October 1, 2009
Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Luke 10:1-12
Try to imagine what it must have been like to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus during his life. These often seemingly common men and women accomplished great things, and the gospels often show their very human sides. What must it have been like to be sent away to prepare for Jesus to visit towns? The instructions in the gospel don’t make it appear to be an easy task. This is no easy journey, no first-class junket. The disciples hear the harvest is plenty, but laborers few. They’ll be like lambs among wolves. They won’t have money or lunch (I’m not sure I could survive under THOSE conditions! Lol). These were truly road warriors. But they did it. We know that they had questions sometimes, and doubts. They still did it.
That’s an important lesson for me. I need to keep taking the steps of my journey, even when I am not feeling particularly close to God. Remembering to do the little things, such as a quick prayer when I wake up; and a thank-you to God when grace helps me say the right thing in a difficult conversation; the time to center myself and reflect on the small blessings that I encounter everyday.
The deeds of the disciples and the small things that we each can do are brought together today (October 1) as it is the feast of Saint Thérèse, virgin and doctor of the church. She’s also known as the Little Flower. Though she lived in a cloister and died very young, she sought to find holiness in everyday life and everyday actions because she realized that she was probably not going to perform great deeds for God.
We have to listen for our own call and find holiness in life. For some that call will be for the road, and for some, the journey will take place closer to home. We have to be open and ready for the trip.
That brings me to another topic! October is the Month of the Rosary. There is no single greater weapon in our arsenal against the father of lies and murderer from the beginning than the rosary. Many of my previous blogs emphasize the role the rosary plays in my life. Saying the rosary daily--whether you say all 4 decades every day, or just one decade--can lead you to open your heart to Christ through His Holy Mother. At the left side of this blog is a link to the Holy Rosary that I use quite often when I'm not "in the mood" to pray the rosary by myself and I can't get someone to join me. Once I start though, I get "in the mood" very quickly as I meditate on the life of our Lord and what He has done for me. It's the least I can do.
Also, in case your interested, here ( Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus )is a link to the AmericanCatholic.org Saint of the Day entry on-line.
Peace to all of you on your personal journeys. May the harvest be abundant, as Christ promises.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Focus, focus, focus
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Nehemiah 2:1-8
Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Luke 9:57-62
Here’s how I see Wednesday’s gospel. Jesus gives three different responses (or are they?) to three different kinds of people who want to join Jesus on the journey. The first of these is the enthusiast, the idealist. "I'll follow you wherever you go." And Jesus responds—“You say that now, yes, and I'm sure you mean it now--but you say it without knowing its meaning. If you can know it’s meaning and still be so enthusiastic, then by all means, join me.”
The second would-be disciple has the obligation of unresolved religious duties. He has the obligation of burying his father. To this Jesus says, “That's another excuse. When you have buried him, you will find another reason and another reason and another reason, all perfectly good, all proper and all reasonable. And all of these reasons will be serving God in one way or another. But they are mere excuses. Proper religious duty, religious duty that is alive and well attends to the center not to the edges.”
Finally, a person approaches with the responsibility of familial obligation. Jesus recognizes the importance of these but emphasizes the importance of serving the Kingdom. Once you know your duty, once you know what God requires, there can be no going home and saying goodbye. But interestingly, there is also no need, because serving God does not require abandoning those we love any more than taking a job in another city does. Indeed, serving God is taking a job in another city—in the City of God, which is present to all forever.
The gospel is a strong reminder how in deciding to follow Jesus, we have to have a single-minded commitment and focus in our discipleship. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Our Faith demands that we follow the path less traveled, that we listen to the Holy Spirit who burns in our hearts, that we ensure our thoughts and actions are grounded in the commitment to our Faith; our commitment to our Faith comes first. And rather than reduce the value of the other aspects of our lives, this commitment above all others actually enriches all other life dimensions.
Our Faith in Jesus casts light on every aspect of us, and our relationships. It allows us to appreciate what is truly valuable, gives us discernment to pursue things everlasting, enhances our relationship with ourselves and those around us -- but only after our commitment to Jesus has to come first -- and this must be founded in love.
Nehemiah 2:1-8
Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Luke 9:57-62
Here’s how I see Wednesday’s gospel. Jesus gives three different responses (or are they?) to three different kinds of people who want to join Jesus on the journey. The first of these is the enthusiast, the idealist. "I'll follow you wherever you go." And Jesus responds—“You say that now, yes, and I'm sure you mean it now--but you say it without knowing its meaning. If you can know it’s meaning and still be so enthusiastic, then by all means, join me.”
The second would-be disciple has the obligation of unresolved religious duties. He has the obligation of burying his father. To this Jesus says, “That's another excuse. When you have buried him, you will find another reason and another reason and another reason, all perfectly good, all proper and all reasonable. And all of these reasons will be serving God in one way or another. But they are mere excuses. Proper religious duty, religious duty that is alive and well attends to the center not to the edges.”
Finally, a person approaches with the responsibility of familial obligation. Jesus recognizes the importance of these but emphasizes the importance of serving the Kingdom. Once you know your duty, once you know what God requires, there can be no going home and saying goodbye. But interestingly, there is also no need, because serving God does not require abandoning those we love any more than taking a job in another city does. Indeed, serving God is taking a job in another city—in the City of God, which is present to all forever.
The gospel is a strong reminder how in deciding to follow Jesus, we have to have a single-minded commitment and focus in our discipleship. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Our Faith demands that we follow the path less traveled, that we listen to the Holy Spirit who burns in our hearts, that we ensure our thoughts and actions are grounded in the commitment to our Faith; our commitment to our Faith comes first. And rather than reduce the value of the other aspects of our lives, this commitment above all others actually enriches all other life dimensions.
Our Faith in Jesus casts light on every aspect of us, and our relationships. It allows us to appreciate what is truly valuable, gives us discernment to pursue things everlasting, enhances our relationship with ourselves and those around us -- but only after our commitment to Jesus has to come first -- and this must be founded in love.
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Feast of the Archangels
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangelsDaniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or Revelation 12:7-12ab
Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5
John 1:47-51
In the presence of the angels, I will sing your praise!
(see Psalm 138)
"Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." (Catechism, Para. 336; St. Basil, Adv. Eunomium III, 1: PG 29, 656B)
Every September 29th we honor three prominent angels, messengers who helped carry out various aspects of God's salvation plan.
Unknowingly we live immersed in a sea of grace, God's loving power that yearns for us to be united to Him in mind and heart. He seeks this union through obedience to His Word, not simply to assert power over us, but to share His blessed life with His beloved children. However, since love can neither be forced upon nor demanded from us, we have the choice of saying "Yes" or "No" to His offer. The present state of the world suggests that relatively few have chosen to deeply participate in His divine love.God employs other ways of drawing souls to Himself. In the Gospel, Nathaniel is introduced to Jesus by Philip, on fire with joy at having found Israel's Messiah. Nathaniel's initial reaction is amusing: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" His bias against Jesus coming from a specific area did not hinder Christ, because God's choices aren't affected by human weakness or sin. Jesus saw Nathaniel to be without guile, worthy of trust and open to receive and able to communicate, through grace, His message of salvation. Jesus told Nathaniel that prior to Philip's introducing him, He had observed him praying with a sincere and humble spirit. These words deeply touched Nathaniel, illumined his heart to see that, indeed, Christ is "the Son of God and King of Israel." Jesus assures him he will see greater wonders, "the sky opening and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." In other words, Nathaniel will actually see (at His Ascension) that He is the Christ, fully human and also fully Divine.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Trying to keep my eyes on the prize
Lily is my "ghost-writer" tonight as I type this. She has pretty much worn out her parents and Marilyn today because she refuses to take a nap for some reason. But "Oompah" is still here for her--and she knows it! She is crawling now and there's no holding her back. She was in the front room "reading" her books and playing with her toys, so I thought I would tackle my blog entry. The minute I sat at my desk and turned on the light, the little dickens was on the fast track towards me and climbed up my leg and looked at me as if to say, "Oompah! Pick me up! I want to help you!" How could I refuse? The only drawback is that it is tough to type with one arm going around her right side and one arm going around her left and trying to keep her from hitting the keyboard at the same time! So if have any misspelled words or grammar errors, I can blame Lily! How shameless is that?
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Monday, September 28, 2009
Zechariah 8:1-8
Psalm 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
Luke 9:46-50
St. Luke’s ninth chapter is filled with familiar and important stories. First he sends the twelve on their mission. Then the multiplication of loaves, and then the intimate sharing with Peter in his “confession” – that Jesus indeed is the Messiah. This is followed by Jesus’ prediction of his own passion and death and his entry into the Kingdom of God.
Then two more stories follow: the uplifting transfiguration and then a cure of a demoniac. All this is followed by yet another prophecy by Jesus of his passion and death. (In our readings this past week we have read only the two episodes when Jesus is telling his disciples that he will suffer and die.)
In today’s gospel the ambition and vanity of the twelve is shown when they ask Jesus who will be greatest among them in the Kingdom of God. Jesus responds by simply placing a young child in their midst to show them and humble them: “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me … the least among all of you is the one who is the greatest!”
I got to thinking—After all these uplifting stories in Luke, chapter nine, why do the twelve show such selfishness and pettiness? Did they need to be hit upside the head with a two by four?
Then I thought maybe I should examine my own conscience. Deep down (Okay, not so deep down) I would like to be highly esteemed, to be powerful, to be in complete control of my own destiny. In a sense, I am in control through the use of my free will. But as a Christian, I am “to take up my cross and follow Jesus.” Many times I am tested to be selfish. At these times I have to learn to respond and follow Jesus by following his example: by being understanding, tolerant, loving, fair, non-judgmental with all whom I meet.
Doing this is not so easy and that is the “cross” that all of us are asked to take up as we follow Jesus. We so easily gossip about others—I think this is probably my biggest temptation—hold grudges for long times, and are unforgiving even as we call upon the Lord to forgive us again and again. He does this because he loves us but we don’t forgive others because we lack this love for others.
Above all we should have faith and trust in Jesus that in spite of all our poor efforts to follow him, he still will save us so that our hoped-for goal of union in love with him in his Kingdom will be fulfilled. But whatever position we happen to receive when we finally get to heaven is certainly a gift from God that we certainly don’t deserve but gladly accept.
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Monday, September 28, 2009
Zechariah 8:1-8
Psalm 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
Luke 9:46-50
St. Luke’s ninth chapter is filled with familiar and important stories. First he sends the twelve on their mission. Then the multiplication of loaves, and then the intimate sharing with Peter in his “confession” – that Jesus indeed is the Messiah. This is followed by Jesus’ prediction of his own passion and death and his entry into the Kingdom of God.
Then two more stories follow: the uplifting transfiguration and then a cure of a demoniac. All this is followed by yet another prophecy by Jesus of his passion and death. (In our readings this past week we have read only the two episodes when Jesus is telling his disciples that he will suffer and die.)
In today’s gospel the ambition and vanity of the twelve is shown when they ask Jesus who will be greatest among them in the Kingdom of God. Jesus responds by simply placing a young child in their midst to show them and humble them: “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me … the least among all of you is the one who is the greatest!”
I got to thinking—After all these uplifting stories in Luke, chapter nine, why do the twelve show such selfishness and pettiness? Did they need to be hit upside the head with a two by four?
