ordinary time 2015 reflections

8/10/2019 Ordinary Time 2015 Reflections

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ORDINARY TIME 2015 REFLECTIONS

May 10, 2015

Sixth Sunday of Eat!"# Moth!"$ Day

A%t of th! A&ot'! 10( 25)2*, +)+5, )-# I .ohn ( /)10# .ohn 15( )1/

As I reflect on Mothers Day, Im reminded of a moment many years ago when one of my

daughters was only three years old. She and I were driving to her school. I was worrying about

bills, deadlines, and all those things we seem to worry about on a daily basis. I remember I was

feeling especially low and fearful.

Suddenly from the back seat I heard a little voice, Mommy, do you like green eggs and ham!" I

began to laugh so hard at this sudden interruption of thought that I began to cry. #ot because I

was sad, but because this small voice and the simplicity of her $uestion brought me back to

reality% back to the here and now and the reali&ation that in the midst of all the everyday sadnessand worrying, I had the most wonderful blessing right with me in the car. And even if it was for

'ust that one moment of my day, her innocence and unconditional love brought me peace.

In my daughter I see a reflection of (ods unconditional love for us, e)pressed so beautifully in

the Second *eading for Mothers Day from + ohn - /01, 2eloved, let us love one another,

because love is of (od% everyone who loves is begotten by (od and knows (od. 3hoever is

without love does not know (od, for (od is love." My daughter and the reading remind me that

(ods unconditional love should be a source of peace in my life that I am then able to e)tend to

others. As 4eter says in our 5irst *eading, (od shows no partiality," 6Acts of the Apostles

+78-b9. :he peace found in his love is given to all, and should be e)tended through me to all.

Mothers Day is the day I remember that 'ust as my own mother wrapped me in a blanket and

loved me, I too am wrapped in the arms of (od. ;is light must shine through me so I can wrap

others in love. As esus tells us in the Mothers Day (ospel, ohn +ove one another as I

love you." 2ecause of the love (od has shown me I am ready and, more importantly, able to give

of myself to others.
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/051015.cfmhttp://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/051015.cfm


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:hinking about the many opportunities (od has given me to be a mother, not 'ust to my children

but to others around me, I am in awe of all of (ods gifts in my life, the chances he has given me

to be a light in places of darkness and a hope in times of despair. I reali&e that I have been a

mother even before the time the >ord gave me children of my own to care for.

It is this kind of love that is at the heart of our work at ?atholic ?harities. :here is no morefitting mission statement for us than the simplicity of those words from ohns >etter 2eloved,

let us love one another." >et us remind ourselves with each opportunity that arises in our work

and in our lives to love as (od does, drawing on our knowledge of (ods unconditional love for

us.

:ricia *eeves

?ounselor, School02ased 5amily Support 4rogram% ?atholic ?harities, Diocese of ?amden

May 1, 2015

St .o!&h th! o"3!", O&tiona' M!4o"ia'A%t of th! A&ot'! 1+( 2*)++, .ohn 1( 1)*

6@ditors note 4ope 4ius II instituted this feast day in +Buke = 8-b

that Simeon said to Mary and oseph, 2ehold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many

in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted so that the thoughts of many hearts may be

revealed." ;ow many $uestions oseph must have had about what he was supposed to doG

oseph was a humble carpenter who taught esus to work with wood. 2eing close to the >ord

helped oseph to understand his call. :he daily conversations with esus must have been a

wonder and a 'oy as he grew older. 2ut when esus was young, how did oseph know that

common carpentry was what he was supposed to teach esus! ;ow did he know to stay in#a&areth! So many $uestions must have been in osephs heart.

Sometimes we have $uestions about our call. In our humble work serving the >ord and the

needy, we are sometimes unclear about what the >ord is calling us to do ne)t. >ike oseph, we

need daily conversations with esus. Imagine the $uestions that esus must have asked oseph
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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and the $uestions that oseph must have had for esus. 3e too can speak to the >ord everyday

but even more we can listen to the >ord as ;e speaks to us.

:his work we do puts us close to the >ord. In conversation with (od, we can know the way. 3e

can speak to the >ord and listen to the >ord 'ust as oseph did. esus is the wayG oseph shows

us how to humbly listen to the >ord.

Deacon Dan 4owers

@)ecutive Director, ?atholic ?harities of Eansas ?ity0St. oseph, Inc.

A&"i' 22, 2015

Ea"th Day

o&! F"an%i, o6!"ty and C'i4at! Chan7!( An Ea"th Day Ca'' to A%tion

Shortly after his election, 4ope 5rancis e)plained that he chose his papal name to honor St.

