Without God, we're sure to sink!

I have tried my best to stay clear of politics on this blog.  My intention has only been to ponder the Word of God and share my thoughts with you.  I will try to make this my last political statement in this forum.  I made the decision to opine on politics because of  because of THIS DISTURBING UNREPORTED NEWS  that quite frankly scares me. And in all humility, my faith gives me enough courage that I don’t scare easily.  I am frightened for my family, my friends, and my country--from the youngest (those still in the womb) to the oldest, who handed this great country on to us only to see it come to this!

 

What scares me most is that I have friends and family who just don’t get it!  Life is eternal, folks!  Where you spend it is YOUR choice.  God does not punish us.  God does not send people to Hell.   They CHOOSE to go there.  He will give us what we ask for.  Will you choose eternal life in HIS presence or eternal longing for HIS presence?  He doesn’t force us to love Him.  I love Him for Who He is and what He has done for me.  I have been nothing but blessed in my life, despite the ups and downs.  How about you?  Please make an honest examination of your conscience.  Isn’t there room for the God who created you?

Then, join me in THIS NOVENA starting today, up until Election Day 2012.  I will post the novena on the side bar until then.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners NOW, and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

   

My Almighty God Bless us.  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Never was heard a discouraging Word

Wouldn’t you love to have been able to actually hear Jesus speak?  What was it about Jesus that people felt he spoke with authority?  What convinced them of his power?  What was there about his word?  We have the gift of scripture, so we can know what Jesus said.  And from scripture, we can know who He is.  Would I be willing to trade that gift to be able to hear Christ speak?  I wonder.  If I heard Him speaking directly to me and if He was saying things I didn’t want to hear (but I needed to hear for my salvation!), would I listen?

Words.  What power they hold! Encouraging or discouraging.

We ran a contest this month at work for a select group of managers who needed to improve their performance in a particular area.  We allowed the managers to select the standard to be met based on their own confidence in their abilities to reach the goals.  The goals were quite modest in my opinion.  I would have loved to see a higher goal set, but it appears that I have more confidence in their ability than they do.  We discussed the game plan that would help us achieve our newly set goals and agreed to stick to the plan, even if we ran into obstacles. 

We were tested the first few days into the contest.  Our performance did not improve.  In fact, it worsened from last year.  We had dug a hole so deep even our low goals seemed way too high.  My boss and I were commenting on the performance daily (“To keep the focus up”, we told ourselves).  Our comments at first were of encouragement and confidence.  After it was apparent this tactic was not working, and a couple of the managers were grumbling that we needed to lower our goals or their teams would become discouraged and quit trying altogether, our comments became more sarcastic and less than charitable.  We thought of lowering the goals to a break-even level, but that would have made the whole idea of the contest meaningless.  Instead, we decided to keep the goals we had set, look for reasons for our reverses, and change our behavior.   We looked at the game plan we had written at the beginning of the contest and felt confident it was the right direction to follow. We returned to more encouraging and charitable comments on the daily progress.  

We then took our plan directly to the individual team members one by one and made sure they understood their part of the plan.  We did not meet our goals—sort of.  What we did manage to do was to climb out of the hole we had put ourselves in and finish positive over last year!   The boss is so happy with the late surge he decided to reward the managers anyway.  (However, instead of a steak barbecue cooked by the boss, all we will have is hamburgers and hotdogs—and I will be the “chef”).  What the experience told us was that if we had followed our plan from the beginning or at the very least followed most of it better, we may very well have blown the modest goals out of the water.  I think the managers learned something.  I know I did.  They want to repeat the contest this month and have already set higher goals!     

The world’s standards seem so low at times and yet, whenever we run into a standard that causes us a problem, the solution seems to be to change or lower the standard.  Then there are God’s standards - which seem impossible.  Love your neighbor?  I even have to love that so-and-so down the street?  Love my enemy?  Really?  And yet Paul says we have the mind of Christ.  I know I’m a sinner and I know I’ll fall short of God’s standard.  So, should I repent and try to do better or simply change and lower God’s standard?  Well, since God’s standards cannot be changed, the Good News is that we worship a loving, forgiving God who welcomes our repentance.

