“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Several famous people have been quoted as saying that too many people today know the price of everything and the value of nothing. These people would be classified as cynics. The idea that anyone in the “real world” should even consider ethical, moral, philosophical, or cultural values to be on a par with financial or economic ‘value’ appears whimsical, sentimental, even romantic. Hard-nosed, sensible, rational, practical people know otherwise. It’s all about money, “they” say…But is it really? The words of the Gospel make it very clear to us that God will have the first and last word. “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”
The spiritually dead are all around us. They may look alive and have plenty of possessions, even looks and money, but this does not ensure life, especially eternal life. It is precisely the “age of this world” that promotes the misguided philosophy that you are what you have. We do not belong to things. We do not essentially consist of material realities because, in the end, all we will have could never be measured, touched, or counted. Our soul is what is of supreme value.
Greed makes us servants of possessions. We could easily remember this by the quote that “we can’t be possessed by our possessions.” Yet it happens all around us precisely because people have already decided which God they will serve. Greed makes the false and empty promise that things and possessions can save and bring us to eternal happiness and peace. The best way to avoid all this is to pray in thanksgiving to the One who gives us everything we have. If we keep remembering that all I have comes from God, then I cannot and will not forget how wonderfully generous my God is to me.
Leave a comment“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” Socrates
“Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Depending on how you view the scene, this question has traveled down throughout the centuries as famous or infamous. It has become a famous question because it almost always begins the age-old discussion about the relationship between the Church and the Government, or the State. It has become infamous because of the sinister motivation behind the ones asking this “trick question” of Jesus. “Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, ‘Why are you testing me?'”
Both perspectives are actually beneficial for us on the journey toward Heaven. The discussion about the Church-State relationship is important to distinguish authority, power, and the greater good of society. The Church should never be in the business of governing and the Government should not be established as a spiritual force that mandates or even polices morality. And in this same paragraph, it is important to remember that not everyone who asks “religious” questions is really out for a religious outcome. People can hide behind the veil of piety just to be right, access power, or obtain the upper hand in any given situation. Our First Reading gives us plenty of insight on following a straight and narrow path toward justice and peace: “I am the LORD and there is no other, there is no God besides me.”
As we continue on our spiritual journey, let us keep the Lord always in our sights. What we believe defines who we are. How we act, especially toward each other, announces to the world who we really are and what we truly believe. “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.”
Leave a comment“Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.” Sonia Ricotti
“I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.” There is an interesting connection among three key elements that Jesus presents to us today: 1) Denial of God, 2) Denial of the Holy Spirit, and 3) Defense of our Faith. Let’s take them in that order:
First, we are clearly told that if we live as if Jesus never came or we never met Him, we should expect the same treatment; that is, He will do the same. Second, if we speak with words of hatred and defiance against the Holy Spirit and surely against God in any way, shape, or form, we are to expect serious consequences. And lastly, if we neither deny nor defy God, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, but rather live in Him and through Him, then we can and should expect that our very speech, our lives, our thoughts, and all that makes us who we are will be defined by the depth and breadth of our love of God in everyday life. In other words, we will certainly shine.
And here is the major connection: All three warnings and predictions have to do with the NEXT LIFE. Jesus promises if we recognize Him now on earth, He will recognize us later in Heaven. If anyone repeatedly closes their eyes to God and shuts their ears to His voice now, they will most certainly come to a point where they can no longer recognize God, and thus they see evil as good and good as evil even to that tragic point of that person’s last breath in which they could very well miss any chance of living forever with God in eternity, that is, later. Finally, if our deep trust is with the Lord, His Holy Spirit is promised to us as it was to Abraham and all his descendants as we read in the First reading so that we will never have to worry what to say before this world’s authority, now, or to the Authority of Heaven, later.
Question for the Day: What are the two most important moments of our life?
Now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Leave a comment“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.” We can and should say often that the life we have been given, the Christian way toward Heaven, is definitely a work in progress. In some circles, this is called justification. Justification describes the transition from the original state in which we were born into this world (sinfulness) to the state of grace and adoption through Jesus Christ, our Savior (holiness). It is a process. It is something that begins when we first become a Christian, which continues in our life, and which will be completed when we stand before God at the end of our life and on the last day.
“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” And since it is a process, there are certain powerful consequences: First, no one that we meet today will be at the same point at the same time in this process. Second: It can be lost. Third: It can be found again when a believer returns to the faith; and Fourth: It’s probably not a good idea to criticize or judge others based on these previous three points. You see, when it is all said and done, and we all stand before God for the Last Review, EVERYTHING will be out in the open: “Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.” What is crystal-clear is that God loves us more than anything He has created and can’t wait to get us all Home again. See you there!
Leave a comment“Learn to dance, so when you get to Heaven, the Angels know what to do with you.” St. Augustine
“Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter, and you stopped those trying to enter.” There is a strange occurrence in this journey we call life that happens, not to all, but to some, and for those individuals, it is an experience that is hardly forgettable. It involves the selfish, tireless attempt on the part of the spiritually immature, especially those with a little authority, to keep from others what they themselves cannot or will not have. This is what explains, in part, those who seem to make it their life’s work to make other people miserable, especially if they have any perceived power over them. They reason, quite insanely and ineffectively, that if they can not be happy, then no one will be happy. Pathetic. This explains in part why the Pharisees were the virtual enemies of the Lord and, by the matter of extension, of the whole of Christianity, and that is because when one finds the ultimate happiness in one’s relationship with Jesus, the only other response is to share and include as many people in that friendship as possible. The Pharisees and scribes were sort of gnostics who thought they alone had all the precious knowledge necessary for happiness. Wrong again.
“For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.” Unfortunately for us on this great road, the Pharisees still sashay among us with equally morally squalid and foul attitudes of arrogance and condescending acts. But even more fortunately for us, Jesus remains in the world for us to find our way to Heaven with a fullness of mercy and compassion which in turn, is ours to share with each other. Find Jesus and share Jesus. This is the core of evangelization and a very happy way of life.
Leave a comment“No matter what has happened to you in the past or what is going on in your life right now, it has no power to keep you from having an amazingly good future if you will walk by faith in God. God loves you! He wants you to live with victory over sin so you can possess His promises for your life today!” Joyce Meyer
“Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” So how does Jesus respond to our “old friends” today? Well, to say the least, it wasn’t pretty. Why the harshness of the reaction? That’s what happens when we don’t see how incredibly God is working in our lives or in the lives of others. It is the expected consequence when we hide behind the Law and miss the Law-giver in our midst. The people who understand this always rejoice, but the ones who judge and criticize and try to “fix” everyone else except themselves are almost always humiliated. It all depends on the quality of the relationship we have with the Lord Jesus. This is what is meant by this powerful image of walking over someone’s grave, unknowingly. You think you are in the right, but obviously, someone else is being disrespected.
“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” Today, let us first give thanks that Our Lord loves us so much that we are constantly being exposed to the truth in our lives, ugly at times, but always liberating. Second, let us ask again for the courage to see Jesus in others as we look for Him in our own souls. This is definitely the recipe for true happiness.
Leave a comment“Sometimes, you will go through awful trials in your life, and then a miracle happens–God heals you. Don’t be disheartened when the people you love don’t see things like you do. There will be Pharisees in your life that will laugh it off, deny that it happened, or will mock your experience based on righteousness they think you don’t possess. God won’t deny you a spiritual experience because you are not a spiritual leader. He loves everyone equal. The only people that really matter in life are the people that can “see” your heart and rejoice with you.” Shannon L. Alder
“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” There are many among us who swear by the deep, internal cleansing and detoxifying process whereby the poisons and noxious substances are purged from the bloodstream. And while this is neither the time or place to have an intelligent conversation about these purported benefits, it is safe to say that there is a deep and beneficial connection to our spiritual lives. Using another medical analogy, sin and selfishness can creep into our lives like plaque upon our gum lines. Following the Lord and being completely honest with ourselves is like floss, which seeks to go deep and eradicate the hidden filth that seems to accumulate without our realizing it. The Alleluia Verse today also opens the heart to listen carefully in prayer to the promptings and inspiration from the Scriptures: “The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart .”
“Oh, you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.” Another crucial part of a spiritual life filled with integrity is humility and honesty. Many have to come to understand that we are only as sick as our secrets, which basically means that a secret which is kept in the dark usually grows and festers and ultimately destroys a person. The good news is that once it is exposed to light and released, all its ugly power is gone. This is real, long-lasting, and sustainable freedom. Unfortunately, there are people who are proud and refuse to admit that there are issues and areas that are in need of a spiritual detox in order to clear and eradicate this lack of self-knowledge. Tragically, this leads to a growing negativity and self-loathing while keeping them sick and trapped in sinful behavior. The awesome truth about life is this: we are sick and we need Jesus. Once we accept this fact, invite Him into our lives -in every aspect- the battle is more than half-won as he revealed so beautifully: “Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?”
Leave a comment“The spiritual freedom we seek cannot be found by grasping at, retreating to, or protecting our perceived safe spaces. Our freedom lies in remaining open continuously, not only to Life’s changes but also to the Divine Light within us and others. This is our choice. Although often perceived as a weakness, being open and surrendering to the experience of the present moment is our greatest strength. By authentically living Life in the Now, we submit to Divine guidance where we find the freedom to see everything equally and sacred in Truth.” Peter Santos
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” What a powerful image we have been given today as we begin a brand new day in walking with the Lord Jesus! To be so attuned to the voice of Christ and to be so drawn and driven in listening to it, no matter what the cost, is the goal of all who want to find their way to Heaven with the great and powerfully loving assistance of the Good Shepherd. However, this search must not become one of superstition and doubt: “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.” There is no website, Twitter account, or Facebook page that accomplishes the value and depth of speaking and listening directly with the Lord in prayer, strengthened by our daily dose of the Scriptures and Eucharistic nourishment. Let us decide today to make the time and listen intensely to our Master’s voice. He is always ready to start a conversation.
Leave a comment“Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.” Roy T. Bennett
“The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face.” There is such joy and hope in the readings for all of us today. They are words and sounds of hope and love waiting for us. God’s invitation is one of deep love, grace, and miraculous grace. It is not an invitation to do something, nor an invitation to a physical place. It is an invitation to live with a new heart and spirit. When we receive this call, our souls naturally want to rebel and become stubborn. In humility, however, we know our fallen nature, and we then call out for help with the deepest faith that He will answer since he invited us with the grace to help us fulfill the task. The will of God will never take us where the Grace of God will not protect and empower us. “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.”
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.” What a marvelous image of Heaven! It reminds us that the invitation of God is to a feast as joyous as a wedding feast. If we refuse the invitation of Christ, someday, our greatest pain will be not in the things we suffer but in the realization of the precious things we have missed. It also reminds us that when we answer the invitation, we must come ready: “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?”
Jesus, thank you for this awesome invitation! I’m getting ready. Keep the door open. I can’t wait to see You!
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“Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Although our Gospel passage today is quite small, it packs a punch! It should not amaze any of our readers how many times people use words and have no intention of following through with promises or even do anything more than offer empty compliments that go nowhere. This clearly is not of God or the ideal or natural approach to the great gift of speech and communication that we have been given. The situation in our Gospel of today reminds us, among other things, that actions speak louder than words. Think of the people in your life that you can truly count on whenever necessary.
“Then shall you know that I, the LORD, am your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain; Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall pass through her no more.” The selection we have from the Prophet Joel gives us an even more powerful incentive to practice integrity of speech and action. When we give our word, when we make promises, and we extend our trust in the commitments we make, we have the opportunity to confirm who we really are in this world: we belong to Christ!
Leave a comment“People of integrity and honesty not only practice what they preach, they are what they preach.” David A. Bednar
“When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: ‘By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” This encounter that was presented to us today in the Gospel truly relays to us the sense of viciousness and ferocity of the climate into which Jesus Christ (and our King) began His ministry. What we have here is an excellent example of character assassination in the Bible. Jesus addressed the issue in a very beautiful and Messianic way. He confronted evil by the sheer power of his own truth and love and invited those present and us this very day to enter a deeper reflection on the mystery of His Kingdom and the invitation to live there for all eternity.
“Gird yourselves and weep, O priests! Wail, O ministers of the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God!” You see, when individuals are not aware of the evil within their very heart and personality, they project it onto others whom they believe to be the very existence of evil in their own twisted and malformed perspectives. Because the scribes were blind, they were trapped and looked completely foolish and pathetic. We often despise in others what we despise in our own lives. Make sure Jesus lives and moves and breathes in yours.
Leave a comment“Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.” St. Thomas Aquinas
“Then they who fear the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened attentively.” One of the greatest truths and comforting aspects of our journey with the Lord Jesus is that we have been assured time and time again that God listens to all of our prayers all of the time with all the intensity of divine love and immense care for each and every one of us. This is why today we must re-commit and renew our efforts to pray. Prayer is the life of the new heart (CCC 2697). Christians throughout the centuries have maintained three main expressions of prayer: Vocal, Meditation, and Contemplation. Together, they make a phenomenal path to peace and holiness, not to mention sanity:
Vocal: We are body and spirit, so it is important to express our spiritual feelings outwardly [we speak]. Meditation: The mind searches to understand what God is saying [we think, imagine, desire, and feel]. Contemplation: “We are alone with the One who loves us.” [God speaks, we listen and experience]
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” The one who asks through vocal prayer receives; the one who seeks through meditation finds; and the one who knocks at the door of contemplation can change the world one soul at a time.
Leave a comment“A beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord’s pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put in good plants instead. Let us reckon that this is already done when the soul decides to practice prayer and has begun to do so.” Saint Teresa of Avila
As we prepare for yet another wonderful installment of grace and direction, we are served with the timeless and excellent anthem for our spiritual journey in the words of the Lord’s Prayer, known to most of the world as the “Our Father” prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it brilliantly as it teaches that The Lord’s Prayer is truly the summary of the whole gospel. Since the Lord . . . after handing over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, ‘Ask and you will receive,’ and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer [the Lord’s Prayer] is said first, as the foundation of further desires. (2761)
“Our Father who art in heaven,” We acknowledge we are His children.
“hallowed be thy name” We acknowledge the power in His name.
“thy Kingdom come.” We acknowledge and desire His Kingdom.
“thy will be done” We desire to follow God.
“on earth as it is in heaven.” We realize there is this life and the next.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” We ask for all of our needs.
“and forgive us our trespasses,” We beg forgiveness.
“as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We pledge forgiveness.
“and lead us not into temptation,” We ask for courage and strength.
“but deliver us from evil.” We ask for protection from the devil.
Sometime today, even late this evening when all is said and done, reflect slowly on the words of this incredible gift of a prayer and allow the Lord Jesus to hold you safe within his most Sacred Heart.
Leave a comment“When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.” One thing is very clear and actually demanded from the one who hears the call of discipleship to follow Jesus and wishes to answer it: it will always involve a leap of faith, an extra helping of courage, and a sometimes small, sometimes monumental act of faith. Such was the case of Jonah which we heard in our First Reading after he was first charged to warn and issue an apocalyptic message to the Ninevites: “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” This was no easy task, and neither was the awesome, even unexpected outcome: They changed their ways, trusted God through the words of Jonah, and were saved.
In front of this all-encompassing mercy of God that marvels as well as redeems, we can understand and agree with the Psalmist who is so insistent with the only recourse we have when we have made that tumultuous leap of complete trust: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD, LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication.”
The benefits of this leap of faith are then made crystal clear and even more desirable in the Gospel today. The scene there is similar to the many experiences that we have had when something happens to us, which we believe is simply not fair. This is certainly true today in the Gospel with the two famous sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha begins with Jesus suggesting that somehow all of the present tasks and responsibilities have fallen in her lap, while Mary gets a pass. However, in what might be seen as a surprise response, Jesus invites her to be ready to make that leap of faith and trust with all her heart and mind as to the outcome. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is a need for only one thing.”
Perhaps we could agree with a statement that was posted in a church lobby some years ago: “When God pushes you to the edge of difficulty, trust Him fully because two things will happen. Either He will catch you when you fall or He will teach you how to fly.”
