Overcoming temptation strengthens us

Is temptation good?  Certainly it’s not a sin to be tempted.  Otherwise our Lord could never have been tempted Himself.  But He was (Matthew 4:1-11).  And so are we.

In the Lord’s Prayer we say to the Father, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.  To be clear, temptation is never from God.  But God does permit us to be tempted.  Not so that we fall, but so that we grow in holiness.  Temptation forces us to rise up and make a choice either for God or for the temptation.  Though mercy and forgiveness are always offered when we fail, the blessings that await those who overcome temptation are numerous.  So, in the Lord’s Prayer, we are really asking for the strength to overcome the temptations that will cross our paths.

Jesus’ temptation did not increase His holiness, but it did afford Him the opportunity to manifest His perfection within His human nature.  It is that perfection we seek and His perfection that we must strive to imitate as we face the temptations of life. There are five clear blessings that can come from enduring the temptations of Satan: 

·       Enduring a temptation and conquering it helps us see the strength of God in our lives.

·       Temptation humbles us, stripping away our pride and our struggle of thinking we are self-reliant and self-made.

·       There is great value in completely rejecting the devil.  This not only robs him of his ongoing power to deceive us, but it also clarifies our vision of who he is so that we can continue to reject him and his works.

·       Overcoming temptation clearly and definitively strengthens us in every virtue.

·       The devil would not tempt us if he were not concerned about our holiness.  Thus, we should see temptation as a sign that the evil one is losing hold of our lives.

Overcoming temptation is like acing an exam, winning a contest, completing a difficult project or accomplishing some challenging feat.  We should take great joy in overcoming temptation in our lives, realizing that this strengthens us to the core of our being.  As we do so, we must also do so in humility, realizing that we have not accomplished this on our own but only by the grace of God in our lives (“Deliver us from evil”).

The opposite is true also.  When we fail a particular temptation over and over again, we get discouraged and tend to lose the little virtue we have.  But we know that any and every temptation from the evil one can be overcome (Romans 5: 12-19, 1Corinthians 10:13).  Nothing is too great.  Nothing is too difficult.  Humble yourself in confession, seek the help of a confidant, fall on your knees in prayer, trust in the almighty power of God.  Overcoming temptation is not only possible, it’s a glorious and transforming experience of grace in your life.

Take the 'Leap'

Every four years we have an extra day in our calendar.  An extra day! Twenty-four additional hours!  My reflection today is about what I could do with an extra day.  Sure, it’s really ‘just another Saturday’, but there must be time for something different from other Saturdays if I can resist the temptation to fill it up with “things to do”.

These days you can’t call any large company without having to go through a lot of automated questions that you either have to answer by voice or push a number on the phone, which just leads to another set of questions and finger exercises (in more ways than one!)  If you’re lucky, you may even get an answer from someone before you forget why you called.  And even then, you can consider yourself fortunate if your issue is addressed promptly and effectively.

Unlike the large companies, Heaven is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and the phone lines are open, and you don't even need a phone!  It’s called prayer; earnest, heart-felt prayer.  Confident prayer.  Short prayers.  Long prayers. Formal prayers. Loud prayers. Quiet prayers.

God takes all calls immediately and simultaneously.  And whether you’re calling to thank Him or ask Him for a favor or even complain about something, He will take all the time in the world—at least as far as we who are in time are concerned—to handle your call personally.

If for some reason you feel your issue isn’t worthy of God’s personal immediate attention, or you don’t want to “bother” Him with it, He also has experts standing by.  These are the patron saints, who have certain experiences or traits that make them uniquely qualified to understand your specific plight and implore our Lord to help you out.  You can leave a message with one of them and have confidence that Jesus will get it.  His Blessed mother is your best bet.  She has never failed to take one of my requests to her Son. 

Those who don’t believe in prayer might say that with our instant communications these days through cell phone technologies, IM, Facebook, Twitter, and whatever else is out there, we have become so independent we don’t need God.  Believe it or not, God knows what you need before you do!  He just wants you to ask!  What can be simpler than that?

We’re three days into Lent and the Church reminds us that it’s a time to grow closer to God.  A time to reflect on how we are building up the Kingdom of God.  Keeping the Sabbath and helping others in a time of need.  Isaiah reminds us of the spiritual gifts that are given to us when we do good things for others and when our mind and heart are focused on God (Isaiah 58:9-14).

In the Gospel Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow Him.  The next line is, “And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him” (Luke 5:27–32).  What is unsaid in the Gospel is that he must have walked away from all the money that he was collecting at the customs post.  I wonder how long that stayed on the table before people started grabbing the money?  He was probably not popular with the Roman authority over this and the scriptures never mention that the authorities came after him.  One would think Levi would be afraid to do such a thing.  When Jesus called Levi it had to be a powerful spiritual experience for him to be moved to just leave everything behind.

Maybe that is what this extra day is about.  Leaving the ordinary Saturday tasks for something extraordinary.  Taking time for quiet reflection.  Listening to music and taking time to just be.  To enjoy the “extra” day as a gift to be explored rather than filling it up.  I see Lent as a time to allow myself more experiences of just being.  To read the Sunday readings and ponder them.  To not turn on the television, filling the house with useless noise and instead, spending time in silence and praying.

May you enjoy your extra day and discover what extraordinary experiences await you. Happy Lent!