Then I thought maybe I should examine my own conscience. Deep down (Okay, not so deep down) I would like to be highly esteemed, to be powerful, to be in complete control of my own destiny. In a sense, I am in control through the use of my free will. But as a Christian, I am “to take up my cross and follow Jesus.” Many times I am tested to be selfish. At these times I have to learn to respond and follow Jesus by following his example: by being understanding, tolerant, loving, fair, non-judgmental with all whom I meet.
Doing this is not so easy and that is the “cross” that all of us are asked to take up as we follow Jesus. We so easily gossip about others—I think this is probably my biggest temptation—hold grudges for long times, and are unforgiving even as we call upon the Lord to forgive us again and again. He does this because he loves us but we don’t forgive others because we lack this love for others.
Above all we should have faith and trust in Jesus that in spite of all our poor efforts to follow him, he still will save us so that our hoped-for goal of union in love with him in his Kingdom will be fulfilled. But whatever position we happen to receive when we finally get to heaven is certainly a gift from God that we certainly don’t deserve but gladly accept.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Evangelization is from the Sprit of Prophecy
My thoughts for Sunday, September 27, 2009
Numbers 11:25-29
Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
No matter how good a leader is, many people will grumble and complain about his leadership. The Israelites in the desert constantly grumbled at Moses’ leadership. Occasionally there was outright rebellion. God, seeing Moses' frustration, decided to lighten the burden of leadership by pouring out the divine Spirit of Prophecy also on seventy elders who would share Moses' authority.
Two of the elders were not present at the ceremony, but received the Spirit anyway. When they began prophesying on their own, Joshua, Moses' young assistant, became envious. "Moses, stop them!" he cried. To Joshua's surprise, Moses praised the two, and told Joshua he wished everyone had that gift.
In the gospel Jesus teaches the same lesson. When a few of His disciples complained to Jesus that some, not of their company, were driving out demons, Jesus, like Moses, rebuked His followers for being so exclusive. "Whoever is not against us is for us" became Jesus' rule for His Church.
When I was a kid, many pastors did not welcome help from the laity, other than altar boys and occasionally a sacristan. Often, they did not even allow their priest assistants to use their talents and their energy to the full. Nowadays, with the current priest shortage, the help of deacons and lay ministers and pastoral assistants is absolutely essential to the smooth running of a parish.
The reading from the book of Numbers makes it clear that prophecy, the carrying of God’s message to the world, is not the special task of only a few people: Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! If only all Christians felt a commitment to bring God’s pardon and God’s kingdom to all we meet!
The Gospel takes this point a step further. Not only must God’s truth be spread through all of God’s people; it must also be spread by those who are not of our company.
While there is truth in all the world’s great religions as well as in its secular institutions, only the Catholic Church is host to the entire Truth, as given to us by Jesus Christ, Himself. But we still hold out hope for reconciliation because as Jesus declared: "Anyone who is not against us is with us."
Through our Baptisms we are all filled with certain graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, one of which is the same Spirit of Prophecy (or Evangelization) that was poured out on the 72 elders in the desert. All who are baptized in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are with us, not against us.
Vatican II documents state “Since the whole Church is missionary, . . . the work of evangelization is a basic duty of the People of God. . . . Therefore, all sons of the Church should have a lively awareness of their responsibility to the world. They should foster in themselves a truly catholic spirit. They should spend their energies in the work of evangelization.”
Vatican II, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church (1965) 35-36
Numbers 11:25-29
Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
No matter how good a leader is, many people will grumble and complain about his leadership. The Israelites in the desert constantly grumbled at Moses’ leadership. Occasionally there was outright rebellion. God, seeing Moses' frustration, decided to lighten the burden of leadership by pouring out the divine Spirit of Prophecy also on seventy elders who would share Moses' authority.
Two of the elders were not present at the ceremony, but received the Spirit anyway. When they began prophesying on their own, Joshua, Moses' young assistant, became envious. "Moses, stop them!" he cried. To Joshua's surprise, Moses praised the two, and told Joshua he wished everyone had that gift.
In the gospel Jesus teaches the same lesson. When a few of His disciples complained to Jesus that some, not of their company, were driving out demons, Jesus, like Moses, rebuked His followers for being so exclusive. "Whoever is not against us is for us" became Jesus' rule for His Church.
When I was a kid, many pastors did not welcome help from the laity, other than altar boys and occasionally a sacristan. Often, they did not even allow their priest assistants to use their talents and their energy to the full. Nowadays, with the current priest shortage, the help of deacons and lay ministers and pastoral assistants is absolutely essential to the smooth running of a parish.
The reading from the book of Numbers makes it clear that prophecy, the carrying of God’s message to the world, is not the special task of only a few people: Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! If only all Christians felt a commitment to bring God’s pardon and God’s kingdom to all we meet!
The Gospel takes this point a step further. Not only must God’s truth be spread through all of God’s people; it must also be spread by those who are not of our company.
While there is truth in all the world’s great religions as well as in its secular institutions, only the Catholic Church is host to the entire Truth, as given to us by Jesus Christ, Himself. But we still hold out hope for reconciliation because as Jesus declared: "Anyone who is not against us is with us."
Through our Baptisms we are all filled with certain graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, one of which is the same Spirit of Prophecy (or Evangelization) that was poured out on the 72 elders in the desert. All who are baptized in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are with us, not against us.
Vatican II documents state “Since the whole Church is missionary, . . . the work of evangelization is a basic duty of the People of God. . . . Therefore, all sons of the Church should have a lively awareness of their responsibility to the world. They should foster in themselves a truly catholic spirit. They should spend their energies in the work of evangelization.”
Vatican II, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church (1965) 35-36
Friday, September 25, 2009
Those who have ears ought to hear!
Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15a
"But they did not understand this saying ..."
In the gospel, Jesus told his Apostles something very important, something they needed to understand and prepare for, something that would change their lives fundamentally, transforming them completely. But they didn't understand what was said. Not to understand is fine, but they were also too afraid to ask what it meant. They didn't understand, but they were frightened of its implications.
It reminds me of those situations where we cover our ears and hum or whistle, to drown out any possibility of our hearing something we don’t want to hear.
The Apostles finally came to understand that the Death of Jesus was for the whole world and would transform it forever. But I wonder if they would have come to realize this sooner if they had not been afraid to ask.
Do you sometimes read something in the Word that sounds hard, or daunting, or frightening? I do. Do you gloss over it, subduing it with prayer and other reading, rushing to another passage? Yep, me again!
Instead, rather than being afraid, why not turn to the Author of Life and ask Him to explain it? You might be surprised at what you hear.
I find that when I come across something while reading my Bible that disturbs me, it's usually the message I most need to hear. I have to learn to stop and listen and ask for an explanation. Who knows? In time the explanation may come and give me cause to rejoice in what God has in store for me!
Because, after all, every word of the Bible tells us of a deep and abiding love and faithfulness on the part of God. And where love exists, fear cannot abide.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
"For I am with you...
Friday, September 25, 2009
Haggai 2:1-9
Psalm 43:1, 2, 3, 4
Luke 9:18-22
How does He do that? Every time I start to get discouraged by the current state of affairs in the world, He knows just what to say:
Haggai 2:1-9
Psalm 43:1, 2, 3, 4
Luke 9:18-22
How does He do that? Every time I start to get discouraged by the current state of affairs in the world, He knows just what to say:
"For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts.
And my Spirit continues in your midst;
I will shake all the nations,
and the treasures of all the nations will come in,
And I will fill this house with glory . . . ."
To be sure, our free will has its effect—and it seems as though we’re doing our best (or is it worst?) to exercise it—but God has the final say and He has spoken it loud and clear.
"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!" (Haggai 2:9)
Now that’s reason for genuine optimism! Gee, I feel better already!
"Hope in God; I will praise Him, my Savior and my God."
(the response to Psalm 43)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Some questions we need to ask ourselves
My meditation and the readings for September 24, 2008
Haggai 1:1-8
Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
Luke 9:7-9
Herod was concerned about who Jesus “really” was. He was so concerned, the gospel says, that he kept trying to see Jesus. This brings to mind a bunch of questions:
Why did Herod want to see Him? I think it may have been out of curiosity or more probably fear that it was John the Baptist, or some other prophet that had come back to life that was going to give him a hard time for his sins. More importantly, where did he look for Him?
We might also ask ourselves why we want to seek Christ. Is it for understanding, consolation, healing, love, or maybe reparation? Or are we trying to find Him simply to know where He is, so we can try to hide our sins from Him? It’s impossible, of course, but I’ll bet there are still some of His creations who believe it is possible!
And if we are looking for Christ, where do we look for Him? Do we seek Him only in a church, in the Blessed Sacrament? Or do we look for Him in others, or in ourselves? How about in scripture, or, dare I say it, in the media? (Although many today think they have “found” the “messiah” in Obama, I can assure you he isn’t!)
The way I see it, we need to remind ourselves that Jesus said whenever we do a charitable work for the "least of my brothers, you do it for Me." If we are not finding Jesus as much as we would like, maybe it is because we are looking for Him in the wrong places.
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Cool! There is more than one Saint Gerard! Although I got my middle name in honor of St. Gerard Majella in gratitude for my birth, I found out that today is the feast day of St Gerard de Sagredo. What’s even cooler is that he had a very strong tie to King St. Stephen! The way I see it, this is two more people in the Church Triumphant I can call "my own" (in addition to St. Gerard Majella and St. Stephen the Martyr) and who I can call on to join their voices with mine in petition and praise to God!
THIS St. Gerard was a Venetian, born about the beginning of the eleventh century. At an early age he consecrated himself to the service of God in the Benedictine monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore at Venice, but after some time left it to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While passing through Hungary he became known to the king, St Stephen,(another cool coincidence!) who made him tutor to his son, Blessed Emeric, and Gerard began as well to preach with success. When St Stephen established the episcopal see of Csanad he appointed Gerard to be its first bishop. The greater part of the people were heathen, and those that bore the name of Christian were ignorant, brutish and savage, but St Gerard labored among them with much fruit. He always so far as possible joined to the perfection of the episcopal state that of the contemplative life, which gave him fresh vigor in the discharge of his pastoral duties. But Gerard was also a scholar, and wrote an unfinished dissertation on the Hymn of the Three Young Men (Daniel iii), as well as other works, which are lost.
King Stephen seconded the zeal of the good bishop so long as he lived, but on his death in 1038 the realm was plunged into anarchy by competing claimants to the crown, and a revolt against Christianity began. Things went from bad to worse, and eventually, when celebrating Mass at a little place on the Danube called Giod, Gerard had a vision that he would on that day receive the crown of martyrdom. He and his companions arrived at Buda and were going to cross the river, when they were set upon by some soldiers under the command of an obstinate upholder of idolatry and enemy of the memory of King St Stephen. They attacked St Gerard with a shower of stones, overturned his carriage, and dragged him to the ground. While in their hands the saint raised himself on his knees and prayed with St Stephen (the Martyr), "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. They know not what they do." He had scarcely spoken these words when he was run through the body with a lance; the insurgents then hauled him to the edge of a cliff and dashed his body headlong into the Danube below. It was September 24, 1046.
