September 29, 2013

Bulletin: September 29, 2013 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
Amos 6: 1, 4-7; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Luke 16:19-31
Amos sets the table for a very strong message in the readings today for my spiritual life journey and for each person. He starts is off with a warning to the complacent. Webster says that complacency is satisfaction; especially self-satisfaction; another description is to be pleased with yourself. When this happens I turn off God, or turn away from God and gratitude and stay within myself. Msgr. Chet Michael says so often: “Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude...and more gratitude; if you are not grateful pride sets in and there is no room for God.”
Amos preached in well-to-do times. But the people were so concerned with prosperity that their spiritual richness left much to be desired. Amos describes some of the ‘creature comforts’: their furniture was decorated with inlaid ivory; their cushions were plush and comfortable; they enjoyed the finest foods and had wine in abundance. Did this affluence reach out to the less fortunate? No, instead they grew complacent, dismissing God and the poor. Even more condemning is that they refused to see that the things they enjoyed are gifts from God and this should have made them more insistent upon gratitude and sharing with the poor. The prophet tells them they will learn their lesson the hard way. So often when I look at what I have, I see what I don’t have. This leads to acquiring and acquiring ‘so much stuff’. The more I have or want to have hinders my detachment from ‘earthly things’ and definitely my attraction to ‘heavenly things’.
Paul in his writing to Timothy keeps me on track as to ‘spiritual...heavenly things.’ His advice is fourfold: to pursue virtue, to fight for the faith, to grasp eternal life, and to keep the commandments. What value do I put on the importance of working on my spiritual life? It is always good for me to ask each day, ‘Now what is important in my life today? Is it accomplishing tasks or doing things or what? So many ‘tasks’ are necessary, some have no import, but am I doing them with God and bringing God and His love and commandments with me?’ Mother Teresa says, “I always say that love starts at my home: family first, then your town or city. It’s easy to love people who are far away, but not so easy to love those who live with us or who are next door to us. I don’t agree with the big way of doing things – love needs to start with an individual. To love a person, you must make contact with that person, become close. You have to let people come in contact with the poor. When you do that you cross this enormous divide. It’s no longer these ’millions’ of people, but somebody you’ve actually touched.” And Jesus commands me to be love in whatever I do each day.
Jesus shows us the importance of the ‘each day’. Every time I read this gospel I am struck by the first sentences, “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man/s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.” AND THE RICH MAN GAVE LAZARUS NOTHING...why not? How could he turn his head and make Lazarus ‘invisible’? How can one be so oblivious? How can I be so oblivious? Where do I fail to see? Fail to hear? Fail to touch? Fail to comfort? Fail to care? Each day there is an opportunity for me to make a difference. I can make a difference but I need God’s grace to do this. Grace is freely given but is enhanced by my prayers and meditations and time with God and scripture. So what holds me back?
In Teaching and Preaching Resources, Fr. Anthony Kadavil wrote these direct, poignant words that help. “First, there are many, many more opportunities to do something good, positive, and life-giving than there are temptations to do something wrong. I firmly believe that. It may not always seem that way, but that’s probably just because the temptations in our lives often get our attention in ways that other things simply don’t. And because there seems to be endless opportunities to help people by being kind to them or supporting them financially or doing favors for them --- it may seem a little overwhelming. It’s almost as if we say to ourselves (convincingly), ‘Since I can’t take on everything, I won’t take on anything.’ The sheer numbers of opportunities to do something good can actually paralyze us into doing very little.
Secondly --- and this might be the most important reason of all --- maybe we don’t think that the good we do can really make much of a difference. Or maybe we think that immoral action actually causes more harm than immoral inaction. I sincerely believe that would be an unfortunate way to think about what it means to live a good life --- unfortunate in that it can cause us to live ‘reactive’ lives rather than ‘proactive’ ones. To me, that’s kind of living our lives in fear --- cautiously, tentatively, reluctantly.” And he gives this great conclusion, “My friends, ‘I didn’t do it’ is rarely a valid excuse in the spiritual life...The rich man in the story ‘didn’t do it’. That much is true. In fact, he didn’t do anything. And that may be the greatest sin of all. May we be guilty of one thing – of trying to love as often as possible.”
So I reflect on:

• Sin is not only about doing wrong. It is also about not doing good – the sin of inactivity, of doing nothing, and even worse, of indifference. This is a shocking parable...am I listening?
  

