Friday, June 26, 2026

Conflict and Cleansing

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to ponder the paths we walk that we did not choose as we struggle for restoration of health.

Hope in the Journey to Health



The Reading from the Second Book of Kings describes breaching of the city walls.


* [25:3] Ninth day of the month: the text does not say which month, but Jer 39:2 and 52:6 set the breaching of the city walls in the fourth month; in later times that was the date of a fast commemorating the event (cf. Zec 8:19). People of the land: the influential citizens (see note on 11:14); even they, whose resources went beyond those of the ordinary people, were starving.

* [25:4] The Hebrew text of this verse is missing some words. The present translation is based on a likely reconstruction.

* [25:11] Those who had deserted: perhaps on the advice of Jeremiah; cf. Jer 38:23. (2 Kings, CHAPTER 25 | USCCB, n.d.)


Psalm 137 presents difficulty to sing the people’s sacred songs in an alien land.


* [Psalm 137] A singer refuses to sing the people’s sacred songs in an alien land despite demands from Babylonian captors (Ps 137:14). The singer swears an oath by what is most dear to a musician—hands and tongue—to exalt Jerusalem always (Ps 137:56). The Psalm ends with a prayer that the old enemies of Jerusalem, Edom and Babylon, be destroyed (Ps 137:79). (Psalms, PSALM 137 | USCCB, n.d.)


In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus presents the Cleansing of a Leper.


 

[8:2] A leper: see note on Mk 1:40.

* [8:4] Cf. Lv 14:29. That will be proof for them: the Greek can also mean “that will be proof against them.” It is not clear whether them refers to the priests or the people. (Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)


Nancy Shirley reflects on our conflict in the prayer phrase “Thy Will Be Done”.  


We will ask and accept whatever the answer with the acceptance that the outcome is what it should be.  I may not always understand (or like) the outcome at the time or even ever, yet I always knew on some level it was meant to be. 


This idea of unanswered prayers is sometimes difficult to accept in the short term but inevitably turns out to be exactly what it should. It is challenging to accept some of the events that happen to us or to others. Sometimes it seems unfathomable that some things are “allowed” to happen.  How can an all-powerful God allow such evil to happen? I certainly don’t have an answer but I do know that everything that has happened to me, shaped me and led me to decisions that were exactly what I should do or where I should be. That doesn’t mean there weren’t times when I felt broken by the circumstances yet truly I would/could say, God has never let me down before and I have no reason to believe that He will now. (Shirley, n.d.)



Don Schwager quotes “The authority to heal and make clean belongs to Christ,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)


"With great fervor before Jesus' knees, the leper pleaded with him (Mark 1:40) with sincere faith. He discerned who Jesus was. He did not state conditionally, 'If you request it of God' or 'If you pray for me.' Rather, he said simply, 'If you will, you can make me clean.' He did not pray, 'Lord, cleanse me.' Rather, he leaves everything to the Lord and makes his own recovery depend entirely on him. Thus he testified that all authority belongs to him. One might ask, 'What if the leper had been mistaken in this assumption?' If he had been mistaken, wouldn't it have been fitting for the Lord to reprove him and set him straight? But did he do this? No. Quite to the contrary, Jesus established and confirmed exactly what he had said." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 25.1) (Schwager, D. n.d.)



The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 8:1-4 comments that this story reminds us that we are all like this poor man. We are all “diseased” because of our sins. They burden us, separate us from God, and isolate us from our brothers and sisters in Christ. But like this man, we have received God’s overflowing grace! Jesus died to cleanse us from every sin. We have new life in him, and he is now asking us to go and “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).


Every time you celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you relive this Gospel story. You enter the confessional like the sick man, afflicted with sin but turning to Jesus for help and healing. And every time you confess your sins, he cleanses and heals you. Now you are free! You can “go show yourself” to the people around you (Matthew 8:4). By your witness of humility, joy, and peace, you can help them see what Jesus has done for you—and they will be moved to seek out the Lord for themselves!


“Thank you, Lord, for forgiving my sin! Help me tell the world what you have done for me.” (Meditation on Matthew 8:1-4, n.d.)


Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for today



Brian McLaren suggests that love can serve as a deep source of hope that is not dependent on outcome.