A path to perfection

Lent is the perfect time to grow closer to God through an examination of conscience and renewing our quest to “be perfect” (Matthew 5:48).  The Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy are a means, in conjunction with the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance, of satisfying the temporal punishment due to sin and loving our neighbor as ourselves.  They are, in a nutshell, behaving in a Christ-like manner.  God, through His Holy Spirit, provides us with the opportunities every day to perform every one of them.  We just have to be aware of the circumstances He puts us in to obtain these graces. And the best way to become aware of these opportunities is to put aside at least part of our busy day (sometimes it can be less than 30 minutes a day) for prayer.  The rosary is a good start.  Reading a few verses of the Bible and reflecting on them is another. 

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

Admonish sinners—Correction is sometimes as hard to give as it is to take.  It means standing up for moral principles at work, at school, in politics, or in the home.  It means taking the time to give needed correction, even discipline, especially to children whose minds are impressionable and whose wills are not yet steadfast in truth.

Instruct the uninformed—Not everyone can be a schoolteacher but taking time out to help a child with math or spelling or religion homework is instruction as well.  So is "showing the ropes" to a new person at work, teaching CCD, and reminding oneself and one's family about basic morality.  In a Godless environment, a word about one's own religious values often leaves a thought-provoking impression on others.

Counsel the doubtful—As the saying goes, "Advice is cheap", but counsel implies something more loving.  It's a Christian approach to solving problems. Doubts about one's faith; about abortion, marriage, or questions arising from death or divorce do not need a brush-off with a lame excuse.  Doubts need direction in the Christian point of view, solicited or not.

Comfort the sorrowful—Sorrow and suffering take many forms.  How much death, divorce, grave illness, unemployment, family problems, mental distress, or surgery afflict the people around us and yet go unnoticed without so much as kind word, without so much as a whispered prayer?  Sometimes giving a sympathetic ear or just "being with" a sorrowing person is a great act of mercy.

Bear wrongs patiently—Patience, the bane of a world that hurries only to have to stand in line.  Strive for patience with the small child's constant prattling or the chronic complaints of the elderly.  Try patience with the slowness of the freeway traffic or the drudgery of a job.  Maintain patience with those who never say a kind word, with those whose nagging puts your teeth on edge.  Have patience with your own personal pain and suffering; don't add to the griping around you.

Forgive Offenses—Forgive the sharp criticism, the angry retort so easily and thoughtlessly said.  Physical injuries heal faster than mental or spiritual ones; dwelling on a wrong only increases its size, breeding hatred (Proverbs 10:12), the antithesis of Christ's love.  Injuries, voluntary or involuntary, are inescapable; forgiveness heals them.

Pray for the living and the dead—It’s impossible to physically aid the many people, even those in our own families, who need our help.  But we can reach out to them in prayer.  All people, dead or alive, benefit from a remembrance in prayer, including those praying.

The Corporal Works of Mercy

Feed the hungry—There are many people in this world who go without food.  When so much of our food goes to waste, good stewardship practices of our own food habits can benefit others who do not have those same resources.  I try to remember what Pope Francis said on June 5, 2013 about the ‘culture of waste’ in some countries; “Wasting food is like stealing from the poor.”

Give drink to the thirsty—Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ do not have access to clean water and suffer from the lack of this basic necessity.  We should support the efforts of those working towards greater accessibility of this essential resource.

Clothe the naked—So many in our society need basic protection from the weather, not to mention the sense of dignity one gets from having clean, presentable clothing.  How many of us have clothing that we have outgrown, or that we no long wear simply because it’s ‘out of style’?     

Shelter the homeless—There are many circumstances that could lead to someone becoming a person without a home.  There are millions of children and families who are on the move, fleeing from war, illness, hunger and impossible living conditions, and searching for peace and safety. Christ encourages us to go out and meet those without homes, affirming their worth and helping them seek a resolution to the challenges they face.

Visit the sick—Those who are sick are often forgotten or avoided.  In spite of their illness, these individuals still have much to offer to those who take the time to visit and comfort them.  Take a chance!

Visit the imprisoned—People in prison are still people, made in the image and likeness of God.  No matter what someone has done, they deserve the opportunity to hear the Word of God and find the Truth of the message of Christ.

Bury the dead—Funerals give us the opportunity to grieve and show others support during difficult times.  Through our prayers and actions during these times we show our respect for life, which is always a gift from God, and comfort to those who mourn.

Getting priorities straight

Very often in life we have the wrong priorities.  We seek instant satisfaction and gratification over eternal fulfillment.  It’s hard for many people to live with an eternal perspective. 

Some may say, “Well, I choose both!  I want the whole world and the salvation of my soul!”  But Jesus poses a question to us that presupposes that we can’t have both: “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”  (Luke 9:25)

We must pick which one we choose to pursue.  Choosing a life of faith and the salvation of our souls requires that we let go of many things in this world.  Even if God were to bless us with much in this world, we must strive to live in such a way that we are ready and willing to “give it up” if it were beneficial to our eternal salvation, or the salvation of others.  This is hard to do and requires a very deep love of God.  It requires that we are convinced, on the deepest level, that the pursuit of holiness is more important than anything else.

