As our scriptures speak to the end of times, it can be scary or cause us to be fearful, but that is not the goal of the readings. The goal is always to point to God being in power, even when we cannot see it or understand how He is guiding the world.

I have always been a bit taken aback by the Gospel that we hear on this feast day of Sovereignty of Christ of the Universe…we encounter Christ on the cross…a crucified Sovereign of the Universe! For years we referred to this as the “Feast of Christ the King” but it was and is a “Solemnity” making it holier, or more important than “just” a feast day, like say the feast day of any number of saints. And what used to be the feast of Christ the King has become the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! Taking on a much more cosmic nature and referring to the role of Christ in the creation of all things, seen and unseen.

Given the current state of our national politics as well as the state of politics around the globe we may be filled with anxiety and fear, not sure what to do or where to turn. It seems like the far-right factions are gaining power in an ever-growing number of countries around the world, as well as here in the United States. Our sisters and brothers of color, Muslims, immigrants, refuges and women and many others all feel vulnerable and at risk in this environment of racist, misogynistic and bigoted violence and rhetoric aimed at holding them down and keeping them from their rightful place in society.

We are called to reach out to and to raise up all those who feel threatened. It is our Baptismal call. Just as Jesus went to the margins, so too we must guard the most vulnerable in every way we can. We need to make known our stance and we need to do so bravely and peaceably. Whether we do this through public protest, through advocacy, through legal actions, through prayer or through personal reaching out to those who are being targeted, we must, each one of us, as disciples of Christ, find ways to stand up and against all forms of racism, bigotry, xenophobia and misogyny.

Today we celebrate Jesus Christ as the Sovereign of the Universe. So let us not despair, let us recall that regardless of how corrupt the world around us is, how many nations are at war or threatening war, Christ is at work in the world…and that Christ works in and through US! Let us take his earthly life as the model for our lives and follow his command to build up the Reign of God by loving and protecting all of our sisters and brothers, as well as the earth itself!

Filled with the Holy Spirit what concrete actions can I take this week to show my support for all those who are feeling fearful and vulnerable? What movement or organization can I join with to fight against racism, bigotry, misogyny and xenophobia? How will I live my discipleship of Jesus Christ, Sovereign of the Universe, this week? What words will I speak? What actions will I take to resist and stand against the chaos and hatred that swirls around us, knowing that the Holy Spirit dwells within me, strengthening me and guiding me in the struggle for true equity, justice and peace for all?

Fr. Tim

As we are careening towards the end of the liturgical year, our readings look towards the end times. The first reading, the Prophet Malachi warns that the proud and evildoers will be set on fire and turned to stubble! The same prophet also warns doom and destruction to those who turn their backs on widows, orphans and aliens and those who refuse to pay a just wage to their workers. And while it all sounds like bad news, he also says that the sun of justice will arise with “healing rays” for those who fear the Lord.

In the Gospel, Jesus clearly tells his disciples that it will not be easy for them…nor for us! Jesus tells them that they need to be prepared because some of them will be hated and handed over and some put to death, all because of his name! But he will secure them! And he said to them that by perseverance they would secure their lives! So, Jesus tells the disciples that they have an active role to play…they have to preserver in the struggle of their discipleship and their proclamation of the Good News! Jesus makes it clear that it is no easy thing to be a disciple! The costs are great…even one’s life may be demanded of them!

He warns of hard times to come, and we now live in hard times: wars and civil unrest rage, tyrants rule with iron fists and cruel hearts bent on building up their personal wealth at the cost of their people’s welfare and very lives.

Here, we worry about food insecurity, access to healthcare and affordable housing in one of the richest countries in the world…1 out of 5 children go to bed hungry, and so very many of our elected politicians seem not to care at all, only interested in pet projects that keep them in office. 

All of these readings that tell of the evils that will befall the nations in the end times are meant as a warning, telling us to be on guard against greed and cruelty and lack of love of neighbor. But they also tell of the sun of justice coming with it healing rays.

Jesus promises to be with us until the end of time, never leaving us abandoned. So in the midst of all the suffering and chaos this is hope that comes to us through our faith in God’s desire that we continue to build up the Reign of God…by living our discipleship through our words and actions in our daily lives; by who and what we stand with and who and what we stand against; by choosing kindness and compassion over cruelty and hate.