One of my problems is I always want to sit in judgment of the world (and its inhabitants).  I need to realize that the judge position is already taken and my job is to simply live in obedience to God’s Holy Will.  Simply?  Right.  So much easier said than done.  I have to realize, it’s not about me, it’s about Christ and to keep my focus on Him. 

Humility

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God” –(Matthew 23:30)

Seems impossible, doesn’t it?  I heard an explanation of this passage on the radio the other day that makes sense.  I don’t know if it is true, but it does help make more sense if you believe Jesus is not talking about wealth or poverty here—at least not worldly wealth or poverty.

In the time of Christ, the “eye of a needle” referred to small openings in city walls that were sometimes used after the main gate had closed.  They were so small, however, that in order for a camel to enter, it had to bend down on its knees and crawl through to the other side.  In this image, Christ is not talking about an impossible occurrence, albeit a difficult one.  Instead, He is preaching to us the importance of humility.

When we are asked to ponder the characteristics of a hero or heroine, we often come up with things like strength, courage, bravery, and honor.  Sometimes we may include love, trustworthiness, and faithfulness, but humility is not something we hold in high esteem.  Humility is for those who are not “man enough” to fight through a difficulty or trial.  Humility is for those who are weak.

And yet, humility is what separates Christians from all others.  It is the greatest weapon in our fight against the devil.  As St. Vincent de Paul tells us, “For as Satan does not know how to employ humility, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.”  When we act out of true humility, the devil is powerless to oppose us.  We each must strive to become nothing in the eyes of the world, so that we might stoop to serve the lowest in our lives.  We should pray to be delivered from our fears of being ridiculed as well as from our desires of being honored and extolled.  In addition, we must also pray for the grace to desire that others become more esteemed and praised than our own selves.  The Litany of Humility is a beautiful way to do just this.

In all things, though, we must pray.  We must be willing to let God speak to us in the quiet of our hearts for, as Mother Teresa teaches us, “If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you.  Then you will know that you are nothing.  It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself.”  Just as a camel can only pass through the eye of a needle on its knees, so too a rich person can only enter the Kingdom of Heaven on his knees before his God and King.  Just as Indiana Jones discovers in The Last Crusade, “The penitent man will pass before God,” and he does so on his knees in prayer.

 

Blessed are the Poor of Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. –(Matthew 5:3)

Queen of Heaven

While browsing the Internet tonight, I found the following meditation on the Assumption.  I really have to share it:

Mary looked over at John writing at his table and smiled. He had always looked so young and the years had not aged him very much. She could understand why Jesus had such a special place in his heart for John, with his gentle ways and his easy love for people.

She gathered her cloak around her against the cold and closed her eyes as she thought about the many years of her life. So much of it was beyond understanding and yet she believed it and accepted it. She had been given a courage, faith and humility that could only be a gift from God. How else could she have overcome her fears and said "Yes" when Gabriel asked her to be the mother of the Savior? Her son, Jesus, had been a wonder in her life. She had not always understood all of what he did but she knew he had a special role on earth. Their hearts had been bound together in faith and an unbreakable love. She had watched him leave home, teach, heal and challenge the authorities. Her heart had been pierced with such sorrow when he was arrested and tortured and finally put to death. Her faith in the Father had carried her through those days, and the incredible joy-filled days that came after.

"Imma?" John, said using the most intimate form of "mother." He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You are so quiet these days." She smiled at him with affection. "Dearest John, my life has been long and I have so much to be grateful for. These years together have been so full."

It was true. In the weeks after he had risen, Jesus had spoken to them of a new order, a new way of life. She had resisted the urge to cling to him and not let him go again. She had to trust. "I will be with you always," he had said. In her heart, she knew it was true and once again opened her life fully to God's will. She watched with joy as he was taken up into the clouds. In the years that had followed, his message and life had given hope and meaning to a growing number of followers. She had spoken to so many of the disciples and followers in those times.

Jesus was in her life, too, in a vivid and very real way. She felt his presence with her as she grew tired. She spoke to him from her heart constantly, just as she did when he was on earth. She felt a strong connection that was as unexplainable as it was real. She closed her eyes again in thought.

