Putting away my old self takes action and intention

 

The Scriptures I meditated on today helped me center myself and focus on what’s truly important (at least until I’m finished writing—then I’ll probably revert back to my usual sinful self).  Jesus shares the simple but profound message that He is the bread of life and whoever comes to Him will never hunger and whoever believes in Him will never thirst (John 6:35).  But it seems that we don’t always readily embrace this powerful message.

My life is filled with blessings.  After many years of employment, I’m really enjoying retirement!  I share love with many family members and friends.  Yet there are still times when I find myself overextended and under-appreciated.  When I get overly tired I can find myself being drawn into envy and the loneliness supported by consumerism and individualism.  The sixteenth chapter of Exodus opens with the Israelite community complaining about being led into the dessert and fearing they will die of famine.  God sends them bread, so they’ll know that He the Lord is their God (Exodus 16:2-15).

Social media can be a place where we compare our lives to others in an unhealthy way.  But it can also be a place where we can celebrate joys experienced by others and be in solidarity with those who are hurt.  And in a surprising way we can get inspiration from social media.  A friend just posted this:  Stop worrying about how it is going to happen and start believing it will.  This is something God might have said to the Israelites.

In one of his letters, Paul is guiding the Ephesians to their true lives.  He tells them they must no longer live in the futility of their minds (Ephesians 4:17-24).  This advice rings so true today as it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we can reason our way through any situations.  We start to think we can rely only on our own resourcefulness rather than rely on God’s grace.

Paul goes on to say that we should put away the old self of our former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of our minds and put on the new self, created in God’s way of righteousness and holiness of truth.  I find setting aside my comfortable habits to be very challenging.  Even the habits and patterns that don’t always help me be my best self are like a well-worn pair of shoes.  I’m barely aware of their presence in my life.  Putting away my old self requires active intentions.

Pope Francis, in one of his writings, helps us explore ways we can put on our new self: “Do you work for a living?” the Pope asks. “Be holy by laboring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters.”

He goes on to say, “Don’t be afraid of holiness.  It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy.  On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when He created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self.  To depend on God sets us free from every form of enslavement and leads us to recognize our great dignity.

In John’s Gospel especially, we see Jesus in His truly human form.  He’s tired after feeding the large crowds of people with loaves and fishes.  And yet there are cries from people in the crowd who still want proof of who Jesus is by demanding He perform miracles.  Although frustrated with the demands of the crowd and their disbelief, Jesus continues to guide and teach.  He shares that it’s important to not work for food that perishes but for the food that gives eternal life (John 6:24-35).   I think of the times when I’m searching for an answer to a challenging situation, so I can imagine the confusion people in the crowd must have experienced when they heard Jesus say that the way to accomplish the work of God is to believe in the one He sent.  That teaching is simultaneously so simple and so complex.

As I prayed today with these Scriptures, I explored these questions:  How can I trust the word of the Lord?  Where do I see examples of someone who lives on the true bread of life?  What steps can I take to put away my old self?  Who can I invite into my life to help me stop working so hard for food that will perish but rather seek the food that gives eternal life?

“One does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

Blessed are the persecuted

 

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 5:10)

When Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12) including the beatitude about the reward for enduring persecution, Herod’s recent murder of John the Baptist may have been painfully in His mind and that of the crowd.  I wonder if Jesus fought back tears as He spoke these words.  I wonder if His audience did.

The juxtaposition of this beatitude with the gospel account of the beheading of John the Baptist haunts me a little; I can feel the personal impact that John’s murder must have had on Jesus.  This beatitude suggests to me that Jesus had come to terms with the murder of His cousin by offering the Kingdom of heaven as a reward both to His listeners who might face persecution for following Him and to future generations of persecuted people.

John the Baptist seems terribly relevant to our time – not just a figure who was popular in grade school saint quizzes because of the gory pictures of his head being delivered to Herod.  John was rough but fearless in fighting for righteousness.  He was one of the first saints who inspired others to do the same.

In our era, I think, for example, of people like Saint Archbishop Oscar Romero, the Jesuits and the nuns who were murdered in El Salvador for fighting for justice for the poor.  I think of Saint Mother Teresa, who fought ceaselessly for the dignity of the poorest of the poor and was quite often rebuked and ridiculed for her beliefs.  I think of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was killed for his belief in racial equality.  They were as tough and zealous in their own ways as John the Baptist. They suffered the same fate and received (I assume) the same reward. 

I hope and pray that all of us who think about John the Baptist and this Beatitude will gain both a new insight into the humanity of Jesus and have the courage to take just a few more risks in our own communities “for the sake of righteousness.”  We may pay a modest price, but Jesus has promised us the Kingdom of heaven if we live this beatitude.

God bless all who are already doing so, like my daughter and thousands of other immigration lawyers like her around the world who tirelessly work for justice for immigrants and are frequently maligned by others.  Like many thousands of doctors, teachers, and priests around the world who are in danger constantly because they ignore unjust political pressures and still minister to their fellow human beings.  The Kingdom of heaven will surely be theirs.

