Loyola Reflections

"The Quality of Our Witness" - Our witnessing to Christ is so pale, so low-keyed – to put it mildly! In saying this, the idea is not that we should go looking for ways to make ourselves really obnoxious, to bring on the desired persecution that would make us more like the kind of witnesses Jesus speaks of in today’s Gospel reading.

“I Stand at the Door and Knock” - It may well be said that all of Christ’s teachings and everything he did as well as all the teachings of the prophets, the Psalms and all of Scripture, finally, may be summed up in this passage from John 15 where the Lord gives his final “commandment.” “Love one another as I have loved you.”

"Ode to Joy" - I'm eating spiritual humble pie today. I am inclined to be a bit suspicious of testimonials of answered prayer that come in the packaging of 'flipping through the pages of the Bible, using a finger as the Finger of God to land on just the right verse for the circumstance.'

“Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.” –John 15 - In our first reading today, we eavesdrop on a community discussion of the necessity of circumcision in order for non-Jew men to become Christians.

“My Peace Is My Gift to You.” - “I do not give it to you as the world gives peace.” - What I think Jesus is talking about is clearer when viewed through the lens of the Resurrection.