Will I let the Spirit lead me?

• There is a spiritual axiom: The richer a person’s inner life is, the simpler becomes their outer life---the less they are their needs or wants. Where am I at in this? Do I bring this to the Lord frequently?
  
• Where do I act like the rich man in the gospel and ignore?
  
• What are my priorities when it comes to building a comfortable life for me?
  

Sacred Space 2013 gives a great conclusion for me: “
“Amos saw that too much concern with security and pleasure made people complacent and careless bout the needs of the poor. I bring to mind all those people whose work provides the comforts I enjoy.
I pray in gratitude for them and in appreciation of the good things I enjoy. I ask for the detachment I need to enjoy them without becoming enslaved by them.”



Lord, I need Your help and mercy every day. 

September 22, 2013

Bulletin September 22, 2013
25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
Amos 8:4-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13
Jesus is talking to His disciples. I’m sure most of them had heard Jesus countless times and had no doubt seen a number of His miracles. What attracted them to Jesus? The Gospel writers don’t really answer this question; but they definitely said that He wasn’t like the Pharisees, the teachers, He taught with authority. Today Jesus is giving what initially could be described as some ‘wisdom’ to His followers. He’s sharing some life lessons that are important for anyone as they continue to live their lives. The wisdom is about honesty, and being honest. And how can I be honest, live honestly with the gifts and blessings God has given me and be a true disciple of Jesus?
The prophet Amos in the first reading starts by denouncing the unscrupulous merchants for their false piety, their greed, and their business practices that are really dishonest. Why...because all of these exploit the poor and those who are at their mercy, the defenseless. Amos tells them that God knows all and sees all and that He will not forget anything that is done to harm any of His creatures. Some may say that these poor are unimportant to God; Amos insists that all are special and important. Amos tells each one of us not to value the things of this world, things that pass away, but value the things of God. All God’s creatures are special especially those poor and in need. The last two lines are point blank on this, “The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done.”
Paul gives a direction for me and all: that we are to pray for all and he singles out especially those in authority because they have to be mindful of all people, poor and rich alike. They are our leaders and have the responsibility like myself and all Christians to lead others closer to the Lord. I can talk a good ‘ball game’ but what am I doing to assist me in the process of bringing my life into conformity with my faith? I have to always continue prayer and worship, reading and retreats, refection and quiet time with the Lord. .
And now to the Gospel as I said, it seems that Jesus was giving just some ‘wisdom for living’ to His disciples in the last part of the Gospel. Yet Jesus doesn’t seem to give any interpretation to the dishonest steward but point His disciples in the direction each should be taking: a person has to be careful when dealing with money. There are definite advantages that money can bring but there are also very definite dangers which could totally distract me and anyone away from the Kingdom. Then the advice that honesty and prudence are the best virtues each disciple should maintain.
The parable brings up many questions: how come a dishonest steward is being praised by Jesus? What economic system presupposed and what is Jesus promoting? And probably the bottom line is why is Jesus telling such a story? I believe the answer for this is in the last three sentences spoken by Jesus: “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
In looking at a possible interpretation, it is safe to say that Jesus would not praise or recommend anyone for their dishonest actions. But Jesus might be recommending some sort of prudent action be taken when someone sees a situation that is likely to explode and has a bright idea that might seem to save the day. For the people at that time it was important for the rich man to maintain his honor and his ‘face’ and this was what happened. Everyone comes out ahead and this was the important part to the people of His time.
Msgr. Eugene Lauer in Sunday Morning Insights helps me take away some good reflections in this Gospel. He says, “In this passage from the Gospel of Luke, there is, I believe, an acid test for determining the basic authenticity of one’s character. There is something about the way that people use money (I cannot prove this, but I feel that it is true) that is a reflection of their deepest inner selves. Is a person able to use money for the good of others, even when it seems as though it will bring no return? Is one’s attachment to money so great that if a person makes a bad investment, or just loses some money, it causes significant upset or depression? When an opportunity presents itself for obtaining a large sum of money though just a little bit of deceitfulness, can one easily resist? If a person can pass this acid test, then one can be trusted with ‘genuine riches’ like leadership over may lives, the nurturing of new ideas, advising people about their inner lives, etc....It is easy to get used to a lot of money, to presume that we have a right to it, and then to use it principally for our own advantage. To make a decision that would obviously benefit a great number of others but that would not enhance one’s own economic position—what courage and Christian conviction that takes. It would be very healthy for our capitalist system to face this challenge from the Gospel of Luke more and more clearly. Can we be trusted to use money in such a way that human values emerge as more important than profit? It would be exciting to discover that our system would still work, and work efficiently, with decisions being made in this way.” And what is most important to me: what I possess or how do my possessions bring me closer to God? It’s all about God and heaven. Is this what is important in my life now? I have to constantly keep this reflection open in my mind’s eyes.