Leave a commentIn an obvious, sincere, and hopeful attempt to avoid any sadness for us as we move forward in this new month, the Scriptures provide us with an even better reason to continue to work toward a generous, giving heart and a life dedicated to the mercy of our loving Father. And this is wonderfully found in such delightful and poignant details that are found wedged gently within the phrases of the parable that Christ presents to us in the Gospel: That is important when we ask Who is the Good Samaritan? To answer that, let’s look at the story: “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.” The words, a man, in Hebrew, is the same for humanity. That changes things, doesn’t it? So if the story is about humanity that has been jumped by the evil one, then it is Jesus who is the only One who can help, seeing how the Old Priesthood (the unhelpful cleric) and the Old Law (the Levite) cannot help by themselves. So He approaches the victim, coming down as He did from Heaven in Bethlehem (Christmas), pours wine and oil in the wound (Sacramental Life) lifts the wounded, lifts him upon His own animal (becomes Human through the Incarnation), takes him to an inn (The Church), leaves two coins, (Scripture and Tradition) and then utters those immortal words by promising that He’ll take care of everything “on my way back” (The End of the World, or Apocalypse). So in a phrase, what does this all mean? The Psalm gives us the words for the prayer that will lead us to lasting joy: “In your great kindness answer me with your constant help. Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness: in your great mercy turn toward me.”
Jesus gifted us with the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” Look around everyone at work, school, and in your immediate and not-so-immediate circle of friends and family. There they are. Those who are near to you (nigh) are your neighbors. Be the Good Samaritan to them. Be Jesus!
Leave a comment“The world needs a sense of worth, and it will achieve it only by its people feeling that they are worthwhile.” Mr. Fred Rogers.
Every year for about nine months or so, children of all ages return to the classroom at their prospective schools. Every morning, the ritual of preparation and departure is being formed and lived out, only to serve as a lifelong format for these soon-to-be adults trekking out into the real world of hard knocks and challenges. How did you prepare for school? How do you prepare for life? The First Reading has a very wonderful insight into this question for us. “Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who brought this upon you will remember you.”
When you think about it, the way we start, spend our days are nothing more than dress rehearsals for the very life we are offering to God. How we prepare has everything to do with how we end. What were the instructions of Jesus? “Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.” Not the advice you were looking for, was it? However, pull back the covers and the levels of thought within this passage, and what do you find?
Basically, Jesus tells us all that no matter what you put in your suitcase for the journey or even what you forget, you must surely remember to trust Him with everything and for every circumstance and eventuality that you will face. In a word, make sure you take Jesus along for the trip. You will be very glad you did, especially as you enter the final stage of your journey.
Leave a comment“But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; Whom I myself shall see.” Everyone has a mission in life. Everyone spends their life searching for that mission; when they find it, they hang on for dear life. Others never discover it and live out their days in less than quiet desperation. This is what we can gather from the readings today. The Lord has fashioned us and sent us forward into this world for a definite purpose, and that purpose has everything to do with bearing fruit that will last. That means eternal fruit.
This directive is never easy. There will always be those around us who will fight and attempt to destroy the harvest. The First Reading assures every one of us that He will be there to strengthen and guide, and yet, even to protect us from the plotting of those who would pull up the wheat instead of the weeds.
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” We are all called then to respond to this great invitation. Every day presents itself with a new opportunity to spread the Gospel and the message of love and forgiveness that is contained right there all the time.
Leave a comment“Don’t wait for a feeling or love in order to share Christ with a stranger. You already love your heavenly Father, and you know that this stranger is created by Him, but separated from Him, so take those first steps because you love God. It is not primarily out of compassion for humanity that we share our faith or pray for the lost; it is first of all, love for God.” John Piper
Knowing how much God loves us, especially in sending us His Only Begotten Son, it must be quite clear that Jesus has that same desire: spiritual intimacy. “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Maybe there are some of our readers who want to cry out, “Lord, I am here for you. Rest with me!” Perhaps the message here is that we avoid being distracted by anything else while we are on the course of loving, knowing, and serving God. It may sound rude for Jesus to tell us that we should not bury our dead or departed loved ones, or we should not bid our family and friends goodbye when embarking on a journey. But the salient message here is, do not give other people or things more preference over God.
Why do you think we stumble and fall at times? What nervous and erroneous mental distractions come between us and true happiness? What excuses do we offer? It will inevitably come down to whether or not we are people who pray. Some have assembled the main reasons why we do not pray: We think we do not have the time, or that it is important, and or that we think it makes no difference. All these excuses are beyond silly; they are not even true. Today, let us be fed with the wisdom of the Scriptures and make and find the time to pray. The rewards are literally out of this world.
Leave a comment“Intimacy with God is the way to true fulfillment. How do you keep the Enemy from sitting at your table? You keep your eyes on Christ.” Louie Giglio
“War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.” (First Reading) “In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.” (Responsorial Psalm) “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (Gospel)
In the great scheme of things in which God has created everything that is and ever will be, we have Angels. Their name comes from the word that means “messenger.” Since that is true, we can safely assume three very important elements about the Angels and Archangels:
1. There is a Sender of the message
2. There is a recipient of the message, and, finally, and perhaps most importantly
3. There is a message
Today, as we commemorate the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, there may be many things around you that you simply do not or cannot understand. Perhaps you may feel that God has been quiet for an unbearable amount of time. Today’s Feast calls us not only to celebrate the great mystery that is ours and comprises a very personal and wondrous gift, but also to call out to the realm of Angels, clearly led by the great Saint Michael. Be open to receiving grace and help. If it’s at all possible, see if you can find some quiet time. Then Listen. You and I have got more than just mail: we have a powerful message!
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God,
Thrust into hell, Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Leave a comment“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!” Our Scriptures open up with one of the most memorable quotes ever uttered by the long-suffering and monumentally patient character of Job, who continues to infuse our thinking and day-to-day living with remarkable and helpful insights which we desperately need in this frenetic world. We are speaking here about a healthy, totally God-centered, confident detachment from all the forces of darkness and disappointment that cause us or at least temp us to worry and lose hope as we make our way in our Spiritual lives toward Heaven. This is not always easily accomplished because as adults, we feel very often that we must work for, attain, and operate with “full control” of any given situation.
“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” And once again, Jesus the Lord crowns these wonderful hopes and dreams for a much simpler, holier, and healthier way of life by asking all of us to recall and relive what it means to be a child at heart. This is quickly to be distinguished from being childish but rather exhibiting an amazing disposition whereby trust in God is the way the day begins and ends. When we receive and accept this portion of our personality and truly learn to live in the moment and be here right now, we will understand why Jesus loved children so much and why He loves us in that very same and innocently trusting way.
Leave a comment“Faith walks simply, childlike, between the darkness of human life and the hope of what is to come.” Catherine Doherty
“Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?” The entire wealth of the Holy Scriptures is replete with commentaries on how human beings have sought earnestly to understand the Will of God. Sometimes, those searches yield great findings, but in others, as we read in the First Reading, they result in almost comical results. How can anyone say that God is unfair?
“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” Perhaps a great part of the lesson we are to learn today from the Scriptures is that we must truly empty ourselves of all that might and actually block our view of the world in light of God’s presence in it. If we assess all of reality through our own mortal and weak lenses, we will find ourselves lost and angry. “Rather, he emptied himself..”
“Which of the two did his father’s will?” Such was the episode when the Incarnate Word of God, Jesus, steps into the Gospel with riveting action. Our great teacher, Jesus, reminds us again that well done is always better than well said and that actions speak louder than words.
Leave a comment“Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.” Robert Louis Stevenson
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.” There once was this criminal who had been accused of a crime and sentenced. He was sent to the king for his punishment. The king told him he had a choice of two punishments. He could be hung by a rope or take what’s behind the big, dark, scary, iron door. The criminal quickly decided on the rope. As the noose was being slipped on him, he turned to the king and asked. “By the way, out of curiosity, what’s behind that door?” The king laughed and said, “You know, it’s funny, I offer everyone the same choice, and nearly everyone picks the rope.” “So,“ said the criminal, “Tell me. What’s behind the door? I mean, obviously, I won’t tell anyone,“ he said, pointing to the noose around his neck. The king paused, then answered, “Freedom, but it seems most people are so afraid of the unknown that they immediately take the rope.”
“Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.“ As we conclude yet another day, month, and year of our lives, our thoughts and attention will draw ever closer to the gifts awaiting us in the days we still have left here on earth. Today, without worry or anxiety, let us examine the place and power of fear in our lives and adopt the childlike trust and faith in our loving God:
I read once that people really do not fear the unknown; rather, they fear what they think they know about the unknown. That always made sense to me: Fear is truly useless. It has stalled great decisions and prevented great people from rising above the wickedness and pettiness around them. Do you remember how much damage was inflicted when people allowed fear to decide their future? Religious leaders plotted and conspired to murder; healed people turned on their Healer; strong Apostles (for the most part) fled, denied, and betrayed their Master. However, now, the scenes have changed: the miracle of the Resurrection of Jesus has allowed once fearful people to change their thinking and readjust their life paths. The words of the Alleluia Verse have become the lyrics of a new song in the hearts of those who believe: “Our Savior Christ Jesus destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.”
Leave a comment“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” Nhat Hanh
“Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the LORD of hosts; And in this place I will give you peace, says the LORD of hosts!” This passage from the Prophet Haggai reinforces the claim that there is an overall, far-reaching providential care that always accompanies our walk in this life and that by trusting this assertion, we can be assured of great peace and the seeds of a happy and fulfilled life. No longer can we ask with the air of disappointment and despair, “why do all these things happen to me?” By trusting in the heavenly care God has for us and the ultimate sacrifice paid by His Son, Jesus, we do not ask, “Why me?” but rather, “What now?!”
“But who do you say that I am?” This larger-than-life question that yields magnificent results is found in only one and basically rudimentary position. Who we think Jesus is surpasses any philosophy or self-help mantra in existence. Once we realize who He is, we will come to find the most wonderful peace and happiness ever imagined because we will have discovered why He came. He came for me!
Leave a comment“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” Leo Tolstoy
“Thus he has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.” It is important to remember that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah played an important role in encouraging the Jewish people and their leaders to return to their homeland and rebuild the Jerusalem Temple following the Babylonian Exile. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah are also key literary sources on the Restoration of the Jewish religious community. What our First Reading underscores is both quite simple and beautiful: The ultimate depth of any of our prayers must slowly and surely reach the ultimate surrender of everything to the One who made us out of pure love. This sentiment is captured throughout the Psalm of today and is echoed brilliantly and with great comfort throughout the Gospels. The rain must fall, but with dawn comes rejoicing because of the very One who died for us.
“Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.” And how do we know all this is true? Jesus lived it and won for us the crown of victory, which is custom-shaped to each one of us depending on our own situations and life settings. We also have countless examples of Saints like St. Vincent de Paul, who lifted up the poor and hungry and sought to educate the clergy. Suffering will always be with us, which means that we must always seek to understand the deep misery of despair, unite those sufferings to Jesus, and thus reach the other side of glory. Consider this from St. Teresa of Calcutta on the occasion of her first visit to the United States:
I suppose that some of you are feeling that you would have to buy a plane ticket and travel to India if you were to give effective help to the poor. There is no need. The poor are right here in your own country… In developed nations like yours, there is an abundance of food. But there is often a famine of the heart due to a lack of love. The victims of this famine of love are the new poor. And who are these poor people? They are the people sitting next to you.
Look around you today. There are others who are hurting. Together we are going to win this. Jesus promised.
Leave a commentAre You My Mother? is the story about a hatchling bird. His mother, thinking her egg will stay in her nest where she left it, leaves her egg alone and flies off to find food. The baby bird then hatches and does not understand where his mother is, so he goes to look for her. As he lacks the ability to fly, he walks, and in his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are his mother, but none of them are. This quaint and well-known children’s story helps us remember the nearly same kind of question hurled at Jesus in the Gospel today. People thought that since the Virgin Mary and other close family members were asking for Him, that Jesus would respond immediately; however, His response was nearly puzzling on first impressions: “He said to them in reply, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.'” We could repeat with the cute story the same question in an entirely different and mesmerizing context: “God, are you my mother, my brothers, sisters, family?” The answer, however, is as mystifying as it is clarifying: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” You see, it is not the family tree replete with flesh and blood nuances and connections that brings us closer to God, but our fidelity to what He says and following what He does.
“I rejoiced because they said to me, ‘We will go up to the house of the LORD.’ And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem.” All of us want family, and we seek security in one way or another. We need intimacy to discover our place in the world and make a healthy connection with others, especially with God. What is the foundation of such levels of relationship? Fidelity and obedience. We feel and exist closer to the Lord the more we follow Him and live in the light of His love, starting with our desire and success to forgive even the deepest of pains in this life, especially betrayal. Interestingly enough, the way the little short story ends and the way our own lives will find their conclusion are very similar. In the children’s book, the little bird dramatically returns to its nest just as its mother returns. The two are reunited, much to their delight, and the baby bird recounts to his mother the adventures he had looking for her. Imagine your own homecoming to Jesus in Heaven and all the stories you’ll share as you spent a lifetime looking for Him, too.
“Of course, God does not consider you hopeless. If He did, He would not be moving you to seek Him (and He obviously is). What is going on with you at present is simply the beginning of the treatment. Continue seeking with cheerful seriousness. Unless He wanted you, you would not be wanting Him.” C. S. Lewis
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“I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received.” How can we say that someone who is a prisoner is actually in a good place? This would have to be determined by a number of factors, such as the prison itself, the prisoner, and, of course, the jailer. On this beautiful Tuesday, we have encountered such a mission of understanding and belief that will hopefully expand our notions of faith and to the awesome extent that Jesus loves us. “…with all humility and gentleness, with patience.” The word “prison” has been defined in some circles as a state of confinement while awaiting trial. In many ways, we could stretch that meaning just a bit and see how life itself can be a sort of prison because we are confined in space and time, awaiting the final judgment of all that we have said and done while here on this earth. Thus, while we are “confined” we have been given instructions while we are here. We are to be humble and gentle and as much can be grasped, patient with as many as possible. “…bearing with one another through love.” If we see everyone in our lives as fellow prisoners, then we could find the strength and the power to love because we are all awaiting the same trial. That in and of itself will bring us to unity and peace: “…striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
“Go and learn the meaning of the words; I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” On this great Feast of St. Matthew, this particular phrase from the Gospel describes and determines the attitude of the “jailer” in our little analogy of this Reflection. God has placed us here on earth “in confinement,” and Jesus will come one day to lead us out of this existence to another, which is complete and eternal freedom. In the meantime, then, we are to concentrate on living, acting with, and living in mercy. Showing mercy to each other is indeed a pledge and promise that mercy will be shown to us.
Leave a comment“Teach me to feel another’s woe, To hide the fault I see; That mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me.” Alexander Pope (from The Universal Prayer)
It has been posited that there is no real justice on this side of Heaven. We can look at our human history to see a glimpse of that when we remember that slavery, Apartheid, and the horrible Holocaust were legal. Abortion is today a legal matter. With that in mind, we could conclude that legality is a matter of power rather than justice. This is why we begin our Reflection today by remembering and echoing the great cry for justice that is open to all of us: “Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near.” But how would we accomplish such a thing? The clue follows shortly today as well: “Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
To bring this discussion to more concrete terms, the Gospel of the day gives us such rich morsels to ponder, wonder, and then act: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.” The vineyard is clearly a metaphor for life in the Kingdom and where we should plant ourselves squarely in it. But there is some element of injustice there, isn’t there? The people who started out early in the morning received the same wage as those who worked just an hour. Does that seem fair? Of course not, IF this was a lesson in macroeconomics (which it is not). Remember, it is about the mysterious life in the Kingdom where not everyone has the same amount of talents, gifts, or even opportunities, yet everyone is accountable for what they do with what they have. Thus, jealousy and envy are vicious poisons that can kill the life of the Spirit in the one trying to follow Jesus. The wages at stake (even at the moment of Jesus’ first telling of the parable) are not actual daily wages for vineyard laborers but forgiveness, life, and salvation for believers. Seen like this, it really does not matter when a person receives them, whether early or late in life, as long as they do find them before the end of the day, the final call, death, that is. The key here is to get working in the Kingdom as soon as possible, no matter who is first, second, third, fourth, etc…
Leave a comment“Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:
- I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
- I shall fear only God.
- I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
- I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
- I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.”