Sacred scripture tells us that in the end, God’s ways always prevails, and we are not alone in the struggle for what is good and right and just, for the Holy Spirit dwells within each one of us and guides us and guards us as we move forward. 

Fr. Tim

To begin, a few words on the Feast of the Dedication of The Basilica of St. John Lateran: it was dedicated in 324 CE and was the residence of the Pope, Pope Sylvester I….and, still remains the seat of the Pope, as the Bishop of Rome, it even outranks St. Peter’s Basilica. It is the Catholic Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. It is considered to be the mother of all churches, the highest ranking church in the world, the only Archbasilica in the world. And as it is so revered it is given a special feast day and remembered and celebrated each year throughout the world. So today we celebrate this holy place of pilgrimage where the faithful have gathered for centuries to pray and to celebrate Eucharist and to join in with all of the untold masses of faithful who have done so before them.

I would like to focus on Paul’s words in today’s second reading, reminding us that the Spirit of God dwells within each one of us. And that we are holy beings as the temples of God.

And in John’s Gospel, Jesus, having just finished the Last Supper, tells them that they are intimately connected to him, like vines to a branch; that it is from him that they draw their sustenance, their very life. They have life in and through him. He shares with them that they have already been pruned and will bear great fruit.

Jesus wants them to remain in him as he remains in them! What a wonderful image for us to ponder, this indwelling of
Christ. Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love”.

These are amazing images of love and intimacy being shared between Jesus and his disciples, as he knows his life with them is about to change dramatically. He tells them that they will be able to continue on, and they are ready to produce great fruit and that they are connected to one another and to him, and will always remain so.

We read in the Acts of the Apostles how the nascent church was rapidly spreading and growing, filled with the Holy Spirit. But we also know that there were great struggles as well, even in the midst of the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.

The disciples were human: they argued and disagreed, and still they produced great fruit. Even in the midst of human and failures, Christ’s indwelling presence has the power to save us from ourselves, and help us to do amazing things!

Today we find ourselves in scary, strange and difficult times. So much of the world seems angry and to have lost its way, seemingly bent on regressing to former less just and more selfish and cruel times. We find ourselves in a cycle of unbelievable violence and hatred. Ongoing law enforcement using uncalled for uses of deadly force on our black and brown sisters and brothers and shocking violence towards our immigrants and refugees as well as other minorities and women.

And we are witnessing a shocking rise in White Christian Nationalism, which threatens our national values to the very core, and certainly does not reflect Gospel values nor the words and actions of Jesus Christ!

There is so much discord in our world, in our country and in our personal and familial lives. For many of us, we ask ourselves, how do we hold it together?

I believe that the way we hold it together is through maintaining a conscious connection and awareness of the presence of the risen Christ within us and with us at all times, even when we can’t seem to feel that divine presence and we feel like we are running out of hope. Even in the midst of the chaos swirling around us, Christ is still there, still loving us through our darkest moments. This is at the heart of the Gospel message -- we are never abandoned by God.

Our discipleship calls us to stand up and speak out against the discord and injustices of the world, to speak out on behalf of the abused, those denied justice and those whose voices are ignored or silenced. We are able to do this through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Risen Christ, who has promised to remain with us for all time.

How or when have I let the power of the Holy Spirit’s presence within me shine through, guiding my thoughts and actions? Jesus spoke of pruning…what pruning might I need to allow Jesus to do, to make my life more Christ centered that I might abide in his love more fully and share that love with others through my daily decisions and actions?

Fr. Tim

As we celebrate All Saints and All Souls days this weekend, we pause to remember all those who have gone before us and spent their lives building the nation, the freedoms and rights that we enjoy today, even as they are at this very moment under threat! “For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes.”

This afore mentioned quote from Dag Hammarskjold, I believe, speaks of a profound gratitude to God for what has been, and of a stance of openness towards God’s powerful presence within us and our lives, and speaks of an openness towards whatever lies ahead in life and in death. And I think it is appropriate for us as we celebrate All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day.

