Some things are born out of convenience,
Some come at the hands of happenstance,
Still others, by design or decree.
Yet, of what rises to the surface,
Only that which embodies promise,
With painstaking care, love and grace,
Turns honest labor into real strength.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27
With each step, weathered, sturdy, or unsure,
You keep me steady and moving forward.
Even when it seems I’ve fallen behind,
Your gentle reassurance and guidance,
Instill calm, a sense of being blessed—graced.
No matter where I am or where I go,
Your love and wisdom abide within me.
The signs, all around, sometimes I catch them,
Sometimes I don’t, but still, I know they’re there.
Of Your presence for me, for all, there’s no doubt.
The Lord is with me to the end.
Lord, your mercy endures forever.
Never forsake the work of your hands! – Psalm 138:8
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.”– Luke 1:46-55
The verses above are referred to as the Magnificat a.k.a. the Canticle of Mary. Having traveled to the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah, being received with such joy and as “the mother of my Lord” by her pregnant relative, and, at the sound of her voice, also by the baby in her womb, Mary is given the gift of confirmation of what the angel, Gabriel, had revealed to her:
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son
of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.” – Luke 1:35-37
In Mary’s response, we see words of praise and declarations of the goodness of God. Imagine what it was like to be present at that moment?
Now, think of a time when your heart was overflowing with gratitude. What was going on and how did you respond?
As you continue to reflect and pray, in what ways have you, or can you continue to be inspired by this deeply felt experience of gratitude?
Turning to the Gospel for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Matthew 15:21-28, we have the Canaanite woman turning to Jesus, pleading for help her daughter who is not well. At the beginning of St. Luke’s account of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (the Gospel for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary), it is written:
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. – Luke 1:39-40
In contrast, at the beginning of this Sunday’s Gospel, it is written:
Then Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” – Matthew 15:21-22
Also, make note of the following:
Mary’s actions follow the Annunciation, where the Angel Gabriel is sent to her and she responds with a yes to God’s will for her.
Jesus’s actions follow an encounter with (or interrogation by) the pharisees and scribes about his disciples not following “the tradition of the elders” and in which he speaks of God’s will when he says to them:
“Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said:
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.’” – Matthew 15:7-9
Take some time to consider what leads to or precedes your moments of “setting out” and “withdrawing” and where, or how, the will of God comes into play.
Returning to the Gospel and the Canaanite woman, it is written:
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.
Jesus’ disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour. – Matthew 15:23-28
Take what you find most interesting about the responses/reactions of the Canaanite woman, the disciples, and Jesus and consider it from a traditional, cultural, “matter of fact, right/wrong, true/false” perspective. What do you notice?
Now take what you noticed and apply “the God of the Magnificat” (the God of mercy, strength, compassion, help, healing, fulfillment, covenant) perspective to it. What happens?
Pray with what you’re noticing at this moment and ask the Lord for insight, wisdom, and inspiration that you may carry into the coming days. How might your faith become more deeply magnificent?
What grace does the Lord want to bestow upon you?
Thus says the Lord:
Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.
The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
ministering to him,
loving the name of the Lord,
and becoming his servants—
all who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
for my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples. – Isaiah 56:1, 6-7
Reflecting on the past week, think about a couple of things that really grabbed your attention whether out of concern, celebration, etc. What was it that pulled you in, caught your eye or ear, and/or touched your heart?
What is it like now as you recall these things?
In the First Reading for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Isaiah 55:1-3, it is written:
Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. – verse 3a
Continuing to think about the past week, how have you been attentive to the Lord? In what moment(s) have you felt closest to the Lord? What have you shared and what insights have come to light through listening and prayer?
The Psalm for this Sunday (Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-18) reminds us of the way the Lord meets our needs:
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
Take some time to consider the qualities described in these verses and the ways you have experienced the Lord meeting your needs. Allow time to express the sentiments that arise within as you recall these graced moments.
In the Second Reading (Romans 8:35, 37-39), St. Paul writes:
Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? – verse 35
The answer—nothing. There is absolutely nothing; no matter how big or powerful or existential. There is nothing that can “separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (v. 39).
