January 1, 2017

Mary, the Holy Mother of God Year A Numbers 6: 22-27; Galatians 4: 4-7; Luke 2: 16-21 Happy New Year! My prayers are with every person picking up this blog. I have no idea who will pick this up, a person I know or a perfect stranger. I am offering my New Year’s masses for all who look at this blog. We all need prayers, this is a ‘Mass’ prayer for each of you now. Isn't it special to know that someone is offering their mass for you? Any number of people down through the years have told me, ‘Father, I pray for you every day’ or ‘I said a prayer for you today’. Both of these situations made me feel just a little bit more special and cognizant that God was with me. I am reminded of this in today’s first reading from the Book of Numbers. After many months at the base of Mount Sinai,, the tribes of Israel were prepared to set out for the Promised Land. Moses had brought them from Egypt. They had time to prepare leaders to guide them. They had celebrated the Passover as a reminder of all the difficulties and hardships along with the persecutions and ill-treatment they had received at the hands of the Egyptians. Aaron and his sons were the priests and had been offering sacrifices to God. Up to now only Moses could invoke the Divine Name of God over the people. Now the priests also had the privilege of invoking the Divine Name over the people which appears three times in today’s reading. God’s blessing has been experienced so often in their journey: protecting them from enemies and providing food and water in the desert. All this would remain as long as they remained faithful. They did for a while then lost faith and God would forgive them. This reading is special to me because my Jesuit Spiritual Director, Fr. Joe Neville, who died last September 3, would In always give me the same blessing from today’s reading.exact blessing from today’s reading: “The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!” Do you bless your children when they leave you? Do you bless your parents and grandparents for all they have done for you? Do you bless your friends for all their love? Reflect upon this…! In the second reading, Paul is bringing out a very simple message for us by marveling at God’s plan of salvation. At the moment that God wanted, Jesus was born of Mary. He was born to free us from the law. So we are no longer slaves under the law but are children of God privileged to address God as Father. Msgr. Chet Michael felt that J. B. Phillips The New Testament in Modern English was the most accurate translation of Paul’s letters. I quote, “But when the proper time came God sent His own Son, born of a human mother and born under the jurisdiction of the Law, that He might redeem those who were under the jurisdiction of the Law, that He might redeem those who were under the authority of the Law, so that we might become sons of God. It is because you really are His sons that God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts to cry ‘Father, dear Father’. You are not a servant any longer; through God you are a son; and. If you are a son, then you are certainly an heir.” “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” Think about it for a minute: what was Mary’s greatest gift to us? Was it her saying ‘Yes’ to the Angel? Was it her absolute trust in God, not knowing in the slightest what was ahead of her? Was it raising and teaching Jesus how to pray and to be a person of love? Was it her numerous examples of living in charity, like visiting her cousin Elizabeth? Was it her showing respect to every person, the poor shepherds and the multi-rich magi? Or was it her trying to work through all the situations that continually came up in her life that puzzled her so much so that she “…kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart”? I have a lot of work to do on this ‘reflecting’. Luke indicates today that Mary kept reflecting. The Greek word used is symballo and can mean ‘converse,’ ‘meditate’, or ‘ponder.’ Luke certainly implies that Mary was not able to immediately grasp the full meaning of what she was told or what was happening. Luke does not say that this was a deficiency on Mary’s part. Mary’s faith in God and her absolute trust made her STOP and think about God’s action in her life and God’s gentle care. This is something that each of us can relate to…why do these ‘special’ things happen in my life? Is God telling me something? Mary took time out in her life to think on these things. If I just pass these ‘special things’ by, I will never see the presence of God and how He is leading me and showing the meaning of what is happening in my life. It is impossible to know God’s plan. He gives us help by deepening our faith in Him and comprehending His love and care in many circumstances. When we look at the times that Mary is mentioned in the Gospels we see that her heart must have been a treasure chest of God’s love. At the same time many of these were fearful moments: running away from Herod’s death squads, living in a foreign country and not knowing the language, watching her Son be rejected by the ‘religious experts’ of the day, swallowing all fear and standing next to Him during His crucifixion and death. These coupled with the miracles and people leaving her Son healed, comforted and loved. The strong implication is that Mary turned to God, trusting Him who brought her through each day of her life. Do I? I imagine that After Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension, Mary did quite of bit of comfort counseling to the apostles and those who were close to Jesus who needed Mary’s wisdom and gentle strokes. Do I realize that the people who come into my life daily in need could be directly sent by God so that I, like Mary, could respond by sharing the gifts God has touched me with? So I reflect on: • Who needs my blessing today? What place or situation could use a blessing? • Where do I have conflict in my heart? Have I tried asking God for help in this? • When I look at my life, I see some major times of real ups and downs. What helped me to ‘keep it all together’? Did I express my gratitude? • It is good for me to reflect on the times I spoke ‘heart to heart’ with God. How did I focus myself so I could ‘hear’ God? Sacred Space 2017 shares: “According to the story, an angel had months ago appeared to Mary, and more angels had now appeared to the shepherds. All the heavenly messengers had conveyed an assurance: ‘You are going to see that God has sent into the world a prince from heaven’s kingdom.’’ The promise filled all with anticipation and the fulfillment filled all — Mary and the shepherds—with thanksgiving. Placing myself alongside Mary before the child, I try to open my heart to thanksgiving for all that God has done in my life. We start the year, as we start life, under the protection of a mother. Today we celebrate the most passionate and ensuring of all human relationships, that of mother and child. As Mary looked at her baby and gave Him her breasts, she knew that there was a dimension here beyond her guessing. Christians thought about it for three centuries before the Council of Ephesus, in which they dared to consecrate the title ‘theotokos’, mother of God. Like Mary, I treasure the words spoken about Jesus and ponder them in my heart.”

December 25, 2016

Christmas A Isaiah 52: 7-10; Hebrews 1: 1-6; John 1: 1-18 We have one of those rare years when Christmas Day is celebrated on Sunday. You come to the computer to read this blog, probably many hours or days after today’s feast showing God’s total committed love for each of us. Depending on which liturgy you attended on Christmas, you noticed that there were four different gospel readings. John’s Gospel is the only one used in the Mass of the Day. If you get a chance to look at the official ecumenical readings for Christmas, you will see that This Gospel of John is the only one used by all denominations. This is certainly another reason to see the importance of this passage. In John’s Gospel, the author does not mention familiar nativity participants like angels and stars, or a stable and a manger or the vicious Herod or the shepherds or magi or sheep and other animals that we have in our manger scene. John doesn’t start the scene in Bethlehem or Nazareth but in Heaven. WHY? John’s goal is to make us aware of our salvation that was eternally promised by God. So salvation is not only a matter of Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection but one that starts with God’s plan. John beautifully explained this in his dialogue with Nicodemus, the most quoted passage from his gospel Jn 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” We know this by heart and find it pretty easy to reflect on the love that God is showing He has for every single person. The next verses (17-21) continues to clarify God’s love: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his words might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his words may be clearly seen as done in God.” This is God’s wisdom. We have to spend some time mulling this over in our minds. It is God’s desire to return all people to His plan. We saw this plan in Moses’ description of the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve lived in the peace and presence of God. God wants to restore this peace to each of our lives…do we live this? Do we know that Jesus took on human form not just to free us from sin, but to make us into God’s people, His sons and daughters, members of His family and not just servants? Jesus put our human nature to death on the cross so that we might be restored to the divine nature and become like Jesus. John takes these themes of light, life, truth and glory and continues to enrich them in his gospel. John brings them out in many different ways because he wants us to look into our lives and realize that we have experienced them daily. God is with us, John continues to tell us. He cares for us; He loves us just exactly the way we are now…in our needs…in our doubts…in our asking for help. He loves us and cares for us. John explains that it is the Holy Spirit who continues where Jesus left off. Jesus came not only to teach us, He came to transform us. This is the work of the Spirit gracing us. Every day, we can meet Jesus in our prayers, we can meet Him in the Eucharist, we can meet Him in our relationships, we can meet Him in our regular routines and the Spirit lifts us and our works up to heaven. These works of the Spirit can make us more like Jesus every day. So often the surroundings of this season obscure us from the focus and central issue of Christmas. We just cannot escape from the mystery of the Incarnation. God is with us. God needs us to be Jesus to others. God has been born among us as Emmanuel or God-with-us. God is with us helping us each and every day. His goodness can manifest itself in us in so many ways especially when we care for those less fortunate than ourselves. Any person who is in need and is right in front of us, presents an opportunity for us to be Jesus to them. We will be constantly distracted by our culture pleading with us to buy…you need this…be good to yourself…let others care for themselves.’ Many years ago Simon and Garfunkel in one of their earliest recordings performed ‘Silent Night/Seven o’clock news’ I do not believe that they ever re-recorded it…it is not on their greatest album sets, yet I remember it well. It begins with the duo singing Silent Night…in the background begins the international headline news from a radio station…it becomes louder and louder capturing the killings, the brutalities, the violence going on in the world…they news fades into the background as the Song ends. I cried the first time I heard it as I’m now. Jesus came into a very violent world to tell us that this was not God’s plan. Listen to God. Know that He loves each one. He’s with each person helping them be people who care and live love. This is God’s plan. This is how we will be redeemed. This is why we have a part in redeeming the world, our world. We will constantly face obstacles and non-believers. But we are to be examples to the world. It was attributed to Francis of Assisi a message for us, ‘Preach and once in a while use words.’ Day in and day out, Jesus wants to reveal the Father to us and draw us into a closer relationship with Him. Do we let Him? He wants to transform our thoughts, words and actions. All He asks is that we keep ourselves linked to the Spirit. We are to be His Light. Where do we need His help today to do that? I reflect on: • I look at when I have experienced the Light of Christ as stronger than darkness in my life. Where does this lead me? • What is one way that I can testify to the power of the Christ-light this Christmas? Do I try to bring light into other people’s lives? Where does that light come from? Do I welcome this same light when it is offered to me? • Do I understand the true value of the gift I have been given, the very gift of God Himself? Do I sometimes take for granted what God has done for me? • Where did I find the true spirit of Christmas during this past month? Did I keep a aright balance between my secular and spiritual sides? Sacred Space 2017 says, “In this hymn, which introduces the fourth Gospel, John proclaims the faith that marks us as Christian. We believe that Jesus is the word of God, God’s perfect expression. ‘No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made Him known.’ Lord, in the year that starts tonight, let me grow in the knowledge of God. May I receive of your fullness, grace upon grace. You took on this mortal flesh for me and lived among us. May this coming year bring me closer to You. In this time of prayer, I let what is at the heart of God reveal itself to me: life and light for all. I acknowledge what comes between me and this life God offers. I identify what darkens my heart and narrows my vision. The goodness and generosity of God are here for me as God longs to become present in the world through me.”

