Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, October 12, 2025

The Gospel passage for this weekend recounts the Lord’s healing of ten lepers. Leprosy frightened people in ancient times, just as contagious and mysterious diseases frighten people today. Throughout human history, there have been many instances when large populations were overwhelmed by contagious diseases. Most recently, we faced the devastating impact of COVID. Many people were so afraid to potentially associate with those who had COVID, that they refused to associate with anyone. The “healthy” people feared catching the disease from those who were infected. As a result, the infected were forced to isolate themselves.

In ancient times, lepers were greatly feared and ostracized because leprosy was thought to be both highly contagious and uncurable. Yet, Jesus not only notices and loves the lepers, but he engaged with them and cured them. He broke through the fear and isolation of lepers. He welcomed them the same way that he welcomed Jews, Samaritans, tax collectors, sinners, and saints. One clear message for this weekend is that we must not treat people as invisible because of their disease, or how they look, or who they are, or where they come from.

There is also a message that hits closer to home, right here, in Dana Point, in our very parish. I recently attended the first meeting of our “Welcome Ministry.” I explained that, here at St. Edward and San Felipe, we will be known for our intentional, radical hospitality, to EVERYONE. All should truly feel welcome here. No one worshiping with us should feel invisible.

Making people feel welcome is the goal of our Welcome Ministers. I encourage them to use every possible method to make this a reality. From greeting people in the parking lot, helping people (and walkers, wheelchairs, strollers, etc.) out of cars, and accompanying them as they enter the church. We will not only make room for people in the pews, we will greet them warmly. The ministers will introduce themselves to everyone – folks that have been here 30 years and folks that have been here 30 seconds. If this sounds like fun, please join us as we build our team.

As we encounter both new and old friends at worship, let’s do everything that we can to enrich that worship experience by engaging with our fellow worshippers in a warm and friendly way!

Fr. Mike

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, October 5, 2025

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

The above phrase is from this weekend’s Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 95). The same language is also found in Hebrews 3:15. The instruction serves as a warning and an encouragement to be receptive to God's word today rather than becoming stubborn or rebellious. It emphasizes that God's invitation to a relationship with Him requires an immediate and willing response. We are warned that, when we harden our hearts, we resist God’s guidance and will face consequences, just as the Israelites in the desert faced consequences for failing to trust God.

Before praying the Office of Readings each day, I recite Psalm 95 which is called the “Invitatory” Psalm reminding me not to harden my heart when I hear the “voice of the Lord.” After repeating this Psalm over 4,000 times since I started seminary formation, I should know how to approach God with a receptive heart. Yet, each day I struggle to fully open my heart to not only hear God’s voice, but to listen to it, to receive it, to accept it, and to act upon it. Hearing is only the first step. Our hearts might be softened enough to hear God’s voice, but they harden pretty quickly when His message directs us to act in a way that conflicts with our own thoughts, dreams, desires, and plans.

How do we know that we are actually hearing God’s voice? After all, it is unlikely to come to us through a burning bush as it did for Moses, or through a cloud on a mountain as it did at the Transfiguration. Admittedly, it can be difficult to hear God’s voice through all the noise and distractions of life. It reminds me of my mother yelling from the front of the house to tell my father something while he was watching a way-too-loud TV in the back of the house. It didn’t work. We are so overwhelmed with the voices of this world that we fail to set aside any quiet time to listen for God’s voice.

A great way to ensure that we hear God’s voice is to take a few moments of silence to clear our minds of the daily grind and to seek Him. Then, we must follow through on what we hear Him saying.

Fr. Mike

Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, September 28, 2025

The prophet Amos writes: “Woe to the complacent in Zion” where the people were living the good life without concern for anyone except themselves and having no relationship with God. Paul reminds Timothy to pursue righteousness and faith and keep the commandments so that he can “lay hold” of eternal life. To “lay hold” of eternal life means to take proper steps to actively pursue and obtain it. There is nothing complacent about “laying hold” of a relationship with God or doing everything possible to achieve eternal life.

In the Gospel, the rich man was complacent about his situation. He saw Lazarus every day in front of his home. Yet, he never did anything to care for him. Lazarus receives his eternal reward, the rich man does not. His wealth did not cause his demise. It was caused by his complacency and selfishness. When he pleads for mercy, Abraham tells him that it is too late.

But how can it be too late? After all, Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” He doesn’t dwell on our past, but on our future. Eternal life is available to anyone who overcomes his complacency and seeks to follow God’s commandments. However, we must actively change our lives and become the people that Jesus inspires us to be.

The good news is that being prepared for eternal life is actually quite easy. It’s like taking a test that has one question and a single five-word answer: Q: What do we need to do to gain eternal life? A: Love God, Love one another. That’s it. We know the question and the answer. We simply have to do those two things. However, like the rich man, we can let our complacency prevent us from living the answer.

God has given us all that we have and all that we are. Our success, wealth, and health are all gifts from God. If we serve God and use our gifts for God’s purposes, we will enjoy the blessings of eternal life with God. The story of Lazarus reminds us that our relationships matter. A solid relationship with God will guide us toward right relationships with one another. That means that, unlike the rich man in the parable, we will do the right things in this life so that we can enjoy eternal life with God.

Fr. Mike