See the Way of Love

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek awareness of the divisions that threaten to separate us from being in meaningful relationships with the people in our environment.

Embrace the Way of Love

The Reading from the Second Book of Kings describes Israelites Deported from the North.

* [17:5] The king of Assyria: Shalmaneser was succeeded by Sargon II, who usurped the Assyrian throne in 722/721 B.C. In his inscriptions, Sargon claims to have captured Samaria during the first year of his reign.

* [17:6–41] This brief section is the Deuteronomistic historian’s theological reflection on the causes and aftermath of Assyria’s conquest of the Northern Kingdom. The text contrasts the Israelites, who were deported (v. 6) because they abandoned the worship of the Lord (vv. 7–23), with the foreigners who were brought into the land (v. 24) and undertook, however imperfectly, to worship the Lord alongside their own traditional deities (vv. 25–34a). The last verses recapitulate the apostasy of the Israelites (vv. 34b–40) and the syncretism of the foreigners (v. 41). This is a deliberately disparaging, and not wholly accurate, account of the origin of the Samaritans; it reflects the hostility the Judahites continued to hold toward the inhabitants of the northern territories. (2 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 60 complains that God has let the enemy win the battle

* [Psalm 60] The community complains that God has let the enemy win the battle (Ps 60:3–5) and asks for an assurance of victory (Ps 60:6–7). In the oracle God affirms ownership of the land; the invasion of other nations is not permanent and will be reversed ultimately (Ps 60:8–10). With renewed confidence, the community resolves to fight again (Ps 60:11). The opening lament is picked up again (Ps 60:12), but this time with new awareness of God’s power and human limitation. (Psalm 60, PSALMS | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus warns against Judging Others

* [7:1–12] In Mt 7:1 Matthew returns to the basic traditional material of the sermon (Lk 6:37–38, 41–42). The governing thought is the correspondence between conduct toward one’s fellows and God’s conduct toward the one so acting.

* [7:1] This is not a prohibition against recognizing the faults of others, which would be hardly compatible with Mt 7:5, 6 but against passing judgment in a spirit of arrogance, forgetful of one’s own faults.

* [7:5] Hypocrite: the designation previously given to the scribes and Pharisees is here given to the Christian disciple who is concerned with the faults of another and ignores his own more serious offenses. (Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Suzanne Braddock comments that our culture, our families, even our professions can emphasize the detection of what’s wrong, out of place, needing correction. Let’s examine our way of using kindness and nonviolent communication - avoiding blame and hurt no matter how subtle. Let’s follow Jesus.

I believe forgiveness, compassion and understanding are at play here - to our brother and to ourselves. On a recent family get-together old memories, even old hurts, were brought up. The usual thing that can happen in family gatherings. In a way these hurts can be a form of violence rather than forgiveness, understanding or compassion.  One of us suggested we practice  communicating as described in Marshall B. Rosenberg PhD’s book - you guessed it - Nonviolent Communication. I am reading it now and find it immensely helpful in describing in concrete terms non hurtful ways of communicating. No splinters or wooden beams, just clear and non judgemental ways of sharing your feelings in helpful and kind ways.

Our culture, our families, even our professions can emphasize the detection of what’s wrong, out of place, needing correction. Let’s examine our way of using kindness and nonviolent communication - avoiding blame and hurt no matter how subtle. Let’s follow Jesus. (Braddock, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Judge from justice, forgive from grace,” by Ephrem the Syrian, 306-373 A.D.

"Do not judge, that is, unjustly, so that you may not be judged, with regard to injustice. With the judgment that you judge shall you be judged (Matthew 7:2). This is like the phrase 'Forgive, and it will be forgiven you.' For once someone has judged in accordance with justice, he should forgive in accordance with grace, so that when he himself is judged in accordance with justice, he may be worthy of forgiveness through grace. Alternatively, it was on account of the judges, those who seek vengeance for themselves, that he said, 'Do not condemn.' That is, do not seek vengeance for yourselves. Or, do not judge, from appearances and opinion and then condemn, but admonish and advise." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 6.18B) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 7:1-5 comments that in today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” (Matthew 7:2). While Jesus looks upon us with compassion and mercy, he warns against “measuring” our compassion and mercy in a stingy way. It sounds similar to the Lord’s Prayer, when we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

So let’s examine our hearts. Let’s uproot and bring to the Lord the ways we tend to look down on other people or find it easy to point out their faults or refuse to give them the benefit of the doubt. Let’s come to the Lord to receive his forgiveness. When we allow his mercy to lead us to repentance, the “beam” is removed from our eyes, and our hearts are changed. Then we can begin to see differently.

