Tag Archives: gratitude

August 4, 2015

19th Sunday of the Year – Dependence upon God

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

MannaSlides01

Study:  What are some of your regular chores?  Which ones do you find boring, dreary, dull, or difficult?

Pray:  Take a moment to count your blessings.  Consider the many ways you have been blessed by God.

Serve:  How can you help someone with a difficult chore?  How can you assist another with a challenging task?

19th Sunday of the Year Readings

Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast

Every summer my sister and I had a standard routine during school vacation.  We would get up, have some breakfast, and face the dreaded work list.  Our mother was the master of list making – with her perfect penmanship, she would write out the chores that needed to be done before Amy and I could go down to the beach for some fun.  We would groan and complain,”This is SO HARD!” while mom just smiled and reminded us that we all have work to do to keep the house running.

One time when I was feeling particularly oppressed, I had the gall to ask, “What did you do?” and I discovered that my folks:

  • Paid all the bills
  • Kept up on all the maintenance of the house
  • Provided for all our food and clothing
  • Handled mysterious things like “insurance” and “taxes”

In other words, I quickly discovered that my life – even with my terrible chores – depended completely on them.

Both Elijah and the crowds in the Gospel discover a similar lesson today.  Elijah was grumbling and the people were murmuring, but God fed them (both physically and spiritually) with food for this life and the next.

The point is simple: our lives are completely and entirely dependent upon God.  While it is true and important to note that we all have work to do, it is crucial to remember that we have this work because God allows it.  Our lives are supported every moment by the grace of the Almighty; the Lord sustains our lives so that we might offer them in our work…the “chores” that we get to do.  What’s more, God nourishes us so that we can do these chores with strength, courage, and wisdom.

For several weeks now we have heard how God feeds us with heavenly bread; perhaps today we might take a moment in gratitude to thank the Lord for what we have received, so that we can do today’s work with an open mind and a willing heart.  May our chores remind us that they are part of life – a gift which we have received from God.

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July 26, 2015

17th Sunday of the Year – Gratitude & Petition at the Lord’s Table – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

Fr. Andrew’s 17th Sunday of the Year Homily Podcast

Our daily need for nourishment reminds us of our basic dependence on wholesome food.  What’s more, we recognize that we depend upon the Lord for spiritual grace as well.  As we ponder the multiplication miracle in today’s Gospel, I suggest that we draw near to the Lord with Gratitude and Petition – responding in love to the one who knows our needs and longs to provide the sustenance we require.

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April 7, 2015

2nd Sunday of Easter – One Heart and Mind

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Jesus & Apostles

Study:  Where do I see signs of unity in my life?  How can I build upon them?

Pray:  Where do I see signs of disunity in my life?  Call upon the Lord for grace and strength.

Serve:  How can I help others grow closer together?  How can I foster unity?

2nd Sunday of Easter Readings

Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast

“The community of believers was of one heart and mind…”  (Acts 4:32)

I marvel at the transformation of the disciples.  Before the resurrection of Jesus they were filled with fear, paralyzed by their own weakness and doubt; after the resurrection they are changed, as evidenced in even the basic ways they lived and worked together.

One heart and mind!

Unity can be challenging in even the best circumstances: we see things differently, hold our own unique values and principles, as well as personal tastes and interests.  Working together is tough, yet it is a common sign of holiness – the practical proof that we are doing our part to build the Lord’s kingdom here on earth.

What supports unity?  Jesus Christ!  Unity with Christ provides the grace for unity with Christ’s brothers and sisters; this clear sign of faith draws others to the Good News and fosters our community with one another.  Take a look at a few of the patterns that emerge in today’s readings:

  • 1st Reading – sharing according to need
  • Psalm – giving thanks to the Lord
  • 2nd Reading – love of God by keeping his commandments
  • Gospel – Christ’s peace that overcomes doubt

Another way to say it: Sharing, Gratitude, Love, Peace – which find their source in Jesus and flow through us to the those we meet.  I would suggest that the disciples used these building blocks to form the first elements of the Church, working together in unity with the grace of Christ to proclaim the Good News.

This work continues today.  We all know firsthand the effects of discord – where lives are broken and fragmented by selfishness, fear, hate, and a hardness of heart – yet we believe in something greater…Christ is triumphant!  Our response can mirror the disciples:

  • We acknowledge the obstacles in our lives
  • We turn to Jesus Christ and call upon his grace
  • We allow the Lord to work through us to unite with one another

May we bring these powerful blessings of the resurrection to our world today:

  • Sharing the gifts God has given us
  • Grateful for the blessings we have received from on high
  • Loving others as Christ loves us
  • Bringing the Lord’s peace to those before us

One heart and mind!

**********

Resurrection, Szymon Czechowicz; 1758, oil on canvas, 525 x 392 pixels, Olesko Castle, Ukraine.

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September 14, 2014

25th Sunday of the Year – Generosity

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

generosity (1)

Study:  How have I reacted in the past when someone I know has been particularly blessed or fortunate?  Am I supportive or jealous?

Pray:  Ask the Lord for the grace and wisdom to celebrate sincerely with others when they have received special gifts or opportunities.

Serve:  How can you support others in their moments of blessing?  How might you be generous with gratitude for another person’s good fortune?

