Christ's Disciples

10/12/2022

"Will God be slow to answer?" This rhetorical question of Jesus invites us to consider the differences rather than the similarities between an unjust judge who renders a just decision for a widow due to her persistent petition, and God's response to us when we exercise but a mustard seed of faith. The prayer that pleases God most is a surrendered, trusting prayer.

When one studies the historical annals of St. Monica, one notices how much she struggled with being a bit manipulative in her prayer and action, trying to get God to come to her way of thinking. Once she was corrected for her willful behavior, however, she accepted it nobly and gave up her clingy ways of trying to hold on to her son, twist the arms of saints in her favor, and insist on a time frame for her son's conversion which she desperately desired. Due to this surrender on her part (her own conversion, we could say) her son converted wholeheartedly and her deepest wish was actually granted. One could say she was never “Saint” Monica until she let go. Once she did, however, her prayer pierced the Heart of God.

Do I pray in an anxious way myself? Do I hold on to my prayer and not surrender the results? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to teach us, through the intercession of St. Monica, how to pray, rooted in the solid mustard seed of faith, trusting in God's gracious providence.

Jesus indeed understands the question that often weighs on the hearts of those who come to him with great needs, and he also provides the deepest answer. He reminds us, his beloved disciples, "Will God be slow to answer? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily." Our God loves to hear and answer the petitions of a converted heart, a heart praying from the mustard seed of solid faith.

Fr. Anthony Wieck, SJ

05/28/2022

Gospel
Jn 16:23b-28
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

“I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

05/24/2022

Gospel
Jn 16:5-11
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

05/23/2022

Gospel
Jn 15:26—16:4a
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.”

02/21/2022

This is a very powerful message on the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharist.

The University of Notre Dame Campus Ministry welcomed Fr. Mike Schmitz to speak to the campus community in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on February 21, 2...

02/18/2022

Love Your Enemies

You can well imagine how amazed and startled many of Jesus listeners were when he advised this attitude and disposition towards those we consider our enemies. It seemed like so much nonsense and insanity, along with pronouncements such as unless you eat my body and drink my blood you cannot have life within you. I suspect that many of these teachings were not taken seriously until after the events of his passion, death, and resurrection.

But when Jesus prayed to his Father to forgive those who were killing him, his followers began to realize how seriously he meant this. But even in our own times we find that many people, and perhaps ourselves, unable or struggling to embrace this disposition.

I believe that regarding one’s enemies or adversaries in this way is perhaps only possible with God’s assistance, that is, a gift of grace. I believe we see being lived out in the reaction of many of the relatives and friends of those whose love ones have been mercilessly massacred in recent years in our own country, such as Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Columbine High School and Sandy Hook Elementary School and too many other recent tragedies. We even hear some afflicted parents saying that they forgive the perpetrators and that they are praying for them.

If you find such a disposition seemingly impossible for you, how does one make such an attitude their own? I suggest you begin with small steps. Ask the Lord for help. In your prayer share with the Lord how difficult or impossible this seems to be for you.

At least pray for the desire to have such an attitude. It may help to reflect and pray upon Jesus on the cross forgiving those taking his life. If you can, pray yourself for those guilty of such horrible deeds. In all of this continuously asked the Lord to grace you with his forgiving mind and heart.

Proceeding in this manner you will gradually be putting on the mind and heart of Jesus in regard to your enemies.

Fr. Jim Blumeyer, S.J.

02/12/2022

I Look Forward to the Resurrection of the Dead

In the Nicene Creed we profess that we believe in the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the dead. In this Sunday's second reading from his second letter to the Corinthians St. Paul in his typical blunt fashion lets us know that this is no small matter or article of our faith: 'If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ's been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.’

The challenge for many, myself included, is trying to figure out or to grasp what our resurrected life will be like. Jesus in the Scriptures provides us only a few hints. There will be a new heaven, and new earth. There will be great and wonderful banquets with an incredible variety of people.

But what is even more important is the criteria for our being there, being among those invited to the banquet. Jesus very succinctly tells us that he is the way, the truth and the life. Moreover in the Beatitudes in this Sunday’s gospel we are given the challenges for us in accepting his banquet invitation.
Let us pray for ourselves and one another that we hear Jesus' invitation, and that we have the strength and courage to accept it.

-Fr. Jim Blumeyer, SJ

02/07/2022

Gospel
Mk 6:53-56
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.

01/28/2022

01/28/2022

01/27/2022

Gospel
Mk 4:21-25
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed,
and not to be placed on a lampstand?
For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible;
nothing is secret except to come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”
He also told them, “Take care what you hear.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”