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On the Feast of the Assumption, I can’t help but think about Mary’s courage in becoming the mother of God. Did she know that God was asking her to play a unique role in human history—one with moments of joy but also pain and sorrow? Did she ever consider saying “no” to the angel Gabriel?

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.”Psalm 34:2One sure solution for dwelling on the negative is to do the exact opposite: count your blessings and be thankful.Last week, we talked about “the grumbling syndrome,” and how letting God into our lives is the only answer to our discontent. Today I want to focus on a practice that gets us beyond the complaints of everyday life. It’s called being grateful.Regardless of the day I’m having, I know I can always ask myself: “What are the things I’m most grateful for right now?” Some people talk about a Top Ten list, but my list—called “Thank you, God”—is more like a Top 100! It doesn’t take much to find reasons to be grateful, just a change of attitude. With a different mindset, a snowflake can be dazzling, and a child’s laughter can be a dose of medicine. The most common things of life have the ability to steady our ship and even guide us safely home—if we just see the hand of God at work.One way to welcome God in is through prayer. Try sitting quietly for at least ten minutes a day. If walking is how you meditate, then ask God to join you and begin your prayer of thanksgiving. If you’re pressed for time, another technique is to begin and end each day by identifying just one thing you’re grateful for. When the practice of gratitude becomes routine—whatever that means for you—signs of God’s presence become routine, too.You probably want to know what I’m grateful for. So many things for sure, but more than anything I thank God for the people in my life: my extended family and friends, my fellow missioners, and the families I served in Peru. I am grateful for you and your love of mission. In the hubbub of life, these are the blessings that can go unrecognized but are so worthy of gratitude.Friend, one last thought: Think of the worst thing you did today and know you are forgiven. Think of the best thing you did today...

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”John 6:35Easier to grumble than let God be God, right? Easier but not very satisfying to our souls. In today’s reading from Exodus, we hear the complaints of the Israelites who just a few days out of Egypt and slavery accuse Moses of leading them into a desert only to die of famine. That’s when the Lord tells Moses that he will rain down bread from heaven “so that you may know that I, the Lord, am your God.”

“You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”Psalm 145:16How many times does God open a door for us—an opportunity to grow in our faith—and we say to ourselves, “I don’t think I can handle this. I just don’t have what it takes.”The miracle of the loaves and fishes is a good meditation to help restore our confidence. We’re more capable of doing good than we sometimes realize. Today’s Gospel is asking us to take personal inventory: What gifts do I have that I can share? What blessings can I give that will change someone’s life and reflect the compassion of Our Lord? Can I—just one person—help build God’s Kingdom on earth?

These are comforting words… Jesus urging his hardworking disciples, just back from teaching, to rest. We can take comfort from these words, too, because it’s safe to say we’re just as hardworking.Today’s Gospel describes a tender moment when Jesus advises us, his modern-day disciples that we need to take good care of ourselves. Rest well, pray well. Then do the work of building God’s Kingdom.

“He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick.”Mark 6:8Today, Jesus instructs us to travel in mission lightly, taking just the basics. A pair of sturdy shoes and the conviction of our faith is all the inspiration we need to share the Good News.Yes, faith. But also confidence! During my mission years in Peru, I worked in formation with a group of seminarians who were devoted to their calling and studied for the priesthood with great fervor. They wanted to get everything they did just right—in other words, perfect! But “perfect” became an impediment. They didn’t trust their own judgment. They worried that the people would not accept them unless everything they said and did was just so. Of course, that’s an impossibly high bar to achieve. Only God is perfect! It took a bit of encouragement from me, but after a while I finally got them to trust in themselves. Thank God, many found their calling as gifted clergymen and homilists. They became who they were called to be, not by being “perfect” but by delivering the message of Christ’s compassion with confidence. And that’s all that God ever asks. Friend, none of us wants to make a mistake or appear less than who we are. God understands. If you have any doubt that you are a worthy and capable messenger of the Gospel, just know this: You have been called to mission in baptism and your gifts are uniquely yours. God’s grace will show you how to share those gifts. Whatever path you take, you will be building God’s Kingdom on earth. And that will be perfect enough.

“The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”Luke 4:18“America, God shed his grace on thee!”Today is a day for picnics and family gatherings—and a moment or two of reflection. On Independence Day 2021 we have so much to be thankful for. The blessings of a democratic and open society are ours to cherish and protect. We are also blessed with remarkably diverse communities drawn from talent and aspirations the world over. These are the strengths that endow us with greatness.At the same time, we are a country still in formation… still finding ways to resolve social and economic inequalities, especially the poverty that prevents people from living decent, hopeful, and productive lives. As we celebrate our 245th birthday today, may we be judged not only by our worldly accomplishments, but by how well we treat the weakest among us: the children, the elderly, the sick, the lonely, and the recently arrived.