Look beyond the surface

 

My reflection today is on the account in Matthew’s gospel when the people in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth took offense at Him, which led Jesus to say, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.”  It’s somewhat surprising that they took offense at Jesus after witnessing His wisdom and mighty deeds.  Jesus was very familiar to the townspeople, and it seems that that familiarity led them to doubt that Jesus was someone special (Matthew 13:54-58).

In many ways, the people who knew Jesus for many years should have been the first people to see His greatness.  And most likely there were some from His hometown who did.  They would have known Jesus’ mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she would have given daily witness to incredible virtues. They would have known Joseph as a truly righteous and just man.  And Jesus would have exuded every human virtue to perfection as He grew, and, again, that should have been easily noticeable.  But many failed to see the holiness of Jesus and the Holy Family.

This experience of our Lord should remind us that it’s easy to miss the presence of God all around us.  If those who were closest to Jesus didn’t recognize Him as a man of exceptional virtue and holiness, then how much more might we fail to see the presence of God in the lives of those we encounter every day?  For some reason, perhaps because of our struggles with pride and anger, it’s easier to look at the faults of another than at their virtues.  It’s easy to be critical of them and to dwell upon their perceived weaknesses and sins.  I’m reminded of the recent events surrounding Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos.  In many of the stories and comments about their space travels, there seemed to be more anger and resentment about how they choose to spend their money than is warranted, in my opinion.  The biggest complaints are that the money they spent (not to mention the money others spent) on a “frivolous” endeavor could have been more wisely spent to improve the lives of many who are not as well-off.  Still others judge the billionaires’ pursuits as greedy and uncaring. 

But this Gospel story should encourage us to do all we can to look beyond the surface and to see God present in every life we encounter.  I think of all of the people that the billionaires employed in their space programs that might otherwise not have had jobs.  I think of the technology that may arise from these programs that could very well end a lot of the suffering in the world.  On a more transcendental level, I think of the hope that is spurred on with the successes of these programs and others like them.

On the most fundamental level, God dwells within each and every person He has created.  Even those who remain in a state of persistent mortal sin are still made in the image of God and reflect God by their very nature.  And we must see this.  And those who are in a state of grace carry the presence of God, not only within themselves by nature but also through God’s action in their lives.  Every virtue that every person has is there because God is at work in them.  And we must work to see this divine activity in their lives.

We can begin by thinking about the people with whom we are closest.  When thinking about them, what comes to mind?  Over the years, we can build habits of dwelling upon others’ faults.  And those habits are hard to break.  But they can only be broken by intentionally seeking out the presence of God in their lives.  As I wrote earlier, if Jesus’ own townspeople had a difficult time doing this with Him Who was perfect, then this should tell us that it will be even harder for us to do with those who lack perfection. But it must be done and is a very holy endeavor.

Today is a good day to start.

Family love is central to our human lives

 

Family love is central to our human lives.  And though not every family enjoys unity and mutual love, we must never forget that God wants to enter every family just as He did with Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

Martha, Mary and Lazarus were close friends of Jesus.  They lived in Bethany, which was only a short distance from Jerusalem.  Martha is remembered especially for the story in which she had been preparing a meal for Jesus, while her sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him, leaving all the work to Martha.  Martha complained to Jesus, urging Him to “Tell her to help me.”  Jesus’ gentle rebuke of her request was, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10:38–42)

Mary is also known for the above story in which she sat at Jesus’ feet.  This has traditionally been seen as a symbol of contemplative prayer.  

Lazarus is, of course, well known for the fact that Jesus brought him back to life after being dead and in the tomb for four days.  Little else is mentioned about Lazarus in the Gospels except for the fact that the Pharisees wanted to arrest Lazarus at the time they were also seeking to arrest Jesus and that he was the sibling of Martha and Mary (John 11:1-54).

Up until this year, the Catholic Church chose this day as a memorial only in honor of Saint Martha.  But in February Pope Francis expanded this memorial to include Martha’s sister and brother.  When this memorial was established, the Congregation for Divine Worship said, “In the household of Bethany the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that He loved them.”  By honoring these siblings together, we’re especially reminded of the importance of remaining close to family and inviting Jesus into our family.  Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived together and shared a common life of love.  They invited Jesus into their family life, and He accepted their offer.  Jesus’ choice to befriend this family is an indication of His desire to unite each family and to befriend each member of every family so as to be the central source of their shared love and unity.  

Even if your family struggles in various ways, know that God wants to love you and your family in the same way He did the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.  Though they weren’t perfect, He loved them, nonetheless.  And He desires to do the same to you and your family.

Special moments

The journey through the desert to the promised land for Moses and the Israelites wasn’t easy!  There were long days filled with uncertainty.  They had suffered enough in captivity and just wanted life to be easier.  Moses was a good and faithful servant and God rewarded his dedication by never abandoning him or his people.  During this time, Moses was blessed to have many encounters with the Lord.  These special times gave him and the Israelite community the hope and promise they needed to stay on the journey (Exodus 34:29-35).

I think that we all can experience similar life-changing experiences in our relationship with the Lord if we’re open to allowing God to work in our lives.  There are so many ‘God moments’ in our daily life that we often don’t even recognize.  There are the many little kindnesses of strangers whether in the parking lot, grocery store, busy traffic or so many other places we go in a day.  

