.

Reflections on Our Faith

Take Five for Faith

Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen and grow - a day at a time. Look up the daily passages from the New American Bible online at www.usccb.org/nab/bible. Download Take Five for Faith by clicking on the date below: Week starting Sunday, November 8, 2009 Sunday reflections available in Spanish! Domingo, 8 De Noviembre De 2009 Invierte sólo cinco minutos al día, y tu fe se intensificará y crecerá-un día a la vez.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Have a generous point of view

In praising the widow who gave her last two coins to the temple treasury, Jesus is not suggesting that you and I need to give away our last penny. Rather, Jesus acknowledges that it is often the poorest of the poor who show the greatest charity, who risk the most to be loving. Jesus criticized the scribes and priests not only because of their apparent stinginess in donating to the Temple, but also because people such as the widow were often made poor by those in power who laid religious taxes and excessive expectations upon them. It is the responsibility of governments, churches, and individuals not only to come to the relief of the poor but to prevent them from being crushed in the first place.

TODAY'S READINGS: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44

"But she out of her poverty has put in . . . all she had to live on."

DOMINGO, 8 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2009
TRIGÉSIMO-SEGUNDO DOMINGO EN TIEMPO ORDINARIO

Ten un punto de vista generoso

Al elogiar a la viuda que dio sus últimas dos monedas al tesoro del templo, Jesús no está sugiriendo que tú y yo necesitemos dar nuestro último centavo. En vez de eso, Jesús reconoce que a menudo son los más pobres de los pobres quienes muestran la caridad más grande, quienes se arriesgan más a ser amados. Jesús criticó a los escribas y sacerdotes no solo debido a su aparente tacañería en donar al Templo, sino también porque gente tal como la viuda a menudo eran hechos pobres por aquellos en el poder que ponían impuestos religiosos y expectativas excesivas sobre ellos. Es la responsabilidad de los gobiernos, iglesias, e individuos no solo venir al alivio de los pobres sino impedir que sean aplastados en primer lugar.

LECTURAS DE HOY: 1 Reyes 17:10-16; Hebreos 9:24-28; Marcos 12:38-44 o 12:41-44

"Pero ella fuera de su pobreza ha puesto . . . todo lo que tenía para vivir."

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9
FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME

How firm a foundation

If any building in Christianity can be said to have a long history, it would be the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. Starting as the site of an ancient Roman mansion and then a barracks for the imperial guard, the Lateran Palace later served as a meeting place of church councils. The emperor Constantine built and enriched a cathedral there—which was pillaged by barbarians and burnt down on several occasions, only to be rebuilt. From Roman house to the remodeling of the church that gave it its present appearance in 1735: about 2,000 years. Then add the time since then, and the centuries start to add up. This sacred building, and others like it, testify to the enduring witness of faith.

TODAY'S READINGS: Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; 1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17; John 2:13-22

"No one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ."

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10
FEAST OF LEO THE GREAT, POPE, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

Holding it together

Elected in 440 A.D., Pope Saint Leo I assumed leadership of the church in the midst of the quickening disintegration of the Roman Empire, when both Western and Eastern Europe were becoming increasingly decentralized. As a result, understanding about the nature of Christ and salvation similarly underwent a variety of interpretations. One school of thought prevalent at the time taught that Christ’s life and death were merely an example that we should follow, rather than a sacrifice for our salvation. Taking his position seriously, Leo greatly strengthened and consolidated Roman authority on matters of doctrine.

TODAY'S READINGS: Wisdom 2:23-3:9; Luke 17:7-10

"Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love."

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
FEAST OF MARTIN OF TOURS, BISHOP

The advent of Advent

For centuries Lent was not the only 40-day season of fasting and abstinence in church tradition. Devotion to Saint Martin of Tours was so popular that from the time of his death in 397 until the Middle Ages his November 11 feast day inaugurated a 40-day period of fasting in much of Western Europe and Great Britain. The fast was known as “St. Martin’s Lent,” “St. Martin’s Fast,” or “Quadragesima Sancti Martini”—“the 40 days of Saint Martin.” The feast day itself was celebrated with hearty food and drink, with a fast to follow, much as Lent is preceded by Mardi Gras. Saint Martin’s Fast later gave way to our present-day season of Advent, during which the spirit of quiet restraint continues. Get your Advent off to an early start this year!