December 18, 2016

4th Sunday of Advent A Isaiah 7: 10-14; Romans 1: 1-7; Matthew 1: 18-24 We have one week until Christmas. Actually many people hasten the celebration and begin on Christmas Eve. I remember when I was young the first Christmas mass was at Midnight. Our family went to this mass, then we had a big festive breakfast, cleaned up the dishes and went to bed. On Christmas morning we opened the presents. Being the youngest I was the first up and could not figure why it took the rest of the family so long to arise. What was the meaning of Christmas…I knew it was about the coming of Jesus. But what does this mean? Is it just receiving presents, especially the present of Jesus or is there more involved on my part? The readings on this last Sunday of Advent clarify the gift and my accountability. The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah. God sends the prophet to meet Ahaz the King of Judah. He was twenty when he became king and reigned for sixteen years. At the time of this writing, he is taking steps to secure his kingdom from attack. He was determined to do it his way and doesn't need God’s help. His kingdom was bordered by the great attacking Assyrians and the potential for violence was imminent. Isaiah told him to trust God. Isaiah says that God is always present and always available for help. He invites the King to ask for any sign at all from God to help him realize God’s presence and help. The King declines; he cannot imagine how God can help in securing his kingdom from attack. He tries to cover up his lack of faith by saying he doesn’t want to tempt the Lord. He has everything under control. Isaiah continues; many of the king’s solutions have failed in the past and the people are unsettled. So he tells the king that the Lord will choose a sign. A virgin will conceive a son. She will name the son, ‘God is with us’ (Emmanuel) because by the time the child is born, it will be obvious that God has saved the people just as Isaiah has predicted. Paul begins his letter to the Romans by thanking God for the honor and privilege to proclaim the gospel: God has risen, He has saved His people. He is doing it God’s way. Paul has been called to spread the Good News of the Gospel, Jesus’ life, death and resurrection to the Gentiles. Now for centuries, the people of Israel saw themselves as God’s people, no one else had this specialness. Everyone else was of less or no real concern to God. He tells the Romans and everyone that we have also been called to belong to Jesus. We are called to be holy. We are called to live the Good News when convenient or inconvenient…when we want to and when we don’t want to…when it is easy and when it is hard. We have been privileged to be called and most importantly we have duties and responsibilities that go along with the gift of our faith. Am I living my faith? Am I living my belief in Jesus? Am I living the Catholic Faith? Am I a witness of Jesus? Matthew shares the infancy narrative through the eyes of Joseph. The angel clarifies Jesus’ origins telling Joseph not to be frightened to take Mary as his wife, “For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. “ This was the fulfillment of the prophesy of Isaiah we heard in the first reading. Joseph had a plan as to what he should do—divorce Mary quietly and disappear from the scene. It wasn’t God’s plan. Much like the ‘plan’ of Ahaz, God wants to bring His plan for redemption to the world. His plan was to send His son so that all would know that God loves all His creation. He wants His creatures to realized that they are loved and that the end product of His plan is that each one lives forever with Him in heaven. The child’s name is Jesus — YHWH saves…God saves! The name Emmanuel is also important because it means God is with us. Matthew completes this in the very last words of his Gospel Matthew 28: 19-20 after the Resurrection when Jesus summons His disciples probably to the Mount of Beatitudes and says, Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “A Disciple: Those who accepted Jesus’ message to follow Him are called His disciples. Jesus associated His disciples with His own life, revealed the mystery of the Kingdom to the disciples and gave them a share in His mission, His joy, and His sufferings.” We have been called, we have been chosen. We come from a long line of people whose faith and trust made clear that God is with us. Now we can’t hide this, Ahaz tried and Joseph had the idea to do this. But we can’t hide the fact that God is with us all the time in all situations. I have the obligation to tell this story. It is realizing the greatest gift that we have ever received, our life, our faith, and most especially that each one is loved. God is with us…God is with me…NOW WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT? One of the difficulties of our age and even in our religion is the realization that we are special. In realizing this we feel that we’ve received some gifts other’s haven’t…thus making me ‘better’ than others. And if I feel that I’m am in this situation then I don’t have to do anything about it. I can just live in ‘royalty’ and reap the benefits. John Cassian was one of the very early writers on monasticism in the fourth century. He said that the purpose of holiness is being a person what he calls pure of heart. With purity he is not talking about chastity but in the sense of a heart really open to God, open to other people and free from the obstructions that we have to be ‘like God’. Adam and Eve wanted to ‘be like God’. They didn’t recognize their complete dependence on God. But we are: we are creatures of God, we are children of God and we are called upon to allow God to be the dominating and motivating force with our own lives. So each day we all have work to do. Christmas is God’s gift to us…how are we living this gift? So we reflect on: • So I believe that God will ask of me only what I can do? How do I react when God seems to ask more than I think I can handle? Do I trust that God will be with me through everything? • How much trust did Joseph show in today’s gospel? Is my faith as complete as that of Joseph? Are there times when faith asks more of me than I wish? • Do I willingly and knowingly invite God into my life? In what way? Sacred Space 2017 says: “Joseph is faced with a heartbreaking dilemma. His life is in turmoil because he loves Mary so much. Let me imagine for a few moments how welcome the angel’s message must have been to him! How quickly he acts, allowing himself to follow his heart and not allowing his sense of legal obligation to rule. How often in Scripture does the quiet prompting of the Spirit come from within, in the form of a dream. How sensitive must the dreamers have been, to recognize the Spirit in their hearts. Do I invite the Spirit to prompt me? How ready am I to hear what the Spirit might suggest?