To put it differently, even if we lose hope for a good outcome, we need not lose hope of being good people, as we are able: courageous, wise, kind, loving, “in defiance of all that is bad around us.” [1] … 


We feel arising within us this sustained declaration: We will live as beautifully, bravely, and kindly as we can as long as we can, no matter how ugly, scary, and mean the world becomes, even if failure and death seem inevitable. In fact, it is only in the context of failure and death that this virtue develops. That’s why Richard Rohr describes this kind of hope as “the fruit of a learned capacity to suffer wisely and generously. You come out much larger and that largeness becomes your hope.” [2]


We seek the consolation of the Spirit when the situation of our journey seems to lead in a direction that defies our understanding and makes hope our Way to maintain our faith and ultimate healing of our wounds.



References

Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/8?1 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). The Prime Motive of Love. CAC.org. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-prime-motive-of-love/ 

Meditation on Matthew 8:1-4. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/26/1600610/ 

Psalms, PSALM 137 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/137

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lord, You Can Make Me Clean. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Shirley, N. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-26-2026 

2 Kings, CHAPTER 25 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2kings/25?


Thursday, June 25, 2026

Building on the Rock

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to confront the distractions and obstacles that may be interfering with our release from the captivity of the world.

The Rock as our Foundation


The Reading from the Second Book of Kings presents the Reign of Jehoiachin


* [24:12] The eighth year of his reign: that is, of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, not Jehoiachin’s. The year was 597 B.C.

* [24:14] People of the land: see note on 11:14. (2 Kings, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB, n.d.)


Psalm 79 is a lament complaining that the nations have defiled the Temple.


* [Psalm 79] A communal lament complaining that the nations have defiled the Temple and murdered the holy people, leaving their corpses unburied (Ps 79:14). The occasion is probably the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in 587 B.C. The people ask how long the withdrawal of divine favor will last (Ps 79:5), pray for action now (Ps 79:67), and admit that their own sins have brought about the catastrophe (Ps 79:89). They seek to persuade God to act for reasons of honor: the nations who do not call upon the Name are running amok (Ps 79:6); the divine honor is compromised (Ps 79:1, 10, 12); God’s own servants suffer (Ps 79:24, 11). (Psalms, PSALM 79 | USCCB, n.d.)


In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus identifies the True Disciple and our choice between The Two Foundations.


* [7:1520] Christian disciples who claimed to speak in the name of God are called prophets (Mt 7:15) in Mt 10:41; Mt 23:34. They were presumably an important group within the church of Matthew. As in the case of the Old Testament prophets, there were both true and false ones, and for Matthew the difference could be recognized by the quality of their deeds, the fruits (Mt 7:16). The mention of fruits leads to the comparison with trees, some producing good fruit, others bad.

* [7:2123] The attack on the false prophets is continued, but is broadened to include those disciples who perform works of healing and exorcism in the name of Jesus (Lord) but live evil lives. Entrance into the kingdom is only for those who do the will of the Father. On the day of judgment (on that day) the morally corrupt prophets and miracle workers will be rejected by Jesus.

* [7:23] I never knew you: cf. Mt 10:33. Depart from me, you evildoers: cf. Ps 6:9.

* [7:2427] The conclusion of the discourse (cf. Lk 6:4749). Here the relation is not between saying and doing as in Mt 7:1523 but between hearing and doing, and the words of Jesus are applied to every Christian (everyone who listens).

* [7:2829] When Jesus finished these words: this or a similar formula is used by Matthew to conclude each of the five great discourses of Jesus (cf. Mt 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1). (Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)


Rev. George Meze, SJ, comments that today’s Gospel reminds us that love is shown through our actions. Obeying God’s Will is like building a house on solid rock.


The good news is that God never gives up on us. St. Ignatius noted that God’s help always remains available even if we do not perceive it clearly. He goes on to add that even in deep desolations, God still provides sufficient grace for our salvation. We know that God’s grace of repentance is always available despite our infinite folly. His will for us is to return to Him without measure.