25th Sunday of the Year Readings

Fr. Andrew’s Homily

Consider the following possible situations and scenarios:

  • Your neighbor that you have known for over twenty years has just won the lottery.
  • A high school classmate that you didn’t talk to very much in school makes it big in Hollywood.
  • A relative gets left a hefty sum of money from an old uncle and goes on a long trip around the world.
  • A kid who used to ride your bus to school is now the executive at the company – and is your boss.
  • A fellow employee in another office gets a big bonus for a successfully completed project.
  • Your best friend has the opportunity to have a special audience with the Pope – through a connection with a friend in the Vatican.

All of these scenes have one thing in common: through an encounter with generosity and/or opportunity another individual benefits and possesses rewards that we do not share.

How do we react? How do our attitudes and actions change toward those who have received unexpected (and sometimes unearned) generosity? While I know that I hope that I would be good natured, polite, friendly, and supportive – a part of me echoes with the sentiments of the workers in today’s Gospel.

There is a sense of justice, a feeling that we should get what we deserve that goes against the grain of the message today. The last workers got the same wage, even though they only worked a fraction of the time. It’s not fair!

In reality, the story went beyond fairness. No worker was cheated. No worker was denied a fair and agreeable wage. The Master simply wanted to be generous out of concern and care for others.

The fact is, God is generous to all of us. There are moments when we have fallen short of the Lord’s justice through sin and temptation. Yet like the workers today, we receive God’s generosity even when we have not earned it. May we live accordingly.

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October 7, 2013

28th Sunday of the Year – Healing, Mercy, & Gratitude

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Touch of God

Study:  When in my life have I been wounded, separated, or isolated?  How did I experience healing and mercy?

Pray:  Gratitude is a spiritual cure for many things.  What blessings should I consider with gratitude in my prayer?

Serve:  Is there someone in my life that I can connect with right now?  Is there an opportunity for healing that I can foster through the gift of my life today?

28th Sunday Readings

The Gospel today offers a number of insights for us.  The healing of the ten lepers shows the power and love of Jesus in several ways:
1.  Jesus physically healed their leprosy
2.  Jesus restored them to their relationships
3.  Jesus’ message included foreigners
4.  Jesus received gratitude from only one!

Leprosy was considered a terrible affliction in the ancient world.  The name was used (sometimes inappropriately) for a variety of skin diseases, but it certainly did refer to the virulent condition where the skin was covered with festering sores that were beyond recovery.

Because of this condition, lepers would be banished from society.  Cast off from family and friendship, they would be forced into a lonely isolation or consigned to a leper colony where their only interaction would be with other lepers.  No family.  No friends.  No physical contact.  They were completely and entirely cut off.

Begging for mercy from a distance, ten lepers come upon Jesus and are healed.  This healing is not only physical; with renewed bodies they are now restored to their loved ones.  They can go home!  Their suffering and pain (both physical and emotional) is now transformed.

One of these lepers was a foreigner.  He was not an Israelite; he did not know the Law, the Prophets, (indeed, he might not even have believed in God).  Yet he was healed, too.  The mercy, healing, and love of Jesus extended beyond the bounds of his own people – it included all people!

And it turns out that this same outsider, who knew nothing of the heritage of Israel, is the only one to say thank you.  Now that he is healed he can approach Jesus directly, falling at his feet with gratitude.  He has his life back, and his first thought is to acknowledge the giver of so great a gift.

Do we see ourselves in this Gospel today?  Do we recognize our need for healing – to be restored in body or soul, to be renewed in our relationships with family or friends?  Have we reached out beyond our imposed boundaries to people of a different race, creed, or color?  Are we grateful for what we have been given, and do we thank the Lord for our blessings?  We can learn a lot from the leper.

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June 18, 2013

12th Sunday of the Year – Take Up Your Cross

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Station - Jesus takes his Cross

Study:  Think about a “cross” that you have had in life.  Reflect on how you were able to carry it.

Pray:  Bring your “cross” to the Cross of Christ.  Ask him for the strength you need.

Serve:  Perhaps there is someone in your life who is carrying a heavy cross.  How are you being called to help?

12th Sunday Readings

Jesus answered his question “Who do you say I am?” with a commentary.  The Christ of God came to endure suffering, pain, rejection, and death.

In short, he came to carry a Cross.

I often find that as a priest one of the most gifted times in my ministry is when I have the opportunity to offer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.  I pray with people, often during painful and agonizing moments, and extend the comfort and grace of Jesus Christ.  It is a powerful, moving, and humbling experience.

As I leave, I often am led to gratitude.  It is easy for me to get caught in my own challenges and stresses, to be sidetracked by my own frustrations and issues.   I find that when I confront the crosses that others carry I  begin to count my blessings rather than my problems.

The fact is, we all carry crosses.  Some are small, some are large.  Some are with us only a short time, others last for years.  Yet as we embrace the challenges and difficulties of life we remember that God meets us where we are.  Jesus did not avoid his Cross, and he will walk with us as we carry our own.

Furthermore, the Cross is not the end.  The death and resurrection of Jesus transform the Cross into a sign of hope.  We face our struggles with the promise of God’s redeeming help.  The Cross directs us to face our fears and trust that the Lord’s grace is greater than any darkness in this world.

So what crosses do we confront today?  What challenges do we face?  As we remember the Cross of Christ may we ask the Lord for the help and strength we need today.  Mindful of the blessings God has given us, may we embrace our own cross and trust that God will help us along the way.

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