December 11, 2016

3rd Sunday of Advent A Isaiah 35: 1-6, 10; James 5: 7-10; Matthew 11: 2-11 I’m thinking back to my youth…probably the most difficult time during Advent was that Christmas seemed so far away. The song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, maybe was written for kids, but it seemed it was more for the benefit of the parents so they could keep the young ones patient. But patience is not a virtue in any way shape or manner for kids. Are we there yet? This is the perpetual cry from their lips. We would imagine that parents and adults have patience and kids do not, but that is really not the case. In our world, we older people, just do not like to wait. We do not really like standing in lines. This carries over to our spiritual life: we pray and we want answers. When we don’t get an immediate response we wonder, ‘Is God too busy for me?’…’Have I done something wrong to offend God?’ and on and on. So what are we to do…how can we stay focused on God’s love and His care for each of us this season? How can we take time just to be with God? The readings help us with this. Today’s passage from Isaiah was a part of a collection of oracles that was written during the Babylonian Exile (Babylonian Captivity). In 586 BC King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquered Judah. He destroyed Solomon’s Temple and exiled the leadership and elite to Babylon. The exile formally ended in 538 BC when Cyrus the Great, the Persian ruler conquered Babylonia and gave the Jews permission to return home. The prophets began to see these international events as plans of a just and merciful God. The prophet Jeremiah says, “Hence, thus says the Lord of hosts: Since you would not listen to My words, lo! I will send for and fetch all the tribes of the North says the Lord (And I will send to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, my servant); I will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants and against all these neighboring nations. I will doom them, making them an object of horror, of ridicule, of avenging reproach.” He goes on to say that this will last for 70 years and then He will restore His people. Later on, Isaiah offers encouragement to the people by describing the changes in store for them through God’s goodness and grace. He tells them that without faith in God, the kingdom was like a desert. It needed the life-giving waters of faith. Once the people trusted God and looked for security in Him rather than their earthly resources, this ‘desert’ would teem with life again. Their eyes will open and their ears will be attentive and they will make steady progress toward God. As He began His ministry, Jesus said ‘the blind will see, the deaf hear, the lame will rejoice in the presence of the Lord.’ So what are the people to do? James’ first words sets the goal, Be patient. He uses the example of a farmer who realizes that when he plants the seed, it will grow if watered and nourished. Even though it cannot be seen, there is constant activity going on under ground. God is constantly present in every person. In many of them we notice His presence through their goodness and love of people. But in others we see no signs of God’s love. How can God be in the killers, the terrorist, the evil people? Well, God is present. He can make good out of evil as seen in Jeremiah and Isaiah. So for many of us all we have to do is to look back on our lives to see the times when we were estranged from God. Maybe we refused to believe, or just would not go to church, or were totally consumed with ourselves and not helping and caring to those in our lives. Whatever it was, it can be compared in many facets to the Babylonian Captivity. We were ‘held captive’ by a force or power that seemingly overcame us and filled us with that ugliness and angry feeling that everything was owed to ‘me’. We had to wallow in this state until the grace of God somehow touched us…maybe through a person…maybe through a healing miracle…maybe in answer to a prayer…maybe through some kindness or love from an unexpected source. But we can say at that moment or at those moments ‘I felt that I was important…that I was loved…that I was special…and I was not alone.’ James tells us that God is with us, He gives us nourishment and care, He gives us grace and love. So, endure what comes without complaint, taking the lives of the prophets as our guide. Grumbling against others and myself just results in doubts about God’s presence and love. In the gospel, John the Baptist’s disciples have been sent to Jesus by John. John was unsure, he was not patient, he didn’t have much time to live, on death row in Herod’s prison. He wanted to know when this Messiah would begin to change it all to God’s world. Just like the new gardener, they want the flowers or crops to bloom soon, but everything takes its time. St Francis de Sales says to be patient with everyone and most of all with ourselves. Patience means accepting whatever comes our way including suffering, without becoming angry or upset. Watching the garden and becoming more angry and impatient with its delay doesn’t help it to grow any faster. Thanking God for the seeds, the water, the soil and the Giver of all life deepens our trust that the garden will indeed grow. Be patient, rejoice always. Msgr Chet Michael said over and over again, “Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude, [pause) and more Gratitude. So we take an overview of the readings. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecies, his world was in shambles due to the oppression by ruthless empires. People were scared, cities destroyed, populations were forced into exile. We see this today. But Isaiah speaks of hope. For those who trust in God, restoration is always on the way. James tells us that being patient with planted and invisible seeds is always challenging. This crying infant, may one day be a leader, artist, teacher. Whatever we are involved with may often feel like a waste of time. Yet love and the cross remind us, that our efforts are never wasted. How many times has our patience been rewarded. And Jesus tells us about John that, “Of those born of women, there has been none greater than John the Baptist” what a magnificent tribute but Jesus adds, “yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Why? Because John fails to see the seed of divine activity at work all around him. God is present, active, loving and using me…each one of us to prepare the world for God’s kingdom of Heaven. So we reflect on: • Take some time to ‘look positive’….How much good news can I see this year personally and globally? • What seeds have I panted that are still growing and will bear fruit because I am including God in the growing process? • Where do I see God’s grace active in my world and in the World? • What helps me to live the virtue of patience? What hinders its growth in me? • What things are controlling my life now? How can I resist the lure of more things? Would this make me happier? Sacred Space 2017 says ,”There is real comfort in this story. John the Baptist, the powerful, austere man who holds such sway among the Jews, still has his moments of darkness. Imprisoned in Herod’s dungeon, he wonders: Am I a fool? Is this all there is? Was I wrong about Jesus? He does not just brood on the question; he sends messengers to Jesus. And Jesus does not send back reassurances; rather, He asks the messengers to open their eyes and see the evidence of Jesus’ life. ‘Go and tell what you hear and see…the blind receive their sight…’! What do I see and hear? Do I see the signs of God’s kingdom breaking through in the world around me? What does it look like? If I don’t see any positive signs, why not? Do I need to look again, or look differently? Am I somehow looking for ‘soft robes’ and ‘royal palaces’ when God is offering me a prophet?”

December 4, 2016

December 4, 2016 Second Sunday of Advent A Isaiah 11: 1-10; Romans 15: 4-9; Matthew 3: 1-12 The theme for this second week of Advent is a Time of Change. Change is never easy. We become very comfortable in the way we are accustomed to living. This applies to the spiritual life too. We all have our regular routine for prayers, devotions, corporal and spiritual works of mercy. So often the desire is that ‘I’m not doing enough’…or ‘I should do more.’ This week’s reflection suggests that we step back and with the Spirit examine what we do and to reflect on where the Spirit is leading us. Each person is invited to live more closely to the example and teachings of Jesus. This is very nice to say, but am I doing this? Perhaps a better question is to ask: What is getting in the way of may living the Jesus life? We all have to be realistic that any change really starts with my heart: Do I really want to live as Jesus showed me? Some more questions: Do I really believe that God is loving me right now? Am I afraid of God? Am I afraid that I will never be good enough for God and therefore never be good enough for heaven? A good place to start when these arise is to reflect on Who is God for me? What is my God like? Do I agree with what Jesus said about God: John tells us that God is love in 1 John 4:8, “Beloved, let us love one another because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God? Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” There are a vast number of definitions and descriptions of love and the most well know is John 3:16: when Jesus was talking with Nicodemus, most likely a member of the Sanhedrin, and said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His own Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” John continues with Jesus discourses after the Last Supper, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love that this to lay down one’s life for ones friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” We have to reflect long and hard and very frequently on the love that God has for ‘me, right now!’ Another distraction that gets in the way of living the Jesus life are my thoughts. We realize the hunger that each has for God…a hunger for more…a hunger to be with God and thank Him but we are pulled in so many other directions at home, at work, school and elsewhere. We struggle to spend quality time and energy with our family and friends. But when we finally have some time to sit down with God and pray, our thoughts just do not sit down with us. They are all over the place. And then there are the numerous distractions around us: the phone, computer, internet, e-mail, a deadline and the list continues. When these come up we almost feel that it is far easier not to pray at all, it’s just too hard to get started. Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk and a prolific writer on prayer and spirituality, echoed the words of Therese of Lisieux said, “If you have never had any distractions, you don’t know how to pray.” This is comforting, but how do I change and realize God’s closeness and love? Today’s Gospel introducing John the Baptist gives a big hint. Here was John, probably well acquainted in the Essenes community. He had been living a life of fasting and sacrifice coupled with deep prayer. He felt that His mission was to introduce the Messiah. This was very vague to him and he struggled with what this meant. So he preached today to an assembly of Pharisees and Sadducees who were coming to his baptism. Somehow they realized that they had to improve their relationships with God (maybe). John called them “You brood of vipers Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” They were the religious leaders that had failed to guide the people in the ways of the authentic Torah. They felt that salvation is something they inherited simply by being a son or daughter of Abraham. That’s what they felt and John is yelling at them demanding What are you doing? If you really want to prove that you are sincere live the life of God …Be kind… Be loving…Be compassionate…Be faithful…Be forgiving…Be an example. Today we say, ‘walk the walk…not talk the talk’ or something like that. Are people who come into my life leaving with a knowledge that they are loved, cared for and important? Do people feel that in me? Are people coming with their life problems? Just the fact that they are coming to me, means that they see something in me that maybe I don’t even see in myself? Produce Good Fruit! When I’m with someone who is angry at the world or some part of it, what do I do? Do I Produce Good Fruit? When someone comes to me who is so upset by the people in their life, what do I do? Do I Produce Good Fruit? When I encounter people who are liking the power or accomplishments they have accumulated? Am I listing my own greatness? Or am I Producing Good Fruit? When I’m faced with someone who repeatedly offends people, apologizes, and offends again, what do I do? Do I Produce Good Fruit? John told his listeners to recognize the sin that’s in their lives and turn away from it. This required more than just saying they were a sinner. It required a change…not only saying, I’m sorry. That is the way that we purify our hearts, we change our hearts and prepare our hearts for the coming of the Kingdom of God. The Pharisees and Sadducees were all about appearance, their claim at repentance was insincere. John calls them unfruitful trees ready to be cut down and burned. He’s asking me if my tree is producing good fruit? Again, when people leave my presence are they cemented in their own condition or do they realize they have been touched by God’s love? It was said that St. Francis of Assisi taught, ‘Preach and one in a while use words.’ The Point is: when I realize that each day, as best I can that I am ‘producing fruit’ or that the people I’m with see Jesus, I will come to the realization that God is with me because that’s the only way I can do what I’m doing. In reality, we see that God is doing the doing and I am being His instrument. I reflect on; • What change might God be asking of me in order to live Jesus’ life more clearly? • Am I approaching my prayer as a partnership with God? Do I think the level of my trust affects how God responds to my prayers? Why or why not? Do I usually trust God when I make a request? • Sometimes it can be very helpful to write a letter to myself in God’s voice. Am I open to allow the Spirit to fill this letter with love, acceptance, encouragement, hope or whatever God desires to say to me? • Take time to reflect on how I have progressed in my spiritual journey and prayer life? Where do I want to make more progress? Sacred Space 2017 shares : “God does not want me to receive the Word passively. I work WITH God, preparing the way in my life, expectant and hopefully watching for God’s approach.”

