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Easy to find solace in today’s Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus addresses a great crowd with words we call the eight Beatitudes, virtues sure to transform and bless us on our journey home to God. Harder to understand is the cost of virtue that the Beatitudes imply.The fourth and climactic pair of blessings provides a clue. Jesus says, “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.”The Complete Journey of Faith: https://maryknollsociety.org/mission-stories/journey-of-faith-february-13-2022/

Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary TimeMk 6:53-56Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,they laid the sick in the marketplacesand begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;and as many as touched it were healed.

I think of today’s readings as a gift. Rarely do all three scriptures have a unifying theme, but this Sunday they do, perhaps a gift for the preacher—meaning me. But I think a gift for all of us seeking direction in life. And that is what I call the Gift of Purpose.Each reading tells us about someone finding purpose through some action of God… people as different from each other as Isaiah is from Peter and Peter from Paul. And I from you. What we learn today is that God’s action in our lives does not have to be dramatic or extraordinary, although it can be. After all, Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah. But let’s remember, Peter was a fisherman and Paul was a kind of policeman of his day. Neither was on retreat or deep in prayer while fasting when they heard the voice of God. They were just at work doing the things that society expected of them. The way you and I do.Today’s readings remind us that the Gift of Purpose in our lives is not only unpredictable but it’s also unmerited. Nothing indicates that Isaiah, Peter or Paul are called because of their character, skill set, or potential as missioners. They are called just because God had a plan and only these individuals could fulfill it.

“How do we really know that God cares when Black people are still getting killed? How long do we have to wait for the justice of God? I get it, that Christ is Black, but that doesn’t seem to be helping us right now.” These questions from her son prompted theologian Kelly Brown Douglas to undertake this soul-searching reflection. The killing of George Floyd and the ongoing litany of Black victims raised questions about the persistence of white supremacy in this nation, leading her to reflect on how a “white way of knowing” has come to dominate American identity and even to shape the consciousness of Christians.In exploring the message of Confederate monuments and the “Make America Great Again” slogan, she examines the failures of even “good white Christians” and struggles with the hope that “Black Lives Matter,” before reaching deep into her own experience and the faith of Black folks to find her way back to Resurrection Hope. Learn more about the book: https://www.orbisbooks.com/resurrection-hope.htmlAbout the Author:The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas is the Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cathedral. In 2017, she was named Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary, NYC. She is considered a leader in the field of womanist theology, racial reconciliation, and sexuality and the black church. Her Orbis books include The Black Christ, What’s Faith Got to Do with It? and Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God.

“If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1Charity begins at home. At least that’s what the Nazarenes thought about the doings of their favorite son. They wanted Jesus to work a few miracles in their own backyard—and maybe send a message to their enemies to boot.Knowing human nature as he did, Our Lord was ready for the challenge. “Physician, cure yourself” is doubtless the proverb he expected to hear—and he did. His neighbors and relatives wanted him to do the things they heard he had done in Capernaum. That demand did not go over well. Jesus admonished the crowd, suggesting that they take up the challenge to cure themselves instead. What he meant was care for one another… place your own needs and concerns after the stranger’s and those who are suffering. To make matters worse, Jesus specifically referred to God’s kindness toward Israel’s enemies: the widow from Zarephath, and Naaman the commending general of Aram’s armies. That was too much for the Nazarenes to hear. They drove Jesus out of town with the intention of actually killing him.

Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing. (tb confirmed)Luke 4:21Jesus, as we know, was a very great teacher and preacher. During his public years, he attracted crowds throughout Galilee as he taught in synagogues throughout the land. The crowds, St. Luke tells us, celebrated his message, not just his preaching skills.In today’s Gospel, Jesus is in his hometown, Nazareth, where he joins the elders of the community as a scripture reader at the Sabbath service. A fellow worshipper gives Jesus a scroll of readings drawn from Isaiah and the words are prescient. In sum, the message goes something like this: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me. I have been appointed to bring good news to the poor. I have been sent to release the prisoners, to recover the sight of the blind, to comfort those broken into pieces, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

“They have no wine.” John 2:3In Africa, weddings re crucial, fateful, far-reaching, revelatory social events. They are not merely joyful private, personal celebrations, but momentous cosmic communal actions. A marriage binds together the visible and invisible worlds: the extended families or clans of the bride and groom, all their clan ancestors, the invisible living dead, and the yet-to-be-born awaiting entrance into the visible world. Weddings are also predictive events. Nothing should go wrong during such a pivotal social affair. Everything needs to go right: plenty of happy people, plenty of food, plenty of dancing, plenty of noise. Lavishness, a sign of abundant babies to come, is critical. If something goes wrong, it is more than a regrettable blunder. It is a distressing sign of impending evils. Ancient Galilee, it turns out, had much in common with contemporary Africa. Things and signs should go just right at a wedding. That’s why I empathize with Mary. The family is at a wedding feast at Cana when she notices that something has gone catastrophically wrong. Filled with dread, Mary tells her son, “They have no wine.”

The Feast of the EpiphanyLord Jesus Christ,may Your Word rise like a guiding starin our hearts and mindsto lead us through the darkest nightsand show us the waywhen we seem lost or far from You.May we always follow Your stareven to foreign lands and unfamiliar peoplesto seek and find You in unlikely places rejoicing in Your truth no matterin what language and regardless of who speaks it.Like the holy Magi of oldwe cross borders that divide usand break down barriers of divisionthat our gifts may show we understandthe great gift You are to usas king, both human and divine. Amen.Father Joseph Veneroso, M.M.

“I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice; I have grasped you by the hand.”Isaiah 42:6Sometimes, when I read Scripture, the meaning is crystal clear. Other times, I find myself asking questions. This week’s Gospel has prompted me to do that once again.We know from our readings that Jesus is the Lord’s chosen one, the one on whom God’s favor resets. And the one who humbly asked his cousin John to baptize him. But who is he really? Could he really be they, not an individual but a group? Christians rightly identify Jesus as the servant, the beloved Son who pleases God and on whom the Holy Spirit descends. But he is not the only servant, the only beloved, the only pleasing one on whom the Spirit rests. Every baptized person is a servant. I find the identity of the servant enigmatic, if not outright mysterious.The identity of the servant may be a mystery but the servant’s mission is easily understood. In describing the Lord’s calling of his people, Isaiah refers to tsedeqah. Translated from the ancient Hebrew, we moderns might call this idea “distributive justice”—a practice that supports the well-being of all people through fair access to wealth, work, healthcare, and housing as well as the care of God’s creation. If ever there was a time to practice justice... today’s the day.Accepting our baptismal call to serve—even when doing what’s right seems futile or worse still, hopeless—is how the Holy Spirit rests upon us. You may have your own extraordinary examples of God’s healing grace. Here’s mine: I served in Kenya during years of violence and political turmoil. Families lost their homes and some lost their lives. That’s when I met a mother who found refuge—yet again—in a displaced persons camp. She told me she was resigned that nothing would ever change for her or her kids because nothing ever did. But then she did something unforgettable. When another displaced mother arrived in camp with her children, she invited them all to share her small tent. And I do mean small. Somehow they made room and...

“And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.”Matthew 2:9Occasionally unexpected. Always welcome. And never ungenerous. That’s how I think of God’s presence in my life. Epiphany means revealing and over the years I have experienced more than a few personal Epiphanies. I imagine you may have, too. Today’s feast day is another reminder of how God’s grace has permeated—and enriched—our lives. At one time or another, we have all experienced acts of kindness, courage, and personal piety. I think of these gifts as the new gold, frankincense and myrrh—blessings revealed as blessings from God.