“Jesus, I bring to you anything that prevents me from seeing my neighbor clearly, as you see them, with eyes of mercy and compassion.” (Meditation on Matthew 7:1-5, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in 2 Kings we hear the fall of the northern kingdom and the conqueror deports many of the people. He leaves the poor to practice agriculture. The ten lost tribes of Israel originate here in a just punishment for worship of other gods worship not keeping the commandments thereby calling the punishment upon themselves. The passage from the Gospel of Matthew exhorts us not to judge so we will not be judged. We can't say an evil person is doing evil and we want to heal them. Friar Jude reminds us it is necessary to call them through our own conversion by taking the splinter out of our own eye, seeing clearly, that only love brings conversion.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces CAC faculty emerita Cynthia Bourgeault who describes hope as a quality of God’s mercy, fully available to us. Through contemplative practice and surrender, Bourgeault believes we can experience God’s mystical hope and become a healing presence in the world.

In the contemplative journey, as we swim down into those deeper waters toward the wellsprings of hope, we begin to experience and trust what it means to lay down self, to let go of ordinary awareness and surrender ourselves to the mercy of God. And as hope, the hidden spring of mercy deep within us, is released in that touch and flows out from the center, filling us with the fullness of God’s own purpose living itself into action, then we discover within ourselves the mysterious plentitude to live into action what our ordinary hearts and minds could not possibly sustain. In plumbing deeply the hidden rootedness of the whole, where all things are held together in the Mercy, we are released from the grip of personal fear and set free to minister with skillful means and true compassion to a world desperately in need of reconnection. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to guide us where we struggle to respond in a loving way to the situations that challenge us and to look inward at what might be blocking our openness and understanding. 

References

Braddock, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-22-2026 

Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/7? 

Meditation on Matthew 7:1-5. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/22/1596633/ 

Psalm 60, PSALMS | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/60?3 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Mercy and Mystical Hope. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/mercy-and-mystical-hope/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). First Take the Log out of Your Own Eye. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2kings/17?5 

Good News of Generous Care.

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle, challenge us to be open, in a world of abundance, to sharing the Good News, in fellowship with all the people encountered in our vineyard.

Abundance and Action

In the Reading from the Acts of the Apostles the Church at Antioch is recognized as “Christian”.

* [11:19–26] The Jewish Christian antipathy to the mixed community was reflected by the early missionaries generally. The few among them who entertained a different view succeeded in introducing Gentiles into the community at Antioch (in Syria). When the disconcerted Jerusalem community sent Barnabas to investigate, he was so favorably impressed by what he observed that he persuaded his friend Saul to participate in the Antioch mission.

* [11:26] Christians: “Christians” is first applied to the members of the community at Antioch because the Gentile members of the community enable it to stand out clearly from Judaism.(Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

* [13:1–3] The impulse for the first missionary effort in Asia Minor is ascribed to the prophets of the Antiochene community, under the inspiration of the holy Spirit. Just as the Jerusalem community had earlier been the center of missionary activity, so too Antioch becomes the center from which the missionaries Barnabas and Saul are sent out. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 98 extolls God for Israel’s victory.

* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9). (Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents The Commissioning of the Twelve.

* [10:8–11] The Twelve have received their own call and mission through God’s gift, and the benefits they confer are likewise to be given freely. They are not to take with them money, provisions, or unnecessary clothing; their lodging and food will be provided by those who receive them.

* [10:13] The greeting of peace is conceived of not merely as a salutation but as an effective word. If it finds no worthy recipient, it will return to the speaker. (Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Michele Bogard comments Barnabas advocated for Paul post his conversion. His name means “son of encouragement” and he’s the patron Saint of Cyprus, Antioch, and peacekeeping missions. Forgive and forget.  It’s an easy enough phrase but so difficult to live.

I have worked hard in my life to forgive - one relationship in particular.  But forgetting?  That is something entirely different.  Trust broken is so hard to rebuild.  I can’t say that those two concepts go hand in hand for me easily. 

But isn’t that what Jesus is asking of us?  Forgiving without holding grudges/forgetting isn’t really forgiving. 

Today, if you pray the Examen, try to recount those relationships that you haven’t forgotten the wrongs.  Let us take stock of the grudges we have and ask St. Barnabas’s intercession to encourage our hearts to truly heal so that we can be fully in communion with God. (Bogard, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Taming the Tongue,” by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)

"What are we to do? Whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. But no human being can tame the tongue. Will everyone therefore go to the hell of fire? By no means. Lord, you have become our refuge from generation to generation (Psalm 90:1). Your wrath is just. You send no one to hell unjustly. Where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence (Psalm 139:7), unless to you? Thus let us understand, my dearly beloved, that if no human being can tame the tongue, we must take refuge in God, who will tame it. Does your own human nature prevent you from taming your tongue? No human being can tame the tongue (James 3:8). Consider this analogy from the animals that we tame. A horse does not tame itself; a camel does not tame itself; an elephant does not tame itself; a snake does not tame itself; a lion does not tame itself. So too a man does not tame himself. In order to tame a horse, an ox, a camel, an elephant, a lion and a snake, a human being is required. Therefore God should be required in order for a human being to be tamed. (excerpt from Sermon 55:2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3 comments that today the Church honors Barnabas, not just as a great hero of the faith, but also as a model for us to follow. We can all become like Barnabas because every one of us who has been baptized has received the same Holy Spirit that he did. Like Barnabas, each of us can invite the Spirit to take our natural gifts and fill them with his grace and power.

