Category: John of the Cross

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 503 | Monday, November 25, 2019

Webster’s Dictionary defines ‘mite’ as any small thing – m i t e – mite.  Oftentimes a little bug is called a mite, any small thing.  So today’s story, from Luke’s Gospel, is called ‘The Widow’s Mite.’  It represents the two copper coins she throws into the Temple Treasury.  And Jesus praises her for this mite, this tiny, little offering.  I think John of the Cross summarizes this very well when he writes, “God is more pleased by one work however small done secretly, than a thousand done with the desire that people know of them.”  That’s why Jesus praises this widow.  That’s why Jesus praises us – humility and not self-aggrandizement, but God-aggrandizement, other-aggrandizement, focus on God, focus on other.  That’s the call of this very simple Gospel.  

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 501 | Friday, November 22, 2019

This is a Re-Post from Saturday, November 9, 2019, because the Gospel that day was also the ‘Cleansing of the Temple.’ 

In today’s Gospel we have the ‘Cleansing of the Temple’ where Jesus overturned the money tables, and drove out the money changers and the animal handlers – to purify the Temple.  I think Jesus does the same thing to this Temple, to our hearts, and our souls.  And why?  John of the Cross says, “The soul must empty itself of all that is not God in order to go to God.”  With that in mind, let us ask Jesus to do to this Temple what he did to that Temple on that day. 

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 497 | Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Note: This post is a rerun from Sunday, November 3rd, since the Gospel passage, Luke 19:1-10, is the same passage for today.

In his Sayings of Light and Love, Saint John of the Cross instructs us that, “Travelers cannot reach new territory if they do not take new roads and abandon the old familiar ones.”  Good advice!  In today’s Gospel, Jesus is going to Jericho – a new road for him.  But more importantly, Zacchaeus is climbing a sycamore tree. That’s a new road for him.  He’s going to reach new territory: comfort, and closeness, and love of Jesus.  If we want those, we need to take new roads and abandon the old familiar ones that are getting us nowhere.

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 159 | Sunday, November 17, 2019

In today’s Gospel we some super-heavy-duty and scary end of the world scenarios where nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there’ll be earthquakes and plagues and omens in the sky and people will arrest you and haul you before judges.  And Jesus says “do not be terrified.”  I think John of the Cross says the same thing.  He says, “If the whole world should crumble and come to an end and all things go wrong, endure all with tranquility and with peaceful equanimity.”  Why?  Because it’s all in God’s hands.  No matter what happens – today, in your life, in the world, at the end of the world – endure all with tranquility and peaceful equanimity.  Great advice.  

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 496 | Saturday, November 16, 2019

We have a really interesting instruction about prayer in today’s Gospel where Jesus likens it to a widow who goes to a judge demanding justice and he’s unwilling.  So she goes again and again and again till he finally gives in.  But what if that widow went to a friend?  Or what if she went to a spouse?  Wouldn’t she be more apt to get what she needs or is looking for right away?  That may be the instruction here.  John of the Cross says, “Take God for your Bridegroom and Friend.”  Wouldn’t your bridegroom give you something – right away?  Wouldn’t your friend give you something – right away?  Let’s not see God as judge or arbiter or arbitrary gift-giver but let us see God as Bridegroom and Friend. 

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 495 | Friday, November 15, 2019

Today we have some pretty heavy-duty end of the world stuff where Jesus says if you see these signs don’t even return to the house; and if two are in bed, one will be taken and one will be left; and if two are working, one will be taken and one will be left.  Then what are we to do?  Saint John of the Cross says, “If the whole world should crumble and come to an end and all things go wrong, endure all with tranquility and with peaceful equanimity.”  That’s what we do!  It’s all in God’s hands.  Endure all with peace and tranquility.  

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 492 | Tuesday, November 12, 2019

In today’s Gospel Jesus says, when the servants come in from a long day does the master say, ‘let me take care of you?’  No, the master says, now that you’re back, take care of me.  And at the end say, you’ve done nothing but what you were expected to do.  This is true, we are to be servants, but the call is to be more than servants – to be friends, to be brothers, sisters, offspring of the Lord.  Saint John of the Cross tells us, “Those attached to dignities are considered by God mere slaves and not offspring.”  The call is to be offspring and to join the master at the table.