Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Matthew 11:47-54

The Lord said: “Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed. Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building. Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’ in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood! Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

Opening Prayer: Lord, help me to hear what you want to say to me in the Scriptures today. If my behavior warrants a “woe to you,” allow me to be open and docile to your loving correction.

Encountering Christ:

1. Woe to You: The Lord is very clear in these lines from Scripture that there are consequences for sin. When we sin, the ripple effect of our evil choice can extend beyond our own soul to those we love, to others around us, and to the whole Church. Conversely, a good confession can benefit not only us but the entire community. “Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. The sacrament of Penance repairs or restores it. In this sense it does not simply heal the one restored to ecclesial communion, but has also a revitalizing effect on the life of the Church which suffered from the sin of one of her members” (CCC 1469). Woe to us if our sin goes unconfessed, but blessed are we (and those we love) if we make good and holy use of the sacrament of reconciliation.

    

2. Our Ancestors: We know from experience that sinful patterns of behavior can corrupt whole families well beyond the present generation down to children and grandchildren and beyond. For example, we see the effects of pornography, material greed, sexual sin, and overindulgence on our current generation of children. Sadly, the U.S. has the world’s highest rate of children living in single-parent households, according to the Pew Research Center. We counteract this tsunami of evil affecting family life by our dedication to prayer, the sacraments, and works of mercy. The God who invited Peter to walk on water will make use of our small offerings to reinvigorate family life for the good of all mankind. “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God” (Phil 4:6).

    

3. Plotting: The scribes and Pharisees plotted energetically to do away with Jesus. They wasted time and effort fighting the wrong battle by investing themselves in exacting an outcome they foresaw would serve the Jewish leadership. To them, Jesus was just another false prophet, and a dangerous one. They weren’t innocently misled, however. Jesus made it clear that they were culpable for their hatred and revenge-seeking (cf. Mt 23). How faithful we must be to prayer and the sacraments! Only by uniting ourselves to Christ can we hope to avoid the fate of the Pharisees. Prayer is literally a matter of spiritual life or death.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, by these lines of Scripture you speak to me of the seriousness of the battle in which we are engaged for our souls and the souls of those we love. Sin is a great evil with serious consequences, and we can too easily shrug our shoulders and move on without stopping to contemplate this truth. May I be an apostle of light, bringing joy and healing to a suffering world. May I serve individuals and families in need of nourishment of every kind on your behalf. May you guard and protect our country, our families, our children, and our grandchildren for generations to come.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray for my immediate family and offer a small sacrifice for their spiritual well-being.

For Further Reflection: Pew Research Center: Americans are most likely to mention family when asked what makes life meaningful in an open-ended question, and they are most likely to report that they find “a great deal” of meaning in spending time with family in a closed-ended question about where they find the most meaning and fulfillment: https://www.pewforum.org/2018/11/20/where-americans-find-meaning-in-life.

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

Wednesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 11:42-46

The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues

and greetings in marketplaces. Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, as I spend time with you reflecting on the Scriptures, keep me free from distractions so that I may hear what you want to say to me.

Encountering Christ:

1. Focus: Our Lord chastised the Pharisees many times for their hypocrisy, and in these first few lines, he criticized their empty pious gestures. They tithed every garden herb, with meticulous attention to the law, but did so without reverence, respect, or love for the Lord. We strive to love the Lord, but we can also sometimes just “go through the motions” of Mass attendance, rosaries, novenas, confession preparation, etc. In every instance, our acts of piety are received into the loving hands of God our Father. Are we doing all we can to make our offerings pure and acceptable? Are we putting aside distractions and focusing on the relationship we are building with God?

    

2. Honor: Christ admonished the Pharisees for seeking places of honor and wanting to be greeted in the marketplace. The honor they sought was false, attributable to their “class” as leaders of the synagogue, not to any virtuous actions on their part. We see in the lives of many saints, however, that their quiet, humble, sacrificial actions—so full of purity and love of God—are much more worthy of honor than the behaviors of ostentatious leaders. St. Therese of Lisieux, for example, lived behind the walls of her convent and died at age twenty-four, but is renowned worldwide for her sanctity. May we always remember that God rewards humility, not those seeking honor. For you to be deserving of honor, it must find you.

