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Natalie Conseur

Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Corinthians 1:26

Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards...

Readings for Sunday: Zephanaiah, 1 Corinthians, Matthew

Reflection:

In our modern world, the question of who we follow matters a great deal. For those under thirty, that question often points to influencers on Instagram or TikTok—people with millions of followers who seem to have perfected life. For those less familiar with social media, an influencer is someone who is famous largely for being famous, shaping desires and lifestyles for profit. Think of Kim Kardashian with hundreds of millions of followers, or George Clooney selling Nespresso on television. The underlying message is the same: “If you want to be happy, be like me.” Look this way, buy these things, live this lifestyle—and happiness will follow.

But that message is not true. Influencers sell an image, carefully curated and often edited. Photos are filtered, flaws erased, and even Clooney has a makeup artist. These are commercials. In stark contrast, the Church holds up Jesus Christ—not photoshopped perfection, but a bloody cross. If we truly want happiness, we are invited not to follow influencers, but to follow Christ.

This leads us to a deeper question: what is happiness? The Declaration of Independence speaks of the “pursuit of happiness,” something to be chased or obtained. The word itself comes from the Old English “hap,” meaning chance or luck. Too often, happiness is tied to circumstances—winning the lottery, falling in love, or life simply going our way. And as quickly as it comes, it can disappear.

The Gospel offers us a richer word: blessedness. In the Beatitudes, Jesus uses the Greek word makarios, often translated as “blessed.” This is not luck or happenstance, but a deep, abiding state of peace, joy, and contentment rooted in God. To be blessed means that God is actively at work in us, and that we are choosing to live in relationship with Him. It is the kind of happiness that lasts.

God created us for Himself, and like a beautiful painting meant to be admired, we only flourish when we live according to our purpose. We long for meaning, love, and fulfillment—but finite things cannot satisfy infinite desires. Only God can. That is why Jesus gives us the Beatitudes, a counter-cultural recipe for true happiness. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” He says—those detached from possessions, status, and even reputation, who cling instead to God.

Money, fame, and power cannot buy what we seek most. True happiness—true blessedness—is a gift from our Creator, given to us in and through Jesus Christ.

Reflection Questions

  • Who or what most influences my idea of happiness?
  • Where am I seeking happiness through circumstances rather than blessedness through relationship?
  • What am I most attached to, and what might God be inviting me to loosen my grip on?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 4:17

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Readings for Sunday: Isaiah, 1 Corinthians, Matthew

Reflection:

Ever wonder why we Catholics are so into candles? There are many reasons, but at the heart of it is this: we believe that because of Jesus, there is light in the darkness.

Scripture often speaks honestly about darkness. In the first reading from Isaiah, written in the eighth century before Christ, the people of Israel were living through a terrible time. The Assyrian Empire had invaded the northern kingdom around 722 BC. The people were oppressed, many were carried off into exile, and pagan foreigners were brought into the land. The region of Zebulun and Naphtali became a mixed people with a mixed religion, later known as Samaritans, and they were looked down upon by Jews in the south. Isaiah even calls this area the “District of the Gentiles” and speaks of the “rod of the taskmaster.” Yet in the midst of that darkness, the prophet foretold that one day a great light would shine.

That message matters for us today. We look around our world and see violence in the Middle East, war in Ukraine, violence here in Chicagoland, corruption in politics, and deep wounds in families and culture.

At the root, we have a sin problem. Still, Isaiah’s words remind us: there is light in the darkness, and that light is Jesus.In the Gospel, Matthew tells us that Jesus went to live in Galilee, in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. God himself came to us. Jesus, God incarnate, entered a sinful and violent world without sin, laid down his life on the cross, and rose from the dead like the rising sun. He offers us everlasting life and shows us how to live a truly human life in holiness and justice. That is why Jesus begins by preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and then calls disciples. To follow Jesus is a journey of transformation, like dedicating oneself fully to a sport. Baptism is the beginning, but discipleship requires practice, commitment, and perseverance. Brothers and sisters, we are all called to be disciples and ultimately saints. In baptism we receive the light of Christ, symbolized by a candle, and we are called to shine that light brightly in a dark world.

