Reflections of a beloved son

“Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”   John 20:28   Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle   St. Thomas is usually given a bad reputation with the nickname of “Doubting Thomas.” Yes, Thomas doubted when his brothers told him that Jesus is alive and has resurrected. But that does not define him as a person. Earlier on when Jesus was speaking with His Apostles, assuring them that there are many dwelling places in His Father’s house and that where He is going, they know the way.   At this Thomas asked, “Master we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”   At this Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Because of Thomas’ questioning, Jesus made a profound statement that is commonly quoted today. This statement was a statement of identity.   Questioning and doubting does not always signify something bad or weakness. It can be a sign of a desire to deepen ...

Selections from Part I of a talk I gave on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Younger son (YS) – “give me” mentality, I deserve my inheritance, it belongs to me – I take; “The son is as impatient as the father was kind” (Peter Chrysologus).   (Grasping and grabbing)   Really saying to the Father:  “I wish you were dead.”  It is usually only when someone dies that we receive inheritance. Imagine what takes place during those few days before the son leaves.   When the son leaves and sets off to a distant country, he is not only leaving home, but he is leaving himself.   He wishes to leave his identity behind.   He wants to be his own person.   How often are we tempted by this?   “Be somebody” the world tells us.   Somebody powerful, rich, and famous.   Be somebody.   We are already somebody.   We are God’s beloved.   Each one of us.   We are loved by the Father from all eternity.   “I have loved you with...

Guilt. Shame. Hopelessness. These are the things that can weigh us down and may even paralyze us.  In today's Gospel reading , Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who are in the temple.  The Pharisee begins to pray out loud thanking God that he is not like the other sinful people and not like the tax collector.  We are told that the tax collector kept his head down, "beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner .'"  Jesus told the crowd that the tax collector went home justified and not the Pharisee.    What's the point of Jesus' parable?  Sometimes we may feel entitled and we begin to allow our pride to take over, judging others and thinking we are better than them.  Even when we reflect we may sometimes say "I know I'm a sinner, but at least I did not kill anyone or did anything as bad as that guy."  That is no different than what the Pharisee said.  Though it may be true that what you did ...