Don’t hesitate to make God and His abundant mercy the central focus of your life.  Lent is one of the best times of the year to seriously look at the most fundamental desire and goal of your heart.  Choose Him above all else and you will be eternally grateful you did.

Create a clean heart for me...

When I was a kid, I remember Ash Wednesday as a melancholy day; every adult was unusually somber and whispery that day.  I thought Ash Wednesday, with its marked foreheads and meager meals signaled the beginning of a long period of giving up candy or soda and some feeling that we were all lost.

Naturally, now that I’m older, my perspective has changed.  The Church has chosen readings for Ash Wednesday that invite us into a hopeful joy.  In the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17) God invites us to “return to me with your whole heart” and we ask God in return to “create a clean heart for me and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” 

Rather than being melancholy, Lent invites us into a deep joy, for we are known by God as imperfect people, but we are loved by God as forgiven.  The deeply forgiving love God extends to us is like an invitation to renew our relationship with Him.

Think of it as a period of simplicity, paring down and clearing away the things that are getting in the way between us and our Creator.  Lent can be a time to take a clear-eyed look at ourselves and honestly see who we are, just as God does.  But it’s a time of great hope, as we realize how much God longs for a relationship with us.

That doesn’t mean we focus on us and our failings, but we can look at the way our lack of freedom gets in the way of our relationships with God.  An honest look at ourselves as flawed creatures of God doesn’t mean we give up.  Rather we can rejoice in knowing that there is nothing we have done, no act or way of life, no hidden sin so deeply tucked away in our souls, that God doesn’t forgive in us. 

Imagine the next six weeks as time to spend with One who loves us so much, who forgives and comforts us and rejoices in our love.  Isn’t that celebration of love even deeper and more joyful if we have been separated from God for a while?

Many of us will have our foreheads marked by a cross of ashes.  It is a shocking symbol of our own mortality and of the sacrifice Jesus made for us with His death.  It’s also a public marking that reminds us (and others) of God's message to us, "I created you for myself and gave you my only son to free you from sin and death.  Even now, I am calling you, drawing you closer to myself so that someday, I can celebrate with you a never-ending banquet of love." 

The ashes on our forehead are more than a symbol of our own mortality. They are a sign of God fighting for our freedom from this world, liberating us from the clutches of so many things that drag us away from Him.

Jesus is calling us to Himself in an ever-deeper way, inviting us into His endless forgiveness and asking us to return to His loving embrace.  With tears of joy, we can accept His outstretched arms.

Humility is a choice

Human beings are creatures of devotion, creatures looking to give our hearts away to whatever we think will bring us life, whatever we think will complete us, fulfill us, and bring some peace to our famously restless hearts.  The trouble starts not so much when we give our hearts to things that are bad, but when we begin preferring lesser things over more important goods; when, in the words of James, we “covet” things that can never bring us the happiness and contentment we hope from them (James 4:1-10).  If, as Christianity teaches, we who have been created by God can only be fulfilled in God, then becoming lovers and friends of God is the only way to genuine joy and peace.

The Christian life is about transforming our desires and changing our hearts.  It’s about becoming the kind of person that Jesus describes in Mark (9:30-37).  Unlike the disciples who were arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest, we should be the kind of person who, like Jesus, can find joy in spending time with a child.

It all comes down to what and Who we love.  Every Christian has a choice: we can choose to be lovers of the world and therefore enemies of God; or we can choose to be lovers and friends of God but therefore enemies of the world.  But we can’t choose both because each one leads to very different ways of life.

It just makes good sense

As I read the letter of St. James tonight (James 1:19-27), and the Gospel from Mark, and reflect on what the message might be, James’ admonition that we  “should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger” makes me think about the 5 senses—sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.  But not in a scientific manner; it’s more about using the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and hands to help us and others find and enjoy the love of God.

First, as Christians we should always have our eyes wide open to the world around us and work to right the injustices and inform the ignorant of God about His great love and mercy.  To ignore injustices and turn a blind eye to ignorance is to condone it and maybe even be complicit in it.  

Second, we can use our ears to listen; not to hear, but to truly listen.  For many of us this is a difficult task.  How often do we truly take time out of our busy and noise-filled days to listen to others without simultaneously thinking what we want to say next or, more importantly, doing the same with God?

Third, James asks us to be slow to speak.  Have you ever been in a conversation where you are not just thinking about what you want to say, but actually using your mouth to talk over someone else and, thus, not really listening?  An example of this is political pundits on television. They think that their opinion or point of view is so important it must be heard at the expense of others.  We all do it from time to time. But, when you think about it, there is a kind of arrogance associated with that—my view and beliefs trump yours (no pun intended).  We need to do our best to resist this.

Fourth, James asks us to be slow to anger.  Despite the many blessings given to us by God, our society harbors a lot of anger.  I read somewhere that when we get angry while interacting with others our brain responds with an alarm system referred to as diffuse physiological arousal (DPA), which results in tunnel vision and tunnel hearing.  Have you ever been in a heated argument with someone and you can’t understand why he/she is so illogical?  It’s because of DPA—our brains shut off and are not able to listen and process logically.  So, take a deep breath, relax, reflect, and put yourself in the right frame of mind to listen to others and to God’s words.