The heroic death of St Gerard had a profound effect, he was revered as a martyr, and his relics were enshrined in 1083 at the same time as those of St Stephen and his pupil Blessed Emeric. In 1333 the republic of Venice obtained the greater part of his relics from the king of Hungary, and with great solemnity translated them to the church of our Lady of Murano, where St Gerard is venerated as the protomartyr of Venice, the place of his birth.
Haggai 1:1-8
Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
Luke 9:7-9
Herod was concerned about who Jesus “really” was. He was so concerned, the gospel says, that he kept trying to see Jesus. This brings to mind a bunch of questions:
Why did Herod want to see Him? I think it may have been out of curiosity or more probably fear that it was John the Baptist, or some other prophet that had come back to life that was going to give him a hard time for his sins. More importantly, where did he look for Him?
We might also ask ourselves why we want to seek Christ. Is it for understanding, consolation, healing, love, or maybe reparation? Or are we trying to find Him simply to know where He is, so we can try to hide our sins from Him? It’s impossible, of course, but I’ll bet there are still some of His creations who believe it is possible!
And if we are looking for Christ, where do we look for Him? Do we seek Him only in a church, in the Blessed Sacrament? Or do we look for Him in others, or in ourselves? How about in scripture, or, dare I say it, in the media? (Although many today think they have “found” the “messiah” in Obama, I can assure you he isn’t!)
The way I see it, we need to remind ourselves that Jesus said whenever we do a charitable work for the "least of my brothers, you do it for Me." If we are not finding Jesus as much as we would like, maybe it is because we are looking for Him in the wrong places.
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Cool! There is more than one Saint Gerard! Although I got my middle name in honor of St. Gerard Majella in gratitude for my birth, I found out that today is the feast day of St Gerard de Sagredo. What’s even cooler is that he had a very strong tie to King St. Stephen! The way I see it, this is two more people in the Church Triumphant I can call "my own" (in addition to St. Gerard Majella and St. Stephen the Martyr) and who I can call on to join their voices with mine in petition and praise to God!
THIS St. Gerard was a Venetian, born about the beginning of the eleventh century. At an early age he consecrated himself to the service of God in the Benedictine monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore at Venice, but after some time left it to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While passing through Hungary he became known to the king, St Stephen,(another cool coincidence!) who made him tutor to his son, Blessed Emeric, and Gerard began as well to preach with success. When St Stephen established the episcopal see of Csanad he appointed Gerard to be its first bishop. The greater part of the people were heathen, and those that bore the name of Christian were ignorant, brutish and savage, but St Gerard labored among them with much fruit. He always so far as possible joined to the perfection of the episcopal state that of the contemplative life, which gave him fresh vigor in the discharge of his pastoral duties. But Gerard was also a scholar, and wrote an unfinished dissertation on the Hymn of the Three Young Men (Daniel iii), as well as other works, which are lost.
King Stephen seconded the zeal of the good bishop so long as he lived, but on his death in 1038 the realm was plunged into anarchy by competing claimants to the crown, and a revolt against Christianity began. Things went from bad to worse, and eventually, when celebrating Mass at a little place on the Danube called Giod, Gerard had a vision that he would on that day receive the crown of martyrdom. He and his companions arrived at Buda and were going to cross the river, when they were set upon by some soldiers under the command of an obstinate upholder of idolatry and enemy of the memory of King St Stephen. They attacked St Gerard with a shower of stones, overturned his carriage, and dragged him to the ground. While in their hands the saint raised himself on his knees and prayed with St Stephen (the Martyr), "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. They know not what they do." He had scarcely spoken these words when he was run through the body with a lance; the insurgents then hauled him to the edge of a cliff and dashed his body headlong into the Danube below. It was September 24, 1046.
The heroic death of St Gerard had a profound effect, he was revered as a martyr, and his relics were enshrined in 1083 at the same time as those of St Stephen and his pupil Blessed Emeric. In 1333 the republic of Venice obtained the greater part of his relics from the king of Hungary, and with great solemnity translated them to the church of our Lady of Murano, where St Gerard is venerated as the protomartyr of Venice, the place of his birth.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Travel light and trust in God
Readings and my meditation for Wednesday, September 23, 2008
Ezra 9:5-9
Tobit 13:2, 3-4a, 4befghn, 7-8
Luke 9:1-6
Whenever my family and I go on a trip, no matter how short, it seems we pack everything except the kitchen sink! Even on my short trips for work, I have to pack carefully so I don’t forget anything important. So when I read in the gospel, “Take nothing for the journey”, it got me thinking. Why is “traveling light” so important on the mission He is sending the Apostles on?
Jesus is doing several things. The first is that He is teaching trust. God is utterly reliable. When you are doing His work, what you need to see it through is miraculously provided. We see this time after time in the Bible and the stories of the saints.
He’s also teaching us how to leave things behind. It’s hard to go on a trip without all of those things around us that give us comfort and security. Our comfort and security are to be in the Lord alone. He is the source of all comfort.
Finally, Jesus is reminding us of our ultimate destination and final home. On that journey we will travel without walking stick, without a second tunic, without food, without anything we are accustomed to.
We will be entering an unknown land through an unknown way. If we have become used to traveling in this way, that final Journey will become so much easier.
Ezra 9:5-9
Tobit 13:2, 3-4a, 4befghn, 7-8
Luke 9:1-6
Whenever my family and I go on a trip, no matter how short, it seems we pack everything except the kitchen sink! Even on my short trips for work, I have to pack carefully so I don’t forget anything important. So when I read in the gospel, “Take nothing for the journey”, it got me thinking. Why is “traveling light” so important on the mission He is sending the Apostles on?Jesus is doing several things. The first is that He is teaching trust. God is utterly reliable. When you are doing His work, what you need to see it through is miraculously provided. We see this time after time in the Bible and the stories of the saints.
He’s also teaching us how to leave things behind. It’s hard to go on a trip without all of those things around us that give us comfort and security. Our comfort and security are to be in the Lord alone. He is the source of all comfort.
Finally, Jesus is reminding us of our ultimate destination and final home. On that journey we will travel without walking stick, without a second tunic, without food, without anything we are accustomed to.
We will be entering an unknown land through an unknown way. If we have become used to traveling in this way, that final Journey will become so much easier.Monday, September 21, 2009
Who are my brothers and sisters?
My meditations on the readings for September 22, 2009
Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Luke 8:19-21
The people that Jesus can call family are those who listen to what He says and act on it. It's that simple. The Father, through His Son has adopted us into His holy family as Paul says in Ephesians, "In love He destined us for adoption to Himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of His will, for the praise of the glory of His grace that He granted us in the Beloved."
This adoption makes us all brothers and sisters to each other and to our Savior, all of us children of the Father. This is precisely what Jesus is saying, that those of us who hear the Word of God, take it to heart, believe in faith and follow His way are truly His brothers and sisters. Although it may seem so if you read the gospel literally, in no way is He dismissing His earthly mother and "brothers" since He speaks here strictly in the spiritual sense.
This certainly was a radical change in the religious thinking of His time and the Pharisees who heard this most certainly were angered that He had the audacity to claim a father-son relationship with God, and to include all of His followers as well. But that is the part of the beauty of God's salvation plan. He loves us so much that He desires the closest relationship possible with us and has adopted us as His own.
But to belong to the family and claim the heritage of God Himself, Jesus makes clear the qualification—"those who hear the word of God and act on it." It is a twofold requirement. We must hear, but hearing alone is insufficient—the word of God is a call to action. If we hear without acting, we declare our contempt for our Father in Heaven. However, the word is so compelling that it is nearly impossible for anyone with any sort of human feeling to hear it and be unmoved.
The actions are different for each of us. Some will feed the hungry, others will visit the sick or those imprisoned, some will find clothing and shelter for those who lack them. Some will bake bread and goodies for church fundraisers; others will talk to their friends and those who have no friends. The world of actions is endless for those who dispose themselves to act.
So while the road is narrow—hear and act—it is also as wide as all of humanity—love as I have loved you. Love is by far and away the widest of all paths and the freest. And when we love with God's love, people know it and welcome it—it is better than shelter and food because it is certainty of our value in the eyes of our Father.
Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Luke 8:19-21
The people that Jesus can call family are those who listen to what He says and act on it. It's that simple. The Father, through His Son has adopted us into His holy family as Paul says in Ephesians, "In love He destined us for adoption to Himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of His will, for the praise of the glory of His grace that He granted us in the Beloved."
This adoption makes us all brothers and sisters to each other and to our Savior, all of us children of the Father. This is precisely what Jesus is saying, that those of us who hear the Word of God, take it to heart, believe in faith and follow His way are truly His brothers and sisters. Although it may seem so if you read the gospel literally, in no way is He dismissing His earthly mother and "brothers" since He speaks here strictly in the spiritual sense.
This certainly was a radical change in the religious thinking of His time and the Pharisees who heard this most certainly were angered that He had the audacity to claim a father-son relationship with God, and to include all of His followers as well. But that is the part of the beauty of God's salvation plan. He loves us so much that He desires the closest relationship possible with us and has adopted us as His own.
But to belong to the family and claim the heritage of God Himself, Jesus makes clear the qualification—"those who hear the word of God and act on it." It is a twofold requirement. We must hear, but hearing alone is insufficient—the word of God is a call to action. If we hear without acting, we declare our contempt for our Father in Heaven. However, the word is so compelling that it is nearly impossible for anyone with any sort of human feeling to hear it and be unmoved.
The actions are different for each of us. Some will feed the hungry, others will visit the sick or those imprisoned, some will find clothing and shelter for those who lack them. Some will bake bread and goodies for church fundraisers; others will talk to their friends and those who have no friends. The world of actions is endless for those who dispose themselves to act.
So while the road is narrow—hear and act—it is also as wide as all of humanity—love as I have loved you. Love is by far and away the widest of all paths and the freest. And when we love with God's love, people know it and welcome it—it is better than shelter and food because it is certainty of our value in the eyes of our Father.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Is there a doctor in the house?
Readings and meditations for September 21, 2009
Feast of Saint Matthew
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
Matthew 9:9-13
In the first reading from Ephesians we are challenged to look at others from the oneness we have attained from one baptism, one faith, and one Lord, rather than looking at the gulf or divide that is created by our different roles. We really are more the same than different. Instead we compare material riches, number of cars, successes, race, background, friendships, and so on. Our false perceptions and attitudes create a false barrier, which hinders the building up of the Body of Christ.
I am always amazed at the "strange" people Jesus publicly invited into His company and service. They were not the smartest, the wealthiest, or even the most physically appealing; but nevertheless, they were seen as pivotal characters in salvation history.
Did they know or sense the importance of their role? We might guess that a couple of them (Peter and John, for instance) might have had some inkling, but surely not full knowledge of the impact their witness to Jesus was to have.
Consider Matthew
Jesus was strolling by some tax collectors and various evildoers one day and turned to one of them and said, "Follow me." And Matthew got up from what he was doing, presumably retiring from the position forever and started to follow Jesus. Then a meal with “many tax collectors and sinners” becomes the occasion for Jesus to define his mission.
Over the objection of the Pharisees to such a gathering, Jesus portrays himself as a physician come to care for the sick and colors in this portrait with the pointed remark, “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
The implication, of course, is that the Pharisees were self-righteous and so they were not capable of responding to Jesus’ call to repentance. In their own eyes, they had no need for a savior because they became “right with God” through their own efforts. No need for the doctor here!
