June 5, 2016 - The Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year C :  Reflections on the Gospel of Luke 7:11-17

In today's Gospel, we see a compassionate Jesus. He observes the dead young son of a widow being carried on a bier, along a dirt road, leading to the grave. He is her only child. Not only does she grieve his passing, but he is her only source of support in a time when women depended on male family members to care for them. Jesus' heart goes out to her in her great loss.

Jesus could well be also envisioning the day when his own mother would be heartbroken over the cruel death of her only son. He is touched to a degree that he chooses to raise the son from the dead. What great joy the mother is experiencing, as depicted in the picture above! What happiness Jesus must feel to be able to return the beloved child to his mother!  

Maybe Mary was there that day.  Did she understand that Jesus was trying to reassure her that even though she would see him die at the hands of sinful men,  he would also rise from the dead?  Did she have a sense of the joy that would be hers on that blessed day, as she watched the widow tenderly cup her son's face in her hands?  Were some of the disciples present to observe this miracle?  Were they able to trust that Jesus would come back to them also?

We can observe how Jesus sensed the heartbreak of the widow and how he responded to her great sorrow and need.   However, the witnesses seem puzzled.  Who is this Jesus, the son of a carpenter, who can raise a person from the dead?  Were some resentful of all the attention Jesus'  kindness and power brought to him?  Are they feeling jealous that people are following him?  He seems so very ordinary, yet he does extraordinary things?  Where does he get his power?    Do they feel drawn to follow Him and imitate his compassion in their own lives?  We can only speculate about all these things.  However, allowing ourselves to contemplate the scene,  can deepen our appreciation of the Lord and His followers.

Today we observe the compassionate Jesus who told us that he is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Are we willing to live His Way? Do we make the necessary sacrifices to extend compassion to our brothers and sisters in need?  With the Lord at our sides giving us strength, we can let go of our self-centered ways and embrace His Way.

Among St. Katharine Drexel's writings we find the following: "I firmly believe that we don't realize the power that is ours in the Companionship which is ours." Who needs our compassion at this time?

Reflections on the Feast of Corpus Christi

Feast Day of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

    This is a special day for the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. St. Katharine Drexel, the foundress of the Community, and her family were very devoted to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. They even had a chapel in their home where daily they spent time in adoration of the Lord. However, Kate, as she was called by her family, had a broader view of the Eucharist than many of her contemporaries. She saw in the Eucharist the mystical body of Christ, including all peoples.  

    Often, missionaries came to her home to ask for money for the Indian Missions which were in dire need. Her family regularly helped to support the missions and Catherine* had a special concern for the spiritual and physical welfare of the Native peoples. They were suffering from having their lands taken from them and being placed on Reservations, where it was sometimes difficult to grow food and obtain other necessities.

    At Kate's time in history, slavery had recently been abolished, but the slaves had little education and could not find jobs. Some even went back to work for their former owners. Several days a week, she and her sisters helped to distribute food, clothing, rent money, etc. to those in need. Thus, at a young age, she and her sisters became aware of the plight of many African Americans in Philadelphia and other parts of the country. 

  On a trip to Europe, Catherine had an audience with Pope Leo XIII  during which she begged him to send more missionary priests to help the Native American people. The Pope's response to her was "Why don't you yourself become a missionary?" Catherine had been considering becoming a contemplative nun, but had not thought about becoming a missionary. However, she took this suggestion as a sign that God was asking her to care for His suffering children. Thus, she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored Peoples. The Community is dedicated to the building of unity and community among all peoples.

*St. Katharine Drexel was born Catherine Mary Drexel, and later chose the name Sr. Mary Katharine as her Religious Name.