Reflection Questions

  • Where do I see darkness—in my own life, my family, or the world around me—and how do I allow the light of Christ to enter and transform those areas?
  • What does discipleship look like for me right now, and in what concrete ways am I practicing my faith rather than simply identifying as Catholic in name?
  • Since I received the light of Christ at my baptism, how am I being called to shine that light more strongly for others through my words, choices, and way of life?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

John 1:29

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Readings for Sunday: Isaiah, 1 Corinthians, John

Reflection:

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear John the Baptist, looking at Jesus, say, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” It is these words that the priest says, when showing the Eucharist in both the host and chalice, right before communion. He immediately adds, “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.”

Last Sunday we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord, which closed the Christmas season, and then began Ordinary Time. This new season is a season of living as day-to-day disciples of Jesus. Our Lord is still with us in many ways, especially in the Blessed Sacrament. On Sundays, at daily Mass, and in the Eucharist adoration chapel, we have the chance to hear John the Baptist, in a sense proclaiming in our ear, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

We then have the opportunity to go to out to the world and proclaim Jesus like John the Baptist. In fact, that is how we began to call the Eucharistic celebration, “the Mass.” It is from the dismissal, “Ite, missa est,” which in Latin means, “Go, it is the dismissal.” Effectively, we have encountered the Lord in the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and now we are dismissed to proclaim him to the world. John the Baptist’s words and attitude should be ours, that we want to make Jesus known, and to “testif[y] that he is the Son of God.”

Reflection Questions

  • How strong is my devotion to Jesus, present in the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist? Do I truly behold him present to me under the appearance of bread and wine?
  • How strong is my drive and desire to share my faith? To tell other people about who Jesus is and how Jesus has changed my life?
  • In what ways am I to be prophetic, like John the Baptist, in today’s world?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

John 2:13-22

"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."

Readings for Sunday: Ezekiel, 1 Corinthians, John

Reflection:

This Sunday is unusual in the sense that, what would have been the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, is superseded by the Solemnity of the Dedication of St. John Lateran. That church (building) is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Rome; St. Peter’s Basilica is not the cathedral. Why is the celebration of the dedication of St. John’s so important that we not only celebrate it in the Archdiocese of Chicago, but also that it supersedes a Sunday of Ordinary Time? That is because it represents far more than merely being the cathedral of Rome.

The land itself was originally owned by the Laterani family and eventually given by Emperor Constantine to Pope Melchiade to build a Domus Ecclesia, a “house of the Church.” It was the first Christian Basilica built in Rome, the first purposely built public worship space, even before St. Peter’s, and was dedicated in 324AD.

The Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, lived there for about 1000 years before making his permanent residence at the Vatican, which itself contains St. Peter’s Basilica.

A house for the Church, a house of God, is important to our worship. In the Gospel today, Jesus cleanses the temple in Jerusalem of its money changers and those selling sheep and oxen. It states that, “His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me.” St. John represents the fact that the universal Church worships the Lord, and that we are zealous for his house.

Reflection Questions

  • Am I zealous for the worship of God and for his house?
  • While we can build church buildings anywhere, what does a church building represent to me?
  • What do I contribute to the maintenance of the house of God?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

All Souls’ Day

Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.