Mahatma Gandhi
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; Give thanks to him; bless his name.” What does it signify or suggest when we take a walk? First, we can safely assume that we need to get outside of our routine and even ourselves to achieve a fresh perspective on our lives, and even cleanse the soul of any negative or destructive attitudes or thoughts. Secondly, we walked where it was safe and perhaps even invited someone we trusted and loved to accompany the stroll with us. And finally, and by no means the end of possible answers, we knew that something good would come of this walk if only to find peace and comfort, even exercise. All this applies beautifully to the image of entering the gates of the Lord and making sure that our deeds are worthy of light. This is what it means to live a healthy and holy life.
“When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. ‘A sower went out to sow his seed.” In the Gospel today, there were many people “out for a walk,” and this time they met Jesus. He told them a great, meaningful story about yet another person who went out on a walk, this time to sow seeds. Depending on where the seed landed determined the outcome. Here again is yet another wonderful image of life itself. We are all walking through many different situations and circumstances. What we do during these “life walks” and what we plant will determine not only how the day will end, but also how each life will finish and be judged: “But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.”
Leave a comment“Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn, and you will.” Vernon Howard
“Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.” This Gospel passage is interesting because it is another mention in the Gospel of Luke where we hear about demonic possession. The ancient world believed that the air was thickly populated with evil spirits which sought entry into everyone. Often, they did enter through food or drink. All illness was caused by them. The Egyptians believed there were thirty-six different parts of the human body, and any of them could be entered and controlled by one of these evil spirits. There were spirits of deafness, of dumbness, of fever; spirits that took a man’s sanity and wits away; spirits of lying and of deceit and of uncleanness. It was such demons that Jesus exorcised here.
“For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.” However dramatic or dark, this topic of confronting evil and evil spirits is good for each and every one of us because every day is a challenge and a struggle to live this life and walk this walk. We live in a world where darkness and terror can overcome us unless we hold the Light of Christ within us; we will indeed be swallowed up in despair. Thus, the battle of light and darkness is not just outside of us; it is also within us. And we have Jesus, especially in the Eucharist, to help us move forward in faith. Evil is not sustainable because it has already been defeated. It is now up to us to join the winning, victorious team.
Leave a comment“Be careful when fighting against evil that you don’t become evil yourself.” Marty Rubin
“Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” St. Paul makes it very clear, most emphatically, in his Letter to Timothy that humanity is lost without the Gospel. And yet, he warns all of us Christians that we cannot hide behind precepts and regulations and mount some kind of superior plane or landing from which to judge people and forget that we, that is, all of humanity, are in the same boat. Clearly, we have no right to judge other people just because they do not sin like we do. St. Paul explains that the final judgment will be a review of performance, not of privilege. From this perspective, everyone stands on an equal footing with each other, and thus, we cannot realistically condemn others without condemning ourselves.
“Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” St. Luke continues and completes this thought for us by making sure that the Pharisees know that mere possession of laws is no evidence of virtue. Mark Twain once responded to a man who was going to the Holy Land to see where the Ten Commandments were given with, “Why don’t you just stay home and live them?” Good point, Mr. Clemens.
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” “The worst prison,” St. John Paul wrote, “would be a closed heart,” and this is precisely why you and I must know the difference between judging and admonishing. Arrogant judgment condemns because it is motivated by pride; admonishing the sinner liberates because it is motivated by love. Each produces very different results: “So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.”
Leave a comment“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” St. Teresa of Calcutta
“We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we sang a dirge, but you did not mourn.” Unfortunately, there are many around us who hear the refrains of hope and salvation that you and I hear, but continue to go forward blindly. We must pray for each other constantly until that day that we all see clearly what Christianity and following Jesus really means, and what greatness in Heaven and eternal life is just waiting for us. Today, you and I must be that voice, that speaker to announce the Good News: Jesus Christ is Lord!
“But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” Life has a lot to do with listening. Think of all the different sounds we hear every single day. We listen for important announcements and information that we deem pertinent to us. We also listen to the voices of those whom we love. So does God: What we hear during this great adventure following the Lord is the call to get real with our lives and with each other. There are many other voices shouting out at us all year long. Only one voice matters: “I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights.”
Leave a comment“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia
“Do not weep.” Today, the Scriptures give us what may appear two very different topics and issues to examine and apply to our spiritual lives. However, after some considerable time resting with each of them, one from the Letter of Timothy and the Gospel from St. Luke, there is in fact a very deep and moving connection. Let’s begin:
The first selection is really all about the qualifications for service. What it takes to be a good bishop and a good deacon are at the center of the instruction, and in this piece of advice, we can spot at least one important similarity. To be effective and integral in ministry, the very hand of Christ to all, there must be two areas of life that are solid and sincere for the would-be bishop or deacon and (by means of deduction) all who would rise to authority in the Church. Their own family life and their worldview, that is, the understanding of human nature and how Jesus seeks even today to redeem it. Why the need for this? Consider these three possible inerrant and unhealthy desires for service:
1. There is the desire for prestige. When anyone works for God, prestige will be the last thing that should enter the equation. A servant in the Church does not want the approval of everyone, just God.
2. There is the desire for position: There are those who serve within the Church who really not think of those they serve, but only themselves. This is selfish.
3. There is a desire for importance: Anyone entering ministerial service and expecting constant thanks and recognition has clearly lost the mark. If anyone gives only to gain something out of the giving for themselves has unfortunately undone anything good that was attempted, especially comforting the afflicted.
This is fundamentally crucial because the world that desperately seeks the face of Jesus must address and manage the relationship between love and fear. Perhaps our point of departure could be the investigation of their opposites. Many believe that the opposite of love is hate, but I think there would be an overwhelming gush of contrary opinions about that analysis, especially from those who have lived more than a handful of years. The opposite of love is really apathy. Apathy has been described in several places as a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. What about the opposite of fear? Again, in some places, that answer has been revealed as assurance and/or confidence.
What about the opposite of fear? A person who is unafraid has the assurance that there is no real basis for fear. We could call that confidence or true acceptance of how things are. That does not mean that we do not experience the emotion of fear, but rather we confront it with assurance, no matter how we feel. The great General Patton said, “All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty.”
Let’s hold on to those thoughts as we move to reflect on the meaning of the Gospel today: “Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.“ Anyone who wishes to follow the Lord, serve His Church, and comfort the mourning and suffering must have their heart in the right place. Otherwise, the world will just keep on suffering and even worse, fall pathetic prey to the wolves of the world.
You and I face storms every single day. Sometimes they take the form of horrible traffic jams, excruciating headaches, disappointments at work and in our relationships, even “life or death, “do or die“ situations. It’s dark and terrifying. So are we afraid and why? If the opposite of fear has to do with having God “in us,“ then perhaps the remedy for you and me not only has to do with seeing and experiencing Jesus walking on the stormy water towards us but also getting up, shaking off the emotional baggage and walking toward Him as well. This is why Jesus came and called and keeps calling gallant and selfless people to serve the Gospel and wipe the tears from our own faces and lives.
Perhaps He is calling you.
Leave a commentWhat is the mystery of suffering? Maybe we should begin with the penalty for complaining. It did not go well for the people in the First Reading: “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.” The problem was simple: they forgot how good God had been to them and just focused on the things in the present moment without giving thanks to the One who always took care of them. Thus, the Psalmist made it clear to them and us what we must all do: “Do not forget the works of the Lord!”
None of us likes to suffer. We avoid pain and discomfort. Our whole society and culture are seemingly built around the basic premise that we must avoid all pain. The problem, however, is simple and tragic. No one can avoid suffering. No one can escape death. The simple message of today is this: Life is not a question about whether or not you are going to suffer; it is a question of HOW. We who believe in Jesus know the answer to that question. We suffer WITH Him so we can RISE with Him. “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
“Which path will I take today? Whose promise will I place my entire trust?
Leave a commentWhen it is all over, you will not regret having suffered; rather, you will regret having suffered so little, and suffered that little so badly.” St. Sebastian Valfre
Violets are a bizarre and eccentric kind of flower. If one could say that they have quirks, one must point to the fleeting and puzzling aroma of these highly recognizable purple flowers. Without launching into a lesson in botany, it is sufficient to reveal that these flowers contain a ketone compound called ionone, which temporarily desensitizes the nose’s receptors, thus preventing any further scent from being detected from the flower until the nerves recover. Admirers will only sense the smell of violets for a few moments before the ionone “blinds” the senses. Then the aroma miraculously returns just as fragrant as before.
Mark Twain must also have known of this phenomenon as he once commented: “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” Thus, forgiving our neighbor may be fleeting, hard to grasp or comprehend, but always pleasant and surprising as it returns to the one who forgives.
“‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.'” Maybe we could say that the most effective Gospel-inspired at our disposal is our desire and ability to forgive. Life has the potential to become much more pleasant and wonderful when we learn to accept the apology we may never receive. It is a profound virtue.
Leave a comment“This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Lip service is no service at all. We can believe that actions prove who someone is, while their words just prove who they want to be. Nothing prospers when evil is done in the sight of the Lord, especially from those from whom so much more is expected. So what are we to make of all this in application to our spiritual lives?
Again, the Gospel takes us even deeper: “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock.” So here we have the trifecta of a very successful spiritual life: listen, act, repeat. Everyone hears something; not everyone listens. Everyone does something, but not everyone acts within the will of God. In the end, everything will depend on where we place our belief and trust and where we build the foundation upon which we will die. We know what happens to those who build on sand. Disaster, plain and simple. Building on Jesus the Rock means everything!
Leave a comment“To build your house on rock is to hear what Jesus says and obey. To be foolish and build your house on sand is to hear and ignore.” Kevin DeYoung
“You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.” Today, we are being treated to a very famous morsel of Scripture quotes that most people have heard, even if they have never read anything else in the Bible. Perhaps much of its popularity is due in part to the widespread experience that everyone has with this issue. We could ask ourselves what is truly the problem with hypocrisy? When someone condemns the sinful behavior of others and then engages in the very same behavior, we seem to lose it, or at least, some of the time. Obviously, it is objectionable to realize that someone is not practicing what they are preaching, but it goes much deeper than that: a hypocrite is trying to convince us that they are more holy, righteous, and moral than the rest of the people. This is what makes it so hateful and repulsive on practically every level imaginable.
“I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry.” For those of us who sincerely try to follow Jesus and live by the Gospel, we must be convinced that our behavior shapes our personality and, therefore, all of our moral and otherwise important decisions in life. The scriptures clearly show the track record of those who have abandoned their own set of values and goals toward Heaven, and those who never gave up, even though it was tough at times to stay focused and faithful. It is all about balance and humility. Jesus wants us all in Heaven, and every day we are either moving closer or further away from this awesome destiny of ours. Today, let us carry Jesus deep within our souls so that we do or say nothing that would displease him. This is the challenge and fruit of being loving people who love God and our neighbor. It is truly an exciting adventure.
Leave a comment“Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” Warren W. Wiersbe
It may take the death of someone very dear to us, or some horrendous tragedy, or a life-altering disappointment, to finally take us to the brink of existence to realize that we truly belong to God. Some of us have been blessed from the beginning with a child-like and total trust in God, but for many of us, it seems as if we have to grow gradually into that space where we know without a doubt that 1. God exists, 2. He made me, and 3. I can trust my entire life to Him. St. Paul, in our First Reading, was one of those totally trusting God-fearing individuals. Yet, he was also ready to beg forgiveness for straying from the fold: “And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body.” The two apparently opposing attitudes are actually quite linked in the depths of love and mercy; a person who loves God completely understands. Love and mercy are essential elements of a holy, happy, and healthy life in Christ.
No one can claim seriously that they are “self-made.” That simply is not possible. We did not create ourselves as much as some might insist. Precisely because God created and designed and loved us all into existence means that we belong to Him. We can trust that. “Stop judging, and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned, …For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” When one trusts the Lord with everything they have and acknowledges their sinfulness and failings before the Lord, they are much less ready to judge and short-change the people around them. Thus, the same standards we apply to others will indeed be applied to us, one way or another, sooner or later. Since we deeply and fundamentally belong to God, then we have an even stronger and more compelling reason to get along with each other and practice what we preach. Since ALL have been created by God, then ALL have equal dignity, and the more we can recognize that quality in everyone, even if they themselves do not see it, the closer we come to fulfilling the destiny God has invited us to follow.
Leave a comment“The more you know yourself, the more patience you have for what you see in others.” Erik Erikson
“Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.” Right. The selfish parts of our existence are what make us increasingly unhappy and yearning for solutions that never work, never last, and leave us worse than ever before. That’s the way it used to be. That may be the way some were raised or learned how to act after so many disappointments and stabs in the back. It sure does take a lot of energy, though, and living by God’s love and not by “whatever makes me happy.” “Because of these, the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.” Seriously? How is this done, especially in a world where immorality, impurity, and greed are rules of the game of life for so many? What Jesus is asking us to do is not something impossible or unnatural. It is the only thing that makes sense and will bring peace to me and those whom I love. Today and every day, we are challenged to live a life in a loving way, refusing to be controlled by negative attitudes and imitating Christ Jesus in every way possible and in any given situation.
Our call today is simple: “Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.” This will not be easy, but it is not impossible either. The rewards are amazing. It is a phenomenal way to live precisely because it is a call and a challenge to do everything in our power to imitate God in extending our love, respect, and forgiveness impartially and unconditionally to everyone, especially to the ones who render injustice and sorrow upon us. “Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.”
“Stand up for Truth, even if you stand alone.” Suzy Kassem
Leave a commentToday we celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and there are so many presents to open! Let us begin our festive spiritual birthday celebration. First, from the Catechism: (487) What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ. (490) To become the mother of the Savior, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.” The angel Gabriel, at the moment of the annunciation, salutes her as “full of grace”. (Luke 1:28) In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God’s grace. (491) Through the centuries, the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. (492) The “splendor of an entirely unique holiness” by which Mary is “enriched from the first instant of her conception ”comes wholly from Christ: she is “redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son.” The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and chose her “in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:3-4) (493) The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God “the All-Holy” and celebrate her as “free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature.” By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.
Secondly, the only starting point in every and any discussion about the Blessed Virgin Mary is Jesus Christ, her Son. This must always be the focus of our conversation and understanding of who she is and why she is pivotal and critical to our understanding of Jesus and what He accomplished for all of humanity. It starts with the Garden of Eden, described in the first chapters of Genesis, when Satan, the leader of all the fallen angels, tempts Eve to first doubt her trust in the Lord and then disobey Him. Both she and Adam were permitted to eat from all the trees in Paradise except ONE. The devil, however, was not to have its’ intended and avaricious victory as the Lord made it clear that this was not the end of the battle for the soul of humanity: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers,” speaking of the ultimate combat between the forces of evil and the offspring of the descendant of Eve, who is Mary, the Mother of Jesus Our Redeemer. Thus, the “Tree of Good and Evil” is transformed into the “Tree of Life,” the wood of the Cross upon which Jesus died to “free us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray.” (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) So if Jesus is the New Adam (Romans 5:14), then clearly Mary is the New Eve. Eve = Mother of all the Living & Mary = Mother of the Church (The Body of Christ to whom she gave birth.)
Thirdly, A Tale of Two Angels: We know who the serpent in the Garden of Eden was. We all read about it in the Book of Revelation: “Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail, and there was no longer any place for them in Heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.” (Chapter 12:7-9) Let’s take a good look at these two angels: The serpent in the Garden of Eden and the Angel Gabriel. One approached Eve, the other, The Virgin Mary, with two very different outcomes! Satan tricked Eve by rephrasing what God had forbidden Adam and her to approach; Gabriel’s announcement (Annunciation) was met with serious questions from Mary: “But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” (Luke 1:29). Eve’s response to the fallen angel/demon: Distrust and Disobedience. Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel: Trust and Obedience: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1) The aftermath of Eve’s choice: Death entered the world; the aftermath of Mary’s choice: Life entered the world.
Finally, the significance for our Faith: The Church has long believed and taught that the Virgin Mary had to have been preserved from any stain of sin, just as Eve was. It is also crystal-clear that God had a tremendous plan involving this woman from Nazareth who would have had to have been free from any pretext or pride when being asked to be the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of God. And her own body was to be free from any of sin’s dark shadows because it would be in the very recesses of her human body that Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, would dwell for nine months. How could it be different?
So consider this in your prayers today in commemorating the wonderful birthday of the Mother of Jesus: 1. God has a magnificent plan for me, and it started from the beginning of time. 2. He sent His only Son to die for me, both Divine like God and human like me (thanks to the obedience of the Virgin Mary). 3. I am created to live on this earth to accomplish as much as I can while I am alive, with the great assistance of the Mother of God, “now and the hour of my death.” 4. After I die, I will be made pure and stainless to live in Heaven forever as was Mary to carry Jesus in her womb.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us! Happy Birthday!