Fifth, as difficult as these are, my final takeaway from James is that we need not only to be “hearers,” but more importantly, to be “doers.”  Become ‘hands on’.  As we see throughout the gospels, like the blind man whose sight is restored (Mark 8:22-26), we are blessed to have the vision and the opportunity to act and to do the right thing according to the teachings of Jesus.  We may not have opportunities to care for afflicted orphans or widows on a daily basis, but we can take measures to advocate and care for those most in need—the poor, those with medical and mental health problems, and those who are discriminated against—to name a few.

My hope is that we can all make the effort to truly look and listen to not only each other, but to God, and then to become doers by following His word.  And that God will reward us with the sweet smell of joy, and the glorious taste of Heaven.

Rotten Apples

Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”  Mark 8:15

After giving this warning to His disciples, Jesus then gave an explanation to them of what He meant and what He didn’t mean.  But even the explanation seemed to be over their heads.  So He concluded by saying, “Do you still not understand?”  

Jesus was trying to get the disciples to think, to listen and to look deeper.  He was warning them, “Watch out!”  Watch out for this leaven.  It was a warning of love to help them see and understand a very real danger (Mark 8: 14-21).

Everyone who knows about baking bread knows the effect of just a little leaven (such as yeast) in the dough.  Add just a little bit and it affects the whole loaf. 

So what was the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod?  It was the evil words, evil intent and errors that they spread.  For the Pharisees, it may be that it was just a little misconception or misrepresentation of what Jesus said or did.  They may have twisted His words or may simply have given non-verbal opinions to others.  This behavior is contagious and has potential to affect everyone.   Little by little their small seeds of doubt and dissent take a toll on others.

We may tend to be thinking about all of “those” people we know who do this—who gossip and report ‘fake news’.    But we’d miss an important opportunity for growth if we failed to first look at ourselves.  Do I do this sometimes?  Do I say things that mislead in small or subtle ways?  Or do I mislead others by my non-verbal negative attitudes?  Am I a “negative person” sometimes?  Remember, "one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel!"

No need to feel guilty or get down on ourselves if we feel convicted.  Rather, we should look at this little lesson of Jesus to realize the great power of our words.  The smallest of words can do great harm over time. 

But that’s not all we should focus on.  It’s just as important to realize that the small loving words we say also have potential to make a huge difference over time.  Perhaps it’s just that small smile we give or a kind action that we think goes unnoticed.  These little actions and words are the leaven of the Gospel.  They do make a difference and they can become contagious, also. 

God is Always Watching

My daughter Sarah sent a picture out today of my granddaughter Paloma taking a nap. I have been staring at the photo for about a half-hour and reminiscing about the times I watched Sarah sleeping when she was a baby.  Have you ever watched a baby sleep?  Especially one of your own?  Your heart fills up with an overwhelming love that makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time because this child is just too perfect and beautiful.  At any sign of distress, you’re there in a heartbeat to soothe and comfort the tears.  You would do anything and everything to make sure this baby was protected and happy and cherished.  Have you ever thought about how God watches over you the same way, but with an even more intense love?

Does God watch us while we sleep?  The answer is, yes, of course He does.  What does God think about while He watches us?  Does He marvel at how much He loves us?  Does He look at us and think of our potential or things we may do?  Does God plant seeds in our hearts as we sleep to guide us or steer us in a specific direction?

Scripture points out one thing that’s for certain.  Life can bring all sorts of crosses to bear—pain and heartache, loneliness and shame, loss and isolation.  Trials can be the heaviest and hardest low points to bear and get through, and sometimes it feels impossible for our hearts to handle it alone.  It can be easy to become bitter and lose faith; to wonder, is God really seeing this?  We learn from the Psalms that, yes, God is watching. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

In trying times where God seems distant and injustice seems to reign, we have a choice. We can distance ourselves from God or move closer to God. It always seems to come down to faith and trust. As we move towards Lent this is a time to think about Christ and His sacrifice.  The Lenten season offers us an opportunity to spend more time with God.  My prayer today is for each of us to know the Lord is watching over us and to deepen our relationship with God through the perseverance that St. James exhorts us to (James 1:1-11).  As James reminds us, we should ask God for wisdom, and He will respond by teaching us how to endure our trials.

The beautiful thing, though, is that we don’t have to be able to do it on our own.  Those times when an unexpected trial finds its way into our lives, Jesus is there to endure the unhappy news with us.  He is close and waiting to comfort and strengthen our wounded hearts.  We must seek Christ when it’s the most difficult to do so, because that’s when He is the closest.

Laws and Freedom

Human beings are created to be free, but they encounter laws as well.  It seems to be ever more difficult for modern persons to accept rules and regulations, which often are considered handicaps for their full ‘self-realization’.  Freedom is especially paramount in ‘land of the free and the home of the brave.’  St. Paul says that it was “for freedom that Christ set us free” (Galatians 5:1).



Paul says also; “God sent his Son…to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption” (Galatians 4: 4-5).  Paul sees freedom not just as ‘free from’ but more as ‘free for’.  In other words, we are free to love God as His adopted children.



God gave Moses 10 laws.  Using those as a guide, the Talmud was written; the body of 613 Jewish civil and ceremonial laws and practices that were, in essence, like our country’s Constitution to the people of Israel in time of Jesus’ preaching.  Jesus did not come to do away with the law, but to reinterpret it and raise it to a different level (Matthew 5:17-37).  Jesus stresses that we should pay attention not just to what is actually done, but also to the inner motive, which is known only to ourselves and to God.