Readings: 2 Maccabees, Romans, Matthew

Sometimes people ask, regarding Purgatory: “where is that in the bible?” The first reading that will be used at Sunday Mass at St. James – since there are different options for All Souls Day – is the biblical source, 2 Macc 12:43-46. (See also 1 Cor 3:15.) Keep in mind, unlike Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, Protestant Bibles do not have 1st or 2nd Maccabees. In this reading, we hear about how the leader of Israel in the second century BC, Judas, had a sacrifice offered at the temple in Jerusalem for the expiation of sin for a group of dead soldiers from the army of Israel. If we are honest, we recognize that while we follow Jesus, we are still impatient, at times dishonest, sometimes lustful and so on. In short, we are not perfect. We hope to be in heaven one day with the Lord Jesus and everyone else we love in our families, among our friends, and in our community. But, if Jesus brings imperfect people into heaven, then heaven will not be a place of perfect love, peace and joy.

We will still be gossiping, bickering and causing a raucous. The solution: for God to perfect those bound for heaven in the love of Jesus Christ.Those in purgatory are being perfectly molded to the image of Christ, to love as he loves. Yet, this process takes time; not because God lacks power, but because people have free will and are stubborn. People must freely choose to love, or else it is not love. God is patient because he gave us free will in the first place and will not override it, lest he effectively destroy the very creatures he is saving. The existence of Purgatory is part of the Good News of Jesus Christ: God is so merciful and patient, that those people who are not ready for heaven, and not bound for hell, when they die, are given his grace for transformation even after death, in order that they may live forever in perfect love.

Reflection

  • In what ways am I still not ready for heaven, in what areas of my life do I still lack holiness and virtue, in what ways to a fail to love as Christ loves?
  • Am I willing to embrace the transformative power of God’s grace here on earth, even if it is painful to let go of my vices and self-centeredness?
  • Do I pray for loved ones who may be in Purgatory? Have I encouraged family members and friends to pray for me when I die one day?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son...

Readings for Sunday: Numbers, Philippians, John

Reflection:

How can you have victory through defeat? It’s crazy, right? The two things (victory and defeat) are contradictory. When it comes to Christ, however, it is (paradoxically) true. Perhaps we should say, rather, that Christ has victory in what seems like defeat.

This is good news for us. If you struggle or suffer, then today’s celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross should give you hope. As St. Paul tells us in the second reading, Christ suffered death on the cross, but through it came to victory. He can do the same for us. What we need to do is understand how it works.

When humanity sinned, it rejected a loving relationship and friendship with God. (That is the point of the story of Adam and Eve). Since it is love that brings life, sin brings death. The result of original sin was not just death of the body, but also death of the soul. Hell is about living in such a way that you have no tangible sense of God’s presence: no relationship with God.

To save us, therefore, God not only had to forgive our sins, but also convince us to freely choose to love him again. So how was he going to do that? By becoming human and dying on the Cross. To convince us to love him, God showed us the greatest sign of love possible: giving his own life for us.

It was the bridegroom showing his beloved that he loves her to death, and would give anything for her. Or as it is written in today’s gospel “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16-17).

At the same time, Christ himself goes into death in order to defeat death. He is like the knight who enters the belly of the dragon and then kills the beast from the inside to then emerge with victory. With Jesus, love wins over sin precisely by giving its life in death. If sin is the opposite of love, then Christ wins by loving unto death.

If you understand that, then you can understand how Jesus can bring victory to our suffering and our struggles. Sometimes Jesus does work the physical miracles by curing an illness, or getting a person a better job. However, he often does not. The real miracle is how he changes our hearts. He cannot force our free will. When we encounter the cross in our lives, whether that is sickness or financial distress, if we embrace it in Jesus, then it can transform our hearts.

Do we love Jesus? Yes… at least a little. Do we love Jesus as he loves us? No. When we suffer, we get angry with God. When we pray for cures and do not get them, we start praying less or stop praying all together. We spend more time watching TV than we pray. The list goes on. We do not love Jesus to the point that we love him for his own sake. Rather, we tend to love him because he makes lives better. We do not love him to the point that we will suffer for him without asking him for something in return.

For this reason, if we embrace the cross in our lives, then Jesus can use it to transform our hearts to love him as he loves us. To the world, it seems as though Jesus is powerless to end our suffering. But God sees it as a chance to change our motives, to choose to love him for no other reason than for who he is. It is in this way that the suffering of the cross cleanses us of all our sinful tendencies and makes us ready for heaven. That is the victory. It is true that, in the end, we will be cured of all sickness. We will be cured of death through the Resurrection. In heaven no one suffers. But more importantly, that is because everyone is perfectly united to God in love. And the love of God gives life everlasting.

Reflection Questions

  • How does the paradox of “victory through defeat” challenge the way you normally view suffering, setbacks, or struggles in your own life?

  • In what ways can embracing the “crosses” in your life help deepen your love for God beyond simply asking Him for blessings?

  • What areas of your heart or life might God be inviting you to let Him transform through suffering?

Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

23rd Sunday In Ordinary Time

Luke 14:25

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Readings for Sunday: Wisdom, Philemon, Luke

Reflection:

Discipleship is more than simply following Jesus; it is walking in His footsteps and imitating Christ in every aspect of life. At baptism, we became sons and daughters of God, called to pattern our lives on His Son. A true disciple is not one who follows Jesus occasionally or merely to receive blessings, but one whose entire identity is rooted in being a child of God and a follower of Christ.

The Gospels show that large crowds often followed Jesus, many drawn by His reputation as a miracle worker. Yet Jesus made clear that not all who followed Him were true disciples. He began to set conditions: “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” In other words, discipleship requires total commitment, putting Christ above everything else.

A disciple is someone under discipline, embracing the challenges of faith each day. Like an Olympic athlete who sacrifices daily for a crown that perishes, disciples accept the cost of following Christ for a reward that endures forever.

Jesus teaches three conditions: to put Him above all relationships, to carry our cross, and to renounce possessions. These do not mean literal hatred or reckless poverty, but rather a reordering of life so that Christ always comes first.

Discipleship is demanding because it requires transformation. We must let go of sin, embrace suffering, and live with spiritual poverty, seeing all that we have as belonging to God. Yet the reward is beyond imagination—eternal life in heaven, where perfect love and peace reign. The price is heavy, but discipleship prepares us for that profound encounter with God’s infinite love, the ultimate goal of our journey.

Reflection Questions

  • In what areas of my life do I struggle to put Christ first, and how can I begin to reorder my priorities as a true disciple?
  • What “crosses” or challenges in my life might God be asking me to embrace as part of my transformation in discipleship?
  • How can I practice spiritual poverty—using my possessions as tools for God’s will—rather than allowing them to control my life?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

22nd Sunday In Ordinary Time

Luke 14:13

"...invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you."

Readings for Sunday: Sirach, Hebrews, Matthew

Reflection:

Saint Augustine once said that the three most essential things for the spiritual life are “humility, humility, humility.” To understand this, we must first distinguish between worldly humility and biblical humility.

Worldly humility is often thought of as downplaying one’s accomplishments or refusing honor. For example, if Walter Payton, one of the greatest football players, were to say he was “average,” people would call that humble. While this attitude captures a willingness not to draw attention to oneself, it is, nonetheless, inauthentic because it is contrary to the truth.

Biblical humility, by contrast, is rooted in the truth. Jesus himself is the perfect model of humility. Though he is God, he “emptied himself” and became human, obedient even to death on a cross (Philippians 2). His humility was not in denying who he is but in serving others through self-sacrificial love. Thus, true humility is not about belittling oneself, but about recognizing the radical truth: all that we are and all that we have come from God, and all of our gifts and talents are given for his glory and the good of others.

When we serve those most in need, we grow in humility. Service shifts our focus away from ourselves and onto others, helping us live in the truth that life is not about self-promotion but about God. A truly humble person does not seek praise or recognition, nor are they disturbed by criticism, because their life is anchored in Christ.

Ultimately, humility is both a disposition and a way of life. It frees us from pride, grounds us in the truth, and directs all glory to God. This is why, as Augustine taught, humility is the foundation of the spiritual life.