TODAY'S READINGS: Wisdom 6:1-11; Luke 17:11-19

" "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.' "

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12
FEAST OF JOSAPHAT, BISHOP, MARTYR

All Catholics East and West

When people use the word Catholic, just about everyone thinks Roman Catholic. But there are other kinds of Catholics, too, like some churches found in Eastern Europe, who are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church but who celebrate liturgy much like the Eastern Orthodox Church. Way back in the 15th and 16th centuries Saint Josaphat worked to bring the Eastern and Western churches closer together, and for his efforts was killed in 1623. Of this unity he said to the people of Vitebsk, in present-day Belarus, where he was bishop: “I am here among you as a shepherd, and you ought to know that I would be happy to give my life for you. I am ready to die for the holy union . . . .” In memory of Josaphat pray for the unity of Christians today.

TODAY'S READINGS: Wisdom 7:22b-8:1; Luke 17:20-25

"Wisdom . . . . reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well."

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13
FEAST OF FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI, VIRGIN

The education of the heart

Reading, writing, and ’rithmetic are important skills to master. But even in the late 1800s, Mother Cabrini insisted that children needed more than these fundamentals to thrive. In her schools she stressed the need for music, drama, art, and physical education as well, calling that a God-centered approach based on love of the whole person. By creating an environment of warm relationships, “education becomes an act of love,” she taught the sisters in the religious order she founded. We learn best from those who love us.

TODAY'S READINGS: Wisdom 13:1-9; Luke 17:26-37

"From the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator."

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14
FEAST OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

A deferred prayer

There’s a story told about a woman who prayed to the Virgin that one of her sons would become a priest. She had seven sons, but all of them married and raised families. Then she prayed that one of her grandsons would become a priest. She had many grandsons, but none chose that life. The woman continued her prayer. She was almost a 100 years old and near death when one of her grandsons, at the age of 33, decided to become a priest. She died a happy woman knowing her lifelong prayer was finally answered. The story is true, told by the priest himself. Prayer works; you just have to keep at it.

TODAY'S READINGS: Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9; Luke 18:1-8

"Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart."

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Contributors: Father Paul Boudreau, Daniel Grippo, Father Larry Janowski, O.F.M., Ann O’Connor, Joel Schorn, Patrice J. Tuohy, and Sister Julie Vieira, I.H.M.

©2009 by TrueQuest Communications, L.L.C. PHONE: 800-942-2811; E-MAIL: mail@takefiveforfaith.com; WEBSITE: www.takefiveforfaith.com. Licensed for noncommercial use. All rights reserved. Scripture quotes come from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Reflections on Our Faith

Take Five for Faith

Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen and grow - a day at a time. Look up the daily passages from the New American Bible online at www.usccb.org/nab/bible. Download Take Five for Faith by clicking on the date below: Week starting Sunday, November 1, 2009 Sunday reflections available in Spanish! Domingo, 1 De Noviembre De 2009 Invierte sólo cinco minutos al día, y tu fe se intensificará y crecerá-un día a la vez.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2009
SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS

Saints abound

How many saints are there? The lists of the canonized contain thousands of names, but the communion of saints is even fuller. In the Book of Revelation John of Patmos envisioned their number as vast and uncountable. It includes all the wonderful relatives and friends of happy memory, and a lot of really kind strangers you meet along the way. When you start to think about it, goodness encompasses a big, big number of folks. In the words of Saint Claude de la Colombiere: “It is possible to be a saint anywhere and everywhere when one really wishes to become one.”

TODAY'S READINGS:Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a

"There was a great multitude that no one could count . . . from all tribes and peoples and languages."