It’s good to remind yourself every now and then that you are “filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” Whether you are working, studying, or parenting, he is with you to increase your patience and your faithfulness to your calling. When you are in the midst of a difficult conversation with someone, he is with you to help you choose your words wisely and to give you his compassion and peace. The Spirit is always ready to fill you and empower you to share your gifts with everyone around you.

“Lord, help me to remain open to your Spirit today.” (Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the passage from Acts 11 and Acts 13 speaks about Barnabas who was an evangelizer in Antioch. He and Saul, Hebrew Aramaic for Paul, go to Antioch where the “Christian” name is established among Gentile converts. Paul and Barnabas are set aside with laying on hands for missionary work. In the Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel of Matthew, righteousness as understood by the Pharisee as following the Laws to the letter and therefore taken to the widest scrupulous interpretation is replaced by Jesus with the spirit to extend the Law to any form of hurting. We are called to reconcile before going to the altar. Friar Jude notes that the handshake of peace before the Eucharist is intended to become a sign of reconciliation for those participating in the Eucharist as brothers and sisters.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Cynthia Bourgeault who explores the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The bottom line is that everybody has enough. The ones that came in early thought the usual daily wage was fair. That’s taken care of. The real fruit being generated, just like grapes turn into wine, was the work together. In these circumstances, it’s fermented and transformed into some fragrance of human interactivity and abundance that doesn’t exist otherwise.

Reading this parable against the backdrop of a relational field rather than individual competition, entirely different elements jump out. Without that relational field, you simply can’t see where Jesus is going. Trying to understand it with your mind, you’ll never get it because your mind will keep coming back to “more and less” and “it’s not fair.” It’s not until you begin from the fullness of love, and the order and coherence that arise from it, that you can recognize what’s being said and how radical it is.

We get the invitation to go into the vineyard, but it’s only in stepping up, saying yes, and trusting the relational field that we’re going to actually be participants in the kingdom of God. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to guide our pursuit of a relationship with Christ that avoids scrupulous attention to particular faults and rules and presents our extension of Love, Compassion, and Hope to all the people we encounter.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/11? 

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/13 

Bogard, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-11-2026 

Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/10 

Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/11/1589802/ 

Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Laborers in the Vineyard. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Be Reconciled to Your Brother. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/ 

Loyalty and Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invite us to examine the role of loyalty in following the Great Commandment of Love.

Loyalty and Life

The Reading from the Book of Ruth begins the story of Naomi in Moab.

* [1:1–2] Back in the time of the judges: the story looks back three generations before King David (4:17) into the time of the tribal confederation described in the Book of Judges. David’s Moabite connections are implied in 1 Sm 22:3–4. Bethlehem of Judah: Bethlehem, a town in which part of the Judean clan-division called Ephrathah lived; cf. 1 Chr 2:50–51; 4:4; Mi 5:1. Jos 19:15 mentions a different Bethlehem in the north. The plateau of Moab: on the east side of the Jordan valley rift, where the hills facing west get more rain, and where agricultural conditions differ from those in Judah. Ephrathites: a reminder of David’s origins; cf. Mi 5:1.

* [1:5] Boys: the way the storyteller chooses certain words as guides is shown here; “boy” will not appear again until 4:16.

* [1:6] Had seen to his people’s needs: lit., “had visited his people.

* [1:16–17] Ruth’s adherence to her mother-in-law in 1:14 is now expressed in a profound oath of loyalty, culminating in a formulary found frequently in Samuel and Kings; cf. especially 1 Sm 20:13. Even death: burial in Naomi’s family tomb means that not even death will separate them. (Ruth, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 146 proclaims there is no other source of strength except the merciful God..

* [Psalm 146] A hymn of someone who has learned there is no other source of strength except the merciful God. Only God, not mortal human beings (Ps 146:3–4), can help vulnerable and oppressed people (Ps 146:5–9). The first of the five hymns that conclude the Psalter. (Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus identifies The Greatest Commandment.

* [22:34–40] The Marcan parallel (Mk 12:28–34) is an exchange between Jesus and a scribe who is impressed by the way in which Jesus has conducted himself in the previous controversy (Mk 12:28), who compliments him for the answer he gives him (Mk 12:32), and who is said by Jesus to be “not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk 12:34). Matthew has sharpened that scene. The questioner, as the representative of other Pharisees, tests Jesus by his question (Mt 22:34–35), and both his reaction to Jesus’ reply and Jesus’ commendation of him are lacking.