How much of our daily energy goes into trying to make ourselves “right with God?” Like avoiding a visit to the doctor’s office when we are ill (often devising our own treatments), we seem to avoid the Divine Physician as well. How different is the attitude of the great saints who know ever more deeply their need for God for the slightest good activity of each day! We think of a St. Therese who delighted in her own faults and weaknesses as places which would “draw” the love of God toward her in her littleness.
Matthew was a man reviled by all, a man, in all likelihood, mired in sin and in the exploitation of the poor and powerless; in short, a man who had it made in the ancient world. But such was the power of the voice of Christ; such was the joy of the service of Jesus that at one word from Him, this man was willing to give up everything.
We should recall this each time we drag our feet in one form of service or another. Each time the Lord asks us to smile at someone, speak to someone, have coffee with someone, feed someone, help in any way that lies within our power -- we should recall this man who gave up all to follow Jesus. He gave it up at a word and left all to be with Jesus. So, surely we can follow with a service less drastic, with a task much less onerous. Surely when we remember what the great saints and apostles sacrificed for us, we can afford the little sacrifice of some of our time.
What about us?
Like the apostles, we too have been singled out to have a role in furthering the Kingdom of God. What part we are intended to play may be hidden not only from us, but also from others. It is, with certainty, a role that God has equipped us well to play. May we then, like Matthew, accept the invitation of Christ who calls us to be His friend, His evangelist, to spread the Good News.
Feast of Saint Matthew
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
Matthew 9:9-13
In the first reading from Ephesians we are challenged to look at others from the oneness we have attained from one baptism, one faith, and one Lord, rather than looking at the gulf or divide that is created by our different roles. We really are more the same than different. Instead we compare material riches, number of cars, successes, race, background, friendships, and so on. Our false perceptions and attitudes create a false barrier, which hinders the building up of the Body of Christ.
I am always amazed at the "strange" people Jesus publicly invited into His company and service. They were not the smartest, the wealthiest, or even the most physically appealing; but nevertheless, they were seen as pivotal characters in salvation history.
Did they know or sense the importance of their role? We might guess that a couple of them (Peter and John, for instance) might have had some inkling, but surely not full knowledge of the impact their witness to Jesus was to have.
Consider Matthew
Jesus was strolling by some tax collectors and various evildoers one day and turned to one of them and said, "Follow me." And Matthew got up from what he was doing, presumably retiring from the position forever and started to follow Jesus. Then a meal with “many tax collectors and sinners” becomes the occasion for Jesus to define his mission.
Over the objection of the Pharisees to such a gathering, Jesus portrays himself as a physician come to care for the sick and colors in this portrait with the pointed remark, “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
The implication, of course, is that the Pharisees were self-righteous and so they were not capable of responding to Jesus’ call to repentance. In their own eyes, they had no need for a savior because they became “right with God” through their own efforts. No need for the doctor here!
How much of our daily energy goes into trying to make ourselves “right with God?” Like avoiding a visit to the doctor’s office when we are ill (often devising our own treatments), we seem to avoid the Divine Physician as well. How different is the attitude of the great saints who know ever more deeply their need for God for the slightest good activity of each day! We think of a St. Therese who delighted in her own faults and weaknesses as places which would “draw” the love of God toward her in her littleness.
Matthew was a man reviled by all, a man, in all likelihood, mired in sin and in the exploitation of the poor and powerless; in short, a man who had it made in the ancient world. But such was the power of the voice of Christ; such was the joy of the service of Jesus that at one word from Him, this man was willing to give up everything.
We should recall this each time we drag our feet in one form of service or another. Each time the Lord asks us to smile at someone, speak to someone, have coffee with someone, feed someone, help in any way that lies within our power -- we should recall this man who gave up all to follow Jesus. He gave it up at a word and left all to be with Jesus. So, surely we can follow with a service less drastic, with a task much less onerous. Surely when we remember what the great saints and apostles sacrificed for us, we can afford the little sacrifice of some of our time.
What about us?
Like the apostles, we too have been singled out to have a role in furthering the Kingdom of God. What part we are intended to play may be hidden not only from us, but also from others. It is, with certainty, a role that God has equipped us well to play. May we then, like Matthew, accept the invitation of Christ who calls us to be His friend, His evangelist, to spread the Good News.
Pray, pray, pray. Then pray some more.
Every once in a while, some media comes along that exposes Satan's hatred at work through other humans. This is one of those videos. Please be warned that there is some pretty graphic material here. Don’t watch it with children nearby.
When you watch the video, you might wonder what the building used to be. It was an elementary school. The owner of the clinic lives in the building in a basement apartment.
I assume that the money is good enough that the “doctors” (not “healers”) are willing to work in such an obvious den of hatred, bigotry and lies.
The good news is that statistics show that over 50% of Americans now consider themselves pro-life and hopefully, killing barns like this one will no longer exist within 5 years.
Please pray for all of those involved both inside the clinic and inside their mother’s wombs, that all may find God’s mercy and forgiveness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6TM_RhTnCQ
When you watch the video, you might wonder what the building used to be. It was an elementary school. The owner of the clinic lives in the building in a basement apartment.
I assume that the money is good enough that the “doctors” (not “healers”) are willing to work in such an obvious den of hatred, bigotry and lies.
The good news is that statistics show that over 50% of Americans now consider themselves pro-life and hopefully, killing barns like this one will no longer exist within 5 years.
Please pray for all of those involved both inside the clinic and inside their mother’s wombs, that all may find God’s mercy and forgiveness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6TM_RhTnCQ
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The "green-eyed monster"
Readings and my meditations for Sunday, September 20, 2009
Wisdom 2:12, 17-20
Psalm 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
James 3:16-4:3
Mark 9:30-37
We’ve been taught that there are seven "capital" or “deadly” sins. They are the sins that flow from pride and passion. All the other sins flow from them. One of them, envy, is often pictured as a green-eyed monster.
In the first reading, the corrupt-power people are plotting to get rid of a holy one who is exposing their evil. "Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us." Like scheming backroom politicians, they are saying, "He's a pain! Get rid of him!" They plot to torture him, and eventually kill him! Of course, the just one wins out in the end, since in his wisdom, he is following the way that leads to truth and justice.
In the second reading, St. James warns the early Christians to avoid self-seeking and envy. This only leads to dissension, quarreling, and war. The true follower of Jesus will seek that wisdom that is "peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity." According to St. James, wisdom leads to good order and peace.
In the Gospel, the disciples of Jesus are so busy arguing about which one is going to be greater in the Kingdom, that they really miss what Jesus is trying to tell them. For the second time, He is attempting to explain that soon He must suffer and die, and on the third day, to rise from the dead. When they arrive at a house in Capernaum, Jesus asks them what they were arguing about on the way. He knows very well that they had not been listening, so He tells them that any follower of His must be a servant to others. Placing a small child in the middle of the group, He declares that the trust and love they see in the eyes of this little one is a model for their future discipleship.
As we think about that dramatic teaching of Jesus, we realize how far we are from being truly childlike. We should silence our ambitions, our dissensions, and the clamor of a fearful world, and listen to God's Wisdom. Hopefully, we will get rid of that green-eyed monster, envy, and grow in that wisdom that leads to humble service in the Lord's kingdom.
Wisdom 2:12, 17-20
Psalm 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
James 3:16-4:3
Mark 9:30-37
We’ve been taught that there are seven "capital" or “deadly” sins. They are the sins that flow from pride and passion. All the other sins flow from them. One of them, envy, is often pictured as a green-eyed monster.
In the first reading, the corrupt-power people are plotting to get rid of a holy one who is exposing their evil. "Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us." Like scheming backroom politicians, they are saying, "He's a pain! Get rid of him!" They plot to torture him, and eventually kill him! Of course, the just one wins out in the end, since in his wisdom, he is following the way that leads to truth and justice.
In the second reading, St. James warns the early Christians to avoid self-seeking and envy. This only leads to dissension, quarreling, and war. The true follower of Jesus will seek that wisdom that is "peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity." According to St. James, wisdom leads to good order and peace.
In the Gospel, the disciples of Jesus are so busy arguing about which one is going to be greater in the Kingdom, that they really miss what Jesus is trying to tell them. For the second time, He is attempting to explain that soon He must suffer and die, and on the third day, to rise from the dead. When they arrive at a house in Capernaum, Jesus asks them what they were arguing about on the way. He knows very well that they had not been listening, so He tells them that any follower of His must be a servant to others. Placing a small child in the middle of the group, He declares that the trust and love they see in the eyes of this little one is a model for their future discipleship.
As we think about that dramatic teaching of Jesus, we realize how far we are from being truly childlike. We should silence our ambitions, our dissensions, and the clamor of a fearful world, and listen to God's Wisdom. Hopefully, we will get rid of that green-eyed monster, envy, and grow in that wisdom that leads to humble service in the Lord's kingdom.
St. Anne's priest makes the big time!
Youthful Father Brandon Ware takes major role at St. Anne's Catholic Church
Shared via AddThis
When I visited Mom today, she told me that Father Brandon made the front page of her newspaper. I thought it would be fun to share it with all of you. This is not my meditation post. I found the article on-line and played around with a bunch of options to post and this came up. Anyway, please pray for Father Ware (and all priests) during this year of the priest.
God Bless you all,
Steve
Shared via AddThis
When I visited Mom today, she told me that Father Brandon made the front page of her newspaper. I thought it would be fun to share it with all of you. This is not my meditation post. I found the article on-line and played around with a bunch of options to post and this came up. Anyway, please pray for Father Ware (and all priests) during this year of the priest.
God Bless you all,
Steve
Friday, September 18, 2009
Let's get busy!
Readings and my meditation for Saturday, September 19, 2009
1 Timothy 6:13-16
Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
Luke 8:4-15
The reading from Paul's letter to Timothy was preceded by his criticism of religion teachers whose minds had corrupted God's truth and now used religion to compete with one another for material gain.
Paul, concerned for Timothy in such an environment, exhorts him to pursue true wealth by winning converts through teaching the gospel as Christ presented it. As a man of God, Timothy is also encouraged to be an example by living the Faith, being as righteous, devoted, loving, patient and gentle as Christ. Nothing is more destructive to people's faith and their hope for salvation than hypocrites who teach but lack a true and intimate knowledge of God gained only through sincere and diligent prayer.
Christ, using the parable of the sower, expands the theme of our first reading. God is the sower Whose work reveals the condition of human hearts by liberally sowing His holy Word, the seed, over all the ground. That which falls on yielding and fertile ground nurtures the seeds and bears food to feed many. The others who give little or nothing of themselves resist the seed, remaining barren or producing poorly.
Though everyone received equally, each reacted differently to God's seeds of truth and love. His disciples wanted to know more so they sought His help and to them he promised understanding. The point is, to those who do not seek, do not strive to know, do not explore, think, and pray, these parables are merely nice little stories. Jesus promises that those who truly look will see and those who truly listen will understand. One fact presented by this parable is that the attitudes, pleasures and conditions in the world, occupy many to the point where they cannot see beyond acquiring things, getting instead of giving.
So it’s no wonder why some rich, successful people are unhappy, ever looking to get more or fearing to lose their gains. They suffer from spiritual destitution; they have lost the most fulfilling, joyful and peaceful half of their lives.
