A message from Father Pete

Genesis 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18; Romans 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10 There are many heart-wrenching stories in the Bible. Sitting at the foot of the cross and seeing Jesus suffer out of love for each of us is at the top of that list. We ask ourselves, Why? We know He loves us, that’s the only answer. Today’s readings give us more depth into this mystery. Perhaps a question or two can help us focus our attention: What was the hardest thing you ever had to do? What was the hardest decision you ever had to make? Putting this in the context of today's first reading, Abraham would respond that the toughest thing God ever asked of him was, “When God asked me to sacrifice my only son?” If we were to place ourselves into this story, how would we respond? “Why? I waited a long time for a child and You promised me one when Sarah was way beyond childbearing. Why would you give me Isaac and want me to kill him? Is there any other option? Any other sacrifice? Can I give myself and spare his life?” A...

Genesis 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15 We have started Lent. How are we doing so far? Lent is a time when we are called to deepen our life of faith. Is that my intention? It’s not necessarily a time to stop eating sweets or drinking beer or playing internet games or whatever else I give up. Some friends returned from a long cruise around the world and made an interesting observation: You know a cruise ship is one of the few places where you can, if you’re not careful, easily commit all seven capital sins. Now why is that so? It’s certainly a wonderland of activity, relaxation, enjoyment, and unabashed play, being pampered without accountability. Aren’t these things we all like to do? Today Jesus goes into the wilderness; actually the Spirit “drove Jesus into the desert, and He remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.” [Mark 1:12] This is the shortest gospel account of Jesus’ temptation. So if we are concentrating on the ‘usual’ Lenten giving-up sacrifices with...

Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; Mark 1:40-45 What was it like encountering Jesus? Would you be afraid of Him?  Would you be suspicious of Him? Would you want Him to deliver more proof of who He said He was? How do I encounter Jesus today? I would probably say that I would never react to Jesus the way the people did at that time. In honesty, this is the way I think I would answer this question … but after thinking about it, I do not think this is really true. I’m assuming , and we all know what that means. An example of this is Lent, which arrives this week. Now I’m asking the question, “How will I encounter Jesus this Lent?” Typically I take out my old rulebook or annual give book for Lent that has been with me for years and years. I give up so many of the same things and try to keep my resolutions. In real honesty, this has nothing to do with Lent. This isn’t the essential part of Lent. Actually the most important part of Lent is prayer: encountering our Loving...

Job 7:1-4, 6-7; 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23; Mark 1:29-39 Let’s take a realistic moment and look at what’s happening around us and within us. We hear: I don’t like the result of the elections … I like the result of the elections; I don’t like my job … I like my job; I don’t like the neighbors … I like the neighbors; I don’t like what the Pope is doing … I like what Pope is doing; I don’t seem to be making any headway in my prayer life … I like my prayer life; I can’t seem to find God anywhere in my life today … I’m experiencing God in so many ways. The readings do not paint a flowery vision of life with God but they directly look at what is happening and give us direction. In the first reading we hear Job speaking while in great suffering. He cannot imagine that God still cares for him. His place has been occupied by so many of us at different times. In the second reading, Paul accepts the great response God has given him to preach and live the Gospel … the Good News of love. He isn’...