November is traditionally a time in which we remember the dead. In some cultures people set up little home altars on which they place photos and mementos of their loved ones who have died and gone ahead of them to that which we call the afterlife, heaven.

We do not know exactly what lies ahead but yet we are part of it, promised resurrection through our baptism. As we careen towards the end of the liturgical year and towards the season of Advent, our readings turn toward “the last things”.

This is not meant to frighten us or cause us to be gloomy or sad; on the contrary, it is meant to offer us an opportunity to reflect on the transitory reality of this life in the context of the gift and the promise of eternal life. While none of us really knows exactly what it will be like, and the speculation has made for good reading over the centuries, some theologians today talk of it as something analogous to a glorious and knowable uniting -- a joining with God in a new and spectacular way, beyond our wildest hopes and dreams! Heaven!

Down through history this belief in the resurrection has motivated many people to stand up and resist oppression and evil, not unlike what we heard in the first reading for this Sunday about the torture of the mother and the seven brothers. Not unlike today!

And it is not unlike “what we have seen and what we have heard” in the lives of our Black sisters and brothers who during their nightmare of slavery clung to their faith in the God of their deliverance who would bring them home. And, not unlike all of our Black sisters and brothers who lived through the hell of systemic racism of post construction after the civil war and into the civil rights movement and right up to this very day…where systemic racism still represses, holds down and steals the lives of our black and brown sisters and brothers, and who are being denied as DEI initiatives are dismantled across the nation at the insistence of this political administration.

And on this first Sunday of Black Catholic History Month, we recognize that it was this very same systemic racism that was the cause for a small group of 16 Black Catholics to band together in 1945 and ask Bishop Ireton to help them build a Black Catholic parish community in Arlington.

Which caused Bishop Ireton to reach out to the Spiritans and asked them if they would be willing to send a priest to be the pastor of this new parish in the midst of creation. And the Spiritans sent Fr. Joseph Hackett, C.S.Sp., whom the bishop appointed to became the first pastor of OLQP. And that Black Catholic community gathered, in the home of one of the founding members, on Pentecost Sunday, May 20th , 1945 for the first Mass of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, and on June 15, of 1947 this Church building was completed and dedicated by Bishop Ireton.

And in that dedication was the celebration of the amazing labor of love and backbreaking hard work of those earliest Black Catholic members of this parish community, who built this church building in which we gather and celebrate each Sunday. They labored to create a safe and dignified worship space where they could gather and pray and celebrate the sacraments in dignity and without fear of acts of racist exclusion, or segregation, and worse.

And as we continue to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of this parish and 78th anniversary of the dedication this church building we also thankfully celebrate the lives and faith of those earliest members of our parish community here at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church.

The readings today call us to ask ourselves what do I believe about heaven and the afterlife and do I fear death or dying? And If I built a little home altar this November honoring my ancestors, whose photos and what mementos would I place
on that altar?

And given the current events of our times, our discipleship of Jesus Christ calls us to ask ourselves, in what ways can I stand up to the sin of systemic racism that was behind the need to found this very parish in the first place.

Faced with the racism, bigotry and misogyny that beats down, holds back, and erases, and looks past our sisters and our brothers of color as well as immigrants and refugees… and all those marginalized and excluded by our society and seeks to deny them the dignity God has given them, we have to ask ourselves: what action does my discipleship of Jesus Christ call me to in this day and in this nation so torn apart by hatred of “the other?” How will I speak out? What action will I take to make my voice heard?

Fr. Tim

As I have often mentioned, I think Jesus’ parables are like finely cut gem stones; as you tumble them around you see there are many facets to them…and you see that they are not always exactly what they first appeared to be. The story often has twists and turns and by the time you discover what is really going on, it’s too late to refuse the invitation to the new reality being presented through the telling of the parable.

Jesus’ parables draw comparisons between what we know and what we don’t know…conventional understanding up against gospel insight. First we say… oh yeah…I know this…and then a sharp corner is turned, and we swallow hard, and we see something new…not quite what we were expecting.

