Homeless Catholic Community

This week’s readings, from Jeremiah, Psalm 102, and two passages from Matthew, speak to people who are distressed, wounded, frightened, uncertain, or spiritually misdirected. In each case, God’s answer is not simply to remove the immediate problem. His deeper purpose is to restore the relationship, to bring His people back to Himself, back to trust, and back to hope.

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Ron Bruni’s reflections: “The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I will tell you clearly about the Father.” (John 16:25)

Summons to the endgame

‘How else should one take the deadly risk of approaching me?’

By John Pearring

Image by Mariakray

Click here to read John Pearring’s reflection from August 4, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Simple citizen and patron requests for our appearance, summons from on high, prepare us for the holiest one. An authority that we must respect and answer hails us to come. We either submit to the requests, or we ignore them and suffer the consequences. What do we practice?

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John Pearring’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

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You can read John Pearring’s books — Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

You have been added to a list of individuals who attend the Wednesday Morning Prayer Group in Woodland Park, Colorado, as well as friends and writers who contribute reflections to the Homeless Catholic website and ministry, or those who wish to receive copies of our presentations from any of our reflection authors. The Homeless Catholic website includes reflections from John Pearring, Steve Hall, Steve Leininger, Lou Occhi, Tim Trainor, Norm McGraw, Ron Bruni, Steve Hessman, John Silvia, and Margit McCarthy.

The path from fear to faith

Ron Bruni — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 15:01:38 GMT

By Ron Bruni

Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
Psalm 102:16-18, 19-21, 29, 22-23
Matthew 14:22-36
Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

Once again, we find ourselves on the Sea of Galilee with the disciples caught in a storm. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all recount dramatic encounters between Jesus and His frightened disciples on the water. The setting is familiar, but the lesson continues to develop. Each encounter reveals something more about who Jesus is and what it means to trust Him.

Living on the Gulf Coast, we understand the strange fascination of a storm. We do not merely observe it; we experience it. The darkening sky, the gathering wind, the flash of lightning, and the crack of thunder remind us that, despite all our technology and accomplishments, we remain small before the forces of creation.

Image by Ken Williams

Perhaps that is why the Bible so often places its greatest lessons in the midst of storms. Storms have a way of blowing away our illusions of self-sufficiency until one essential question remains: Do I trust the One who is with me in the storm?

Matthew includes two major storm narratives, and they portray two successive stages in the disciples’ spiritual development.

In the first, Matthew 8:23–27, Jesus is in the boat with His disciples. A violent storm arises, but Jesus is asleep. The disciples awaken Him in panic, and He commands the wind and sea to be still. The story concludes with their question: “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

The miracle is not primarily about the weather. It is about the identity of Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament, it is God who commands the waters and brings order out of chaos. Matthew is quietly leading us toward the recognition that the divine authority of God is present in Christ.

The second storm, in Matthew 14:22–33, carries the revelation further. This time, Jesus is not visibly with the disciples when the storm begins. He has sent them ahead while He withdraws to pray. They struggle against the wind until Jesus comes toward them, walking upon the water.

Matthew then adds something not found in the other Gospel accounts: Peter steps out of the boat. For a moment, with his eyes fixed upon Jesus, Peter walks toward Him. But when his attention shifts from Christ to the wind and waves, he begins to sink.

Peter cries out, “Lord, save me,” and Jesus immediately reaches out His hand.

The conclusion is different from that of the first storm. The disciples no longer ask, “Who is this?” Instead, they worship Him and confess: “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

The question raised in the first storm has been answered.

The first account reveals Christ’s power. The second shows what faith in that power requires. Faith is not merely believing that Jesus can calm a storm. It is trusting Him enough to move toward Him while the storm is still raging.

The disciples have progressed from astonishment to confession, from watching a miracle to participating in one, and from fear to worship.

The Gospel writers tell these stories with somewhat different emphases. Matthew stresses the identity of Jesus and leads his readers toward the confession that He is the Son of God. Mark, drawing upon the preaching and memories associated with Peter, preserves the disciples’ painfully human question: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” His account speaks powerfully to those who must continue trusting when Christ appears silent.

Luke, the companion of Paul and evangelist to the wider Gentile world, emphasizes that Christ’s authority reaches every dimension of human need. No disorder in creation and no crisis in human life lies beyond His power.

The same storm therefore becomes several related proclamations: Matthew reveals who Jesus is; Mark asks whether we can trust Him when we are afraid; and Luke proclaims that no force of chaos lies beyond Christ’s saving authority.

Jeremiah speaks to people facing another kind of storm. Their nation is broken, their future uncertain, and their wound is described as “incurable.” Yet destruction is not God’s final word. God promises: “I will restore your fortunes.”

The Lord sees not only the suffering of the present moment but also the restoration that His people cannot yet imagine.

Peter experiences this personally. While his attention remains upon Christ, he does what should be impossible. But when he begins measuring the wind, calculating the danger, and considering his own helplessness, he sinks.

Peter’s mistake is often our own. We begin with our eyes upon Christ, but gradually our attention moves elsewhere, to a diagnosis, family difficulties, financial concerns, disturbing headlines, or an uncertain future. Soon, the troubles occupying our minds appear larger than the Christ standing before us.

In the second Gospel passage, the Pharisees are preoccupied with ritual handwashing and inherited religious customs. Jesus tells them that they are concentrating on the wrong thing. The deepest human problem is not external but internal.

The most dangerous storms are not always outside our windows. Some arise within the heart: fear, pride, resentment, anxiety, the desire to control everything, and the belief that if we organize life perfectly, we can somehow make ourselves safe.

Psalm 102 holds these readings together with a simple assurance: “The Lord looked down from his holy height.”

This is not the distant gaze of a God who merely observes human suffering. It is the compassionate attention of the Father who hears “the groaning of the prisoners” and comes to release those who feel trapped by fear, suffering, sin, or uncertainty.

God sees the wounded nation of Jeremiah. He sees the disciples straining against the wind. He sees Peter sinking. He even sees through the outward religiosity of the Pharisees to the disorder within their hearts. And He sees us in whatever difficulty we may be facing.

The Psalm does not end in distress. It ends with God’s people gathered together in worship. Matthew’s second storm ends in exactly the same way. The disciples begin the night struggling in fear, but after Jesus enters the boat, they worship Him.

The storm has not merely been survived. Their understanding of Christ has been transformed.

That is the message these readings offer us. We naturally pray that our difficulties will pass, and often they do. The rain stops, the warning ends, the diagnosis improves, or the crisis is resolved. But Christian faith is more than confidence that God will give us favorable circumstances.

It is the conviction that whether the sea is calm or raging, Christ remains Lord.

The presence of a storm does not mean the absence of God. Sometimes it is amid the wind and waves that we see Christ most clearly and discover what we truly believe.

And it is there, above the noise of the storm, that we hear His voice: “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.”

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Summons to the endgame

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 15:01:07 GMT

By John Pearring

Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
Psalm 102:16-18, 19-21, 29, 22-23
Matthew 14:22-36
Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
(Jeremiah 30:21-22)

Right there in the middle of those verses is the bottleneck that rattles our courage. These “deadly” words are from the mouth of God. “How else should one take the deadly risk of approaching me?”

Image by Mariakray

How else?

We must recognize that God is dangerous. Jeremiah spends chapters and verses identifying the might and justice of God.

For thus says the LORD:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your injury;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
Your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
(Jeremiah 30:21-22)

This detailed list should give us pause. “I have done this to you.” Incurable wounds of injustice, running sores, and lost lovers. The brutality of our treacherous lives is laid out in front of us. And, because God allowed these horrors to take place, punishing us in cruel fashion for our “great guilt,” we recoil at the idea that being summoned by God awaits us.