It is this inner motive that constitutes our aversion from or our conversion to God, and for which we will have to account.  In very strong and plain language, Jesus draws a black-versus-white picture that is crystal clear to “those who have ears”.  His reinterpretation of the 613 Talmudic laws—and even the 10 Commandments—reduces the law down to one basic law; we are to love God and to love one another as God loves us.  God claims our whole selves in the entirety of love.



This love of God and neighbor is the great law from which there is never an exception.  All other laws should be tested on this great law of love.  There can be bad laws, and we may be morally obligated to break them; think of conscientious objectors during war time.  We should respect other and always follow our own informed consciences. 



Laws tell us how reasonable people have applied the law of love to situations that may be very similar to ours.  Don’t discard such wisdom too easily.  Laws may be beacons in our often-confused human condition.  We should pray that the Holy Spirit may give us discernment in confused situations and help us write laws with loving intentions.



I think a perfect example of what I’m trying to say in this muddled reflection is one of the canons of the Catholic Church.  I would be willing to bet that over 90% of Catholics who attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days do so because it is considered a mortal sin not to.  I think that’s because they follow the ‘law’ out of fear of eternal damnation.  I used to think that way.  But what if we consider that God asks us to “Keep holy the Sabbath” so that we can have a deeper relationship with Him out of His love for us?  That changes the intent of the law from an ‘obligation’ to an ‘invitation’. 



The same ‘test’ can be applied to any one of the Ten Commandments.  They are all invitations to a closer, more loving relationship between God and us, and us and our neighbor.  The freedom we enjoy is the choice God gives us to either accept or refuse the invitation.  I pray that I always accept His invitation. 

What it means to be Catholic

Jesus takes pity on the crowd.  He knows that they’re starving.  He decides to feed them.  The disciples turn it into a supply problem; they ask Him, "Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?".  They’re with the author of life and they are telling Him, "We can't feed this crowd with what we have."  When we are isolated and famished for a communion with our God, we too can lose hope and say, "You can't feed me.  I'm too impatient, or sad, or angry, or busy."  Sometimes we even get angry with God, because we blame God for not giving us what we think we want.  Jesus just tells them, "Give them what you have."  He says, in effect, "I'll make it work. I'll do the feeding.  I am the Lord of communion." (Mark 8:1-10)

To me, this Gospel reading shouts what it means to be a Catholic.  It’s Eucharistic in its meaning.  At the Eucharist during every Mass, Jesus is feeding the hungry crowds.  Is every parish perfect?  No.  Is the music wonderful?  To some.  Music is pretty subjective.  Is everyone as welcoming as they might be?  We can only hope.  Is the homily as nourishing as I'd like?  Not every time, to be honest.  Jesus just says to us, the Church, the People of God, "Give them what you have.  I'll make it work.  I'll do the feeding.  This bread and wine is my body and blood, given for your nourishment and life, for communion with me, for your self-giving love for each other, for those most in need.  Be broken and poured out yourselves now, fed by this food."  



When the Holy Spirit draws us to this table of plentiful good food, our hunger is filled and we are brought home again, refreshed and renewed.  When God asks us, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9) we can answer, "I'm at home.  In You.  With my family.  At home, in the mist of all the sad, broken, divided, messy things of the world, because I'm at home in You.”  



I don't want to be filled with what can never really satisfy me.  I want to love and forgive, to be compassionate and generous.  I want to be patient and to build bridges.  Eating the right food will give me a peace and a fire that nothing else in the world can offer.  If we let it, the Bread of Life is our food for a Mission of communion with Jesus.  Let's ask for that grace; one He wants to give us.  And, let's be careful what we hunger for and consume.

Eyes wide open

At Baptism we are named prophets, as well as priests and kings or queens, when the fragrant chrism oil is placed lavishly upon our heads celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit.  We bear a fragrance that lingers for a lifetime.  Two prayers follow, one speaking of our white baptismal garment, the other speaking of the candle to be kept burning brightly as we make our journey with Jesus Who leads us to the banquet table in our Father’s house.  Then we hear the prayer fashioned on Mark’s gospel (Mark 7:31-37).  



The ears, eyes and mouth of the baptized are touched with the prayer of prophecy fulfilled.  Although our senses are touched it’s not a prayer of healing.  Indeed we have just been anointed with the Chrism and our dignity proclaimed.  This prayer speaks of how God now works among us and through us; “May your ears be open to hear the voices of God in all the ways God will speak to you; may your eyes be open to see the wonders of God in the people and events that will fill you; and may your lips be open to laugh and to learn the languages of men and women, so you may give God praise”.  In the Holy Spirit we go as prophets to do the work of Jesus.



As prophets we also announce what will become history.  We are proclaiming the victory of the Cross. We don’t condemn or say ‘we told you so’ as it sounds a bit like the prophets of the Old Testament in Israel are doing.  We know our history is the victory of the Cross.  We want to proclaim God’s wisdom despite its appearance in the eyes of the world as foolishness.  We are prophets of hope instead of doom, prophets of mercy instead of vengeance, prophets who try to live in this moment of our fragile world the victory that will be seen as history for all of us in God’s own time.

Faith and Trust are the cornerstones of Hope

“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)



Faith.