Repentance is God’s infinite love, through which we can always begin. This, to me, is the priceless treasure that God provides without measure to help us do His Will. It is from this gift of repentance that we find the strength to do His will more and more each day. (Meze, 2026)



Don Schwager quotes “The house falls if Christ is not the rock and foundation,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)


"'For neither death nor life nor angels nor other things can separate us from the love of Christ' (Romans 8:38-39). Neither can the flooding of rivers, as in the lands of Egypt and Assyria [symbolize worldly wisdom opposed to God], do harm. Only those are harmed who build on sand, who practice the wisdom of the world. The winds that blow are like the false prophets. All these, coming together in one place, 'beat upon' the house. If it is founded on rock, they do no harm. 'The way of a snake upon a rock' is not to be found (Proverbs 30:19). But in the form of temptations and persecutions, which may mount into a flood, they beat upon even the one who seems to be well-founded. The house falls if it does not have Christ as its basis and foundation. But the truly wise person builds one's house 'upon a rock.' This is the way the Lord builds his church - upon the rock, with steadfastness and strength. This is why 'the gates of hell shall not prevail against it' (Matthew 16:18). All the persecutions that fall upon that house accomplish nothing. The house is founded upon the rock. (excerpt from FRAGMENT 153) (Schwager, n.d.)



The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 7:21-29 comments that for the past three chapters of his Gospel, Matthew has been giving us Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7): Be poor in spirit. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Stop judging. Turn the other cheek. Treat everyone as you want to be treated. Pray, fast, and give alms—but do it in secret. Seek first the kingdom of God.


Consider taking time today to slowly read over these words of Jesus a few times. As you do, see if the Holy Spirit highlights a verse or two that seems to speak directly to you.


If something sticks out, sit with it for a few moments. Is there something that God is asking you to focus on? Is there some action he is asking you to take? Some sin to confess? Some change he wants you to make? Write down whatever comes to mind and see how you can live it out more fully. Know that as you do, you’ll be taking that next step of building on the solid, reliable foundation of Jesus’ words.


“Lord, help me to build my life on you alone!” (Meditation on Matthew 7:21-29, n.d.)


Friar Jude Winkler comments that in 2 Kings the defeat of King Jehoiakim by the Babylonians  and the nobles deported to Babylon in 597 BCE is the first exile. Zedekiah ruled until 587 BCE and the second exile continued until 539 BCE and Cyrus the Great freed the Jews in 538 BC primarily as a strategic political maneuver to ensure loyalty across his newly conquered territories. In the first exile, Ezekiel is taken and he becomes a prophet outside of Israel raising questions about a true prophet existing outside of Israel. Everyone who proclaims “Lord, Lord” as a superficial act of worship is going through the motions but our faith must be totally grounded. Friar Jude notes the faithful will stand firm in difficult situations and reject the feeling of failure in an attitude of surrender to the Lord.




Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces organizer and activist Mariame Kaba who reflects on hope as a discipline. Kaba describes how short-term thinking prevents us from accessing hope.


I take a long view, understanding full well that I’m just a tiny, little part of a story that already has a huge antecedent and has something that is going to come after that. I’m definitely not going to be even close to around for seeing the end of it. That also puts me in the right frame of mind: that … [what] I’m doing is actually pretty insignificant in world history, but if it’s significant to one or two people, I feel good about that….


I talk to a lot of young organizers.… I’m always telling them—“Your timeline is not the timeline on which movements occur. Your timeline is incidental. Your timeline is only for yourself to mark your growth and your living.” But that’s a fraction of the living that’s going to be done by the universe and that has already been done by the universe. When you understand that you’re really insignificant in the grand scheme of things, then it’s a freedom, in my opinion, to actually be able to do the work that’s necessary as you see it and to contribute in the ways that you see fit. (Rohr, n.d.)


We implore the Spirit to enlighten our contemplation of Jesus instruction in the Sermon on the Mount and inspire our faith and hope to act as disciples of Christ in our environment. 



References

Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/7

Meditation on Matthew 7:21-29. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/25/1600045/ 

Meze, G. (2026, June 25). Daily Reflection June 25, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-25-2026 

Psalms, PSALM 79 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/79?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Hope Is a Discipline. CAC.org. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/hope-is-a-discipline/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Wise Who Built Their House upon the Rock. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Kings, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2kings/24


Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Love and Providence

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be witness to hope in Love and Divine Providence as we explore these resonances in our own journey.

