Vocations Newsletter

I think of kindness and everyday concern for others in the same way you probably do: These are the virtues that civilize our time on earth and give us a sense of completeness as caring human beings living the Gospel of compassion.St. Paul has sound advice for those of us trying to improve our human condition. Care for one another as Jesus would: love one another as you love yourself, as God loves you.When relationships are built on a mutual caring, the outcome is always the same: give more/get more. The more a married couple gives to one another in honor and respect, the closer they become. The more family members accommodate one another’s needs, the stronger the ties. We can apply our formula to relationships in our parish and neighborhood, and into bigger circles beyond that. Not surprisingly, the foundation first built at home is often the one we carry with us throughout life.Today’s Gospel reinforces a second important message that all relationships flourish when we’re honest, especially with ourselves. We may have a tendency to see faults in others before we see our own. But Jesus showed us the way: everyone has the possibility of redemption, even the…
Read more >

The idea of fairness is ingrained in us going all the way back to childhood. From the playground to the classroom and back to the dinner table, our caregivers always told us to treat people fairly. So what’s wrong with today’s Gospel? Nothing really.Jesus gives us an important lesson in understanding God’s concept of fairness—or better yet, generosity. In a telling parable, he recounts the story of aggrieved laborers who were paid the same amount as workers who came into the fields later in the day. “Why should they get paid the same as us when we did most of the work?” went the argument. After listening to the grumbling, the wise landowner explained that he paid everyone exactly as promised. You could say God wasn’t playing fair. But you could also say that God is all about giving us more than we deserve according to our needs. In fact, if we only got back in divine grace what we earned, we would be an unhappy lot! We depend on God to shower us with blessings. So today’s lesson, for me, is practice generosity and don’t look back.When I first went to Peru as a young missioner, I had to…
Read more >

I hope you enjoy a good challenge. Today is Part II of the conversation I began with you last week about seeing God in everyone, including people we disagree with. The challenge I have in mind today is forgiveness. Do you think of forgiveness as something you measure out, depending on the why and wherefore? That must have been Peter’s thought when he asked Jesus if it was OK to forgive someone “seven times,” using an expression that in ancient cultures signified completeness or perfection. To Peter, that must have seemed like quite the gesture. But to Jesus it left a lot of room for improvement. “Seventy-seven times” is what Our Lord said in reply, taking Peter and the rest of us beyond our human calculations to the expansiveness of In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to forgive generously—even extravagantly—just as our Father in heaven is forgiving. The reason why was never more clear to me than when I served in mission among the Aymara of Peru years ago. They taught me that forgiveness brings as much reward to the one who gives as the one who receives. Before the start of Mass, the Aymara would hold a communal pardoning….
Read more >

Love is always easy… when we’re the one being loved back. But loving the way Jesus asked—unconditionally and without exception—well, that’s another story. What to do when love isn’t exactly a two-way street?I can only tell you how I try to live up to God’s expectation of me: first, by recognizing that each person I meet may be different but still created in God’s image and therefore worthy; and second, by admitting that it’s always more fruitful to sit in judgment of my own actions before judging someone else’s. Learning about differences and discovering God in the process is the essence of our mission lives. It’s certainly true for our fathers and Brothers who witness the Gospel in many countries amid many cultures and traditions. And it’s true for those of us serving closer to home where relationships within our own families and circle of friends can be challenging—and instructive, too.St. Paul isn’t saying we can’t—or never will—have differences worth arguing over. Remember, Jesus himself didn’t hesitate to call out the hypocrites of his day. His message is more about bringing God into the conversation, recognizing the divine source of all life. Once we have that insight, the possibility for…
Read more >