The Rambler

  30TH SUNDAY, ORDINARY TIME [B] Students are gathered around their rabbi. He wants to know: How can you tell when the night has passed and the day has begun? Response number one: When you see an animal in the distance, and you can determine that it is a dog and not a sheep. The rabbi shakes his head, and this leads to a second response: When you see a tree in the distance, and you can determine that it’s a fig tree and not a peach tree. The rabbi, continuing to shake his head, goes on to explain that: It’s when you can see the Lord’s presence within the people around you. Until you can do that, it remains the dead of night.  We can say this with regard to the students and the rabbi: they are not on the same page. For the students, it’s all about physical eyesight. For the rabbi, it’s more about the gift of true vision. Bartimaeus would love to be able to distinguish a dog from a sheep. What a blessing that would be! Happily, now that ability is being granted, thanks to Jesus...

  29TH SUNDAY, ORDINARY TIME [B] Upon hearing the name of “Rapunzel,” you will immediately begin thinking about the length of her hair. Next, you will think about the tower in which she resides. And finally, you will think about the prince who desires to marry her. You probably won’t give any thought to the subject of suffering . Nevertheless, suffering represents a critical aspect of the story. She resides in the tower…as a prisoner. She is being held captive by an evil witch. The evil witch appears more than once within the narrative, bringing hardship to both Rapunzel and also the prince. For his part, the prince finds himself being drawn to the tower by the sound of Rapunzel’s voice. She sings in order to pass the time. Unfortunately, the tower has no entrance. We know, however, that the prince will eventually gain entry by way of the window. Rapunzel voluntarily leans out of the window, allowing her train of hair to descend, reaching all the way to the ground. The prince promp...

  28TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [B] It’s been said that if you give a man a fish you have fed him for a day. However, if you teach a man to fish you have fed him for a lifetime. This ancient Chinese proverb ranks the intangible ahead of the tangible. A fish placed in your hands represents something tangible. Meanwhile, when someone teaches you how to fish, you’re being given something intangible. You are being endowed with elements of knowledge—elements of knowledge through which you will be able to catch fish on a recurring basis. Therefore the proverb favors the intangible.  Our first reading this weekend likewise favors the intangible. This passage can be understood as a celebration of wisdom (Wis. 7:7-11). When you celebrate the virtue of wisdom, you’re celebrating something intangible. On the other hand, it’s possible that you might find yourself identifying with the rich young man portrayed in Mark chapter ten. This means that you have a preference for what is tangible....

  27TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [B] Jesus presents it as a requirement: you will need to become like a child if you want to have a place in the Kingdom of Heaven (see Mk. 10:14-16). Are you interested in Heaven? I am. My guess is that you are as well. Therefore, now might be an appropriate time to reflect upon the long-lost days of your childhood. Think about all of those childhood attachments. For example, did you have a teddy bear? Speaking for myself, I can say that I did not have a teddy bear. I did however have a stuffed Snoopy. And I cherished that stuffed Snoopy—at least for a while. At some point I lost track of that stuffed animal. It’s possible that he ended up at Goodwill. Or he came apart at the seams and had to be thrown away. The point is that he was cherished, but only for a period of time. As far as bonds go, it definitely was meaningful. It was both meaningful and likewise…temporary.  The Lord would like to establish a bond with each and every one of us. What ...