DOMINGO, 1 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2009
SOLEMNIDAD DE TODOS LOS SANTOS

Los santos abundan

¿Cuántos santos hay? Las listas de los canonizados contienen miles de nombres, pero la comunión de santos es aún más completa. En el Libro de Revelación Juan de Patmos previó su número tan vasto e incontable. Eso incluye a todos los maravillosos familiares y amigos de recuerdos felices, y muchos extraños muy amables que conoces en el camino. Cuando comienzas a pensar en eso, la bondad abarca un gran, gran número de personas. En palabras de San Claudio de la Colombiere: “Es posible ser un santo en cualquier y en todo lugar cuando uno realmente desea serlo.”

LECTURAS DE HOY: Revelación 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 Juan 3:1-3; Mateo 5:1-12a

"Había una gran multitud que nadie podía contar . . . de todas tribus y gentes y lenguajes."

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2
COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

Step outside the limits

The feast of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, commonly known as All Souls Day, is the day the church has set aside to pray for everyone who has died. All Souls, however, is not only for the benefit of those who have gone before us. For the living it is an invitation to shift our attention away from the limits of ordinary time (past, present, and future) toward a spiritual concept of time—that is, God’s time: the eternal now. As we do that, daily annoyances, minor crises, doubts, fears, and worries begin to dissolve, and we notice the enormousness of the human experience. Practice taking the long view. What changes?

TODAY'S READINGS: Wisdom 3:1-9; Romans 5:5-11 or 6:3-9; John 6:37-40

"But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them."

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
FEAST OF MARTIN DE PORRES, RELIGIOUS

Determined to love

Having a dark-skinned mother (perhaps African, perhaps native) and a white father could have made Saint Martin de Porres bitter over the rejection he felt in 17th-century Peru. Instead, his mixed race opened his heart to all. Martin trained as a barber and eventually applied to the Dominicans, where he wished to remain a lay “helper.” The friars, however, saw his unbounded compassion and urged him to become a full member. As such he continued to care for slaves and orphans, working for the order and the city of Lima as a purveyor of food and goods while finding time to act as a spiritual director for many. Pope John XXIII said at his 1962 canonization: “He deserved to be called Martin of Charity.” There’s no stopping a heart bent on caring.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 12:5-16b; Luke 14:15-24

"Love one another with mutual affection."

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
FEAST OF CHARLES BORROMEO, BISHOP

Reform begins with you

The 16th-century bishop Charles Borromeo didn’t only “talk the talk,” he “walked the walk.” As the Council of Trent tried to reform questionable practices in the church, Borromeo believed that if the laity was being asked to uphold a higher moral standard, the clergy needed to set the example and renew their apostolic spirit. He gave generously from church wealth to charity, and during the plague and famine that struck Milan in 1576, while civil authorities fled and to the detriment of his own health, Borromeo stayed and ministered to the sick and dying, borrowing large sums of money that required years to repay. How will you set an example of apostolic spirit today?

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 13:8-10; Luke 14:25-33

"None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5

What’s one life worth?

Having children is a huge risk. It’s not like a box of chocolates; you can always put a bad candy back in the box. But raising a family is a pure roll of the dice; you could gain a lot, but you could lose everything. Then why do so many do it? Because it’s worth it. In the same way, the shepherd leaves the 99—a huge risk—and searches out the lost one. God is willing to sacrifice everything. No wonder there’s such joy when the lost are found.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 14:7-12; Luke 15:1-10

"Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?"

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Make no mistake about it

In the short story Greville Fane author Henry James notes of his fictional character, the popular writer Mrs. Stormer, that “she had an unequalled gift, especially pen in hand, of squeezing big mistakes into small opportunities.” Although Mrs. Stormer’s story was fictional, we know all too well about making big mistakes in the nonfiction of our own lives. We can’t avoid all mistakes, but we can learn from them and make amends for any harm caused. Like Mrs. Stormer, we can become gifted in our ability to squeeze big mistakes into small opportunities. That takes practice and a willingness to admit both that we’ve fallen short and that we have the capacity to grow. What small opportunity might be waiting around the corner for you?

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8

"And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly."

