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NOT IN THE GROUP “Wait, they're not supposed to be doing that...they don't belong to our group.” How familiar this sounds—we've heard it before. (Maybe we've even said it before!) We see an example in the first reading with Eldad and Medad—got to love those names!—prophesying “outside the group.” We see it in the gospel with the case of the “unfamiliar exorcist.” The lesson here is that God gifts and anoints whomever he will. “Our God is in heaven and whatever he wills, he does.” (Psalm 115:3)

A SHAMEFUL DEATH Just like last week, once again this Sunday we hear Jesus speak about his sufferings, death, and resurrection. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom relates a prophecy of Jesus' Passion and "shameful death." Even though we are well into Ordinary Time, we are reminded that we always have to confront the cross, and thank God, also the resurrection.

THE CROSS September 14 is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This Sunday, just two days before, our readings have us consider the Suffering Servant from Isaiah and Jesus predicting his suffering and death in the gospel. It almost sounds like an “early Lent” here in mid-September, but any time is a good time to keep the Cross before us!

BE OPENED! Isaiah prophesied, “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared.” Jesus healed the deaf man by saying, “Ephphatha! (that is, ‘Be opened!’).” The Responsorial, Psalm 146, says, “The Lord gives sight to the blind.” Jesus himself gives examples of healing the blind, lame, lepers and the deaf as signs that he is indeed the Messiah (cf. Matt. 11:5; Luke 7:22).

“Can you give me a word to help me?” Early in our marriage, Patti and I had been praying about a difficult situation. We were both really trying to seek the Lord, but it was causing a lot of stress. Patti asked me to give her some word from the Lord that would bring some light and peace. Without thinking I blurted out, “God is greater.” I remember that Patti looked a little taken aback. “That's it? What does that mean? Greater than what?” she asked. “Everything.” I said. “Whatever it is. This situation, our lives, our family, our work, our finances, our problems, our joys, our sorrows...you name it—God is greater!” This exchange sounds a little humorous when we look back on it now, but that word really did bring a great deal of light, peace, and help at the time. In fact, Patti made a sign saying “GOD IS GREATER” in block letters and plastered it on our refrigerator. It helped then and since then—and still helps today.

“ROAD CLOSED! BRIDGE OUT! TURN AROUND!” Important - indeed rather critical - warnings, you might say. And it would be foolish not to heed them. The Lord has given us the same kind of critical warnings in his statutes and decrees – what Scripture calls a “word of truth.” Jesus reiterates this in the gospel, along with a “course correction” regarding which commands are more serious and which are “human tradition.”

Today’s readings, like so many in our Sunday liturgies, present us with the demands of God’s revealed word and challenge us to renew our obedience to that word. Joshua calls for a clear decision on the part of the tribes of Israel as to whether or not they intend to serve the Lord. Jesus calls for a decision from his apostles – to leave or to continue following him, despite the “hard saying” about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Likewise, the Lord today asks us for our decision – to live in obedience to his word or to go our own way. His sayings may be hard, but the choice remains clear – “to whom shall we go?”

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was defined as a dogma of faith by the Venerable Pope Pius XII in 1950. He did not, however, settle the question of whether or not Mary died before being taken to heaven. Some hold that, since death is a punishment for original sin from which Mary was preserved from the moment of her conception, she did not have to die. Another opinion holds that since Mary was so closely united with her Son, who suffered death on the cross for our salvation, she also would have experienced physical death, just as Jesus did. The question was, and still is, left open.

It’s no big secret that we need nourishment in order to stay alive. All the more do we need it if we are doing something strenuous, like a long hike (as Elijah found out). The Holy Eucharist is the food the Lord provides to nourish us as we make our way through this pilgrim land. It is the seed of eternal life, planted within us now, which will come to full fruition in eternity.

“Could you pray with us and give us some word from the Lord for our marriage?” The young married couple standing before us spoke perfect English. Noteworthy because we were in the middle of Slovakia, where my wife Patti and I had been invited to give a retreat for priests and a Day of Renewal for Catholic Charismatic Renewal leaders. We were impressed by the number of young adults who were committed to the Lord in a country which had suffered under atheistic communism for over 40 years.

About two years ago, a Pew Research poll found that 69% of US Catholics did not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. I was thinking that it might be interesting to survey how many Catholics actually believe that Jesus is true God and true man. Loss of faith in the Eucharist might well be indicative of a loss of faith in the divine nature of Jesus. As Jesus says in today’s gospel: “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

It has been pointed out that the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish, that is, the Feeding of the 5000, is the only miracle of Jesus (besides his own resurrection) that is recorded in all four gospels. And in addition, there is still another account of food multiplication recorded in Matthew and Mark – this time for 4000. Multiple multiplications! The Lord demonstrates his compassion and willingness to work miracles to feed his hungry followers. As the Responsorial, Psalm 145, says: “The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”

What moves the heart of Jesus to pity? It is the sight of people seeking for him like “sheep without a shepherd.” In today’s liturgy we hear about God shepherding his people, both in the reading from Jeremiah and in the gospel. The Responsorial is the beautiful and consoling Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.”

GO FORTH! In last week’s first reading, we heard the call of Ezekiel to be a prophet. This week there is the prophetic call of Amos. We are also told about Jesus sending out the Twelve Apostles on their first missionary journey. Today gives us a reminder that the Lord instructs us to “occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13), that is, to keep busy trying to spread the gospel and build the kingdom of God until we see the Lord.

Imagine that you were sent by the Lord to give a dire warning or a “hard word” to your family and neighbors in your own home town. Today’s readings describe the experiences of Ezekiel and the Lord Jesus doing that very thing. Prophets don’t have an easy time of it when preaching to their own!

What is the biggest problem the human race faces today? If you ask 100 different people that question, you might get 100 different answers! There are indeed some huge problems out there. If you ask me, however, I would answer in one word – DECEPTION. Granted, I could also give another one-word answer – sin. But deception is what caused the original sin of disobedience to God. Eve believed the deception of the devil. She said, “The serpent deceived me” (Gen. 3:13). Sin and death entered the world, and a host of evils followed.

Why do we have to die? Where does death come from, anyway? We know that death is a fact of life, but in today’s readings, we are told that “God did not make death.” It entered the world through the instigation of the devil, who deceived our first parents into disobeying God’s commandment. Death is a punishment for original sin. But the Lord Jesus shows his power over life and death, as we see in today’s gospel.

This is basically Job’s plaint to God, and it is also uttered by Jesus’ disciples as well. Many people, even many Christians, who are undergoing severe trials, have at least been tempted to ask this. Today’s readings tell us that God is Lord of wind and sea, and indeed he does show us his care in countless ways.

Growth is a fact of life. Seeds are planted, take root, and grow. The readings and Responsorial Psalm talk about trees – those trees that bear fruit and gather the birds of the sky in their branches. As we once again start celebrating Sundays in Ordinary Time, we concentrate on the growth of God’s kingdom, both within our hearts and in the world at large.

The origin of this feast goes back to the 13th century, which some Church historians have called “the greatest of all centuries” because it was such an “age of faith.” Through the efforts of many people, especially St. Juliana de Cornillon and St. Thomas Aquinas, this solemnity was instituted for the whole Church by Pope Urban IV in 1264. The Eucharist is honored, of course, on Holy Thursday. But because that day also commemorates other events connected with the sufferings and death of the Lord, another feast was needed to give more focus to the Blessed Sacrament.