So I reflect on:

• Jesus’ parable invites me to look at what my treasures are. Is there more of what I could share?
• Paul tells me, ‘Name something that you have that you were not given?’
• How does Sunday worship help me reflect upon God’s invitation to help the poor and needy?
  
• During the first months of Pope Francis’ pontificate he states that he sees the Church as a “poor Church for the poor.”
  
• There are people poor in so many ways; am I helping them through the unique gifts the Lord has given me?
  
• How can the earth’s natural resources be a symbol of power? Can any Christian ever rightfully claim ownership to the things of the earth?
  

Some interesting thoughts from Sacred Space 2013: “It may be that my bigger faults draw my attention—and the attention of others. God sees not just my failures but also recognizes my efforts and intentions to do good. I offer to God the small ways in which I am already faithful, give thanks, and ask for God’s strength to do more.
If I am called into the service of God and of other people, I must recognize that there are times when I turn aside to serve others masters. I prepare myself now to resist these voices, seeking from God the help I will need.

September 15, 2013

Bulletin September 15, 2013
24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Exodus 32: 7-11, 13-14; 1 Timothy 1: 12-17; Luke 15:1-32
So what is God like? In the Gospel the people are really attracted to Jesus, especially the “tax collectors and sinners”; the Pharisees and scribes are complaining about this. ‘ Just look at the people whom He associates with? They are a no good bunch...they certainly aren’t loved by God or worthy of heaven because God has punished them and put them in the social condition they are in because of their sins...there is no hope for them, they are doomed...and this certainly can’t be the Messiah because ‘we know what the Messiah will be like’. They certainly feel that they ‘know it all’ about God. And Jesus continues to tell them and me and all people over and over what God is like.
Today’s theme in Luke is obvious; God knows all and knows those who are in need and those who ‘have lost their way’. And God loves them and God loves me and every single person. These three ‘mini parables’ tell of searching too; searching for that which is lost: a sheep, a coin and a son. I’m sitting here thinking of the times that I have been lost and the times that I have been searching. Initially, I thought there were only a few; but now I’m thinking that my whole life is one of searching, especially for my God and my way to God. What does this tell me?
It tells me that the Spirit is leading me closer and closer to find and hang on to the value and the beauty of God. It tells me that God has a value all to Himself and that a relationship with Him is of utmost importance. As a result, I search continually in my daily life. I pray to maintain some sort of connectedness. I make retreats and read Scripture and spiritual writers to encounter Him through the wisdom of others and very sacred works. And I see God in beauty. This is a very plain and simple statement, but like all statements of this kind, it is hugely deep in its meaning and application. God is beauty: I see God in nature; I see Him in people; I see Him in children; and I see Him in extremely old people; I see Him in people I love and I see Him so many times in so many surprising people and situations. That’s why I continue to search ... for God’s beauty and love.
Fr. Anthony Kadavil in Teaching and Preaching Resources expresses it in this way: “And we also search for Him by gathering in this holy place week after week to encounter Him in Word, Sacrament, and in each other. We strive to seek Him and recognize Him in everyone we meet, but especially in the poor, the lonely, the sick, and the forgotten. And we continue to ponder our lives and ask the big questions ---who are we, who is God, and what does all of this mean? Yes, searching for God is a huge part of what it means to live a life of faith.”
But as I reflect on this and re-read the/mini parables’ I realize that this is not so much about my searching for anything but instead they give me this ‘searching’ from God’s perspective; He is searching far more than me or anyone else. The bottom line is that I am that important to God, each person is, that God is constantly searching for me to fill me with what I need to survive and to pick me up and comfort me and bring me ‘back to the fold.’ Now why does God do this? I can only see one answer for this: Fr. Kadavil says that God does this, “because we are incredibly precious to Him.” I like this; I also like the expression that I have used for years that God is ‘absolutely crazy in love with me...with us.” With all my bad points, with all of me that I want to get rid of, with all the parts of me that I can’t stand, with all sins, I am precious in the eyes of God. Now in light of this, and all the initiative that God takes in loving me and caring for me, what am I to do. It sounds so simplistic, but I have to let God just plain love me. I have said frequently that the two hardest things for a human person to do is to 1) let someone love them without ‘me’ having to do something in return..’.just because they got me a unexpected Christmas gift doesn’t mean that I have to go out and get and ‘unexpected Christmas gift for them’. 2) AND MOST ESPECIALLY, I have to give God the opportunity to just plain love me without me doing anything. This is what the Shepherd did in the first mini parable; this is what the father is doing to the Prodigal Son.
Father Kadavil says it so beautifully to me, “And so part of faithfully living the spiritual life, and in a particular way, embracing our calling as disciples, is about making absolutely sure that we are giving God every possible opportunity to ‘get’ to us, making sure that we are not wandering off on our own when we need to stay put and let God find us, let God help us, let God heal us, and let God rescue us from whatever it is that is putting our spiritual life in danger. And we do that by making sure that we remain out in the open --- not hiding behind our egos or our fears or our misplaced desires or our ignorance or whatever it may be that is making it difficult for God to do what He longs to do --- find us, pick us up, and lead us to safety ---the safety of His love, the safety of His arms the safety of His saving acts for the sake of the whole world.”
So putting this so very bluntly, I have to let God find me...He loves me that much. Am I willing to do this?
So I reflect on:

• Sin’s role according to Fr. David Knight in Living God’s Word, “The reason we do not understand sinning as dying is that we do not understand grace as life, or being in grace as being alive. We think ‘being in grace’ means being in God’s favor, and that losing grace means losing God’s favor. We think sins just make God mad at us. The truth is, every sin kills us—kills the light of God in us; kills the love of God in us; kills the life of God in us—completely or partially. Every time we choose to sin even a little bit, we choose to be a little less alive, a little less able to see, a little less able to love. And every time we repent of sin (that is, truly repent, truly ‘change our minds’ about what we have done), God brings back to life in us what we have killed.”
  
• Do I share my ‘famous’ lost story and show how God was there helping, leading, loving caring?
  
• I take time with St. Augustine’s words, “God is nearer to me than I am to myself, more intimate to me than my inmost being.” So do I let God be God or am I afraid of being loved by love?
  
• Sacred Space 2013 adds a wonderful thought, “I may be downcast and disheartened when I know myself to be a sinner. Let me listen today for the voice of God, who rejoices at my repentance.”
  

September 8, 2013

Bulletin September 8, 2013
23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time C
Wisdom 9:13-18; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14:25-33
I have heard so many expressions with regard to wisdom: ‘There is a wise person’; ‘That person is wise in the ways of the world’; ‘This person always gives good advice, they must be connected to God’. It seems one of the most needed prayers for all people is to ask our all-wise and all-knowing God for the gift of wisdom. No one can stand and say, ‘I know all about the mind of God, I know all of what God wants’. Yet there is even a more elusive truth in that each person God created is called to live according to God’s will. So I come to today’s readings asking what is God saying to me and how do I grow closer to the Lord?
The Book of Wisdom is Solomon reflecting on the advantages of what faith in God is all about. Its substance is that he offers a very deep and sincere prayer to God asking Him to grant him the gift of wisdom. What is beautiful about this book is that Solomon looks at the flawed thinking of people around him who think that living is about living here in this world and has nothing to do with the hereafter, nothing to do with being with God forever; nothing to do with the spiritual dimension of each person’s life. The people around him believed that one’s death ended it all so richness in life means acquiring all the riches that one can in this life. Solomon says that life reaches far beyond the realm that we live in...lasting treasures come with a right relationship with God. He says that no one can understand the mysteries of the physical world so how can one begin to understand the mysteries of God. How important this is for me and each person trying to live as a Christian. So often I’m in ‘my own little world’ and ‘I’m supreme’ in my little world. But this is the world of shadows and doubts; of hopes and fears; of confidence and being totally lost. It is the world of some certainty and more searching through the ‘thick clouds of my daily life.’ The object of each Christian is to attach oneself to the wisdom of Solomon and the wise ones down through the ages, and most especially to Jesus to find “each one’s way through life without being so distracted by the ‘good things of this world’ that I fail to see the goodness of God, the source of those gifts.” (St. Anthony Messenger Press)
