Today as on many days, a lot is going on in our Mass Readings:
As I sought to understand God’s message, I thought about how our ancestors, who were faithful to God, played a role in our lives. Perhaps you’ve heard of a grandparent or great-grandparents’ heroic faith that inspired their family members and continues in your time.
My Mom always loved to talk about her grandmother marrying and becoming a Catholic. She had eleven children—one who became a Sister of Mercy, some who married and had children, and others who were single, helping many people as they lived their faith fully. It’s good to share these stories and thank God for their lives.
With regard to Jesus’ righteous anger, we’re reminded that Jesus perfectly applies justice and mercy. His gracious mercy doesn’t mean He won’t seek to right a wrong. In fact, because of Jesus’ love for all of humankind, He teaches us where we have gone wrong.
Since we have done away with “seat money,” the practice of giving the usher twenty-five cents for each person attending Mass, we no longer need people to make change as they enter the church. But, we do need to examine what does need to be cleansed within our Church, Dioceses, parishes, and communities.
Are we living the Gospel message of Jesus, the Beatitudes, the Commandments, and Catholic Social teaching doctrines? Do we need to clean up gossip, factions, power struggles, sexual immorality, greed, etc. in ourselves and or Church? And, as St. Paul reminds us, we are, too, Temples of the Holy Spirit, and we need to examine the state of our own lives; are we preoccupied with worldly goals, lusting after power, money, or popularity, etc.?
My brothers and sisters, as we seek to do a “deep clean,” we turn to Jesus in prayer and the Sacrament of Confession—reminded by the story of the fig tree that for us to be fruitful, to live a good and holy and fulfilling life, we need prayer! Jesus tells us that if we have faith in God, then we can “move mountains.”
However, what about the instances when we pour out our hearts in prayer and don’t get what we’ve asked for? How do we make sense of that? The answer is found in what our ancestors possessed—an unshakeable faith that God’s way is the right way.
The answer lies in believing in a God we trust and have an active relationship with, whether it’s an ordinary day or the worst day imaginable. It’s not that in challenging moments, we don’t feel the anguish, anxiety, or pain for our loved ones or ourselves, but it’s our trust that God will lead us through these valleys to a place where we can continue to flourish and find joy in life.
Jesus gives us one last admonition about how we are to pray. He tells us that we are not only to forgive the ones we like but also everyone with whom we have a grievance, even your cousin from Boston!
My brothers and sisters, Jesus is helping us to appreciate and give thanks to our ancestors in the faith, inspiring us to be role models in our families, especially for our children, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren. He reminds us to examine and clean our houses of worship, including our domestic churches (our families) and ourselves, from all that is not good and holy. Most importantly, He helps us to believe in the power of prayer, one rooted in faith in a God who wants what is best for us and our loved ones.
Lord, Jesus, help us to grow in friendship with you
so that we may bear great fruit in this life and give Glory to God eternally!
Reverend David S. Marcham is the Vice Postulator for the Cause of Venerable Patrick Peyton, and Director of the Father Peyton Guild, whose members pray for Father Peyton’s beatification and spread his message of the importance of Family Prayer. Prior to becoming a seminarian, Father David was a physical therapist and clinical instructor, serving hospital inpatients and outpatients throughout the greater Boston area for eleven years. In 1998 he heard the call to priesthood and was ordained in the Archdiocese of Boston in 2005. Father David grew up in Quincy, MA, and has fond memories of playing soccer, tennis and running track. You’re never without a friend when Father David is around, as he welcomes everyone into his circle with a smile on his face!