    

3. Jesus Knew: The scholars of the law must have thought themselves immune from Jesus’ criticism, or they wouldn’t have joined the conversation. How surprised they must have been to hear Jesus expose their guilt. Jesus knows all our flaws, too. In fact, Jesus knows us much better than we know ourselves—and he loves us dearly. Let’s not fall into the scholars’ trap by presuming we’re “not guilty” of this or that sin. Instead, may we humbly invite the Lord to show us our sins and accept them, so that we can prepare to make a good confession. “As patience leads to peace, and study to science, so are humiliations the path that leads to humility” (St. Bernard of Clairvaux).

Conversing with Christ: Lord, in all the criticism you leveled against the Pharisees and scholars, it was their pride you objected to. Woe to me when I am proud! I am proud when I take for granted my easy access to the sacraments. It is pride that causes me to seek affirmation from others now and then. And when my faults are unexpectedly made known to me, my pride is wounded. My prideful tendencies are “curable” only by you, Lord. Show me the path to humility, and give me the grace to follow it.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will do something “honorable” without being seen or noticed.

For Further Reflection: How Can I Overcome the Root Sin of Pride?

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, you know the contents of my busy mind as I settle down to pray. I want to drink in the Scriptures and learn something new about you. Please bless my time and inspire me to leave distractions aside and focus on you. 

Encountering Christ:

1. Something Greater: Jesus had been preaching that “something greater” (Lk 11:32) was in their midst when this Pharisee invited him to dinner. Did he want to be seen with this popular rabbi? Had he been curious about Jesus and wanted to hear more? Might he have been more openhearted to the message of salvation if he hadn’t been so full of prideful indignation at the fact that Jesus hadn’t washed before the meal? The dinner had just begun when he raised his objection. He hadn’t even given himself time to “be” with Jesus before he leveled his criticism. Jesus sometimes visits us in unexpected ways—through the poor, through an unexpected stranger, or through a contentious family member. May we treat every soul as a brother or sister in Christ and encounter him there.

    

2. You Fools!: Jesus knew that the hearts of the Pharisees were full of “plunder and evil.” He called them fools because they valued the wrong things—status, wealth, power. We too would be “foolish” if we said, “Thank God I’m not like them.” Every one of us has a propensity to sin. The difference between us and this Pharisee is that we draw near to Christ, not out of pride or vanity (hopefully), but because we recognize our need for a savior and redeemer. We approach Jesus with a humble heart full of contrition for our sinfulness. We praise him, even when we don’t perfectly understand his ways.

    

3. The Remedy: Our Lord did not condemn this Pharisee so full of plunder and evil. Rather, he assessed the state of the Pharisee’s soul and prescribed a remedy: “But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.” The “cure” is reminiscent of the story about the rich young man who heard from Jesus, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mt 19:21). Our Lord knows exactly what keeps us from giving our whole mind, body, and soul to him. We can trust him to provide every grace we need. He desires our sanctity more than we do.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, this Pharisee did not understand why you hadn’t followed the rules about washing before meals. Sometimes I don’t understand your ways either, but I trust that you want my eternal salvation—you died for me. Give me the grace to put aside anything that stands in the way of my becoming a saint. I want to live with you one day in heaven.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will give alms of my time, talent, or treasure in reparation for my sins.

For Further Reflection: “We do not have to discover in which of several people Christ is to be found; we must look for him in them all. And not in an experimental spirit, to discover whether he is in them… but with the absolute certainty that he is… Christ does not choose to be known through outward appearances—even the appearance of virtue” (Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God: A New Edition of a Spiritual Classic).

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

Monday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, again I come before you, coming into your presence with a humble heart in need of hearing your voice speak to me words of hope and encouragement. I know you never stop thinking of me and desiring for me to stay close to you. As I pray and reflect on your words today, I want to be open to the grace of a conversion of heart, to live in the truth of who I am and how I can come closer to you. Enlighten and strengthen me, Lord, to have the courage to follow what you ask of me.