"Imma," came the familiar, loving voice. "Blessed are you among women." She knew it was different. She was not in John's house but with Jesus, standing in a place that filled her with a different kind of joy. "My son," she said softly as they embraced. She felt his cheek firmly against hers.

She did not know how or why. There were no questions and no answers for this. He had promised her she would be with him and the Father. She touched her body in wonder and knew she had been drawn to a different place by power not her own. It was her same body and yet different, more vibrant.

"You said 'Yes' to the Father's request, Imma," Jesus said to her. "Your life was prepared in a special way and you followed it with such faith. You made my work possible."

She knew that somehow she was experiencing the resurrection in a way others would have to wait for. As she had so many times before, she paused and opened her heart in prayer. "The Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his Name."

Moving mountains

The city has been redirecting some underground drainage pipes throughout town.  They informed (they didn’t ask—they “informed”) us that they would be accessing a small portion of our property for about a week as the pipes would be buried right next to our office building. 
Well, it’s been about two weeks and they are just finishing up.  But it’s been kind of cool, in a way.  The little boy in me has been fascinated by all the different machines they needed to dig the trenches, move the dirt around and then fill the holes back in.  My boss and co-workers (but for some reason only those of the male persuasion) have been as fascinated by the sheer power the “earth-movers” possess as I have been.  We were also awed by the skill it takes to operate those machines. Even with all that skill and power, though, it still took almost two weeks to move 100 feet of dirt.  I found myself day dreaming a couple of times wherein I was “moving mountains.” And I was moving them a lot quicker!  Then I realized I don’t need any cool mechanical help.  What I need is faith.

Christ tells us that with faith the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains.  A mustard seed is the smallest of seeds and yet, when fully grown, it becomes the greatest of plants. A mustard plant is a weed, and with one seed, an entire field can be ruined because a mustard plant will quickly spread and take over an entire field. So it is with our lives. If our faith was like a mustard seed, it would spread throughout our lives, finding its way into every corner of our lives. If we even crack open the door to our hearts, God will fill us with His love and transform every aspect of our lives.

 “Nothing will be impossible for you,” is all that Christ says. We will be able to move mountains.  Think about that!  There are two ways to move a mountain. First, we could move the entire formation all at once, but I don’t think that was what Christ is referring to. Instead, I think He is telling us that we will be given the graces to move mountains one rock at a time. We all have mountains in our lives that need to be moved because they stand between us and our ultimate destination, the Kingdom of Heaven. Having faith in Christ allows us to love Him more, so that we might begin to move those mountains between us one stone at a time. It may seem like an endless task, and Satan will tempt us to think that our work is entirely futile, worthless, and point us toward despair, but if we are sound, unwavering, and persevere through those difficult times, we will find ourselves at our glorious end, being welcomed into the new and eternal Jerusalem.

There is always a greater purpose!

Let’s face it, life is never a simple drive down to the grocery store; we often get lost in the unexpected detours of our lives, and we are so thrown out of our comfort zone that sometimes we forget that God has been watching us all along. It’s hard to know that despite all that has gone wrong in our lives, it all happened for a purpose: for the glory of God.

Peter must have felt that way when Jesus proclaimed him to be the Rock of the Church (Mt 16:13-23). We often ask ourselves, “Why me?” or “What makes me special?” when God presents us with an opportunity that we didn’t expect or we don’t think we deserve. But the truth of the matter is that we are special. We are loved. And most of all, there is a plan for each of our lives.

Through the Sacraments, God makes a covenant with us that He will never leave us, abandon us, or forsake us. He promises that He will always watch over us and will be there whenever we need him the most. This is a truth that we should remind ourselves of whenever life gets tough. We are each carefully chosen to walk a certain life, so don’t worry, because God is holding us when we feel like we are falling.  The best advice I can give anyone is to frequently go to confession and receive Jesus in the Eucharist.  He IS with us!  He wants us to be with Him.  If we feel He's not there, it may just be that we don't recognize Him.

God tries to reach unbelievers by the faithful around them. But, God will not force them to believe, and there are those who refuse to believe in God or His Redeemer-Son. For faith to take root, unbelievers must hear the word of God and see it in our daily Christian example.

Take a leap!

How many times in life have we felt overwhelmed and wondered if we could meet all the expectations we or others have placed on us? Sickness, financial issues, family dynamics: all are examples in life which might overwhelm us at some time or other.

