What attachments (is it money, family ties, work undone or something else) might hinder me in giving up everything to follow Jesus? What are my emotions at this point? I speak to Jesus about my inability to commit the whole way, and maybe ask for the strength to do a little bit more than I am doing. And I remember that Jesus loves me, no matter what choices I make.
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:
Instead of merely lamenting the state of our culture’s moral decay, in a global indictment, pick just one way in which you have been negatively influenced by the values of contemporary culture (Remember, not everything in contemporary culture is bad or depraved). Resolve to choose the dictates of Christ rather than the dictates of society. At the end of the week, reflect on your success or failure in this endeavor. Have you tightened up any lose ends of your life?
Poetic Reflection:
Read the following poem by Mary Oliver. What are her priorities in this life?
“Messenger”
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird—
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.
Poetic Reflection:
“In The Evening We Shall Be Examined On Love”
-St. John of the CrossAnd it won’t be multiple choice,
though some of us would prefer it that way.
Neither will it be essay, which tempts us to run on
when we should be sticking to the point, if not together.
In the evening there shall be implications
our fear will turn to complications. No cheating,
we’ll be told and we’ll try to figure the cost of being true
to ourselves. In the evening when the sky has turned
that certain blue, blue of exam books, blue of no more
daily evasions, we shall climb the hill as the light empties
and park our tired bodies on a bench above the city
and try to fill in the blanks. And we won’t be tested
like defendants on trial, cross-examined
till one of us breaks down, guilty as charged. No,
in the evening, after the day has refused to testify,
we shall be examined on love like students
who don’t even recall signing up for the course
and now must take their orals, forced to speak for once
from the heart and not off the top of their heads.
And when the evening is over and it’s late,
the student body asleep, even the great teachers
retired for the night, we shall stay up
and run back over the questions, each in our own way:
what’s true, what’s false, what unknown quantity
will balance the equation, what it would mean years from now
to look back and know
we did not fail.—Thomas Centolella (from Lights & Mysteries)
Closing Prayer
“A Story that will save us”
Tell us a story that will save us (and that will have been enough) all the great songs have been prayed save only one Tell us a story that will save us Go down Lord, & bring us home May our promises free us not chain us May what we desire fill us not entrap us May those persons we love finish us not bind us Go down Lord, & bring us home You are our history, Lord We neither begin nor end outside you May you be for us not weapon, not answer, but cause of peace May our questions show us not division but the smallness of human answers. Go down, Lord & bring us home May our words create Not destroy May our hands nurture Not break May our dreams lead and encourage us Not trap us in despair Go down, Lord & bring us home We are anxious about many things We are lost in many ways Go down, Lord & bring us home.
—Rev. Ed Ingebretzen, S.J.
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 3, 2025
A warning against consumerism and any kind of greed
Gospel: Luke 12: 13–21
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.
A warning against consumerism and any kind of greed
Luke 12: 13–21
Saying Against Greed
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
Parable of the Rich Fool
Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
“He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”
Preparation / Centering
If done in a group setting, the prompts are read aloud by the leader; otherwise a silent meditation.
Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025
Presence of God:
Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Freedom:
Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love.
[1-2 minutes of silence]
Consciousness:
Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life.
[2-3 minutes of silence]
Opening Prayer
Lord, you are my Good Shepherd. Keep me from wanting what I do not need. Help me to be generous with my. Time and my worldy possession, for they are only here on loan. I am only here on loan.
Companions for the Journey
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today’s session…
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?
Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:
Reflection Questions
Meditations
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style:
(source unknown) Here’s the problem: it’s too easy for you and me to read this parable and think, Oh, that doesn’t apply to me, because I’m not rich. Let me give you some statistics on wealth and poverty in the world today. If you make 25,000 dollars a year, you are in the top ten per cent of the world’s most wealthy. If you own a house or a car, if you never have to worry where the next meal is coming from, if you have clean water, you’re in the top ten per cent. Did you know that there are over one billion people in the world who live on less than one dollar a day, and two billion who live on less than two dollars a day? Over 20,000 children die every day of starvation or preventable disease. If you’re not worried about your kids starving to death and you’re able to get them basic medical care, you are rich according to the standards of today. So this does apply to us, and this is not an isolated saying of Jesus. Jesus actually says a lot about wealth, a lot about riches. This is found over and over again, especially in the Gospel of Luke. So, the challenge for each of us is to determine what in our lives is truly necessary, what is comfortable, and what is downright excessive. Where can I loosen my grip on stuff, and tighten my grip on compassion and service?