I feel a sense of gratitude for all the many blessings, the many ‘God encounters’ in my life and realize what a gift it is to be in relationship with the God of Moses who by his faith and radiant God-like presence was able to convey God’s message to others.

May our lives and the lives of those we encounter continue to radiate the presence and love of God in our lives!  

Don’t be the weed

In Matthew’s gospel, the disciples approached Jesus and asked Him to explain the parable of the “weeds in the field” (Matthew 13:36-43).  

I remember gardening with my dad when I was about 5 or 6 years old.  We were pulling weeds from the vegetable garden.  My dad started pulling out some plants that I recognized as one of my mom’s favorite bushes that were abundant in the front yard.  When I asked why he was pulling a “good” plant and calling it a “weed”, he explained, “If it isn’t what we planted, no matter how beautiful it is, it’s a weed, because it can take over the whole garden and the vegetables won’t grow or get as big as we want them to, so it doesn’t belong here.” 

If only life was this easy to understand and correct!  How many of us have worked in that heavenly garden of a place? You’re blessed beyond measure, you receive so many gifts of the Spirit, and you’re hoping and praying that what God wants you to share with others is what you’re contributing.  You understand the sacrifice of what you do – time away from your family, hours that you dedicate to service that usually pile up all too quickly.  You look forward to going to work every day, and you can’t believe the day’s hours have passed because you’ve found so much joy in your daily efforts.

But, then there are the weeds. Those folks who see nothing wrong with taking advantage of the system, taking a few free hours here, a few free trinkets there.  And we’re not usually given the opportunity of seeing those wrongdoers removed from the garden.  Not always are our warnings heeded of what we know or see, and so the joy of the garden is snuffed out, slowly giving way to the evil that begins to linger in it.  It’s so incredibly easy to become downhearted, depressed, or sad when you’ve lived through an experience like this.  You believe that you’re doing things the right way, going through the proper channels, but there will always be the weeds of the garden that want to snuff you out.  But we have to stand firm in our belief in a loving and merciful God.  The parable of the weeds in the field is the reality of good and bad.  I’ve been guilty of allowing others to “steal my joy” in their badness, and it’s thrown me into the throngs of depression and sadness rather than the goodness I should be searching and working toward. It’s affected my evangelism in the past and numbed me to my faith. 

Our own hearts must be open to God’s protection for us from evil.  He loves us so very much, and we know that there will always be someone who wants to control what others can contribute or experience in life.  Open your hearts to the Gospel and be the flower that God intended– don’t be the weed!

The fulfillment of dreams

 

As any parent knows, the birth of a child is the realization of one dream and the beginning of many others.  Each one of us represents the fulfillment of such dreams.  The feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim allow us to pause and ponder how Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was a daughter and a dream.  Her birth and her life were the fruits of her parents’ dreams.  But could Anne or Joachim ever have dreamed about the fruits of their daughter‘s womb?
There is very little that we know about Mary‘s parents.  Butler’s Lives of the Saints suggests that for centuries there‘a been considerable devotion to St. Anne.  What makes this feast day of significance, however, is that their lives point to that great mystery-the Incarnation of Christ.  In praising the parents of Mary, who were consequently the maternal Grandparents of Jesus of Nazareth, we’re once again reminded that God entered into not just a holy family, but an extended family, many of whom would have “longed to see what you see” (Matthew 13:16-17).
As we contemplate the lives of Anne and Joachim, we’re  invited to consider our own relatedness to not only our parents and extended family, but to our ancestors.  Perhaps our ancestors resembled Joachim and Anne in fostering dreams for the generations after them.
We don’t know if Jesus ever knew His grandparents, but we can be sure that His mother told him about them and taught Him to “give praise to famous men and women.”(Sirach 44:1-15).  
Might not we do the same?

Time is of the essence

I was thinking today about the time when the Israelites were caught worshiping the golden calf in the desert.  Moses was extremely angry at their unfaithfulness and at Aaron's succumbing to the pressure of the people to return to their former ways.  The Israelites were tired of waiting for Moses to return from the mountain; they were frustrated and felt abandoned by the man who led them into the desert with promises of a new life.  So they returned to their old ways, putting their trust in other gods, represented by the golden calf.  They wanted clear direction, answers and a fulfillment of the promises - NOW! (Exodus 32:15-34)

We could spend all day thinking about ways we’r impatient, with nearly everything—with toast, with other drivers, with people at work, with family, with ourselves, with God.  It doesn't take much self-awareness and honesty to admit that our desire, our demand, that things work faster, even the very way we want them to work, quickly move to judgments, and eventually to anger and division.  The whole collection of things which upset us too often tend to build up into a pile of frustration, even hostility.  When it gets bad, we stomp around and bark at other people.  At its very worst, God gets very far away.  It's nothing then to throw God's ways to the ground in our frustration with everyone and everything.

Yet, Jesus reminds us that what is of God will take a long time.  The kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed which grows into a great tree.  Or, the fulfillment of God's plan is like a large measure of flour which rises with the presence of a small amount of yeast (Matthew 13:31-35).  In both parables, time is of the essence.  One cannot hurry the growth of the tree or the rising of the dough.  Anyone who tries to force either knows that this is a futile exercise.