Leave a comment“On a certain sabbath, Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.” In the Gospel today, especially in light of the traditional honor of work on this Labor Day, we witness yet another pathetic example of hypocrisy taken to its unusual conclusion. Clearly, these people were as close as a dead oyster. The scribes and Pharisees would rather a man suffer with a horribly deformed hand than be cured on the Sabbath. This is because they prefer to maintain a deformed view of reality, and others suffer because they do not fit into their constructs and mindsets. You see, the Sabbath is much more than law, but truly a gift of God’s care for all of us. He rested on the seventh day not out of fatigue but to show how a fruitful life should be lived, with enough time for re-creation and renewal. Our redemption from sin and death is truly the work of God and not us. He has literally “done all the work.” Now, for this glorious break, He wants us to enjoy it!
You and I, unfortunately, tend to rush through our busy week, maybe offering God a fleeting wave or a passing prayer. Sunday, the Sabbath, however, calls us to true and thought-out decisions with real intention. We are simply to stop all the other things we had to do or must do or have to do, and spend quality time with Him and focus attention on Him. When we decide to obey, that is, listen to the Fourth Commandment, we become aware of the astounding and comforting truth that we belong to God. It is not the Sabbath that we worship but the One who has initiated the Sabbath as we swim in a sort of memorial in time, a useful tool to help us focus our attention on our awesome destiny. It has a great chance of avoiding spiritual withering within us and awakens the great promise of our Faith: “Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened.”
On all Sundays, try to remember this Reflection. Consider taking a different approach to the Sabbath and letting God be at peace with you and for you. Cut out any unnecessary activity and focus on your hope of Heaven. Then perhaps we may truly appreciate St. John’s blessing for us, as cited from his Gospel in the Alleluia Verse of today: “My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. “
Leave a comment“A life built upon Sabbath is contented because in rhythms of rest we discover our time is full of the holiness of God.” Shelly Miller
“..and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.” When we think of the experience of finally getting into Heaven, one of the more exciting images that we have been given is that of seeing God face-to-face. Amazingly, this is the unique blessing many in the Scriptures and Church History have experienced. But before getting that far, we must remember our awesome, heavy responsibility for each other. If we do not speak up against sin and injustice, we will be held responsible for the same evil we witness and often complain about in this life.
“Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.” And yet, although not as dramatic or special-effects oriented it may not be, our prayer life gives us the next best option to becoming face-to-face with God and preparing our way to that magnificent relationship with Him in Heaven. Jesus Himself guaranteed that our prayer is powerful, effective, and real: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Leave a comment“The soul can split the sky in two and let the face of God shine through.” Edna St. Vincent Millay
“While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.” In the Gospel today, we witness yet another pathetic example of hypocrisy taken to its unusual conclusion. Clearly, these people were as closed up as a dead oyster. This is because they prefer to maintain a deformed view of reality and shove others who do not fit into their constructs and mindsets. You see, the Sabbath is much more than law, but truly a gift of God’s care for all of us. He rested on the seventh day not out of fatigue, but to show how a fruitful life should be lived, with enough time for re-creation and renewal. Our redemption from sin and death is truly the work of God and not us. He has literally “done all the work.” Now, for this glorious break, He wants us to enjoy it!
You and I, unfortunately, tend to rush through our busy week, maybe offering God a fleeting wave or a passing prayer. Sunday, the Sabbath, however, calls us to true and thought-out decisions with real intention. We are simply to stop all the other things we had to do or must do or have to do, and spend quality time with Him and focus attention on Him. When we decide to obey, that is, listen to the Fourth Commandment, we become aware of the astounding and comforting truth that we really belong to God. It is not the Sabbath that we worship but the One who has initiated the Sabbath as we swim in a sort of memorial in time, a useful tool to help us focus our attention on our awesome destiny. It has the great chance of avoiding spiritual withering within us and awakens the great promise of our Faith: “God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death, to present you holy, without blemish.”
On all Sundays of our lives, try to remember this Reflection. Consider taking a different approach to the Sabbath and let God be at peace with you and for you. Cut out any unnecessary activity and focus on your hope of Heaven. Then perhaps we may truly appreciate the blessing of St. John for us as cited from his Gospel in the Alleluia Verse of today: “My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.”
Leave a comment“A life built upon Sabbath is contented because in rhythms of rest, we discover our time is full of the holiness of God.” Shelly Miller
“…for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.” As we have seen so many times before, Jesus often uses concrete and dynamic images to illustrate his point. He was certainly the Master Teacher who constantly made teaching memorable and easily understandable. Likewise, by drawing from examples of everyday life, Jesus, even today, helps his hearers to connect the Gospel with their ordinary experiences.
“Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.” How should we understand Jesus’ reference to wineskins? We are used to buying and storing wine in bottles. In the time of Christ, this was possible but impractical. Glass was a precious material and was usually produced in small quantities. Bottles could not be transported easily, and being a costly material, would have required too much care for the average home. At the time of Christ, liquids would be stored in clay jars or in containers made of animal skin. The latter was particularly convenient for transportation, as they could be carried easily, were lightweight, and would occupy less and less space as the liquid was consumed. Wineskins required a modicum of care, given that after a period of use, the leather would become worn and could easily rupture, especially if filled with unfermented (“new”) wine.
Jesus uses this image to teach us about the new covenant that he inaugurates. You see, a complete and total conversion is necessary in order to “drink the new wine” of salvation and to maintain the level of fidelity and love of God to move forward in life. Without proper care, our souls, too, can become like old, thin wineskins, weakened by sin and spiritual sloth. What would be the point, say, of taking a nice, hot shower after a full day of outdoor labor only to put on the same clothes? Sounds impractical, doesn’t it? The same is true with our souls. They require vigilance and care. The great news today is that the Lord is always at hand, offering us his grace through the sacraments to repair what is broken, strengthen what is weak, and fortify what is healthy.
When have you been open to the Holy Spirit today?
When did you sense strength in your soul?
How did you fight fear with faith?
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” In both the Old and New Testaments, the references to fish and fishing are many and significant. The very fact that the majority of Apostles whom Jesus called to found and build the Church were fishermen is not a causal reference. There are profound reasons that make this quite significant for our own understanding of the Bible and of the Church itself. This also has implications concerning our own individual call to be good and faithful followers of Christ in this world. Let’s explore a few of them:
1. Fishing takes patience: Good things, like waiting for the fish to bite, take time and this is certainly the case with our spiritual lives. Overcoming harmful habits and unhealthy attitudes means that we be patient with ourselves first before moving to evangelize our family and friends.
2. Fishing requires humility: The proverbial description of “the one that got away” and the exaggerated size of the alleged near-catch humorously illustrate the need for humility out on the water and for every Christian out in the world. For the followers of Jesus, there are no more bad days, but certainly, some days are better than others.
3. Fishing involves a team of people: Keep in mind the kind of fishing that is referenced in the Scriptures. It is not the sole figure on the lake with one rod waiting patiently for the long-awaited prize for supper. No, rather the kind of fishing in both the Old and New Testaments involved using nets, large nets, that required a team of people to bring in the haul. This is clearly good when we think that it takes a community gathered in one mind to effectively bring the Gospel to a displaced and broken world.
4. Fishing feeds people: In early Christian churches, the Greek word for fish (ichthus) came to be interpreted as a sort of code word for the name of Jesus. You see, when you take the first letter of each of the Greek words for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior,” they spell “ichthus.” Although we cannot be sure when this identification first began or where it was first introduced, the fish has certainly become a standard Christian symbol. Perfect. We fish for Jesus, we fish with Him, and we bring Jesus to a hungering and starving people, all the while we become closer and closer. “‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.”
Leave a comment“Jesus, like any good fisherman, first catches the fish and then cleans them.” Mark Potter
Each one of us woke up this morning and began this day with literally a million different possibilities as to how our lives would unravel as each minute ticked away. For some, it was a bright and glorious beginning, while for others, problems made their way onto our patch almost immediately. One thing is for certain, however, and that is we all have the same Shepherd: Jesus. We are, in fact, His own loved ones: “Of this you have already heard through the word of truth, the Gospel, that has come to you.” Every single moment of every single day, we belong to Him, and He is always watching over us. That’s the kind of love He has for us, which is why we can echo the words of the Psalmist today in the very depths of our hearts: “I trust in the mercy of God for ever.”
In the Gospel today, Jesus’ healing of the fever-ravaging Simon’s mother-in-law and his confrontation with the demons tells us all right here and right now that He has the power and the love to do the same for each one of us, wherever we are, in whatever station of life. These particular Scriptures call out to do a number of things today: 1) acknowledge He is present to you, 2) lift and present to Him all the matters and people you have to confront today, especially sickness, 3) believe both in His power and love and 4) wait patiently. Perhaps we could say today that we have good news and bad news. The bad news is that we must confront sickness and evil on a daily basis with numbing regularity. The good news is that we are not alone in these confrontations. We carry with us the One who has defeated both now and forever.
Leave a comment“Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love. The message isn’t new, but we haven’t learned to live it yet.” Peace Pilgrim
“Jesus rebuked him and said, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm.” When we look at and study all the moments of the life of Jesus, we realize that The Lord does not introduce anything new in terms of human experiences but rather elevates and imbues tremendous meaning and purpose into them. When evil and the demons of our lives approach, we realize first-hand that we truly need faith in the One who can handle and defeat them. These present themselves as conflicts which call us to make choices:
“But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief.” Every last one of us must face conflicts practically every day of our lives, even if they surface from within us. Therefore, it is not an indication or measurement of how much we are loved when we have issues or problems, but rather what we are going to do with them.
When Jesus calls a person to follow Him, it necessarily involves the fundamental option whether to accept him or to reject him; and the world is always divided into those who have accepted Christ and those who have not. Everyone makes choices every day. This choice, however, affects eternity, and forever is a very, very long time.
Leave a comment“Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” Ronald Reagan
There is a remarkable juxtaposition, a type of literary set of bookends in our Readings of today. In the First Reading, we find tremendous confident faith in knowing that if we die with the Lord, He will never forget us: “Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.” However, quite sadly, the same is NOT true later in the life of Jesus: “When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury.” Jesus’ own people would not, or could not, accept Him as the Messiah because they allowed doubt and tragic unbelief to stifle and cloud any hope of a miracle in their midst. How can anyone be so blind with Jesus right in front of them?
The current level of detachment in our society could be a clue. We seem to be facing reality through a screen of some sort: i phones, laptops, i pads, computers, television, etc., all train us to take an almost inhuman step away from reality so as not to become too immersed in any real internal and integrated approach to life, you know, the way Jesus approached everyone in the Scriptures and how he deals with you and me right here, right now. Let us consider some ways to learn how we can start seeing the Lord truly present in our lives:
*Take your focus off of yourself and consider the people God has placed around you (we need each other)
*Count your blessings from God (you will be amazed)
*Accept your emotional state: Feel-Deal-Heal
*Welcome time alone as precious for growth with Jesus, who did the same
*Avoid comparing your life to others: you never really know what goes on behind the smiles
*Shake the Green Monsters: envy and jealousy (open wounds of insecurity)
*Fight the desire to isolate and seclude yourself from others (wounds just fester)
*Avoid negative voices and situations (misery loves company)
“But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.” As simple as it sounds, the real way to face all of the troubles of life lies squarely and assuredly in the total awareness that God is in complete control of our lives and has provided for each and every eventuality that will befall us. One of the most memorable homilies I have ever heard was the same one our pastor preached every New Year’s Eve and Day. He reminded us that in the upcoming year, we will have our worst day and our best day, and the good news for all of us was this: God is already there for both!
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” All this is great news for us who wish to follow Christ all the way to Heaven. It also addresses the quality of carrying the cross that we have been assessed and given. Some of us like to complain or make things worse when we suffer, which is not usually a good witness to the Gospel. When we face powerlessness in this life, perhaps we could review a few possible approaches to our walk with the Lord in hopes of making our Christian journey the best it can be:
Calm Down: The appearance of powerlessness almost always creates a ripe breeding ground for anger. We can’t do anything about a certain situation, so we turn to the only things we have control over, which are our emotions. Anger is a volatile and perhaps the most destructive of all the vices. Unbridled, it can destroy us.
Discover Your Real Motivations: Why do we want justice? Is it really revenge? Justice is a virtue; revenge is a perversion of justice.
Consider the Source: Who lied about us? Who has besmirched our reputation? Whenever we hear praise or harsh criticism, we must first consider its source. What someone says about us is never more important than the one who said it.
Weigh Carefully the Consequences: This is where prudence rallies into our discussion. Will I bring more attention to myself and my emotional spasms?
Wait: Remember, Jesus waited three days after His brutal murder to set things straight. Waiting and watching are deep spiritual exercises that separate us from the beasts of this world. My Italian friends put it best when they say, “Let God handle the need for revenge. He is much better at it.”
Leave a comment“We all have a cross to carry. I have to carry my own cross. if we don’t carry our crosses, we are going to be crushed under the weight of it.” Jim Caviezel
“A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five [5] talents; to another, two; to a third, one–to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” In the Gospel that we are given on this great Sunday, we hear of the many talents that God administers to the world. It seems from the very notable parable that the most he gave was five, as in the five senses. Let’s take a new and interesting look from this perspective:
Talent One: EYES gift of sight: Think of the ability to see and comprehend the world around us and God’s presence in it.
Talent Two: EARS gift of listening: Think of the ability to remain quiet in front of a sunrise or sunset, a friend who is telling us about their day and life, and before God in prayer.
Talent Three: NOSE-the gift of smell: Think of the ability to appreciate the fragrance of this created world and be soothed by the texture of nature’s aromas.
Talent Four: MOUTH gift of speech: Think of the ability to communicate and heal with words that are formed in your mind and expressed with your heart.
Talent Five: TOUCH-our effect on others. Think of how wonderful it is to be held, to accept the congratulatory handshake or the firm and reassuring pat on the back. Good touches warm the heart.
We cannot bury these talents any more than we can hide from the expectations that are thrust upon us. The lessons are irrefutable. First, this parable teaches us that success is a product of our work. God always gives us everything we need to do what he has called us to do. In the mystery of this awesome human life, we are not all created equally with the same gifts and talents. None of us can render judgment on any other. We work for the Master, not our own selfish purposes, and for that very important and critical reason, we will all be held accountable.
Leave a comment“Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.” Arthur Schopenhaue
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” This is truly an amazing Gospel that we have today. It describes the death and martyrdom of John the Baptist, who occupies a number of wonderful categories, including cousin to Jesus, the Last Prophet, and an outstanding voice that calls us all to listen and be ready for the greatest news we could ever receive. The Readings make this an even more thought-provoking Saturday and first day of the month as we recall how great it is to love the Lord and follow Him with every fiber of our being. John would later express this very same desire when he stated that he himself should decrease while Jesus must increase. Once we come to realize and accept our purpose here on earth, our lives are much simpler and have the potential for even greater holiness.
“Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.” The place of John the Baptist could never be overplayed or misunderstood. He forms one of the most significant members of the cloud of witnesses that helps us all look intently at Jesus and never let that focus stray. For the many of us who are giving all we have to be the best we can be and please the Lord, we are heartened by the fact that God always prepares the way for us to find Jesus and stay ever-so-close to Him in this life and the next. Our call is to let Jesus increase in our lives and our selfishness decrease. With the help of the Holy Spirit and the wonderful Eucharist, success in this field is within our reach. The death of John the Baptist reminds us that following the Lord also has a deep price that sometimes people are unwilling to consider or offer. But in the final analysis, we want to be counted among those who are faithful, loving, and true to our calling.
Leave a comment“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.” Erma Bombeck
“Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” Why is this urgent call from the Lord so important? There are at least three definite reasons: Living life in such a way that we are not vigilant and watchful will, by its very nature, invite trouble. It is much like a senseless lamb wandering out in the field all by itself, which will automatically and assuredly get the attention of the proverbial hungry wolf nearby. What usually lurks behind the lack of being aware and awake is the mistaken idea that we all have plenty of time. We don’t. The punishment inflicted on lazy people who say they are following Christ has everything to do with a dereliction of duty. We leave our post, and there is nothing good in store.
