~~~SisterSea~~~

In Solidarity with LCWR First Reading:    2 Corinthians 4:6-10; 16-18 Gospel :      Matthew 5:13-16    Today, along with Saint Clare, we are celebrating in solidarity with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious ( LCWR ).   Right now, under the scrutiny of Vatican-appointed Archbishop Sartain, they are holding their 2013 annual meeting.   Our Roman Catholic Church might persecute and abandon their own.   But, when we are doing the will of God, as the first reading says, we may be struck down but never destroyed.   In April 2012, the LCWR was chastised and put under the supervision of Archbishop Sartain.   They were charged with not speaking out enough against abortion and gay marriage, and for their radical feminism.   God, I think, saw things differently.   The sisters were honoured not only by the overwhelming support of people in the pews, but, last November, in "recognition of ...

1st reading: Ecclesiastes 1.2; 2.21-23 Psalm 49:1-12 2nd reading: Colossians 3.1-5, 9-11 Gospel: Luke 12.13-21 Vanity of vanities!   All is vanity.   The first reading emphasises what we hear in our Eucharistic prayer, and that is, “Everything we have, everything we see, everything we do, everyone we love and everyone who loves us” is a revelation of God’s sustaining presence and our total dependence on God’s creative Spirit alive in the universe.   When we look at things from this perspective, to paraphrase a few words from Fr. Ken, work is no longer something exacted of me, toil grudgingly given; our work can flow freely, as a thankful response for the great gift of life.   Those in AA call this an attitude of gratitude.   With an attitude of gratitude, we become less concerned with whether others are doing their share or whether others are getting the kudos we think we deserve.   With an attitude of gratitude, we know in our heart...

A Liturgy in Honour Saint Mary of Magdala First Reading:   Genesis 18.1-10a Responsorial Psalm:   Psalm 15 Second Reading:   Colossians 1.24-28 Gospel: Luke 10.38-42 Hospitality is the dominant theme in today’s first reading and Gospel.   But what is hospitality?   The dictionary says it is “The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.”   Some of us are influenced to practice hospitality by the quotation from Hebrews chapter 13, verse 2, often associated with Dorothy Day, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that, some have entertained angels without knowing it.”   But fewer of us have connected it with the verse immediately before it, which says, “Let mutual love continue.”   This suggests that for people of faith, hospitality is motivated by love and is a mutual demonstration of love.   Generosity is a key component of hospitality as demonstrated in the...