Take a few moments to let that sink in!
When ready, reflect again on the past week and name the moment(s) where you felt closest to the Lord. How was that moment(s) different than a moment where perhaps you didn’t feel as close to the Lord?
In the Gospel passage, Matthew 14:13-21 (included below), Jesus has stepped away from the crowds after learning of John the Baptist’s death. However, he is followed by them to the place to which he has retreated. He knows they’re following him from the start. And what does he do? He doesn’t go further away, turn his back on them, or tell them, “Go away”, “Come back tomorrow”, “Maybe another time”, or “Too late”.
Instead, Jesus’s “heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.” Not only that, but also as the day grows even longer and into the evening, rather than sending the crowd away or taking leave of them, he feeds them—all 5,000—with five loaves of bread and two fish.
What speaks to you most about this passage?
Spend the next few minutes envisioning the Lord’s care, strength, hope, love, and wisdom being poured upon you and filling your heart, body, and soul. Allow yourself to encounter the warmth and generosity of the Lord.
What do you imagine the Lord wants you to know about the things that caught your attention this past week? And the ones that will catch your attention in the week ahead?
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children. – Matthew 14:13-21
Drawing closer to the breath that feeds me,
awakens my soul to the grace and peace
the universe holds within each moment.
Across the great expanse, I see Your hand,
and the mountains are as if in my bones.
In Your name, my step is steady and sure.
Presence that stretches through each day and night,
love and strength awaiting our acceptance,
knowing, understanding, ever patient.
Out here or in the busyness of home,
catching glimpses or bathing in Your light,
it’s all the same, You are more than enough.
Lord, you are good and forgiving,
most merciful to all who call on you. – Psalm 86:5
So it is, that the wise grow into the wisdom planted within,
drawn to it, and like the birds of the sky, spread their wings, taking flight.
As they journey, they move with great care and purpose beyond what moves
the circus all around them. Somehow, they know, even when they don’t,
even before they understand, the gentle call of their maker,
“This is the way. Walk in it,” takes hold, becoming the whisper that
stirs their heart, compels their mind, turning word upon word into deed,
ever intent on giving greater glory to One, living life,
and living it well, day and year in and out, ever homeward bound.
So it was, so it is, so it will be, for all ages, for those who came and went, and are to come.
But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. – Matthew 13:23
When darkness casts its shadow
over the light of day, and
honesty, integrity,
and justice for one and all,
fall prey to villainous cries,
Spirit, true and wise, persists,
quietly raises up prayer,
instills faith and inspires change,
working steadily for good,
uncovering all ill will,
and making known the Divine.
Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. – Psalm 89:2a
Through the waves of dissonance,
steady and in great calmness,
Truth works its way to the front,
making known what was hidden,
replacing what’s distorted,
shining light on what’s debased,
transforming what’s been disturbed,
renewing all purpose and
bringing a meaningful state.
The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord;
and you also will testify. – John 15:26b, 27a
We are His, the Lord’s, people, the sheep of His flock.
The One we belong to, so much better than great,
Carries all without blame, no excuses, no lies,
Just a care that runs deep and a heart of pure Love.
While one pretends, leading others astray and awry,
The Lord, ever-present, makes clear to the willing,
What’s honest and true, compared to what’s opposite.
Eyes open or not, the Lord is faithful to all.
Know that the Lord is God,
he made us, we belong to him,
we are his people, the flock he shepherds. – Psalm 100:3
To remember the Lord God
across experiences,
in the bliss of greatest highs,
during the lulls and lows too,
and all the places between,
is but part of honest faith.
Giving praise and all glory
involves so much more than that,
a heart, mind, and soul willing
and free, receiving great Love,
breathing out in word and deed
that same Love without distance.
Taking and giving what’s Good,
sharing among the many,
knowing Christ in body, blood,
guiding light, for what is right,
showing care to all, for all,
with room to grow, not to shrink.
Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. – 1 Corinthians 10:17
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