November 27, 2016

  1st Sunday of Advent A Isaiah 2: 1-5; Romans 13: 11-14; Matthew 24: 37-44 We have come to Advent 2016. We know that this is a time of change. The clocks have already changed…we are approaching the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. We have seen ads and decorations for quite a time; Christmas is coming. We know that this is a time of planning and celebration. It is a time of preparation and we hope each year that we will be able to reserve some time to get our inner selves ready for Jesus. We hope…will we…we don’t know. But we do have this moment now to reflect. We are now in the Advent Season, which for Christians begins a new church year or better, liturgical year. Church years are divided into three cycles, called unimaginatively, Years A, B, and C. During each of these we concentrate on a different Gospel writer: Year A - Matthew; Year B - Mark, and Year C - Luke. These three are known as the Synoptic Gospels. John writes quite differently; he is considered the theologian and is the last one written, maybe 70 + years after Jesus’ death and Resurrection. We often assume that the writer of Matthew’s gospel was the apostle, who was also a tax collector named Levi and that since it is listed as first, that it was the first written. This is not the case. We are quite certain that the author wasn’t the apostle Matthew at all because he copied so extensively from Mark’s gospel, maybe even ninety percent of it. If the author had been the apostle and an eyewitness of so many of Jesus’ miracles and adventures, why does he quote Mark and not give his own remembrances? So who was the author…we don’t know. In fact we don’t know for sure who any of the Gospel writers were, they never give their names even though traditional has them as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We do know that the author of Matthew as a Jew who wrote after the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in the year 70. Some even say that the gospel was written maybe as late as 85. Scholars tell us that Mark was more than likely the first gospel written and Matthew wrote this ‘revised version’ of Mark’s gospel because there was much tension in the Jewish community. Jesus had died and rose. Jerusalem had been destroyed. Jesus had predicted the end of the world and very many of the early Christians felt that this ‘end’ would happen in their own life time. Paul certainly was the prime proponent for this and all of his letters were written before any of the gospels. Matthew wants to tell his community of the authentic strain of Judaism that Jesus lived. The Messiah had come…Jesus was the savior of the world…and He is coming now to bring us all to where He is - Heaven. This introduces us to the Church year, to Matthew and to what is lurking behind our preparation: we are remembering Jesus’ coming at the first Christmas and we know the end is coming for our own individual life and for the end of the world because Jesus said so. The time is NOW…what am I doing? Paul says it as it is: “Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now…the day is at hand.” We have our first very strong suggestion for what we are to do to get our inner selves ready for Jesus. Paul is telling us what to do…we see this in the passage immediately before this — Paul tells us that the motivation for what we do has to surround itself with love. Romans 13: 8-10: “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,’ and whatever other commandment they may be, are summed up in this saying [namely] ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.” J. B. Phillips in the New Testament in Modern English translates it in this way: “Keep out of debt altogether, except that perpetual debt of love which we owe one another. The man who loves his neighbor has obeyed the whole Law in regard to his neighbor. For the commandments, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’, ‘Thou shalt not kill’, ‘Thou shalt not steal’,, ‘Thou shalt not covet’ and all other commandments are summed up in this one rule: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ Love hurts nobody: therefore love is the answer to the Law’s commands.” My Christmas mission…my Advent mission - how am I loving the people in my life? By writing cards…sure…By selecting gifts…sure…By celebrations and gatherings…sure. But day in and day out do the people who see me see God loving them? Advent is a time to bring each one of us closer to the Lord and to each other by the way we interact with those in our life. Advent is a time for a lot of work, but constantly being on the go makes us edgy and at loose ends and we can easily REACT in a way that we do not like…so do the people who see me see God loving them? The real work of this season is within our homes and in ourselves. We also are dealing with changes in our country and we do not know what this will all mean. So I wonder…how good am I with change…do the people who see me see God loving them? Jesus is telling us in the Gospel to put our faith and trust in God as Noah did even when plenty of people thought that Noah was crazy. We have to trust in the gifts that God has given us and in Jesus’ teachings on love. When we set time aside for ourselves each day we will continually discover that we are individually loved and cared for, but I need to be open and grateful. In Exploring the Sunday Readings, theologian Alice Camille reflects on today’s gospel. “If the reports are at all accurate, no one could have failed to notice the great flood when it was in progress. The tale of Noah’s Ark is an important allegory of the human condition. Right up until the moment they drown and are swept away, the corrupt folks around Noah are unable to perceive the clues that Noah cans read like neon signs of warning flashing. So they remain on their course of destruction, eating and drinking, conducting business as usual. And every fateful little decision is like a drop of rain that will soon bear them away. Choices, choices. We face them every minute: be kind, or be gruff? Say thank you or act entitled? Offer a word of praise, or take all the credit? Surrender, or fight to the bitter end? Service, or rule? Love, or reign indifferent? Admit you’re wrong, or remain stubborn in your position? Show compassion, or blame others for their predicament? Smile, or return a stone face with another stone face? Drop by drop, the flood of results will follow.” Then she adds these reflections: • What have you planted so far today that will bear good or terrible fruit tomorrow? • Maybe it’s a health issue. Maybe it’s a moral one. Maybe it’s a relationship in jeopardy. Where in our lives are we pretending it’s not yet time to wake up? • Consider your behavior in the last hour. Which choices build an ark of grace, and which betray the sound of a storm brewing? Sacred Space 2017 says, “There are tough images here: floods, capture, thieving. They are frightening, life-changing events. We have one life, and it is precious and fragile. We need to be in tune with Jesus constantly, ready for whatever comes our way, not sleepwalking through life. Lord, make me present to Your daily appearances in my life. As the post Tagore says, ‘He comes, comes, ever comes.’ Lord, do not let me miss You, even in my ordinary routine