Patience, trust, and inviting God into our work, our lives, and our work for justice won’t be easy or necessarily fruitful according to our timelines.  When I get discouraged by the slowness of success of my efforts for what I believe is 'of God,' I’m reminded of a prayer by Archbishop Oscar Romero:  " It helps now and then, to step back and take the long view.  The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision....  We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.  We are prophets of a future not our own."

Perhaps this is the real measure of what is 'of God' - to invite God into what we do, trust that it is truly 'of God,' work as hard as we are able for what is 'of God,' and then 'let go, and let God.' 

A miraculous abundance

My reflection today is about miraculous abundance; where there was little, now there is much.  

We pray these days for God’s presence in our times of need. We pray and let what we consider small and insignificant to be placed in His hands and distributed to those in need.  We pray knowing of God’s abundance in being faithful, provident and nourishing in our lives.

We can learn much from Elisha’s actions in the story of the multiplication of twenty barley loaves to feed one hundred people suffering from the famine (2Kings 4:42-44).  He insisted that his servant take the loaves and share them even though they didn’t appear to be enough.  Elisha promised that there would be more than enough and there would be leftovers as God had promised.  Elisha had received his blessing from God and walked around sharing it in plenty.  

And in John’s Gospel we learn that Jesus, being the Bread of Life, is both the Provider and the provided (John 6:1-15).  The crowd has followed Jesus and the apostles to a deserted place and the journey there has rendered them hungry.  All heck is about to breakout if something isn’t done.  The apostles don’t have enough money to buy for this crowd so that each could have even a little bit.  There’s a tension. They have only five loaves and two fish, “what are these among so many?”

Five thousand people reclined and had their fill of bread and fish, so there were fragments to be collected.  Because of this sign of abundance, the people wanted to promote Him as King so that they would never have to search for satisfaction and fullness again.  Jesus, though, slipped away and left them to experience a different type of hunger, a hunger for His continued presence.  He is nourishing, available, familiar, and a reminder of the abiding gift of manna when the Israelites were wandering in the desert.  I think I can relate to this type of hunger when I miss Mass or especially the Eucharist, which is also a miracle of multiplication that feeds and nourishes me in my daily life.

I was thinking that the five loaves and two fish are like our prayers.  Jesus takes our offering.  He then answers those prayers and adds a “dash” of mercy to (we hope) bring us into His presence.  We have to remember that even after we realize that He has answered our prayers, we must continue to pray or “gather the fragments, so that nothing will be wasted”.  He will use them to nourish others who may not yet know they need His help.

A great image

A wonderful field.  Planted with wheat.  Then, an enemy plants weed seed in the same field.  What a great image for our world today. (Matthew 13:24-30)

Jesus knows that we have an instinctive sense that wants us to "weed out" those who are different from us.  Even those who are "unwanted."  Growing up, I wanted every bully and every kid who didn't play "fair" to be thrown off the playground.  It still seems fair, just, and necessary to punish or eliminate from society those who do evil, or those who make our life unbearable.  It's for the "common good."  It can even lead to the terrible choice of "eliminating" an "unwanted pregnancy."  It’s what the history of war is all about.  It’s what capitol punishment desires to do. There’s another level of "justice," another broader care for the common good that invites us to consider God's Justice.  In that view, the image of the field with weeds falls apart.  The world is full of precious creatures, all endowed by God with a dignity that’s of ultimate  value.  At the height of our common commitment is the protection of the dignity of all - the unborn, those born in poverty, those who have "fallen through" society's "cracks." even those who have made really bad choices, even those who express really outrageous ideas, even those who do really horrible things to violate the rights or the life of another.

The only way God could ever ask us to reach for this dream of this kind of justice is by calling us to a number of very important commitments.  The only way we can imagine living in a world so "messy" and complex is by imaging a commitment to loving as God does.  There’s nothing more divine than the ability to forgive a genuine wrong, particularly the more terrible that wrong is.  Divine love never gives up on the beloved.  God is always, every moment, desiring and working hard to help us be healed of anything that might "twist" us to act against the precious dignity of others.  God knows how insecurity, greed,  lust and self-interest will always drive divisions into every community.  So the Divine Spirit of Justice is always at work to reconcile and build community, protecting the vulnerable and challenging the hearts of the powerful. 

Jesus' fervent prayer to his Father, "May they be one," was not naive.  He knew, as Paul would later say, that God would deal with sin "by nailing it to a tree."  This is what it means that "he died for our sins."  The price, the penalty, the "justice" demanded for the terrible sins that would ever be committed was "paid in full" by his death on the cross.

The common good still demands that our playgrounds be protected from bullies and that criminals who violate the rights of others be taken out of society.  It’s difficult to imagine how we will ever get to a society that will heal bullies, by helping them feel secure, and or the steps we must take to a world so just that terrible poverty won't breed so much crime and violence, or the need for revolution and war.  

But today, it’s wonderful to long for God's justice, and pray that it might begin with me.  And, it’s healing for my heart to imagine that day when the Master of the Harvest will do the ultimate accounting that brings justice.

