Games People Play (my 500th post!)

Another milestone for my blog! This is my 500th post! It seems like yesterday that I started it, and I don’t feel like stopping anytime soon. In fact the more I write the more convinced I become that I am being led (driven?) by the Holy Spirit to bring the Good News to whomever comes across this humble attempt to do so. I had hoped to write a super-extravagant entry for this milestone and publish it on my daughter’s wedding day (two weeks away, now!), but I can’t wait that long. My intent was to write a lengthy post musing on the life of Christ in the years between the Finding in the Temple and the Wedding Feast in Cana (hence posting on Alicia’s wedding day). I may still do that, but the thoughts aren’t “gelling” into anything cohesive yet. Come, Holy Spirit! I could use a little help on this one! Oh, well, I guess we’ll just have to settle for a daily reflection for now.

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There is a difference between failing to understand something and failing to admit that we do understand it. If someone gave me a copy of Einstein's theory of relativity I'm sure that I would not be able to understand it. But an eminent physicist who spends his life teaching about such things would be able to understand it well. But what if he refused to admit that he understood it? People would probably think that he was deceitful and lose respect for him. The more public his refusal became, the more his reputation would suffer. It seems to me that the leaders of the Jewish people who confronted Jesus were like that. They were well schooled in the law and the prophets. They knew all the prophecies that foretold the coming of the messiah. And yet when they met Jesus, as they did on more than one occasion, they refused to recognize him as the messiah. Difficulties such as Jesus being a Galilean rather than coming from Bethlehem of Judea could have been easily resolved by asking Jesus or any of his relatives where he was born. We know that even in the time of Jesus other men would claim to be the messiah, but who obviously were not. The leaders of the people would naturally be on guard against such men and work to expose them as frauds. But in the case of Jesus they seem to have begun with the assumption that Jesus was a fraud. They did not try to verify his claims. But even worse, they didn't believe the miracles they saw with their own eyes. Rather they thought them a trick or some kind of evil magic.

In Saturday’s gospel reading it is the day after the cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem. After spending the night outside the city, Jesus and his disciples return to the Temple. Shortly after their arrival the Chief Priests and other leaders of the people come up to Jesus. No doubt they had been told all about the actions of Jesus in cleansing the Temple. It seems clear that they regard the upkeep of the Temple as their prerogative, and they aren't willing to have an outsider like Jesus interfere with their authority.

This was not the first encounter Jesus had with the Chief Priests and leaders of the people. He had engaged them several times previously. And each time they refused to believe what Our Lord told them. They understand Jesus perfectly well, but in their pride and obstinacy they close their minds and their hearts to the words of Jesus.

So they asked Him: "On what authority are You doing these things?" (Mk 11:28) Jesus could have told the religious leaders about His divine authority. He could have also given them authority in His name over every disease and demon (see Mt 10:1). However, Jesus neither answered their question nor gave them a share in His authority because they refused to be honest with Him. When Jesus asked the religious leaders about the origin of John's baptism, they "played politics" rather than answer Him directly.

Not all the leaders of the people were as close-minded as Annas and Caiaphas and their cohorts. There were other influential men like Joseph of Arimathea and Zacchaeus who listened to the words of Jesus and believed in him. And of course many of the people of Jerusalem did too. The Christian Church at its very beginning included many Jewish people. I think the lesson of this gospel is that we today need to imitate the response of these people and avoid that of Annas and Caiaphas and their followers. We are called to listen to, to believe in, and to follow Jesus.

We will never understand or exercise true authority if we are playing games with God. Some of the games Christians play are: "politics," "hypocrite," "denial," "martyr," "savior," "victim," "innocent," etc. If we try to play games with God, we will never know His authority or our own. So let's quit dabbling in Christianity. Let's repent of being lukewarm (see Rv 3:16). Let's forget about how we look to other people. Let's live for God alone. When we do this, our Christian life will manifest an authority that we have never thought possible.

Setting examples

When you tell someone that you are a Christian, how do they react? In a perfect world, their face would light up and they would be excited to hear this wonderful news. The reality is that the reaction is often a rolling of the eyes, a stiffening of the back, a step backwards, or a nonchalant "who cares". Once we have established that we are followers of Christ, people will be watching us. Some cynically hope we will show that we are just ordinary or even bad people. Some will be curious to see what it is we have. As any parent will tell you, we may not know they are watching, but they are watching.