November 20, 2016

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 2 Samuel 5: 1-3; Colossians 1: 12-20; Luke 23: 35-43 Sometimes I wonder why the English bother with their monarchy. It seems to me that the Queen is little more than a figurehead with very little authority. It also seems that a tremendous amount of money is given to support the extended Royal family. Yet people look up to the queen for one who personifies dignity and wins respect and makes people feel better about themselves. There a number of monarchs in the world today: in Europe there are Spain, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, Monaco and Lichtenstein. Other countries that are still under monarchs are Andorra, Cambodia, Bhutan, Brunei, Kuwait, Jordan, Japan, and Mataysia. The overall advantage is that there is only one individual who will make the decisions. These will be made quickly and there will be fewer disagreements with new policies. What does this have to do with today’s feast of Christ the King? This feast is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Church calendar. The readings leading up to this Sunday are eschatological in content: looking at the death, judgment and final destiny of the soul and humankind. Jesus has defeated evil. The kingship of Christ means that the eternal Son of God who became incarnate in Jesus is the ruler of the universe. The world is the universe over which Christ’s kingship prevails. This is not an abstract concept. It involves the doctrines of creation, redemption and the reconciliation of the universe. Jesus came to show us that God is in love with each person now and forever. Are we living as a person loved and graced by God? Faith Catholic explains that, “The feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925. Europe was still healing from the effects of World War I. The once great Catholic monarchies of Europe had been replaced by fascists, socialist and communists, all styles of government that are opposed to religious observance. Europe was beginning to turn away from God and His Church. The intent of this solemnity was to let all people know that the kings of men will never match the great and glorious, merciful and mighty kingship of Jesus Christ. The Church was staking her claim with the powers of heaven.” The readings further tell us about my role and each person’s role in the Kingdom of God. When we look at the history of Israel’s kings we see that the country was only united for a relatively brief time during the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon. After that, it was a divided kingdom: Israel in the North and Judah in the South. The country was surrounded by pagan neighbors and so often the leadership and kings adopted the worship of pagan idols. Some kings allowed shrines to pagan gods in the Temple. The bottom line is that the policy of any given king had an enormous influence on the faith and religious practices of the people. The prophets were the ones who kept calling the people to return to the one true God. As we can guess, often the prophets were expelled, tortured, thrown in prison and killed. Did the people care? They just wanted to survive, raise their families and worship their God in peace. They wondered who exactly was their God? Paul oftentimes is difficult to read because he doesn’t tell stories. He was trained as a scholar of the Hebrew Law so he is much more a theological thinker. He is also working hard to together a church community throughout the known world. He also is an ‘absentee pastor’ since he is on the move frequently and corresponds by letters. He tells us today, in an ancient hymn, that Jesus is the image of the God we can’t see, the firstborn of creation, all things were created though Him, He is the pattern we are to imitate; reconciliation and peace result from the blood of His cross. From these we see that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. He was a leader who came to serve, not to be served. He humbled Himself and was exalted on the cross. He died for you and me and everyone. The Gospel account we would never associate with the feast of Christ the King, is the death scene that Luke describes. Jesus never sought the title of ‘king’ but many people wanted Him to be king to replace the atrocities of the puppet King Herod. Jesus showed us what it means to be a leader, a king was to be a servant to all. Mark states it beautifully when Jesus said, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishers to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10: 42-45) Today’s Gospel has Jesus hanging on the cross. Pilate ironically labeled it, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Jesus never referred to himself as a king. He never lived as royalty. He had no armies nor showed great power with the exception of His overwhelming compassion seen in His miracles and caring. He was accused of being a political insurrectionist and was crucified for this. He has two criminals on either side of Him. One has no faith and ridicules and abuses Jesus. The other criminal tells the first he is wrong and asks to be remembered when Jesus enters His kingdom. Jesus is not a secular king but will reign forever. Do I believe? Do I go to Jesus with all my little cares and hurts? Do I realize I am loved? My reflection today is from Sunday Homily Helps: a) We usually don’t think of Jesus as a king because he did not act like most of the kings we’re familiar with. He did, however, demand total loyalty. b) If you were asked to identify yourself and your roles in life, how would you answer? Typical responses would include things such as husband or wife; mother or father or grandparent, student, nurse, electrician, priest, homemaker, etc. Would you have included, follower of Jesus or Christian? c) When Pope Francis accepted his election to the papacy, he defined himself with these words: ‘I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Would you have included sinner among your roles? d) Each of us is many things and plays many roles. There’s another identity and role, a permanent one, that’s been promised to us, unless we refuse it: citizen of heaven. That’s thanks to Jesus Christ, our redeemer…and our king.” Can I pledge my allegiance to Christ the King? Fr. Charles E Miller, C.M. in Sunday Preaching suggests this one: • We pledge allegiance to Christ the King. • We embrace His eternal and universal kingdom. • We acknowledge His kingdom to be one of truth and life, of holiness and grace. • We wish to do what we can through prayer and action to bring to the world His kingdom of justice, love, and peace.

November 13, 2016

 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time C Malachi 3: 19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12; Luke 21: 5-19 We have arrived at the last two weeks in the liturgical calendar. The liturgical new year begins with the first Sunday of Advent, November 27th this year. The readings for these two weeks refocus us on the end of time. When we hear the readings, especially today’s gospel of Luke, it certain may frighten us and make us feel, ’will I make it.’ But that is really not the case. Jesus told us over and over again that if we believe in Him and live accordingly, we will be saved. He loves us and showers His love and grace on us each day so that we can be focused on being His life-agents to our world. It’s not about being frightened, but realizing each one is loved and is needed to be loving, caring, forgiving and merciful as we live the Lord’s life each day. The traditional question, ‘How would I live today if I knew it would be my last day?’ If I said ‘I would spend it in prayer’ it says much about my love for God. If I said, ‘I would continue to live as an ordinary day in loving, caring, forgiving and being merciful’, it says much about how my spiritual life and how I have put this in my daily practice routine. If I said, ‘I would just party and carouse, and do all those evil things I have been denied’, it says how God has never been a priority and that it is all about me and no one else. Each of the readings have some recommendations today. From Malachi, “But for you who fear My name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” Malachi was written about 500 years before the birth of Jesus. The author’s name means ‘my messenger’ which seems to be based on an oracle about the coming of a messenger to prepare the way before God. (Malachi 3:1). Why did he write? The people seemed to have lost interest in serving God and were continuing to be indifferent to religion and praising and worshiping God. They wonder, ‘Why should I keep the commandments…what’s in it for me?’ To them, the wicked don’t keep the commandments and they are prospering, so there is no reason to be good. Malachi is talking about the ‘Day of the Lord’ where the just will be separated from the wicked. This will be a day of judgment and of salvation. The “Sun of Justice” will arise with its healing rays. Jesus came to set it right for all people. A very interesting reflection is to spend time hearing the voice at the final judgment…what does the voice sound like to me? Can I hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant…come share your Master’s joy.” (Matthew 25:23) He says that to each of us, what grace do I need from God today? Do not be afraid to ask. Paul wrote today to the Thessalonians, “You know how one must imitate us…we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us.” Some people in his community felt that the end of the world, the parousia,was coming very soon. So they just wanted to stop working and sit around. Biblical scholar, Regional H. Fuller in his Preaching the Lectionary, the Word of God for the Church Today says, “This idleness was apparently occasioned by a highly concrete situation. There were members in the church at Thessalonica who, perhaps misled by some early gnosticizing movement, believed that the day of the Lord had already come. Since they thought that they were in heaven already, the curse of having to work (Genesis 3) had been removed. They could therefore eat, drink, and be merry.” Paul is sharing that it doesn’t matter how much time is left, we are disciples who are devoted to the active life of loving at all times. Luke tells us, “You will be hated by all because of My name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” At the time of Jesus the Jerusalem Temple was an architectural masterpiece famous all over the world. We can hear Jesus saying, ’This will be totally destroyed’. The people would respond, ‘no way’. They wanted to know more, especially when this will happen. Jesus refuses to present a timeline. He says there will be people who will capitalize on this for their own intentions. So being a disciple means being patient. It requires each person to trust in God. Whatever the situation a disciple, believer, or follower is in, God is present to them and will help them, strengthen them to take one day at a time and to be love. There will be people who carry heavier burdens and need help, God gives each person help often through the gifts He has given me. So what am I doing? We are each to be Christ. Living the Word, Scripture Reflections and Commentaries for Sundays and Holy Days states, “What are we to do? We are to persevere by staying focused on the teaching and example of Jesus Christ? ‘By your perseverance you will secure your lives.’ We are to have wonder and awe in the name of the Lord. We are to look for ‘the sun of justice with its healing rays.’ We are to keep busy doing God’s work rather than minding everyone else’s business. We are to live each day as if it were our last, to paraphrase St. Francis de Sales. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and live His commandments each day, we will be ready whenever the end comes. The world will know justice. We will have a wisdom that our adversaries cannot resist or refute. That’s the truth, even if it doesn’t sell papers.” Sundays Homily Helps gives practical examples: When we help people bear their burdens, when their loads are too heavy to carry by themselves we are their Simon. We are Christ to them. And just as true, what we do for others we do for Christ (Matthew 25:40). Burdens need not be financial: 1) We can lean a listening ear to someone who is burdened by the death of a loved one. 2) We can go to the grocery store for a homebound neighbor. 3) We could relieve a young mother so she can hope without taking the children 4) we can read to a sightless person, or drive another to a doctor’s appointment 5) We can fix a meal for a new mom or someone recently home from the hospital. The list is only limited by our imagination.” I reflect on: • What do you think of people who follow charismatic leaders and go off to live in cults? How do you think it happens that some people get caught up following an errant leader? • This Gospel challenges me to defend the gospel by relying on Jesus’ grace and power. How do I feel about this? Does it frighten me? Does it give me hope? Why? • Am I confident that God’s work is being accomplished through me—even when I lack faith? • Where do I find the wisdom of God and the strength to live Jesus clearly? Sacred Space 2016 shares: “There are many temples in our world—the green cathedrals of nature and the temples of our own hearts. May my life be adorned with beauty of character, forged by a generous response to God. Words and wisdom will be given to us when we are put to the test. Have you ever experienced that what you need to say in regard to God’s affairs is given to you?

