Jonah, the gourd, and losing

Given that today’s first reading is the amusing and relatable story of Jonah and the gourd plant, I am re-sharing something I wrote in 2019, “‘The Art of Losing’ is About Trusting God.”

Every time this passage comes up throughout the years, I can’t help but pay attention. Jonah is such a strange ambassador for God to choose; he seems unpleasant, unlikeable, and actually really doesn’t like that God takes mercy on Nineveh. The perceived slight, combined with the demise of the shade provided by a gourd plant, is enough to make him “angry enough to die.” Yikes.

As I outline in the article, there are many things that draw me in, including when God says, “You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor and which you did not raise…” How humbling. It is a response we should remember when we lose the things we did not ourselves earn - or even that we did earn - in recognition that all is actually God’s, anyway. It will all, always, go back to Him.

So anyway, have a read. And try not to judge Jonah too harshly, because we may be more like him than we would at first guess.

Feasts of October

Dear friends, I joined John Morales earlier this week on Morning Air to talk about how to get into the habit of preparing liturgically each month. And this month, in October, we have some truly wonderful saints’ days and of course the focus of the Holy Rosary. Listen to the conversation here, starting around 15:00. Enjoy!

A spiritual habit: preparing for each month's liturgical celebrations

In just a matter of days, it will be October. And, it occurred to me to wonder - what special saints’ or feast days are coming up? Are there any holy days of obligations that I should make room for in my calendar?

A good place to start is with a website like Catholic Culture. Here’s their page for October. While there aren’t any holy days of obligation (though there is immediately after; November 1 is All Saints Day), there are lots of good saints’ days to be aware of: St. Therese, St. Luke, St. John Paul II, and so on. It is also the month of the Holy Rosary, and the Pope’s prayer intentions for October are for the synod.

So, what’s the point? The point is what I want to drive home in just about all the speaking and writing that I do: that the faith is more than just going to Mass on Sunday. To be Catholic is to bring the faith into your daily life in all aspects, and integrate celebration, memorial, and prayer every day. Not because you’re “obligated,” but because you’re part of something larger than yourself. And, because it’s good for you. The Church is wonderfully ordered toward what makes makes humans happy, and the rhythms of liturgical life build that for you, without really any work on your part other than paying attention or showing up.

So when you, for example, gather your family for a French feast on St. Therese’s feast day, you’re doing something that will lead to happiness and a life well lived; greater closeness and purpose. Or in October you may pray the rosary more often or with your family, or read Luke’s gospel for the first time. These are beautiful, small ways to honor the Church, and your identity as a child of God, throughout your life.

I will be on Relevant Radio this coming Tuesday, 10/3 at 7:10 am eastern to discuss all this and more. You can find your radio station here, listen on the app, or livestream the conversation in a web browser or your computer or mobile device here.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and holy October!