Gospel

Luke 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,

preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Accompanying him were the Twelve

and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,

Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,

Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,

Susanna, and many others

who provided for them out of their resources.

Reflection

We don't always think about the most basic things that Jesus needed to perform his ministry. And here we see that there were many women who were touched by his healing words and became great supporters of his work, and they traveled with him and made sure out of their resources, they were able to give him everything he needed. It's a beautiful example of how the kingdom, when it takes root in someone, because of the healing they received, they continue to support the message of Jesus.

Closing Prayer

Father, something happens to us when we receive your gifts, your Holy Spirit dwelling in us. We find ourselves more engaged in the things that bring life and hope to people. Bless us with the imagination to see how clearly we can make a difference. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 7:36-50

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,

and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.

Now there was a sinful woman in the city

who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.

Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,

she stood behind him at his feet weeping

and began to bathe his feet with her tears.

Then she wiped them with her hair,

kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,

"If this man were a prophet,

he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,

that she is a sinner."

Jesus said to him in reply,

"Simon, I have something to say to you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;

one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.

Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.

Which of them will love him more?"

Simon said in reply,

"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."

He said to him, "You have judged rightly."

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,

"Do you see this woman?

When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,

but she has bathed them with her tears

and wiped them with her hair.

You did not give me a kiss,

but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.

You did not anoint my head with oil,

but she anointed my feet with ointment.

So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;

hence, she has shown great love.

But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."

He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The others at table said to themselves,

"Who is this who even forgives sins?"

But he said to the woman,

"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Reflection

It’s fascinating and very important, I think, to understand the work of Jesus. To recognize how people responded to people who were sinners. It was not just that they were rejected, but even if you touch them, you would be considered unclean. How strange that the work of God in freeing us from sin would be held in such regard. That it was something to avoid, something to not face, something to run from.

Closing Prayer

Father, so often our sins make us feel that we're unworthy, that we are ashamed of who we are. Wish we were better so you would love us more. Free us from that insane way of thinking. He came to us because we need forgiveness, and he offers it abundantly. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 7:31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:

"To what shall I compare the people of this generation?

What are they like?

They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.

We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.'

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,

and you said, 'He is possessed by a demon.'

The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,

'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,

a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'

But wisdom is vindicated by all her children."

Reflection

There are two responses to the Truth. One is rejection in the form of judgment. The other is acceptance and the transforming grace of what the truth brings. It's interesting to me to see the way the crowd perceived John the Baptist and Jesus. They didn't look at anything other than something they could condemn. Judge. Jesus is an alcoholic. John the Baptist was out of his mind.

How easy it is to judge and condemn how difficult it is to receive the truth that God longs for us to receive.

Closing Prayer

Father, it's your grace, your presence within us that enables us to grasp and understand after pondering the mysteries of this wonderful story called Salvation History. Bless us with that wisdom. Keep us from judgment, condemnation, and we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Gospel 

Luke 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,

and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.

As he drew near to the gate of the city,

a man who had died was being carried out,

the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

A large crowd from the city was with her.

When the Lord saw her,

he was moved with pity for her and said to her,

“Do not weep.”

He stepped forward and touched the coffin;

at this the bearers halted,

and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”

The dead man sat up and began to speak,

and Jesus gave him to his mother.

Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,

“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”

and “God has visited his people.”

This report about him spread through the whole of Judea

and in all the surrounding region.

Reflection

This miracle happened at the beginning of Jesus ministry, and we know it was repeated toward the end of his ministry when he raised Lazarus from the dead.

But in both cases, what Jesus is trying to make sure people understand is that his kingdom, that he is here to call into existence, is giving people the power over evil, over anything that would destroy us, harm us, keep us from the fullness of life. This is a beautiful example of the power that God is sharing with us.

As the Holy Spirit enters us and empowers us.

Closing Prayer

Father, keep us always aware of the power that you share with us by dwelling with us. Give us a sense of the ability we have to overcome those things that we feel are obstacles to our growth, and we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 2:33-35

Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

"Behold, this child is destined

for the fall and rise of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be contradicted

and you yourself a sword will pierce

so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Reflection

Think of all the times that Mary and Joseph must have pondered who this child would be. They knew it would be the Messiah, and most likely they were very excited about the fact that he would come and save Israel, and bring the temple back to wholeness. Simeon is the one who speaks about the dark side, about the pain of his death.

Without focusing on the resurrection.