Imagine the nervousness and anxiety if we are not ready for the Lord! Then, imagine the joy and immense happiness when He does come and we are ready.
Over 30 years ago, there was a ship off the coast of Massachusetts that was reported lost at sea. There were a reported 45 men on board, most of whom were residents of a small fishing town near Plymouth. For the first week, wives, children, and family members set up make-shift camps along the seashore to wait and watch for any signs of recovery. After 10 days, some of those grew tired and even discouraged and began to make their way back to their homes, still leaving a smaller remnant of those who would stay vigilant. Finally, on the 15th day of their disappearance, the vessel sailed back into the harbor, all aboard hungry and tired, but certainly safe and alive. It was said that one of the men looked sad as he disembarked. He just shrugged and walked his way to his little cottage of a home to the surprise of his wife and children. But he still looked upset. “What’s wrong, dear?” asked his wife. “Why weren’t you out there with the other families on the shore when we arrived?” he responded. “We were waiting for you, honey,” came his wife’s explanation.
“But you weren’t watching…“
Do you think that’s splitting hairs? Maybe. However, the slight difference in the words can be of dramatic importance when we apply them to waiting for the Lord. Waiting seems to be passive, as if I can have many other priorities or concerns because, after all, “When He comes, He comes, right?” Watching implies vigilance, continued hope, and deep resolve. “I know my Redeemer lives.” (Job 14:25) Watching is active, ongoing, and, yes, life-changing. Let’s be sure. Whether you and I are waiting or watching, it will be the same Lord. But, how will we be different?
“For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord.” God is worth waiting for; His time is always best. Watching for Him makes our hearts ready and open and joyful to meet Him at any given moment, and that makes a difference in how we live.
Leave a comment (1 comment)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.” So how does Jesus respond to our “old friends” today? Well, to say the least, it wasn’t pretty. Why the harshness of the reaction? That’s what happens when we won’t see how incredibly God is working in our life or in the life of others. It is the expected consequence when we hide behind perceptions, correctness, and the Law while missing the Law-giver in our midst.
“And for this reason, we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.” The people who understand this can always rejoice because they know themselves, they love the person God sees, and they seek to be as patient with others as possible. But the people who judge and criticize and try to “fix” everyone else except themselves are almost always humiliated. It all depends on the relationship. Today, let us first give thanks that Our Lord loves us so much that we are constantly being exposed to the truth in our lives, ugly at times, but always liberating. Second, let us ask again for the courage to see Jesus in others as we look for Him in our own souls. This is definitely the recipe for true happiness and remarkable clarity.
Leave a comment“You can speak with spiritual eloquence, pray in public, and maintain a holy appearance, but it is your behavior that will reveal your true character.” Steve Maraboli
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.” This is truly an amazing Gospel that we have today. It describes the disgust and repulsion that Jesus has for the hypocrites of His day and time, for all those like-minded evil folks who would follow throughout the centuries. The Readings make this an even more thought-provoking day as we recall how great it is to love the Lord and follow Him with every fiber of our being. Once we come to realize and accept our purpose here on earth, our lives are much simpler and have the potential for even greater holiness.
“With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.” The place of the love that is transmitted through the Gospel could never be overplayed or misunderstood. For the many of us who are giving all we have to be the best we can be and please the Lord, we are heartened by the fact that God always prepares the way for us to find Jesus and stay ever-so-close to Him in this life and the next. Our call is to let Jesus increase in our lives and our selfishness decrease. With the help of the Holy Spirit and the wonderful Eucharist, success in this field is within our reach. But in the final analysis, we want to be counted among those who are faithful and loving, and true to our calling. Nothing else will do: “Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated, as you know, in Philippi, we drew courage through our God to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.”
Leave a comment“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.” Erma Bombeck
Today we have a real treat: It is the Feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the Twelve Apostles identified also with Nathanael as we have just read in the Gospel: “Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” Although at first he was skeptical, he responded to Philip’s vigor and enthusiasm and came to meet Jesus. This is when the first reaction to this encounter was Jesus uttering his now-famous observation: “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Most people would agree with our assessment that a person who is duplicitous is also said to be “two-faced.” Bartholomew (Nathanael) was clearly free from this type of deception and went on to give great honor and glory to God and the early Church, which Jesus founded with his death. But what exactly is a two-faced person? It is basically a person who suffers from a lack of self-identity, self-esteem, and integrity. This person is also usually one who fakes compliments to please whomever they meet. In an effort to be accepted by the entire world, a “two-faced” person will socially accommodate anyone in an attempt to be popular and liked by everyone but then later hurls usually vicious and negative barbs in the safety of the darkness of deceit. But this is totally evil because it lacks truth and sincerity, everything that Jesus is, and invites us to imitate as His followers.
Our hope, our thirst, and our desire must be for Heaven, where there is no deceit or cunning behavior. What are some of the ways we can be imitators of the Apostles who have given their entire lives to follow Jesus and avoid two-faced people and behavior? First, let us practice honesty in every situation and on every level possible. Little lies become medium-sized and on and on. Although, in some circles, being honest means being vulnerable, nothing could be further from the truth. Take the opportunity as often as possible during your day to avoid creating white lies or painting another person’s character as much inferior to yours. You would be surprised how honesty and a strong grasp of the truth actually begins to create a climate of trust and sheds light on elements that are not truthful and good. “Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.” If we truly want to live in peace and have peacefully good nights of sleep, it is best to trust Jesus with all judgments and be as real throughout the day as we are in the silence of our hearts. We simply cannot afford to live in the shadows, the darkness, or always in the background offering petty commentary about people because it makes us feel secure. Only mold grows in damp, dark crevices.
Leave a comment“Don’t worry about those who talk behind your back, they’re behind you for a reason.” Anonymous
“I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.” Even though we may have our sights on Heaven, there is still a bit of traveling through the hills and valleys of life that make it necessary to not lose our footing. As the Chosen People were making their way through the treacherous desert, they grew tired, weary, frustrated, and thirsty. Life became a painful mystery that needed to be unlocked, and Eliakim was given the key. It was a key that produced relief, a leadership entrusted to the one chosen to lead that would prepare our understanding for the foundation of our faith in the New Testament.
“I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” We simply need each other. We will fall separately unless we walk together. This is the fundamental truth about the Church and our place in this great sacrament gift that Jesus bestowed upon us all with the foundation of the Apostles with St. Peter as the Head and instrumental leader. The point is clear. As with the Israelites in the First Reading, we too will grow tired and thirsty. Jesus is always there, although we may not always choose Him. Today, we are invited to make that single, awesome, fundamental choice to follow Him. Renew this commitment today by opening your heart to Him with everything in there.
Leave a comment“Master the art of prayer, and you will have the key to all things.” Michael Bassey Johnson
“Blessed is the LORD who has not failed to provide you today with an heir!” In the powerfully healing and inspiring work of drug and alcohol rehabilitation, for those seeking sobriety and a new chance of living in a drug-free world, free from narcissistic tendencies and catastrophes, there is always a Sponsor. This can be someone who has lived with an addict, raised by an addict, or may even have been an addict themselves. Some have called them “guardian Angels” for the immense work they provide and the hope they bring to those who have lost it. What they do will have ramifications for subsequent generations and affect countless lives. At the end of our First Reading, we realize why the relationship between Ruth and Naomi was so important: “And the neighbor women gave him his name, at the news that a grandson had been born to Naomi. They called him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” And Jesus our Savior was born into the House of David!
“As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ.” Here is the issue before us today: everyone already knows or is familiar with God or a god. Everyone has already set a system and a list of priorities in their lives, and whoever occupies the very top position is their God or a god. The message once again for us is clear and simple: DO NOT MAKE ANYONE OR ANYTHING YOUR GOD. If we make God our first priority, then we can be assured of a deep level of peace and joy that radiates in and through and all around us. If we have something or someone else in that top position, then we can be relatively promised of a rough turn of events and a life that cannot and will not sustain everlasting happiness.
Leave a comment“The main condition for the achievement of love is the overcoming of one’s narcissism. The narcissistic orientation is one in which one experiences as real only that which exists within oneself, while the phenomena in the outside world have no reality in themselves, but are experienced only from the viewpoint of their being useful or dangerous to one. The opposite pole to narcissism is objectivity; it is the faculty to see other people and things as they are, objectively, and to be able to separate this objective picture from a picture that is formed by one’s desires and fears.” Erich Fromm
“Naomi said, ‘See now! Your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her God. Go back after your sister-in-law!” Language has the potential of being both descriptive and revealing. For instance, even though the words, “to,” “too” and “two” all sound the same, they mean different things, especially in the context of a sentence. With just the difference of one “s”, your ice cream sundae, which you ordered for dessert, might become a very hot and unpleasant experience in the desert. Why are we “splitting hairs” about language today? Here is the pivotal question: What is the difference and significance between God and a god? One is the Lord, the Almighty, the Creator, the One True God, and the latter is an image, idol, or other object or possession that is adorned, worshiped, and given supreme importance in this life, but not in the next. Naomi, Boaz, and Ruth understood this all too well.
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Here is the issue before us today: everyone already knows or is familiar with God or a god. Everyone has already set a system and a list of priorities in their lives, and whoever occupies the very top position is their God or a god. The key interest here is simple. If we make God our first priority, then we can be assured of a deep level of peace and joy that radiates in and through and all around us. If we have something or someone else in that top position, then we can be relatively promised of a rough turn of events and a life that cannot and will not sustain everlasting happiness. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Leave a comment“If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first, it will, in the end, make no difference what you have chosen instead.” William Law
“Naomi said, ‘See now! Your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her God. Go back after your sister-in-law!” Language has the potential of being both descriptive and revealing. For instance, even though the words “to,” “too,” and “two” all sound the same, they mean different things, especially in the context of a sentence. With just the difference of one “s”, your ice cream sundae, which you ordered for dessert, might become a very hot and unpleasant experience in the desert. Why are we “splitting hairs” about language today? Here is the pivotal question: What is the difference and significance between God and a god? One is the Lord, the Almighty, the Creator, the One True God, and the latter is an image, idol, or other object or possession that is adorned, worshiped, and given supreme importance in this life, but not in the next. Naomi, Boaz, and Ruth understood this all too well.
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Here is the issue before us today: everyone already knows or is familiar with God or a god. Everyone has already set a system and a list of priorities in their lives, and whoever occupies the very top position is their God or a god. The key interest here is simple. If we make God our first priority, then we can be assured of a deep level of peace and joy that radiates in and through and all around us. If we have something or someone else in that top position, then we can be relatively promised of a rough turn of events and a life that cannot and will not sustain everlasting happiness. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Leave a comment“If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first, it will, in the end, make no difference what you have chosen instead.” William Law
“‘If you wish to anoint me king over you in good faith, come and take refuge in my shadow. Otherwise, let fire come from the buckthorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'” One of the more comforting themes that has been surfacing throughout our daily Scriptures is that God is always close to us and just cannot wait to hear from us. He is better than our shadow because He is not just outside of us but also deeply and intimately calling with our very hearts and minds. This is why it is so good to keep the Bible open and keep listening for what The Lord truly wants to impart to us.
“The word of God is living and effective and able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.” When life seems to heap onto us just a little more than we care to carry, it is good to remember that our true goal in this life is not just to make it through the day or the week or that job or the other but to find our final moments ready to enter Heaven. Nothing else matters!
“Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” This particular Gospel passage has always made me smile. Obviously, the landowner is God who pays everyone the same daily wage the point of angering the laborers who began earlier in the day. This is no act of injustice but divine justice. Just as the landowner has a right to do what he wishes with his own money, so does God have the right to have mercy on whom He will have mercy. However, it’s more than that! The payment is made at the end of the day when all accounts are settled. That sounds quite close to the discussion about what’s going to happen at the end of our lives when all the accounts and all the “bills” are due. Jesus wants all of us to enter the glory of Heaven, and because of the mystery of life itself, some may take longer than others to understand that. The message, then, should be clear: we should rejoice when others come to God and be happy for all who know, love, and serve Him. Anything else is simply Pharisaical and smacks of hypocrisy. The finish line is marked at the gate of Heaven, and that has to be our only focus.
A very good friend of mine once made an astounding observation which I never forgot. He said that there will be 3 different surprises when we get to Heaven after death. We will be surprised by those who ARE there, those who are NOT there, and that WE are there. So you see, real justice is served at the end.
Leave a comment“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” We have arrived once again, intrepid readers, to one of the most famous of phrases that is quoted by Christians and philosophers alike concerning the improbability of a large beast of burden being able to squeeze through the most tiny of all crevices. The stunning truth behind this wonderful selection has been treated before in these pages and shall be repeated in a condensed form. Clearly, Jesus was not actually talking about a sewing needle but rather about a narrow entrance into the city of Jerusalem, a gate known locally as “the eye of the needle.” This gate was so small that a camel could only be brought through with great difficulty, squeezed through on its knees only after all the load of goods to be sold and traded was removed from its tired back. Unburdened and prayerful is the way to enter the Kingdom! Our thirst for Heaven can be quenched by understanding the mystery that is held in these passages.
“Be calm, do not fear. You shall not die.” The real thrust of our readings today is quite clear. If we do not practice humility we will grow into haughty people who do not give God or others the time of day or the respect and care that is deserving. And while all this degradation is occurring slowly, we lose faith and confidence in our Lord God, who loves us so much and never takes His eyes off our paths. The number one cure for this kind of pride, which leads to a loss of faith, is a deep, personal, and engaging prayer life. This is because we must first acknowledge our dependence and need upon God and then realize that we are all on this planet together, trying desperately to get to Heaven. The camel for us today becomes a symbol for us to remember to uncomplicate our lives from pettiness and the inordinate desire for possessions, and get on our knees in prayer as often as we can. The more we do this, the happier we will be.
Leave a comment“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Mark Twain
“The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals (false gods).” Without a doubt, one of the most serious barriers that can and will keep us from desiring Heaven and from eventually arriving there is our attachment to false things, false idols, and selfish addictions. Old Testament wisdom understood this as worship of false deities, gods, and the addictive behaviors that accompanied these practices, which often involved drunkenness and sexual perversion. These unhealthy and uncontrolled appetites basically evolved into the worship of the self, which in turn produces huge problems as a person appoints him or herself as the center of the universe, their God, so to speak. Then there is no room for the one true God whom we love and serve, and Heaven becomes further and further away.
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” The question in the Gospel of today is spot on concerning the thirst and desire for Heaven. Isn’t this what we all want with the precious allotted moments we have on this planet? Absolutely, describes the Lord Jesus: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” This is yet another clear, enthusiastic invitation to live an unselfish and generous life that gives to others many more times than we would take. Still, standing right in front of the Lord, there are those who would still decide for a self-centered, hedonistic existence: “When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
How sad, indeed!
Leave a comment“For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” There is found deep within our human nature a desire and a longing to belong to something greater than ourselves. When taken in the totality of human experience is usually a good thing except for those moments both in our personal and global histories, when there comes a time that we yield to the selfish temptation to be exclusive about what we have and who we are. This has the potential of creating a “holier than you” attitude which acts more to divide rather than unite people, which is diametrically opposed to what God truly wants for the world. His house, His care, His love, and especially His mercy is for All peoples. “For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.”
“Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” There was no apparent shame or exclusivity in the Gospel passage of today. The woman begging the Lord for a miracle to drive the demon of her daughter knew exactly and confidently who it was she was standing right before listening to what she was requesting. And her request was not for her, but for someone she loved, so her motives were entirely selfless. What all this teaches is simple. Our lives would be completely free from the ravages of shame and guilt if we just were to realize and confirm Jesus as our Lord and Savior and speak confidently before His mighty presence, including confessing our sins and asking for help for every moment along our spiritual journey. Given that shame can lead us to feel as though our whole self is flawed, bad, or subject to exclusion, the love for God and increased faith motivate us to be honest with God and ourselves and others and make our prayer life one that is rich, integral, and beautiful.
In our night prayers this evening, before giving the day our last effort, remember that God is for all of us and not just some of us. If everyone thought and acted this way, imagine the endless possibilities! God does.
Leave a comment“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Henry Ford
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, a celebration, as we have stated so many times before, which recalls the mystery of Jesus Christ and enlightens and strengthens our faith in our salvation, which was lovingly and spectacularly achieved and accomplished by the Lord. Our Reflection will take on three distinct and important segments. First, our First Reading, from the Book of Revelation, gives us a magnificent glimpse of Heaven where the Ark, which holds the presence of God, is opened, immediately followed by a “great sign.” “God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” Now we could join the many who have speculated on who this could be, but the description of the sign makes it very clear that this is Jesus: “She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.”