Encountering Christ:

1. What Are We Looking For?: Why is it that we need tangible signs and ratifications for what we believe? Why are we so stubborn and slow of heart to overlook what has been revealed to us in the person of Jesus? Jonah preached God’s salvation to the Gentiles of Nineveh, and the wisdom of Solomon attracted the Gentile Queen of Sheba. Such conversions of non-Jews were powerful signs to the Jews of that time. Jesus makes it clear that in him is something even superior. Yet many rejected and refused to accept him as the Messiah. Jesus himself came to establish the Kingdom of God and so fulfill the promise of blessedness to the descendants of Abraham. What more do we seek? What other signs, proof, or confirmation are we looking for? We need to contemplate every day the reality of his claim, to see in him (not just in passing marvels or supernatural phenomena) how this truth gives perspective and meaning to our lives as his faithful friends. Am I content and open to accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, or do I hesitate and wait for “signs” as proof?

    

2. Repentance: Through the preaching of Jonah many hearts were converted. In contrast, the scribes and Pharisees remained obstinate, refusing to repent. They were discontent with the miracles and wonders of Jesus and demanded more signs. They wanted Jesus to submit himself to their criteria. They wanted him to fit into the framework of their idea of the Messiah. There was no openness for possible conversion in them. But Jesus did not submit himself to their request. The only sign he gave them was his Resurrection. This is the sign given to all of us. Jesus, who was condemned to death and death on the cross, who rose from the dead through the power of God, will continue to resurrect in many ways the lives of those who believe in him. The sign which converts is not the miracles but the witness of life! Let us ask for the grace to be open to seeing and being converted by the many ways his grace is bringing life, hope, and joy to our lives.

    

3. Heart of the Matter: We easily can become critical and doubt the power of Christ in our lives when we are inundated with the chaos and evil unleashed in the world around us. Jesus is greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon. For us Christians, he is the principal key for interpreting the events of our daily life. Do I believe that there is no space, circumstance, or time that Jesus is not Lord and cannot bring some good, no matter the challenge? Jesus criticizes the scribes and the Pharisees who managed to deny the evidence, rendering themselves incapable of recognizing the call of God in the events. As a Christian in today’s world, do I deserve the same criticism from Jesus? Today, the calls of reality are an invite to a change and conversion of heart. Whatever the political unrest, injustice, violence, cause, etc., what is the call of God in my reality?

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you know how easily I get swept up in the pace of life, how I seek clarity, affirmation, consolations, and assurances through the seductions of worldly comforts, wealth, and popularity. I have so many concerns in temporal realities that I forget to open my eyes to the marvels of your grace at work actively shaping my life. Open the eyes of my heart to recognize that following only you and your will gives lasting fruitfulness. Help me desire to treasure every word you have revealed to me of yourself in Scripture to discern and follow your will.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will seek you for a moment in Adoration to contemplate who you really are as my Creator and the Redeemer of all things, the all-powerful and all-loving God. With gratitude and awe, I will place before you every area of my life, trusting in the power of the Resurrection to order all things for your glory and my eternal place with you in heaven.

For Further Reflection: Reflect and pray with the words from 2 Corinthians 3:7-18.

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious that the Israelites could not look intently at the face of Moses because of its glory that was going to fade, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious?For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory.Indeed, what was endowed with glory has come to have no glory in this respect because of the glory that surpasses it.For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious. Therefore, since we have such hope, we act very boldly and not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not look intently at the cessation of what was fading. Rather, their thoughts were rendered dull, for to this present day the same veil remains unlifted when they read the old covenant, because through Christ it is taken away. To this day, in fact, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Lucy Honner is a Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi and the Assistant Director of Campus Ministry at University Catholic, a community of students in the Nashville area who are serious about their faith. Since 1998, she has exercised her apostolate as a speaker, spiritual director, integrated health coach, and retreat director throughout North America.