In Hebrews we hear that “God rewards those who seek Him.  And without faith it is impossible to please Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)



Faith.

It always seems our faith is being tested. And at times it seems to be a hard-to-find and rare commodity.  The secular world doesn’t care about faith.  The world strives to shape us by material and physical things. What good is faith?  We want proof.  If you can’t see it or hold it in your hand, then what’s the point?  So, why do we care about faith?  Why does God care about faith?  Some questions simply cannot be answered by our material world.



Mortality.

I honestly am not afraid to die, but I do think quite often about my mortality.  I think about the notion that some morning I just won’t wake up.  What then?  What happens when we die?  Is that it?  Fade to nothingness?  Slide into oblivion?  Is it that our moment on earth is just a meaningless blip that blends into the timeline of history as though we never even existed?  God promises otherwise. (1 Kings 11:4-13)



Trust.

We can’t see into the future.  We don’t have evidence that there is anything else.  So why would we think otherwise?  Why should we trust God?  I want proof!  God presents us with Scripture.  No, I mean real evidence.  God presents witnesses from the disciples to those around us who testify to God’s work in their lives.  I need to know!  



Trust.

God says, “Let’s sit and talk a while.”  Isn’t it funny?  As much as I want proof, I also realize that establishing 2+2=4 does not produce a fuller life.  A relationship with God produces a fuller life.  And faith and trust are key to that relationship.  And if I know this, why is faith and trust such a challenge?



The disciples didn’t understand the Transfiguration of Jesus and had no clue what Jesus meant about rising from the dead (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36, 2 Peter 1:16–18).  And yet they continued to follow Him.  Why?  They recognized how valuable a relationship with Jesus was in their lives.  They had faith and trust.



It’s not wrong to have question or doubts.  God gave each of us a brain.  But we have to be wary of being drawn into the world’s way of thinking.  If we view ourselves solely by the world’s standards, we will conclude we are unlovable.  God says again and again how much He loves us. 



An example of this love is found in Mark’s Gospel (Mark 7:24-30).  Jesus has been busy ministering, healing, and preaching—and He has dealt with some very difficult and disapproving Pharisees. Now He enters the home of an unnamed friend to rest, and He hopes no one will find out that He's here, at least not until He's finished recuperating.



We all know what that's like!  Just when we can't handle one more person demanding one more ounce of energy from us, and we've settled into the couch to relax, the phone rings and someone else needs our attention.



Jesus had only started to rest when someone came knocking.  When she asks for help, we can hear grouchiness in His response; He was grumpy because He was tired.  Remember, Jesus is human like us in every way except sin.  But despite His grouchiness, He did not sin, because He still cared.  The woman's needs were as important as His own; not less nor more important, but the same as.  So instead of selfishly turning the woman away, and without ignoring His own needs, He gave her what she needed and then immediately sent her out the door.  Her faith and trust were her way of showing her appreciation of the love of God.



My prayer today is for those of us who struggle with faith and trust. That we could release some of that struggle and reap the reward of a better relationship with God.

Where are they now?

God sees what is in our hearts.  Even if no one else sees this we should never forget the fact that God sees all.  That’s all that matters.  That which is in our hearts can either do great damage to us or do great good.  There are those who, in the public perception, are way off base.  But from God’s perspective they are right on target.  Conversely, there are those in public opinion who are shining stars, but from God’s perspective are way off base.  There is only one thing that matters; what does God think?



The tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others 2 weeks ago shocked the world.  The news was the number one topic on everyone’s minds.  Most of the stories (rightly) expressed sorrow at the deaths, but a few felt the need to bring up some sordid events of Kobe’s past.  Only a small handful of the stories reported that Kobe and his daughter, practicing and devout Catholics, had boarded the helicopter immediately after attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist.  Yet amidst all the commentaries and memories expressed at the various tributes and memorials, I never heard anyone ask the question, “Where is he (or they) now?”  



This is a question that needs to be asked and pondered.  There are two daily reminders of God’s presence within us and at our disposal; the human realities of time and space in our daily experiences that are filled with God’s presence.  We have the dimensions of time and space always at our disposal if we deliberately value our making sacred use of them.  For instance, making and taking time for meditation and prayer, and placing ourselves in the presence of the Holy Spirit, Who helps us understand our eternal life unfolding within our daily human experiences.  I am hopeful that Kobe Bryant and those who died with him that day understood this.



Trust God’s wisdom living within you and the faith to pass it on to others.

Fiddlers on the Roof

"A fiddler on the roof.  You might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck.  It isn't easy.  And how do we keep our balance?  That I can tell you in one word... Tradition.  Because of our traditions, everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do.  Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof!"—(Tevye, “Fiddler on the Roof”, 1971)


I remember when Mass used to be said in Latin, and the priest had his back to the congregation through most of it.  I was an Altar Boy during those masses and I only knew which prayers to say and what actions to assist the priest in because of the ‘cheat sheets’ I was given to use ‘in case you forget’ (which I always did).  I wasn’t really participating in the Mass; I was acting in a role. 