The second point is just as poignant as it is important: “For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man.” The beauty and majesty of God’s love for us in sending us His Only Son, Jesus, lies in the very act of redeeming our race and giving us a second chance to get back into Heaven. The only way this sacrificial and salvific act could be accomplished was and is by God, who becomes one of us to completely assume our human nature and unite it back to God. This is why Mary’s role in our destiny is so blessed and crucial. We believe that such a person, whose body held the Body of Christ and physically donated her own DNA to Her Son, was theological and spiritual. Her body could not have known corruption and was thus assumed into Heaven to await all of us.
Finally, the Feast of the Assumption speaks volumes to our attitude on earth while we wait for our Heavenly call to go home. “From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name.” Truly, the greatest act of love has been presented to us in the Incarnation, God becoming human through the power of the Holy Spirit and the body of the Virgin Mary. The Scriptures speak to the eternal promise which was made to us and our entire history so that no matter where we find ourselves, there is always hope, not only for a better tomorrow but for a life of complete joy that will never end. This has the great potential of shaping our attitudes here on Earth and spreading joy rather than heartache while we walk the planet. Live a blessed life and be a blessing to everyone you meet today: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
Leave a comment” I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you; you became mine, says the Lord GOD. Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood, and anointed you with oil.” This passage from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel clearly reveals the truth that humanity is lost without the covenant that was extended to us and ratified in the Gospel. And yet, Christians cannot hide behind precepts and regulations and mount some kind of superior plane or landing from which to judge people and forget that we, that is, all of humanity, are in the same boat. I heard someone say quite directly to another: “Don’t judge other people just because they don’t sin like you do.” The Scriptures explain that the final judgment will be a review of performance, not of privilege. From this perspective, all the promises that we make in this life must be honored, and none more profound than the commitment of love and life that marriage so eloquently capsulizes and expresses. God does not go back on His promises and neither are we to doubt the beauty of promise and commitment.
“Some Pharisees approached Jesus and tested him, saying, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?'” St. Matthew continues and completes this thought for us by making sure that the Pharisees know that mere possession of laws is no evidence of virtue. Mark Twain once responded to a man who was going to the Holy Land to see where the Ten Commandments were given with, “Why don’t you just stay home and live them? ” Good point, Mr. Clemens. “The worst prison,” St. John Paul wrote, “would be a closed heart,” and this is precisely why you must know that the Word of God has everything to do with keeping promises and the commitments of love: “Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but, as it truly is, the word of God.”
Leave a comment“Never close your lips to those with whom you have already opened your heart.” Charles Dickens
“While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage.” The experience of the Israelites in the desert for that generation of time, forty years, has created a backdrop and clear lens to describe what God has chosen to do with each and every one of us. When faced with seemingly insurmountable and overwhelming problems and worries, God is always there, one way or another, to guide us right through. Passing through the Red Sea, the Jordan River, horrible enemies wanting only blood, and even bickering, complaining people who should know better, are all part of His plan. They still are.
“So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” Perhaps the most difficult of all the desires of the heart of Jesus, at least for some, is to forgive the people who have hurt us. When we remember what the Lord did for the Chosen People with horrible odds stacked against them, the call to forgive, let go, move forward, and accept the will of God totally in their lives, is definitely going to need us to desire and thirst for Heaven with every ounce of strength we can muster. Let’s begin today.
Leave a comment“The passage toward Heaven always involves the experience of forgiveness.” Caro Vanni
“Be brave and steadfast, for you must bring this people into the land which the LORD swore to their fathers he would give them; you must put them in possession of their heritage. It is the LORD who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.” What does it really mean when one person says to another, “I give my heart to you”? For some, it means that you are ready and truly able to trust another with your feelings, your thoughts, and even your future. That person must also clearly demonstrate the following:
1. They take time out for you
2. They are honest about themselves and you
3. They share intimate details about themselves
4. They readily show various personal aspects of their own life
5. They are consistently there for you and talk and listen about anything
Thus, what do you think it means that Jesus gives Himself totally for us to consume and opens the way for a mutual relationship that is forever with Him? Let’s take another look at the list we prepared before:
1. Jesus always takes time for us.
2. Jesus is Truth
3. Jesus has shared His very life by dying on the Cross
4. Jesus invites us to discover who He is in our day-to-day life
5. Jesus never leaves
“I tell you, in just the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.” Jesus calls each and every one of us to love. First, to love God above all things, second, our neighbor as ourselves, and lastly, ourselves. Altogether and all at once. Throughout our short lives here on earth, it may take a little more effort and time with one or two of these charges, but this is what we call faith in action! People who obey this command change their spiritual lives forever! If we are believers in Jesus Christ, we must ask where He calls us to go. Who has God put on your heart to love and share the gift of salvation?
Leave a comment“Immature love says, ‘I love you because I need you.’ Mature love says, ‘I need you because I love you.” Erich Fromm
“Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” People who act solely out of self-interest are less happy. “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Generous people are happy, more relaxed, willing to work hard, kind, free, have better quality relationships, and exude confidence: “The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” Here is the wonderful irony. The more you give, the more you have. Dying to selfishness brings forth an immense flow of love and real life that knows no rival. All this is because of Jesus. He died to set us free and give us true freedom, which is beyond measure or value, especially in a very selfish world.
What do we receive in this life in exchange for generosity? We witness happiness, reach a deeper understanding of life, feel the love of Jesus, and receive what money could never buy, a world made more beautiful. Isn’t that the point of living here?
Leave a comment“Then the LORD said to him, ‘Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.'” It can be easily argued that today’s Scripture readings are not about natural disasters, but they are, in fact, about the other kinds: personal, spiritual, and emotional. At one point or another in most peoples’ lives, there are crises and problems that be compared to the kinds of disasters on the planet. Our world is shaken to its core, unexpected problems beseech us, and all that we dreamed and hoped goes up in smoke. These are bound to happen, and because of that fact, they should be expected. What is not naturally anticipated is to blame God, tell people that you “have a problem with the Almighty,” or because things evolve according to your own personal playbook, that God must be mean, distant, or even worse, does not exist at all. The Disciples in the Gospel had a certain experience with this and an understandable erection which becomes a teachable moment for all of this today: “When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.”
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” It never fails to amaze how often a struggling individual will try to understand the mystery of evil while rejecting the Ultimate Good. Quite put, you cannot understand darkness without light, cold without heat, and, especially for our spiritual purposes here, goodness without evil or, personally, disasters. The groundwork of our lives must be set early or at least properly. We must have faith. Faith in the person of Jesus determines everything; thus, the lack or weakness spells a disaster that no one should ever want to face — alone. Pray today that God will increase your faith even as the storms, earthquakes, and fires rage on. It is the only way.
Leave a comment“He who has faith has… an inward reservoir of courage, hope, confidence, calmness, and assuring trust that all will come out well – even though to the world it may appear to come out most badly.” B. C. Forbes
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.” In 1811, a wonderful hymn was written entitled a question that we could address to ourselves today: “What Wondrous Love is This?” When you think about it, it truly is an amazing question to ask today and, in fact, every day we have life. What kind of magnificent love inspired and propelled God to send His Son Jesus Christ to be born in a filthy manger, live a poor life, then be crucified for our sins to win and secure a place in Heaven for us? The third verse of the hymn then explodes with the enthusiastic joy of the awareness that is brought to the one who understands this gift and cannot help but be changed forever: “To God and to the Lamb, who is the great I AM, while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing, while millions join the theme, I will sing!” We can only imagine the scene in Heaven with these beautiful lyrics as background music.
This wondrous, incredible love that rains down from Heaven itself reveals the height and depth of such a love that carries us beyond our life here on earth to an eternal reward and life in Heaven. In the Gospel, a desperate man brought his son for a miracle, and he was not disappointed: “Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely.” If and when our response to His wondrous love is returned with even the simplest of faith, miracles abound. Let us move forward in this life with new resolve and new hope. Darkness cannot and will not extinguish what we have been given. We will sing: “And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be, And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on, and through eternity I’ll sing on!” This is because nothing is impossible for God. “Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you.”
Leave a comment“What [others] most need is to see in you a reflection of what God is like and of the transforming power of the Gospel. Your life can create hunger and thirst for God in others’ lives and can be a powerful instrument in the hand of the Holy Spirit to draw their hearts to Christ.” Nancy Leigh DeMoss
“You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.” If you think about it long enough, you will come to realize that the world is full of patterns. This, of course, includes each one of our own personal lives. If we review just the last ten years of our lives, we will see that gratitude attracts miracles and selfish and egotistical living brings hardship, which may not happen right away, but certainly sooner or later. The words of the First Reading make it very clear to us that God will have the first and last word. “I remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I remember your wonders of old.”
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Very few people speak about spiritual laziness, but without a doubt, that always precedes sloth and greed which make us servants of things and not of God. This happens all around us precisely because people have already decided which God they will serve. What is clear to some only late in their lives, is that everyone suffers. You cannot avoid it. The issue is how we will suffer and with whom. The Chosen People seem to have written the official handbook on complaining and whining and many around us, even in this present day, follow it like a training manual. We must follow Jesus and take up His cross daily. Then and only then will our hearts and minds be strong to face anything. He promised that.
Leave a comment“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” Paulo Coelho
Do you realize that you and I have been placed on this earth for a specific reason and purpose? Every day becomes an opportunity to strive and realize that reality, especially when things look dark and bleak. If I have a purpose in life, and I do, then everything that is happening around me today is either a part of that reality, and I should stay focused on its messages and lessons, or it is keeping me from my purpose and direction, and therefore I should move on as quickly as possible. This is certainly one very important way we can understand transformation and transfiguration. In our First Reading, the vision was more than remarkable: “His clothing was bright as snow, and the hair on his head as white as wool; his throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire.”
“Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them.” Jesus becomes transfigured to prepare the disciples and all of us for His Resurrection, which in turn prepares us for our Resurrection, our ultimate transfiguration. “…his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” This complete transformative moment when we see Jesus as He exists in total glory in Heaven is both an inspiration and goal while we walk and continue our spiritual journeys. We must find true happiness in this world to make a suitable place in our souls and hearts for the message of the Gospel of Jesus.
The most unhappy people in the world have made it their life’s mission to make as many people around them as miserable as they are with every ounce of strength they can muster. Surely, this can’t be news to us. Remember, only wounded people wound people. Our best stories will come from our struggles. The seeds of our successes are in our failures. Keep standing. Seasons change. There is no such thing as a storm that lasts forever. On this Feast of the Transfiguration, let us all ask God to help each and every one of us continue to uncover and discover our purpose in this great adventure we call life. He proclaimed as much today in the Gospel: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
Leave a comment“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Pablo Picasso
“The people that escaped the sword have found favor in the desert.” When we think about the response of people concerning God’s love for us, we might say that there are at least two main groups: there are those who almost casually assume that God loves them and then give it very little thought and those who actually doubt His love. Both of these camps base their assertions on their own lives and their particular circumstances. We can also safely ascertain that these two different approaches produce two very different kinds of people. People who were raised in homes of tremendous love and acceptance, more times than not, have very little problem believing and experiencing God’s love and mercy all around them for the majority of their lives. We might say that these people exude confidence, peace, and acceptance for others. They clearly believe the following: “The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel.” Even in times of trouble, these people can find joy and blessings everywhere they look. There is always God’s loving presence and beauty in ordinary things, even when they hit rock bottom because, after all, it is rock.
“Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Can you possibly imagine the very different outcome if the woman to whom Jesus addressed His mysterious comments about scraps had been a person of the second group of people who are somehow predisposed to doubt God’s love? Disastrous. And yet, we probably know people who never see the silver lining and only expect the darkness. This teaches us a very important lesson in life: always be patient with those whose faith is weak and precarious. Invite people to see the Lord in everything and never criticize or condemn them. Look what Jesus did for the one who never gave up and never gave in to her doubts: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Trust in the miracle that is within you. God loves you forever. He sent His most cherished and powerful messenger, who took that message to the cross and beyond.
Leave a comment“Doubts and mistrust are the mere panic of timid imagination, which the steadfast heart will conquer and the large mind transcend.” Helen Keller
“During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea.” In today’s Gospel, we have all been gifted with one of the more famous and breathtaking moments in all of the Scriptures, at least in the top ten! Try to imagine the scene where hurricane-force gale winds are blowing mercilessly against a tiny boat while the crashing sounds of the thunder in the distance are only rivaled by the crashing of the waves. The drama unfolds in three distinct phases: first, there’s a horrible storm that scares everyone on board; second, they see Jesus walking over the storm, literally, thinking He is a ghost; third, Jesus utters the most iconic words of comfort born from faith, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” and then calms everyone’s storm. This process is the quintessential outline and summary of our spiritual lives! We face our storms of doubt, we call upon Jesus, He makes His loving presence known and empowers us to believe, then we doubt again, and the cycle starts all over again, but each time it does, we are actually closer and closer to Jesus, who never leaves our ship of life.
This episode raises the age-long question that has faced every Christian since Jesus first walked the earth: why do we doubt, and how do we deal with this very human and expected experience? First, doubt is a natural process of every intellectual and moral process. It is almost necessary because it is a way of strengthening our ideals and beliefs, but it must never overtake the very treasure we are trying to discover. We must realize that doubt is part of the natural growing pains of faith, and having said that, it is also a mystery. No one human being could ever totally grasp the fullness of who God is, so understandably, there will be gaps due to our limitations. “Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal myself to him, in dreams will I speak to him.” Gaps of faith do not make for abandoning Jesus, or why we are here on this planet. Perhaps the greatest spiritual gift we need when confronted with doubt is humility. Humility reminds us that faith is a powerful gift that must be opened slowly and without pretense. This is precisely how we run to Jesus through every storm we encounter on the water and everywhere else.
Leave a comment“Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.” Brene Brown
“He said to them in reply, ‘Give them some food yourselves.'” It is perhaps some of the greatest Scriptural advice we can receive in this brave new month, which we have been presented in the Readings today, when we are invited to look around our lives and see those who are in need and who are literally calling out for help and sustenance. “Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all.” The Lord’s promise to each and every one of us today is complete with His desire that all be fed and all be comforted. His wonderful invitation also includes a personal guarantee: I will be there among you when you act in My Name.
“But now we are famished; we see nothing before us but this manna.” Love is everything. It is what drove the Son of Man from Heaven to earth to suffer, die, and rise on the Third Day for all our sins. It is what moves the wheels of history and our own lives to the great, bright promise of immortality. We are hence convinced and motivated by the truth that we all have a mission and the power from the Holy Spirit to accomplish it: “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”
Today and every day, we will encounter a large field of life filled with opportunities to serve and be the Light of Christ to others. This is how we feed each other. Let us all be that “movable feast” for others to meet the Lord Jesus.
Leave a comment“Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” Harold S. Kushner
“There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”
When Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, they must have felt overwhelmed. Before them stood thousands of hungry people, and all they had were five loaves and two fish. It was not enough—not even close. Yet Jesus did not see what was missing. He saw an opportunity for faith, trust, and a miracle. How often do we find ourselves standing before situations that seem impossible? We look at our own resources, our own strength, and our own abilities, and we say, “Lord, I do not have enough.” We forget that God has never asked us to provide everything. He simply asks us to bring what we have and place it into His hands. “Bring them here to me.” These words are at the heart of today’s Gospel. Jesus does not reject the small offering of the disciples. He takes it, blesses it, breaks it, and transforms it into an abundance that feeds everyone. What appeared insignificant became a gift beyond imagination because it was surrendered to God.
The same is true in our own lives. Our acts of kindness may seem small. Our prayers may feel simple. Our faith may sometimes feel weak. But when offered to Christ, even the smallest gift can become something powerful. God does not measure our offerings by size; He measures them by the love and trust behind them.The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God calls us to come to Him freely: “Come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat.” The Lord knows the hunger within our souls—the longing for peace, purpose, and love that the world cannot satisfy. He alone provides the nourishment that truly fills us. And St. Paul gives us a promise we should carry through every trial: nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Not hardship, fear, suffering, or uncertainty. The love of God remains constant, even when our circumstances feel overwhelming.
As we continue our journey of faith, let us ask ourselves: What are the five loaves and two fish that I am holding today? What gifts, struggles, worries, or dreams do I need to place into the hands of Jesus? When we surrender what we have to Him, God can transform our limitations into blessings, our struggles into strength, and our small acts of faith into a harvest of grace. “The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”
Lord Jesus, help us to trust You with everything we have. Teach us not to focus on what we lack but to believe in what You can do. Take our gifts, our struggles, and our hearts, and use them according to Your will. May we always remember that in Your hands, even the smallest offering can become a miracle. Amen.
Leave a comment“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” This is truly an amazing Gospel that we have today. It describes the death and martyrdom of John the Baptist, who occupies a number of wonderful categories, including cousin to Jesus, the Last Prophet, and an outstanding voice that calls us all to listen and be ready for the greatest news we could ever receive. The Readings make this an even more thought-provoking day as we recall how great it is to love the Lord and follow Him with every fiber of our being. John would later express this very same desire when he stated that he himself should decrease while Jesus must increase. Once we come to realize and accept our purpose here on earth, our lives are much simpler and have the potential of even greater holiness.
“Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.” The place of John the Baptist could never be overplayed or misunderstood. He forms one of the most significant members of the cloud of witnesses that helps us all look intently at Jesus and never let that focus stray. For the many of us who are giving all we have to be the best we can be and please the Lord, we are heartened by the fact that God always prepares the way for us to find Jesus and stay ever-so-close to Him in this life and the next. Our call is to let Jesus increase in our lives and our selfishness decrease. With the help of the Holy Spirit and the wonderful Eucharist, success in this field is within our reach. The death of John the Baptist reminds us that following the Lord also has a deep price that sometimes people are unwilling to consider or offer. But in the final analysis, we want to be counted among those who are faithful and loving and true to our calling. Nothing else will do: “May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us.”
Leave a comment“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.” Erma Bombeck
“These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly, and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings, sacrifices and libations as prescribed for each day.”
Today, we have the awesome juxtaposition of biblical bookends, which is amazing when we think about the composite unity of the Bible: The Old Testament prepares for the New Testament, and the New fulfills the Old. Moses in our First Reading sets the stage for Jesus in the Gospel. God has commanded the Law-Giver to speak to His people and prepare them on how to live and celebrate their lives with the Lord in their midst.
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” Enter Jesus thanks to St. Matthew for us today: The Lord returns to the place where He was raised among many with whom he probably played with and worked side by side, and the reaction was overwhelmingly awful. We are unaware of the personal reaction Jesus experienced because of this hometown rejection, but we do know the consequences: “And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.” What a terrible chapter, made only worse if you and I repeat it.
These are at least startling applications. First, we are called upon to speak the truth in the most respectful, Christian, and heartfelt approach possible, in a phrase, just like Jesus. For some, that is easy; for others, who shy away from confrontation, it is ghastly. The other is perhaps just as challenging. When we hear the truth, however uncomfortable and disturbing, we must take the time to remember that we are put here on this earth to grow more and more like Christ and take every chance to face what is true about ourselves, reckon with our actions, and if necessary, admit our faults and change our behavior. Otherwise, we might be unfairly cast in the pile of those who do not want to hear the truth because they do not want their illusions to be destroyed.
Leave a comment“The truth hurts, but silence kills.” Mark Twain
“In the daytime, the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.” The First Reading and Gospel today have something quite unique and precious in common. Did you notice it? We need to remember how close and involved the Lord is with His People. What a perfect comparison with those of us who find ourselves in complete and utter need of the Lord in this life! The image of the potter so immersed and close to the finished product is both amazing and comforting. That is how close we are to Him and He to us. We could say that this is the quintessential “hands-on approach” to life and love.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.” The Gospel then presents us with yet another loving image that describes the great love God has for us. Anyone who has ever used a net to fish must know how equally involved the net must be with the hands of the fisherman. In a way, like the clay in the hands of the potter, the net must be one with the one looking for a great catch. This is how God wants us to see Him as intricately and eternally involved with our souls from conception till death and beyond.
Leave a comment“I’d rather be in this wheelchair knowing God than on my feet without Him.” Joni Eareckson Tada
“When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him.” What happens when we cry, exactly? A salty fluid full of protein, water, mucus, and oil is released from a gland in the upper, outer region of the eye. This fluid is what we call tears. According to most researchers, it all starts in the cerebrum, where sadness is registered, and then, we begin to cry. Emotional tears are common among us when we see something terribly sad or suffer a personal loss. The phrase “having a good cry” suggests that crying can actually make us feel physically and emotionally better, which many people believe. Some scientists agree with this theory, asserting that chemicals build up in the body during times of elevated stress. These researchers believe that emotional crying is the body’s way of ridding itself of these toxins and waste products. “Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again.” We broached the subject of tears and crying because there seems to be quite a bit of them in the Scriptures and the effect on the entire body, especially the face, when someone like Moses encounters God face-to-face. This should signal a deep sigh of relief for all of us who are attempting to keep the Lord Jesus right in front of our eyes, especially as we continue our journey toward Heaven. It is clear that we suffer, and it is also a great effort to lift those groans towards the only One who can help us in our moments of crisis, sadness, and pain: “Holy is the Lord our God. ” Here is a great thought for today: Complaining becomes a prayer when we direct our hurts to God and expect and wait for the solutions and comfort to be forthcoming with the same faith that we have come to believe in Jesus, who sacrificed everything He had for our souls.
“When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” Interestingly enough, when the oyster has an irritation seep into its shell, it too produces a type of tear which the civilized world calls a pearl. Imagine something so precious caused by discomfort! It is a good image for the spiritual life because it is the deep and lasting confidence in the Lord that He has everything in His sacred hands and every eventuality planned and ready to bring into existence. Nothing is more valuable in this life than the faith that can withstand every crisis, disappointment, and dark night. This is why the gospel expresses the desire to forsake everything to get that awesome bead and never lose it. This is what it means to follow Jesus. It produces a pearl of great price as a result of unrelenting hope in the face of pain.
Leave a comment“All suffering is worth it to follow Jesus. He is that amazing.” Nabeel Qureshi
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” In the natural world, weeds wreak havoc on the land. They reduce farm and forest productivity, invade crops, smother pastures, and, in some cases, harm livestock. They aggressively compete for water, nutrients, and sunlight, resulting in reduced crop yield and poor crop quality. They also hide the very core of crops especially at the all important harvest time so the collection of crops is incomplete. They have also been known to hide the symptoms of pests and diseases that will stress plants and crops and decrease the yields. For these very pointed reasons and many others, they make an awesome example and point to the essential nature of evil which Jesus provides for all of us today. Allowing evil into our lives keeps us from truly being happy and fulfilled. The very nature of evil essentially blocks all the goodness that can come from our faith in action by confusing and trapping the light that is willfully desiring to emanate from us, especially in our dealings with one another.
“Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest, Over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people, over her incurable wound.” We must accept the truth that our free will stays intact so that we may love with a free and giving heart. That being said, we must also accept the fact that evil seeks only to destroy and sabotage that freedom. But as we know and believe, there is always hope because of the One who defeated death and evil forever: “The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.” As we continue our spiritual journey and anticipate the blessings and challenges of whatever tomorrow brings, let us ask the Lord for courage to enter the fields of the future with great hope and faith in Jesus, who has already defeated evil and has planted a harvest of hope in our hearts. Thank you, Jesus, for everything!
Leave a comment“Satan believes in his head the teachings of the Bible! A Christian is a person who has died with Christ, whose stiff neck has been broken, whose brazen forehead has been shattered, whose stony heart has been crushed, whose pride has been slain, and whose life is now mastered by Jesus Christ.” John Piper
“Now, go and lead the people to the place I have told you. My angel will go before you.” Leadership is awesome. When that gift is imparted on someone, like parents, bosses, supervisors, clergy, and yes, even politicians, the promise of great and lasting wonderful effects is only matched by the unfortunate misuse of free will, resulting in horrible consequences. As was the case with Moses, all of us have been responsible for those who follow us, that is, the younger generations. And with that directive, there will always be help from all those under the command of our God. We who are older and who occupy positions of leadership and responsibility for others truly embody the hopes and dreams of life as it goes on, even in the later years of one’s life, and that much closer to eternal life.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.” God places key people in our lives at different times to nourish and guide us, especially when we need it the most. He also places each one of us in similar situations to do the same thing: plant the seeds of faith, hope, and love, and build the Kingdom without counting the personal costs or wondering what other people might think.
Leave a comment“A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” Max Lucado
What happens when we cry, exactly? A salty fluid full of protein, water, mucus, and oil is released from a gland in the upper outer region of the eye. This fluid is what we call tears. According to most researchers, the eye all starts in the cerebrum, where sadness is registered, and then, we begin to cry. Emotional tears are common among us when we see something terribly sad or suffer a personal loss. The phrase “having a good cry” suggests that crying can actually make us feel physically and emotionally better, which many people believe. Some scientists agree with this theory, asserting that chemicals build up in the body during times of elevated stress. These researchers believe that emotional crying is the body’s way of ridding itself of these toxins and waste products. “I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.”
We broached the subject of tears and crying because there seems to be quite a bit of them mentioned throughout the whole of the Scriptures, both New and Old. This should signal a deep sigh of relief for all of us who are attempting to keep the Lord Jesus right in front of our eyes, especially as we continue our journey toward Heaven. It is clear that we suffer, and it also is a great effort to lift those groans toward the only One who can help us in our moments of crisis, sadness, and pain: “And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified.” Complaining becomes a prayer when we direct our hurts to God and expect and wait for the solutions and comfort to be forthcoming with the same faith that we have come to believe in Jesus, who sacrificed everything He had for our souls.
“When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” Interestingly enough, when the oyster has an irritation seep into its shell, it too produces a type of tear which the civilized world calls a pearl. Imagine something so precious caused by discomfort. It is a good image for the spiritual life because it is the deep and lasting confidence in the Lord that He has everything in His sacred hands and every eventuality planned and ready to bring into existence. Nothing is more valuable in this life than the faith that can withstand every crisis, disappointment, and dark night. This is why the Gospel expresses the desire to forsake everything to get that awesome bead and never lose it. This is what it means to follow Jesus. It produces a pearl of great price as a result of unrelenting hope in the face of pain.
Leave a comment“All suffering is worth it to follow Jesus. He is that amazing.” Nabeel Qureshi
More than 80 years ago, one of the most famous movies ever produced was initially released to its first of many millions of movie-goers. This is, of course, the musical fantasy film of The Wizard of Oz, and according to the Library of Congress, it is the most seen film in movie history. Believing that most, if not all, of our readers know the basic plot, it is not necessary to review the unfolding scenes of this timeless wonder, but suffice to say, for our spiritual purposes here, that there is a lot to learn from the famous journey to Oz, and back. The basic premise is quite simple: all that you need for this life, you already have. “We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.”
“Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.” The treasure map, if you will, will be read much more easily and with much more clarity with the attitude of service and generosity to each other while we walk this path together. Inviting and cultivating the disposition of service to each other brings about the transformation in the human spirit that readily and specifically finds the great treasure of Jesus present within us and willing to share that happiness with those with whom we have been given. This is so because this is precisely why Jesus was sent to us, as true God and true man, to begin the total transformation of our society and world. However, this work must continue with us and invigorate our desire to get up every morning and go forth: “Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Leave a comment“Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living.” Albert Einstein
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” Today, we celebrate the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and, reasonably, the grandparents of Jesus. Today, if you likely ask any grandparent about their grandchildren, they will have limitless positive things to say about them. Clearly, they love fulfilling their duties as “grandma” or “grandpa.” There is an obvious and special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren, and it has become, for a great number of people, one of the most meaningful relationships of their whole lives.
“But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” Today happily reminds us that faith is a family affair and that we are all in this together with remarkable benefits as we move through this awesome journey called “life.” This is why sharing and mirroring our fidelity to Christ is of utmost importance: the new and growing generations in our families are watching everything we do and listening to everything we say- and rightly so. Imagine you could speak with Joachim and Anna from Heaven and ask them what they did to raise such a fine daughter as they did with the Virgin Mary. Perhaps they would answer with just one simple phrase: We taught her how to love.
Leave a comment“Young people need something stable to hang on to — a cultural connection, a sense of their own past, a hope for their own future. Most of all, they need what grandparents can give them.” Jay Kesler
“The trumpet blast grew louder and louder while Moses was speaking and God answered him with thunder.” The awesome and mysterious turn of events in the First Reading involving Moses and the amazing encounter with the Living God opens our thoughts today. The truth is, we make literally hundreds of choices every day we walk on this planet, from what we will eat and not eat to whom we will call or not. The wisdom here is what to reject and what not to reject. “When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai, he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain.”
“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” We are, in fact, today given the perfect prescription of how we must move forward in this world of so many choices and rejections. The truth of the wealth of meaning found in the Scriptures today is simple but not simplistic. The road to Heaven must be taken with great expectation of the great promises that Jesus has sealed with His blood on the cross. It is an exciting adventure toward fulfillment, or it is nothing at all.
Leave a comment“We may not be aware of it, but we choose either Heaven or hell all the time. Every time we choose to hope, every time we choose to forgive and to let go of our resentments, we choose Heaven; we choose life.” Jocelyn Soriano
“I sought him, but I did not find him. I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings, I will seek Him whom my heart loves.” I have often wondered what significance there might be between the incident in St. Luke’s Gospel when Joseph and Mary “lost” Jesus and later “found” Him in the Temple—and the experience of St. Mary Magdalene in the Gospel today.
When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your Father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them, and his mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:41-51)
“They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” (Gospel)
What the two Scriptural references clearly have in common is the simple fact that finding Jesus has everything to do with where you look for Him. Mary and Joseph thought that their Son was among all the crowds with whom they were traveling, and only at the end of their frenetic search did they actually find him in the Temple. St. Mary Magdalene thought only to look in the tomb for her Risen Lord when it would have been the very last place to find Him, that is, among the dead. “The love of Christ impels us…so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”
On today, which is the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, you and I have been presented with the opportunity to experience, if just in a spiritual or even symbolic way, the search for God that has been chronicled throughout the Old Testament right through the Gospels and all the way to the outstanding hopeful days that followed the Resurrection of Christ. That search goes on right here, right now. “O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines, and my soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless, and without water.”
All the great Saints are great precisely because they have longed for Christ more than for life itself, continued their search even though, at times, it may have come up empty, and found Him because they looked in the right place. May you be great in your search! Let us pray:
Saint Mary Magdalene,
woman of many sins, who by conversion
became the beloved of Jesus,
thank you for your witness
that Jesus forgives
through the miracle of love.
You, who already possess eternal happiness
in His glorious presence,
please intercede for me so that someday
I may share in the same everlasting joy.
Amen.
Leave a commentAre You My Mother? is a story about a hatchling bird. His mother, thinking her egg will stay in her nest where she left it, leaves her egg alone and flies off to find food. The baby bird then hatches and does not understand where his mother is, so he looks for her. As he cannot fly, he walks, and in his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are his mother, but none are. This quaint and well-known children’s story helps us remember the nearly same kind of question hurled at Jesus in the Gospel today. People thought that since the Virgin Mary and other close family members were asking for Him, Jesus would respond immediately; however, His response was nearly puzzling on first impressions: “He said to them in reply, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.'” We could repeat the cute story with the same question in an entirely different and mesmerizing context: “God, are you my mother, my brothers, sisters, family?” The answer, however, is as mystifying as it is clarifying: “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” You see, it is not the family tree replete with flesh and blood nuances and connections that brings us closer to God, but our fidelity to what He says and following what He does.
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” All of us want family, and we seek security in one way or another. We need intimacy to discover our place in the world and make a healthy connection with others, especially with God. What is the foundation of such levels of relationship? Fidelity and obedience. We feel and exist closer to the Lord the more we follow Him and live in the light of His love, starting with our desire and success to forgive even the deepest of pains in this life, especially betrayal. Interestingly enough, the way the little short story ends and the way our own lives will find their conclusion is very similar. In the children’s book, the little bird dramatically returns to its nest just as his mother returns. The two are reunited, much to their delight, and the baby bird recounts to his mother the adventures he had looking for her. Imagine your homecoming to Jesus in Heaven and all the stories you’ll share as you spend a lifetime looking for Him, too.