Paul urges Timothy to live simply, not fall into the money trap, and to pursue righteousness instead of things.
The psalms remind us that God made us, we belong to him, we are his people, his flock. God is the Lord, our creator, and our shepherd. He is good and his kindness and faithfulness last forever. Our natural response to God should joyful singing, service, coming before him, thanksgiving, praise, and blessing. Failing to praise and serve God is unnatural. Those who think God is worthy open their mouths and say so and then act upon it.
We can pray that God will turn our hard, crusty hearts into hearts of flesh that are able to receive and keep His Word. We can work to go deeply into the love of God so that the Word cannot easily be snatched away. We can also take definite steps to simplify our lives and disentangle ourselves from the anxieties, riches, and pleasures of this life, which choke our faith.
Finally, even the good soil Christians are not those who have no say in the matter, as if God simply chose them, makes them good soil, and that is that. No, the rich soil people are those who embrace the word and then persevere. This calls us to effort, struggle, and pain. Only God can create a generous and good heart within us but, even after He does this, we must embrace the word of God with our whole being and hold on for dear life. God promises a mature, rich harvest but it is not automatic, not without effort, and not apart from the desire for it. God, in His grace, produces the seed. We work on the soil. And God grants the increase.
1 Timothy 6:13-16
Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
Luke 8:4-15
The reading from Paul's letter to Timothy was preceded by his criticism of religion teachers whose minds had corrupted God's truth and now used religion to compete with one another for material gain.
Paul, concerned for Timothy in such an environment, exhorts him to pursue true wealth by winning converts through teaching the gospel as Christ presented it. As a man of God, Timothy is also encouraged to be an example by living the Faith, being as righteous, devoted, loving, patient and gentle as Christ. Nothing is more destructive to people's faith and their hope for salvation than hypocrites who teach but lack a true and intimate knowledge of God gained only through sincere and diligent prayer.
Christ, using the parable of the sower, expands the theme of our first reading. God is the sower Whose work reveals the condition of human hearts by liberally sowing His holy Word, the seed, over all the ground. That which falls on yielding and fertile ground nurtures the seeds and bears food to feed many. The others who give little or nothing of themselves resist the seed, remaining barren or producing poorly.
Though everyone received equally, each reacted differently to God's seeds of truth and love. His disciples wanted to know more so they sought His help and to them he promised understanding. The point is, to those who do not seek, do not strive to know, do not explore, think, and pray, these parables are merely nice little stories. Jesus promises that those who truly look will see and those who truly listen will understand. One fact presented by this parable is that the attitudes, pleasures and conditions in the world, occupy many to the point where they cannot see beyond acquiring things, getting instead of giving.
So it’s no wonder why some rich, successful people are unhappy, ever looking to get more or fearing to lose their gains. They suffer from spiritual destitution; they have lost the most fulfilling, joyful and peaceful half of their lives.
Paul urges Timothy to live simply, not fall into the money trap, and to pursue righteousness instead of things.
The psalms remind us that God made us, we belong to him, we are his people, his flock. God is the Lord, our creator, and our shepherd. He is good and his kindness and faithfulness last forever. Our natural response to God should joyful singing, service, coming before him, thanksgiving, praise, and blessing. Failing to praise and serve God is unnatural. Those who think God is worthy open their mouths and say so and then act upon it.
We can pray that God will turn our hard, crusty hearts into hearts of flesh that are able to receive and keep His Word. We can work to go deeply into the love of God so that the Word cannot easily be snatched away. We can also take definite steps to simplify our lives and disentangle ourselves from the anxieties, riches, and pleasures of this life, which choke our faith.
Finally, even the good soil Christians are not those who have no say in the matter, as if God simply chose them, makes them good soil, and that is that. No, the rich soil people are those who embrace the word and then persevere. This calls us to effort, struggle, and pain. Only God can create a generous and good heart within us but, even after He does this, we must embrace the word of God with our whole being and hold on for dear life. God promises a mature, rich harvest but it is not automatic, not without effort, and not apart from the desire for it. God, in His grace, produces the seed. We work on the soil. And God grants the increase.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Staying close to Christ is a choice
Readings and meditation for Friday, September 18, 2009
1 Timothy 6:2c-12
Psalm 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20
Luke 8:1-3
The scripture says that the Lord was accompanied by ". . . 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. . . ."
When we look at who these people were we find a very diverse group that came from many backgrounds. Of the twelve we have fishermen and a tax collector. Of the others mentioned we have a prostitute, those cured of demons and other ailments and the wife of a member of the court of King Herod. They came from every walk of life, from the outcast and poor, to the rich and privileged.
The passage goes on to say, ". . . who provided for them out of their resources." These people, regardless of their place in the social structure of the time, provided for the Lord with whatever resources they had. And, my friends, it is no different today.
The Church around the world comes from all walks of life, some rich, some poor, and we are all called to provide out of our resources. There are two lessons to be learned from today's gospel. First, we are called to care for the Church and also each other. Second, in the eyes of our Lord, we are all equal and we all receive of His love and gifts equally.
Let's all remember the next time we see someone who "just does not fit in" that God sees things differently and His desire is for us to see all as loving and loved people who carry the imprint of the Most High.
1 Timothy 6:2c-12
Psalm 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20
Luke 8:1-3
The scripture says that the Lord was accompanied by ". . . 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. . . ."
When we look at who these people were we find a very diverse group that came from many backgrounds. Of the twelve we have fishermen and a tax collector. Of the others mentioned we have a prostitute, those cured of demons and other ailments and the wife of a member of the court of King Herod. They came from every walk of life, from the outcast and poor, to the rich and privileged.
The passage goes on to say, ". . . who provided for them out of their resources." These people, regardless of their place in the social structure of the time, provided for the Lord with whatever resources they had. And, my friends, it is no different today.
The Church around the world comes from all walks of life, some rich, some poor, and we are all called to provide out of our resources. There are two lessons to be learned from today's gospel. First, we are called to care for the Church and also each other. Second, in the eyes of our Lord, we are all equal and we all receive of His love and gifts equally.
Let's all remember the next time we see someone who "just does not fit in" that God sees things differently and His desire is for us to see all as loving and loved people who carry the imprint of the Most High.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
No strings attached
Readings and meditation for Thursday, September 17, 2009
Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J.
1 Timothy 4:12-16
Psalm 111:7-8, 9, 10
Luke 7:36-50
The gospel provides such a dramatic and beautiful picture of God’s love for us.
It’s easy to imagine this woman - probably with hair to her waist or longer - weeping at Jesus’ feet in sorrow for her sins. She demonstrates such humility in her actions, to use her tears and her hair to wash the dusty, dirty feet of someone who has been walking in sandals on unpaved roads and paths, through the market places and in the fields.
Last Sunday, during my rounds to distribute Holy Communion to the sick at the hospital, I had to don a gown and gloves before I could enter one of the rooms and I was instructed by the nurse to try to avoid touching anything and to be certain that I removed my special safety apparel in the trash can before coming out. These procedures, although necessary to protect both the patient and his visitors, made me feel somewhat “distanced” from my brother in Christ—until I was able to remind myself that God resides in that individual. Then I felt humbled by His presence just as the woman in the gospel was and, despite my protective gear, the “distance” disappeared.
Another lesson I see in this passage relates to forgiveness from the perspectives of the one forgiving and the one being forgiven. We often hear in the gospels about the infinite love and forgiveness that Jesus demonstrates, but it can be really difficult to believe just how forgiving He is. We certainly do not “deserve” that kind of love. In our society we generally feel that the recipient of our love has to be deserving of that love and that we have to be deserving of the love that we receive. How rare and unusual it is to see love given with no strings attached and how difficult it can be sometimes to trust and accept God’s infinite love and forgiveness. Yet it should be so simple to be like the woman in the gospel to recognize this gift and to treasure it as she did.
Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J.
1 Timothy 4:12-16
Psalm 111:7-8, 9, 10
Luke 7:36-50
The gospel provides such a dramatic and beautiful picture of God’s love for us.
It’s easy to imagine this woman - probably with hair to her waist or longer - weeping at Jesus’ feet in sorrow for her sins. She demonstrates such humility in her actions, to use her tears and her hair to wash the dusty, dirty feet of someone who has been walking in sandals on unpaved roads and paths, through the market places and in the fields.
Last Sunday, during my rounds to distribute Holy Communion to the sick at the hospital, I had to don a gown and gloves before I could enter one of the rooms and I was instructed by the nurse to try to avoid touching anything and to be certain that I removed my special safety apparel in the trash can before coming out. These procedures, although necessary to protect both the patient and his visitors, made me feel somewhat “distanced” from my brother in Christ—until I was able to remind myself that God resides in that individual. Then I felt humbled by His presence just as the woman in the gospel was and, despite my protective gear, the “distance” disappeared.
Another lesson I see in this passage relates to forgiveness from the perspectives of the one forgiving and the one being forgiven. We often hear in the gospels about the infinite love and forgiveness that Jesus demonstrates, but it can be really difficult to believe just how forgiving He is. We certainly do not “deserve” that kind of love. In our society we generally feel that the recipient of our love has to be deserving of that love and that we have to be deserving of the love that we receive. How rare and unusual it is to see love given with no strings attached and how difficult it can be sometimes to trust and accept God’s infinite love and forgiveness. Yet it should be so simple to be like the woman in the gospel to recognize this gift and to treasure it as she did.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
“But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
Readings for Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Memorial of St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian
1 Timothy 3:14-16
Psalm 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Luke 7:31-35
Words have meaning and they help provide us with a way to grasp what is often beyond our ordinary ability to comprehend. There is a word in the Psalm Response that describes the works of the Lord and says they are "great and exquisite."
Exquisite is not often used in our everyday speech. It isn't about just any old, run-of-the-mill, familiar, or common thing. Instead, it conjures up an image of something beyond the ordinary and leads us to enjoy the particular, precise, flawless characteristics of the object it describes.
How fitting then that a word like exquisite is used to describe God's greatness, for isn't He great and wonderful, Who made you to know the greatness of His exquisite power and the exquisiteness of His love?
*****************************************************************************
In the first reading, Paul is writing to Timothy – his great friend, sometime emissary and devoted convert – saying that he hopes to visit him soon, but that if Paul is delayed to take comfort in the good works they are doing together. In the second reading, Jesus seems almost wistful as He notes the rejection that both He and John the Baptist faced, but ends with the striking line: “But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
If we give to the poor and protect the innocent and oppose those who would exploit the poor and the powerless, then we are looked upon with suspicion by people who wonder what it is we want. If we speak the name of God, half the people we meet despise us for our weakness in dependence upon Him, and the other half despise us because we are trying to force "our God" upon them.
"But wisdom is vindicated by all her children." Better a fool for Christ than a fool for our society as it stands now. Better to be thought a hypocrite, than to join those who criticize and become one. How much better to spread love to those who cannot love and be despised for it, than to spread hatred and destruction and be either hated or loved.
Jesus lived in a time of divided people, and we are still and profoundly a divided people. But let each of us who hears, who prays, who loves God to be a person of single heart—not divided, half against God because we are told by the wisdom of this world that we are fools to trust Him. Better that folly than the folly of those who can trust only in the perishable—in the empires that turn to dust and the gold that cannot go beyond the grave.