5rancis of Assisi because, 5or me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man wholoves and protects creation% these days we do not have a very good relationship with creation, do

we!" Since then, 4ope 5rancis has repeatedly affirmed the insight from his predecessors that

poverty and creation care are intimately related, especially in the face of climate change.

:his summer, 4ope 5rancis will release the ?hurchs first papal encyclical devoted to ecology.

(iven 5rancis popularity and his un$uestioned moral stature, this document is e)pected to havea profoundly positive impact on the efforts of both the ?hurch and the world to address climate

change. 4ope 5rancis attention to ecology will be particularly good news for the worlds poorest

people and communities they are the most vulnerable to the adverse conse$uences of climatechangeHeven though they have contributed very little to the problem. :he fact is that the

worlds poorest people emit less carbon into the environment because they do not have as manyvehicles, nor as many temperature control systems that heat and cool the air, nor as manyelectronics and machines powered by electricity, nor do they consume as much food 6primarily

meat9 that re$uires more energy to produce, than those who are not poor. ;owever, when they

live in coastal areas, with less money to construct safeguards against e)treme weather brought

about by climate change, those who are poor are more likely to feel the effects of such disasters.

?onsider how environmental in'ustice and climate change impact the work within your own

agency. It is very likely that the neighborhoods most afflicted by poor air or water $uality arealso the poorest in your region. As climate helps intensify droughts, floods, heat waves and other

weather events, how is your agency prepared to assist people in harms way! 3hat are the

human health impacts of environmental degradation and climate change in communities whereyou serve! ?atholic ?harities SA is increasingly looking to help you anticipate and prepare for

these evolving threats.

:his year, 4ope 5rancis and his encyclical on ecology will provide ?atholics with anunprecedented opportunity to care for creation and the poor in the face of global climate change.

:he ?atholic ?limate ?ovenant will continue to work with our partner, ?atholic ?harities SA,

to share ?atholic teaching on these issues and we invite you to 'oin our efforts to care for all of


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(ods creationHespecially the worlds poorest and most vulnerable communities that are

disproportionately harmed by environmental degradation.

It is widely anticipated that the encyclical will be released in une or uly. Ahead of its release

there is much you can do to prepare yourself, your family, and your parish. 5irst, you and your

communities can take the St. 5rancis to ?are for ?reation and the 4oor and register yourcommitments online at httpJJcatholicclimatecovenant.orgJthe0st0francis0pledgeJ. Additionally,

you can >ike" the ?atholic ?limate ?ovenant on 5acebook at

5acebook.comJ?atholic?limate?ovenant and follow us on :witter K?atholic?limate. 2y doingthese things, you will receive all of the latest ?atholic information and resources related to the

encyclical.

Daniel . Misleh@)ecutive Director, ?atholic ?limate ?ovenant

F!8"ua"y -, 2015

Int!"nationa' Day of "ay!" fo" 9i%ti4 and Su"6i6o" of :u4an T"affi%3in7

Editors note: February 8 is recognized by the Catholic Church as the Feast Day of St.

Josephine Bahita !"8#$%"$&'(. )he nati*e Sudanese +as idnapped and sold into sla*ery at

the age of nine, transferred fro- one -aster to another +hile eperiencing brutality in -any

for-s. /fter being sold again in "880, she finally encountered a fa-ily that treated her +ith a

degree of hu-an dignity. She +as baptized in "8$1 and professed religious *o+s to the

Canossian Sisters, a religious co--unity that helped separate her fro- a life of trafficing and

hu-an sla*ery, in "8$#. For this reason, St. Josephine is ele*ated by -any opponents of

trafficing and sla*ery.

So +hat does the life of St. Josephine and opposition to 2"stcentury sla*ery and hu-an

trafficing ha*e to do +ith our Catholic Charities net+or and our parishes3 Besides it being

the sub4ect of 5ope Francis 21"6 7orld Day of 5eace essage !9o ;onger Sla*es but

Brothers and Sistersich-ond(. y con*ersations

+ith staff caused -e to thin, 9?o+ often does our society neglect to address the need of the

healing of perpetrators in our co--unities3< = a- happy to share this essay fro- >yan /rey

and proud that a Catholic Charities progra- is helping to bring +holeness to all affected by

social de*iance in our co--unities. To become more involved with CCUSAs work againsthuman trafficking, click here.@Br. Ste*e ?erro, A. 5rae-.