Leave a comment“Of course, God does not consider you hopeless. If He did He would not be moving you to seek Him (and He obviously is). What is going on in you at present is simply the beginning of the treatment. Continue seeking with cheerful seriousness. Unless He wanted you, you would not be wanting Him.” C. S. Lewis
“Tell the children of Israel to go forward. And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea, split the sea in two, that the children of Israel may pass through it on dry land.” The Scriptures are full of examples of the literally hundred situations whereby trusting God with something unknown and overwhelming is the only valid response. Many, if not most, of us can easily attest that anxiety, worry, and fear are totally useless and even harmful not only to our souls but also to those around us. Imagine the scene of the Israelites standing in front of the mighty Red Sea and being told that they were about to walk through it! No doubt there were some among them who truly needed to trust God with everything—and they did!
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. Much like the original “river-marchers” of the Old Testament and Jonah the Prophet in the whale’s belly, trust in God, even the deepest and lasting confidence, must be ours. Again, imagine the thoughts and feelings of those around Jesus at the time of His Crucifixion. Total trust led to total victory. It still does.
Leave a comment“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Corrie Ten Boom
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” In the natural world, weeds wreak havoc on the land. They reduce farm and forest productivity, invade crops, smother pastures, and in some cases, harm livestock. They aggressively compete for water, nutrients, and sunlight, reducing crop yield and poor crop quality. They also hide the very core of crops, especially at the all-important harvest time, so the collection of crops is incomplete. They have also been known to hide the symptoms of pests and diseases that will stress plants and crops and decrease the yields. For these very pointed reasons and many others, they make an awesome example and point to the essential nature of evil that Jesus provides for all of us today. Allowing evil into our lives keeps us from truly being happy and fulfilled. The very nature of evil essentially blocks all the goodness that can come from our faith in action by confusing and trapping the light that is willfully desiring to emanate from us, especially in our dealings with one another.
“And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.” We must accept the truth that our free will stays intact so that we may love with a free and giving heart. That being said, we must also accept the fact that evil seeks only to destroy and sabotage that freedom. But as we know and believe, there is always hope because of the One who defeated death and evil forever: “The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.” As we continue through this eventful summer month and anticipate the blessings and challenges of the days to come, let us ask the Lord for the courage to enter the fields of the future with great hope and faith in Jesus, who has already defeated evil and has planted a harvest of hope in our hearts. Thank you, Jesus, for everything!
Leave a comment“The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” Albert Einstein.
“The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.” From time to time, we are given a unique perspective into the disputes that Jesus faced while He walked the earth. Today, in the Gospel, we find Him amid several disputes with the Pharisees. These men were part of a movement of spiritual renewal among the Jews at the time of Christ. The Pharisees were very concerned about the national identity of Israel, rooted in the Covenant between God and the Chosen People. The Torah (or Law), contained in the first five books of the Old Testament, gave concrete instructions on how to live the Covenant faithfully. Although they seemed to have meant well, the problem with their position was that their teaching robbed the Law – the Word of God, after all – of its dynamism and life-giving power. “Blind guides,” Jesus calls them (see Matthew 15:14; 23:16, 24). The Pharisees’ attitude compromised their capacity to grasp Jesus’ teaching on the liberating power of the Law: “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17).
How should we understand Jesus’ reference to a bruised reed and a smoldering wick? We can safely agree with many biblical scholars that this does not mean that any of us should be harsh, demanding, or manipulative with weak and wounded people. Jesus uses this image to teach us about the new Covenant that he inaugurated. You see, a complete and total conversion is necessary in order to live in the Kingdom and to maintain the level of fidelity and love of God to move forward in life. Without proper care, our souls can become like “those who plan iniquity and work out evil on their couches,” as we heard in our first reading today. The great news today is that the Lord is always at hand, offering us his grace through the sacraments to repair what is broken, strengthen what is weak, and fortify what is healthy.
Leave a comment“A Pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, but a spiritual person is easy on others and hard on himself.” Caro Vanni
“It is the Passover of the LORD…Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you.” There are certainly days in the life of every Christian when life feels particularly hard and burdensome. Unfortunately for some more than others, these last a little longer. We wonder where God is or why He seems to have abandoned us. This kind of test is very difficult because it is dark. That is why we must remember the promise that was made to us sealed by the blood of the lamb in the Old Testament and the blood of Jesus (Lamb of God) in the New. This is what we know as Passover.
“If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice; you would not have condemned these innocent men.” In many ways, some of the toughest tests we will ever have to endure in this life are practically impossible to pass on our own. This is precisely why God the Father rescued the Chosen People, preparing the way for the magnificent redemptive act of the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ His Son. When we fully grasp and incorporate what Jesus did for me on a universal level and spend my life working to make that real in every instance and circumstance in my personal life, we will find such peace and clarity that we would or could never be the same again.
Leave a comment“Freedom is within our grasp, and Passover reminds us that we need to reach.” Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Today, we readers of the Scriptures are treated to a lesson in word usage and phrasing that will hopefully help us remember the great wisdom that is contained for our use on our spiritual journey. If you were just listening to the Word proclaimed today, you might think that the word “yolk” was meant instead of “yoke.” Most people know that yolk is that soft, yellow center of an egg that comes to our plates in a myriad of uses and presentations. However, a yoke, as is mentioned in the Gospel today, is a very large piece of Word or even a metal composition that is placed on the top of the necks of beasts of burden in order to drag and complete the unearthing of the land to plant and sometimes harvest. But this does present even more issues as to why this large, obstructive tool could be easy or even light. There must be something more to this.
“This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations.” Many of the tests in our spiritual life have to do with carrying a heavy cross or a burden of some kind, usually physical or emotional. When you think of the yoke, there is always room for two. When Christ offers his own yoke what is clear about the invitation is both simple and stunning. It is as if the Lord is saying to us, “I am asking you to carry this heavy load, but I will be on one side of the yoke while you are on the other. We will do this together. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.” This is truly great news! No matter what I have to carry today, no matter how great or small, this will pale in comparison if I had to carry this cross alone. We are never alone, and this promise Jesus always completes and answers. This is why the daily regimen of the Scriptures is linked with solid prayer and devoted reception of the Eucharist, which is absolutely necessary if we are going to make it to Heaven. You see, when we put our problems in His hands, He puts peace in our hearts. This is a test that you pray before, during, and after!
Leave a comment“The one who prays is never alone.” Pope Benedict XVI
“There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed.” Imagine for just a second that you are Moses. You come across a burning bush in your backyard. No one is going to believe you but there it is right in front of you. What do you do with this kind of experience? Realistically, the great majority of us will not experience anything like that, thankfully. However, there are a great number of things that happen to us for which we have no explanation. “Why do these things happen to me?” we sometimes ask ourselves. Perhaps the inexplicable and mind-boggling things that outrun our understanding could be a test of some sort. But of what?
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike.” This is how we pass this test: trust. Simple, childlike trust in the way God has things ordered in our lives. This is not easy, especially for those among us who need to have answers yesterday. One of the benefits of passing this type of spiritual testing is patience, which we could always use. Pray today not to understand everything but to trust the One who has everything in “HIS HANDS.”
Leave a comment“When we don’t understand and don’t agree with the way life has gone, we are to bow before God and once again confess that we can’t understand His wisdom. In faith, we are to accept His wisdom, His Word, and His workings, trusting in Him and obeying His commands.” Elizabeth George
“Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Another one of the examples of “being put to the test,” is how we deal with issues of guilt and shame. Sometimes, these are merited or deserved, while others are not. It all depends on the situation. In the Old Testament, Moses was indeed “found out” and began his self-inflicted exile, riddled with guilt and shame. Many, if not all of our readers can certainly relate to these situations where our guilt blinds us and, yes, tests our resolve to live happy lives.
“Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done since they had not repented.” Make no mistake about following Jesus: when He promises He will free us from guilt and shame, He absolutely means it, taking His message to the Cross and all the way to Heaven. The problem lies in our unbelief. How can we hold on to the yolk of unrepentant living and still live in misery? The resounding answer is “not very well.” Let us consider the trials and errors of making mistakes, either intentionally or unintentionally, and decide today, while it is still today, to accept what guilt can teach us but never stay there. This could be the start of something wonderful!
Leave a comment“I’m just going to say it: I’m pro-guilt. Guilt is good. Guilt helps us stay on track because it’s about our behavior. It occurs when we compare something we’ve done – or failed to do – with our values”. Brené Brown
“The Egyptians, then, dreaded the children of Israel and reduced them to cruel slavery, making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick and all kinds of fieldwork—the whole cruel fate of slaves.” One of the greatest tests we endure in this life is found at the hands of those who hate us. Some of us are fortunate that we do not have active enemies trying to undo our life’s work and make each and every step miserable, but we all, without exception, have some sort of enemy, even if it is internal self-pity, fear, or needless worry.
“…and whoever does not take up his Cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Here is the center of our reflection for today: we cannot avoid suffering in this life, nor should we even attempt to try. The only avenue we have open to us is to see our Cross as a “gift” from Jesus that will indeed make us stronger, more faithful, and, yes, more loving. At the heart of the matter is that when it is all said and done, and we come to our last hour on earth, we might even give God thanks and praise for those who caused us discomfort, for we have passed the test!
Leave a comment“Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. In the end, all his disciples deserted him. On the Cross, he was utterly alone, surrounded by evildoers and mockers. For this cause, he had come to bring peace to the enemies of God. So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes. There is his commission, his work.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
God’s Word is never wasted. It never fails. As Isaiah reminds us, just as rain and snow water the earth and make it fruitful, so God’s Word goes forth with purpose. It always accomplishes what He intends.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower. The seed is the same in every case—it is the Word of God. What changes is the soil. Some seed falls on a path and is quickly taken away. Some fall on rocky ground and cannot take root. Some is choked by thorns. But some fall on good soil and produce an abundant harvest.
The message is simple but challenging: God is always sowing. The question is how we are receiving it.
It is easy for the heart to become like rocky ground when faith feels shallow or temporary. It can become like thorny soil when daily worries, stress, and distractions crowd out prayer and trust. Sometimes it even becomes like the hardened path, where we hear God’s Word but don’t let it in at all.
St. Paul reminds us in the second reading that even in suffering and struggle, there is hope. God is still at work. Creation itself is waiting to be renewed, and so are we. What we endure now is not the end of the story.
But when the Word of God finds good soil in us—when we listen, trust, and allow it to take root—it produces fruit far beyond what we expect. Not just a little growth, but a harvest: thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.
God is still sowing today. In every Mass, in every Scripture reading, in every quiet moment of conviction or peace, He is planting His Word in our lives.
The invitation this week is simple: ask God to soften what has become hardened, to clear what is crowded, and to strengthen what is weak. A heart open to Him will always bear fruit.
Leave a comment“Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.” One of the more obvious reasons that we are tested by God is the result. Nothing succeeds like success. The Lord God, throughout our long historical and universal relationship with Him as a human race, has shown time and time again that He knows just how to bring tremendous good out of the most dismal and horrible of events. Just check out the Resurrection in the face of the Crucifixion. Israel, Joseph, and his brothers experienced this firsthand, as the words from the Old Testament make clear.
“Therefore, do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” In the New Testament Reading, we have yet another indication of how everything works out in the end. It is plain and simple: sooner or later, the truth always surfaces. It finds its way to the surface in remarkable and, yes, mysterious ways. Following Jesus means being men and women of integrity who expect to be believed and trust that time will prove them right and, because of Jesus, are willing to wait. What is waiting for us is specifically spectacular: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.”
Leave a comment“Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory.” Warren Wiersbe
“And Israel said to Joseph, ‘At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive.” Our First Reading from the Old Testament today gives us such a unique insight into the fruits of 1) trusting God, 2) believing without seeing, and 3) patiently waiting for Him to act. Here we have a Father who was mourning his son who believed he was still alive, out there, somewhere. And while the father was tested, the son was also put to the test of forgiveness. Both passed, and both were to be able to present a noble life at the end.
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves, so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” God wants to know our hearts. He doesn’t test us to punish us. His tests are not unlike those we use with each other in human relationships. Testing is how we determine where we are at with whomever we are attempting to build a relationship. It’s how we know what “trusting God” really means. Today, we are made aware of how difficult these moments can be. There are the wolves of the world who make it harder and harder to pass the test of life, but make no mistake; we must pass. Failure is not an option.
Leave a comment“Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.” Napoleon Hill
“I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you.” Remembering the context of this marvelous and dramatic scene, we come to the very moment when Joseph actually forgave his brothers for what they did to him years before. We could say that in many ways that this is also a test. You see, it is one thing to “say” that we are going to forgive or even that we “want” to do so, but when it actually comes right down to it, what do we do?
“Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.” The test of forgiveness, when passed, yields remarkable fruits. It begins to shape and form us into magnificent spiritual human beings that actually glow with wisdom, holiness, and patience. It is as if the test is administered here so that we can grow with those elements of our own personality. Just think about it for a while. Who are the most wonderful and amazing people you know? What do they have in common? They passed this test!
So can you.
Leave a comment“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Lewis B. Smedes
“But turning away from them, he wept.” Our First Reading today from the Old Testament is truly moving. Remember the context: Joseph’s brothers left him for dead, intent on having some wild animal devour him or allow him to starve to death at the bottom of a well. Can you or anyone else try to imagine what we have done in a similar situation? For some of us, the real question would sound like: “what DID we do?” We have come across an example of a test of forgiveness. “But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness.”
“Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The additional good news for all of today is these forgiveness tests that we seem to endure with amazing regularity are exactly why God loves us so much and precisely why He sent His only Son. The even better news is that we can pass these tests easily– by just asking God for the courage and strength to forgive even the most difficult and horrible of people. We then will truly understand the best form of love.
Leave a comment“Forgiveness is the best form of love. It takes a strong person to say they are sorry and an even stronger person to forgive.” Yolanda Hadid
Board Member
Everyone needs to have a Ray “Redfish” for a friend or at least to meet one like him before you leave the planet. He has never been known to interrupt a single person, say an unkind thing, although he did come close during the last Dallas Cowboy game, or leave any food on his plate. Ray wants to live in a world where Jesus is Lord, life is sacred, and blessings never end.
Board Member
Grateful for an amazing group of friends and a life that has been blessed and enriched by so many, Andrea brings a deep joy and dedication to the mission of CityOfAgape. She is detail-oriented and uses her experience and foresight to proactively address the needs of those around her. When you speak with Andrea, you feel like you’re the only one in the room.
Board Member
Father David comes from the land of Iowa where you can get sunburn and frostbite all in the same week. He has the mind of an architect and the soul of a musician. Father David has given his heart to Jesus and truly lives in the Kingdom. An accomplished guitarist, drummer, phenomenal preacher, he has the voice of a baritone angel. His prayers are powerful and his humor, well… it’s Iowan.
Secretary/Treasurer
Every day, for nine months, an intermittent light rain falls in Seattle, Washington. Those days are brightened by the warm smile and hopeful outlook on life that Angelyn brings to every encounter. Her financial expertise and engaging conversation has ensured great things ahead for CityOfAgape. Her life is filled with a constant welcome that is focused and friendly.
President
Jacqueline’s life epitomizes hard work, creative service and complete dedication, not only to CityOfAgape, but also to her husband, Joshua, and her beautiful children. Her smile, even when things are difficult, is refreshing and comforting. In most currently used English dictionaries, under the word “energy,” you will find Jacqueline’s picture.
Secretary/Treasurer
Janice is not only meticulous in reviewing records and requests for Scriptures, but her eyes well-up with joyful tears when you ask her about all the letters she has received from the thousands of Bible recipients over the years. She loves gardening and listening to the earth; her life is like a long stroll through an intriguing and engaging nature center.
Board Member
Father James’ priestly service has taken him to four different countries, many parish settings, and in contact with more friends that rivals most politicians. One of his favorite quotes is by G.K. Chesterton, “Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.” If there are sounds of a lively discussion, mixed with hearty laughter and the aroma of a good cigar, Father James can’t be too far way.
Founder and President Emeritus
The minute John walks through the door, your IQ goes up. He embodies the remarkable talent of grasping the bigger picture while juggling multiple points of view, in a world where many are very one-sided. Always happy, even when he is sad, John is ready to challenge and comfort all in the same breath. Where some only see problems, John sees the bright promise of tomorrow. His inspiration and memory will outlast his years on earth. John always says, “there are always miracles where there is great love.”