Both Paul and Jesus are acutely aware of the strains of earthly existence and the pressure it was putting on their relationships. So they wrote and spoke about it to comfort their friends and perhaps even to comfort themselves.
“But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” I hope that holds true for me.
Memorial of St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian
1 Timothy 3:14-16
Psalm 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Luke 7:31-35
Words have meaning and they help provide us with a way to grasp what is often beyond our ordinary ability to comprehend. There is a word in the Psalm Response that describes the works of the Lord and says they are "great and exquisite."
Exquisite is not often used in our everyday speech. It isn't about just any old, run-of-the-mill, familiar, or common thing. Instead, it conjures up an image of something beyond the ordinary and leads us to enjoy the particular, precise, flawless characteristics of the object it describes.
How fitting then that a word like exquisite is used to describe God's greatness, for isn't He great and wonderful, Who made you to know the greatness of His exquisite power and the exquisiteness of His love?
*****************************************************************************
In the first reading, Paul is writing to Timothy – his great friend, sometime emissary and devoted convert – saying that he hopes to visit him soon, but that if Paul is delayed to take comfort in the good works they are doing together. In the second reading, Jesus seems almost wistful as He notes the rejection that both He and John the Baptist faced, but ends with the striking line: “But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
If we give to the poor and protect the innocent and oppose those who would exploit the poor and the powerless, then we are looked upon with suspicion by people who wonder what it is we want. If we speak the name of God, half the people we meet despise us for our weakness in dependence upon Him, and the other half despise us because we are trying to force "our God" upon them.
"But wisdom is vindicated by all her children." Better a fool for Christ than a fool for our society as it stands now. Better to be thought a hypocrite, than to join those who criticize and become one. How much better to spread love to those who cannot love and be despised for it, than to spread hatred and destruction and be either hated or loved.
Jesus lived in a time of divided people, and we are still and profoundly a divided people. But let each of us who hears, who prays, who loves God to be a person of single heart—not divided, half against God because we are told by the wisdom of this world that we are fools to trust Him. Better that folly than the folly of those who can trust only in the perishable—in the empires that turn to dust and the gold that cannot go beyond the grave.
Both Paul and Jesus are acutely aware of the strains of earthly existence and the pressure it was putting on their relationships. So they wrote and spoke about it to comfort their friends and perhaps even to comfort themselves.
“But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” I hope that holds true for me.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Our Lady of Sorrows--What an example!
Readings and reflection for Septmeber 15, 2009Sometimes we come across people who have a special quality – an ability to listen deeply; a sense of peace in their lives; a deep compassion that shows itself quietly. Their sense of faith and trust in God is palpable and they are the people we might turn to instinctively when we need help. Often we discover later that these remarkable people are ones who have suffered great loss and have found some meaning for their lives in it.
We all have pain and suffering in our lives. Even the most privileged of us have to deal with this very human experience. We face the death of a beloved family member, especially devastating when it is a child. Part of life is our own aging and diminishment and a growing awareness of our physical and mental frailty or the worries we have about our children, our grandchildren and other family members. The profound disappointments of life – the state of our marriages; the reality of the youthful life dreams we once had; or perhaps disappointment in the decisions made by our children – are part of the experience of so many of us. Sometimes there is the anxiety of waiting for the results of medical tests and the unknown changes to our family and us if the results are bad.
Beyond the scope of our own personal world, we see poverty and racial strife in our own cities, mistrust and conflict among our national leaders and a world torn by war, religious divisions and a terrible mistreatment of women and children. How do we live with this, share this experience or make sense of it?
When Simeon met Mary and Joseph in the Temple and saw the infant Jesus, he knew that Jesus was “destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel,” but Simeon also was predicting that Jesus’ life would cause Mary tremendous sorrow. She had the pain and emptiness as her son left their home and town for the unknown life of a teacher. Not only did she probably miss his presence, but also she had to open her heart and ask God to help her let go. She knew her son needed to leave and fulfill his call, but she did not always understand it. Her confidence in him was clear as she paved the way for her son’s first miracle at the wedding in Cana. “Do as he tells you,” is all she whispered to the servants.
She saw him move out farther into the region, accompanied by an unimportant group of followers that puzzled some. She listened as Jesus became more outspoken against the religious authorities. Her stomach probably had a knot that was hard to ignore as she heard the growing grumbling against him from those who were threatened. Finally, she was there as he was arrested, humiliated, and executed. This was her son, once her cherished little boy, now the beloved man with whom she had such a deep bond of love and faith. She watched as he was spit on and tortured and finally endured the crucifixion. While other followers ran, Mary stood there at the foot of the cross, looking up at her son’s agonizingly slow death.
Mary is a woman who has suffered deeply in life. This is a very real and very human Mary, who understands our losses and tragedies.
We all have pain and suffering in our lives. Even the most privileged of us have to deal with this very human experience. We face the death of a beloved family member, especially devastating when it is a child. Part of life is our own aging and diminishment and a growing awareness of our physical and mental frailty or the worries we have about our children, our grandchildren and other family members. The profound disappointments of life – the state of our marriages; the reality of the youthful life dreams we once had; or perhaps disappointment in the decisions made by our children – are part of the experience of so many of us. Sometimes there is the anxiety of waiting for the results of medical tests and the unknown changes to our family and us if the results are bad.
Beyond the scope of our own personal world, we see poverty and racial strife in our own cities, mistrust and conflict among our national leaders and a world torn by war, religious divisions and a terrible mistreatment of women and children. How do we live with this, share this experience or make sense of it?
When Simeon met Mary and Joseph in the Temple and saw the infant Jesus, he knew that Jesus was “destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel,” but Simeon also was predicting that Jesus’ life would cause Mary tremendous sorrow. She had the pain and emptiness as her son left their home and town for the unknown life of a teacher. Not only did she probably miss his presence, but also she had to open her heart and ask God to help her let go. She knew her son needed to leave and fulfill his call, but she did not always understand it. Her confidence in him was clear as she paved the way for her son’s first miracle at the wedding in Cana. “Do as he tells you,” is all she whispered to the servants.
She saw him move out farther into the region, accompanied by an unimportant group of followers that puzzled some. She listened as Jesus became more outspoken against the religious authorities. Her stomach probably had a knot that was hard to ignore as she heard the growing grumbling against him from those who were threatened. Finally, she was there as he was arrested, humiliated, and executed. This was her son, once her cherished little boy, now the beloved man with whom she had such a deep bond of love and faith. She watched as he was spit on and tortured and finally endured the crucifixion. While other followers ran, Mary stood there at the foot of the cross, looking up at her son’s agonizingly slow death.
Mary is a woman who has suffered deeply in life. This is a very real and very human Mary, who understands our losses and tragedies.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The ultimate sign of patience and obedience
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Numbers 21:4b-9
Psalm 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38
Philippians 2:6-11
John 3:13-17
The scriptures on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, remind us of the price paid for the forgiveness of our sins and should be an occasion for us to reflect on our own spirit of obedience. Are we self-driven, or do we turn often and prayerfully to the Holy Spirit for guidance in how we live our God-given lives?
The First Reading says that the patience of the Israelites was worn out by their journey in the desert and that they began to complain against God and Moses. (So what else is new?)
We too (the “new Israelites”), can get worn out and our patience depleted by our own life journey; but we need to remember that unlike the Israelites, we already enjoy the fulfillment of the promised land manifested in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Christ, the New Adam, died for our salvation on the cross. How often do we reflect on the fact that Christ was demonstrating that we always need to be obedient? Christ was obedient to the Father even to the point of death. By availing ourselves of Him and the grace of His Cross, we receive the strength to bear our own trials.
Like the Israelites, we might get worn down at times and lose patience; but we have good reason to believe that we’ll receive all that is necessary to complete our life's sojourn. The victory of Christ’s Cross is our victory!
Let us not forget the works of the Lord (see Psalm 78:7) and that “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (see John 3:15-16)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Faith and Good Works
Lily says, "Go CAL!"I can't remember if I related my fairly humorous (if you're not me!) story of a couple of weeks ago and my attempt to purchase tickets to the CAL/USC game, so if I did, I apologize. But here it goes again!
I got home from work and Marilyn asked me if I wanted to go to the CAL/USC game. For those of you not familiar with my family, our daughter Sarah is a graduate of CAL, and we got pretty interested in the football program while she was there--it could be worse--they could have a terrible team, but thankfully it's been a good one for about 8 years now. Anyway, Marilyn HATES USC!--Acutally, it's not that she hates USC so much as she likes to cheer against them when they play us. Back to the humorous part.....
I told her, "Sure! Sounds like fun!" So I went on line with Marilyn standing right beside me (I'm not taking all the blame for this one!) and we went to site that we always use to buy tickets. The price of the tickets was $155 each! "Oh my God!", I exclaimed, "Why so much?" We thought it might be because USC is a premier game and Berkeley is building a new athletic complex and they have to pay for it somehow, right? So we bought 5 tickets--one for me, Marilyn, Alicia, Sarah and Lorenzo--$805 with tax and postage. I told Marilyn, "It had better be ONE HELL of a game!" The computer informed us that we would get the confirmation of our purchase on line the next day and our tickets to the game would arrive in plenty of time through the US mail.
The next day, our confirmation came--it read "Thank you for supporting CAL football. Your SEASON TICKETS are on their way to you."
So we're going to the CAL game today..the game starts at 2:30, but Marilyn and the girls like to go early and buy some cheese at the Cheese Board and eat lunch before the game, so we're not spending tens of dollars for hot dogs and nachos.
The reason for this long-winded explanation is that I probably won't have time later to post, so this post is a little earlier than normal.
=======================================================
Isaiah 50:5-9a
Psalm 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
James 2:14-18
Mark 8:27-35
What’s your "comfort zone? " For some people, their comfort zone is sitting in an easy chair with a good book. Mine is right where I am now—sitting at the computer, reading and writing about Our Lord and His message. Every now and then, though, I have to go to work (lol) or Marilyn has a “honey-do” for me that will take me out of the “zone”. She will do it with an innocent question or a gentle prodding, depending on the import of the task.
Jesus applies a stronger "shock treatment" than that to the comfort zone of his apostles in the Gospel tomorrow. After he challenges them to confess that He is more than just a human teacher, one with divine authority, He then announces to them the sobering news that He is soon going to suffer a humiliating passion and death at the hands of His enemies. Ironically, it is Peter, who had just publicly proclaimed that He was the Son of God, who immediately rebukes Jesus for such defeatist talk. And Jesus says to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Do we modern-day disciples do any better at accepting a Messiah who calls Himself a "suffering servant"? How good are we at joining our own sufferings with Jesus' redeeming passion and death? It's all part of the "faith plus good works" that St. James speaks about in today's second reading. He insists that faith without loving works is dead. For centuries, battles have raged about "faith alone" or "faith and good works" being necessary for salvation. Of course, we cannot pull ourselves into heaven without the grace of God. But common sense confirms the truth of today's second reading. Faith without actions that flow from that faith is useless and hollow.
Jesus wants far more than only the assent of our mind to the truths that He proclaims. He wants the full assent of our hearts and wills. Since Jesus gave Himself completely to us even unto death, He will never rest content until we have given Him back our total selves. That means accepting the suffering that He asks of us, and joining that suffering to His own sacrifice for the redemption of the world. That is faith accompanied by works.
