Spirituality: "Sheltering," Marjorie Thompson from New Morning Treasury

Sheltering. That's a wonderful word. Very strong. I remember a wonderful little phrase that says a faithful friend is a sturdy shelter. We need shelters in life. We need sheltering from our parents when we are young. We need the shelter of good friends. I feel as if that's something we're really called to be for one another – is shelter.

Creating a New World: The Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026

                                                  Creating a New World:

The Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026

September 6, 2026

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predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalm 95; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20

 

 

The Gospel passage speaks about the necessity and the mystery of reconciliation. Too often, we hear about forgiveness and we think it is a quick, magnanimous action to take. This passage is about so much more. Forgiveness is something I can choose to give to another person. Reconciliation is something two people must build together.

 

Many people have trouble with forgiveness because they have been taught that it is a singular act to be completed in one sitting. That is not so. Forgiveness has many layers and dimensions to it. We also have a notion that forgiveness is all or nothing, and we end up choosing nothing and we cause such great chasms in our relationships. How many of us are estranged from someone important in our lives? We are wrongly taught that forgiveness means to overlook a transgression or to act as though an action has not occurred. That is not true either. When we forgive, we make room for God to transform the wound rather than allowing the wound to transform us. It is our free choice.

 

Forgiveness says, “I release you from my need for revenge.” Reconciliation says, “Let us see whether we can rebuild what was broken.” Christian love says, “Whether or not we are reconciled, I will not stop praying for your good. I still want the best for you.”

 

As we are reflective people, we can ask ourselves, “What does Jesus actually ask of me when someone has hurt me?” It is good to acknowledge the hurt to Jesus in prayer and say, “I will not allow what you did to me to determine the kind of person I want to become.” I can surrender my anger to God and I can stop demanding that the other person suffer because I have suffered. We will face many times when the other person will not apologize or acknowledge their hurtful words or actions. Forgiveness is a gradual process, and I have to move forward.

 

Reconciliation requires the participation of at least two people because it aims to restore a broken relationship. It is hard work and requires some level of truth, acknowledgment, repentance, trust, and a promise of changed behavior. There has to be some glimmer of wanting to rebuild trust. Reconciliation does not return to the past status quo. While forgiveness looks backwards, reconciliation looks forward. We have to decide what might have to change for us to move forward together with the existing wounds. Reconciliation creates something new – a relationship built on a stronger foundation of honesty and a deeper awareness of each other’s vulnerability.  

 

 

God forgives us all the time. God calls us into right relationships that reconcile through mercy. Forgiveness is freely offered by God with an outstretched hand and a desire for us to step forward. Reconciliation happens when we reach back to God. Reconciliation is the courageous work of rebuilding trust, telling the truth, accepting responsibility, and creating a new future together. Reconciliation helps us transcends our human condition and we create something far beyond what we could imagine. What is the type of world in which we want to live? What is the new creation of our dreams? God believes this is possible. What do you believe?

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

Monday: (1 Corinthians 5) It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans–a man living with his father’s wife. And you are inflated with pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful?

 

Tuesday: (Micah 5) He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; And they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.

 

Wednesday: (1 Corinthians 7) In regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. So this is what I think best because of the present distress: that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.

 

Thursday (1 Corinthians 8) Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him.

 

Friday (1 Corinthians 9) If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

 

Saturday (1 Corinthians 10) I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?

 

Gospel: 

Monday: (Luke 6) On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.

 

Tuesday: (Matthew 1) The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

 

Wednesday (Luke 6) 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.

 

Thursday (Luke 6) 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.

 

Friday (Luke 6) "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.

 

Saturday (Luke 6) 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.

 

Saints of the Week

 

September 7: Stephen Pongracz (priest), Melchior Grodziecki (priest), and Mark Krizevcanin (canon) of the Society of Jesus were matyred in 1619 when they would not deny their faith in Slovakia. They were chaplains to Hungarian Catholic troops, which raised the ire of Calvinists who opposed the Emperor. They were brutally murdered through a lengthy process that most Calvinists and Protestants opposed.