Still, after establishing the actions and consequences of a sinful life, God insists that when we are summoned — even though he has allowed harm to come to us, and even though we have treated him badly — we should approach him.

We know the angst of a summons. Every unflinching notice we have found, in a letter or taped to our door, bears the weight of dread. We failed to pay our water bill last month, for any of a dozen reasons, and we’re threatened that the city will turn off our water.

Or, how about that jury summons? “You will appear at court on the 24th of October at 7:00 a.m.”

These notices come to us from both failure and duty — our negligence and our mere existence. We “must” respond.

Simple citizen and patron requests for our appearance prepare us for the holiest one. An authority that we must respect and answer to hails us to come. We either submit to the requests, or we ignore them and suffer the consequences. What do we practice?

The first notion, that an authority demands our respect and obedience, says it all. We learned this recognition as a little child. Few of us did what we were expected to do. Parental authorities are the proving ground for our adult life.

Yet, what authority can claim to be the source of every overseer, every Mom, every city administrator, and every judge? “All authority comes from God” (Romans 13:1).

God has every right to speak to us in this way. When we ignore or refuse him, we forgo all logic. To deny God’s desire for us to be drawn to him comes with “deadly” results.

It’s not a matter of no water, or a large fine for not showing up for jury duty. It’s worse than that. We can’t lie our way out of showing up for God’s summons. Avoiding or hiding from God isn’t foolish. It’s ridiculous. It is, frankly, stupid.

If you’ve spent a lifetime ignoring authorities, forging your innocence, and demanding to be left alone, it’s time to adjust your behavior. The summons from God has no exit door.

So when is this summons from God? The clearest answer is at every moment. But the dramatic answer is when we are afraid. “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

What do we think God is going to do? We already know. We have the wounds. Some deformities and damage have come to us unbidden. We didn’t ask for the pain through our guilt. God still allowed it. We have a limp. We can’t see out of one eye. “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Isaiah said it first: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Peter said it last: “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

Our trials are our opportunities for witness. But more than that, they are our entry into our necessary intimacy with God. We are his collaborators, his friends, and his charges answering to his summons.

If that is not enough, then consider the endgame, the final picture.

Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 7/28/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:29:57 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Norm McGraw: ‘The Lord will make the rain powder’

Steve Hall: Beware of the ‘father of lies’

Older Reflections:

John Pearring: God desires to share eternity with us

Steve Leininger: We know who the real G.O.A.T. is

Lou Occhi: Micah: ‘Just the facts, ma’am.’

Tim Trainor: Guard against indifference

Ron Bruni: Learn to travel well

Steve Hessman: God’s miraculous outcomes

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Homeless Catholic: A father’s testimony

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Norm McGraw & Steve Hall

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, July 28, 2026

‘The Lord will make the rain of your land powder’

Help us, O God our savior

By Norm McGraw

Image by Hans

Click here to read Norm McGraw’s reflection from July 28, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Because Jeremiah prophesied Jerusalem’s destruction, he was persecuted and beaten. He warned the people of Judah that Divine punishment would occur because of their idolatrous practices, false prophets, and their disobedience to the covenant God made with them. The people had rejected God, but Jeremiah pleaded for mercy.

More …

Norm McGraw’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

Beware of the ‘father of lies’

Jeremiah preached repentance; false prophets had the ear of the king

By Steve Hall

Image by Rosa García

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from July 28, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Be attentive to the authenticity of what you believe. This is not a message to be taken lightly, particularly in our day. The ‘father of lies’ has a firm grasp on what many pronounce as truth, as well as the truth they would have us ignore.

More …

Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

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You can read John Pearring’s books — Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

'The Lord will make the rain of your land powder'

Norman Joseph McGraw — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:09:26 GMT

By Norm McGraw

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 14:17-22
Matthew 13:36-43

If you read or hear or view most of the major media outlets on a regular basis, you would believe that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. The wars they “report” in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, killing thousands, are portrayed as endless. Jews, Christians, and Muslims (especially in Iran) are persecuted. The politics within our country are pictured as ugly and negative. American culture is often characterized as shallow and unimportant.

Historically, though, it’s not unusual for humanity to be downtrodden. The first readings of Tuesday’s Mass of July 28th, from the 14th chapter of the book of Jeremiah, offer an example of this.

Jeremiah was a Hebrew prophet born in Anathoth, a Levitical city in the territory of Benjamin, located 3 miles northeast of Jerusalem in 650 B.C. At 23 years old, he was called to serve God. By the time he was 45 (605 B.C.), the Babylonians began their invasion of Judah, culminating with the fall of Jerusalem 18 years later (587 B.C.).

Image by Hans

The Book of Deuteronomy warned that famine would be God’s punishment for breaking that covenant. “The Lord will make the rain of your land powder. From heaven dust shall come down on you until you are destroyed” (Deuteronomy 28:24). In the 14th chapter, Jeremiah states: “And if I enter the city, look! those consumed by hunger.”

Because the people had rejected God, Jeremiah pleads for mercy. “We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness, the guilt of our fathers; that we have sinned against you. For your name’s sake, spurn us not, disgrace not the throne of your glory; remember your covenant with us, and break it not.” (Jeremiah 14:20-21) He concludes with this plea: “Is it not you, O LORD, our God, to whom we look? You alone have done all these things.”

The 9th verse of the 79th Psalm attached to the 1st reading re-enforces Jeremiah’s case, asking for God’s mercy: “Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name. Deliver us and pardon our sins, for your name’s sake.”

The gospel reading not only presents a way to get back into God’s good graces but also offers a clue on how to nourish our covenant to deepen our commitment with the Almighty.

In the 13th chapter of Matthew, Jesus presents and explains the parable of the Sower, the good seed, and the weeds. Jesus tells a crowd that the Sower had his men plant seeds, but while they were sleeping, the enemy came and planted weeds. When this was discovered, the Sower ordered his men to allow both weeds and seeds to grow to avoid uprooting the seeds.

At the harvest, the angels would collect both, separating the weeds for burning but preserving the wheat. Later, Jesus explained to his disciples that the field is the world, the seed is the sons (hopefully, us) of the kingdom of God, and the Sower is the Son of God. The weeds are the offspring of the enemy, the Devil. Harvest time is the End of Days, the ultimate Reckoning. The “wheat” will go to heaven; the “weeds” will go to Hell.

God invites us to be part of the wheat harvest when we follow the instructions of the Sower (Jesus Christ). Those guidelines were mentioned by my good friend Lou Occhi in his reflection last week — obey God’s greatest commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5) and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18).

Adhering to these rules will help you overcome the trials and tribulations the world throws at you daily and strengthen your covenant with the Almighty, who will enrich your life.

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Beware of the ‘father of lies’

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 15:35:13 GMT

By Steve Hall

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 14:17-22
Matthew 13:36-43

Isolated passages from the New Testament are generally intelligible without knowing the full context of the verses read. Both familiarity with the text and its instructive character contribute to this fact. With the Old Testament we have a different story. Much of it is narrative about specific personages as well as the people of Israel. Consequently, when we read isolated passages without knowing the historical/geographic/political context, the full import of the passage may be overlooked. So it is with the six verses plucked from the 14th chapter of Jeremiah that we read today.

Image by Rosa García

As we step into the story, Babylonia and Egypt have been struggling for supremacy in the region, and the Kingdom of Judah is caught in the middle. The Kings of Judah vacillate; the nation is in turmoil; there is a threat of famine; foreign powers struggle for control. And, while Jeremiah has been preaching the need for repentance, numerous false prophets have the ear of the king.

“I said: “Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ The Lord said to me: ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name; I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.’” (Jeremiah 14:13-14)

These false prophets show up as a major force in the book of Jeremiah. More than once they attempt to kill him, lest the king take his message seriously. The current incident takes place relatively early in the conflict between the two.