I got home from work and Marilyn asked me if I wanted to go to the CAL/USC game. For those of you not familiar with my family, our daughter Sarah is a graduate of CAL, and we got pretty interested in the football program while she was there--it could be worse--they could have a terrible team, but thankfully it's been a good one for about 8 years now. Anyway, Marilyn HATES USC!--Acutally, it's not that she hates USC so much as she likes to cheer against them when they play us. Back to the humorous part.....
I told her, "Sure! Sounds like fun!" So I went on line with Marilyn standing right beside me (I'm not taking all the blame for this one!) and we went to site that we always use to buy tickets. The price of the tickets was $155 each! "Oh my God!", I exclaimed, "Why so much?" We thought it might be because USC is a premier game and Berkeley is building a new athletic complex and they have to pay for it somehow, right? So we bought 5 tickets--one for me, Marilyn, Alicia, Sarah and Lorenzo--$805 with tax and postage. I told Marilyn, "It had better be ONE HELL of a game!" The computer informed us that we would get the confirmation of our purchase on line the next day and our tickets to the game would arrive in plenty of time through the US mail.
The next day, our confirmation came--it read "Thank you for supporting CAL football. Your SEASON TICKETS are on their way to you."
So we're going to the CAL game today..the game starts at 2:30, but Marilyn and the girls like to go early and buy some cheese at the Cheese Board and eat lunch before the game, so we're not spending tens of dollars for hot dogs and nachos.
The reason for this long-winded explanation is that I probably won't have time later to post, so this post is a little earlier than normal.
=======================================================
Isaiah 50:5-9a
Psalm 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
James 2:14-18
Mark 8:27-35
What’s your "comfort zone? " For some people, their comfort zone is sitting in an easy chair with a good book. Mine is right where I am now—sitting at the computer, reading and writing about Our Lord and His message. Every now and then, though, I have to go to work (lol) or Marilyn has a “honey-do” for me that will take me out of the “zone”. She will do it with an innocent question or a gentle prodding, depending on the import of the task.
Jesus applies a stronger "shock treatment" than that to the comfort zone of his apostles in the Gospel tomorrow. After he challenges them to confess that He is more than just a human teacher, one with divine authority, He then announces to them the sobering news that He is soon going to suffer a humiliating passion and death at the hands of His enemies. Ironically, it is Peter, who had just publicly proclaimed that He was the Son of God, who immediately rebukes Jesus for such defeatist talk. And Jesus says to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
Do we modern-day disciples do any better at accepting a Messiah who calls Himself a "suffering servant"? How good are we at joining our own sufferings with Jesus' redeeming passion and death? It's all part of the "faith plus good works" that St. James speaks about in today's second reading. He insists that faith without loving works is dead. For centuries, battles have raged about "faith alone" or "faith and good works" being necessary for salvation. Of course, we cannot pull ourselves into heaven without the grace of God. But common sense confirms the truth of today's second reading. Faith without actions that flow from that faith is useless and hollow.
Jesus wants far more than only the assent of our mind to the truths that He proclaims. He wants the full assent of our hearts and wills. Since Jesus gave Himself completely to us even unto death, He will never rest content until we have given Him back our total selves. That means accepting the suffering that He asks of us, and joining that suffering to His own sacrifice for the redemption of the world. That is faith accompanied by works.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Known by our fruit....
1 Timothy 1:15-17
Psalm 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5 and 6-7
Luke 6:43-49
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus uses images from nature to talk about how our actions reflect who and what we are. He says that “every tree is known by its own fruit.”
Jesus encourages us to look at what is in our mind and heart and then compare it with our actions. Actions are the fruits of our thoughts and desires, motivations and interests, joys, pains, and hurts. But Jesus goes further. He also challenges us to compare what is in our mind and in our heart with His Word. He invites us to listen to Him and allow His Word to transform our hearts and minds.
In other words, he outlines a strategy for us:
Psalm 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5 and 6-7
Luke 6:43-49
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus uses images from nature to talk about how our actions reflect who and what we are. He says that “every tree is known by its own fruit.”
Jesus encourages us to look at what is in our mind and heart and then compare it with our actions. Actions are the fruits of our thoughts and desires, motivations and interests, joys, pains, and hurts. But Jesus goes further. He also challenges us to compare what is in our mind and in our heart with His Word. He invites us to listen to Him and allow His Word to transform our hearts and minds.
In other words, he outlines a strategy for us:
- (1) to listen to His Word,
- (2) to be transformed by it, and
- (3) to act in accordance with it.
When we follow this strategy then we can be sure that our lives will bear plentiful fruit that can be enjoyed by everyone who is in touch with us!
Well, we all know that in reality it is not so easy and straightforward. There are many distractions in our lives that make it difficult to listen to the Word of God. Often, we face many issues that hinder or slow down being transformed by His Word. Every day we encounter much that prevents us from acting upon God’s Good News.
In Paul’s letter to Timothy he says that Christ came to save sinners, including Paul. In him “Christ Jesus might display all his patience.” Paul says that Christ is patient with him and with us. Christ does not expect us to be perfect, to bear fruit at all times. When we bear rotten fruit or no fruit at all, when we are sinners, then He will forgive us.
We should do the same with each other. We should not give up on a friend or relative, a co-worker or a neighbor, a politician or a business partner, who seems to only “bear rotten fruit” and “out of a store of evil produces evil.” We should not give up on them but be patient with them, and patiently present them with God’s Word, hoping and praying that it will transform them and their actions.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
It's the power of love
The readings for September 11, 2009
1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Psalm 16:1b-2a and 5, 7-8, 11
Luke 6:39-42
"Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye…?"
The truth of what Jesus says in this gospel passage is an exceedingly hard one to come to terms with. In our very flawed, very human way, we are all too ready to look upon the failings of others, i.e., Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, et al than we are to look in the mirror and see our own.
One of the things Jesus tells us here is to purify ourselves, to see ourselves for what we really are. It is only by knowing ourselves thoroughly that we can begin to know and understand others. We have so much bombarding our senses in our culture today. Our thoughts go outward in response to these auditory and visual stimuli. We ponder the news, listen to music, read and watch too much television. While these activities are worthwhile to a limited degree, they can cut into our time for quiet self-reflection. We might not be in touch with our innermost thoughts. We might not realize our tendencies to react inappropriately, such as by judging others.
We should evaluate how much time we are setting aside from the noises and harmonies of life to set our own house in order. For example, I have tried, over the last year or so, to curtail most of my television watching. I have replaced it with reading the Scriptures, writing my reflections in my blog, listening to EWTN radio (although even the latter can get “noise-some” at times), and trying to attend daily Mass.
One of the reasons we are so willing to accuse others is that we know so little about ourselves. More often than not what enrages or irritates us about another is our own flaws that we know about, but do nothing to correct—we’d rather deflect attention away from ourselves. Jesus offers the remedy for this--self-awareness. And it is in this self-awareness that empathy and sympathy for the sinner grows. It is in understanding our own sinfulness that we become aware of the splendor of the love of God. By looking in the mirror and seeing our sins, we learn the compassion of Jesus. Frequent examination of my conscience and the great Sacrament of Confession has been a great source of comfort to me in these trying times.
Leading others to God rarely starts with haranguing them about their sins and weaknesses. Although this is sometimes the ploy one must use on the most hardened cases—again, as in the cases of the Ted Kennedys, the Nancy Pelosis, and so on. More often than not, we open the hardened heart of a sinner by sitting and listening without judging, without trying to fix all the problems we are hearing.
In short, the solution begins with unconditional love, prayer and compassion. And this awareness of our own sinfulness teaches us compassion and unconditional love.
1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Psalm 16:1b-2a and 5, 7-8, 11
Luke 6:39-42
"Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye…?"
The truth of what Jesus says in this gospel passage is an exceedingly hard one to come to terms with. In our very flawed, very human way, we are all too ready to look upon the failings of others, i.e., Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, et al than we are to look in the mirror and see our own.
One of the things Jesus tells us here is to purify ourselves, to see ourselves for what we really are. It is only by knowing ourselves thoroughly that we can begin to know and understand others. We have so much bombarding our senses in our culture today. Our thoughts go outward in response to these auditory and visual stimuli. We ponder the news, listen to music, read and watch too much television. While these activities are worthwhile to a limited degree, they can cut into our time for quiet self-reflection. We might not be in touch with our innermost thoughts. We might not realize our tendencies to react inappropriately, such as by judging others.
We should evaluate how much time we are setting aside from the noises and harmonies of life to set our own house in order. For example, I have tried, over the last year or so, to curtail most of my television watching. I have replaced it with reading the Scriptures, writing my reflections in my blog, listening to EWTN radio (although even the latter can get “noise-some” at times), and trying to attend daily Mass.
One of the reasons we are so willing to accuse others is that we know so little about ourselves. More often than not what enrages or irritates us about another is our own flaws that we know about, but do nothing to correct—we’d rather deflect attention away from ourselves. Jesus offers the remedy for this--self-awareness. And it is in this self-awareness that empathy and sympathy for the sinner grows. It is in understanding our own sinfulness that we become aware of the splendor of the love of God. By looking in the mirror and seeing our sins, we learn the compassion of Jesus. Frequent examination of my conscience and the great Sacrament of Confession has been a great source of comfort to me in these trying times.
Leading others to God rarely starts with haranguing them about their sins and weaknesses. Although this is sometimes the ploy one must use on the most hardened cases—again, as in the cases of the Ted Kennedys, the Nancy Pelosis, and so on. More often than not, we open the hardened heart of a sinner by sitting and listening without judging, without trying to fix all the problems we are hearing.
In short, the solution begins with unconditional love, prayer and compassion. And this awareness of our own sinfulness teaches us compassion and unconditional love.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
“Put on compassion, kindness, humility . . .”
In an article appearing in the National Catholic Reporter, Fr. Richard P. McBrien of the University of Notre Dame said that in earlier times when Catholics were less educated in the faith, Eucharistic adoration had its place. But continuing this practice today is “is a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward.”
God help us. And please help Fr. McBrien find his way back to You, Lord.
Click this link to read the whole story.
http://lhla.org/breaking_news/?p=2836#more-2836
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Here's my reflection on Thursday's readings: (09/10/2009)
Colossians 3:12-17
Psalm 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
Luke 6:27-38
There are two very different ways of addressing people and events in our lives—we can either react or we can respond—each with dramatically different results.
God calls us to love—“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you!” (Luke 6:27)—but at the same time, He reminds us that it takes an enormous amount of strength and courage to fully answer this call to love—As Paul says, “to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient and forgiving to all” (Colossians 3:12-13).
There is nothing extraordinary about loving those who are caring and generous toward us. At some point in our lives we will encounter people who are deceitful, unkind and selfish. When this happens our natural tendency is to retaliate and defend oneself against them.
But the words and deeds of Christ teach a path that is different to that of violence, hatred or revenge—it is a path that demands us to face the injustice of our world with the courage and strength that come from trusting that our ultimate victory will be with God if we obey His command to love anyway.
So when we look back at our lives and the major influences that brought us to where we are today, do we find that we are passively reacting to the people and events we find along the way or are we responding with love, as Jesus taught us?