In April of =7+8, ?ommonwealth ?atholic ?harities and other community partners in ;enrico,

Lirginia, launched the ohns School." :he focus of this uni$ue class is to work with men who

have been arrested for solicitation of prostitution, helping them recogni&e the devastating effect

their actions have on their partners, families and their community, and especially on the women

they hire as prostitutes.
http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/the-st-francis-pledge/mailto:[email protected]://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20141208_messaggio-xlviii-giornata-mondiale-pace-2015.htmlhttp://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20141208_messaggio-xlviii-giornata-mondiale-pace-2015.htmlhttp://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20141208_messaggio-xlviii-giornata-mondiale-pace-2015.htmlhttp://catholiccharitiesusa.org/get-involved/washington-weekly/http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/the-st-francis-pledge/mailto:[email protected]://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20141208_messaggio-xlviii-giornata-mondiale-pace-2015.htmlhttp://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20141208_messaggio-xlviii-giornata-mondiale-pace-2015.htmlhttp://catholiccharitiesusa.org/get-involved/washington-weekly/


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:hese men predominantly report that, although they know paying for se) is illegal, they believe

it is a business transaction between two adults. 3hat the ohns do not consider is that many

prostituted women do not do it by choice% they are someones daughter, a mother, sister, and

sometimes, a minor advertised as an adult. ohns do not stop to think that many of these women

are forced into prostitution through human trafficking and are in a cycle of violence, poverty,

drugs, physical and mental abuse, and degradation that they cannot escape.

:he one0day, eight hour ohns School class prompts the men to e)plore their perceptions and

come to terms with the cognitive, health, social and emotional toll caused by their actions. So

far, over 17 men have attended the seven classes. :hey all have gained an understanding that

they are the demand" of this industry, and that if they do not purchase se), it will reduce the

supply," which is crucial to eradicating human trafficking.

A percentage of the course fee paid for by each participant goes to the non0profits that directly

provide support and services to help prostituted women and victims of trafficking find a way out.

In addition, local government partners also include the countys ?ommonwealths Attorney,?ommunity ?orrections, and ;ealth Departments. 3ithout all of these collaborators, this

program would not have been established and the classes would not have such impact.

:herefore, we are grateful for our partnerships and the support of everyone else who has been a

part of this pro'ect.

!Editors note: /s the international co--unity -ars the =nternational Day of 5rayer for

icti-s and Sur*i*ors of ?u-an )rafficing, = +as in*ited by a Catholic Charities staffer fro-

aridat Social Ser*ices Saipan, orthern ariana =slands to share this prayer +ritten in the

bac of a 4ournal by one of its clients, a Filipino +o-an seeing relief fro- hu-an trafficing. =

belie*e that it is an appropriate +ay to close this co-position:

Dearest >ord,

4lease help my 'ob every day. I need money for my family. I know you knew it already. So, I

hope I will be able to meet a generous person. 4lease provide me that kind person. >ord I hope

you understand me. As you know, I want to go back to the 4hilippines. I do not like it here

anymore, so please speed up every single day that passes by. 4lease help me and . 4lease

do not forsake us. 4lease guide us down here.00>.:.D.9

*yan Arey, >?S3

?linical Supervisor, ?ounseling Services% ?ommonwealth ?atholic ?harities 6Diocese of*ichmond9


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.anua"y +1, 2015

M!4o"ia' of St .ohn ;o%o

:oday the church celebrates the Memorial of St. ohn 2osco 6+1+


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I teared up several times during the movie Sel-a. 3hen men and women, including a highly

visible number of religious leaders of all races, ages and creeds, introduced themselves to the

civil rights leaders before the hike across the bridge, I paused. 3hen Dr. Eing stopped in his

tracks on the bridge and took a knee to pray, modeling prayerfulness for the rest of the multitude,

I too prayed. As powerful as this historical documentary is, what moves me the most on Dr.

Eing Day in =7+< is Dr. Eing and nonviolence.

During a -eeting of ings Southern Christian ;eadership Conference, a -an

rose up fro- the audience, leapt onto the stage, and s-ashed ing in the face. 5unched

hi- hard. /nd then punched hi- again.

/fter the first punch, H)aylorI Branch recounts, ing 4ust stood there, allo+ed the

assailant !+ho turned out to be a e-ber of the /-erican azi 5arty( to punch hi-

again. /nd +hen ings associates tried to step in ing stopped the-:

9Dont touch hi-< ing shouted. 9Dont touch hi-. 7e ha*e to pray for hi-.

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