In today’s parable the Pharisee is supposed to be the righteous one and the tax collector is supposed to be the bad guy…but things are not always as we think they are supposed to be. The message of this parable is that we need to be careful about judging others… the fact is that we don’t know what is in someone else’s heart…only God knows.

In the Gospels Jesus gives us a different set of rules for judging things to be acceptable or unacceptable …it is a different set of lenses through which we are called to view the world.

These Gospel lenses “see” the poor, the immigrant and the marginalized as the beloved of God rather than “a drain on the system” or “foreigners” whom we should fear and send “back home,” or worse…to a country they did not come from, with no family, or support system, only guaranteed suffering !

Looking at the world through “Gospel lenses” reveals a whole new way of seeing “the other” and seeing the world around us. What do “Gospel lenses” let me see about our current social and political debate on issues of systemic racism, DEI, immigration, refugees, and on issues of gender and misogyny and economic inequality, poverty and ecology.

In what light do my “Gospel lenses” let me see my sister and brother Muslims, Jews, and people of other faiths and political beliefs?

What challenges are presented to me by looking at the burning issues of our chaotic nation through “Gospel lenses”? And how deeply does that “Gospel view” impact my response to those issues? What words and actions does this “Gospel view” call me to in today’s world?

Fr. Tim

Jesus calls us to “pray always, without becoming weary.” Prayer has “reverently” been described as wasting time with God…I like to think of it as a “blessed” waste of time. Our Scripture this weekend offers us an opportunity to think about “prayer”…to reflect on our relationship with God.

One thing I have come to believe is that God desperately desires us to engage with Him. God loves us deeply and passionately, just the way we are, and desires us, for we are “God’s beloved”!

And because we are God’s beloved, God wants to communicate to us, to commune with us…and this communication and communing, we call prayer. Prayer happens when we are willing to open our hearts and minds to God’s presence…right in the midst of the ordinariness of our daily lives. God seeks us out but we have to stop running…we need to sit down and just “waste time” with God.

We are called to engage in the mystery of the Divine indwelling, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, within each one of us! Think about that; sit with that sacred reality, that God is very truly within each one of us, as we are the temples of the Holy Spirit! How does that truth of Divine indwelling shape my life, how does it shape my relationships with others, how does it shape my relationship with God, and with how I see and understand myself?

How much time have I “wasted” with God lately? What could I do to deepen my prayer life? Especially now in the midst of
this political chaos that we are struggling through. We need to draw nearer to God more than ever, to draw strength and
guidance on how to navigate this chaos. 

How does God most often speak to me…through the  celebration of the Eucharist, through listening to music, through nature, perhaps through a loving relationship I experience God’s love, maybe in and through caring for others, or simply by sitting in the silence?

Jesus exhorts us to “pray always, without becoming weary.” So, can I fit 5 minutes, 5 times a day into my busy schedule to acknowledge God’s presence, just to turn my attention to God’s presence within me and around me?

As we think about praying throughout the day, often we say, my day is so full and it just gets away from me. One suggestion might be to schedule it on your smart phone, just like you would schedule a meeting, or dinner or lunch with friends. Or put a post-it-note in a place that you will see often throughout the day that reminds you to take five minutes to acknowledge God’s presence, within you and around you. A few minutes to ask for help if you need it, to reflect on what you are grateful for in your life, in that day and to say “thank you” to God.
It is about taking a few minutes to connect with God. It is a way of keeping God at the center of our day and at the center of our life. It can have an amazing impact on the quality of our relationship with God and the quality of our relationships with others.
Jesus encouraged his disciples to pray always because he knew that it would continue to deepen their relationship him and transform their lives. And it can do the same for us, especially in these dark and difficult times.

May God’s most abundant blessings be upon us and our nation and may our leaders minds and hearts be opened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as they govern and make decisions for our country’s future.
Fr. Tim

Today’s readings deal with the theme of gratitude…of giving thanks. Actually the word “Eucharist” comes from the Greek word for “the act of giving thanks”. Our Eucharist is first and foremost an action of giving thanks to God.

The readings portray two remarkable foreigners. In the first reading we meet Naaman, a non-Israelite, a foreigner and a powerful commander of an ememy army. He comes to Israel seeking a mriacle cleansing of his leprosy, but he scoffs at the cure that is offered by the prophet Elisha. Although he needed encouragement, he finally follows the prophet’s words and is made clean and comes to faith and to believe in the God of Israel.