God help us. And please help Fr. McBrien find his way back to You, Lord.
Click this link to read the whole story.
http://lhla.org/breaking_news/?p=2836#more-2836
==================================================================
Here's my reflection on Thursday's readings: (09/10/2009)
Colossians 3:12-17
Psalm 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
Luke 6:27-38
There are two very different ways of addressing people and events in our lives—we can either react or we can respond—each with dramatically different results.
God calls us to love—“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you!” (Luke 6:27)—but at the same time, He reminds us that it takes an enormous amount of strength and courage to fully answer this call to love—As Paul says, “to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient and forgiving to all” (Colossians 3:12-13).
There is nothing extraordinary about loving those who are caring and generous toward us. At some point in our lives we will encounter people who are deceitful, unkind and selfish. When this happens our natural tendency is to retaliate and defend oneself against them.
But the words and deeds of Christ teach a path that is different to that of violence, hatred or revenge—it is a path that demands us to face the injustice of our world with the courage and strength that come from trusting that our ultimate victory will be with God if we obey His command to love anyway.
So when we look back at our lives and the major influences that brought us to where we are today, do we find that we are passively reacting to the people and events we find along the way or are we responding with love, as Jesus taught us?
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Good things come to those who wait (and trust in God)
I was in a conversation with Mom the other day about my blog and the changes I do occasionally and she said she likes it better now that I just provide links to the readings instead of writing them out. Then I told her I was thinking about actually getting a day ahead of the readings because sometimes I don't get to write my blog until well after 10 pm and by the time people read it, they have already "put their own spin" on the readings, or they're thinking about the new readings they heard at the early morning mass. Soooo, another change today. I will post links to both today's readings AND tomorrow's readings, and comment on the next day's readings to keep your thoughts on today's (by the time some of you read it) Word. Confused? So am I--but trust me, you'll like it. "Good things come to those who wait". Oh, I shouldn't have used that line--what if I don't come through?
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Today's (September 8) readings
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30
Psalm 13:6ab, 6c
Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 or 1:18-23
(See yesterday's blog for my comments on Our Blessed Mother's Nativity)
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Tomorrow's (September 9) readings
Memorial of St. Peter Claver, S.J. (U.S.)
Colossians 3:1-11
Psalm 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab
Luke 6:20-26
The old cliché says, "Good things come to those who wait." The thing is, sometimes I find this cliché hard to believe. For instance, when I am waiting in line at the bank, waiting for permission to some task or other at work so I can move ahead, or waiting to be seated at that new restaurant in town--and don't even get me started on the DMV! In these instances I have found that the waiting, or what follows it is usually unwelcome or not all that good.
In reading tomorrow’s gospel I also find it hard to find the good in poverty, hunger, crying and persecution. These seem to be things that we should cure and tackle head-on to eliminate suffering in our world, and in many cases we DO that (if we can just come up with a national health plan that works for the dignity of every citizen!). But here is where the old cliché comes back into play. Our Lord promises that good things will come, and for all eternity in his kingdom.
The beatitudes are difficult to understand and I admit that I sometimes struggle with them. But I know for certain that the Lord's promises are true and in times of pain we can be sure that a better future awaits us.
The blessings and the curses that Jesus espouses are all about where our hearts are. A wealthy person stands to lose much and so may be concerned more for his or her wealth than for his or her soul. A poor person doesn't stand to lose much, and so has some small blessing in that, but it is a blessing easily lost if one's entire focus is poverty.
Jesus is telling us, I think, that the person who is blessed is the person for whom God is the most important thing in life--rich or poor, male or female, powerful or weak--if the first thought in the morning and the last thought in the evening are of how to please God more, we are blessed.
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Today's (September 8) readings
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30
Psalm 13:6ab, 6c
Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 or 1:18-23
(See yesterday's blog for my comments on Our Blessed Mother's Nativity)
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Tomorrow's (September 9) readings
Memorial of St. Peter Claver, S.J. (U.S.)
Colossians 3:1-11
Psalm 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab
Luke 6:20-26
The old cliché says, "Good things come to those who wait." The thing is, sometimes I find this cliché hard to believe. For instance, when I am waiting in line at the bank, waiting for permission to some task or other at work so I can move ahead, or waiting to be seated at that new restaurant in town--and don't even get me started on the DMV! In these instances I have found that the waiting, or what follows it is usually unwelcome or not all that good.
In reading tomorrow’s gospel I also find it hard to find the good in poverty, hunger, crying and persecution. These seem to be things that we should cure and tackle head-on to eliminate suffering in our world, and in many cases we DO that (if we can just come up with a national health plan that works for the dignity of every citizen!). But here is where the old cliché comes back into play. Our Lord promises that good things will come, and for all eternity in his kingdom.
The beatitudes are difficult to understand and I admit that I sometimes struggle with them. But I know for certain that the Lord's promises are true and in times of pain we can be sure that a better future awaits us.
The blessings and the curses that Jesus espouses are all about where our hearts are. A wealthy person stands to lose much and so may be concerned more for his or her wealth than for his or her soul. A poor person doesn't stand to lose much, and so has some small blessing in that, but it is a blessing easily lost if one's entire focus is poverty.
Jesus is telling us, I think, that the person who is blessed is the person for whom God is the most important thing in life--rich or poor, male or female, powerful or weak--if the first thought in the morning and the last thought in the evening are of how to please God more, we are blessed.
Monday, September 7, 2009
It's the Christian thing to do!
Colossians 1:24–2:3
Happy birthday, Blessed Mother!
In today's reading from Luke's gospel, Jesus infuriates the Pharisees and Scribes by healing on the sabbath. "Oh! What a horrible violation of the holy law!" "What a slap in the face to all that we hold as sacred." "Surely something must be done about such a sin!" "We may even have to have him killed!" These were probably some of the comments that were heard that day.
How blind they were! The leaders had become so wrapped up in observing their own laws that they completely forgot the core teaching of the law: love God and neighbor. What the Lord did was a supreme act of Love. He gave freely of Himself in love to heal a man. He was simply obeying the law through His action.
Sadly, things are not different today in many cases. But we as followers of the Most High God and Lord Jesus Christ have only one option and that is to Love God above all else and others as ourselves, regardless of what our "laws" say. To do otherwise is to sin. So go ahead, anger the modern day Pharisees and “heal” on the Sabbath (or any other time you feel called to do so)! It's the Christian thing to do.
Now, on to tomorrow’s feast!
Now, on to tomorrow’s feast!
Happy birthday, Blessed Mother!Have you noticed that as the Church year progresses, we become more aware of the careful attention to detail in God's plan for bringing salvation to humanity? This past December 8th we celebrated the Feast of Mary's Immaculate Conception, the very start of her life within her mother's womb. God willed that from the time of her conception she was to be pure and sinless, a vessel worthy of bearing God's Son, His Christ, into this world in her own human flesh. Tomorrow we celebrate the actual birth of this unique person to whom God had granted remission of human sin from the very outset of her life.
Her uniqueness is further demonstrated at the Angel Gabriel’s Annunciation to her of God's call. She responded, "yes" with a total trust possible only from one who had developed through prayer a deep knowledge of and love for God. Her affirmative reply, in the context of her day, could expose her to great danger. Not only might Joseph, to whom she was espoused, bring her great shame by claiming she had betrayed him and so broken their betrothal; but should he publicly reveal her condition, she could be put to death for a presumed serious sin.
However, God had also prepared Joseph's heart to be kind, merciful and forgiving. He too was a man deeply imbued by God's love and compassion; for those who are close to God and who have seen their own sins in God's holy light, are not judgmental, nor vengeful. His faith in God enabled him to believe the dream that revealed the truth of Mary's condition. The sincere, humble and single-hearted lovers of God are not prone to making rash decisions that bring disgrace or harm to others.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
God is Hope
Isaiah 35:4-7a
Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
James 2:1-5
Mark 7:31-37
One of the top stories in my newspaper today is that 2 out of 5 Californians of employment age is out of a job. For all of you mathematicians out there, that’s 40%!!!! (I thank God that no one in my immediate household is part of the 40%). Add that to a world full of war, drugs, and a complete disrespect for the sanctity and dignity of human life, and you have the recipe for despair. And still, with today’s readings, God holds out hope.
In the first reading, Isaiah tells us that life will spring forth from the desert. It will bloom with fresh beauty, and the pools and springs will again overflow with refreshing water. What do we need to do? God tells us to strengthen our weak hands, and make firm our feeble knees. Good advice! Furthermore, we are to encourage one another with words like Be brave! Fear not! In other words, we are to rebuild the "ground zeros" in our lives left barren of hope and courage.
Fear can paralyze, causing our hearts to wither, and our souls to selfishly clutch our possessions to ourselves, not sharing with those who are poor and destitute. In Isaiah and in James, we are warned of God's punishment on narrow and exclusive behavior. If we "kowtow" to the rich and powerful, and ignore and insult the poor man, God will exclude us from the kingdom.
In the Gospel, Jesus shows us the way to openness in sharing. Traveling into non-Jewish territory and, much to the astonishment of His disciples, people bring to Jesus a man who has hearing loss and an inability to communicate through sound-words. This man’s friends ask Jesus to lay hands on him, which He does by putting His own fingers into the man’s ears while praying “groanfully”. He then prays, “Be open”. The crowd sees that Jesus has done all things well by fulfilling the expectations of what a Messiah should be doing.
Through our prayers this week we need to beg Christ to open our eyes and ears to His message: “Be brave. Be courageous, be impartial in sharing your possessions, especially the Good News." God is Hope.
Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
James 2:1-5
Mark 7:31-37
One of the top stories in my newspaper today is that 2 out of 5 Californians of employment age is out of a job. For all of you mathematicians out there, that’s 40%!!!! (I thank God that no one in my immediate household is part of the 40%). Add that to a world full of war, drugs, and a complete disrespect for the sanctity and dignity of human life, and you have the recipe for despair. And still, with today’s readings, God holds out hope.
In the first reading, Isaiah tells us that life will spring forth from the desert. It will bloom with fresh beauty, and the pools and springs will again overflow with refreshing water. What do we need to do? God tells us to strengthen our weak hands, and make firm our feeble knees. Good advice! Furthermore, we are to encourage one another with words like Be brave! Fear not! In other words, we are to rebuild the "ground zeros" in our lives left barren of hope and courage.
Fear can paralyze, causing our hearts to wither, and our souls to selfishly clutch our possessions to ourselves, not sharing with those who are poor and destitute. In Isaiah and in James, we are warned of God's punishment on narrow and exclusive behavior. If we "kowtow" to the rich and powerful, and ignore and insult the poor man, God will exclude us from the kingdom.
In the Gospel, Jesus shows us the way to openness in sharing. Traveling into non-Jewish territory and, much to the astonishment of His disciples, people bring to Jesus a man who has hearing loss and an inability to communicate through sound-words. This man’s friends ask Jesus to lay hands on him, which He does by putting His own fingers into the man’s ears while praying “groanfully”. He then prays, “Be open”. The crowd sees that Jesus has done all things well by fulfilling the expectations of what a Messiah should be doing.
Through our prayers this week we need to beg Christ to open our eyes and ears to His message: “Be brave. Be courageous, be impartial in sharing your possessions, especially the Good News." God is Hope.
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