The reading for today begins, not with a description of what has happened, but with Jeremiah’s vision of what is going to happen if the Word of God is not heard and acted on. After that description of what is to come, the text turns to the prophet’s prayer — that the nation not be abandoned by God because of its sinfulness.

At the heart of this event is a caution for people of all time, including those of us living today: Be attentive to the authenticity of what you believe.

This is not a message to be taken lightly, particularly in our day. The “father of lies” has a firm grasp on what many pronounce as truth, as well as the truth they would have us ignore. This is no different from what was unfolding in Jeremiah’s time. The false prophets of Judah were “prophesying … a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.” All this was happening while the Lord’s guidance through Jeremiah was being ignored. The consequences were devastating.

As it was in Jeremiah’s day, truth seems to be a rare commodity. Facts are manipulated and partially revealed. Sources are fictional or concealed. Personal motives are hidden from view. The more things change, the more they remain the same. We too must join with Jeremiah in praying both for forgiveness and for our eyes to be opened.

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 7/21/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 16:51:09 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Lou Occhi: Micah: ‘Just the facts, ma’am.’

John Pearring: God desires to share eternity with us

Older Reflections:

Steve Hall: Rough waters tempt those aboard

Steve Leininger: We know who the real G.O.A.T. is

Tim Trainor: Guard against indifference

Norm McGraw: To God what belongs to God

Ron Bruni: Learn to travel well

Steve Hessman: God’s miraculous outcomes

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Homeless Catholic: A father’s testimony

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Lou Occhi & John Pearring

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Micah: ‘All we want are the facts, ma’am.’

Micah wrote with no narrative and little in the way of structure and design

By Lou Occhi

Jack Webb - Dragnet

Click here to read Lou Occhi’s reflection from July 21, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Sister Mary Michael assigned us a math problem to solve for homework. I threw myself into the problem and finally solved it. The next day, Sister asked who solved the problem. I raised my hand and went to the blackboard to show how I did it. There were several lines of equations leading to the answer. When I was done, Sister said that was very good, but it was like going to New Orleans by way of Chicago.

More …

Lou Occhi’s reflections: “The Almighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.” (The Magnificat)

God desires to share eternity with us

The fullness of divinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — wants you

By John Pearring

Image by Pexels

Click here to read John Pearring’s reflection from July 21, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Without grasping that God removes guilt by pardoning our sins and then selflessly offers us a kinship, we are denied a physical and spiritual familial connection that allows us to participate in the goodness and riches of everything that is his.

More …

John Pearring’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

Are you receiving the daily Catholic Nutshell News?

You can read John Pearring’s books — Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

Micah: 'All we want are the facts, ma’am.'

Louis Occhi — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 16:31:34 GMT

By Lou Occhi

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
Psalm 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8
Matthew 12:46-50

Micah, a minor prophet, belongs to the group who wrote shorter books than the Major Prophets. They are just as important as the Major Prophets. Micah was a contemporary of proto-Isaiah (chapters 1-39). He was known for his prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Micah was probably the source used by Herod’s priests who directed the Kings to Bethlehem. He is the only prophet mentioned by name by another prophet, Jeremiah 26:18.

“Micah of Moresheth^* used to prophesy in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and he said to all the people of Judah: Thus says the LORD of hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, Jerusalem, a heap of ruins, and the temple mount, a forest ridge.

Micah's writing was not elegant. His work consisted primarily of prophetic oracles—divinely inspired messages delivered to communicate God’s will, warnings, or promises to individuals or nations. Micah wrote with no narrative and little in the way of structure and design. In short, he wrote to deliver the facts, “just the facts.”1

Jack Webb - Dragnet

At the time of Micah’s writings, there were abuses of the poor by the wealthy elite (Mic 6:9-12), corruption within the leadership classes (Mic 7:2-4), and false and/or hypocritical cultic practices (Mic 5:11-14) in both Judah and Israel.

In the book of Micah, there are three Oracle Cycles. That is, three sections to his writings. Each section roughly follows a pattern of judgment, lament, and salvation. The first cycle was directed toward the elite and leadership classes. Today’s reading is from the third cycle regarding salvation. For me, Micah 7:18-19 captures the essence of today’s first reading. “Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.”

The psalm follows, reinforcing the belief in God’s limitless love and mercy. The refrain simply asks the Lord to show us His mercy and love. One line in the psalm states, “You have forgiven the guilt of your people; you have covered all their sins.” The Gospel acclamation verse continues with the theme of love and mercy. We are told that whoever loves Jesus and keeps His word, the Father will love him, and He will come to him. If you think about this for a moment, it is saying that if I keep the word of Jesus, the Father, the creator of all things seen and unseen, He will come to me. That is unimaginable.

Finally, the gospel recounts Jesus’ reaction when someone tells Him His mother and brothers are asking to speak to Him. Jesus asks, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers and sisters?” Jesus stretches out His hand toward the crowd and announces that “these are my mother, my brothers, and my sisters. Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, sister, and mother.”

Other than His mother, they had all sinned at some time in their life. Because God is love and is a merciful God, whoever does the will of the Father and repents of their failures can be His brother or sister. Now you may ask, what is the will of the Father for me? Does God have a task for me to perform? Is there some mission I am supposed to go on?

This reminded me of an event when I was in high school in southern Mississippi; Sister Mary Michael assigned us a math problem to solve for homework. I threw myself into the problem and finally solved it. The next day, Sister asked who solved the problem. I raised my hand and went to the blackboard to show how I did it. There were several lines of equations leading to the answer.

When I was done, Sister said that was very good, but it was like going to New Orleans by way of Chicago. She then showed us a much easier way to reach the same solution in a lot fewer steps. Sometimes we make things much harder than we need to.

This brings us back to the question: what is the will of the Father for me? It is simply, “To love our God with all our heart and with all our soul, and with all our mind and with all our strength.”

Also, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we do that to the best of our ability, everything else will take care of itself through the help of God’s mercy and love.

After all, how did it happen that we are all here today? Is it just an accident that we happen to come together once a week to talk about scripture and how it affects our lives? I don’t think so. I believe there are reasons each of us has been led here each week.

Is that not fulfilling God’s will?

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According to IMDB.com, “just the facts, ma’am” was never uttered by Joseph Friday (played by Jack Webb) on the TV show “Dragnet.” The original statement was, “All we want are the facts, ma’am.” Friday first spoke the words in the 1952 season 2 episode “The Big Lease.” After promotional posters for the show, however, the iconic phrase stuck.

God desires to share eternity with us

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 16:30:05 GMT

By John Pearring

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
Psalm 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8
Matthew 12:46-50

Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance? (Micah 7:18)

How often do we put those two things together when we explain or ponder the character of God? Seldom, I think. However, consider that without joining these two, we cannot know God. We won’t experience God’s love, and we won’t enjoy his company.

It’s a dangerous, drastic premise to posit. It might be presumptive, meaning some folks think they operate just fine without forgiveness and grace (the standard religious summary of the Micah verse). Yet, “just fine” isn’t a mission worth pursuing with only death at its apex.

We’ll get none of what we truly want and need. This leads to existential fright. What we want, instead, is authentic joy from intimacy with the ultimate love.

Image by Pexels

Without divine forgiveness, God’s gift of intimacy will be hidden in a bubble of our own making — or more sadly, someone’s bubble that we admire — faced with two possibilities. We are either ruined, sure that our sins are unforgivable and must be erased from anyone’s view to eke out what’s left of our lives, or we deny that every soreness and calamity caused by us were sins at all.

The second path is disingenuous. It does allow self-satisfaction at a terrific pace before our ultimate oblivion. So, there’s that to look forward to.