Leave it to St. Peter to help us see how we deal with these surging waves of reality! The gospel describes St. Peter impetuously getting out of the boat and attempting to walk on the Sea of Galilee toward Christ. Love moves toward the Beloved. With his human tendencies, Peter became fearful and distrusting, and began to sink. His beautiful plea, a prayer we all can use, saved him. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, caught him and said to him, "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31)

We might criticize St. Peter for doubting, but with his loving, guileless nature he had enough faith in Christ to at least step out of the boat. The other apostles had remained in the boat. At certain times a responsible Christian life requires us to step out of our usual comfort and security. When this happens, we should remember St. Peter, walk toward Christ with open arms and cry out, "Lord, save me!

A Holy COMMUNION

Here we are, at another first Friday of the month.  It’s time once more to focus on Jesus’ passion and death on the Cross for the sole purpose of our redemption.  Eternal Father, we offer You the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.  For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. 

In His home town place of worship, Jesus wasn’t able to work any mighty deeds because they thought they knew Him, and didn't have faith in Who He could be for them. He was just the carpenter's son. They knew His family. They thought they knew everything there is to know about Him. (Matthew 13:54-58)

If we are honest with ourselves, don't we too often get into a place where our sophisticated "knowledge" blocks our ability to be open to mystery, i.e., what we don't know, don't understand, can't yet imagine? “I've asked before, and I didn't get the answer I wanted.” “I know this priest. I know what he's going to say.” “I know the prayers by heart. The liturgy is the same each week.” And, when we aren't open, Jesus's hands are tied, His power is limited.

I sometimes think about how the Eucharist is received at Mass each week - a gift so familiar, almost something that has become "ordinary" to us. I think, in contrast, that whenever a famous person (in fact, even a few people I've never heard of) come to my area for a concert or a talk, an incredible number of people stand in line with great excitement and pay really steep prices for a ticket to sit in a crowd of thousands, just to catch a glimpse at the person, or to say "I was there." And, if we get to get close, or perhaps shake the celebrity's hand or get an autograph, that would be memorable for a long time.

Yet, each Sunday, for many of us (and for some of us, on a daily basis), we are able to receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Himself. We receive what we call a "Holy Communion" with Him. Yet, sometimes we get up in a "communion line" as if we are bored, distracted, focusing on the clothes and behavior of others.

Wouldn't it be an incredible unleashing of Jesus' power, if we were to be really open, alert, and ready for this encounter with Him? What if, in preparation, we were to practice paying attention to the Eucharistic Prayer to the Father, giving thanks and asking for the Spirit to transform the gifts on the altar? What if our hearts were deeply involved in that request? "Father, please transform these gifts, so that they may become the Body of Blood of Jesus, for my salvation, today and forever!" What if we joined - inside of us, at a deeper and deeper level - in that request that "we might be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit" or begging that the Father "grant that, we who are nourished by the Body and Blood of Your Son, may be filled with His Holy Spirit and become one body, one spirit in Christ" (Eucharistic Prayer II)?  Imagine looking up in a new way, with a completely open heart, as the priest says, "Behold the Lamb of God. Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb." Imagine really feeling, experiencing that this Jesus, here in front of me, has taken away my sins, and I am so blessed to be called to this supper. It would then be possible to say the next words at a deeper, more conscious place in our hearts (echoing the words of the Roman official who so impressed Jesus by his confidence in Jesus' healing power: "Yes, Lord, I know I'm not worthy. Just say Your word - just let it be done - and my soul will actually be healed." We can let the healing happen - the struggles in our families, the wounds that sometime handicap us, the bad habits we seem stuck in, the anger and judgments we hold on to. It can all be healed, just by our being open to it.

We could talk with Jesus on our way up to this communion with Him. "Lord, I am asking you to let me receive You more fully today. You know what struggles we had at home before we left to come here. You know how wrapped up I am in so much worry, fear and anger. Let me be open to Your love, as I receive You. Renew me by this communion with You and, please, fill me with Your peace. United with You more completely, more gratefully, I know I can be more loving and forgiving at home, more hopeful and courageous at work, more generous and active in my parish community. Remain in me today and every day this week and let Your Spirit connect me with Your Spirit in others whom You call me to love."