 

September 8: The Birth of Mary was originally (like all good feasts) celebrated first in the Eastern Church. The Roman church began its devotion in the fifth century. Her birth celebrates her role as the mother of Jesus. Some traditions have her born in Nazareth while others say she hails from outside of Jerusalem.

 

September 9: Peter Claver, S.J. (1580-1654) became a Jesuit in 1600 and was sent to the mission in Cartegena, Colombia, a center of slave trade. For forty years, Claver ministered to the newly arrived Africans by giving them food, water, and medical care. Unfortunately, he died ostracized by his Jesuit community because he insisted on continuing the unpopular act of treating the slaves humanely.

 

September 10: Francis Garate, S.J. (1857-1929) was a Basque who entered the Jesuits and became a doorkeeper at the Univeristy of Deusto in Bilbao. He modeled his ministry after Alphonsus Rodriguez and became known for his innate goodness, humility, and prayerfulness.

 

September 12: The Name of Mary was given to the child in the octave that follow her birth on September 8th. Mary (Miriam) was a popular name for a girl because it means "beloved."

 

This Week in Jesuit History

 

·      August 30, 1556: On the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the Iroquois mortally wounded Fr. Leonard Garreau, a young missionary.

·      September 6, 1666. The Great Fire of London broke out on this date. There is not much the Jesuits have not been blamed for, and this was no exception. It was said to be the work of Papists and Jesuits. King Charles II banished all the fathers from England.

·      September 7, 1773. King Louis XV wrote to Clement XIV, expressing his heartfelt joy at the suppression of the Society.

·      September 8, 1600. Fr. Matteo Ricci set out on his journey to Peking (Beijing). He experienced enormous difficulties in reaching the royal city, being stopped on his way by one of the powerful mandarins.

·      September 9, 1773. At Lisbon, Carvalho, acting in the king's name, ordered public prayers for the deliverance of the world from the "pestilence of Jesuitism."

·      September 10, 1622. The martyrdom at Nagaski, Japan, of Charles Spinola and his companions.

·      September 11, 1681. At Antwerp, the death of Fr. Geoffry Henschen (Henschenius). A man of extraordinary learning, he was Fr. Jan von Bolland's assistant in compiling the Acts of the Saints.

·      September 12, 1744. Benedict XIV's second Bull, Omnium Sollicitudinum, forbade the Chinese Rites. Persecution followed in China.

Creando un mundo nuevo: Vigésimo tercer domingo del tiempo ordinario de 2026

                                             Creando un mundo nuevo:

Vigésimo tercer domingo del tiempo ordinario de 2026

6 de septiembre de 2026

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Ezequiel 33:7-9; Salmo 95; Romanos 13:8-10; Mateo 18:15-20

 

 

El pasaje del Evangelio habla de la necesidad y el misterio de la reconciliación. Con demasiada frecuencia, oímos hablar del perdón y pensamos que es un acto rápido y magnánimo. Este pasaje va mucho más allá. El perdón es algo que puedo elegir ofrecer a otra persona. La reconciliación es algo que dos personas deben construir juntas.

 

A muchas personas les cuesta perdonar porque les han enseñado que es un acto único que debe completarse de una sola vez. Pero no es así. El perdón tiene muchas capas y dimensiones. También tenemos la idea de que perdonar es todo o nada, y terminamos por no elegir nada, lo que provoca grandes distanciamientos en nuestras relaciones. ¿Cuántos de nosotros nos hemos alejado de alguien importante en nuestras vidas? Nos enseñan erróneamente que perdonar significa pasar por alto una transgresión o actuar como si no hubiera ocurrido. Eso tampoco es cierto. Cuando perdonamos, le damos espacio a Dios para que transforme la herida, en lugar de permitir que la herida nos transforme a nosotros. Es nuestra libre elección.