The highly intelligent, or steely honest person (which is almost the same thing) can’t head down the hedonous path without drugs, I think. These folks are quick to see that God is actively addressing them. God’s triple offer of evidence (boldness of the Trinity) is immediately convincing to smarty pants. The bane of intelligence, the bad news, is that all else, every single temptation out there, looks pretty darn good too.

God’s expectations of constant opportunities — dramatic witnessing and heartfelt testimonies — can be pretty exhausting for intelligent people. Extreme intelligence, I’m afraid, recognizes all the other options offer pleasures as better than fealty to God. Unrelenting brain synapses hurry up the call of the deadly sins. They appear as opportunities rather than cliffs for super-thinkers. Sin can be very inviting.

The vast array of druggery available to the accelerated mind has exploded in recent centuries. Mind-altering influences now include deep dives into entertainment, sports, violence, and hubris overdoses along with the chemical kind. Wacked-out authors, painters, politicians, and celebrities are all the proof I need to cement that point.

I, thankfully, believe that average intelligence succumbs to evil at a less speedy pace. We “normals” don’t lose hope so easily and can grasp God’s forgiveness with gracious relief. We’re not immune, though. Just not challenged the same as the braniacs. Pray for them.

About us average folks. We need each other to remind us that God can get in the way of our plans when we veer off course. When our plans don’t work out, we often make the mistake that God failed us. God’s not that great after all, we conclude. So, make friends with people who are not afraid to step into our lives and stop that kind of stupid.

It’s not so much that we start to believe there is no God, but that our definition of God lacks breadth. A limited God can’t cure our illness, habits, proclivities, dastardly behavior, and certainly won’t be able to reset our history. We’re trapped, so say our meager minds, by bad fortune, insufferable miseries, and toxic relationships.

The fear of toxicity distances us from the kindest of folks as much as it does those who might see us for who we are. Worse, the ugliness we see in relatives and friends furthers the revolting, wretching reminder of the darkness and filthiness of sin that makes us run away.

Our burden of guilt removed by the pardoning of our sins is, then, the necessary beginning for shifting into intimacy with God. Only our stubbornness and fear of God keep us from bending our knee, pleading for help, and turning away from our often mundane and surely limited path.

If God can remove our guilt and pardon us, then we must choose him. Even our dismissal of him, our conspiracies against him, and our spitting anger over what we know he has allowed us to experience can all be forgiven.

As Micah said, no one else can do this. “Who is there like you?” There is no one else.

The proof that this pardoning is real rests in God’s desire to share the future with us. The wonders of Heaven will be ours, and the restoration of the universe is all going back to God. The remnant of his inheritance isn’t some code. It’s plain speech. What God gave to us in the beginning of creation, stewardship and life with the fullness of divinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — remains, awaits, and engulfs everything we dream about.

Come, and get it.

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 7/14/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:12:23 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Tim Trainor: Guard against indifference

Steve Hall: Rough waters tempt those aboard

Older Reflections:

John Pearring: Jesus’ remarkable and fervent repair

Steve Leininger: We know who the real G.O.A.T. is

Lou Occhi: You are a man of God

Norm McGraw: To God what belongs to God

Ron Bruni: Learn to travel well

Steve Hessman: God’s miraculous outcomes

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Homeless Catholic: A father’s testimony

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Tim Trainor & Steve Hall

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Guard against indifference

Jesus is asking us to master three ‘Key Spiritual Principles’

By Tim Trainor

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Click here to read Tim Trainor’s reflection from July 14, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

They loved watching Jesus heal the sick and feed crowds, treating Him like a traveling show. Jesus rebuked them because the true purpose of a miracle is to serve as a signpost pointing to the need for metanoia (a radical, total change of mind and heart). They wanted the benefits of His power without the surrender of repentance.

More …

Tim Trainor’s reflections: He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. (Luke 5:27)

Rough waters tempt those aboard

They should have known better in their judgment of Jesus

By Steve Hall

Image by Myriams-Fotos

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from July 14, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

At the conclusion of our previous reflection, we were peacefully traveling along the river of the divine plan, with myriad stars filling the nighttime sky. That image may sometimes be true, but periods of treacherous waters are more common. Those in the boat are regularly subjected to the siren song of allurements …

More …

Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

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You can read John Pearring’s books — Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

Guard against indifference

Tim Trainor — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:53:23 GMT

By Tim Trainor

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Isaiah 7:1-9
Matthew 11:20-24

Today’s Gospel Reading from Matthew presents a very stern reproach that Jesus utters against the home base of His public ministry, Capernaum.

“Woe to you, Chorazin and Bethsaida!” is found in the New Testament in both Matthew 11:21 and Luke 10:13. Jesus pronounced this judgment because these towns were located near where His ministry began, on the Sea of Galilee. These towns largely rejected His ministry despite witnessing some of His mightiest miracles. But, after these “Woe” statements, He next gives a much stiffer rebuke to Capernaum, where His home base was after He left Nazareth.

That city, He said, “will be plunged into Hades.” Thus, it will face a harsher judgment not only of say Bethsaida but than which befell Sodom, in the Old Testament.

Image by Pexels

What’s going on here, why a major dislike for Capernaum, and, what is the teaching behind this that He desires us to learn this morning? I believe that Jesus is asking us to master three Key Spiritual Principles. They are:

The Purpose of His Miracles: Jesus’ miracles were intended to spark radical repentance, not just provide temporary physical relief or visual entertainment.
Greater Revelation Equals Greater Accountability: The towns were judged not for committing any bad sins/crimes, but for indifferent blindness to God’s presence.
The Danger of Complacency: Familiarity can breed contempt. Being physically close to Jesus’ daily ministry insulated many of their hearts instead of transforming them.

Jesus states that the notoriously pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon would have repented in “sackcloth and ashes” if they had seen the same miracles that He had done locally for them. Remember, back then, donning sackcloth and ashes would have signified the lowest, most agonizing form of public repentance one could offer. He contrasts this dramatic action with the inaction of the local citizens of Chorazin and Bethsaida.

He said this, hoping to shame them into action. At the mention of these contrasting reactions to His preaching and miracles, His listeners would have instantly understood the pagans' ultimate outward sign of a broken, sorrowful heart, which most of the locals did not then have, and Jesus hoped that they now would reconsider their need for repentance per Spiritual Principle #1.

When Jesus said that these towns would face a harsher judgment than the wicked pagan cities, He was also teaching the profound spiritual law of accountability, directly tied to the amount of truth you receive, as explained in Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given, much will be required.”

These cities, Capernaum in particular, did not just hear rumors; they saw God’s power firsthand through dozens of miracles. Thus, they were given the maximum amount of “light” (spiritual truth), so God, per Spiritual Principle #2, would hold them to the highest standard of accountability.

I believe Jesus was also redefining here what really makes a city “wicked.” Places like Sodom and Tyre were famous for blatant immorality, paganism, and pride. Yet, Jesus states that the quiet, respectable local citizens of Galilee were in a worse spiritual position. Their sin was not dramatic wickedness; it was apathetic indifference. They had watched God perform miracles, said “that’s nice,” and then went right back to business as usual.

Because Jesus lived, walked, and ate among them, the people grew overly familiar with Him. This familiarity bred complacency. They therefore assumed that because they were physically close to Jesus and part of the chosen nation, they were safe. Jesus shattered this illusion by telling them that ancient, cursed Gentile cities would have responded with agonizing humility (sackcloth and ashes) to this exact same evidence.

I further believe that what Jesus meant is that knowing the truth and doing nothing with it is far more dangerous than never knowing the truth at all. Or again, per Luke: To whom much is given, much will be required.

We each need to guard against: Apathetic Indifference. Per Spiritual Principle #3, it is a soul killer.

I believe the saint for today, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, is a beautiful model for us to follow in how to stand firm in spiritual accountability. Because, despite facing enormous cultural and familial pressure after converting to Catholicism, she remained steadfast in her love for God. She thereby models for us how God-given grace can allow each of us to remain faithful, and even to guard against local and sinful patterns when it is difficult. So, prayfully seek to stand firm in your faith as she did.

A side note on today’s feast day saint

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is celebrated as the first Native American saint in the Catholic Church. She was born in the same village in which three of the North American martyrs, all Jesuit Priests, met their deaths ten years earlier. Known as the “Lily of the Mohawks,” she is honored for her radiant purity, unwavering faith in the face of intense persecution, and her deep devotion to prayer and caring for the sick.

She was born in 1656 in a Mohawk village in what is now upstate New York. She was the daughter of the tribe’s chief and of an Indian mother who had converted to the Catholic faith.

A sad fact at that time was that when European settlers arrived in North America in the sixteenth century, they inadvertently brought deadly diseases, such as smallpox. These diseases often spread quickly among Native American populations, killing countless people. Both of her parents and her younger brother were among those killed by smallpox when she was just four years old. She also contracted the disease. Although she survived, she was left badly disfigured plus suffered from impaired eyesight. Orphaned and sickly, she was taken in by relatives who cared for her.

In 1667, when she was around eleven years old, Jesuit missionaries again arrived in her village. Tekakwitha’s uncle forbade her from having any contact with them. He did not want her to convert to Christianity. Over time, however, as she learned more about Jesus and his message of compassion and love, she was drawn to the Catholic faith. On Easter Sunday, in 1676, when she was twenty years old, she was baptized and received into the Church. It was then that she took the name Kateri, which is Mohawk for Catherine.

Later that year, she refused an arranged marriage and pledged a vow of virginity. Facing intense hostility from her tribe, she fled 200 miles through the wilderness to a mission near Montreal, Canada. There, she spent the rest of her short life teaching prayers to children, caring for the elderly, and enduring severe penances plus declining health.

Throughout her life, Kateri often withdrew into the forest to pray, finding the voice of God in the whisper of the trees and the rhythms of the rivers. In the woods, she would gather simple sticks and fashion small crosses, creating quiet places of prayer surrounded by the beauty of creation. Thus, Kateri’s faith and her love of nature were inseparably intertwined.

She died when she was just 24 years old. Eyewitnesses reported that her smallpox scars disappeared minutes after her death, leaving her face glowing and beautiful.

She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. Today, she is the patroness of ecology, the environment, people in exile, and Native Americans.

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Rough waters tempt those aboard

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 13:49:23 GMT

By Steve Hall

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Isaiah 7:1-9
Matthew 11:20-24

Following my most recent reflection, someone observed that I seemed seriously engaged with the notion of God’s plan. At the time, I could do little but agree, but upon reading today's Scriptures, the reason for that obsession became obvious: the Scripture readings continually suggest paying attention to the divine program. So it was with today's text as well.

At the conclusion of that previous reflection, we were peacefully traveling along the river of the divine plan, with myriad stars filling the nighttime sky. That image may sometimes be true, but periods of treacherous waters are more common. Those in the boat are regularly subjected to the siren song of allurements beckoning from shore or passing islands. The rough waters of uncertainty tempt those aboard to seek easier, less demanding currents for passage.

Image by Myriams-Fotos

Brief sections of calm and slow waters present opportunities for seeking self-devised programs of escape to alternate, more interesting lifestyles. Storms cast doubt on earlier decisions to embark on the voyage. Then, too, there are those direct attacks from the outside, such as we read of in today’s passage from Isaiah.

It’s easy to understand why those in the boat, Jerusalem, would have feared for their country, their city, their lives. Pirates from Aram and even Israel had fired upon them. So far, the attacks had been unsuccessful. It is no wonder that “the heart of the king and the heart of the people trembled.” But in the face of that invading storm, the Captain sent word to the crew and passengers: “Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail … This shall not stand, it shall not be!” That has been, and continues to be, the constant message our Captain sends; and he has always proved true. As the responsorial verse says: “God upholds his city for ever.”

The theme carries forward into the gospel. There were those who should have known better in their judgment of Jesus. They had heard the Words. They had seen the signs and wonders. But they had failed to heed the Father’s witness and approval of the event unfolding before their very eyes. Jesus, like Isaiah before him, countered their attack with a judgment similar to Isaiah: “This shall not stand, it shall not be!”

While it is not always evident, there are no genuine setbacks, no failures, no mistaken currents. Inexorably, the boat moves along, always toward that pre-ordained end: “to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Be careful to stay in the boat. Not all sharks are in the water.

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 7/7/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 14:30:51 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Steve Leininger: We know who the real G.O.A.T. is

John Pearring: Jesus’ remarkable and fervent repair

Older Reflections:

Steve Hall: Between wondrous belief and simple doubt

Lou Occhi: You are a man of God

Tim Trainor: Jesus’ high priestly prayer

Norm McGraw: To God what belongs to God

Ron Bruni: Learn to travel well

Steve Hessman: God’s miraculous outcomes

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Steve Leininger & John Pearring

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, July 7, 2026

We know who the real G.O.A.T. is

“You shall not bow down before them or serve them”

By Steve Leininger

Click here to read Steve Leininger’s reflection from July 7, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

The job or mission of Jesus was to do the Father’s will. Part of that was to develop an understanding of God’s will among the apostles and disciples, which would become the foundation of what we know as the church. Spreading the good news to the ends of the earth is a big job, and Jesus gave the apostles the words and faith they needed to be a part of that effort.

More …

Steve Leininger’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

Jesus’ remarkable display of fervent repair

“He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases”

By John Pearring

Image by LATUPEIRISSA

Click here to read John Pearring’s reflection from July 7, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Jesus tells common men, and us two millennia later, that whatever the Holy Spirit has in mind is surely exciting and remarkable, but it’s going to require difficulties that will test your mettle. Stay the course.

More …

John Pearring’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

Are you receiving the daily Catholic Nutshell News?

You can read John Pearring’s books — Snarl, and A Snarl Theology

We know who the real G.O.A.T. is

Steve Leininger — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 14:23:27 GMT

In Matthew, followers are identified as lost followers. Lots of followers. Indeed, abundant followers. This is the harvest that Jesus has identified. The statement “to ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers” is like Jesus saying, “Note to self: I need to get some help in reaching these lost souls.”

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13
Matthew 9:32-38

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a store in Colorado Springs to trade a few assembled LEGO kits (mostly Star Wars oriented) for kits and parts that would be more at home with my Christmas (LEGO calls it Winter Village) layout that I have been working on with my grandkids for a bunch of years.

I brought my trading stock to the desk in the back of the store for evaluation, then walked around to see if there were any new, used, or “my own creations” (custom-built LEGO constructions about anything you could imagine) that would suggest Christmas in the mountains. Things on my “it would be nice” list include a train decorated for the holidays, a Christmas tree lot, and a retired Gingerbread House kit from 2019.

When I got to the new kits part of the store, there were several categories, including race cars, flowers (they call them “Botanicals”), new offerings for Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings fans, and a bunch of other categories. The item that caught my attention, though, was the “Lionel Messi – Celebration” set.

The LEGO Editions Lionel Messi – Celebration (43018) set is a 1,427‑piece premium display model that recreates Messi in his iconic victory pose — arms raised, number 10 jersey, and a stylized backdrop designed for wall mounting. It’s part of LEGO’s Editions Football line, aimed at collectors and sports fans ages 14+. I will admit that I wasn’t exactly sure of who he was, but my first thought was “Who would want something like that?” I mean, he is just a single member of a single team who must be pretty hot right now.

My friends at Wikipedia enlightened me. Lionel Andrés Messi is an Argentine professional footballer widely considered one of the greatest in history. Captain of Inter Miami and Argentina, he holds records including 8 Ballon d’Ors, 46 team trophies, over 900 career goals, and 400+ assists. He has won the 2022 World Cup, 2021 and 2024 Copa América, 4 Champions Leagues with Barcelona, and back-to-back MLS MVPs in 2024 and 2025. He is a G.O.A.T. – Greatest Of All Time.

The set sells for $199.99 but does not seem to be selling well (or at all) in the Colorado Springs store. Somewhere along the line, though, someone at LEGO must have felt there was enough hero worship to justify mass-producing the set.

I finished my trade and used some of my store credit to purchase a LEGO Christmas Tree and a cocoa stand that would look nice on the town square in my plastic-brick diorama.

So, what does all of this have to do with today’s readings? Quite a bit, perhaps.

Before we do a deeper dive, let’s review the first two of the Ten Commandments:

• Thou shalt not have any other gods before God.

The long form is:

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall not have other gods beside me. [Exodus 20:2-3]

Not merely the greatest god, but the only God. THE God. The God Of All Time. The original and only G.O.A.T. The second commandment piggy-backs on the first.

• Thou shalt not make yourself an idol.

The Old Testament text is a bit more elaborate:

You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or serve them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but showing love down to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. [Exodus 20:4-6]

The problem is not just in crafting an object, but in bowing down before or serving it. Sometimes referred to as idol worship. God sees that as a form of hate against him and assures us that he WILL inflict punishment for violations.

Our first reading is from the book of Hosea.

Hosea, a prophet from the Northern Kingdom, preached in his homeland, which he addresses as Israel, Jacob, or, frequently, Ephraim. Hosea began his mission in a period of prosperity, the last years of Jeroboam II (783–743 B.C.). This was followed by a period of internal instability, with intrigues at the royal court leading to the assassination of several kings.

Hosea is specifically addressing God’s displeasure with the actions of King Jeroboam detailed in 1 Kings:

Jeroboam thought to himself: “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, the hearts of this people will return to their master, Rehoboam, king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam, king of Judah.” The king took counsel, made two calves of gold, and said to the people: “You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan. This led to sin, because the people frequented these calves in Bethel and in Dan. [1 Kings 12:26-30]

Like other prophets, Hosea issues God’s warning:

They made kings, but not by my authority; they established princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they made idols for themselves, to their own destruction. He has rejected your calf, Samaria! My wrath is kindled against them; How long will they be incapable of innocence in Israel? An artisan made it, it is no god at all. The calf of Samaria will be dashed to pieces. [Hosea 8:4-6]

And concludes with a judgment call from the God Of All Time:

They love sacrifice; they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their guilt and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. [Hosea 8:13]

The Psalm reading today is a response to an idol-worshiping enemy taunting the Israelites with “Where is your God?”

The psalmist assures us that God is in charge: Our God is in heaven and does whatever he wills. [Psalm 115:3]

And then he gives a comprehensive list of what is wrong with the idols the enemy worships:

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear, noses but do not smell. They have hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk; they produce no sound from their throats. [Psalm 115:4-7]

Not unlike an expensive LEGO wall hanging. The response given is: The house of Israel trusts in the Lord [Psalm 115:9]. The house of Israel recognizes The God Of All Time, the real G.O.A.T.

Our gospel reading is a two-fer. The first part follows a long list of other healings in previous chapters of Matthew, but with an additional twist.

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was driven out, the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.” [Matthew 9:32-34]

This is one of the first times the Pharisees observe God's power manifested in Jesus, but they get the reason for his success completely backward. Their conclusion appears to be based on the fact that they could not do this with their relationship with God, so it must be the work of Satan. They could argue that under the first commandment, they were not putting any other god before God. To them, Jesus was not yet recognized as the Son of God.

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. [Matthew 9:35]

Then Jesus sees that this work, God’s work, will need to be addressed in new ways in order to be more effective in reaching those in need.

At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” [Matthew 9:36-38]

Followers identified as lost followers. Lots of followers. Indeed, abundant followers. This is the harvest that Jesus has identified. The statement to “ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers” is like Jesus saying, “Note to self: I need to get some help in reaching these lost souls.”

The solution will be found in the next verse of the Gospel of Matthew, at the beginning of chapter 10: Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness [Matthew 10:1].

These are the very powers that the Pharisees were unable to understand and perform. Jesus, the lamb of God, gives authority to his selected apostles, and they begin to do God’s work amongst the lost sheep, the harvest.

Which G.O.A.T. is Jesus? The Greatest of All Time or The God of All Time?

Yes, he is both.

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Jesus' remarkable display of fervent repair

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 14:22:26 GMT

By John Pearring

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13
Matthew 9:32-38

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness. (Matthew 9:35)

Jesus reminds us that he is not an ordinary man. In both severe and normal human moments, he reveals his place in creation and time. God is always on duty. Jesus’ responsibilities to his followers do not cease. Everything he does, both big and small, reverberates through eons.

The verses we hear today in Matthew end a litany of several amazing healings and the dramatic miracle on the stormy sea. Wedged within the healings, reads an out-of-band story — an over-eager follower and a reticent disciple. Their conversations with Jesus follow an exhausting rush of healings that began late in the day and must have lasted deep into the night, and they precede a severe storm in which Jesus fell asleep in a rocky boat due to his weariness.

Image by LATUPEIRISSA

Physically spent by hordes of ill people, Jesus remains needed. He must get on a boat where he plans to rest, but must instead rebuke the winds and the sea to protect and calm the frightened men who follow him.

Both the eighth and ninth chapters of Matthew deal with cleansing of lepers, healings, cures, and driving out of spirits. This is a remarkable display of fervent repair. If someone were to travel through the towns and cities along Highway 24 today, doing the same things Jesus did, the crowds would be huge. The internet would go nuts. News services would be recording his every move. Folks would gather around to hear speeches and to get a peek at the person performing miracle after miracle. This is what Jesus and his followers were dealing with in his time.

Matthew describes, in brief but precise detail, the draining of Jesus’ energy from the growing exhaustion of constant healings amid the ardors of travel to perform his miracles wherever he must go. In the evenings, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: “He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.”

These healings are more than a man going to a Church meeting on a Wednesday evening after a hard day’s work. Jesus performs serious hands-on restoration. After that is done, rather than stopping, Jesus told the disciples they’ve got to hop into a boat and head off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. There’s a whole set of new towns to blast through. We can see that Jesus is going to use the boat trip to rest and recharge his spent body. But on that trip, where Jesus tries to nap, his rest is interrupted by a severe storm.

The harangue of weather and fearful men in the face of his exhaustion is still not too much to bear. Rushed awake, Jesus still teaches, reveals, and leaves us all with insight for recorded history.

This is who Jesus is. Steady, ready, determined, and successful.

Nothing in scripture, we know, is filler, extra words to pump up the volume or provide relief. Jesus isn’t the president of the United States dropping into stadiums all over the country to give speeches. He doesn’t dress to impress or work a room full of people to curry favor. He doesn’t fly in a jumbo jet, napping quietly between gigs. He doesn’t have a crew monitoring his every move and parting the crowds as he wanders around.

Jesus doesn’t see his entourage as pawns on a chessboard or replaceable minions. Jesus’ followers eat on the run, hobnob with the diseased, and live lives of expectancy. Each person has a place and a purpose and is fully loved by Jesus.

Remember, Jesus hand-picks each person who joins him. He calls us individually in ways that we each will grasp. When we respond positively or negatively to Jesus, he molds us and speaks to our hearts. Once we’re on board with him, the work flows like a deep river.

Jesus asks for constant intimacy rather than convenient attendance. The patterned life of the secular world has no permanence, no real consistency. Necessity quite often is not necessary at all.

Jesus speaks the truth and personally attends to everyone who engages him. He has designs on our lives. In the midst of everything going on, “Pay attention,” he tells us. “I am paying attention to you. I know who you are. You know who I am. Listen to what I am telling each of you. I am always with you. Keep your eyes, ears, and heart focused on me.”

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 6/30/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 14:38:35 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Steve Hall: Between wondrous belief and simple doubt

Older Reflections:

John Pearring: Two years since Jocelyn died

Steve Leininger: What’s your job?

Lou Occhi: You are a man of God

Tim Trainor: Jesus’ high priestly prayer

Norm McGraw: To God what belongs to God

Ron Bruni: Learn to travel well

Steve Hessman: God’s miraculous outcomes

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflection from Steve Hall

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Between wondrous belief and simple doubt

We’ve seen both the peaceful and the anxious

By Steve Hall

Image by Sarah N

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from June 30, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

The way is long, with many a winding turn. It leads us to who knows where? Who knows where? For now, we see in a mirror dimly. Yet we know what is necessary as we move with Christ and the Spirit over the water.

More …

Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

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Between wondrous belief and simple doubt

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 14:14:56 GMT

By Steve Hall

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Amos 3:1-8, 4:11-12
Matthew 8:23-27

“Jesus got into a boat, and the disciples followed him.”

The details of the boat are not mentioned, but in Christian symbolism, the boat is a humble yet powerful image for the Church, representing a community of believers navigating life’s challenges together under the guidance of Christ. When I was younger the phrase ‘barque of Peter’ occasional floated through conversations about religion. And, while it is possible that the boat of today’s Gospel account was Peter’s own fishing boat, it is highly unlikely that it was a barque. Unlikely because, among other things, the word ‘barque’ must be French ending as it does with a ‘q-u-e;’ and the French weren’t around in Jesus’ day, only Gauls. Besides, a barque is a sailing ship of three or more masts with the aftmost mast fore-and-aft rigged and the others square-rigged.

In any case, traveling by boat on a calm sea can be peaceful and relaxing, but it can also be unsettling and make one anxious if the weather grows stormy and the waves grow high. You and I have been and are in Peter’s boat. We’ve seen both the peaceful and the anxious as we’ve journeyed.

Image by Sarah N

God was not surprised by the actions of Adam and Eve. He didn’t just expect it as a possibility — he knew it would happen. It was in his plan. The ability to choose was consequential. For Adam and Eve, you might even say it was earth-shattering. All this was in the “Plan.”

Early in their journey to the Promised Land, the children of Israel were given the Law at Mt Sinai. Something that was not done for any other nation. And then they were admonished to keep it. “See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live…(Deuteronomy 30:15, 19).

Notice the stated options. The true choice was not between following the Law or not following the Law. The true choice was between life and death. That too was in the Plan. More than a thousand years of Israel’s history subsequently proved what we, sub-consciously at least, have always known was true. And it occurs to me that Israel’s inability to consistently choose life merely foreshadows what has been and always will be true: man on his own can never be persistent in choosing the good, in choosing life. The witness of history proves it. A transformation was needed. The next part of the Plan was required.

That part of the Plan — the Incarnation — was staggering in its implications and formidable in its power to achieve them. Moreover, it was promulgated in such a way that the result was incontrovertible. The Incarnate God was to die in such a way as to make the fact of his death absolutely certain. Spurious arguments to the contrary might be brought, but none could stand. He was dead. And the Plan continued to unfold: just as the crucifixion gave surety to death, the resurrection gave surety to eternal life.

Paul describes this part of the Plan in his letter to the Ephesians.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:3-5, 9-10)

So there we have it — Crucifixion! Resurrection! Union! Salvation!

The Law cannot save us. It never could.

So now we are in the ‘end times’ of the Plan. We struggle to live in the light revealed. We struggle to die with him so we can rise with him. We press on, as Paul says, so as to say it is no longer I who live. Christ lives in me. The plan has been clearly stated: “to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” So when we read the text closely, it is evident that it is not just about you and me.

“Creation [itself] was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning with labor pains together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:20-23)

The end of our journey is clear. The route is not. We echo that sentiment, as we so often do, in song. At the end of Bilbo Baggins' adventures, he seeks to return home, even then being uncertain, like us, of what the way will be.

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Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow and winter’s morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell.

Like everyone, we “do not understand our own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15)

And then, with the Apostles we cry: “Save us Lord, we are perishing.”

On quiet nights, when the sea was calm, and I found myself immersed in starlight, my thoughts often became more pensive. Occasionally, in the silence that enfolds someone during a night at sea, the words of David would come to my mind.

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have established; what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalms 8:3-4)

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to view the starry band of the Milky Way, you know exactly what David meant and what I have so often felt as we sailed along in the stillness of night. It was not unusual that such a wondrous vision would move to the totally unfathomable fact that God loves me.

On those occasions, it was not uncommon for my heart to flutter between wondrous belief and simple doubt that it all could be so. But I stayed in the boat. The transformation required of us in these end times is a necessary one. We think we’re riding in a boat on water.

In truth, we are riding in a boat, but there is a plan, and we’re going home.

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Homeless Catholic Reflections 6/23/26

John Francis Pearring — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:59:34 GMT

See the latest Homeless Catholic reflections

NEW!

Steve Hessman: God’s miraculous outcomes

Steve Hall: God’s desired relationship with mankind

John Pearring: Two years since Jocelyn died

Older Reflections:

Steve Leininger: What’s your job?

Lou Occhi: You are a man of God

Tim Trainor: Jesus’ high priestly prayer

Norm McGraw: To God what belongs to God

Ron Bruni: Learn to travel well

Margit McCarthy: Temptation Trials in the Garden

Latest at ilk Publishing:

John Pearring: Frank & Ralph, Guardian Angels of Jesus

Margit McCarthy: Praying the rosary with your children

John Silvia: Kiss of Betrayal or Kiss of Love

The OMG reflections from Steve Hessman, Steve Hall, & John Pearring

Inspired by Mass readings from Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Faith in God leads to miraculous outcomes

“Have you not heard? Long ago, I prepared it.”

By Steve Hessman

Image by wal_172619

Click here to read Steve Hessman’s reflection from June 23, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

Hezekiah’s response to the Assyrian threat is a powerful example of the effectiveness of prayer. Instead of relying solely on military might or political alliances, he seeks divine intervention. We should always make prayer our first response in times of trouble, trusting that God is always listening to the cries of His people. “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, in answer to your prayer for help against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have listened” 2 Kings 19:20.

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Steve Hessman’s reflections: “Amen, Amen. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12:24

God’s desired relationship with mankind

“Therefore do not be anxious … your heavenly Father knows that you need ...”

By Steve Hall

Click here to read Steve Hall’s reflection from June 23, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

We might not think of God as a teacher. Yet, in more ways than we know, he instructs both at the individual level and at the broader level, which is addressed to all mankind. Scripture itself is primarily a revelation of who God is both in himself and in his relation to men. Think about it. The initiatives were all on God’s side as the Hebrew people were led to the Promised Land.

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Steve Hall’s reflections: For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

Two years since Jocelyn died

Weepy, but unashamed, followed by a good gaze out the window, and things to do.

By John Pearring

Jocelyn “Josie” Redfern

Click here to read John Pearring’s reflection from June 23, 2026. Here’s an excerpt:

I haven’t started talking to her. I’m thinking she’s still pretty busy getting acquainted with the unimaginable. Like when she went on a retreat or flew off to Taiwan. It’ll have to wait until I catch up to her. The Holy Spirit is talking to me about her, though. Not a report or anything. Just whimsical images. Giggles. The things I need.