We know Jesus has power to save us and heal us. We just need to take the steps, beyond the ordinary and familiar, to let His power and His love work in us.

Clay in the hands of the potter

Looking over the  scripture readings for Thursday, they seem to be about God using mundane, everyday things to get a message across to us.  Jeremiah is sent to the potter’s house.  The Lord tells Jeremiah, “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand.”  The psalmist proclaims, “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.”  And in Matthew, Jesus tells a parable using fisherman.  As fisherman separate the good fish from the bad in their catch, at the end of the age, the angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous.

God is all powerful.  God is the Creator.  God is huge.  God can rain down fire to consume sacrifices and altars.  We want God to dazzle us.  And yet, more often God chooses to be on an intimate level with us.  When Christ started His ministry, it wasn’t with something spectacular.  He changed water into wine at a wedding party.

Wanting to do something huge is normal enough.  We all want to make an impact.  However, it can wind up paralyzing us.  It can become an excuse, a way to avoid doing anything.

God doesn’t need us to sit in judgment of his call.  “This task is too small or mundane” or “this really won’t do much good.”  We just need to be obedient to His call. 

These readings have made me question and evaluate my obedience and openness to listen to His call.  Have I fallen into the trap of replacing God with things?  Have I fallen for the myth that things bring joy?  How can I improve my walk with Christ?  How can I be more open to His call?

My prayer today is for all of us to be open to God’s call, and to open ourselves up to be clay in the hands of the potter.

Put to the test already!

As soon as I finished writing my last entry earlier this evening, I went to dinner.  As I am accustomed to do, I was solving crossword puzzles.  My cell phone was on the table right next to my hand.  I saw another hand reach over the counter and grab my phone!  I looked up to see who was playing a trick on me only to find out the young kid was stealing it!  I shouted "HEY" and he took off!  Of course, being in shock that anyone would be so brazen, it took me a couple of seconds to actually try and give chase.  No one else in the restaurant even attempted to help (not that there was anything they could do, so I'm not faulting them--they were probably amazed at the audacity of the thief as well).  I tried to chase the guy.  First, I tripped over my own two feet (I don't know why, other than I was probably trying to run faster than any fat guy should!)  I got to my feet, then my momentum made me tumble again!  My knees and my right elbow are scraped up and burning, my watchband broke, my watch has stopped--it's probably broken--and my cell phone is long gone.  I stopped the services to the phone, so the thief can't use it.  I also called the police, but they said there's nothing they can do (!!!????!!!). 

As soon as I got back to my apartment, I thought about my earlier blog entry, and the answer I gave to the woman who came to my door.

So I guess I'll chalk it up to being in the wrong place at the wrong time and pray for the misguided individual who has a worthless iPhone in his possession.  I'll pray that he someday understands that what he did today is wrong, that he confesses, repents, and goes to Heaven.  It's the least I can do.  Then, I'll go to Mass early in the morning and offer it up for they guy.  That's the best I can do. But right now, I'm going to bed.  I have to replace my phone tomorrow.

Listening is only part of our obligation

Sometimes they are whispers…..sometimes they are shouts.  Either way, listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and put your trust in Jesus Christ.  

Wow!  The Holy Spirit has sure been “whispering” and "shouting" to me big time this last weekend! 

Whisper 1—During a phone call with Mom the other day, she mentioned that she still reads my blog, “when you write them!”  Ouch.  I know I’m falling short on so many fronts.  “I am doing the best I can!” I tell myself, knowing full well that’s a lie.  I told Mom that I usually get my inspiration from the daily readings said at Mass.  Since I haven’t been to daily Mass on a regular basis lately, I haven’t been inspired to write much.   I blamed work hours, exhaustion, and any number of other reasons I couldn’t make it.  She pointed out to me (it’s her job, after all, as my mother to do so**) that the devil takes particular pleasure in diverting people who hope to grow closer to God away from Him.  I can do much better, and today’s entry is the first step in my new commitment to grow in my relationship with God and to share my discoveries with whoever is interested in reading or hearing about them.

**Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2223 

Whisper 2-- So-called “reality” TV is everywhere these days.  I have long been lamenting on this trend, explaining to anyone who would listen that it’s only because the shows bring the networks big money in advertising revenue that they continue with the drivel. The only one of these shows that I like is the program “Storage Wars”, but only because of the campiness of the characters on the show.  Marilyn and I get a kick out of some of the really stupid stuff the “bidders” say, either by mangling well known sayings or by spewing some really lame innuendoes.  Last weekend the ads promoting a couple of new “reality” shows—“Hog Wars” and “Extreme Fishing”—confirmed to me that, as a culture, we have sunk to the level of society that St. Paul describes to Timothy (Tim2: 3):

But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power. Reject them.

Whisper 3—I answered the door to a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses today, confident in my ability to counter their attempt to convert me with some nifty Scripture readings of my own.   The older woman of the two asked me if she could read me a Scripture passage, because she was concerned about all the violence and crime in Stockton lately.  I told her I had no problem with her reading me Scripture, because as a Catholic, I believe the Scriptures are the written Word of God.  The passage read she chose to read?  Timothy2, Chapter 3! (See above)  I don’t think it was coincidence.  Then she asked me what I thought we, as a society, should do about what she characterized as “the fulfillment of this prophecy”.  I responded that first and foremost—as taught by the Catholic Church that I belong to—we need to return to God through Jesus Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit through prayer, repentance and fasting.  I think I stumped her.  Especially on the “fasting” part.  She took one look at me and must have thought, “What a hypocrite!” (Just kidding, lol).  She said she agreed, nodded to her partner in “evangelization”, thanked me for my time, and left.  Huh, who knew it was that easy?  Thank you, Holy Spirit, for Your help.

Whisper 4—When thinking about what Mom said concerning the devil, it occurred to me that my prayer life in general has been less than what even I expect it to be.  I preach a good line, but I haven’t practiced it in a couple of weeks.  When I realized this fact this morning, I said a quick prayer to the Holy Spirit, “Hey, a little encouragement would go a long way right about now!”  For a reason I now find obvious, I felt compelled to open a “Twitter” account to see what it is all about.  The first person I added to my list of “Twitter” friends was @cardinaldolan, the cardinal Arch-bishop of New York.  I have grown to admire this holy man since listening to him on XM radio the last couple of months.  His obvious love for Jesus Christ and the joy it brings to his life should be an inspiration to everyone!  Anyway, the first two “tweets” I read from Cardinal Dolan were as follows:

“If we say the Church is a place of joy, it’s people had better be full of joy.  For if we are not, we make the Good News a lie.”

Then, today

“Daily prayer is the foundation of sanctity.  Some prefer it in the morning.  Some, late at night.  However, whenever, wherever.  It’s a must!”

Now I have to put into action what I've heard.

1000 down! ???? to go?

I started this blog on April 20, 2008 with a single purpose in mind—to help me stay focused on the joy I feel in being a Catholic Christian, and to share that joy with anyone and everyone who happened to stumble across my humble attempt at journalism. 

From the very first entry on this blog, my plan was to show how God is in my daily life, no matter how simple or complex it may be on any given day and to praise Him for His constant blessings upon me.  I think I’ve had some good entries and some really bad entries.

I’m pretty proud of the fact that my “hit counter” has recorded hits from 116 different countries from all over the world and has been seen by over 6800 “unique visitors” in the 4 years I’ve been doing this.  This is small potatoes compared to the big name bloggers out there,  but more than I ever imagined in my wildest dreams!

And so I begin my 1000^th entry!  I really wanted to write something extraordinary, but then I thought, “Why start now?”  lol.   So you will have to settle for another of my short meditations based on the Scriptures and how I and hopefully all of us can try to use them to be a better Christian, serving God and one another as Christ taught us to.

If my humble little blog has helped even one person grow closer to Christ and His teachings, I give all the glory to Him, through the intercession of our mother Mary, Most Holy.  Amen

 “While speaking with the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.’ But he said in reply to the one who told him, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.’” (Mt 12:46-50)

What Jesus is saying here appears almost dismissive of the ones He grew up with – the members of His family, who are at this moment within ear-shot of His words during this Gospel moment. He is telling His disciples, who represent all who follow Him (including us) that they are to Him as dear as His own Mother! He is committed to giving and receiving love of the caliber He shares with her! How would your Mother react to that?! It’s hard to get what’s going on here without realizing why Jesus speaks to His disciples this way – who represent us in that gathering around the Lord and all the others who follow Him. His words are direct and forceful, expressing a commitment to them and to us as brothers and sisters, when His own family, including His Mother – are within ear-shot.

What is going on, the reason Our Lord says these words, is that in God our Father’s eyes, they are His brothers. They are His Mother. His mission to them from His Father is embraced with such overpowering warmth and desire that He holds nothing back. He would (and soon will) die for them, He loves them so much. His words, far from being dismissive to His family, are precisely chosen. A stronger statement of love – love for one’s own family – cannot be found; and Our Lord’s words, in this moment of the gospel story, capture the essence of His mission. They are like a signature written under the one commandment He passes on to us: “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

In saying these words of love to the disciples so that everyone there could hear Him – and then living them in the performance of His mission, Our Lord demonstrates what I think is the most powerful commitment He makes to His Father and Ours: “Love one another, as I have loved you.” This is His particular mission, and it is ours too. We are called to lift the level of our love for others to the level of love which we thought only a family could enjoy. It’s what’s behind Our Lord’s words from the cross when He says, “Mother, behold thy son. Son, behold they Mother.” The bond between Mary and John at Golgotha is now and must be the bond we strive for with everyone that the Father places in our lives: the down and out, the well to do, our close circles of friends, our collaborators at work, the neighbors next door, and all those for whom we pray. Our adversaries too, and even our enemies!

I love my family, and I am called to love everyone else as much as I love them. This of course seems impossible. But it’s not. That’s what the grace of God is for. Nothing is impossible for God – living with us, through us, and in us. Christ gives us the way and the grace to do it if we rely on Him. Christ shows us how in His own love for all those men, women, and children – including ourselves – the Father places in His life. He died for them, as He does for us. And in His death, He makes it possible for us to die for love of one another, and for all those the Father places in our lives.

This superlative love is what the community of the Church is blessed to give to the world.

Easy does it!

Jesus tells us that all who are weary should come to Him. He eases all burdens. When He is our help, we need not pull as though we were the only ones pulling.

But too often, we read this to mean that with Jesus there is no burden. That simply isn't so. We all have our work to do in the Kingdom. We all have the little ordinary trials of life that form part of the cross we are to carry. We are called to work for God; we will have a burden to carry. We will have a plow to draw.

But, with Jesus yoked with us, we will hardly feel it because He will carry the most weight and He will be there to help us when we tire and stumble. Yes indeed, there is work for us in the Kingdom, but in all that we do Jesus is there--an ever present help.

We are called to be disciples

A reflection on Matthew 10:22
“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

 

Anyone of sound mind and in touch with world events will conclude that something is amiss with humanity. We needn't ask why the senseless killings, destructive addictions, jealousies, and hatreds are continually being "acted out." The reality of sin and our need for a Savior are obvious, yet thousands of years of mayhem still find us in denial, still seeking human solutions to the sickness within our hearts.

There is but one message in all of Scripture -- God's undying love, a tender, merciful love that is never forced upon us. Those accepting His love He rescues from their catastrophic stupidities, cleanses them, heals their wounds, imbues them with His truth and love.

Those living in Christ are disciples, called to share Him with others, a dangerous task; for unregenerate minds and hearts, mired in self and knowing nothing of God's love, despise being shown their wrongs, fear losing autonomy or forfeiting worldly pleasures. Those bearing the light of truth to the unsaved will incite their murderous rage.

What impels generation after generation to share the good news, to risk martyrdom? It is the love of Christ infused in true believers that impel them to seek populating His kingdom.

Spiritual Gardening

A reflection on Hosea, Chapter 10
Did you ever get stuck in a rut and feel lost? Or lose touch of your faith, of your purpose? It’s so easy to get caught up in the world, and when we succeed, to build off of those material achievements instead of giving credit to God. And yet when this happens to me, I convince myself that because I am attending weekly Mass and praying regularly my faith is still strong and I don’t need to make any life changes. It’s so hard to admit imperfections, and even harder to have the courage to face and fix them.