Some people equate a Christian with someone who is harsh, critical and judgmental instead of someone who is loving, kind and compassionate. As Christians we have a lot of bad history and baggage to overcome. And, as ambassadors for Christ, we have an obligation to do our best to do just that.

The story of Bartimaeus (Mark 10: 46-52) is very convicting for me. The crowd passes by the blind man, ignoring him and chastising him for calling to Jesus. Jesus stops, talks to Bartimaeus and heals him. A couple of years ago, Marilyn the girls and I went to New York City for a short sightseeing trip and to see a couple of Broadway plays. As we were walking along 5th Avenue in the morning on the way to Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we passed by a young man who was obviously cold. I thought, “Dear God, if this guy is still out here when we pass this way again, I’m going to give him my gloves.” Talk is cheap. Strike one. Not only that, but by the time Mass was over, I had already forgotten to look for him on the way back. Strike two. Later on in the day, we were walking back to the hotel for the evening after a long day of sightseeing, and I saw a woman bundled up against the cold, looking almost dead lying on the sidewalk. Many people were walking by very quickly, appearing not to notice her. It was like she was just part of the landscape. But did I do anything? For a fleeting moment, I thought I should see if she was all right and maybe buy her a cup of soup or something. But did I? No, I picked up my pace to try to catch up to the girls, who were crossing the street about 50 feet in front of me. Strike three. From this point on in the trip, I really felt bad about my obvious lack of compassion. For all of my noble thoughts of loving my neighbor as myself, I showed a complete disdain for what Christ called the Greatest Commandment. I think that both of these unfortunate people were placed in my path for me to recognize as Jesus, and to my shame, I did not. However, God has given me a lesson with this and the opportunity will not slip by again. This episode emphasized to me how imperfect I am. And that imperfect people have been introducing other imperfect people to the perfect person of Christ for 2000 years. And so I will continue to try and evangelize through this humble little medium.

Trust in God's Truth

God is Truth. When God reveals Himself to us, He is truthful, and the teaching that comes from Him is "true instruction." (Catechism, Para. 217) When God sent His Son into the world, it was to bear witness to the truth. "We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know Him who is true." (Catechism, paragraph 217, 1 John 5:20; cf. John 17:3)

Once we have the truth, we must trust in it with all our hearts, mind and strength -- no matter what comes our way. The devil's lies can tempt us to doubt God's Word, God's Kindness and God's Faithfulness. But God's Words are true, that's why His promises to us come true. God is Truth, whose words cannot deceive. So if we really do trust, then we should never have reason to lose heart.

A new beginning (again!)

Sunday is the Solemnity of Pentecost. It marks God's timing for the changing of command for His new Church. Jesus had said the night before His passion, "If I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you." Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus had left this earth to return to heaven, leaving the apostles with Mary in prayer.

So once again we live the experience of that first Pentecost when the Upper Room in Jerusalem shook with hurricane force as the wind of God's Spirit and the fire of His love descended on twelve apostles, changing them forever. As thousands more were baptized that day, the Church was born in the presence of Christ's own mother and countless of other witnesses.

Through the Eucharist we celebrate this Sunday, the Holy Spirit comes again to give a "booster shot" to countless modern-day Christians who have been born of water and the Holy Spirit.

Again, we are consecrated in the Truth that God is love, and lives in us as in a fleshly Temple, that in the renewal of our lifetime commitment, our faith is rekindled so that our light will more effectively destroy the indifference and violence that threaten to engulf the world.

Only our fears can prevent the Holy Spirit from empowering us, for He is our "Advocate," our silent supporter. He will help us to work together with our Bishops and priests, our religious and fellow laypeople, to renew the Church through the Holy Spirit's gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

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For the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Blessed Spirit of Wisdom, Help me to seek God. Make Him the center of my life and order my life to Him, so that love and harmony may reign in my soul.

Blessed Spirit of Understanding, enlighten my mind, that I may know and love the truths of faith and make them truly my own.

Blessed Spirit of Counsel, enlighten and guide me in all my ways, that I may know and do Your holy Will. Make me prudent and courageous.

Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in every time of trouble or adversity. Make me loyal and confident.

Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, help me to know good from evil. Teach me to do what is right in the sight of God. Give me clear vision and firmness in decision.

Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart, incline it to a true faith in You, to a holy love of You, my God, that with my whole soul I may seek You, Who are my Father, and I find You, my best, my truest joy.

Blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart that I may be mindful of Your presence. Make me fly from sin, and give me intense reverence for God and for my fellow men who are made in God’s image.

Come Holy Spirit, Creator blest! And in our souls take up Your rest; Come with Your grace and heavenly aid, To fill the hearts which you have made.

O Comforter, to you do we cry, O heavenly Gift of God Most High; O Fount of life and Fire of love, And sweet Anointing from above!

What concern is it of yours???......

Jesus comes straight to the point in today's scripture. When the Apostles are diving in for some juicy gossip and ratting out, Jesus says simply--what business is this of yours? Why are you asking this? It is up to you to follow me.

And this should be the attitude we strike as we serve Him in the world today. There are any number of things we could be scandalized by. We can choose any number of people to be offended by. We can spend our time asking who is betraying Jesus now. We can make accusations; we can call out those who we feel are not living the gospel life.

To what purpose? To spread scandal and rumor? To make ourselves feel better? No, the better part is to serve God, and to serve as His disciples, and to treat those whom we suspect of not loving enough with so much love that it is like "heaping hot coals upon their heads." Let our love be the conviction that brings everyone back to true love and repentance. Let our lavish care and devotion show everyone the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

That is our call, that is our challenge--not to point the accusing finger, but to serve others so that whoever thinks to betray Jesus, thinks first of the love he or she has experienced because of Him.

Mom's dream

When I visited Mom today after working at the 1st Annual “Ministry Fair” at Saint Anne’s, she was excited to share with me a dream she had last night. I won’t “steal her thunder” and recount the dream here, because she wants to share it with a couple of other people first—and it is, after all, her dream. I could not do it justice. She said she thought it was kind of a weird dream, but it seemed to make sense to her.

She asked me what I thought about her dream. I told her I thought it was the Holy Spirit speaking to her much in the same way He “spoke” to the Apostles on that first Pentecost. The biggest reason I feel this way is because of the excitement that was in her voice as she retold the dream. The other reasons I truly believe it was the Holy Spirit speaking to her are two-fold—first, it is a very positive message that she got from the dream. Secondly, the dream put the Holy Trinity in perfect “sync” with one another to reinforce her own interpretation.

It’s taken me most of the afternoon and evening (it’s now 10:45 in the evening) to put words to what I think of your dream, Mom. But I think the message is clear and the same conclusion you came to on your own:

Jesus conquered the world through love. Pure and simple. He conquered the world in the sacrifice that the world regarded as uttermost folly.

And through Jesus, we have conquered the world. We are human, we fail, we fear, we do not do as we should. But even in our fallibility, we have the great Conqueror at our head, showing us how to love and as a result, ultimately, how to triumph.

In Jesus, we have conquered the world. But we must understand what that means. If we understand Jesus properly, we conquer most completely when we serve most devotedly. Indeed, we have conquered the world; however, our responsibilities to the whole people of God have only increased. We must share love, teach love, and be love to the world. We must serve those around us and we must show ourselves in the light of the Conqueror of all -- Jesus Christ.

God is love and we are the Body of Christ. Both are states of being. God does not love, God is Love. Jesus does not love, Jesus is Love. We are the true Body of Christ only when we are living the Body of Christ. Body of Christ is meant to be a verb, not a noun. The Body of Christ is love, is compassion, is friendship, is laughter, is hard work, is giggling, is solidarity and freely living.

I give glory to the Father when I am his “work”. When I live out my personal vocation within the being of the Body of Christ, I am the Father’s “work”. My being glorifies the Lord.

We might think that we are alone out there in a world that does not always represent our values. Christ anticipates that we will have troubles, but reminds us that He has conquered the world. He assures us that He is not alone, in case we are worrying about that, in that He is always with our Father.

And finally, He says His purpose in saying all of this is that we might have PEACE!

Even unto the end of the world.....

Did you ever wonder what thoughts went through Jesus' mind as He spent long hours in prayer on a mountainside in the darkness? Being human as well as divine, He must have worried that His followers were so slow to understand who He was, and why He had come. Even after His resurrection, we know He was very concerned about leaving them alone until the Holy Spirit came. He knew that this idea of founding a Church was a risky venture. Would it survive?

In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus pour out His love for them and for those of us who would come later. He prayed for their strengthening and their courage. He is so concerned that, as yet, they still do not know His relationship with the Father, how the Persons of the Trinity meld into one God. He so wishes that they could understand the vibrant, joyful life of heaven. And so He prays for faith for them and for all who will hear the Word, as well as for that unity that will bind the Church on earth to the Church in heaven.

For all of us today who live in a Church under siege--from unbelief; from anger at a sinful, imperfect Church; from fears that the Holy Spirit has abandoned us--we need to read this Gospel and the whole farewell sermon of Jesus that night before His Passion. As the apostles then, and later, gathered in prayer with Mary in the upper room, we need to trust in the power and promise of Jesus to His followers.

As there were martyrs soon after Pentecost, like Stephen, so there are thousands since then who have "washed their robes so as to have a right to the tree of life." We in our time may never be stoned to death, but so many Catholics feel spiritually martyred from parish closings, and from not enough priests to live in their midst as consoling ministers of the Word and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. They feel under attack from an indifferent, secular society.

May we pray today with Jesus' prayer for unity, in church, in parish meetings, and at home with our families, for stronger faith and stronger love, for stronger courage for our own witnessing, that will lead to the unity so important for the mission of the Church.

A simple answer

A few times recently I have been asked, “Why do you believe, Steve? Have you ever questioned your faith?”

Have I ever questioned my faith? Yes. But not so much any more. I’ll leave it at that.

Why do I believe? That question is not easy to answer. I do know that faith is a gift from God and that ultimately my personal faith flows from my acceptance of this gift.

However, this is not what I was asked. I was asked what human reasons make me able to accept this gift from God.

Over the last few years I have thought about the question much. I can come up with many reasons that make it reasonable to believe, but one reason does stand out above all others. And I have to admit the simplicity of it surprises me. When I have been faithful to living the Gospel I have found peace and happiness; when I have not been faithful I have lacked that peace. In short, faithfulness to living the Gospel is my path to the greatest peace and happiness. This is the greatest human support for my faith.

A very ordinary example can help show what I mean. Like all of us, I am occasionally unjustly condemned or criticized by someone. I then have the choice of how to respond to this criticism: I can either forgive the person or I can hold on to resentment. However, when I choose to move toward forgiveness (living the Gospel) I experience peace; but when I choose to move away from forgiveness (not living the Gospel) I lose that peace. Living the Gospel brings peace.

Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel reaffirm my conviction that living the Gospel brings peace and joy. Jesus invites his disciples to ask anything in his name, and then he assures them that they will receive what they ask, “so that your joy may be full.” Jesus is repeating the promise he made earlier in his discourse, “All this I tell you that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete.” (Jn 15:11)

Faith in Jesus gives us believers the joy that the world cannot give nor take away. This faith, our path to deepest joy, is the greatest gift God has given us.

So when I’m asked why I believe, the best I can do is to witness to the peace and joy my faith brings to my life. I think my answer gives some a new perspective to view faith. I hope so.

Lots of anniversaries and opportunities for prayer

I’m so sorry I haven’t been posting every day this week. Or for the last 3 weeks for that matter! It’s been one thing after another, and to be frank with all of you, a little overwhelming both physically and mentally! While I pray for everyone I love every day, I have to confess I’ve been a little selfish with my prayers in asking our Blessed Mother to help ME endure this comparably (very) little bit of suffering I’ve been blessed with!

I really didn’t feel like writing a blog tonight either, but I couldn’t let the day go by without remembering that today is Ascension Thursday. When I was a kid, it was a Holy Day of Obligation. It still is, in some dioceses around the world. In California’s parishes though (and many others in the US), the Feast has been moved to this coming Sunday.

Today is the 93rd anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady to the three shepherd girls from Fatima. The revelations of Mary to them were given to remind all of us that Jesus is full of mercy and ready to help us change our lives if only we try.

Today also is the 29th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s assassination attempt. He already had a strong devotion to Mary but after his injury from the gun shots he stated that it was through Our Lady of Fatima’s intercession that he recovered.

Just as Jesus warned the apostles of their lack of faith but then gave them the grace of conversion, so also Pope John Paul II showed the watching world that forgiving others must be part of our Christian living.