“Yes” to the Plan of God


The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah proclaims The Servant of the Lord.


* [49:1] Gave me my name: designated me for a special task or mission (cf. Jer 1:5).

* [49:3] Israel: the servant is identified with the people of Israel as their ideal representative; however, vv. 56 seem to distinguish the servant from Israel.

* [49:6] The servant’s vocation extends beyond the restoration of Israel in order to bring the knowledge of Israel’s God to the rest of the earth; cf. Lk 2:32. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB, n.d.)


Psalm 139 offers a meditation on God’s omnipresence and omniscience.


* [Psalm 139] A hymnic meditation on God’s omnipresence and omniscience. The psalmist is keenly aware of God’s all-knowing gaze (Ps 139:16), of God’s presence in every part of the universe (Ps 139:712), and of God’s control over the psalmist’s very self (Ps 139:1316). Summing up Ps 139:116, 1718 express wonder. There is only one place hostile to God’s rule—wicked people. The psalmist prays to be removed from their company (Ps 139:1924). (Psalms, PSALM 139 | USCCB, n.d.)


The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles proclaims Paul’s Address about Christian kerygma in the Synagogue.


* [13:414:27] The key event in Luke’s account of the first missionary journey is the experience of Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:1452). The Christian kerygma proclaimed by Paul in the synagogue was favorably received. Some Jews and “God-fearers” (see note on Acts 8:2640) became interested and invited the missionaries to speak again on the following sabbath (Acts 13:42). By that time, however, the appearance of a large number of Gentiles from the city had so disconcerted the Jews that they became hostile toward the apostles (Acts 13:4450). This hostility of theirs appears in all three accounts of Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts, the Jews of Iconium (Acts 14:12) and Beroea (Acts 17:11) being notable exceptions. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)


The Gospel of Luke presents The Birth of John the Baptist.


* [1:5766] The birth and circumcision of John above all emphasize John’s incorporation into the people of Israel by the sign of the covenant (Gn 17:112). The narrative of John’s circumcision also prepares the way for the subsequent description of the circumcision of Jesus in Lk 2:21. At the beginning of his two-volume work Luke shows those who play crucial roles in the inauguration of Christianity to be wholly a part of the people of Israel. At the end of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 21:20; 22:3; 23:69; 24:1416; 26:28, 2223) he will argue that Christianity is the direct descendant of Pharisaic Judaism.

* [1:59] The practice of Palestinian Judaism at this time was to name the child at birth; moreover, though naming a male child after the father is not completely unknown, the usual practice was to name the child after the grandfather (see Lk 1:61). The naming of the child John and Zechariah’s recovery from his loss of speech should be understood as fulfilling the angel’s announcement to Zechariah in Lk 1:13, 20. (Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)


Gladyce Janky comments that we must find ways to step back from hectic lives so we can silence the noise – both internal and external.  When we pull away, even for a brief time, we begin to recognize the subtle movement of grace – the desires God plants, the gifts received, the people He places in our path.


For most of us, escaping for an extended time in the desert might feel like a luxury we cannot afford – or might want to avoid, especially in an Arizona summer.  But the spiritual desert is necessary.  We must find ways to step back from hectic lives so we can silence the noise – both internal and external.  When we pull away, even for a brief time, we begin to recognize the subtle movement of grace – the desires God plants, the gifts received, the people He places in our path.  Ever so slowly, our purpose becomes less something we are chasing or trying to grasp, and more something we receive and live into. 


