Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer

By Msgr. Don FischerReligion & Spirituality

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Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer episodes

October 31 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Saturday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 11-4-2023
===
Gospel
Luke 14:1, 7-11
On a sabbath Jesus 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.”

Reflection
This unusual passage is Jesus giving advice so the Pharisees can be, in a sense, more esteemed.

He plays on the reality that these men were living for esteem. They had to be seen as someone important, someone more important than others. And so He gives this simple advice that will help them not lose that esteem. And what He’s really trying to do is to say to them, pay attention to who you are, what motivates you?

It's a great question. What does motivate our hearts, and our minds, and our will? What is it that we're trying to accomplish? Is it about me and my importance, or is about others and their value?

Closing Prayer
Father, our human nature is something that you've given to us, and in that nature we see things that we're drawn to that are not fully in sync with your kingdom, and we know that we should change and it's very difficult. So bless us with the grace, the power to see ourselves clearly and to choose a way of life that will bring something wonderful to us and to those around us. Help us to build your kingdom. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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7 min
October 30 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Friday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 11-3-2023
===
Gospel
Luke 14:1-6
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy.
Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,
“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?”
But they kept silent; so he took the man and,
after he had healed him, dismissed him.
Then he said to them
“Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern,
would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?”
But they were unable to answer his question.

Reflection
It's clear to see that Jesus was the healer and the temple was the obstacle to God being able to give to His people all that they needed to fill their life with the kingdom of God.

And so in this story we see Jesus again challenging the Pharisees with the idea of a Sabbath being the day that you are most in contact with God, that that contact with God empowered you to heal any day of the week. And so we need to listen carefully to this complaint, this obstacle, this difficulty that is a shadow of all religions, and that is it tends to make us look first at what we have to do for God rather than what God does for us.

Closing Prayer
Father, give us wisdom that we will always be able to get to the heart of what you're calling us to be. We're not simply people who are told to follow regulations and rules, but people who are called to be like Your son filled with your spirit, and that spirit is healing and powerful and needed desperately in the world today. So bless us with our role of being those who heal instead of those who control. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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7 min
October 29 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Thursday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 10-31-24
===
Gospel
Luke 13:31-35
Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go and tell that fox,
‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.’
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Reflection
The Pharisees come to warn Jesus that the work he is engaged in might be destroyed by Herod. But Jesus makes clear that his work is being accomplished. The purpose he came for will be accomplished. But then he reminds the Pharisees of their greatest weakness, their greatest sin. How many times they had rejected the work of God, trying to open their hearts to his love and his care.
This is the greatest sin of the Pharisees, because it kept them always from the kingdom of God.

Closing Prayer
Father, always, it's clear that your greatest gift to us is something that we have to not work for, but have to receive generously. Allow the work that he has done for us to take root in us, that we can build his kingdom. Keep us free from the pride. Keep us free from this sin of the Pharisees, who simply would not allow God to be God. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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7 min
October 28 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
Original Postdate: 10-28-2024
===
Gospel
Luke 6:12-16
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Reflection
There's a mystery that surrounds the divinity of God. There's a mystery that surrounds the identity of Jesus. Is he a man or is he God? Well, we know he's both. So what we see in so many situations, he is the model of who we are to be, we’re to be like him. And the beautiful image here is that whenever he has a decision to make, he turns to God, turns to the father.
It's like God is praying to God, and the point is well taken, because it means that we should always be focused on turning to God first. What is it I need to do? Help me to see what is really important.

Closing Prayer
Father, you know everything, yet you still invite us to turn to you over and over again, and seek your guidance. Seek your direction. Help us never to feel that we can do this work alone. It's our greatest weakness. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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6 min
October 27 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Tuesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 10-29-2024
===
Gospel
Luke 13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

Reflection
Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God. But what is it like? And it's clear in this passage that what Jesus said, it's very organic. It's very natural. It begins small and continues to grow and enlarge and become more real. That's the challenge, each of us to take our part seriously, in how we evolve more toward this kingdom of God.
Each of us have our part. Each of our gifts moves the kingdom closer and closer to fulfillment.

Closing Prayer
Father, it's easy for us to not to feel that we're that important, or that we don't matter that much, but we do. Every one of us, as we continue to grow toward the kingdom, are lifting each other up. And the kingdom becomes more and more a reality. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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6 min
October 26 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Monday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 10-30-2023
===
Gospel
Luke 13:10-17
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Reflection
In this story, we have a dramatic example of the change, that presence of God in a human being made. The temple, which was focused on the law and controlling people's behavior, was burdening people.

And the woman in this story is a perfect example of why the temple had to be destroyed. It was just a burden to people. And when Jesus replaced it with His love, with His power to heal, with His desire for people to be treated in a way that they deserved, is was so welcomed by the crowd. It is also welcomed in our hearts when we know that the reason that God created us in this world is to get us to a place where we trust in Him to be everything we need and to be following Him through His spirit, living in us, and not through laws and regulations.

Closing Prayer
Father, the wisdom that you have given us by your ministry, by your presence in the world is such a treasure. Open our hearts to receive it. Help us to see the distinction between the old way and the new way. From the burden to a gift, from darkness to light. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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7 min
October 25 HOMILY • The 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Original Airdate: October 25, 2020
Exodus 22:20-26 | 1 Thessalonians 1:5C-10 | Matthew 22:34-40

Opening Prayer
Almighty, everliving God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command so that we may merit what you promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

Closing Prayer
Father, your gift is our heart, the part of us that is made for love and understanding and compassion and communion, union, oneness, surrender to what is, learning, growing.You put your heart in our hearts. Help us to be connected to that great source so that we know that the work you ask us to do is not based on our power but on your power in us. We can love like you love.It’s our inheritance, so bless us with an awareness of its effectiveness — loves effectiveness and the power you give us to do it.And we ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

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27 min
October 24 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Saturday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 10-26-24
===
Gospel
Luke 13:1-9
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of’ their sacrifices.
He said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them–
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
Reflection
The people that asked the question of Jesus reveal a sense that God's response to sinners is that he wants to destroy them. And Jesus corrects their misunderstanding saying, God is not will to destroy a sinner, but they change that they repent, they face what they've done. And then he promises them that they will be given time and a way to nurture, to increase their capacity for goodness.
For fruitfulness.
Closing Prayer
Father, the condition of failing is part of the process of growing and changing. We are called over and over again to face the things that we've done that are wrong, and to find ways in which to nurture within ourselves the qualities that our sins have kept us from. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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7 min
October 23 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Friday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 10-25-2024
===
Gospel
Luke 12:54-59
Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”
Reflection
Jesus is giving some very important advice to the crowds about conflict and division between us. He's saying that you have a choice, you can turn it over to the law, which is a binary world of right and wrong. Or you could open yourselves in this conflict to the Kingdom of God, which is a kingdom of understanding and patience and compassion.
By far one brings about unity, the other can only divide.
Closing Prayer
Father, there's a thing in each of us that can want revenge, or want to punish those that have harmed us. But your kingdom is calling us to something radically different. Keep us from our judgmental righteousness and open us to the beauty of your forgiveness and your mercy. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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6 min
October 22 PRI Reflections on Scripture | Thursday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
Original Postdate: 10-24-2024
===
Gospel
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.”
Reflection
Jesus chooses a a radical image of fire to describe his work, and fire is seemingly something that we would say destroys things, but he's saying no, it's also a thing that purifies. It burns out all impurities. We cling to our impurities, our half truths, our lies. So what he's saying is that if you're going to engage in this work of the Kingdom, you're going to be engaged in a transformative work that feels like death.
And those who refuse to die hate those that are calling them to new life.
Closing Prayer
Father, the work of the kingdom is truly a work of transformation. Help us to be patient with one another as we, each of us, struggle with the transformation that is required of us not to judge those who resist, but just long for their transformation. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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6 min

About Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer

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At a particular time in our evolution, God chose to enter into our world and a story was born. It has been carefully written, proclaimed and pondered. It possesses the power to awaken a knowing that…