In the Gospel we meet a group of ten lepers whom Jesus cleanses. One of lepers was an outcast not only because of his leprosy but because he was, as well, a foreigner. And not just any foreigner, a Samaritan! As we know, the Samaritans were considered to be almost “sub-humans”, out-siders, not part of the “tribe” of Israel! And yet, it is a Samaritan leper who returns to give thanks to Jesus for curing him.

The actions of gratitude of the two foreigners are truly admirable, but the most remarkable lesson may quite possibly be found in the character of God. In the healing of both foreigners, complete “outsiders”, we see the universal scope of God’s salvation. For each of these foreigners came to faith through God’s amazing love for them that brought them healing. And given the “social outcasting” nature of their disease, they were not just physically healed, but healed deep in their souls as they were restored to their families and their communities from whom they would have been estranged due to their leprosy.

In both instances, we are shown that God’s love and salvation has no ethnic or racial boundaries or borders. God’s love is universal and is without limits.

The only fitting response to God’s wondrous, limitless love for us is a joyful thanksgiving and a willingness to emulate this love and healing by following Jesus’ example in the way we choose to live our daily lives and embrace our sisters and brothers, regardless of their status in our lives. A pretty tall order, but nonetheless, the call of the the Gospel, a life of sacrifical love of other.

Jesus calls us to reach out to the leper, to the lost, the lonely, the outcast and the immigrant and the refugee…to all those denied justice and whom the world despises and “makes other” that we are to make sister and brother!

In the midst of all of the chaos that swirls around us and all of the “othering” that is happening in our country at this moment…we are called to embrace those who are being attacked and marginalized…to be the loving arms of our God present in the midst of hatred, violence, racism and misogyny. And to be voices of compassion and inclusion, speaking out to our elected leaders demanding they protect the poor and vuneralble of our society.

We must demand our elected leaders protect all those who are threatened with political retaliation, threatened because of the color of their skin or their political ideology, threatened because of who they love or where they were born or because of their religious affiliation. The Gospel demands us to speak out on behalf of all those whose lives and rights are being threatened, in obvious as well as in more insidious ways.

As we continue to reflect on this weekend’s readings, let us ask ourselves: what am I grateful for in my life? Who are the lepers, the outcasts, the marginalized that I see in my life that I am called to open up my arms and embrace? And how can I embrace them?

Blessings on the journey,
Fr. Tim 

Where is your faith strong and what are your doubts?

We are often strong in faith in one area and weaker or doubtful in another area. In today’s Gospel we hear the apostles asking Jesus to increase their faith, a seemingly appropriate request. But Jesus rebuffs their request.

Why do they need more faith? They were with Jesus in the flesh -- they had heard his astounding words, they had seen him perform amazing miracles firsthand. What more did they need?

Perhaps they were fearful of their doubts. Perhaps they saw that some in their group had more faith than others. Perhaps the one who asked for more faith wanted to impress Jesus or possibly he was struggling with what he believed about who Jesus was. Regardless of the reason for the question, Jesus responds telling them that however much faith they have, it was sufficient to do all things. A truly powerful response to what may have been a fear-fueled request. He told them that they already possessed all the faith they needed. He told them that the tiniest amount of faith could do amazing things.
I often have conversations with folks about faith and doubt. Sometimes people express a sense of shame or embarrassment at what they perceive as “a lack of faith.” And yet in today’s Gospel Jesus tells us that even faith the size of a mustard seed is sufficient!

That leaves room for doubt…but Jesus focuses on the power of that “tiny faith” and not the doubt…and the reality that even with a tiny faith, great things can happen! Doubt it seems is the other side of the coin of faith.

My takeaway from this Gospel is that while we all have doubts, just like the apostles, the faith we do have is sufficient to do what we have been called to do! To put our discipleship into action, to live the call of the Gospel!