November 6, 2016

 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time C 2 Maccabees 7: 1-2, 9-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5; Luke 20: 27-38. The question is always the same: What was it like…. When we talk with people who have just had an experience we never had…or a place we always wanted to visit or the like. In today’s Gospel the Sadducees ask Jesus about the afterlife, about heaven, and they just did not believe in it and wanted to trick Jesus. Now at the time of this ‘encounter’ between Jesus and the Sadducees, the belief in the resurrection of the dead was a relatively new feature in Judaism. The Sadducees were very traditional, staying within the first five books of the Bible—the Pentateuch—the ones that Moses wrote. They were very conservative, belonged to the aristocratic class and had special access to the Temple in Jerusalem. The issue at conflict was known as ‘levirate marriage’. It was a practice to protect the future of a widow whose husband had died without producing a male heir. They used this example to mock out Jesus and to trick Him. Jesus doesn’t play into their game. They felt that resurrection is where life is given back to the dead person and life then continues. Jesus points out the resurrection is a new reality. It is really incomprehensible to our earthly minds as St. John Paul II said in his Theology of the Body. We are headed to a life AFTER death. It is totally different. Nothing that we have experienced here can prepare us for that…risen life is a new dimension. Heaven is for all. People ask me what area the best books to read about Jesus: without the doubt, at the top of the list is The Lord by Msgr. Romano Guardini. He wrote a companion book, The Meditations of The Christ, Model of all Holiness that I will quote now. “What is Heaven? When one asks a child that question, the child will just point upward: ‘Up there.’ We should not be too swift to laugh. The child means more by those words than may be established by the metamorphosis of scientific investigation; that ‘up there’ which cannot exist because there is no such thing as up and down in the last analysis—if the child were questioned more exactingly, the answer would be: ‘Heaven is where God lives.’ … Perhaps it can be said that Heaven is on its way to us as long as we do not keep it at a distance by our own actions. I believe it is no fantasy or delusion to think this way: that our whole Christian life consists in having Heaven continually striving to catch up with us, close in on us. Every Christian act, belief, love, sacrifice, struggle, every perseverance and courageous performance—all these things make possible the approach of Him who desires only to come forward. But all coldness, indifference, slothfulness, weakness, pride, covetousness— everything sin is called—forces Him back, bars the road to Him. And Heaven fights. Heaven wants to come to us. For Heaven is only God’s love come home. What a tremendous thought it is: Heaven on the way to meet me, relentlessly advancing toward me, and God’s eye is upon me. And to think of the mightiness of the will behind it! The monumental strength of that desire? From what depths comes that petition: ‘Thy kingdom come’—the kingdom f Heaven! When is Heaven truly and completely present? It is when all heaviness is gone; when all sluggishness has been overcome, all wickedness, coldness, pride, irritation, disobedience, and covetousness; when there is no danger anymore of falling away; when grace has made one’s whole being open up, body and soul, to the ultimate profundities; when there is no further danger that it will all close in again, become hardened in ways of evil; when all work to be done on earth is finished, and all guilt has been paid by repentance. What all this means is : after death. After death—when time is no longer; when everything is in the everlasting now; when nothing can change anymore, but the creature stands illuminated by the light of eternity, before God—at that time,everything will be open, and will remain so. That is being in Heaven. The day He left this earth, Jesus went to Heaven, His body and His soul. All earthly heaviness vanished. All limitations of being in this place or that place dropped away. Every burden of earthly need fell away There was nothing more closed off, not even for the body Everything was open. Everything about Him made its way in the overmastering presence of His Father. But here is the mystery: the very moment that He leaves us, He returns: ‘I am going away’ to the Father; but He added immediately ‘and coming back to you.’ And in Matthew’s Gospel, He told them, ‘Behold I am with you all the days that are coming, till the consummation of the world.’ And the one statement is made true by the other. He went away from us, His body also, to Heaven, to the pure and open presence of His Father which He has directed toward us. He who was the intermediary between the Father and us—‘the way, the truth and the life’—has entered completely into this love. Now He is everywhere the Father’s love is, and so He is with us. He is gone from the visible, transient here and now. But now, from there, and because He is there, He can, through the love of the Father, be with each of us and with the Father also. He is in upon us, bring with Him the presence of the Father, heaven. ‘See where I stand at the door, knocking; if anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come into visit him, and make my supper with him, and he shall sup with me. ‘Supper’ is the extravagant superabundance of God’s accessible presence bursting in, blessed, satisfying, making drunk with all the drunkenness of love. This is how we properly understand Heaven. It is that close presence wherein the Father stands in relation to Jesus Christ. And Heaven for us will be participation in this intimacy of love. This condition is already beginning; it approaches close; now in peril, it is fought over, lost, and won back again. So it goes with our Christian life.” We waste so much time wondering if we can get in heaven instead of listening to what Jesus said about living and loving. We experience God’s love and the truth of Heaven in the gifts of compassion and mercy, of understanding and support that continue long after we realize these. The simple signs of love: from a hug, to a compliment, to a gesture, to a helping hand show us that we are living the Resurrected Jesus, we are living the reality of Heaven. God is with us and we are sharing God. Jesus is constantly expanding our narrow vision of God showing us that love is God, forgiveness is God, mercy is God, compassion is God. And God needs me. So I reflect on: • The devil lies to us tempting us that there is nothing wrong with violating God’s commands. • The devil tempts us to busy ourselves so that at the end of the day , we are just too tired or too distracted to spend time with God. • Lord, I need you today to come and strengthen me against temptation. • Do I ever judge people too quickly? And later on when I get to know them, I see they are much different and nice people? • How do I prepare for eternal life? How do my relationships with others enter into this preparation?

October 30, 2016

 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time C Wisdom 11:22-12:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19: 1-10 How do I view the world today? Does there seem to be just too much hurt, violence and selfishness? Am I seeing the good that is counteracting this hurt? How do I view my own country today? With elections nine days away am I worried or am I hopeful? How do I view my family and friends? Do I see their gifts and their love inspiring me to continue on my journey to the Lord? How do I view my role in the world…in our country…among my family and friends? In my Church? Now take a moment , sit back and try to picture God viewing everything that I am. Often we don’t even picture that God is present, but He is. Sometimes the thoughts come that God isn’t doing anything…or isn’t doing what I want Him to do…or even that God is too busy…or God doesn’t care. He is present, always. God cares always. God is helping each and everyone, always. Am I aware of this? The focus of the readings today help each of us in putting on our God glasses. How can I see the world with God’s vision of love, mercy and forgiveness? The Book of Wisdom was written about a hundred years before Jesus. We don’t know whois the author. Most Scholars feel that the author was a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria in Egypt. He wrote in Greek. At times he speaks in the person of Solomon, the ‘wise king’. Why did he write? His community had experienced suffering and oppression many times at the hands of apostate Jews who had renounced their religion. He starts out by including a long list of people who strove to be wise in the ways of God, headed by Moses. The author shows God presence in the wonderful miracles associated with the Exodus especially the miraculous way God fed the Israelites with quail in the Desert. God saved the Israelites on the run and God saves each person. God is always helping. Look how the author describes God’s action: - God has mercy on all, because He can do all things - God loves all He has made - God reminds us of our sinful ways so that we many turn back and believe - God’s power is seen in His acts of mercy. Why is this so? Because God fashioned all the world out of love. - A new title is introduced for God: lover of souls. So often we say, ‘that’s nice’ but I still do things I shouldn’t. I’m just not good enough for God… I’m just not worthy. The bottom line is that no one is worthy. But God created out of love so that each of us can see that we are loved. Imagine that, God loves me right now! Maybe I’m not loving me…maybe the most important person to me isn’t loving me or I’m not noticing it…BUT God is loving me. I remember growing up seeing that all the pictures of God and Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and the innumerable saints had haloes that encircled their heads. The artists said this is their celestial glow, the aura of the glorious presence of God with them, so all could see they were virtuous people. They were holy. They worked hard on their holiness in horrible excruciating times. NOW the same grace God gave them, He gives each of us. Have we ever asked God for the grace to see ourselves as He sees us? He sees our good, He observes our love, He watches us care for those in need, He is so proud of what we do for Him. He is…He is the one who is giving each of us the help that we need to get out of ourselves and give and care. Many days it is a total uphill battle. He’s with us. We can see what God’s help does in today’s Gospel. It is interesting in his Gospel that Luke contrasts someone normally viewed as ‘good’ with one so many would view as ‘bad.’ And even more interesting is the times that Luke switches this around by showing that someone who is ‘bad’ gives a better example than the ‘good’ one: the ‘good’ thief next to Jesus on the cross contrasted with the chief priests and pharisees; the prodigal son came back and is ‘better’ that the ‘good son’ who stayed. Today we have the tax collector, Zacchaeus, who was absolved and redeemed by his encounter with Jesus. Jesus sees him…Jesus sees through him…Jesus sees what is in his heart and that Zacchaeus was so open to put aside his former ways. Jesus does not see us as we see ourselves and He loves us. We need to stay with this reflection! Luke, A Devotional Commentary, Meditations on the Gospel According to Luke states: “As a tax-collecting puppet of the Roman government, and as one who regularly defrauded honest, sincere children of Abraham, Zacchaeus was branded by his fellow Jews as a sinner for whom there was no hope. Imagine how surprised Jesus followers would have been to see Jesus not only talk with Zacchaeus, but invite Himself to this tax collector’s home for dinner. No wonder many of the Pharisees were scandalized. There seemed to be no limit to the kinds of people Jesus would consort with! This is one of the most important points Luke made throughout his gospel. Jesus looks beyond the external appearance, into the heart of every man and woman. There, He sees each person’s need for the love of God. Deep in his heart, Zacchaeus must have cried out: ‘There must be more to life than this!’ He was rich in material goods, but he was lonely and empty of the love that only God could give. How thrilled he must have been to be able to welcome Jesus into his home: He responded by giving half of his belongings to the poor and promising to pay back fourfold anyone whom he had defrauded. Such extravagance went far beyond the requirements of Jewish law. It simply flowed out of a grateful heart. Jesus knows our hearts. He knows our sorrows—for He weeps with us. He knows our joys—for He rejoices with us. God knows everything about us, even our weaknesses. In fact, He uses these weaknesses to draw us to Him. He knows that when we are needy we are more open to accepting God’s love. It is inner weakness that we realize that no matter what we have done, God still loves us, still wants to speak to us. He is always standing at the door of our heart, asking us to let Him in. When we answer Jesus’ invitation and welcome Him into our hearts, we are filled with joy, because only Jesus can fill that deepest part of our being. It is often the very situation that has caused us pain that most opens us up to Jesus: Like Zacchaeus, our desire for Him becomes a desperation to be freed from anything that cuts us off from His presence. ‘Lord Jesus, we invite You into our hearts. Come and fill us with the joy of Your salvation. Grant us the freedom to lay at Your feet every possession or desire that we have considered more precious than You.’” So I reflect on: • Halloween kids hide behind masks…we do that too. God sees us exactly as we are and most importantly who we can be with His help. Do we allow God in? • Through Baptism and Reconciliation our sins are forgiven. How are we changed? • What resolutions do we make to sin no more? What patterns of behavior do we need to address? How can we improve our prayer lives, our spending habits, our words and our actions to live more in harmony with the Gospels and to be found worthy of His calling? • Since God forgives us, are we now more forgiving? Are we more tolerant of another’s mistakes? Do we reach out with mercy toward those who have hurt us?

