The Word of God

Daily Reflections

• Reflection – Lectionary: 276

  Today, we have a real treat as we learn more about Philip, about whom we read earlier:   “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 the vigor and enthusiasm of Philip and came to meet Jesus. Most people would agree with our assessment that a person who is duplicitous is also said to be “two-faced.” The Apostles were 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. 

  What are some 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 begin to create a climate of trust and shed light on elements that are not truthful and good.  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. 

  “Don’t worry about those who talk behind your back; they’re behind you for a reason.” Anonymous

• Reflection – Lectionary: 274 

  “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors.” 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.

  “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from Heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world.”  As we prepare to begin another day, let us carry Jesus deep within our souls so that we do or say nothing that would displease him. A stiff neck is not pleasant, neither on the body nor on the soul. To be stubborn when it comes to growing closer to God and surrendering our pride is not a virtue. This is the challenge and fruit of being loving people who love God and our neighbor. Be determined, not stubborn. Determination is positive, feels light, and will take us far with the grace of God. It is a willingness to change as needed and always keeping an open mind. Stubbornness is a heavy feeling and a refusal to budge. A negative, closed mind can never reflect the face and attitude of Christ. It is truly an exciting adventure. 

  Realize who you truly are in the presence of God. Do not be inflated or arrogant today. Accept your life as it is today and ask God first for the wisdom to know what to change and then the courage to start on this exciting project of transformation.   

  “A Christian is not a person who believes in his head the teachings of the Bible. 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

• Reflection – Lectionary: 273

  A very wise man once attempted to comfort a younger apprentice who seemed to have been the target of several slimy and vicious remarks from a coworker by stating the following:   “Whatever is ever said to you is never more important than the one who said it.” Now just think about that bit of advice for just a minute, and then consider the passages with which we have been gifted today in the Scriptures:  “Though princes meet and talk against me, your servant meditates on your statutes. Yes, your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors.”  Do we ever truly realize how many words and phrases are spoken to us in the course of any given day? Some are surely good and others not so. We received a glimpse of this in the First Reading in the ugliness hurled at Stephen:  “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” What we can safely conclude from these two Biblical selections is that all of us throughout the entire span of human experience have to decide quickly and wisely what we will allow to settle, grow, and/or fester into our ears and hearts and minds. 

  With that in mind, the Gospel screams for attention to the only voice that we can truly trust 100% of the time and in every situation before us: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.'”  Let us call out to one another and challenge each other to pay even more attention to the words of Jesus uttered in the Scriptures for us, especially in the coming week, believing that it is not only important to see who is talking but also what He is saying. 

  “Somewhere we know that without silence, words lose their meaning, that without listening, speaking no longer heals, that without distance, closeness cannot cure.” Henri Nouwen

• Reflection – Lectionary: 46

  “But they urged him, ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.'” It is very likely that more than a handful of us have had those glowing, wonderful memories, either nestled in our childhood or perhaps when we first fell in love or achieved that first remarkable landmark in our lives that the experience caused us to say and think and even shout, “I don’t want this to end!” This paints and points to the marvelous richness of life that makes every problem, headache, and heartache seem so very tiny that it may even cause us to forget the tears and only recognize the joy that surrounds us. These, my friends, are “Easter-moments” and they must be guarded and safely kept all throughout our lives, no matter how long we have on this planet. It is these that help us remember the sun when it’s raining, the laughter when we are weeping, and our heart beating of love when we think it has stopped because it has been broken and shattered.   

  “Therefore, my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.” You see, all of Lent showed us the path of self-denial and reflection, while Holy Week showed us all how far the Lord Jesus would take His message and reveal the depths of His love. This is what causes wounded hearts to sing, crushed dreams to reanimate and lost hope renewed into something not ever before imagined. 

  “Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us; make our hearts burn while you speak to us.” What we ask diligently in this new installment of the newly gifted Easter Season is nothing short or long of a changed way of looking at life. If we accept the way things “just are,” we will have fallen for the temptation to cuddle up with mediocrity and meaningless moments, a destiny no one could possibly actually want! Jesus has done everything in His power to bring about newness and have our hearts burn with the desire to thrive and not just survive. Open the Scriptures today. Let the Lord speak to you openly and lovingly. We cannot let this end!

  “Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.” Helen Keller 

• Reflection – Lectionary: 272 

  “When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid.” 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. But when our doubts are overcome by our faith, great things happen: “The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.” ” Gaps 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. 

  “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

• Reflection – Lectionary: 271

  “One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.” When we realize all that we have been through these past few months, how can we not see the great blessings in each and every day? What kind of power or force are we blindly following to make a day, an hour, or even a single minute blessed or cursed? “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?”  Doubt and pessimism in all its forms are useless and truly squander time and energy. The Pharisee Gamaliel made a very poignant observation that could help our understanding of this:  “For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them.” What makes today blessed, fortunate, and awesome has nothing to do with some outside uncontrollable force over which we have no power, but on one simple fact: Jesus died for us sinners, and now we have a shot at eternal life. 

  “Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.” We have all been blessed by the complete and selfless act of self-sacrifice that Jesus accomplished on the cross. By His blood, we have been washed and made clean, and we can and should avail ourselves of all the promised blessings every single day we are alive. Shallow people believe in luck; strong people believe in cause and effect; blessed, healthy, and happy people believe in Jesus. 

  “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” Zig Ziglar

• Reflection – Lectionary: 270

  On this beautiful Thursday, we are presented in the First Reading with a dramatic and very telling dialogue that makes perfect sense for all of us who are attempting to follow the light of Christ all throughout the days we have been given on this planet. First, the Sanhedrin, clearly angry and disgusted with the Apostles, began this exchange:  “We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name.” What is curious about this inflammatory statement is that it seems the high court is more upset about the name of Jesus than over the fact the Apostles are still alive and being received with great respect for themselves. It is all about the name! Invoking someone’s name like this announces not only a closeness and reverence for the person who bears the name but also the willingness to follow, emphasize, and share this relationship with everyone in one’s own circle of influence, with, in fact, the whole world. The Apostles made this crystal clear in their quick and concise response to the Sanhedrin: “We must obey God rather than men.”

  Many years ago, I saw a short film which basically told an imaginary story that at the heart of it, asked this question: “If it were a crime to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” With today’s Readings still echoing in our hearts, we could ask the same question of ourselves. The answer would have to rest on the amount of time, energy, and vigor that we place in following Christ and believing everything He taught and said He would do for us, especially on our last day on earth. Everything depends on this powerful relationship, which Jesus would prefer to call a “friendship” because it is truly based on love and forgiveness. So, what’s in a name? Everything. 

  “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  William Shakespeare

  “There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.” Billy Sunday 

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