So when the changes came to pray the Mass in the vernacular (the common language of the parish), I was really happy!  I started to understand the importance of the Order of the Mass, as well as the prayers I was saying.  I understood “who I was and what God expected me to do.”  By the way, not everyone was happy with the changes.  I still chuckle when I think of the countless times that I heard someone say, “Guitar Mass?!  More like a ‘hippie Mass’!”  And there are still a great number of people who would rather not attend Mass than to attend the ‘heretical abomination of Vatican II!’  I truly feel sorry for them and pray for them often.

The Gospel of Mark today (Mark 7:1-13) makes me realize what a blessing we receive when rituals are changed or taken away, because it makes us analyze why we were doing them in the first place!

Take, for example, what happens when a parish that has always knelt after receiving Communion is told by the bishop that they will stand until all have received and the remaining Hosts are reposed (as it is in my own diocese). There's usually a big uproar. Why?

Personally, I would rather kneel.  It reminds me to be humble.  Well, can't I be humble without it? Frankly, Jesus deserves the most respect that we can muster, which means I should lie prostrate on the floor, except I don't want to draw attention to myself and away from Jesus.  But out of obedience to my bishop and his explanation that we are showing that we are truly “in communion” with our brothers and sisters in Christ by remaining in the standing position, I comply.

Sadly, there are many Catholics who kneel simply because it is what they were taught by their parents, or religious tutors; not from genuine, heart-felt reverence for Christ.  For them, it's merely a human tradition.  Jesus says in today's Gospel reading (when He quotes the prophet Isaiah), "This people pays me lip service but their heart is far from me. Empty is the reverence they do me ...."

Every ritual gesture and body posture during Mass should change us.  Making the sign of the cross should put us more in touch with the Lord who died on the cross for us.  Blessing ourselves with holy water should renew our baptismal connection to God and separate us from the worldliness that's outside the church.  Praying the "Our Father" should unite us to the people next to us.

"Disregarding God's commandment while clinging to human tradition" occurs whenever we consider a ritual to be more important than a person.  In the hierarchy of Church laws, the rules that prescribe most rituals have always been changeable "human traditions" designed to drive home to the heart a true practice of the faith; they are of lesser importance than the unchangeable laws of faith and morality that prescribe how to treat one another.

The bottom-line question is: What are my motives for doing—or not doing—a ritual?  Will it increase my humility?  Will it enhance my relationship with God and with the community?  Does it spring from the heart or is my heart far from God at this moment?

May love rule our rituals, and may our actions never be empty tradition!  Spoiler alert about the movie;  Tevye learns that clinging to some traditions can actually keep us from learning God's will for us.

How to be the "Salt of the Earth"

When Marilyn and I sit down for dinner in the evening, it’s usually in front of the TV watching the Food Network.  We like to watch the competition shows like “Chopped”, “Beat Bobby Flay”, and “Guy’s Grocery Games.”  We also like to watch the ‘Junior’ versions of those shows, as well as any and all of the baking competition shows.   We like travel shows that highlight the different cuisines from around the world.  The one ingredient common to almost every recipe from savory to sweet to in-between is salt.  Salt is an amazing seasoning that adds flavor to food.  Salt by itself is not that tasty; but leave it out of a recipe or put too much salt into the dish on one of the cooking shows and it’s a sure elimination.  Salt is not made to stand alone in a dish, but to enhance the flavor of the main ingredient. 



We are called by Jesus, to be the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13-16).  In our baptism, we were made flavorful; alive with God's love, peace, joy, and compassion.  Fruitful Christians are those who evangelize by adding those flavors to the lives of the people around them.  But we have to watch out for trying too hard!  Food that is over-salted tastes horrible!  No matter how good our intentions might be, if we come on too strong, we do more harm than good.



People are much more likely to turn to Jesus if they first experience His love from us, and His peace in how we treat them, and His joy in the way we live our lives.  They need to discover that Jesus loves them just the way they are, that He is gentle but sincere when inviting them to grow spiritually, and that He can help them turn hardships and troubles into blessings and joys.



And, just like salt, we’re not made to be the star and center of attention.  We’re not made only for ourselves.  Instead, it’s our Christian duty to enter into our world and add to it, helping to transform it into a world of grace and mercy, full of the “flavor” of God’s Kingdom.  This is done, especially, by the building up of relationships.  It’s done by striving to touch one person at a time so as to enhance their lives and help them to be closer to Christ.  The love of God that we bring into our world, and into the lives of those whom we encounter, can be seen analogously as salt entering into food and enhancing it.



Again, like salt, we can lose our taste.  In other words, we can fail to be the “salt of the earth.”   We do this when we enter into our world, encounter various people, and fail to truly enhance their lives.  When our presence in the lives of others has little or no effect upon them for the good, then our actions are like tasteless salt that is only good to be thrown away and “trampled underfoot.”  We have a duty to have an effect on the lives of others.  We have a duty to enhance the goodness and faith of those whom we encounter on a regular basis.  If we fail to make a difference in the lives of others, we’re missing the point of those relationships and we’re failing to be the salt of the Earth.



When others grow in faith and love as a result of our presence in their lives, we are fulfilling this most basic command of Christ, filling the world with the flavor of the Kingdom and giving Glory to God. 



To come full circle from my opening paragraph, one of the shows I especially enjoy watching is “Guys Grocery Games”, or as it is called by the host, “Triple G”.  As I write this reflection, I am amused at the Holy Spirit’s sense of humor (again!) by bringing to my mind the bracelets that some people were wearing in the ‘80s that said WWJD (“What Would Jesus Do?).  I think we should bring those back as a set.  One could read WWJD? with a question mark, and the other could be the answer to the question and read GGG with an exclamation point; Give Glory to God!