October 23, 2016

 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time C Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18; 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18; Luke 18: 9-14 “I, myself, me and my shadow”…this is a phrase that an older classmate in the seminary used about people who ‘liked themselves’. This classmate was a very interesting individual…he had graduated from one of the military academies…completed his duty time…got a very responsible position in the computer community and after a while decided that the Lord was calling him to the priesthood. He was ordained…spent a few years teaching in Catholic High Schools and then went to parish work. He died before his 10th anniversary of ordination. He was a real person, very kind and conscious of those hurting around him. He was an inspiration to me. He said over and over that we were placed on this earth to be people of love and everyone needs love. He said that if we ‘like ourselves’ we can’t see those who are hurting. He said, “I pray daily for the gift of awareness of people’s pain and hurt and where my gifts can help them in their need.” He was as selfless a person as I have met. His world was all about others, not an “I” world. It always is a special reflective time to spend time on my needs. Where do I need God? Were do I need the loved people God has placed in my life? Where do I need the support, kindness and care of others? Am I an entity to myself or am I in need? God is a God of love. He created me and each person out of His boundless love. He didn’t create me to be a gift to myself but to be a gift to others. God is not just “mine” or “others”. God has breathed His life into me not solely for my own happiness and satisfaction. God has given life so that all life can be fruitful, helpful, caring and sharing. Am I living accordingly? At the end of the day do I re-visit the people who passed through my life and was I conscious of their needs, gifts, worries, dreams, and specialness? Do I consider myself more important than any of these people? Do I realize that their lives, like mine is a gift? Today’s readings help me to put my daily life and interactions into proper perspective. The Gospel is unusual in the sense that it contains two classes of people: pharisee and tax-collector who were difficult to appreciate. The Pharisees were constantly challenging Jesus because He claimed to be from God. They felt that since they ‘worked for God’ they knew all the ones who were from God and it certainly wasn’t a ‘nobody’ from Galilee like Jesus. The tax-collectors were hated by the people because they collected all the taxes levied by Herod, by Rome, by the Temple, the taxes to maintain the roads , etc. It was not unheard of that they could collect 60%+ of a person’s income. In today’s parable, the Pharisee is at the temple praying quietly to himself. His prayer is one of thanksgiving to God for being a good Pharisee. He says that unlike others, he is not greedy, dishonest, adulterous “or like this tax-collector.” Tax collectors had a huge reputation for being dishonest. The Pharisee didn’t consider himself boastful, prideful or hypocritical. The tax collector’s prayer is a short statement confessing his own sinfulness and begging God for mercy. The shock comes when Jesus tells us that the tax collector went home justified and the Pharisee did not? How come? Jesus spells that out “for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” The real problem is that the Pharisee somehow felt that his behavior distanced him from the rest of humanity, including this tax collector. I am good… he is not. He is sinful and has failing and weakness, I do not. God’s grace cannot be earned. God does not play favorites. God is merciful to all. We have to be caring and merciful too. Mary Jo Tully in He Walks with Me, Reflections on the Sunday Scripture wrote a beautiful piece on today’s reading. “As a child I would often ask my father how much he loved me. When he couldn’t answer, I would ask, ‘More than you love Jackie? More than Marty?’ and slowly work my way through the family. Nothing could convince me that his love for me could not be measured against his love for anyone else, even my mother. It seems almost characteristic of humans that we think everything can be measured at least by comparison. After all, from infancy we ourselves have been measured by the standards of those who surround us. We have learned that we are taller or shorter, thinner or heavier, brighter or less smart than others. It simply never occurs to most of us that there are some things which cannot be measured by comparison. The Pharisee chose a measure suited to him. He chose to look at the kind of morality outwardly evident in his relationship to God. Sometimes we do this, too. We deliberately choose the norms which will make us look good to ourselves. After all, we are not murderers (never mind that we have never had the provocation). We do not steal (never mind that we have no need and would fear getting caught). We do not lie (never mind that our memories cannot sustain anything but the truth). We seldom offend against any of the commandments as a matter of fact (never mind that having the respect of others prevents it). We even contribute generously to the Church (never mind that we do it just in time for a tax deduction). From the outside we look pretty good and, like the Pharisee of the gospel, our self-righteousness is fed by the undeserved praise of those who surround us. Yes, we might all utter the prayer of the Pharisee ourselves. How strange that the prayer of the tax collector could also be ours, ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ The norm for measuring is simply different No matter that we have not taken the physical life of another, we have diminished the life of the spirit of too many. No matter that we have not stolen their goods, we have robbed too many of their dignity. No matter that we have not lied, our silence has robbed others of truth. Ah, yes—be merciful, Lord. The first reading tells us that the Lord is not going to be impressed with the dignities conferred on us by those who do not know us He is going to listen to those we have injured and, more, to those we have not helped. He is going to hear the prayer of our service. It will not matter how many witnesses we can present to the Lord to a test to our virtue. He is the one who will know of our relationship to Him. We gather at this liturgy not to acclaim our virtue but to give praise and thanks for the Father who is always listening to our plea for mercy. We come for the courage to continue to build the relationship we share in the Church and for the motivation to do what is right. The Father has shown us how much He loves us. We accept the challenge to be worthy of His love. And, until that day, we pray: ‘O God, be merciful to us sinners.’ So I reflect on: • When has an awareness of my lowliness helped me pray to God? • Does God’s daily love of me change how I view my mission on earth? • If I compose a list of people God shouldn’t love or save…do I close my door to them or do I always keep my door of love open? Preaching to Adults Teens and Children says: “People often presume that God favors the spiritually mature, the devotionally correct, the morally superior person. The Pharisee is all this and more. He is not an evil person. He is a deeply religious person. Unfortunately, he is a deeply religious person who does not need God. But contrast, the tax collector is spiritually immature, all wrong in his devotional style and in fact, a morally evil person: he steals and extorts money from his own people. Yet his need for God is clear. Like all hurting people, his cry for forgiveness is a lament a to a life that is in disarray. The tax collator knows he is powerless to change, and he throws himself on the mercy of God, asking for help. This is prayer at is most primal level, and it pierces the clouds of heaven the way the annual report prayer of the Pharisee never can.”