 

El perdón dice: «Te libero de mi deseo de venganza». La reconciliación dice: «Veamos si podemos reconstruir lo que se rompió». El amor cristiano dice: «Nos reconciliemos o no, seguiré orando por tu bien. Sigo deseando lo mejor para ti».

 

Como seres reflexivos, podemos preguntarnos: "¿Qué me pide Jesús cuando alguien me hiere?". Es bueno reconocer el daño ante Jesús en oración y decir: "No permitiré que lo que me hiciste determine la persona en la que quiero convertirme". Puedo entregar mi enojo a Dios y dejar de exigir que la otra persona sufra porque yo he sufrido. Nos encontraremos muchas veces en que la otra persona no se disculpe ni reconozca sus palabras o acciones hirientes. El perdón es un proceso gradual, y debo seguir adelante.

 

La reconciliación requiere la participación de al menos dos personas, ya que busca restaurar una relación rota. Es un proceso arduo que exige sinceridad, reconocimiento, arrepentimiento, confianza y la promesa de un cambio de comportamiento. Debe existir un mínimo deseo de reconstruir la confianza. La reconciliación no regresa al estado anterior. Mientras que el perdón mira hacia atrás, la reconciliación mira hacia adelante. Debemos decidir qué cambios son necesarios para avanzar juntos, superando las heridas existentes. La reconciliación crea algo nuevo: una relación construida sobre una base más sólida de honestidad y una mayor comprensión de la vulnerabilidad mutua.

 

 

Dios nos perdona siempre. Dios nos llama a relaciones justas que se reconcilian mediante la misericordia. El perdón es ofrecido libremente por Dios con la mano extendida y el deseo de que demos un paso adelante. La reconciliación ocurre cuando volvemos a Dios. La reconciliación es la valiente labor de reconstruir la confianza, decir la verdad, aceptar la responsabilidad y crear un nuevo futuro juntos. La reconciliación nos ayuda a trascender nuestra condición humana y a crear algo mucho más allá de lo que podríamos imaginar. ¿Qué tipo de mundo queremos vivir? ¿Cuál es la nueva creación de nuestros sueños? Dios cree que esto es posible. ¿Qué crees tú?

 

Lecturas bíblicas para la Misa diaria

Lunes: (1 Corintios 5) Se rumorea que hay inmoralidad entre ustedes, una inmoralidad que ni siquiera se encuentra entre los paganos: un hombre que vive con la esposa de su padre. Y ustedes están llenos de orgullo. ¿No deberían más bien estar afligidos?

 

Martes: (Miqueas 5) Él se mantendrá firme y pastoreará su rebaño con la fuerza del SEÑOR, en el nombre majestuoso del SEÑOR, su Dios; y permanecerán, porque ahora su grandeza alcanzará hasta los confines de la tierra; él será paz.

 

Miércoles: (1 Corintios 7) En cuanto a las vírgenes, no tengo ningún mandamiento del Señor, pero doy mi opinión como alguien que, por la misericordia del Señor, es digno de confianza. Así que, a causa de la aflicción actual, esto es lo que considero mejor: que es bueno que cada uno permanezca como está.

 

Jueves (1 Corintios 8) El conocimiento enorgullece, pero el amor edifica. Si alguien cree saber algo, aún no sabe como debería saber. Pero si uno ama a Dios, él lo conoce.

 

Viernes (1 Corintios 9) Si predico el Evangelio, no tengo por qué jactarme, pues se me ha impuesto una obligación; ¡ay de mí si no lo predico! Si lo hago de buena voluntad, tengo recompensa; pero si lo hago a regañadientes, entonces se me ha confiado una responsabilidad.

 

Sábado (1 Corintios 10) Hablo como a personas sensatas; juzguen ustedes mismos lo que digo. La copa de bendición que bendecimos, ¿no es participación en la sangre de Cristo? El pan que partimos, ¿no es participación en el cuerpo de Cristo?

 

Evangelio: 

Lunes: (Lucas 6) Un sábado, Jesús entró en la sinagoga y enseñó. Había allí un hombre que tenía la mano derecha paralizada. Los escribas y los fariseos lo vigilaban atentamente para ver si curaba en sábado y así encontrar un motivo para acusarlo.

 

Martes: ( Mateo 1) El libro de la genealogía de Jesucristo, hijo de David, hijo de Abraham. Abraham fue padre de Isaac, Isaac de Jacob, Jacob de Judá y sus hermanos.

 

Miércoles (Lucas 6) Bienaventurados vosotros los pobres, porque vuestro es el reino de Dios. Bienaventurados vosotros los que ahora tenéis hambre, porque seréis saciados. Bienaventurados vosotros los que ahora lloráis, porque reiréis.

 

Jueves (Lucas 6) A los que me escuchan les digo: amen a sus enemigos, hagan bien a quienes los odian, bendigan a quienes los maldicen, oren por quienes los maltratan. Al que te golpee en una mejilla, ofrécele también la otra; y al que te quite la capa, no le niegues ni siquiera la túnica.

 

Viernes (Lucas 6) "¿Puede un ciego guiar a otro ciego? ¿No caerán ambos en un hoyo? Ningún discípulo es superior a su maestro; pero cuando esté completamente instruido, todo discípulo será como su maestro."

 

Sábado (Lucas 6) Un buen árbol no da fruto podrido, ni un árbol podrido da buen fruto. Porque cada árbol se conoce por su fruto. Porque no se recogen higos de los espinos, ni se cosechan uvas de las zarzas.

 

Santos de la semana

 

7 de septiembre: Esteban Pongracz (sacerdote), Melchior Grodziecki (sacerdote) y Marco Krizevcanin (canónigo), miembros de la Compañía de Jesús, fueron martirizados en 1619 por negarse a renunciar a su fe en Eslovaquia. Eran capellanes de las tropas católicas húngaras, lo que provocó la ira de los calvinistas que se oponían al emperador. Fueron brutalmente asesinados mediante un largo proceso al que se opusieron la mayoría de los calvinistas y protestantes.

 

8 de septiembre: El nacimiento de María se celebraba originalmente (como todas las fiestas importantes) en la Iglesia Oriental. La Iglesia Romana comenzó a venerarla en el siglo V. Su nacimiento celebra su papel como madre de Jesús. Algunas tradiciones afirman que nació en Nazaret, mientras que otras dicen que provenía de las afueras de Jerusalén.

 

9 de septiembre: Peter Claver , SJ (1580-1654) , ingresó en la Compañía de Jesús en 1600 y fue enviado a la misión de Cartagena, Colombia, un centro del comercio de esclavos. Durante cuarenta años, Claver atendió a los africanos recién llegados, proporcionándoles comida, agua y atención médica. Lamentablemente, murió marginado por su comunidad jesuita por insistir en continuar con la impopular práctica de tratar a los esclavos con humanidad.

 

10 de septiembre: Francis Garate, SJ (1857-1929 ) fue un vasco que ingresó en la Compañía de Jesús y se convirtió en portero de la Universidad de Deusto en Bilbao. Modeló su ministerio a partir del de Alfonso Rodríguez y se destacó por su bondad innata, su humildad y su profunda fe.

 

12 de septiembre: El nombre de María le fue dado a la niña en la octava que sigue a su nacimiento el 8 de septiembre. María (Miriam) era un nombre popular para niña porque significa "amada".

 

Esta semana en la historia jesuita

 

• 30 de agosto de 1556: A orillas del río San Lorenzo, los iroqueses hirieron de muerte al padre Leonard Garreau, un joven misionero.
• 6 de septiembre de 1666. El Gran Incendio de Londres estalló en esta fecha. Casi todos los incendios han sido culpados de ellos, y este no fue la excepción. Se decía que era obra de católicos y jesuitas. El rey Carlos II desterró a todos los sacerdotes de Inglaterra.
• 7 de septiembre de 1773. El rey Luis XV escribió a Clemente XIV, expresando su sincera alegría por la supresión de la Sociedad.
• 8 de septiembre de 1600. El padre Matteo Ricci emprendió su viaje a Pekín (Beijing). Experimentó enormes dificultades para llegar a la ciudad real, siendo detenido en el camino por uno de los poderosos mandarines.
• 9 de septiembre de 1773. En Lisboa, Carvalho, actuando en nombre del rey, ordenó oraciones públicas para la liberación del mundo de la "peste del jesuitismo".
• 10 de septiembre de 1622. Martirio en Nagaski , Japón, de Carlos Spinola y sus compañeros.
• 11 de septiembre de 1681. Fallece en Amberes el padre Geoffry Henschen (Henschenius). Hombre de extraordinaria erudición, fue ayudante del padre Jan von Bolland en la compilación de las Actas de los Santos.
• 12 de septiembre de 1744. La segunda bula de Benedicto XIV, Omnium Sollicitudinum , prohibió los ritos chinos. A esto le siguió una persecución en China.

Photo: The Vineyards

 

Mass of Welcoming

                                                                 Mass of Welcoming

August 31, 2026

1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Psalm 119; Luke 4:16-30

 

 

The first reading reminds us of the way we begin this new year – not with wisdom or accomplishments, but with the spirit and power of God’s trust in us. The Gospel punctuates this message by relating how Jesus of Nazareth began his year of mission: by announcing that the Spirit of God was with him and was being fulfilled in his person. The same goes for us as we stand at the podium of our classroom filled with anticipation and excitement. We get to do God’s work, and we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit. It does not matter the amount of training or experience we have or do not have; it does not depend upon past accomplishments or achievements; we start at ground zero, and this time is about letting the Spirit of Christ be our source of …. Everything we are.

                What is the work that we have ahead of us? “Being with”… “Being with” – takes off the pressure. We do not have to perform. We have to learn to be with each other. You know our slogan – “being with and for others,” and this is constant effort. Ignatius stressed this value as he remained in touch with other Jesuits on mission; Arrupe asserted this same connection as a community of rooted and grounded in charity, and Pope Francis emphasized it in seeing the future of the church as one of encounter and discovery. 

What does it mean to be with Jesus? The focus shifts from what you may do for him to getting to know the person himself. It is about developing a deeper relationship, increasing intimacy, and learning to be attentively present. This is what we want to happen in prayer. He wants you to come sit with him and come to know him. Find those places and events in this school or in your life where Jesus is most present to you and hold onto them.

It may be time to think about Jesus as an interested friend who wants to know something deeper about your life. We therefore share our honest emotions, thoughts, and desires with him. It means that we approach God less as a master to obey and more like someone who wants to know the nuances of our daily life. Jesus wants to be immersed in our world. Sometimes, we do not even have to talk. We can sit and fritter away time with each other. We simply want to “be with” the One who wants to “be with” you. 

By simply relaxing in the presence of Jesus, we develop an awareness of how the Holy Spirit is guiding us through everyday moments, like invitations, prompts, musings, and it can be at work, through conversations, through someone else’s actions, as well as quiet times. We know the Spirit is present when we experience a metanoia, a time when attitudes are transformed, when a word is softened, when consciousness is expanded. The Spirit works from the inside out almost imperceptible. The power of “being with”, of listening, of simply attending, is the future of church, the future of our lives. Being with allows us to receive the wisdom of God with grace. 

                What does that mean for us as community? During these first weeks, it might be remembering to smile at a new colleague or just say “hello” or even say, “Can you refresh my overloaded memory with your name?” “Being with” might mean only speaking positive words that encourage and affirm. We remain silent when we typically rush in to speak or refraining from humor for a time. We build up one another as a community of faith. We speak with clarity and kindness, while keeping a sense of curiosity and discovery. We handle the inevitable conflicts responsibly so that we always uphold the inherent dignity of those with whom we may disagree. We might even possibly recognize that we are partly wrong – and partly right. We evolve as one community working toward the same evolving mission, the same evolving vision, the same evolving prayer. “Being with” one another and maintaining healthy relationships means that we are doing the work of God. 

                “How” we are as a community is more important than any work we do. It will show how well we know God. Let’s go forth into this year with a renewed enthusiasm for just “being with” each other and knowing that God is right by our side. In heaven, in God’s reign, there are no problems to fix. God esteems you just as you are. You are complete and perfect in God’s eyes. We simply learn to be with each other. God’s heart is on fire for you. Our God wants you to know and to accept this burning love. It is a heart that impels us to amorize the world to the person who is next to us.  Right now, we are in God’s reign. On earth, we have to practice “being with” each other. What if we lived today as if heaven were already on earth, that we are already in God’s presence? Friends, we are.

Photo: The Chicken Barbecue

 

Prayer: The Song, "You Are Mine," Sheet Music by David Haas

I will come to you in the silence,
I will lift you from all your fear.
You will hear my voice,
I claim you as my choice,
be still and know I am here.
I am hope for all who are hopeless,
I am eyes for all who long to see.
In the shadows of the night
I will be your light,
come and rest in me.

Photo: Summer's Fade

 

Spirituality: Restlessness, Karl Rahner

The restless hollowness which surfaces into our consciousness when we reflect in silence is already the nearness of God, who is like the pure light which, spread over everything, hides itself by making everything else visible in the silent lowliness of its being. The Incarnation urges us, in the experience of solitude, to trust the nearness -- it is not emptiness; to let go and then we will find; to give up and then we will be rich.

Spirituality: Raimundo Panikkar in Blessed Simplicity

Contemplation is that activity which situates us in an open space from which we can observe and contribute to the course of the universe ... that activity that delights in the well-being of all beings, that maintains the world in cohesion.

Photo: Starting Line

 

Prayer: St. Augustine, I came to love you too late

I came to love you too late, Oh Beauty, so ancient and so new…What did I know? You were inside me, and I was out of my body and mind, looking for you… You called to me and cried to me; you broke the bowl of my deafness; you uncovered your beams, and threw them at me… 

Photo: Jumps for the Hampton Classic

 

Spirituality: Meister Eckhart

It is the nature of a word to reveal what is hidden. The word that is hidden still sparkles in the darkness and whispers in the silence. It entices us to pursue it and to yearn and sigh after it. For it wishes to reveal to us something about God.

The Practice of Being: The Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026

                                                   The Practice of Being:

The Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026 

August 30, 2026

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Jeremiah 20:1-9; Psalm 63; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27

 

 

These are difficult words by Jesus for us to hear and to understand. Peter took exception to them when he tried to protect Jesus, so it is natural for us to resist what these words mean. The Cross means pain, suffering, and death before it can lead to glory. We naturally avoid pain and conflict, even minor engagements because it disrupts the peace and comfort that we rely upon. The Cross shakes the foundation of the world, and we must be ready for momentous change.

 

We are given crosses individually and we are asked to engage them and to follow Jesus. We therefore pray for courage because these are painful situations. We are asked to follow Jesus and adopt his way of life. Notice that Jesus does not ask us to adore him or to honor him or to worship him. He asks us to follow him and to worship God, the Father, the Parent, the Creator. Jesus calls us into friendship and into a community of believers who are striving to live in right relationship with neighbor.

 

What does it mean to be with Jesus? The focus shifts from what you do for him to getting to know the person himself. It is about developing a deeper relationship, increasing intimacy, and learning to be attentively present. This is what we want to happen in prayer. So, doing devotions is much less important that having a dialogue in prayer with Jesus. He does not really focus much on devotions. He wants you to come sit with him and come to know him. Think more about abiding presence that you can do in your backyard, on your patio, walking along the seashore, or your favorite place of relaxation. Give yourself over to those places and events where Jesus is present to you. 

 

It may be time to think about Jesus as an interested friend who wants to know something about your life. We therefore share our honest emotions, thoughts, and desires with him. It means that we approach God less as a master to obey and more like someone who wants to know the nuances of your daily life. Jesus wants to be immersed in your world. Sometimes, you do not even have to talk. You can sit there and waste time with one another. You simply want to be with the One who wants to be with you. 

 

By simply relaxing in the presence of Jesus, we develop an awareness of how the Holy Spirit is guiding us through everyday moments, like invitations, prompts, musings, and it can be at work, through conversations, through the words of another person, as well as quiet times. The Spirit wants to show us how distinctly and uniquely Jesus relates to us. We know the Spirit is present when we begin to have a metanoia, a time when our attitudes are transformed, when a word is softened, when our consciousness is expanded. The Spirit works from the inside out and we can notice remarkable changes over time. The power of being with, of listening, of simply attending is the future of the church, the future of our lives. Being with allows us to receive the wisdom of God with grace. 

 

In heaven, in God’s reign, there are no problems to fix. We simply learn to be with each other. On earth, we have to practice being with each other. What if we lived today as if we are already in God’s presence? 

 

Scripture for Daily Mass 

Monday: (1 Corinthians 2) I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.

 

Tuesday: (1 Corinthians 2) The Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. Among men, who knows what pertains to the man except his spirit that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God.

 

Wednesday: (1 Corinthians 3) I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now, for you are still of the flesh.

 

Thursday (1 Corinthians 3) Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God.

 

Friday (1 Corinthians 4) Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal.

 

Saturday (1 Corinthians 4) Learn from myself and Apollos not to go beyond what is written, so that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over against another. Who confers distinction upon you? What do you possess that you have not received?

 

Gospel: 

Monday: (Luke 4) Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 

 

Tuesday: (Luke 4) Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon

 

Wednesday (Luke 4) Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

 

Thursday (Luke 5) He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.

 

Friday (Luke 5) “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?

 

Saturday (Luke 6) While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”

 

Saints of the Week

 

September 3: Gregory the Great (540-604) was the chief magistrate in Rome and resigned to become a monk. He was the papal ambassador to Constantinople, abbot, and pope. His charity and fair justice won the hearts of many. He protected Jews and synthesized Christian wisdom. He described the duties of bishops and promoted beautiful liturgies that often incorporated chants the bear his name.

 

This Week in Jesuit History

 

• August 30, 1556: On the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the Iroquois mortally wounded Fr. Leonard Garreau, a young missionary. 
• August 31, 1581: In St. John's Chapel within the Tower of London, a religious discussion took place between St. Edmund Campion, suffering from recent torture, and some Protestant ministers. 
• September 1, 1907. The Buffalo Mission was dissolved, and its members were sent to the New York and Missouri Provinces and the California Mission. 
• September 2, 1792. In Paris, ten ex-Jesuits were massacred for refusing to take the Constitutional oath. Also in Paris seven other fathers were put to death by the Republicans, among them Frs. Peter and Robert Guerin du Rocher. 
• September 3, 1566. Queen Elizabeth visited Oxford and heard the 26-year-old Edmund Campion speak. He was to meet her again as a prisoner, brought to hear her offer of honors or death. 
• September 4, 1760. At Para, Brazil, 150 men of the Society were shipped as prisoners, reaching Lisbon on December 2. They were at once exiled to Italy and landed at Civita Vecchia on January 17, 1761. 
• September 5, 1758. The French Parliament issued a decree condemning Fr. Busembaum's Medulla Theologiae Moralis.