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
I reflect on the dangers of wealth, how it can insulate us from the cares of this world, but also from caring about others. It can make us arrogant, callous, and cruel. It can make us anxious, selfish and greedy. No one who has money never has enough (Eccelsiastes). It can lead us to believe that we live by a different set of rules than the hoi polloi around us. It can lead us to put our happiness in things we acquire; getting and spending we lay waste our lives. How does the desire for wealth square with Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom?
(from Songs of Life: Psalm Meditations from the Catholic Community at Stanford p.94, by Anne Greenfield)
Meditation in the Auagustinian Style/Relationship:
I read Psalm 49: “In their riches, people lack wisdom; they are like beasts that are destroyed.” Do any of the verses in this psalm possibly refer to me? Rewrite this psalm in the first person and meditate on what needs to change in your life.
Literary Reflection:
Did you know there’s a character in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress named Little Faith? Little Faith was from the town of Sincere, and on his journey to the Celestial City he took a nap in a place called Dead Man’s Lane, which was the haunt of thieves and murderers. While napping there he was robbed by three thieves whose names were Faintheart, Mistrust, and Guilt. It was only through a man named Great Grace that Little Faith was rescued. Great Grace came and he chased the thieves away, the robbers who had stolen Little Faith’s spending money. They’d taken his money, but they didn’t get his most valuable jewels or his certificate for entering through the Celestial gate. But Little Faith was so discouraged by his losses that he failed to draw comfort from his most valuable assets.
Are you like Little Faith? Are you more anxious about financial needs than you are grateful for spiritual blessings? Do losses of temporal wealth so distress you that you’re unable to draw comfort from the Scriptures’ assurances of God’s love and care and faithfulness? Have faintheartedness and mistrust or unbelief or guilt robbed you of peace of mind? If so, then Jesus’ exhortations for you, little faith. He’s saying, don’t fret. Don’t be anxious. Your Father knows what you need; he cares for you; he will take care of you.
(By Brian Hedges, the lead pastor of Redeemer Church in Niles, Michigan)
Poetic Reflection:
How does this poem by Donald Justice reflect the theme of this gospel?
Incident in a Rose Garden (2)
The gardener came running,
An old man, out of breath.
Fear had given him legs.
Sir, I encountered Death
Just now among our roses.
Thin as a scythe he stood there.
I knew him by his pictures.
He had his black coat on,
Black gloves, a broad black hat.
I think he would have spoken,
Seeing his mouth stood open.
Big it was, with white teeth.
As soon as he beckoned, I ran.
I ran until I found you.
Sir, I am quitting my job.
I want to see my sons
Once more before I die.
I want to see California.
We shook hands; he was off.And there stood Death in the garden,
Dressed like a Spanish waiter.
He had the air of someone
Who, because he likes arriving
At all appointments early,
Learns to think himself patient.
I watched him pinch one bloom off
And hold it to his nose–
A connoisseur of roses–
One bloom and then another.
They strewed the earth around him.
Sir, you must be that stranger
Who threatened my gardener.
This is my property, sir.
I welcome only friends here.Death grinned, and his eyes lit up
With the pale glow of those lanterns
That workmen carry sometimes
To light their way through the dusk.
Now with great care he slid
The glove from his right hand
And held that out in greeting,
A little cage of bone.
Sir, I knew your father,
And we were friends at the end.
As for your gardener,
I did not threaten him.
Old men mistake my gestures.
I only meant to ask him
To show me to his master.
I take it you are he?
Closing Prayer
Jesus, help us to keep our priorities straight. Help us keep our eyes focused on you and on the needs of the kingdom, which are far beyond our own. Teach us to be content with the things we have, especially our relationship with you and our relationships with our friends and family. Even in times of financial distress or uncertainty, let us know that you will always be there for us, that you will not leave us to fend for ourselves alone. Give us gratitude for the good things we have and give us the wisdom not to seek that which is in excess or that which is ultimately not good for us. Teach us to be generous.