But like the Israelites in Hosea, when our minds are wrapped up in our own lives, our hearts are false. This pride only creates barriers and a lofty self-view. It may take destruction—some sort of rude awakening—to bring back the respect that God deserves.

If you’ve ever been in a thunderstorm, sometimes it feels as though God is pounding on some roof, shaking up the sky, and demanding our attention. His love is endless, but so is His might. He calls out from the storm “Listen!”  He wants us to seek Him and to love Him. And the time is now! Why wait? You may feel lost, or just lack the motivation it takes to build that relationship, but pray for strength to “break up for yourselves a new field.”  

A fitting day

Uncle Bob passed away today, on the First Friday of July, 2012.  The date doesn’t matter, only that it is the First Friday of the month—a day we, as Catholics, recognize as a day of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

As I reflect on Uncle Bob’s example to me as a Christian, I keep coming back to his devotion to the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  I recalled today how he led the rosary at my brother Tom’s memorial service.  I was struck by his sincerity as he recited each Hail Mary—he was even crying at times!  They weren’t tears of sadness about Tom’s passing, I remember thinking to myself, but tears of gratitude and hope that our Lady would intercede to the Sacred Heart of her Son for us on behalf of Tom and all of our other relatives and friends who have gone before us.

So I thought it fitting that I say my rosary this evening for a humble, loving, faith-filled servant of Jesus Christ and a shining example of Christ in my own life.

God our Father,
Your power brings us to birth, Your providence guides our lives, and by Your command we return to dust.
Lord, those who die still live in Your presence,  their lives change but do not end.
I pray in hope for my uncle, Robert,  for my relatives and friends, and for all the dead known to You alone.
In company with Christ, Who died and now lives, may they rejoice in Your kingdom, where all our tears are wiped away.  Unite us together again in one family, to sing Your praise forever and ever.

Amen

Courage, child!

I’ve been really sad the last few days after I found out that a very good man, my uncle Bob, is in the last few days of his life.  Although Bob isn’t aware of his influence on my life, Jesus knows—and I’m sure his reward will be great!

In case you’ve forgotten the gospel account (Matthew 9, 1-8):

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.

And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."

At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk?'

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He rose and went home.

When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

========================================= 

“Courage child, your sins are forgiven. . . .”

I think it’s interesting that this is the first response that Jesus makes. Jesus, being fully human, understood entirely the terrible position of the paralytic - the burden he was for those around him, and the sense of futility and frustration that the man himself felt.  So it is that Jesus knows the burden Uncle Bob has carried with his Alzheimer’s. 

And yet, His first response was, "Courage . . . your sins are forgiven." In this, Jesus is showing us where to look. He is pointing out what is the most important thing. No in matter what state we find ourselves in life, it’s good to recall that this is not all there is.

In fact, this life—beautiful, precious, and wonderful as it can be—is but the prelude, the great overture to the life to come. Should anything in this life get in the way of joining that future life, our priority should be to remove the obstacle.

Jesus does heal the paralytic. But more importantly, He points out to the man that the things of this world do not and should not come first.  Whatever it is we lack here, we will have there - full measure and overflowing. God loves us and is not ignorant of our present difficulties. He is there to help us bear them, and more important, to constantly point the way home - to show us always and forever that eternity is with us now and is our true home.

Not enough just to hear the word of the Lord

It is not enough to hear the word of the Lord. Don't be mistaken - hearing the word is a good start. But Jesus is very clear in Matthew 7:21-29 , "Everyone who listens . . . and acts. . . ." We hear, we listen, we pray, and then from that fullness of the word, we act.

Elsewhere in the gospels we learn that what comes out of the mouth of a person shows what His heart is full of. We speak from our hearts, even our idle and simple words. If our hearts are filled with love, then every word brings love to the hearers. If our hearts are filled with venom, then even the most loving words are poisoned by it.

So too, are our actions, which are working words. If our hearts are filled with the word of the Lord and with love for Him, then our actions bloom in that love and make it present to the world around it. But, if our hearts are filled with ourselves, then no matter how many words we hear, we will not act on them because they are not at our center.

Listen to what God speaks to you today in the gospel, at Mass, in prayer. Listen to His words, and then act on them.