St. Clement Keeping the Faith

God’s Love and Care is Abundant              Our scripture readings this Sunday are full of extravagant images of God’s abundant care and love for all.   In Isaiah we are told to come, with out paying for water, grain, wine, milk, rich fare and life.   This abundance is ours for the asking and if we make room for God’s riches. The psalm says God “answers all our needs”.   In the second reading Paul tells the Romans that nothing can separate us from the “love of God in Jesus Christ”.   In Matthew’s gospel we hear of Jesus’s miracle of abundantly feeding “5000 men, not including women and children” with a mere “five loaves and two fish.”             I have written about naming our losses during COVID.   We also must name our blessings.   We are living through new challenges, struggles and losses.   As people created by an infinite God of endl...

Priorities Matter The Gospel today speaks of the Kingdom of God being the “pearl of great price” or the “treasure buried in a field” that one sells all that they have to own.   I don’t think it’s the pearl or treasure that matter.   I think it is the act of putting the pearl or treasure above all.   I think Jesus is the “pearl of great price” and the “treasure buried in a field.”   I must put Jesus first.   But how do I do that?   In our First Reading in the First Book of Kings, Solomon gives an example of kingdom thinking and acting.  As the new king after King David, Solomon knows he is young and needs help.  He calls himself God’s servant.  He says to God, “ Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.”  This is how I put Jesus first.  I must see myselfs first and always as Jesus’s servant.  I ask for Jesus to give me an understanding heart to judge oth...

Abundant in Patience and Mercy is Our Lord              This weekend’s reading affirms the generosity of our God.   God has the abundance of patience and mercy.   Our resource for Liturgy of the Word for Children states that our Gospel conveys “God is willing to wait an entire lifetime for a bad person to give up his or her sins.”   As God allows the weeds to grow, he allows us the time we need to turn back to him.   If only we had the same patience and mercy with our family, neighbors, co-workers, fellow parishioners and even ourselves.             One of the things this COVID pandemic might be teaching us is patience and mercy.   Maybe someone we care about is not ready to meet publicly and we are.   We place on order for food delivery and it is not exactly what we want.   We take the time to go shopping, yet what we want or even need just is not on the ...

A reflection on the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A Una reflexión sobre el 15º domingo del tiempo ordinario - Año A Choked by Weeds Like the plants choked by weeds in this Sunday’s Gospel, there many weeds that can choke us during this challenging time.  There are many losses.  Maybe you lost your job or missed celebrating a graduation or First Communion.  A dear one may have died.  Family traditions had to be modified.  Regular evenings with friends, movie nights and dinners cancelled or modified.  There is division in society and even within our families or possibly homes.  Those who support wearing masks and those who do not.  Those who maintain social distance and those who do not.  There is the racial tension as protests continue.  There is the discomfort of terms such as Black Live Matter and White Privilege .  Some family members and friends embrace the terms and others deny them.     ...