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7

All the big things are little things

In today’s gospel passage, Jesus says something very peculiar about money: “Make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” Huh? Was he providing a justification for corrupt politicians and fraudulent financiers to do their dirty deeds? And would such dishonesty get them into heaven? No. But he was pointing out what would happen if people gave as much attention to following the ways of God as they did to the pursuit of money. Think of the things you do with great care. How can you do the same for your faith?

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27; Luke 16:9-15

"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much."

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Contributors: Father Paul Boudreau, Daniel Grippo, Father Larry Janowski, O.F.M., Ann O’Connor, Joel Schorn, Patrice J. Tuohy, and Sister Julie Vieira, I.H.M.

©2009 by TrueQuest Communications, L.L.C. PHONE: 800-942-2811; E-MAIL: mail@takefiveforfaith.com; WEBSITE: www.takefiveforfaith.com. Licensed for noncommercial use. All rights reserved. Scripture quotes come from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Reflections on Our Faith

Take Five for Faith

Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen and grow - a day at a time. Look up the daily passages from the New American Bible online at www.usccb.org/nab/bible. Download Take Five for Faith by clicking on the date below: Week starting Sunday, October 25, 2009 Sunday reflections available in Spanish! Domingo, 25 De Octubre De 2009 Invierte sólo cinco minutos al día, y tu fe se intensificará y crecerá-un día a la vez.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2009
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Do you see what I see?

Two tourists are sitting in a small, ancient church in Wales at twilight when a girl of about 12 enters holding the hand of a boy who must be her younger brother. As the two make their way forward, the girl gently guides the boy’s hand along the rough stone wall. They stop at a statue of Mary to trace her face and feel the cold marble folds of her gown. At that altar the girl places her brother’s hands around the candlesticks; he feels the tabernacle, and the crucifix. Then they leave. As the door closes behind them, one tourist remarks to the other, “Isn’t it a pity that boy couldn’t see how beautiful this church is?” Her companion replies, “Are you kidding? He saw more than either of us.”

TODAY'S READINGS: Jeremiah 31:7-9; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52

" I want to see."

DOMINGO, 25 DE OCTUBRE DE 2009
TRIGÉSIMO DOMINGO EN TIEMPO ORDINARIO

¿Ves lo que veo?

Dos turistas están sentados en una iglesia pequeña, antigua en Gales en la penumbra cuando una niña de casi 12 años entra tomando la mano de un niño que debe ser su hermano más pequeño. Mientras los dos caminan hacia adelante, la niña ligeramente guía la mano del niño por la áspera pared de piedra. Se detienen en una estatua de María para señalar su cara y sentir los pliegues fríos de mármol de su vestido. En ese altar la niña coloca las manos de su hermano sobre los candeleros; él siente el tabernáculo, y el crucifijo. Entonces se van. Mientras la puerta se cierra detrás de ellos, un turista le comenta al otro, “¿No es una lástima que ese niño no pudiera ver qué tan hermosa es esta iglesia? Su compañero responde, “¿Estás bromeando? Él vio más que cualquiera de nosotros.”

LECTURAS DE HOY: Jeremías 31:7-9; Hebreos 5:1-6; Marcos 10:46-52

"Quiero ver."

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26

Free at last

On the surface today’s gospel is about the healing of a woman whose physical freedom and range of motion had been severely restricted for 18 years because of a crippling disease. Yet it is also about the healing all of us require, for who among us has not entered adulthood “wounded” at some level that restricts our spiritual freedom? Jesus frames his activity in terms of “setting free” one who was in bondage. Most of us would gladly get in line for that kind of healing. The good news is, we don’t have to wait in line—Jesus is ready to perform such healing acts right now. Ask and you shall receive.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 8:12-17; Luke 13:10-17

"Ought not this woman . . . be set free from this bondage?"

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27

Hope in the unseen

The mustard seed is small even for seeds, too small perhaps for birds to see as they fly. Yet this is the seed that Jesus picks out to represent his kingdom. The seed that birds cannot see eventually becomes a home for them. In the full-grown tree the birds will not consider how their place of rest came to be from an invisible seed. Our situation is much different from the birds’, however, for in our lives our place of rest, our hope must be in that mustard seed. Saint Paul wrote to the early Christians: “Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Today take rest in the invisible.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 8:18-25; Luke 13:18-21

"What is the kingdom of God like? . . . It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden."