Yesterday, the Nativity of Our Lord, was a great family day for many, packed from beginning to end with tradition and celebratory moments. Most of us find purpose and meaning in our families, and Christmas is often when our expectations for “comfort and joy” are highest.

The women in Luke’s Gospel always amaze me.  The two I remember today with affection are Mary and Elizabeth—devoted cousins, faithful servants of God, and expectant mothers.See the complete article at: https://maryknollsociety.org/mission-stories/journey-of-faith-december-19-2021/

O wondrous night, when you,Almighty and Eternal God,came to earth as a baby anddwelt among us as a human!You restored the human raceto the dignity lost in Edenand raised it further stillby Uour glorious Incarnation.O blessed day, dawning on a peoplewho walked in darkness,help us always to see and celebrateYour presence among us,especially in the poor, the sick,the aged and the oppressed.From the humble stable in Bethlehemlet the message go forth thatEmanuel, God-With-Us,remains with us still andno power on earth, in heaven or hellcan ever separate us from the love of God Made manifest in Christ Jesus.Amen.Father Joseph Veneroso, M.M.

Luke the evangelist returns today with what I like to call “Rules of Thumb.” His storytelling centers on the preaching—once again—of our friend John the Baptist who was asked by a restive crowd what people should do to prepare for the Messiah. John answers them, not as a politician but as a missioner. If you have two cloaks, he says, share one with someone who has none. If you have extra food, give some to the person who has little. Even the dreaded tax collectors asked John for advice. These were predators who routinely bilked people with threats, keeping what they stole. John told them what they probably knew in their hearts: don’t exploit people or harm them; be satisfied with your wages. “Rules of Thumb” come about when people recognize an injustice and commit themselves to ending it. What better time than Advent to take an inventory of the soul and decide how our baptismal call to serve can guide us in the New Year. Big reforms are always welcome but ending climate change or extremes of wealth may be beyond our personal reach. John the Baptist is saying small-scale changes are meaningful, too. Let charity, especially for the poor, help you do the hard work of day-to-day living.Friend, when the crowds heard John preach, they were “filled with expectation.” We are filled with expectation, too, because we know the promise of the Christ Child is at hand. May the next two weeks be rich for you in prayer and preparation, and all the small gifts of caring and service that honor your call to mission.

“Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low.Luke 3:5 quoting IsaiahWhen preparing for a big event—like Christmas—a helpful approach is deciding on your goal, fixing it in your mind, then figuring out a plan to get there. How can we fill every valley and make low every mountain and hill? That, my partner in prayer, is the work of Advent.If renewal is our goal, then today’s Gospel provides some useful guidance. At the time of Christ’s birth, Luke recounts the imperial reign of Tiberius Caesar and his underlings, men who ruled with iron fists. So you can imagine yourself as an ordinary person of the day asking, “How much longer can this go on?” Take a step forward and doesn’t that all sound familiar? We worry about violence, racism, poverty, and divisions over a vaccine that seems to be tearing us apart. Like someone living in the age of Tiberius, we might ask the same question: “How much longer can this go on?” Something has to give. But what?Israel had hoped for drastic change as promised by Isaiah and the prophets—most likely a political change. Luke reminds us that John the Baptist took a different approach. He offered the waters of baptism for a personal renewal—renewal of heart and soul. We know this because the original meaning of “baptism” as recorded in Luke’s Gospel actually means, “receiving a new kind of mind, a new way of thinking.” Renewal through forgiveness is John the Baptist’s message to the world. He deftly used the symbolism of water to make his point, something the Jews of his day would have understood. They remembered well the difficult crossing of the Red Sea and the River Jordan into the Promised Land. Interesting that even now, just weeks before Christmas, we hear the language of Exodus. Today’s Gospel is saying that we deal with the “winding roads” of life through repentance and forgiveness—through the healing waters of baptism.Friend, renewal is surely the goal of Advent—our personal exodus from darkness into the light of Christ. So how will you be renewed?...