So I would ask that everyone reading this remember to say an extra rosary, or even just an extra decade for reparation for the sins of the world and a conversion of hearts to Jesus’ message through His Mother.

When it rains

There are those days when I just love my job--then there was today. Not because of anything in particular; it just wasn't my day. In fact, it hasn't been my day for about 3 weeks now. It started with a migraine headache that just won't go away. That led to periodic bouts of double vision--to tell the truth, I am typing this right now with one eye shut so I can focus on the screen! It comes and goes, so I know it will be better in a few minutes. I'm guessing my stress over the headache and double vision led to my case of shingles, which is covering the left side of my head and face from the crown of my head down to the orbit of my eye. It is quite painful and extremely itchy! I had to sleep last night with a cold washcloth on my head and face to control the itchiness! That was an adventure in itself.

I have been taking a mild pain reliever and a prescribed pain reliever to get me through work. I don't take the prescribed medicine during the day, because it makes me drowsy, and I can't be falling asleep when I'm at work! But the migraine makes it very hard to think straight.

Back to what made today one of my longest days at work-- I started the day at 6:30 am with a Mass at the Cathedral--so far so good. I got to work at 7 am (Mass was very quick this morning as there were not many people there and Father was faster than normal.) It was a pretty hard day physically, too. The boss came up from Fresno with a "team" of others and we are "Spring Cleaning" a center that is in need of it. I got hungry around my usual lunch time, and I mentioned to the boss that it was time for lunch. He said, "Go ahead if you want to." I have learned over the years it isn't a good idea to take a lunch when the boss is in town unless he is going to join you. So we worked through lunch.

I was using a razor-sharp box-cutter type knife to cut something. My blade slipped unexpectedly through the material I was cutting and made a 3 inch gash in my hand at the base of my thumb that required 5 stitches to stop the bleeding! I know, I know, it's not much compared to what others are going through every day but you have to understand that I've never had a stitch before. And tonight, now that the novocaine has worn off, what with the headache, the shingles and the double vision, I'm not at my best. Add that to the fact that I had no lunch and worked an extremely long (for me) day today, I was feeling quite sorry for myself.

I decided to read the readings for tomorrow and the story of Paul and Silas put my last couple of weeks in perspective: I think that it is just the results of a firm faith in Christ, in season and out of season, the kind of faith that believes that I am living safely in the hands of God, that these recent travails are not so much something that I need God to save me from as it is that He asks me to accept and grow through them. Paul and Silas's faith in their tribulation bears fruit in those who witness it: the jailer and his family "believe in the Lord Jesus" and are saved, him and all his household.

I believe that the kind of faith that I seek in the Lord is not so much that He can save me from dangers and tests but that He Himself offers them to me as opportunities for growth, chances for me to see how He is my life and my hope. Can I sing hymns and give thanks in the midst of troubles, knowing that the Lord is near even then? I'm going to try.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mothers Day. It is the most popular day for the restaurant industry, the flower stores and in the memory departments of most of us. Graduates refer to their schools as their “Alma Mater” which literally means “Nourishing mother”. Religious orders refer to their foundation buildings as “Mother Houses”. Miners hitting a large strike of ore would call that hitting the “Mother Load”. WE refer to this planet as “Mother Earth”. (Of course, since God created both the heavens and the Earth—and all of mankind—the Earth is more of a “sibling”; a “Sister Earth” if you will. But that’s a subject for another blog at another time!) There is something precious, like gold, nourishing, sustaining and stable about the vocation of being a mother.

As we prepare today to remember our mothers and journey toward the celebration, as well, of the Eucharist, we might reflect on how we relate to God not only as our Father, but often as a Mother; stable, precious, tender, the Source. In most families we learned of God, not through Theology, or catechism, but through a gentle force which picked us up, sat us down, rolled us over, let us go and brought us back. We can pray with the memories of how our mothers brought us to life and played their part in bringing God to life for us as well.

I have chosen you out of the world

The world and most societies are like large toddlers. They hate anything that does not allow them immediate gratification. If you suggest that it might be better to restrain yourself, you can expect that those in the world will howl and call you an extremist. They will challenge your ascetical ways if you suggest that perhaps obesity can be conquered by not being so in love with food. They will suggest a therapist if you think that the proper realm of sexual relations is within the sacrament of matrimony.


