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INSENSITIVITY IS A SIN Our readings today show the displeasure of the Lord on a particular human trait – insensitivity. In the first reading (Amos 6), the Lord notices how the rich of Israel, eat and drink, sing and relax, enjoy and take life easy.   There is nothing wrong about enjoying life.   But there are suffering people around, and God wonders, what these revelers do to help them. The Gospel offers a very graphic description of an insensitive person (Luke 16: 19ff).   Again, a rich man dwells in cozy surroundings in the midst of abundance.   Just outside his door laid a sick beggar, Lazarus.   When the rich man died, he went straight to hell – not for maltreating the beggar, but for ignoring him.   To both subjects in the first reading and the Gospel, the Lord has only one message:   you will end up in the place of torment. After your easy earthly life, your eternity will be one of torment and ceaseless anguish!...

A HEALTHY REMINDER The gospel reminds us: You cannot serve both God and money (Lk. 16:13). But people need money.   I need it for my supplies, medicines and personal needs.   You need it for your household, your rent, your school tuition and your daily provisions.   Our church needs money for maintenance, repairs, programs, and outreach to the youth and to the poor. In his goodness, God supplies us with financial and material things so we can survive the demands of our fast-paced life. But though we need these things, Jesus cautions us against falling in love with them.   There are things in life that rank more important than just the material like persons, values, principles, and faith. Oftentimes, we forget these higher components of life, settling for the satisfaction of our baser instincts and drives.   When this happens, our wants take priority.   We become selfish and self-absorbed. And we begin to desire more. N...

IN THE COMPANY OF JESUS What made Jesus a different kind of teacher, master, and guide in Israel?   The very first words of the gospel today spells the distinction people saw in Jesus. Luke 15 begins: “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him.”   Reflecting on the Gospel for this week, my thoughts were drawn to this first sentence.   Some teachers and preachers, even today, draw the rich crowd.   Some attract the young crowd.   Some specifically target the professionals.   Some spiritual gurus are magnets to the educated.   But Jesus, here was somebody who was attractive to the unattractive.   This fact caused great scandal among the people who expected a sanitized version of God’s messiah, of a savior who comes to gather only the pure and worthy children of God. And the message Jesus came to deliver to his audience struck a cord in every heart.   There was this lost sheep.   Th...

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THE CROSS IS GOD’S ANSWER Many puzzles greet our every day.   When things seem thoroughly fine, troubles start up somewhere. Why?   When a serious concern is just about to end, a string of new problems emerge to follow it. Why? Life today, for young and old alike, is riddled with constant trials.   Last week I encountered a little boy struggling with his life in the hospital, a young man beset with family problems, and an old man who must prepare for the end. In the midst of all these, as Christians we turn to the Lord, as the writer of the book of Wisdom (Ch. 9) also did. And yet, there does not surface an immediate answer to our puzzle and our interior questioning. “Who can know God’s counsel, or who can conceive what our Lord intends?” In fact, God’s tacit reply to man’s frantic question involves still further puzzles.   In saving the world, why did His Son, Jesus, have to carry the cross to his death?   And why would Jesus,...

FAST AND PRAY FOR PEACE IN SYRIA WITH THE HOLY FATHER POPE FRANCIS SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 EVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY