Tag: Erin Madden

At significant moments in the Gospels, Jesus weeps. He weeps at the sight of his friend Lazarus dead in his tomb. He weeps when praying in the garden the night before his crucifixion. 

It is not insignificant then that, in today’s Gospel, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. Why? He knew the coming hurt, the impending destruction, that the city would experience, referring to the takeover by the Roman Empire in 70 AD. 

Jesus wept for more than just that, though. He wept because Jerusalem did not know peace. The city did not accept peace, did not accept Jesus – the one who brings peace. Because of this, the city would be destroyed as was so foretold in verses 43-44 of the Gospel. 

Do we know peace in today’s society? As a general rule of thumb, do we accept Jesus? It breaks my heart to say – no, I don’t think so. In fact, I see more division and discord, signs of a lack of peace. I see more and more rejection of Jesus than ever before. 

Jesus weeps. 

He weeps when brother turns against brother. He weeps when hatred is sown in the hearts of men and directs our actions. He weeps when wealth, fame and power are held in a higher regard than He is. He weeps when we choose the things of this world more often than Him. He weeps at our sinfulness. 

That is not the end of the story, though. Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. So while He may weep when we sin against Him, Jesus opens up His arms and extends His mercy to us. He does this over and over and over again, no matter how many times we sin. 

I’ve written several times about sin and the mercy available in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. What I wish to leave you with today is this – to pray for the openness to see the effects of our sins, especially how it hurts the Lord. See how Jesus weeps that we may, in turn, weep for the way we’ve hurt Him with our sin. Then run to His grace and mercy in Confession. 

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Why would the master commend the dishonest steward? And what did the steward do that would be considered prudent? If you are like me, you are probably confused by today’s Gospel and may find yourself asking similar questions. 

Reading the footnote for Luke 16:1-8 (at least in the particular Bible that sits on the desk in my office – Life Teen’s Catholic Teen Bible) gives me greater clarity when it comes to this passage. 

First, the steward is being let go for squandering his master’s property, nothing else. And the steward knows it – he doesn’t even try to fight the loss of his position. He also knows who he is, someone who is not strong enough to dig as he might have to in another position. However, he also admits his own pride in saying he is too ashamed to beg (but talking about pride could be another whole blog post). 

The steward then comes up with a plan that will help him “get in good” with his master’s debtors by reducing the amounts owed to the master. It is easy to see how such an action would ingratiate the steward to the debtors, which was his whole goal. What is not easy to see, however, is the deeper meaning of reducing the debts as it relates to the steward himself. (Hint: it relates more to him than to the master!)

A little later on, the footnote for this passage speaks to the fact that the steward was having the debtors write new notes minus the profit he would have taken for himself. In other words, the steward wasn’t trying to pull one last fast one over the master. Rather, the steward was issuing new notes that reflected only the true amount that was owed to the master. That is certainly commendable, right? How much easier would it have been for the steward to take that extra money, knowingly facing the loss of his position? 

The dishonest steward did something prudent and honest. Not only should we strive to be honest in speech by avoiding sins of gossip and speaking uncharitably, etc. but also we should strive to match that honesty in our actions as well. 

P.S. If you are looking for even further applications of this Gospel, continue on by reading verses 9-13. 

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There are so many lessons and real-life applications that we can find in Scripture, especially in Jesus’ life and teachings in the Gospels. Today’s Gospel, for me, contains a particularly important lesson – one that many may overlook. 

The very first verse of today’s Gospel reads, “On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees…” Stop and read that again. Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the *leading* Pharisees. In case you’ve forgotten, the Pharisees are the group that has been out to get Jesus for the entirety of his public ministry – and now Jesus has gone to eat at the home of one of the people who probably was leading that charge. What lesson could we possibly learn from that very simple action? 

Jesus didn’t avoid the Pharisees, even though he knew very well their thoughts toward him and their intentions. Rather, he often engaged them in conversation seeking to reveal the light of God’s truth to them and, now, he has sat around a table and shared a meal with them to do the very same. Eventually, Jesus teaches the Pharisees that it is lawful to heal on the sabbath, contrary to their beliefs. 

How many of us would intentionally seek out our adversaries? How many of us would seek out those we know who hold beliefs contrary to our own and attempt to share the truths of our faith with them? How well do you think either of those things would go over? I think that, more often, we tend to avoid conflict and remain silent, choosing instead what seems culturally acceptable over the idea of potentially rocking the boat. 

I can look at my own circle of family and friends, near and far, and see the wide range of opposing views that they hold on things like abortion, same-sex marriage, the death penalty, etc. How many times have I chosen to keep my own views silent so that I wouldn’t upset those that I love and my relationships with them? Too often, unfortunately. Instead, I need to ask God for the fortitude to carry out my God-given mission of evangelization and share the beliefs and truths of the faith, leaving the rest in God’s hands. He’s the one who can change hearts, not me. But I need to not be afraid to do the work that I have been tasked with doing. 

This is what I hope and pray for you all today – that, when you find yourself in a similar situation, you will remember that Jesus was not afraid to sit down and eat with the Pharisees. Therefore, we need not be afraid to sit down and share the faith with those who might be Pharisees in today’s world. And, if you find yourself afraid, ask God for the courage to do so. 

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The theme across today’s First Reading and Gospel could not be any clearer – it’s all about judgment. You could ask Christians and non-Christians alike if it’s right to judge other people and you’d probably get a similar response, something along the lines of, “stop judging, that you may not be judged” (Matthew 7:2). Let’s dive a little deeper, though.

Saint Paul provides a good explanation to the Romans about  what happens when we judge one another. He first starts out by saying that we have no excuses, meaning that there are no good reasons for passing judgment on someone or anyone else. In doing so, we condemn ourselves. Why? Because we often do the very same things – we are human, we are fallen like our brother or sister on whom we are passing judgment. For example, if I judge someone for gossiping about someone else, I am failing to see the beam in my own eye versus the splinter in my brother’s eye (Matthew 7:5) because how many times before have I gossiped? Too many to count. We were not created to be judges of our brothers and sisters. Only God Himself is the just judge. 

As such, God judges based on the actions and decisions of our lives and we ourselves know both the rewards and the consequences. Let me say that again – we know both the rewards and the consequences, primarily, eternal life with God or eternal separation from Him. And, if we know the consequences especially, why do we believe that we will escape God’s judgment? By playing judge, are we considering ourselves better or more important than God? Are we trying to make our own judgment? 

Reading a little further, Saint Paul explains that it’s more than just the simple act of judging another that causes such a problem. Rather, it’s the “stubbornness and impenitent heart” and “those who selfishly disobey the truth.” At face value, those words may seem a little harsh, but if we do a true examination of the depths of our hearts, we can see those seeds in the root of judgment. It’s the stubbornness and impenitence that cause us to forget our own sins, the very same sins for which we are judging someone else. It’s the selfishness in disobeying truth by thinking that we are above God and, therefore, able to pass judgment. 

On a little more personal note, about seven years ago, God completely wrecked me when it came to the beam in my own eye of judging others. When I realized what I had done and the impact it had both on those I had judged and on myself, I wept in repentance. While I am not perfect and I constantly need to remind myself not to judge others, this experience stands in the forefront of my mind even to this day and the conscious effort to not judge others has made a difference in my life. 

“Stop judging, so that you may not be judged.”

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I love the Gospel passages when Jesus summons the Twelve apostles, gives them their mission and sends them forth. Maybe it’s because I work for the Church and can easily see myself in their shoes as I receive my mission, my vocation as a youth minister, from the Lord and am sent forth into my parish to serve the young people. Maybe it’s something different. 

However, what strikes me about this particular Gospel, is not the action of the sending forth; rather, it’s the instructions that Jesus gives them. “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.” 

Um, what did He say? Take nothing? Really? That would have been my immediate gut reaction if I was really in the apostles’ shoes. A walking stick or a second tunic probably would have been helpful for a journey such as this, let alone food and money. There is no mention of complaining or second-guessing in the rest of the Gospel passage, though. The apostles went out and did what they were told – proclaimed the good news and cured diseases. 

Jesus was trying to teach the apostles – and us, by extension – a lesson in trust, in total reliance upon Him. The apostles didn’t need to bring food or money on their journey because the Lord would provide for all of their needs, which included their physical and material needs. 

We can never learn too many lessons about trusting in the Lord. It’s something that we can all grow in, all the time, and I’ll be the first one to admit it. I know I need to trust the Lord more in my daily life, in my spiritual life, in youth ministry, in everything. Again, maybe that’s why I like this passage so much, because it invites me to grow in trust like the apostles did. I am reminded that He will provide for me and for His Church. 

As you prepare to go out on your journey, in your mission, how can you invite the Lord to provide for your needs today? For this week? A simple prayer to the Holy Spirit is a great way to start!

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The Catholic grade school I attended had a bit of an unusual nickname: the Centurion. As a young child, I didn’t understand the significance of such a nickname. (It didn’t get much easier when I would have to spell out centurion as a cheerleader on the sidelines of a basketball game, but that’s beside the point…) Rather, I found myself wishing that we had a cooler nickname, something fierce and strong like the Lions or the Wildcats. But the Centurions? Eh. 

It wasn’t until I grew older and wiser, until I dove deeper into my faith, that I realized I was proud to have been a Centurion, in a sense. Or, better put, I was proud to have attended a school with the nickname “Centurion.” That sounds a bit odd, right? Let me explain. 

A centurion was someone serving in the Roman army in ancient times – and not just someone, but a high-ranking someone. They were responsible for commanding 100 men and also for enforcing discipline while receiving higher pay than the other soldiers. 

Now, last time I checked, I am not living in ancient Rome nor am I responsible for commanding soldiers. However, I would consider myself proud to have displayed the faith of the centurions in the Gospel. I want to be a centurion in that sense. 

In today’s Gospel, a centurion’s faith led to a great miracle. Another display of a centurion’s great faith came at the foot of the cross in the Gospel according to Matthew, when he said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” 

I don’t want to focus on the faith so much, though it is an important component of both of these Gospel passages. Rather, I want to focus on the words spoken to Jesus on behalf of the centurion, when it is said, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.” 

This is a man who knows who he is and who the Lord is. This is a man who sees who he is before the Lord. How I wish we could all see ourselves for who we are before the Lord! There is a slight problem, though, with the centurion seeing himself as unworthy of the Lord’s presence despite so desperately wanting his prayer to be answered. Jesus’ victory won for us on the cross makes us worthy, makes the centurion worthy. We are worthy to come to Him for all of our needs, great and small. Thankfully, Jesus sees past the self-declared lowly centurion and heals his slave.

Let us, first and foremost, take courage and display the faith of the centurion but may we also see who we are before the Lord and never be afraid to go to Him with our needs.  

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The parable of the talents can sometimes be a difficult Gospel to wrap our heads around … but it doesn’t have to be. I think that some people can get hung up on the fact that this Gospel passage is actually about money but it can be easily applied to our natural gifts and talents as well. 

I’m going to ask you to do something slightly uncomfortable right now. Stop for a moment, close your eyes, take a deep breath and identify what your God-given gifts are. This can be an uncomfortable practice because some of us (myself included) have trouble seeing what our gifts and talents are for a variety of different reasons. However, it is a necessary practice as each of us works to build up the Kingdom of God here on earth. 

Okay, so, deep breath. I am … Fill in the blank with your gifts and talents. Here’s a few of my own, since I know I need more practice identifying my gifts: I am a strong writer. I am organized. I am a good listener. Keep your list going as long as possible. And, if you are having trouble coming up with different gifts and talents (I know I did), don’t be afraid to invite the Holy Spirit into a moment of prayer, asking him for help in seeing your gifts the way that he sees them. 

Now, reflect on each individual talent that you listed. How does this gift help me to build up the Kingdom of God? For example, I am able to use my gift of writing to build up the Kingdom of God by writing different blogs like this to share the truths of the Gospel and our faith. I can also use this gift to the benefit of my parish by writing reflections for our bulletin and for editing different publications that we might put out. 

Finally, let’s reflect on our gifts and talents in light of today’s Gospel. How can we be like the first two servants who took their five and two talents, respectively, and made an additional five and two talents? In other words, how can we use our current gifts and talents and build upon them in order to further our work of building the Kingdom of God? This might take some time to discern but I encourage you – do not be afraid of the possibilities! Through the grace of God and with the power of the Holy Spirit, our gifts can do great things in the world. 

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**Due to server issues, this post was not published on 8/11/21, so we are posting it now.**

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” 

I cannot help but reflect on this line from today’s Gospel in light of how I spent the past week. I had the immense blessing of accompanying a local youth group (not even my own youth group, but that’s a different story for another time) as a chaperone for their week-long mission trip in the mountains of Tennessee. I could go on and on about my experience but I just wish to offer a few short thoughts for all of you. 

Our group was small but mighty – five teens and two adult chaperones. That’s it. There were no other groups spending the week with us either. But wait, there’s more. Our group was split in half and sent to two different job sites every day: one group of four people and another group of three. Everywhere we went, Christ was with us despite our small numbers and it was evident in the work that we did and the way we spent our week. 

A good portion of our mission trip was spent doing construction work, specifically building a ramp off of a lady’s deck. The first day that my group was on the construction site, we were blessed to spend 1.5 hours talking to the lady we were serving. We talked about a number of different things – she shared about the area of Tennessee we were in, we shared some of our experiences back home, etc. In the middle of our conversation, she stops mid-sentence and says, “You guys make me want to become Catholic.”

We hadn’t mentioned our Catholic faith to her or talked expressly about our beliefs. Yet she could still tell we were Catholic by our presence at her home, by our words and by our actions. Christ was certainly present with the five of us that day in that moment and He made His presence known!

Shouldn’t it always be that way, though? Shouldn’t people be able to tell that we are Catholics by the way we go about our lives each day? We shouldn’t have to put “Catholic” in our social media bios (#whoops, my bad) or say the words, “I’m a Catholic” for people to know who we are and in Whom we believe. 

My brothers and sisters, let’s take a good, hard look at our lives and question whether or not others would be able to tell we are Catholics. Let us make sure that Christ is present wherever we may go and that we can make His presence known to others by our lives. 

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One of the newer memorials in the Roman Catholic Church, today we celebrate Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Previously, only Saint Martha was celebrated on July 29; however, back in January, Pope Francis ordered the inscription of all three saints into the General Roman Calendar. 

We are familiar with the raising of Lazarus – one of the more popular Gospel readings for funerals especially – but we can often overlook Martha and Mary in this passage. Upon hearing that Jesus is coming, Martha goes to meet Him on the journey. She leaves her home, her sister Mary and all the people who had come to comfort her over the death of her brother to go meet her friend Jesus. Note that Mary sat at home.

Surely it was Martha’s faith that prompted her to go meet her friend, as displayed by her opening words to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” She could not have known the Lord’s intentions, which He shared with His disciples earlier in verse 11 before arriving at Bethany, saying, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” Yet she had to have known that something was going to happen. Being a friend of Jesus, she had most likely heard – if not witnessed for herself – some of the Lord’s miracles and so she had faith that the same could have been done for her brother. We know how the story ended. 

Let’s take a quick look at Mary in the other option for today’s Gospel, though. Martha, again, goes to welcome the Lord but it is Mary who steals the show in this passage. Martha busied herself trying to be a good host while her sister busied herself with the Lord. Exasperated, Martha asks her friend to ask her sister to help her with the housework but Jesus offers a quiet rebuke instead, “Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Both ladies in these respective passages know who the Lord is and it drives their actions. Martha goes to meet Jesus, knowing that He is a great miracle worker. Mary knows who Jesus is and so she chooses to sit at His feet and be with Him. 

Know who Jesus is and let Him drive the actions of your life. 

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“Are you alive in Christ?” There was a decently loud response from the crowd, a rumbling of “Yes.” 

Fr. Agustino Torres wasn’t satisfied with that response, though, and so he asked again, even louder this time, “Are you alive in Christ?” A louder “Yes” resounded through the crowd. Still not good enough, though. 

“ARE YOU ALIVE IN CHRIST?” Finally, a thunderous “Yes” rolled through the field house along with loud screaming and applause. 

This sequence of questions and responses took place last weekend at a Steubenville Youth Conference during the Sunday morning homily. There were about 1,000 people in that field house who, yes, were certainly alive in Christ at that moment. It’s hard not to be after all that had happened over the weekend. 

Fr. Agustino cautioned us, though, as we still needed to be alive in Christ after we left the conference and every day after. 

So what does it mean to be alive in Christ? Each person’s journey, their following of Christ, is going to look a little different so every person’s answer is going to be different and that’s okay. 

Generally, I would say that being alive in Christ has a few main pieces, such as: prayer, Scripture and the sacraments. All of these graces will give us the strength to be in relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and to truly be alive in Him. 

How does all of this relate to today’s Scripture readings? I look toward the Gospel and I am reminded of some simple truths of our faith. The person of Jesus Christ, the person that we are alive in, so many people in his day sought to put Him to death because what He was teaching was so counter-cultural. Does this fact remind you of anything? As Catholic Christians, most of what we believe and teach is counter-cultural and our culture tries to cancel us – to put our beliefs to death, in a way – for doing so. 

Even as the Pharisees were seeking to put Jesus to death, many people still chose to follow Him. Many people were alive in Christ as they followed Him! 

This is a reality that we must face if we are truly to be alive in Jesus, that people will seek to pull us down. But our strength lies in the graces that we receive and in the person who is greater than all things. Our strength, our life, lies in Jesus Christ. 

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