A heart of rich soil

 

Hearing and even understanding the Word of God is not enough to “bear fruit” in our lives (Matthew 13:18-23).  There are many temptations we’ll face that will hinder God’s Word in our lives.

First, there are many people who have been blessed to hear the Word of God.  There are many who have been to religious education classes, have been taught by parents and others, have attended Church services but have failed to allow what they’ve heard to penetrate deeply to the point that they understand.  To hear the Word of God is very different from understanding the Word of God.  One reason for this is that the pure Word of God, when heard and understood, challenges us to the core of our being.  If one truly understands God’s Word, then that person can’t remain indifferent.  They must change.  And they must change in a complete way.  Failure to do so means that it’s impossible for good fruit to be born in their life to the degree God wants.

But understanding and changing isn’t even enough.  This is because the enemies of our soul, traditionally spoken of as the world, the flesh, and the devil, will powerfully attack any person who receives the Word of God and decides to abide by that Word.  For example, if you were to fully accept the teachings of Jesus regarding forgiveness of others, as soon as you make the choice to forgive, there would most likely be numerous temptations to abandon that practice.  Pride, anger, hurt, the lies of the evil one and the world will all try to deter you from an act of complete forgiveness of others.  Or take, for example, the call to live completely detached from “riches.”  Jesus’ teachings on true spiritual poverty versus true spiritual riches require a depth of conversion that is difficult to obtain.  Thus, the “lure of riches” is very hard to overcome.

In the end, if your soul is truly fertile ground and if you allow the most pure and complete teaching of the Gospel to penetrate your soul so as to change you in every way God wants to change you, then this means that you have overcome each and every temptation thrown at you. You have rejected the temptations that come from greed, pride, anger and the like. You have embraced humility, rejected worldly esteem, dismissed anxiety and worry and are directed only by the powerful, gentle, holy, and clear Voice of God in your life. This requires much prayer, much interior purification, total dedication and unwavering obedience to the Word of God spoken to you both through the Gospels and in the depths of your conscience. And even among those who achieve this level of holiness, the fruit born in their lives is dependent upon how fully and habitually they live by the guiding Word of God.

Achieving the goal of having exceptionally rich soil in your heart for the Word of God requires unyielding commitment and determination. There are numerous temptations that will fight against the creation of a fertile heart.  Commit yourself today to the goal of becoming that rich soil in which the Word of God is sown that not only bears good fruit but bears good fruit that is a hundredfold.

The Storyteller

Many of us live today in a consumer culture where we are constantly called to accumulate material goods, to have more and more things that make our lives easier, to pursue a life of ease and comfort.  In such a culture it’s difficult for us to hear the message of the gospel.  It’s difficult because the gospel message is contrary to the message of the culture in which we live.  The gospel message calls us to hardship and sacrifice rather than to ease and comfort.  In my gospel reflection today (Matthew 13:10-17), I found a particular example of the difficulties involved in following the message and teaching of Jesus.

The difficulty in hearing and following the gospel message is not new.  The crowds who listened to Jesus during His public life here on earth had the same difficulties.  They found it hard to open their minds and hearts to hear and understand the words of Jesus.  And when they did listen, they found difficult the things that Jesus asked of them.  We hear the disciples ask Jesus why He speaks to the crowds in parables.  It’s a good question; one that they were curious to know the answer to.  It’s the kind of question that I think I would have asked had I been there.  So much of what Jesus told the crowds was conveyed by parables that it seems reasonable to ask the Lord why He spoke in parables.  The answer of Jesus highlights the difference between the disciples and the rest of the crowd who followed Jesus.

The disciples saw Jesus as their Master, and they listened to His word.  As they spent more and more time with Jesus, they began to understand who He really is, and why He was with them.  The people in the crowd, on the other hand, were following Jesus because of the miraculous things He had done and in the hope of themselves witnessing miracles.  They were more focused on what Jesus did than on who He is or on listening to what He said.  And so, Jesus worked differently with them than with the disciples.  With the disciples Jesus was a professor, teaching and instructing them about Himself and His mission.  With the people in the crowds, Jesus was a storyteller.  He led them simply and slowly by means of stories and parables that demonstrated a certain truth.  The disciples were more advanced students, the people in the crowd were beginners.  Jesus proceeded in way that was appropriate to each group.

I think that it’s important to remember that Jesus came into the world for the salvation of all of the people He met.  That includes the disciples and the people in the crowds as well.  Jesus wanted all of them to be saved.  In the same way, Jesus wants all people who listen to His messages today to be saved.  Whether we’re students like the disciples or beginners like the people in the crowds, Jesus wants us to listen to Him and hear Him and follow Him.   The message of Jesus is tailored to each of us and our abilities, but His message is for all of us.  We only have to listen.

There have been many disciples of Christ who listened, and today is the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, who is a prime example of whom Jesus is calling.

Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus after His crucifixion.  She was the one who remained close to Jesus through His passion and stood beside Mary, His mother and John, the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross.  While many of the other disciples were afraid and remained within locked doors, Mary Magdalene wasn’t afraid to venture out in the early morning while it was still dark to go visit the tomb where Jesus was laid.  Even though she failed to recognize Jesus in the person—she thought He was a gardener—her story is one that’s filled with hope, something that we so desperately need these days.  Thinking that the body of Jesus had been stolen she was filled with grief but yet she was persistent in seeking Jesus out: “Sir….tell me where you laid him?”  Her pain and sorrow blinded her from seeing Jesus but she was still able to recognize His voice as He called her name “Mary” and she responded “Rabbouni.”  (John 20:1-18)

In our moments of grief, perhaps the loss of a loved one, or, having a debilitating disease or illness, or losing our job, our eyes can be blinded by our pain and sorrow.  We might fail to see God in our lives, perhaps even feeling that He might have abandoned us.  But like Mary, we need to continue to be persistent in our faith, to never give up seeking God.  Then, like the sheep recognizing the voice of the shepherd (John 10:1-18), like Mary recognizing the voice that called her name, we become aware of God who never abandoned us, who was and is with us through our pain and sorrow, who rejoices with us in our moments of joy, who strengthens us in our moments of weakness.  And then, like Mary we can say “I have seen the Lord.” 

What is it?

 

“On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, "What is this?" for they did not know what it was.  But Moses told them, "This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat." (Exodus 16:1-15)

One of the fun things I learned when I was a kid learning about the Book of Exodus in my Catechism classes is that “Manna” is ancient Hebrew for "What is it?"  Ma(h) means "what?" and na(h) is an intensive.  So, God gave the people "What is it?" from heaven.

Lots of scholars have tried to figure out what it really was – those “fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground” in the desert that the people were to collect.  I've never heard any really helpful answers to that myself.  So I just accept Moses’ explanation: "This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat."

As I reflected on this today, I thought about children who are picky eaters trying food for the first time.  Parents will put something new on their child’s plate, and the kid might ask, “What is it?”  To which the parent might reply simply, “It’s good for you!”  That brought me back to the Israelites in the desert.  God gave them "What is it?" from heaven.  They didn't know what it was!  They didn't know if it was good for them!

I think that sound like many of us often in our own times.  God gives us "What is it?" many times it seems.  Stuff happens, and we say, "What is it?"  Good things happen; "What is it?"  Bad things happen; "What is it?"  It's often a reflection on whatever it is that happened that tells us it was from God.

“Yet he commanded the skies above and the doors of heaven he opened; He rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread.”  (Psalm 78:18-28)

Psalm 78 is a theological reflection on Exodus.  "Manna" is now a word itself and it signifies "bread."  Whatever the early wanderers thought it was that God gave them, by the time the Psalm was written it was bread, according to the psalmist.

Some of the questions I ask myself as I examine my conscience at the end of each day are: “What's going on in me today that I need to notice?  Where has God been active so that I can be grateful?  Where have I strayed so that I can repent?”

In a way, it's like trying to figure out what the "stuff" of the day is; “What is it?”  Sometimes it’s bread and we’re well nourished by it.  Sometimes, it's just junk on the lawn that isn't worth our time.  That’s when we need to discern whether the "What is it?" in our life is manna, or is it bread?  Is it just white junk on the lawn that needs to be cleared?  Or is it a matter of substance that can nourish our faith and lead us closer to God?

So, as we go along this summer and notice lots of different things that happen to us, we can ask (and answer) with the people of Israel, "What is it?"

This reflection has also reminded me of an old joke:  One of the oldest recipes handed down to us by the Israelites in the days of Moses that is still in use today is for “mannana-nut bread”.

You’re welcome.  Or I’m sorry, depending on your sense of humor.

Family Relationships

 

Jesus was in the midst of a heated discussion with the religious scholars and Pharisees who were trying to set Jesus up to perform a miracle as proof of who He was.  As He was teaching, His brothers and mother showed up outside and were trying to get a message to Him (Matthew 12:46-50). 

First of all, it should be noted that the word “brothers” in ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and other languages didn’t necessarily mean siblings.  The same word was used to refer to anyone within the same extended family, such as cousins.  Therefore, it’s clear that Jesus’ mother and some other male relatives were coming to see Him.  Mark’s gospel (Mark 3:21) says they were worried about His well-being and were trying to draw Him away from the intensity of the discussion.  Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels make no such claim.  Regardless of why they were there, Jesus used this interruption as a teachable moment to focus on what was profoundly important—the relationship between Himself and His followers.  He stretched His hands toward the disciples and identified them as His family because of their obedience and connection to Him.

The family relationship is important. We can see its importance to Jesus with His special connection to His brothers and mother all the way to the cross.  He understood that those family ties are the foundation upon which all other relationships are built.  Yet He took it another step, expanding the family relationship to all those who believe in Him and are considered His disciples.

As I reflect on the gifts of a family, I can think of several.  Family provides a sense of security and creates a sense of belonging.  Family gives a taste of unconditional love and creates a safe place to discover who we are.  Family provides a foundation of values and beliefs and helps us learn how to relate to others outside of the family.  Family gives us the opportunity to experience forgiveness and reconciliation.