This reading reinforces the importance of trusting in God’s timing, and of patience through multiple generations.  God is listening; He has not forgotten the pain of His creation, and He will respond.  The work we do in our lifetimes may not yield results until future generations build on the foundations we lay.  As Ignatius learned during his years of formation and transformation into God’s servant, we are here to do the work God has entrusted to us, not try to follow in the footsteps of John or other saints.  We only need to trust and then move forward as far as we can on our portion of the path known as God’s plan for Salvation History.(Janky, 2026)


Don Schwager quotes Parallels between John and Jesus, by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD)


"The elderly Elizabeth gave birth to the last of the prophets, and Mary, a young girl, to the Lord of the angels. The daughter of Aaron gave birth to the voice in the desert (Isaiah 63:9), but the daughter of David to the strong God of the earth. The barren one gave birth to him who remits sins, but the Virgin gave birth to him who takes them away (John 1:29). Elizabeth gave birth to him who reconciled people through repentance, but Mary gave birth to him who purified the lands of uncleanness. The elder one lit a lamp in the house of Jacob, his father, for this lamp itself was John (John 5:35), while the younger one lit the Sun of Justice (Malachi 4:2) for all the nations. The angel announced to Zechariah, so that the slain one would proclaim the crucified one and that the hated one would proclaim the envied one. He who was to baptize with water would proclaim him who would baptize with fire and with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). The light, which was not obscure, would proclaim the Sun of Justice. The one filled with the Spirit would proclaim concerning him who gives the Spirit. The priest calling with the trumpet would proclaim concerning the one who is to come at the sound of the trumpet at the end. The voice would proclaim concerning the Word, and the one who saw the dove would proclaim concerning him upon whom the dove rested, like the lightning before the thunder." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 1.31) (Schwager, n.d.) 



The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:57-66, 80 comments that John’s very conception and birth were powerful signs of God’s love and faithfulness, but they were just the beginning. Even more important was the way John fulfilled his mission to prepare God’s people for the Messiah.


Let’s rejoice in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is faithful in keeping every one of his promises. He intervened in the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth to bring about the birth of John, and he continues to intervene today to bring about his plans and promises in our lives. May we trust in his goodness, his faithfulness, and his ability to accomplish his will—even if it takes a miracle.


“Lord, you are so faithful! I give you thanks for all the ways you have intervened in my life.” (Meditation on Luke 1:57-66, 80, n.d.)


Friar Jude Winkler comments that in the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 49 John the Baptist is a messenger of conversion as a sharp sword pointing to the Saviour Jesus, even as John stirred in the womb. Acts presents the kerygma made by Paul in the Synagogue testifying to John the Baptist who preached repentance and Jesus Baptism brings us to the life of the Trinity. The matrimonial symbolism of the Baptist is connected to not being worthy to put on the sandals of Jesus as the widow is Israel. Elizabeth wants the name of “John” meaning “Yahweh saves” He carries his mission in his name. The mute Zechariah did not believe in his own prayer and was silenced until the birth of the Baptist. Jesus finds John was in the desert and Friar Jude wonders if the Baptist did go down to Qumran where there were continuous ablutions and an austere lifestyle that were later incorporated in the ideas of the Baptist and his community.



Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on the shared hope that characterized the first community he founded in the late 1970s.


Hope is a participation in the very life of God. It has nothing to do with circumstances or events going well. It can even thrive in the midst of adversity and trial. True faith, which always includes hope and love, is a predisposition to “yes.” I would go so far as to say that a foundational “yes” is the most distinguishing element between an ego- and fear-based agenda and a Spirit-guided one. As Paul writes of Jesus, “With him it was always ‘yes,’ and however many the promises God made, the ‘yes’ to them all is in him” (2 Corinthians 1:19–20).


Deconstruction comes naturally to most of us, but deconstruction is rather useless without reconstruction and a positive vision. It’s the easiest thing in the world to stand on a pedestal of superiority and point out who and what is wrong—without doing anything positive or becoming a positive answer ourselves. After we criticize and deconstruct, what are we actually for? An awful lot of activists on the left and reactionaries on the right have no positive vision, nothing they believe in, no one they are in love with. They are just overwhelmed with what’s wrong and think that by eliminating the so-called “contaminating element,” the world will be just, peaceful, and right again. (Rohr, n.d.)


We seek the patience of the Spirit in our decisions and actions in hope that Love will prevail as the consequence of our Faith and “Yes” to the Plan of God.



References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/13

Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/49

Janky, G. (2026, June 24). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-24-2026 

Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?57 

Meditation on Luke 1:57-66, 80. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/24/1597747/ 

Psalms, PSALM 139 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/139

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Participatory Hope. CAC.org. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/participatory-hope/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Hand of the Lord Was with Him. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2026&date=jun24a