October 16, 2016

 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time C Exodus 17: 8-13; 2 Timothy 3: 14-4:2; Luke 18: 1-8 How is your prayer life? When I go for my monthly visit to my spiritual director, we talk about this. When people come to me for spiritual direction we do the same. It is a good question for each of us to ask: How is my prayer life? The readings today concentrate on just this point telling us there are times when we need help…there are times when everything is easy…there are times when we feel forgotten…there are times we are called on to share. From the Scriptures today we see that even Moses which Exodus 33:11 says was the only man to talk with God ‘face to face’ needed help in prayer. Aaron and Hur had to hold Moses arms up so he wouldn’t tire so that Joshua could continue to mow “down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” [It is good to read the entire 33rd chapter of Exodus…it helps us with the relationship Moses had with God.] Moses needed help, do we admit to Go that we need help in praying? Sometimes prayer just becomes a ritual; we don’t even remember praying or what we said. So often we say so many routine prayers or devotions that they are just words without any conscious effort to ‘pray’ them versus to ‘say’ them. When this happens we need the help of those around us to persuade us to continue to persist in our prayers. We need God’s help all the time. ‘Lord, I’m having difficulty concentrating, can you help me with this? In today’s scene the fight goes on until sunset and finally Joshua’s army completely defeats the enemy. But the people relied on the ‘staff of God’ that Moses held which reveals, in a sense, the weak condition of their faith. In time, they won’t need the staff, they will be able to turn to God in prayer themselves. [Numbers 21: 1-3 gives an example of this.] Paul is writing his last will and testament to Timothy giving him all the tools he needs to teach and guide his community as being true followers of Christ. The prime task is to remain faithful. Am I faithful with my prayer life? Is my main task ‘to ask for something’? Am I expressing my gratitude and my praise to God? Is it all about ‘me’ in my prayer life? Do I give God a chance anytime in my prayer period to say a word? Almost everyone has had the experience of being trapped in a conversation with someone who just talked on and on and didn’t hardly listen at all. We wanted to share our thoughts but seldom could get a word in edgewise. We were frustrated and probably turned the person off. When I pray to God, do I dominate the conversation; if I do, I will have a hard time in listening. God never abandons us and is always waiting to be heard. Developing the practice and the art of listening is a wonderful habit to get into because we will see how eager God is to speak. It is always a two way relationship with God…do I let it happen? A great way to do this is to start our prayer by just slowing down and enjoying the stillness and quiet and be grateful, then pray. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us the need to be persistent and to persevere in our prayers. It is interesting to note that Luke wrote to a largely Gentile community. They didn’t have a long tradition in prayer as did the Jewish community of Matthew. The widow is asking for a just decision by the judge. It was their law that only the surviving sons could inherit the father’s estate. Luke tells us that the judge didn’t care about justice, he just wanted the nagging from the widow to stop. We can see two messages from Jesus: God will grant justice to those who are oppressed and that we should be persistent. The conclusion is very interesting…it almost seems that Luke adds this last sentence and it has little relationship with Jesus’ teaching. “But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Do I have faith in God? This is a question that I have to keep reflecting on in my life, especially when times are tough and it seems that God is ‘far away.’ There is a wonderful commentary set of books on the four gospels edited by Leo Zanchettin published by the Word Among Us. Today’s analysis from Luke, A Devotional Commentary is especially helpful. “What is your view of God? Do you think of Him as an unjust judge? Do you think you must cajole Him into caring for you? How easy it is for us to misunderstand the way God works! How quickly we develop false perceptions based on the way we interpret the events in our lives. Yet, the truth still stands that our God is loving and just. We can count on Him to give us all that we need. The judge in this parable was unscrupulous. According to Jewish Law (see Deuteronomy 24: 17-11), the widow had every right to ask for help. In fact, the judge should have given her request priority. Instead, however, he refused her again and again and made her beg for justice. In contrast, God is just, faithful, and loving. While we may not see immediate answers to our prayers, we should not despair. There are times when He delays so that He can teach us about trust. There are also times when the answer we think is best might actually hurt us. It can be difficult to abandon our cares to God. We cannot expect to understand why and how God chooses to answer our prayers—we do not know His divine purposes. But we can look to Jesus to show us the way to trust and obedience. Jesus fully turned His life over to God. In the midst of tremendous physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering, He embraced God’s will. As a result, He was raised up and exalted to the highest place in heaven. We can all know the love of God that Jesus knew. Let us pray persistently and wait to see how God will respond to us in love. God loves us. When something doesn’t work out the way we had planned, let us not despair or begin blaming God. Let us reflect on Jesus’ example and abandon our lives to God. The Father had the best in mind for Jesus and He has the best in mind for us—even through the most difficult circumstances. We can trust God. His love always prevails. ‘Father, forgive us when we entertain thoughts that You are unjust or unloving towards us. We are weak and cannot understand Your ways. Help us in our weakness—strengthen us as we persist in our prayer.’” So I reflect on these questions from The Pocket Guide to Prayer by Gary Egeberg from the Chapter Listening for God’s voice. • “God often communicates with us through other people. Recall some specific times in your life when someone’s words or actions meant a great deal to you. • Sometimes it can be very helpful to write a letter to yourself in God’s voice. Allow the indwelling Spirit of God to write you a letter of love, acceptance, encouragement, hope, or whatever God desires to say to you in this letter. You might also consider writing a dialogue between you and God or between you and Jesus. • Many spiritual advisors encourage us to listen to our own inner voice, to our own intuitions. How carefully do you listen to, honor, and act upon your inner voice and intuitions? Can we truly listen to God if we don’t listen to ourselves? How can listening to God and listening to ourselves be complementary? The wisdom from Sacred Space 2016 “Lord, You puzzle me. I hear You telling me to persist in prayer, to entreat God until He is weary of me. You say He will quickly grant justice. But then I think of good people suffering famine, AIDS, loss of children, sickness, and death though they pray to God. I think of the Jews in Auschwitz, still singing the psalms as they walked into the gas chambers. Surely there are times when You delay in helping us? At times like this I turn to the memory of Your Passion and Your agonized prayer in the Garden. You have faced a dark and apparently empty heaven yet stayed faithful. Keep me with You. Our persistence own prayer does not change God’s mind. Instead it prepares our own heart by strengthening our desire for God! Jesus wishes us to pray always and not lose heart. Help me to be constant, Lord. Renew my failing confidence when Your answer is, ‘Wait…wait…wait a little longer.’”

October 9, 2016

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 Kings 5: 14-17;2 Timothy 2: 8-13; Luke 1 17: 11-19 How many miracles have you seen in your life? I’ve witnessed an enormous amount, thank you Lord. But the reality is that each person has witnessed and continues to witness miracles each day in their lives. I would say that it is safe to say that miracles are a large part of our day…if we are aware…if we listen…if we see. An even bigger point to make in this is that miracles tell us of God’s presence. God is always present and active in each person’s life, in all of His creation. The more I am open to God’s activity, the more I am aware of God’s continued presence in my daily journey to Him. Many people do not believe in miracles. Many do not believe that God is active in our world and even cares about His creation. They say things like: look at all the evil in the world…look at all the natural disasters that happen where huge numbers of people are hurt, made homeless and die…just look at all the terrorists activities, how can there be a God who allows this…and then the age-old question: ‘If God is a good God, how can He allow all this evil in the world’…‘why do bad things happen to good people.’ Yes people do not want to believe in God and refuse to see His care and love and concern for all. This is seen with a different twist throughout scripture. Actually the english word ‘miracle’ is a little misleading. Its primary connotation is something to be astonished at (Latin mirari: ‘to wonder at’). The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines miracle: “1. an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs 2. an unusual event, thing, or accomplishment: Wonder, Marvel”. Now there is no doubt that the miracles of Jesus caused people to stop and wonder and admire, but that was only secondary. The most common understanding of miracles in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) was as dynamic or acts of power. The common belief was that sickness, diseases, bad things happened because God was upset or mad at a certain individual because of their sins, and thus He was punishing the person. Jesus’ miracles proved that the ‘kingdom has come: God is good, not evil.’ God is not a punishing God but a God who cares and is with us. Jesus is clearly showing Himself as changing the governance of the world and of human lives. He inaugurates His kingdom as a kingdom of love. Am I involved as a person of love? Do I allow the gifts I have received to witness this Kingdom? Do I realize that as Jesus healed, I have been blessed with the gift of healing? This healing is so easily seen in my ‘love actions’ with others. It may be the way I smile or laugh, or listen or look with understanding eyes, or the way that I touch and bring comfort, show care. It is truthfully said that I have healing hands, eyes, ears, mouth…I ