The Rambler

  22ND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C] According to Jesus, you’re better off embracing humility up front, voluntarily, rather than having it forced upon you, like a bitter pill that has to be swallowed (Luke 14:11). In basic terms, humility is a part of life; it comes to us all. If you resist humility, if you are in the habit of exalting yourself, then humility will be visited upon you, with severity. It will be painful. In many ways, it will feel as if you have received a punch in the nose.  Take for example the case of Leroy Brown ; he’s the subject of a popular song from 1973. He’s known as “bad, bad Leroy Brown.”  He’s the baddest man who strolls this town. He’s riding high, living it up. The world is his oyster. However, by the end of the song, he’s battered and bruised. He was making a pass at the wife of an extremely jealous man. Subsequently, Leroy has been brought down. As we hear in the Gospel, if you exalt yourself, humility will be visited upon you, like a bolt ou...

  21ST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C] We’re being faced with a certain amount of drama in Luke chapter thirteen. What seems to be the issue? Is it that the master of the house has been awakened? No, that’s not his complaint. The issue, with regard to those who are knocking on his door, is that he doesn’t know where they are from (Luke 13:25-27). What does this suggest? It’s being suggested that they didn’t arrive by way of the gate. And in addition, they didn’t follow the path that had been outlined for them. They evidently forged their own path. It’s a source of concern for the master. He can see them standing in his doorway. The problem isn’t that they are there; rather, he wants to know: How did you get there? It’s not so much the “what” but the “how.”   For example, let’s say that Roxanne has fallen in love. We are referring here to a story that derives from seventeenth century France. She is in love with a cadet named Christian. How did he win her over? Through poetry....

  20TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C] He has been described as “The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). But Jesus doesn’t sound like a proponent of peace in this Gospel passage. Instead, he’s being divisive. He wants to burn everything down (see Luke 12:49-53). Of course, we need to be aware of the context. He’s speaking these words at a particular time and in a particular place. During that period, within that culture, you would belong to either a Jewish household or a pagan household. If you’re from a Jewish household, then you would be worshiping the God of Moses. If you’re from a pagan household, then you would be worshiping the gods & goddesses of Imperial Rome.  With Jesus, however, we have the introduction of a third option. Choose to follow Jesus and watch what happens. You will be causing disruption within your household. It’s not going to be a popular decision. You will face pressure, resistance, even ridicule—whether you were raised in a Jewish household or in a Roman h...

  ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Being “full of grace” (Lk. 1:28) and “Immaculately Conceived” (CCC 490-493), we can describe the Virgin Mary as a unique Biblical figure. She possesses a unique status and this will lead her to experience a rather unique destiny. She fulfills her original role by serving as the Mother of Christ. However, from the cross Jesus will endow her with a new role: she goes from Mother of Christ to being Mother of those who belong to Christ (John 19:26-27).  In order to embrace this new role, she will need a new vantage point. The privilege of belonging to Christ will be extended to the entire worldwide population. We are talking about a church that is in the process of becoming truly Catholic ---or “universal.”  If Motherly oversight is going to be  provided for such a diverse membership, then Mary will have to be “assumed” so that she can observe from a perspective that goes beyond the earthly perspective. Therefore we celebrate what ...

  19TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C] You’re asking yourself: Why do I have to hear about these people who lived during the Old Testament period? Consider this possibility: it’s the Lord’s way of placing you before a mirror. You’re seeing your own reflection when you visualize the Patriarch known to us as Abraham (referenced in Hebrews chapter eleven). He’s a man who receives a number of blessings. And, in addition, he’s a man on the move. He’s a sojourner, or rather, a pilgrim.  Guess what? So are you. It’s all right there in Hebrews chapter eleven. Pay close attention to verses thirteen through sixteen. It turns out that we are likewise on a pilgrimage. We’re advancing step-by-step, drawing ever closer to our final destination, our ultimate home. That explains the appearance of Abraham. His pilgrimage calls to mind the reality of our own ongoing pilgrimage. Meanwhile, what about the Israelites (featured in Wisdom chapter eighteen)? What do they represent?  Similar to Abra...

  18TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C] It’s all about letting the story unfold. Take that Harper Lee story, for example: To Kill A Mockingbird . It was originally released as a novel (1960), and then two years later it was adapted for the silver screen. Imagine yourself buying a ticket, sitting down to watch this highly anticipated film. What do you see as the opening credits begin to roll? You see a variety of objects, being kept within a box. What kind of objects? They list as follows: two Indian Head pennies; two carved figurines; a broken pocket-watch; a ball of string; a medal earned from a spelling bee; a jack-knife; and two sticks of Double-mint chewing gum.  Forget about trying to make any sense out of these objects. It’s too early. You have to let the story unfold. Likewise, forget about trying to make any sense out of the title. It’s too early. You have to let the story unfold. Eventually it will all fall into place. Eventually you will come to appreciate the significan...