The world hates flat mirrors. Only funhouse mirrors that distort, warp, and pervert will do. They don't want to see things as they are—they want to see things as they want them to be. And if you are the one to deny them this vision, the world will hate you.

And yet as Christians, we have no choice. For the sake of everyone we must break the funhouse mirrors. We must hold up a true reflection of the world as it is. It's not going to make us any friends, but it is the Christian mission, and we have friends enough in the communion of the Saints, all of whom we can rely upon for help as it is required.

For the love of God!

When you were a child, did you hear the old saying “for the love of God!”? Usually when I heard that phrase, I was being chastised for something I had done or exhorted to do something I didn’t want to do.

Friday’s Gospel opens and closes with the command to “Love one another”. Obviously that is the theme. Jesus gave His life for friends and non-friends alike. Not something many of us know much about. His was a sacrificial love few of us understand. In other words, modern-day LOVE takes on an ephemeral quality, something written about in songs for young lovers, romantic melodies to slow-dance to, not one tied to reality.

So what is ‘for the love of God’? Google says, ‘sacrificial love is self-sacrifice with the pure motivation to alleviate the suffering of others. This supreme love is suffering love, love that requires involvement in the knotty problems of the world, love that bears with the failings and weaknesses of others, love that is committed to helping others regardless of the cost’.

Most of us aren’t asked to go to these extremes on a daily basis or even on a regular basis, but we need to be cognizant of the fact that we could be asked at any moment to be there for someone at just the right time. And to be there just “for the love of God.”

In the meantime, we shouldn’t be bothered because we have no grandiose ways to please the Lord, but instead love Him simply and consistently by being obedient to what He asks and desires the most from us.

Happy Birthday, Dick!

As a kid, I used to hate fishing. Let me rephrase that—I used to HATE fishing! It might have been different had I been able to catch fish. To top it off, I was jealous of my brothers Dick and Tom, because they ALWAYS caught something. Again, let me rephrase that statement—Dick always caught THE FISH HE WAS FISHING FOR. It was almost a vocation for him. He bought the books. He bought different poles and different reels. He learned what each of them was for and how to use them to his advantage. He’s fished and hunted in many different parts of the world. When he is fishing or hunting, no matter where it is, he’s in his element.

As I grew older (and, I’d like to think—smarter), I began to realize what he saw in the sport. I also realized that it wasn’t the catching that was important—it was the fishing. It gives me a chance to just “be” in beautiful surroundings and reflect on the goodness of God’s creation! I don’t even care if my hook hits the water! I don’t know if it’s the lesson he wanted to teach me, but teach me he did. I heard Dick say that he was “skunked” once—He didn’t even catch a cold! But he was just as happy!

I’m not sure I ever thanked Dick for all of the lessons he taught me as my older brother, but I thought that his birthday would be a good day to do so.

Thanks, Dick and God Bless you always.

Love is a verb

Isn’t the word “LOVE” interesting?

As a noun it refers to an intense affection for another person, but it is also a verb, implying that action is taken.

Christ makes reference to both aspects in the gospel by saying first, "Remain in my love." (John 15:9) There is also the direction from Christ that this love requires an ongoing action, namely that we keep the commandments of God, as He did. (John 15:10) This latter aspect might sound like a rather passive role, but most of the time it also takes a lot of action.

Take for example a marriage. As I told the young woman in my store the other day, I love my wife. I have always loved my wife. I continue to love my wife. But love doesn’t just happen. We have to work at love. Love takes respect, honor, and sacrifice to stay fresh. Love has to be nourished spiritually as well as physically. Many marriages are failing these days because we forget that love is a verb, or worse yet—we confuse “love” with “sex”. But unlike “sex”, love never grows old.

Another example would be driving a car. A person might brag or state that they had driven twenty-five years without ever having an accident, but that doesn't just happen automatically. It takes all kinds of action and reaction on the part of the driver. If we never encountered obstacles on the road, or never had emotional temptations such as anger while driving, it might seem quiet and uneventful, but this isn't the way it is. Also like a driver starting a trip, we need to fortify ourselves for the "journey." We need spiritual nourishment, we need rest, and we need direction and holy friends along the way.

Remaining in the love of Christ and keeping the commandments of God are beautiful goals. But these do not happen automatically. I must also ask myself, "What am I doing to assure that both goals are primary goals of my life, and that I will continue to work at those goals?"