In the Gospel, Luke zeroes in on Jesus telling each person what is the meaning of discipleship. First of all, like Solomon, one must sit down and reflect on it, it isn’t something that comes ‘from osmosis’. There is a commitment in being a disciple...am I going to say YES all the way or am I not? Am I going to say that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life or am I going to say, ‘I’m going to do it my way, I don’t need to worry about it being right? So Jesus starts right off, “If anyone come to me without hating his father...even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross....cannot be my disciple...anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” There is no hiding in these words...they are blunt...they are meant for me...they are meant for each person. What do they mean?
To be a real disciple of Jesus, and one not in name only, requires a clear focus and commitment. As Dianne Bergant and Rev. James Wallace, say in Living the Word, “Jesus explains the cost of discipleship. He insists on three conditions for true discipleship. (1) His followers must subordinate everything to commitment to Him, even the closest family ties. (2) They must also be willing to bear the suffering that following Him will entail. The burden will differ from person to person, but the requirement is the same—wholehearted commitment. (3) Finally, they will be called on to relinquish all their possessions. Total commitment to Jesus requires the willingness to give up the comfort and security of a stable family life, as well as the willingness to spend time alone has on that venture. Whoever cannot make such a wholehearted commitment cannot be His disciple.” Is this what Jesus is demanding of me? Yes! Is this what Jesus is demanding of each person? Yes! The thought comes, ‘this is too hard...I guess I’ll just try as best as I can and take my chances. Is this enough? No!
So we look deeper into Jesus’ words: The word, ‘hate’ does not imply the emotion generally associated with this. To hate in this case means ‘to prefer it less.’ So preferring to go to a ball game with my brother-in-law and miss mass isn’t ok. Another saying to ‘renounce’. In Luke possessions are more than material things; also included are power and pleasure. So we have power...possessions...pleasure. These all take up a good time of one’s life in acquiring them and maintaining them. These definitely are a distraction to Jesus who emphasizes the faith opposites of these: prayer vs. power ... almsgiving vs. possessions ...pleasure vs. fasting. And this all involves suffering...real suffering...Jesus’ whole life pointed to the Cross and the Resurrection that followed. Each person’s life is the way of their crosses leading them to the complete and total joy of heaven. Again, Living the Word concludes, “We are getting into the most radical commitment of our lives—to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are committing to Him and His mission to bring new life to the world, and to bring all our relationships into our life in Him. We commit to work at having that mind in us that was in Christ Jesus.”
So I reflect on:

• Do I love and trust Jesus enough to follow Him daily?
  
• Discipleship is to pick up my cross and follow Jesus. Now do I list all my crosses? Am I willing to ask Jesus to help me with them? Are there any of my crosses associated with power, possessions or pleasure that I want to hang on to? Why?
  
• “Does this Scripture passage really mean that you must hate your parents and family before you can follow Jesus? Might it mean that Jesus must come first before anything or anyone? How am I doing in this?”
  
• “The following of Jesus should not be mindless. The disciples are to think about what it entails. It is like building a tower, constructing a connection between heaven and earth. What will it take to finish it?...How will this uphill battle be sustained?” If I’m afraid, what am I asking the Lord for? I’m never alone.
  

Jerome Sabatowich, a religious educator gives a great reflective conclusion: “Francis of Assisi knew what dedicating one’s self to God really meant. Francis’ famous prayer begins ‘Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; and where there is sadness, joy.” Do you allow God to work through you, bringing His peace, love, joy, and forgiveness to your family and friends?”