The Parish Family at St. Mary’s in collaboration with The St. Vincent DePaul Society is collecting donations for the immediate needs of our migrant brothers and sisters housed in Franklin. There are bins at the Elevator Lobby, Upstairs in the Main Church Lobby and at the side, back wooden door of the Church for donated goods. Thank you for your generous support!

When I was in second grade, my prized possession was a metal Star Wars-themed lunch box. After school one day, another student ripped it from my hands. I helplessly watched in horror as my classmate threw it to the ground and violently stomped it into an unrecognizable heap of junk. I came home covered in tears of shame and rage. After a few months, I never thought about it again … until I was almost thirty years old and on a retreat to prepare for ordination to the priesthood.

Students have returned to school and we are getting back into the “academic year” rhythm of things. The Church continues its celebration of Ordinary Time, reminding us more and more about how we are to live as followers of Christ. For instance, in the gospel on the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (September 3), Jesus tells us that "[w]hoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Challenging words, for sure, but ones which are spoken by someone who knows about denial, suffering and death, someone who has “walked the walk and talked the talk”. These are words which also come with a guarantee from Jesus himself that he will always be with us. You can prepare for all of the Sunday readings at liturgy.slu.edu.

I think even the most devout, the most pious Catholic reading this meditation could summon to mind, if asked, one or even two examples of Catholic teaching for which they have desperately looked for a loophole.

Don’t worry, I won’t make you share with the group. But bring it to your mind now: the doctrine you once resented, or perhaps still do. The commandment you don’t fully understand, the one you bristle against. The rule you find the hardest to follow. The belief you hate explaining to your friends. If it disappeared from scripture or dropped out of the catechism, would your life really be easier? Would you be happier?

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but I’ve never been called “Satan,” at least not to my face.

It seems to me the worst name you could call a person, and today we hear it straight from the lips of Jesus. It’s just one of the many small reminders strewn throughout Scripture that Jesus preaches meekness, but he is not mild — not when mildness serves no purpose, anyway.

And here, when Peter is trying to deter Jesus from making the right choice, mildness serves no purpose at all.