The reality is that many human families are imperfect, and we only experience a glimpse of what our spiritual family can be.  When Jesus identified His disciples as His family because of their affiliation with Him, He has also extended that invitation to us—to become part of a spiritual family that extends and perfects what we know in our human relationships.  When we become disciples through our response to Jesus, we become a part of His family and experience all those gifts that a family is meant to provide.  It just can’t get much better than that!

Be the sign for everybody else

 

“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” (Matthew 12:38-42).  How often do we ask for signs?  How often do we miss the signs of God’s love, of God’s care, of God’s protection in our lives? 

I am reminded of one of my mother’s blog posts about a certain “sign” that always made her hopeful and happy.  She was relating a story about moving into a new home (Note: ‘Cappy’ was my father’s nickname):

“When Cappy and I moved into the house, it had a nice "garden spot" out behind the garage. Cappy loved to plant gardens and he really had a "green thumb" when it came to taking care of them.  Anyway, he went out to this garden spot and had to clean it up first.  I helped Cappy clear up the trash which took a couple of days and then we hauled it to the garbage dump.  So then Cappy got out his trusty shovel and began to spade up the place.  There were plenty of worms being turned out of their homes in the process.  He told me one day that there was a blue jay that followed right behind him to eat the worms.  The bird didn't seem at all afraid of Cappy (who wouldn't have harmed a feather on him!), and every day for the few years we lived at that house, he was out there.  Every time Cappy went to the garden, there was the blue jay!  Cappy got sick while we were there and eventually died while we lived there.  I did not want to live in the house anymore, and with the help of my sons, we moved over to my son Bob's house until I could find an apartment or something!  

I was feeling so blue and alone one day, when I looked out the window of Bob’s house and there was a blue jay.  It was as though he was saying, "I'll be watching out for you!"  After a few weeks, we did find an apartment and one of the first birds I saw outside the window was a blue jay.  After a year, Steve and Tom and I moved up to the Northern California foothills to live.  Cappy and I had been looking for property up there just before he died.  So a new life began!

I was pretty restless for the first few days, wondering what was going to happen to us!  I was standing in the kitchen, looking out into the backyard and there was a blue jay!  He just hopped around and kept looking up at the window.  I suddenly had a calmness come over me and decided that everything was going to be alright!  

A couple of years later, I found myself moving down to Lodi.  I had to go to work because the boys were not getting any Social Security anymore and therefore I wasn't getting any either.  Within the first few days of moving in, that darned blue jay was right outside my window!  It isn't that I see those birds all the time, but no matter the season or what kind of weather we have, a blue jay shows up.  Kind of a "reassurance!"  I guess God has been sending me them to me all these years to remind me that I am not alone and that He is there for me!”  

My mom was a great example of faith for me.  Her example is probably the reason I’m a big believer in signs.  I’m always on the lookout for signs that might provide direction when I’m faced with an important decision, or just looking for comfort.  I’m always amazed at the messages sent to me from God, often at just the right time.  They only serve to strengthen my faith and bolster my hope in a merciful God.

It's good to consider the love and attention that our community of family and friends has bestowed on us.  That same community has also probably, to a greater or lesser degree, provided for our security and survival.  God placed us in this family, in this community, with these friends for our growth and nourishment.  God is the root source of our particular educational and job opportunities, even if we worked hard for them.

Likewise, it’s good to reflect on all that God has given us in non-material ways: our talents, the knowledge and insights we've gained, the skills we've learned, the maturity that grew out of our sufferings, and so on.  These blessings have lifted our spirits, graced us with joy, provided healing, and filled us with a satisfying peace.  Additionally, there is our beautiful and diverse world.  All of creation displays the grandeur of God and provides us with fresh water, air, and nourishing foods.  God is the source of all this richness and pleasure in our life.

What is the ultimate intervention of God in human history?  Was it the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14)?  The mercy God showed the people of Nineveh because of their response to Jonah’s call for repentance (Jonah 3)?  The wisdom of Solomon?  The Queen of the South recognized it as God acting through Solomon (1Kings:10).  Was it the healings and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as told throughout the New Testament?  Is it the incarnation of God in our life in a very personal way every day?

All these are powerful signs of God’s love, but for me, the latter is the most profound answer.  To think that little, insignificant me is so loved, so cared for that God is personally present to me always and wants a personal relationship with me.  This is really humbling.  It’s also very empowering.  I have all the proof I need to know that I am unconditionally loved and cared for, and the freedom to choose how to respond to that love.  So what is my appropriate response?  It’s not to ASK for a sign!  Rather, I’m called to BE the sign of God’s love to others.

I’m called to share with everybody else I come across the love God has given me to use my gifts for the betterment of my community and of the world.

"Come away and rest"

 

“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”  (Mark 6:30-34)

This is an invitation we may need to hear far more than we realize.  And it’s an invitation that many find hard to accept from Jesus.  Speaking from experience, we should take it as a direct invitation offered to us from our Lord. 

One summer day a few years ago at work, it was hot, we were short-handed, the customers seemed more weird than normal, and I missed my lunch hour--so naturally, I was short-tempered, rude and stressed.  I didn't like myself much by late afternoon, and I'm sure my employees and my customers felt the same way about me.  I hadn't eaten, and only had about 16oz of water and a candy bar all day.  I was mad at the world!  I felt like the weight of the world was coming at me all at once.