* [22:35] [A scholar of the law]: meaning “scribe.” Although this reading is supported by the vast majority of textual witnesses, it is the only time that the Greek word so translated occurs in Matthew. It is relatively frequent in Luke, and there is reason to think that it may have been added here by a copyist since it occurs in the Lucan parallel (Lk 10:25–28). Tested: see note on Mt 19:3.

* [22:36] For the devout Jew all the commandments were to be kept with equal care, but there is evidence of preoccupation in Jewish sources with the question put to Jesus.

* [22:37–38] Cf. Dt 6:5. Matthew omits the first part of Mark’s fuller quotation (Mk 12:29; Dt 6:4–5), probably because he considered its monotheistic emphasis needless for his church. The love of God must engage the total person (heart, soul, mind).

* [22:39] Jesus goes beyond the extent of the question put to him and joins to the greatest and the first commandment a second, that of love of neighbor, Lv 19:18; see note on Mt 19:18–19. This combination of the two commandments may already have been made in Judaism.

* [22:40] The double commandment is the source from which the whole law and the prophets are derived. (Matthew, CHAPTER 22 | USCCB, n.d.)

Carol Zuegner comments that it is so simple. Love your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. But we never make it simple. We want control. We want exceptions.

There aren’t exceptions. If we are to find God in all things, we have to reach inside of ourselves and be that better person we can be all the time. Not just when it’s convenient or easy or makes me feel good or lets other people see what a good person I am. Does this mean I will never be impatient or short with someone? Probably not. Does this commandment mean that I should think every day about ways that I can love my God with all my heart and all my soul and all my mind by living out that second rule. No exceptions. No whining. No it’s-not-my-turn thoughts. 

My prayer is to let me be aware of these moments every day where I love my neighbor, where I can send ripples of love and care out into the world. No exceptions. (Zuegner, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Loving God with heart, mind, and soul,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Worthy is he, confirmed in all his gifts, who exults in the wisdom of God, having a heart full of the love of God, and a soul completely enlightened by the lamp of knowledge and a mind filled with the word of God. It follows then that all such gifts truly come from God. He would understand that all the law and the prophets are in some way a part of the wisdom and knowledge of God. He would understand that all the law and the prophets depend upon and adhere to the principle of the love of the Lord God and of neighbor and that the perfection of piety consists in love." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22 comments that we have all been in situations when we’ve had to choose a path that is compassionate and yet costly.

It can be hard to see situations like these as invitations from the Lord. But sometimes that’s exactly what they are. They give us the chance to imitate Jesus’ love and loyalty. They help us say no to selfishness. And they offer opportunities for healing and reconciliation. In many cases, they open the door for God to work wonders in our hearts.

So don’t reject these invitations out of hand. You never know how saying yes might change your history!

“Lord, give me the strength and wisdom to choose the path of costly compassion when it arises before me.” (Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. The reading from Ruth is the story of a Moabite, a people hated by the Israelites, named Ruth, who shows great loyalty to Naomi. She becomes known as a virtuous ancestor of David. Jesus recites the Commandment of love of God and neighbour. Friar Jude notes that this involves intelligence, persecution, and possessions in loving God, a vertical dimension, and love of our neighbour as the horizontal dimension.

Cynthia Bourgeault explains how understanding the ancient meaning of the word passion can help us gain emotional equilibrium. The passions are really stuck emotions, revolving around themselves to generate drama. She cites a great teaching from the 4th-century spiritual teacher, Evagrius, the first real spiritual psychologist of the Christian West.

Once it becomes a passion and it’s stuck to your story, it can do nothing else but churn up more emotion, which then goes down into your physical body and steals your energy of being. Evagrius’ advice is that you have to learn to nip the thought in the bud before it becomes a passion. It’s a kind of wonderful combination of what we might call witnessing presence or practice, developing the capacity to see, combined with kenosis, the willingness to let go of the satisfaction you get from your drama. That is what clears the radar screen.   

The core practice for cleansing and restoring the heart to its organ of spiritual seeing, becomes supremely, in Christianity, the path of kenosis, of letting go. The seeing will come, but the real heart of working with emotion is the willingness to let go, to sacrifice your personal drama, letting go at that level, so that you can begin to see with a pure heart.  (Bourgeault, n.d.)  

We are assisted by the Spirit to open our practice of the Great Commandment of Love to include all people.

References

Bourgeault, C. (n.d.). Purifying the Heart. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/purifying-the-heart/ 

Matthew, CHAPTER 22 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/22?34 

Meditation on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer 

Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/146?5 

Ruth, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ruth/1?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). What Is the Greatest Rule of Life? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug22 

Zuegner, C. (2025, August 22). Daily Reflection August 22, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-22-2025