Order your copy today >> https://maryknoll.link/8awRenowned theologian Donal Dorr explores the interplay between an ecological spirituality and our traditional Christian faith at this critical juncture in the twenty-first century. Rather than seeing ecological spirituality as an adjunct to Christian doctrine, Dorr views it as central to our understanding of Christianity today, and integral to understanding our relationship with the natural world.

Today’s Gospel is about the power of faith in the face of fear—emotions we all experience at one time or another.We know the story well. An official of the synagogue pleaded with Jesus for a laying of hands on his sick daughter who was at the point of death. The crowd said why trouble the rabbi when the girl had in fact died. Jesus’ response was calming. He would go to the home of the official with a message of faith. Upon entering the house, Jesus said the child was not dead but merely asleep. Ignoring the disbelievers, he took the young girl by the hand and asked her to rise. Which she did. The crowd was utterly astonished at the healing powers of the preacher from Galilee.Placing complete faith in God in the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulties is perhaps the most challenging experience any of us can have. But faith, as the Gospel shows us, is the only remedy for grief and fear. Faith is the grace that can us heal from deep hurts and sorrow, and from personal disappointments as well. Faith restores our souls, transcending moments of doubt and fear with the conviction that we are destined for eternal life in the company of Our Lord.Friend, no matter our calling, we are all human beings in need of healing. But just as important, we are all capable of offering healing to one another—the gift of grace that begins with an act of compassion. Today, Jesus assures us that we will always have the presence of God to restore our souls. When we need help, all we need to do is ask.

Job, the apostles—and we, too—have a few things in common. At least that’s what we learn from today’s readings. In his distress Job calls on God to rescue him from his many torments. Finally, in a stormy whirlwind God does appear, not with answers but with questions. Of course, Job cannot answer any of the questions, making the point that Job must let God be God.

“It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants.”Mark 4:31-32Think of today’s parable as a pause button. The story of the mustard seed gives us the needed room to exhale and remember that despite the headlines, the personal setbacks, and the wonderings why, God is still at work transforming us and our world. We are never alone.How do we know? Mark’s Gospel explains it with the story of the mustard seed. From this tiny expression of new life, a plant grows into a sturdy tree and eventually its branches and leaves become shelter for the birds of the air—and for us as well.Jesus likens the mustard seed to the Kingdom of God… plant seeds with acts of compassion and kindness and the Kingdom grows. The life of our Church becomes stronger with each planting, and this is confirmation to the world that we rejoice in our faith. So instead of getting frustrated by how seemingly great the task of everyday living is, let’s take a moment to remember that each thing we do with the conviction of faith—no matter how big or small—is another mustard seed. Some of us are called to lives of great sacrifice for family and friends. Some of us are called to public service or religious life. But all of us are called to ordinary acts of kindness and compassion. These are the plantings we can sow each and every day.Friendl, we never know how someone will receive a smile, a morning phone call to check-in, or a quick note to say “I’m thinking of you.” These are the mustard seeds that cost nothing but have the potential to change the world. Knowing that, let’s disengage our pause button and reengage with the world. And know in your heart that God’s Kingdom on earth is yours to nurture and grow.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord.”John Chapter 6, Verse 51The gift the Church celebrates today on the feast also known as Corpus Christi is an invitation from Our Lord to be living witnesses of his love and compassion. When Jesus consecrated bread and wine at the Last Supper, he said these gifts, His Body and Blood, would be given up for us—as they were on Good Friday—and that our Eucharistic celebration was to continue in his memory. The gift of faith we received is now ours to give. In word and deed we are called to give our lives, becoming the Living Bread that we consume, that heals our world and welcomes all to salvation in Christ.When I celebrate Mass and the Eucharist today, I will remember a woman who was an extraordinary example of the Living Bread—someone I will never forget. Her name was Maria Elena Moyano, a devout member of a Christian community in Lima, Peru who died in 1992. When armed guerrillas of the far-left threatened to kill people, Maria Elena organized a brave cadre of women to protect themselves. They started common kitchens and neighborhood cafes so people, especially the children, would not go hungry. They believed in non-violence and led demonstrations in support of social justice and self-government.The guerrillas regarded Maria Elena as a threat. Even with protection, Maria Elena was murdered by guerrillas in front of her family. Her death sparked so much outrage in the community that support for the guerrillas began to wane and her resistance movement actually gained strength. Her legacy in Peru is honored to this day. She is an inspiration for Christian communities throughout Latin America, especially those struggling against social injustice and conditions of extreme poverty.Very few of us are called to live our faith the way Maria Elena did. But each of us is called to become Living Bread with the gifts we do have… kindness, understanding, humility, courage, understanding, and reverence for all life. These are gifts that can transform the world.Friend, the giving that Christ spoke of at...