8/21/2014 – Thursday of 20th week in Ordinary Time – Ezekiel 35:25

      We in Mississippi seem to have adequate rainfall most of the time, although I think there are times that the farmers in our area don’t have adequate water for their crops.  And while it may seem so far away and so different from our reality, the drought that they are having in California and others states in the West is terrifying to comprehend in its magnitude.   So have an image of water today from Ezekiel, a cleansing image that is heard both in our first reading and in our psalm response:  “I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.” What do we need to be cleansed from today?  What idols are we fixated upon?  What impurities are holding us back on our journey of faith?  And when we think about cleansing in this sense, even though water is a good symbol for us, the working of the Holy Spirit and our cooperation and response to God are what will bring it about.  May the Spirit renew us.  May the Spirit cleanse us. 

8/22/2013 – Thursday of 20th week in Ordinary Time – The Queenship of Mary – Isaiah 9:1-6, Luke 1:26-38

         Mary is the mother of the King of Kings, so today we celebrate the Queenship of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth one week after we celebrated her Assumption into Heaven Body and Soul.  Pope Pius XII established the feast of the Queenship of Mary in 1954, but like most doctrine and dogma declared about Mary, the faithful for centuries had been believing this before it was officially declared so by the Church. 

         Isaiah boldly proclaims: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”  For us Christians, we see Christ as that light shining in the darkness.  We see Mary doing all she can through her motherly love for us to guide us to that light.

         In the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary with a greeting of Good News:  Greetings, favored one!  The Lord is with you!  That Lord was with Mary in a special way as she consented to his will to be the Mother of our Lord.  Spurred on by our faith, we see how special Mary was in the eyes of God for this task.  We as Mary’s adopted sons and daughters honor her today as our Queen.

         Just 2 days ago, we celebrated St Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor of the Church.  Bernard had a great devotion to Mary.  I will close with some of his thoughts:

“Whoever you are that perceive yourself during this mortal existence to be rather drifting in treacherous waters, at the mercy of the winds and the waves, than walking on firm ground, turn not away your eyes from the splendor of this guiding star, unless thou wish to be submerged by the storm. Look at the star, call upon Mary. With her for guide, you shall not go astray, while invoking her, you shall never lose heart if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.”