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John Pearring’s reflections: He said to them, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

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Faith in God leads to miraculous outcomes

Steve Hessman — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:35:24 GMT

By Steve Hessman

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
II Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36
Matthew 7:6, 12-14

The Books of Kings, 1 and 2, cover 400 years of ancient Israel’s life under the Kings. Kings traces the nation’s journey from a prosperous “Golden Age” under King Solomon to a collapse that led to the division of the Kingdom and the ultimate exile to Babylon. During this time, there were Kings such as David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah who were spiritual giants despite their flaws. Because of these rulers, the nation was saved from destruction for a long period.

However, many of the kings did not live righteous lives but rather descended into gross sins and idolatry, which brought upon them divine judgments and ended in captivity in Babylon. Last week, John’s reflection was about Ahab, King of Israel, one of the bad rulers who, as it turns out, did repent.

In today’s reading from 2 Kings, we see Hezekiah, King of Judah, faced with an arrogant threat from the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, with an entirely different outcome. Instead of surrendering to fear, Hezekiah turns to God in prayer. This teaches us the importance of Faith and Trust in the Lord, no matter how overwhelming our circumstances may seem. As Hezekiah prays, “Therefore, O LORD, our God, save us from the power of this man, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God” 2 Kings 19:19. This reminds us that our Faith in God can lead to miraculous outcomes.

Image by wal_172619

Hezekiah’s response to the Assyrian threat is a powerful example of the effectiveness of prayer. Instead of relying solely on military might or political alliances, he seeks divine intervention. We should always make prayer our first response in times of trouble, trusting that God is always listening to the cries of His people. When Hezekiah prays, God responds through the prophet Isaiah, providing reassurance and a promise of deliverance. “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, in answer to your prayer for help against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have listened” 2 Kings 19:20.

Sennacherib’s arrogance and blasphemy against God serve as a warning; his pride leads to his downfall, illustrated by the verse in Proverbs, “Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall” Proverbs 16:18. This lesson reminds us to remain humble and recognize our dependence on God. Chapter 19 in 2 Kings highlights God’s sovereignty over all nations and rulers.

Verse 25 was not included in today’s reading: “Have you not heard? Long ago, I prepared it. From days of old, I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass.” This reassures us that no matter how crazy the world may seem, God is in control!

Skipping back, we get this odd verse — “This is the word the LORD has spoken concerning him, ‘She despises you, laughs you to scorn, the virgin daughter Zion! Behind you, she wags her head, daughter Jerusalem’” (2 Kings 19:21). Scholars tell us: “God begins with a picture of a young girl mocking a much larger and more powerful attacker. An Assyrian messenger threatened Jerusalem in earshot of the city. Now, in ironic symbolism, a helpless child of Jerusalem openly mocks the Assyrian king.”

The miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army is a testament to God’s protection over His people. “That night the angel of the LORD went forth and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.” 2 Kings 19:35. This dramatic action is an act of divine intervention to deliver Jerusalem from destruction, showing God’s authority over all earthly forces and His willingness to protect His people when they trust Him.

This chapter encourages us to let our faith guide us through life’s challenges, knowing that God is with us every step of the way. We are assured of the certainty of God’s promises. When God declares that He will defend Jerusalem, He fulfills His word. “I will shield and save this city for my own sake, and for the sake of my servant David.” 2 Kings 19:34. By defending the city and throne of Jerusalem, the Lord defends His Covenant of Kingship with David. This encourages us to trust God’s promises, confident that He is faithful to fulfill them.

Psalm 48 celebrates Jerusalem as the seat of God’s Kingship, Vs 2 “is the city of the great King.”, and the object of His protection, the Response, “God upholds His city for ever.” is a follow-up and reassurance of the First Reading.

Today’s short gospel passage from Mathew contains three teachings of Jesus, delivered during His Sermon on the Mount.

First, Jesus uses an image that most of us have never used. Jesus tells his disciples, “Do not give to dogs what is holy and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them underfoot and tear you to pieces.” The Ignatius Study Bible offers this explanation, “Dogs were generally undomesticated in Jewish culture, and most were stray scavengers, as we read about in last week’s first reading, ‘the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth’” 1Kings 21:19.

Swine were especially contemptible; to Jews, they were unclean and could not be eaten. (see Lev 11:7-8) Jesus redirects these insulting labels to anyone inhospitable to the gospel, Jew or Gentile. In Judaism, holiness characterized anything consecrated for covenant worship. To treat holy articles in a common manner would profane them (see Ex 29:37: Lev 22:10-16). Consecrated meat from animals sacrificed in the Temple should not be given as food for dogs. Jesus carries this same notion into the New Covenant. The Early Church applied this statement to the Holy Eucharist; a sacrament rightly withheld from the unworthy.

The second saying in today’s Gospel is the famous ‘Golden Rule’, which is not exclusive to Christianity or the Gospel—it is known in other cultures. What we read here is being expressed in positive terms. There is also a negative form that states, “Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you.” There is a difference between the two. You can observe the negative version by doing nothing at all. The positive can only be observed by doing some good action for others. In Jn 13:34, Jesus takes this message even further when He gives us the New Commandment, “… As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”

In the third saying today, St Matthew’s Gospel begins with the word “Enter,” implying the “Kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus contrasts the narrow gate with the wide gate and broad road. To follow the wide road is to do just about anything you feel like doing. It is to follow your likes, your instincts, and whims wherever they lead you. Jesus promises that “this will lead to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.”

The narrow gate is rather to be focused on having one’s life guided by a clear set of truths, principles and values—that form the core of the Gospel’s teaching. In other words, the Way of Christ leads to eternal salvation.

How do the First Reading and the Psalm coincide with the Gospel? Simply put, we should love God by placing our Faith and Trust in Him at all times.

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God's desired relationship with mankind

Stevehall3@hotmail.com — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:28:53 GMT

By Steve Hall

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
II Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36
Matthew 7:6, 12-14

The pattern starts off one-sided. We could begin earlier, but let’s start with Moses.

The burning bush was God’s idea. So too was the notion that Moses should speak with Pharaoh and that Mose’ brother would speak for him. So too were the miracles surrounding Aaron’s rod and its confrontation with the rods of the Egyptian priests. So too were the plagues and the sprinkling of the lamb’s blood on the doorposts. So too were the miraculous incidents in the forty years of desert wandering. So too were the ritual directions that preceded the fall of Jericho.

I could go on, but you get the point. The initiatives were all on God’s side as the Hebrew people were led to the Promised Land. Granted that some followed from complaints, but few, if any, followed from what we would call prayer.

That situation began to change during the period of the judges. The scriptures suggest a greater awareness of God’s active presence among some of the Israelites during those times, as well as greater attention to seeking the Lord’s help in times of trouble.

Image by Jan den Ouden

The process of education in prayer continued through the centuries. It would eventually fall into a consistent pattern, which first acknowledged the absolute supremacy of God and the relative inadequacies of man. From there, it would proceed to include the notion that whatever response followed that response was known to fit with who God is. Correspondingly, there was the development of trust or surrender — an active confidence that God knows better than man. These elements had all been there for some years, but they needed to be common to all for mankind’s relationship with God to be right.

The growth in prayer brought with it a shift in perspective. God wasn’t simply doing what He wanted. Neither was He responding to man’s attempts at manipulation. Rather, He was responsive to human needs, though simultaneously desiring correspondence between His eternal plan and the desires of men.

We don’t have too much trouble in understanding some basics about God, but it seems we have a lot of trouble understanding his desired relationship with mankind.

“Therefore do not be anxious … your heavenly Father knows that you need …” (Matthew 6:31-32)

So why not ask? When Jerusalem was threatened, Hezekiah turned to prayer. The Assyrians were destroyed. You read the account from the book of Kings, and it seems simple.

All this makes me curious.

What would have happened if Europe had responded to Hitler with prayer? What would have happened if the world had faced the challenge of communism with prayer? What would have happened if Israel and/or the US had responded to Iran with prayer? What would happen in my life if I responded to trials and difficulties with prayer?

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