6/12/2014 – Thursday of 10th week in ordinary time – 1 Kings 18:41-46

     We hear a lot of amazing stories from the Bible, especially from the Old Testament.  We have been hearing from the first book of Kings this week as we return to Ordinary Time after our journey through the joyful Easter season.  Today, we hear about Elijah’s meeting with Ahab on Mount Carmel, right after Elijah outmaneuvered the prophets of Baal in a dramatic showdown.  God could even make a rainstorm come out of a little tiny raincloud to show his power and might.  God gives Elijah the power to bring rain to end a drought that had overtaken Israel as punishment for the ways that nation had strayed from its faith.  The false gods that King Ahab trusted could not do anything to stop the drought. 

       As we hear about Elijah’s power to create miracles in God’s name, we hear the Gospel advise us about reconciling with our fellow brothers and sisters.  When we have a broken relationship with a family member or with a friend, sometimes it seems like it would take a miracle or divine intervention or a supernatural act to bring about true healing or reconciliation.  In fact, it seems like in our modern world, where it is so easy to put the blame on something or someone else, reconciliation often seems to be an attainable dream. Yet, in the Gospel, Jesus advises us to take real steps to bring about a mended relationship.  This is never easy, but the little steps that we take may indeed bring about real miracles in our lives. 

6/12/2013 - Thursday of 10th week in ordinary time- 2 Cor 3:15-4:1, 3-6

       I have had a problem with wax in my ears since my days as a missionary.  I usually am able to get the wax out, but about a month ago, my ears had gotten so clogged up with wax that I could not hear very well.  I did not realize how bad my hearing had gotten – the ladies in the office at the parish had to yell at me in order for me to hear what they were saying.  I went to an ear, nose and throat clinic in Tupelo, and once the wax came out, I was amazed at what I was able to hear. 

         Paul tells us today, that whenever a person turns to the Lord, it is like a veil is removed.  Just like me hearing so much better once I got the wax out of my ears, once we turn to God, the way we see the world is so different as well. We are called to do much more than going through the motions of our faith.  We are called to truly turn to the Lord with our hearts, to feel the Lord in the bottom of our souls. 

         As we hear this message today, we celebrate St Anthony of Padua.  He is known by many of the faithful as the saint we invoke to help us located lost articles.  But, St Anthony is much more than that.  Anthony was born into a very wealthy family in present-day Portugal in the late 12^th century in the era when much of that region of Europe was controlled by the Moors. Anthony  joined that Canons Regular, a group of priests who lived under the Augustinian rule, but then he joined the Franciscans when he encountered a group of them who were on their way to Morocco to bring the Gospel to that part of the world.  Anthony did not make it to Morocco, but rather settled in Italy.  Filling in for a preacher one day, all were amazed at his eloquent preaching and profound reflections.  Anthony is named a saint just a year after his death, and was named as a Doctor of the Church in 1946.  I particularly like this quote from St Anthony:  “Attribute to God every good that you have received. If you take credit for something that does not belong to you, you will be guilty of theft."

         With the intercessions of St Anthony and all of the community of saints, may our hearts turn to God and may he enlighten our vision.