Closing Prayer

Father, there are still many misconceptions about who Jesus is and who God is, and what we're here to do and to be when we surrender to him. Bless us with wisdom and we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Originally aired on September 14, 2014.

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Gospel

Luke 6:43-49

Jesus said to his disciples:

"A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,

nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.

For every tree is known by its own fruit.

For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,

nor do they gather grapes from brambles.

A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,

but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;

for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' but not do what I command?

I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,

listens to my words, and acts on them.

That one is like a man building a house,

who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;

when the flood came, the river burst against that house

but could not shake it because it had been well built.

But the one who listens and does not act

is like a person who built a house on the ground

without a foundation.

When the river burst against it,

it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed."

Reflection

It may be hard for us to realize that any authenticity that we have, any power to truly be a transforming agent for anyone else, we have to be integrated. We have to know who we are. We have to embrace everything about us. In that way, we are able to change people because what we're producing comes from something deep inside of us that's more than us.

It's the heart that speaks, and the heart is the home of the Holy Spirit in all of us. And when we're speaking in his name, when we're speaking with his truth within us, there's great fruitfulness and all are fed.

Closing Prayer

Father, we know that we are here to learn and to understand. And knowledge can bring us to a certain point, but ultimately what we rely upon is this awesome Holy Spirit within us. It doesn't just teach us, but transforms us into the truth of the teaching. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable:

“Can a blind person guide a blind person?

Will not both fall into a pit?

No disciple is superior to the teacher;

but when fully trained,

every disciple will be like his teacher.

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,

but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?

How can you say to your brother,

‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’

when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?

You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;

then you will see clearly

to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

Reflection

In these passages of Luke, we see the disciples becoming apostles. And apostles have great responsibility, and one of the things that would make them true apostles is that they experience things and learn from those experiences, not just talk about them from some kind of intellectual understanding. In other words, unless you go through the processes that you are going to teach, you cannot truly teach effectively.

Closing Prayer

Father, bless us with authenticity. Help us not to be talking about something that we were told, but about something we've experienced. Experience is the greatest teacher. So open us to all that you're longing to teach us through the experiences of our life. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:

"To you who hear I say, love your enemies,

do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,

pray for those who mistreat you.

To the person who strikes you on one cheek,

offer the other one as well,

and from the person who takes your cloak,

do not withhold even your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks of you,

and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

For if you love those who love you,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who do good to you,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners do the same.

If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners lend to sinners,

and get back the same amount.

But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,

and lend expecting nothing back;

then your reward will be great

and you will be children of the Most High,

for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged.

Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Give and gifts will be given to you;

a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,

will be poured into your lap.

For the measure with which you measure

will in return be measured out to you."

Reflection

Jesus is offering a very important truth when he's talking to his disciples about generosity and giving to people who can't give it back to you. He's saying that there's a mystery that you don't understand, everything is connected. You are connected to your brothers and sisters. They're connected with you. And when you have negative feelings toward them, when you hate them, for some reason.

The oneness brings that back to you, and you receive the negativity that you've given out. It's an incredible insight. It reminds us of the importance of a disposition of trust, generosity, and love. And when we offer it to others, it will come back in abundance.

Closing Prayer 

Father, we sometimes think the things that we think in our head are not really dangerous. We may be condemning someone, hating someone, or thinking that as long as I don't act that way, it's going to be fine. It's the opposite. What's in your heart is your intention. If your attention is negative toward anyone, it is bringing negativity into your very soul. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 6:20-26

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:

"Blessed are you who are poor,

for the Kingdom of God is yours.

Blessed are you who are now hungry,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who are now weeping,

for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when people hate you,

and when they exclude and insult you,

and denounce your name as evil

on account of the Son of Man.

"Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!

Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.

For their ancestors treated the prophets

in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your consolation.

But woe to you who are filled now,

for you will be hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will grieve and weep.

Woe to you when all speak well of you,

for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way."

Reflection

At the time that Jesus spoke these words, there was an understanding that people who follow the law would be prosperous in the world. The rich were a sign that God favored them over others. Jesus is acknowledging the mystery of emptiness, poverty, being without as the catalyst that truly is to reaching out for something to take care of us and help us.

Poverty is really, in a way, a stepping stone spiritually into the richness in the fullness of God living within us.

Closing Prayer

Father, bless us with the patience that we need to go through the dark and difficult things that you place in our lives so that we can become more open, more receptive, more patient with others. Let us see this gift and let us engage in it. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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