We live in truly fearful times that cause so much doubt about the future of our country, our freedoms, our jobs, our personal and national security, our children’s and grandchildren’s futures. There is so much worry and doubt, but in the midst of all the chaos that swirls around us, let our faith in Jesus -- even if as tiny as a mustard seed -- be the rock we cling to in the midst of this chaos.

Let us allow the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, guide us and embolden us to resist the chaos and to work together for what we know is right, for what we know is true, for what we know is equitable and for what we know is just! Knowing we do not struggle alone, that the very presence of Divinity dwells within each one of us -- that is what makes all the difference in our struggle for a more peaceful and just nation and world.
​
Blessings on the journey,
Fr. Tim

In this weekend’s Gospel Jesus tells the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. What is very interesting to me is that this is the only parable in which the main character is actually named. Usually in parables the characters remain unnamed, which allows us to more easily insert ourselves into the story. But Jesus breaks with the tradition and calls the principle character by name: Lazarus.

Jesus speaks of a real person…someone who mattered…someone who mattered to God…even though he seemed not to matter to those around him.

The parable of Lazarus is yet again a statement of how much the poor and vulnerable are loved and valued by God even though they are not by those around them.

Throughout Scripture prophets call attention to the poor as the “blessed ones” of God. The people of Israel were continually warned against mistreating the poor, the marginalized and the alien. So often we hear people speak of the poor and the homeless as some kind of blight or an inconvenience that they can’t be bothered with…and erroneously believe they are not responsible to offer them aid or compassion.

In our nation today bigotry, racism and bias put black and brown lives at risk and threaten members of the LGBTQ community as well as women, immigrants and refugees and ultimately, marginalizes them all. These attitudes ignore and
devalue their God given human dignity!

In today’s Gospel Jesus clearly warns us of the consequences of just such attitudes! As we reflect on the Gospel this week, let’s reflect on how we respond to the “Lazarus” we encounter in our lives.

How do we as individuals, as a nation, and as a faith community show that we value and care for the poor and marginalized of our country and our community? What are the social and political ramifications of this Gospel for us today? In the midst of widespread gun violence, racism, misogyny, bigotry, anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiments, what is the “Gospel response” we are being called to respond with to these situations? And, how do we make our voices heard
by our politicians?
​
Blessings on the journey,
Fr. Tim

Today we hear a few words from our old friend Amos…the prophet Amos was outraged and ashamed of how the poor and the needy and the foreigners were being treated by the people of Israel. He condemned them for what we would call human trafficking and cruelty, hardhearted-ness and neglect of the poor.

The Book of the Prophet Amos warns that God would punish the people for their selfishness and obsession with becoming rich. A few chapters before the reading we hear today, Amos proclaims; “Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; then it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”

Jesus also took up the topic of being obsessed with the accumulation of wealth…particularly when others were in such great need. Jesus warns us that we need to be “whole-heartedly” devoted to God and if we divide our heart between God and money we will lose out in the end.

Now the reality is that we all have to be concerned with making a living and providing for ourselves and our families. But how much is enough? At what point does “making a living” become focused on “getting rich” and then begin to take over all our time and thoughts and become the only measure of the success of our lives?

Being rich is not a sin…it is what we do or don’t do with what we have that can be sinful. Keeping God at the center of our lives will help us decide how to use what we have and with whom to share our wealth.

It seems the Gospel is calling us to reflect on our relationship to our “stuff” and our relationship to God and our relationships with others. To reflect on our relationship with the people of Ukraine, Gaza, South Sudan and Venezuela. To reflect on how we view the people who live in these distant places.

As individuals and as a nation we need to seriously reflect and reassess how we view and treat the unhoused and immigrants and refugees and those who are marginalized in our society because of their race, their gender, who they love or because of their social or economic status.

Christians throughout this nation need to reflect deeply on how our relationships to all of the afore mentioned peoples reflects our relationship with God and our living out our discipleship of Jesus Christ. And how that reality is being reflected in our political processes and policies and decision making at all levels of government!

What does my conversation with God sound like when I talk to God about how I truly, deep in my heart, view “the other”…those who are different than me? Am I open to God’s tender, transformative touch to keep my heart centered on the journey of becoming ever more fully the mercy of God, present in this wounded and suffering world?

Blessings on the journey,
Fr. Tim