As I often did when I felt that way, I decided to call it a day at work and maybe sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and say a rosary before Mass started at 5:45pm to try and calm down.  I drove over to the church and the doors were locked!  I cried out to Jesus, "Great, the way my day's been going, I NEED to get in there and talk to You, and the door’s locked!"  Right next to the entrance to the church was the Adoration chapel, which had a combination lock on it, and I didn't have the combination.  I again told Jesus that if I didn't get in to see Him soon, I was going to bust!  I had no sooner said it when some lady came out of nowhere, opened the door to the chapel and went in!  It took me a couple of seconds to realize what had happened!  Even though I had “spoken” to Jesus, I hadn’t really expected Him to answer me so soon.  My only thought was, "Whoa! He must have heard me!"  So I knocked on the door, the lady opened it, and I was able to go in.  After thanking her, I took out my rosary and started praying for calm.  20 minutes later, I had forgotten what a rotten day it had been and felt I was in the proper state of mind to attend Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion. 

There’s something very healing and helpful that comes from silence and moments of solitude.  There’s something about silence and solitude that enables us to get refocused.  So often in life we’re overwhelmed by busyness.  “Busyness” is often a way for the evil one to wear us down and get us off track.  It keeps us from the gentle, clear and refreshing voice of God. 

At the heart of this invitation is a longing in Jesus’ heart that we rest from those burdens which weigh us down unnecessarily.  It’s true that there are many good things God calls us to do that can exhaust us.  But this “holy exhaustion” is not a bad thing.  In fact, being “exhausted” by the will of God actually deepens our faith and fills us with joy.  And that joy lightens our burden (Matthew 11:28-30). 

The main reason for our need to “come away” and “rest” is that there are many things in life that are not part of God’s will.  These are burdens we impose upon ourselves unnecessarily.  These burdens, more than anything else, are what we need to rest from.

Coming away, alone, with Jesus, is a way of getting refocused and clearing out the clutter of life.  It’s a way of escaping from our impulses and habits that draw us away from the joyful will of God.  So think about this invitation.  Think about it practically.  I daresay most of us could find at least ten minutes today to go find silence so as to rest in the arms of Jesus!

Waiting for the Lord

 

I would think that most of us have had to ‘vigil’ at some time in our life . . . to wait . . . to yearn . . . to hope in God’s victory without knowing what the victory will look like for us, or how soon it will come.  And it’s always a new and different life that we live after we have truly vigiled, whether in families or alone, in congregations, with friends, or even sometimes with strangers.

To “vigil” is to wait in hope; to wait in joyful hope if we can, or sorrowful hope, or terrified hope; but with hope that clings to the confidence that God is in charge, and it’s God who will bring the newness of life.

The Israelites were compelled to Vigil through the night we call Passover, waiting for God to deliver them from their misery in Egypt (Exodus 12:37-42). They didn’t know what the delivery would look like or what their new birth as God’s child would entail.  They did not yet have an imagination of “Waiting for the Lord,” but they would very soon.  And then in perpetuity they were to stir up that imagination and remember each year by spending a night waiting.  Christians, too, spend a night each Spring waiting with the disciples for the Lord’s victory over death.  They too didn’t know precisely for what they waited, but for them too, it was both death and birth (the Crucifixion and the Resurrection).

Mid-summer is an interesting time to be reminded of the compelling vigil that we live each day as we wait in joyful hope for the victory of God’s compassion in our broken world.  Let today be a real vigil – an opportunity to remember what wonders God has done for us and will do for us tomorrow even has He holds us in His hands this night.

Give thanks to the LORD, for God is good.  For his mercy endures forever.  (Psalm 136)

A familiar tension

In my reflection today, I’m presented a familiar tension between the spirit and the letter of the law.  In the Gospel (Matthew 12:1-8), the disciples were undoubtedly breaking the letter of the law by picking and eating the grain on the Sabbath.  For this, Jesus was scolded by the Pharisees, though Jesus is able to point to the famous Old Testament story of David allowing his soldiers to eat the bread of the offering even though it was reserved for priests (1 Samuel 21:2-7).   And in Exodus 11:10-12:14, the Pharaoh shows a view of the world similarly obtuse to that of the Pharisees by ignoring the signs performed before him by Moses and Aaron.

Deep down, I suspect it depends on how one views God.  If one views God as a sort of “score keeper in the sky” waiting to put down a check mark against us each time we transgress a written rule, then the Pharisees were probably right.  The disciples should have just gone hungry.  But that’s not my view of God or the view held by Jesus.  True enough, the rules are important.  The Commandment not to kill is an important one and it would be only in the direst of emergencies that one could imagine having to kill another.  It would be justifiable, for instance, to kill another if he were about to plunge a knife into an innocent child and there were no other way to stop him, but such cases are few and far between.  But our God is a loving and forgiving God who cares about what’s in our hearts.  We all make mistakes, sometimes serious ones.  But God forgives if we let Him into our hearts.