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28
FEAST OF SIMON AND JUDE, APOSTLES

Take the hard road

We assume the apostles must have been solid, holy people because Jesus handpicked them to be part of his inner circle of friends and disciples. But the gospels present quite a different picture. These were ordinary people who weren’t always clear about Jesus’ message, who occasionally turned their back on Jesus even when he was most in need, and who struggled with their own faith. The apostles’ relationship with Jesus as well as their faith was a work in progress that ultimately brought them closer to God. Like the apostles, we, too, encounter struggles in our relationship with Jesus and our faith. Allow your struggles and missteps to become another positive step in getting to know God more deeply.

TODAY'S READINGS: Ephesians 2:19-22; Luke 6:12-16

"You are no longer strangers and aliens, but . . . also members of the household of God."

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

Degrees of separation

For those times when God seems distant or absent, when people move through their day and don’t see signs of God anywhere, it’s easy to forget that God is behind it all. Yet even a world that feels more haunted rather than filled with God’s presence is still beloved creation—the expression of God’s overflowing love. A number of spiritual masters have suggested the practice of seeing God in all things. After all, if God really did create everything, it must be possible to find a string in every moment that leads back to the divine. Saint Paul, for one, was sure nothing in the universe could separate people from God. And why not? It all comes from the one who made it.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 8:31b-39; Luke 13:31-35

"For I am convinced that neither . . . height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

Dining with “the enemy”

Despite his differences with the Pharisees, Jesus never stopped communicating with them, even going so far as to dine with them. And if they were not particularly open to his message, they at least were impressed enough to invite him to dinner and hear him out. In an age where public differences of opinion, played out as they are in front of the ever-present media, seem to descend to the level of insult and demonization, you can share a meal with someone with whom you disagree. Though you may not settle all your differences in a meal (or ever), you can agree to disagree on some matters—and perhaps still agree on a favorite dessert!

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 9:1-5; Luke 14:1-6

"Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal."

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
FEAST OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Have a seat!

Please sit down. Anywhere’s fine. Just be forewarned: Where you sit now affects your place for all eternity. Here’s the fine print of our existence we all too often disregard: Our comfort and our neighbor’s discomfort are inextricably linked. The disciples who hoped to sit on either side of Jesus were invited to drink from a bitter cup first. Young Mary of Nazareth may have perceived that when she agreed to take one of the lowest places in history: that of the unmarried pregnant teenager. The church tells us she’s now enthroned as Queen of Heaven. Where would you like to sit?

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29; Luke 14:1, 7-11

"Go and sit down at the lowest place, so that . . . your host may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' "

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Contributors: Father Paul Boudreau, Daniel Grippo, Father Larry Janowski, O.F.M., Ann O’Connor, Joel Schorn, Patrice J. Tuohy, and Sister Julie Vieira, I.H.M.

©2009 by TrueQuest Communications, L.L.C. PHONE: 800-942-2811; E-MAIL: mail@takefiveforfaith.com; WEBSITE: www.takefiveforfaith.com. Licensed for noncommercial use. All rights reserved. Scripture quotes come from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Reflections on Our Faith

Take Five for Faith

Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen and grow - a day at a time. Look up the daily passages from the New American Bible online at www.usccb.org/nab/bible. Download Take Five for Faith by clicking on the date below: Week starting Sunday, October 18, 2009 Sunday reflections available in Spanish! Domingo, 18 De Octubre De 2009 Invierte sólo cinco minutos al día, y tu fe se intensificará y crecerá-un día a la vez.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2009
TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

A friend indeed

Have you ever thought or been told that some difficult situation you are facing is “God’s will”? What does that say about the kind of God we believe in? After all, if a friend regularly—and purposefully—hurts us and simply explains that he or she does so for our own good, would we really want to continue a relationship with that person? Why would we think God is like this supposedly helpful friend? Scripture shows us a God who is there not to help us build character but to love and cherish us. God says, unequivocally, “I came to give my life for you.” In difficult times we may want to consider not why God is letting something happen to us but how God is working to help us through it.