Peace be with you

Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you. (Jn 14:27)

The first line of this Scripture passage is the same one the celebrant says during Mass every day. Father Pacwa of EWTN brought this up this morning during his homily as I was listening to the Mass before I went to work. (I would have gone to Mass, but I had to be at my job early and I didn’t get home until late—so no Mass for me today other than listening on the radio.)

Father Pacwa’s homily hit me like a ton of bricks! He advised us to really look at this passage and understand why the “sign of peace” is a part of the Mass.

I meditated on this for quite some time today, especially the second line, and I realized that there is a reason why this action is part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Jesus is giving us Himself in Spirit, in the guise of our neighbor before giving us His actual Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Sacred Host.

After today’s meditation, I confess it bothers me to know that, at times, my own “Peace be with you” to my neighbor was not as sincere as it should be, and vice-versa. A lot of times in the past, instead of saying those exact words, I may have just said “Peace” or, during holiday Masses, I may have substituted “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Easter”. The words and actions are not an excuse to “meet” the man or woman or child in the pew next to you or convey a simple, “Have a nice day”. The intent is to calm our fears and instill hope in our hearts as we prepare to share in the Body of Christ. We have a chance during the Sign of Peace to become the “face of Christ” to our family and friends and to sincerely wish Christ’s peace to be upon them. I’m going to try to get better at this.

Thank you, Father Pacwa, for making me think about this today.

It's all about love . . . .

"I give you a new commandment," Jesus said, "love others as I have loved you." "Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for each other."

With these words Jesus tells His apostles the way—the only and most excellent way--to love. Having been with Him for three years they witnessed how He loved them; though it wouldn't be until after the coming of the Holy Spirit that they would comprehend with greater fullness the depth and breadth of the love of Christ.

Like them, we have been witnesses to God's love through His Son's example and the direct and powerful goodness manifested in the love that others have born for us and in the opportunities He has given to us to be Love for one another.

The Gospel takes us back to Jesus' farewell address at the Last Supper. He's trying to prepare His apostles for His imminent arrest, with all its gruesome torture and crucifixion. When Jesus tells them that where He's going, they cannot come, they're frightened beyond belief. On top of everything, Jesus imposes on them a "new" commandment—that they love one another. Not just Jews, but everyone.

We have just as much trouble today in accepting this commandment as the apostles did. After all, how can we be expected to love those who hate life and try to destroy it in the name of “tolerance”? How can we love those who trod roughshod over our values? With love, we can conquer our fears, our prejudices and overcome our inertia in solving many of our world's problems.

Jesus says, I command that you love, because it's a gift I have given you, and you have the power in your heart to share it. If you expect anything in return, that’s a “business relationship”. As Our Holy Father said recently, God can command that we love, because He has already given it to us. If we don't love others, then we don't really love God either.

How can love be commanded? Isn't love just a feeling? Shouldn’t we expect or demand that our love be returned? I submit when we look for a "return" on our "love investment", it becomes a "business arrangement"--one that lends itself to arguments, broken deals, betrayals, and eventually the polar opposite of love, hatred.

I had a young woman (in her late teens, I would guess) ask me today, “How long have you been married?” (I guess she saw my wedding ring and that prompted the question.) When I replied that my wife and I have been married for 35 years this year, she was dumbfounded! She asked, “Why have you stayed with the same woman for so long?” After my initial shock that anyone would ask the question that way, then realizing it’s the sad state of morals in our age I replied quickly and succinctly, “Because I love her!” Then she asked me what did I think kept the marriage strong. Without hesitation I said, “Love and respect for one another, for our families, and for our values." She actually thought that was a “cute and funny, but not realistic (?!) attitude to have”! I think my rosary will be for that young woman and her family tonight, and that she learns to “take a risk" on loving people for who and what they are—children of God, made in His image, equal in dignity and stature.

Taking the risk of loving all people can delight us, and free us from our fears, prejudices and hate.

Let us not waste the chances that God gives us to love as He has loved. It means doing little things joyfully, carefully with the intent on being just as Jesus would be.

Loving as Jesus, or doing as Jesus, is not a trite little contemporary phrase or one that is meant to be tossed about lightly, but a thought-provoking challenge to imitate Jesus who we love and who first and forever has loved us.