Reflection Questions

  • In what ways do I sometimes confuse worldly humility with true, biblical humility? How can I better embrace humility as living in the truth rather than denying my gifts?
  • What concrete step of self-sacrificial service can I take this week to grow in humility and shift my focus away from myself and toward those most in need?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

21st Sunday In Ordinary Time

Luke 13:22

Jesus said, "strive to enter through the narrow gate."

Readings for Sunday: Isaiah, Hebrews, Luke

Reflection:

What made Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time? He didn’t stumble into greatness. Rather, he worked relentlessly for it. Jordan was known as the first one on the court for practice and the last one to leave. Growing up, he lived basketball. His life was marked by discipline: he became a true disciple of the game.

The word “discipline” is not heard often today, but it is central to the Christian life. Discipline is not only self-control; it also comes from the loving correction of parents and from God Himself. Scripture reminds us: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord… for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines” (Heb 12:5–6). At the time discipline feels painful, but later it bears the “peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

Jesus warns us not to presume salvation: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Lk 13:24). In His day, many presumed they would be saved simply because they were God’s chosen people. Likewise, we as Catholics may presume: I was baptized, and I haven’t killed anyone, so I must be fine. But salvation cannot be earned. It is a gift won by Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. Yet it requires our participation: to become disciples shaped by discipline.

Just as MJ trained tirelessly to play basketball, we must be trained to live as children of God. Trials and sufferings are part of that training. When embraced with faith, they free us from what doesn’t matter (worldly approval, possessions, comfort) and teach us what does: our relationship with Christ. We can even unite our suffering with His, offering it up for the good of others.

The question remains: are we recognizable as disciples of Jesus? Do we pray, study Scripture, practice mercy, forgive our enemies? May we strive with discipline for holiness, so that Jesus becomes our everything, and a victory greater than any crown.

Reflection Questions

  • In what ways am I actively practicing discipline in my spiritual life, beyond the basics of Sunday Mass and daily prayer?
  • How do I usually respond to trials and sufferings—do I embrace them as opportunities for growth and offering them to God, or do I resist and complain?
  • If others looked at my life, would they recognize me as a disciple of Jesus in the same way people recognized Michael Jordan as a disciple of basketball?
Natalie Conseur
In Path To Sunday

20th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Luke 12:49

Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!

Readings for Sunday: Jeremiah, Hebrews, Luke

Reflection:

We all get passionate about something. It might be the Cubs, our careers, or celebrity gossip just to name a few. But Jesus calls us to be on fire for Him. In Luke 12:49, He declares, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” His “baptism” is his Passion, Death and Resurrection.

We look at our world and see violence, division, and death. Humanity has a problem. If someone offered a cure for death itself, wouldn’t you be excited? Jesus does exactly that. One challenge for us in appreciating what Jesus does for us is that we don’t properly understand death. A human is the unity of body and soul; death, a consequence of sin, is the tearing apart of a human, the separation of body and soul. When Jesus, in his humanity, rose from the dead, his human body and soul were reunited and transformed to live forever. He now offers a share in his new life, to all of us: we too can be resurrected to live forever in and with him.

For that reason, our relationship with Jesus must be primary, even to our relationship with our family. Our relationship with Jesus is not opposed to our relationship with our family members; in fact, when we authentically love Jesus, we will authentically love our family even more! However, there is an order of precedence, and hence Jesus’ admonition: “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided… a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter…” We must be on fire with the love of Jesus, even if our family members do not approve, as it is Jesus who is the source of everlasting life.

Reflection Questions

  • What does it mean for me personally to be “on fire” for Jesus, and what habits in my daily life show that my relationship with Him is my highest priority?
  • In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about division because of Him. How do I love and try to maintain unity with others, while putting Christ first?
  • If my faith is like a fire that needs tending, what practical steps can I take this week to “stoke” that fire so that it doesn’t grow lukewarm or cold?
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