TODAY'S READINGS: Isaiah 53:10-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

"For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

DOMINGO, 18 DE OCTUBRE DE 2009
VIGÉSIMO NOVENO DOMINGO EN TIEMPO ORDINARIO

Un amigo verdadero

¿Alguna vez has pensado o te han contado que alguna situación difícil a la que te enfrentas es “la voluntad de Dios”? ¿Qué dice eso sobre la clase de Dios en que creemos? Después de todo, si un amigo regularmente—y decididamente—te lastima y simplemente explica que él o ella lo hace por nuestro propio bien, ¿realmente querríamos continuar una relación con esa persona? ¿Por qué pensaríamos que Dios es como este supuesto amigo amable? La Escritura nos muestra un Dios que está allí no para ayudarnos a construir el carácter sino para amar y apreciarnos. Dios dice, inequívocamente, “Vine a dar mi vida por ti.” En tiempos difíciles puede que queramos considerar no por qué Dios está permitiendo que algo nos suceda sino cómo Dios está trabajando para ayudarnos a través de esto.

LECTURAS DE HOY: Isaías 53:10-11; Hebreos 4:14-16; Marcos 10:35-45 o 10:42-45

"Porque el Hijo del Hombre no vino para ser servido sino para servir y para dar su vida un rescate para muchos."

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18

No fooling

Recent books like Jack Miles’ God: A Biography trace the changing image of God in Hebrew scripture, pointing out that God is presented in radically different ways. While God is often seen as angry at sin, though, it is in the New Testament that God directly calls a human being a fool! What persuades God to such an insult, however, is an ancient problem: a person who is so self-involved that they have no sense of life’s fragility, no sense of compassion for others, no sense of gratitude toward God. Building up stock in wealth, in stuff, seems logical in a world that judges on the basis of “who has the most toys when they die.” To God, however, that is the height of folly, and God is not afraid to call a fool a fool.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 4:20-25; Luke 12:13-21

"You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you."

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
FEAST OF PAUL OF THE CROSS, PRIEST

A passion for compassion

While a young man, Saint Paul of the Cross was unsure which direction his life should take—a military or business career? Marriage? Then one day he was listening to a homily on the sufferings of Jesus, and it all made sense to him: He would redirect his life to bring others the message of God’s love expressed in Christ’s Passion. He desired to form a community of the like-minded to pursue this mission, but he had to wait more than two decades—years he spent as a hospital chaplain and traveling preacher—before the church officially gave him permission to found a religious order, the Passionists. It can take time to find one’s calling and be confirmed in it. But the satisfaction is worth the wait.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21; Luke 12:35-38

"More surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life."

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21

What are you driving at?

On the back of countless trucks on our highways appears the curious inquiry: “How is my driving?” The accompanying number to call invites our critique. What if we all came equipped with signs inviting the moral critique of those around us? We might be surprised and not at all pleased with the feedback. Thankfully, Christianity doesn’t rely on external judgment; Jesus even warned against judging others. But we are encouraged to perform our own regular examination of conscience. For everything that we have—life and love, relationships and resources, talent and time—we will one day be accountable.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 6:12-18; Luke 12:39-48

"From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required."

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

All fired up

Jesus shocks his disciples—and many of us as well, no doubt—when he declares that he came not to establish peace but rather division, to “set the earth on fire.” What kind of fire did he have in mind? Fire in biblical times was associated with God’s action in the world and the lives of people. Jesus is using strong language to impress upon us the importance of taking responsibility for our spiritual growth. Do our relationships, choices, lifestyles, and loyalties reflect the seriousness of the call to spiritual maturity? If not, what can we do today to begin to put things right?

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 6:19-23; Luke 12:49-53

"Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth?"

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
FEAST OF JOHN OF CAPISTRANO, PRIEST

From politico to saint

Wouldn’t you love to see some of our politicians dressed in rags and paraded through town sitting backwards on a donkey? In 1416 the governor of Perugia made just such a ride, much to the delight and jeers of the citizens. But it wasn’t for messing up the economy. The governor was renouncing his position to join the Franciscans, and the ride was his act of public humility following the example of Saint Francis. The ex-gov, John of Capistrano, went on to preach against errors and heresies all over Italy and Europe and became a great saint. Are there any politicians you know who could do that?

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 7:18-25a; Luke 12:54-59

"For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do."

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

Decisions, decisions

One of the choices life offers is whether to let God be part of your life. Of course God is always present, within you and around you, but you can choose to ignore, shut out, or pretend God isn’t there. Saint Paul called this “I don’t need God attitude” living in “the flesh” and believed this illusion of self-sufficiency hid the road to death. Openness to the divine, though—to the power and Spirit of Christ—guides you to life in God. Find some ways to choose God today.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 8:1-11; Luke 13:1-9

"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies."

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Contributors: Father Paul Boudreau, Daniel Grippo, Father Larry Janowski, O.F.M., Ann O’Connor, Joel Schorn, Patrice J. Tuohy, and Sister Julie Vieira, I.H.M.

©2009 by TrueQuest Communications, L.L.C. PHONE: 800-942-2811; E-MAIL: mail@takefiveforfaith.com; WEBSITE: www.takefiveforfaith.com. Licensed for noncommercial use. All rights reserved. Scripture quotes come from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Reflections on Our Faith

Take Five for Faith

Invest just five minutes a day, and your faith will deepen and grow - a day at a time. Look up the daily passages from the New American Bible online at www.usccb.org/nab/bible. Download Take Five for Faith by clicking on the date below: Week starting Sunday, October 11, 2009 Sunday reflections available in Spanish! Domingo, 11 De Octubre De 2009 Invierte sólo cinco minutos al día, y tu fe se intensificará y crecerá-un día a la vez.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2009
TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Get rich quick

The gospel has a get-rich-quick scheme you may not have tried yet. It’s fail-safe and works equally well in shaky economic times as in secure ones. It might be called total divestment. Jesus offers this plan to the rich fellow who comes to him asking for the secret to inheriting eternal life. Sell everything, Jesus urges him, and give the money to the poor. Once freed from money management, come and be a disciple. The fellow declines. Most of us do. But if we take even a few steps in that direction, how much richer we would be!

TODAY'S READINGS: Wisdom 7:7-11; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30 or 10:17-27

“How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

DOMINGO, 11 DE OCTUBRE DE 2009
VIGÉSIMO OCTAVO DOMINGO EN TIEMPO ORDINARIO

Hazte rico rápidamente

El evangelio tiene un proyecto hazte-rico-rápidamente que puede que aún no hayas probado. Es de seguridad y funciona de igual modo en tiempos económicos tambaleantes como en los estables. Puede que sea llamado desinversión total. Jesús ofrece este plan al hombre rico que viene a él pidiéndole el secreto para heredar la vida eterna. Vende todo, Jesús lo exhorta, y da el dinero a los pobres. Una vez liberado de la administración del dinero, ven y se un discípulo. El hombre rehúsa. La mayoría de nosotros lo hacemos. Pero si hasta tomamos algunos pasos en esa dirección, ¡qué tan ricos seríamos!

LECTURAS DE HOY: Sabiduría 7:7-11; Hebreos 4:12-13; Marcos 10:17-30 o 10:17-27

“¡Qué difícil será para aquellos que tienen riqueza entrar en el reino de Dios!”

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12

A sign that’s hard to miss

When in Luke’s gospel Jesus uses the phrase “the sign of Jonah,” most of us would think of the whale. But Jesus has something else in mind. Jonah had been a prophet sent by God to convert the pagan city of Nineveh—a job Jonah didn’t want. But when he finally buckled down and did what God asked, the people—much to Jonah’s astonishment—converted! So for Jesus the “sign of Jonah” recalls the Ninevites’ acceptance of God’s Word through God’s prophet. At the judgment, Jesus says, those Ninevites will shame his own generation because they were humble and smart enough to accept God’s invitation. We who have been given the gospel and are surrounded by so many signs of God’s love have even less justification for not hearing the Word of God and keeping it.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 1:1-7; Luke 11:29-32

"This generation . . . asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah"

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Not all that bad

The Pharisees may have gotten a bit of a bum rap in the New Testament because of events that occurred after Jesus’ death. The passages of the New Testament that are most hostile to the Pharisees were compiled at a time when it had become clear that most Jews did not consider Jesus to be the Messiah. The Pharisees may have served as a convenient scapegoat for that rejection. The Pharisaic tradition was in fact more flexible on many questions than it was portrayed to be. It does us well to look and listen carefully and judge slowly when it comes to those who follow a different drummer.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 1:16-25; Luke 11:37-41

"There is need of only one thing."

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
FFEAST OF CALLISTUS I, POPE, MARTYR

Just another irony

One of the great ironies of our church is that even though Jesus scolds the religious leaders of his day because they love presiding over the assembly and being recognized in public, we still occasionally find such leaders in our parish communities. But the Lord is really good at changing water into wine. Take Saint Callistus (d. 222?). He was such a bad manager that he was twice jailed for his incompetence. Then they made him pope. Go figure. But that’s how God does things. As one of the church’s prayers for martyrs says, “You choose the weak and make them strong in bearing witness to you.”

TODAY'S READINGS:Romans 2:1-11; Luke 11:42-46

“Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues.”

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
FEAST OF TERESA OF JESUS, VIRGIN, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

You’re not alone

Much has been written about Saint Teresa of Avila’s mystical experiences and reflections on the spiritual life. It would be easy to assume that she had no problem relating to God. But Teresa herself tells us that she had many tough periods in her life when she felt alone, as if God weren’t listening or speaking to her. One passage sums up well the kind of struggles she faced and many people today face: “I was by myself, having no one in whom I could find any comfort; unable to pray or read, like a person stunned by heavy trials . . . utterly disquieted and wearied, not knowing what would become of me” (Life of St. Teresa of Jesus). Have you ever been there? Persevere, as Teresa did, and trust that even in those moments, God is with you.

TODAY'S READINGS:Romans 3:21-30; Luke 11:47-54

“For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

Get the facts

It only takes one misleading statistic or statement by a person who is regarded as an “authority”—these days, anyone from a talk show host to a lobbyist to a legislator—to contaminate the public discussion of an important issue. Like yeast, such disinformation spreads invisibly but powerfully, infecting everything it touches. In urgent matters such as healthcare, the economy, or immigration, it is our responsibility as citizens of a great democracy to use due diligence in seeking the relevant facts and to read widely and listen to a broad spectrum of opinions in order to decide for ourselves what we think. It’s a lot of work, but a healthy democracy requires it.

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 4:1-8; Luke 12:1-7

“Be aware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy.”

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17
FEAST OF IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH, BISHOP, MARTYR

What’s your name?

Groups tend to reflect where people put their loyalty: an ethnicity, political party, nationality, and so on. And when you are part of a group you get to call yourself something: Latino, Republican, American. What makes being Christian a little different, though, is that the loyalty is to a person, Jesus. Believe in Jesus and act like it, and you get to bear his name. The early Christian martyr Saint Ignatius was bishop of the city of Antioch, where followers of Jesus were first called Christians. What have you done recently to honor this title?

TODAY'S READINGS: Romans 4:13, 16-18; Luke 12:8-12

“And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God.”

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Contributors: Father Paul Boudreau, Daniel Grippo, Father Larry Janowski, O.F.M., Ann O’Connor, Joel Schorn, Patrice J. Tuohy, and Sister Julie Vieira, I.H.M.

©2009 by TrueQuest Communications, L.L.C. PHONE: 800-942-2811; E-MAIL: mail@takefiveforfaith.com; WEBSITE: www.takefiveforfaith.com. Licensed for noncommercial use. All rights reserved. Scripture quotes come from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.