An understanding heart

King Solomon was presented with the opportunity to request any gift imaginable, and he sought not something for himself, but to have the understanding to be a better servant for his people.  God rewarded him not only with what he requested, but untold bounty in other areas (1 Kings 3:4-13).



This gift of an understanding heart is one that would benefit all of us.  Think of your own little corner of the world—how much better it would be if other people would listen to and understand you; how much more smoothly things would run if you were in charge!   But Solomon didn’t ask that others understand him better, but rather that his own heart be more sensitive so he could better know what his people needed.  We can see leaders today in both public and private life that would be more effective if they had an understanding heart, but it’s not in our power to make that happen.  What we can do is make our own hearts more understanding—by taking the time to listen, by seeking to place ourselves in the shoes of the other, by thinking of how an action will impact someone else before we think of what might hold for us.  It seems to me that an understanding heart grows with practicing understanding, and it shrinks with self-centeredness.



In Mark's Gospel (6: 7-13), Jesus sent the apostles on a mission; to travel the country preaching, healing, and anointing.  After a while, they return and report to Jesus (Mark 6: 30-34).  I can imagine them being excited, maybe even energized, but also drained and ready for a rest.  I can hear them energetically reporting to Jesus what they had seen and done, each trying to top the other with good news, perhaps not sure if they were doing exactly what he wanted, perhaps looking for approval from him for their decisions.  But the overall theme seems to be that they are hungry and tired.  Jesus invites them to rest, but it doesn’t seem that the people will let them.  Even as they try to separate themselves for just a little time, more and more people are coming to hear the message Jesus is bringing.

 

We can probably all relate to the human feelings of the apostles.  We all have those busy times of year when it seems something crowds out all the other things we want to be doing in our lives.  We get hungry and tired and don’t think we can do more.

  

Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine named after him, said when he received the Congressional Medal for Distinguished Civilian Achievement in 1956, “The greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.”  I think most of us have said at one time or another when confronted with a troubling, or emotionally draining, or other situation where we feel limited in our powers that “I wish I could do more.”  Yet the example we see from Jesus is not to say it, but to just do it.  Jesus found the strength to meet the needs of those who came to Him when the apostles needed to rest.  Jesus understood in His heart that more needed to be done and that He could do it.



One lesson for us in this story is that when we are at the end of our power to act, we can always turn to Jesus and ask Him to take over.  That’s comforting, and what Jesus tells us He wants to do; “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  But another lesson is that the problem for me, and perhaps some of you, is in having the strength to allow Jesus to take over.  We are like the apostles – we want to have control and don’t want to admit we might be powerless to act.  We might be tired and hungry, but we would rather cling to that tiredness than admit we should give in and allow Jesus to comfort us with His solace and sustenance.  Jesus wants to be the shepherd who steps in to lead us when we feel this way, and we want to resist by being foolish and self-centered.  We want to close our heart to understanding that we can do more by giving up our selves to the greater love of Jesus.



My prayer today for all of us is for the gift of two graces from God – to become more understanding by being more understanding, and to have the strength to let go so Jesus can help us.

The effects of unrepentance

And as I reflect on the Gospel for today (Mark 6:14-29), I can’t help but relate it to certain individuals in our government who seem to be unable or unwilling to identify the root cause of their animosity and mistrust of each other.  The animosity and mistrust are only symptoms of the cause.  The root cause is sin. 

One of the individuals I’m speaking of said in a recent interview, “I’ve never done anything wrong in my entire life!”  I call BS.  There is only one human being ever created that can make that claim, and this person isn’t Him.  The other individual claims to be a practicing Catholic, yet not only supports, but vociferously promotes and defends positions in defiance of clear Church teachings.  Again, I call BS.  Both of them profess both verbally and by their actions a real hatred for one another, despite their denial of these feelings.  Unfortunately, hate and fear are highly contagious, and it has become an epidemic in our country largely because of the example of these two people and those who blindly follow one or the other; whether knowingly or unknowingly.  Please understand that I am not judging these people’s souls—only the actions I am observing that I know to be sins because of the Commandments God has handed down through the millennia through Scripture and Tradition.

The refusal to acknowledge and to repent of our sins often causes many other problems in our lives.  Unrepented sin can cause paranoid thinking, anger, self-justification and many other emotional and psychological issues.  Sin, though spiritual in nature, has an effect upon our whole person which is what we have a glimpse of in the person of Herod in today’s Gospel.  This is a good lesson for all of us.

Have you experienced any similar tendencies in your life?  I have.  Do you find yourself getting paranoid about what others say or do?  I have.  Do you enter into a self-justification of your actions?  I have.  Do you get angry and project that anger on others who do not deserve it?  I have.  We should all reflect upon any of these tendencies we see and then look deeper at the source of them.  If we see that the root cause of these unhealthy tendencies is some unrepented sin in our own life, then we should repent of it honestly and completely so that our Lord can free us of the effects of sin.  I have, and I have to keep doing so.  I can only hope that I get a little stronger in my faith each time, and the courage to avoid the near occasions of sin going forward.