Geeky Catholic Dad

Gospel Reading:  Luke 6:27-38 Highlight:  "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Reflection:  Am I as merciful as God the Father? Certainly not. I do not forgive the way God forgives. When someone apologizes to me, I am quick to say I forgive them. But am I really totally forgiving them? Or will some part of me still hold that sin against the person who wronged me? I may never be able to offer pure, perfect forgiveness, but I can make an act of the will to let go of grudges. When a memory of someone's offense against me comes into my head, I can consciously decide to dismiss that memory, instead of dwelling on it. I can mentally repeat, as many times as I need to, "I forgive you." Geeky Quote:  "Mercy is the mark of a great man. I guess I'm just a good man. Well... I'm all right." - Malcolm Reynolds,  Firefly Prayer:  Heavenly Father, help me to forgive as you forgive. Amen. To get these short reflections every week, click t...

Gospel Reading:  Luke 6:17,20-26 Highlight:  "Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied." Reflection:  There are a couple of levels on which we can take this verse. On the one hand, Jesus was talking to people who were physically hungry. But more broadly, he was talking about all of the desires we experience in this life. Our faith tells us that these desires are, at their core, supposed to lead us towards heaven. The desires are not bad, as long as they are ordered properly. Once we stop trying to satisfy our infinite desires with the finite things of this world, we realize that only God has what we're looking for. Geeky Quote:  "Organize a press conference. I want a press conference and I want an American cheeseburger. Hogan, drive. Cheeseburger first." - Tony Stark,  Iron Man Prayer:  God, only you can satisfy my deepest longings. Don't let me get lost chasing after money and pleasure, but lead me to yourself. Amen. To ...

Gospel Reading:  Luke 5:1-11 Highlight:  "When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing." Reflection:  Once Simon Peter got over his pride and submitted to Jesus, he was met with overwhelming results. For someone whose livelihood had always depended on catching a lot of fish, I have to imagine that Peter was both excited and a little terrified. After all, if the nets tore, they would not only lose that day's haul, but they would also lose the equipment they needed to catch any more fish. God has great plans for us. Sometimes, while he is accomplishing these plans through us, we experience "tearing." Maybe it is the fracturing of relationships with people who refuse to follow Christ. Or perhaps it is the fear that comes with stepping outside our comfort zones. But if we keep Jesus in our boat, he will make sure we get through it all. And then we will be able to enjoy the fruits of our (but mostly God's) labor! G...

Gospel Reading:  Luke 4:21-30 Highlight:  "'No prophet is accepted in his own native place.' . . . Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away." Reflection: Most people have someone in their lives whom they wish would come back to the faith. A son or daughter, a sibling, parent, etc. But it seems like no matter what you say to them, they don't listen to you. In situations like this, sometimes you have to accept that perhaps you are not the "prophet" that God will use to reach your loved one. If that's the case, you will have to move on. It doesn't mean you should stop evangelizing. Jesus didn't stop evangelizing when the people tried to throw him off a cliff; he just went somewhere else to preach the Gospel. Similarly, you might have to focus your evangelization message elsewhere, and back off a bit on your efforts to bring your friends or family members back into the fold. Keep praying for them, though, and trust ...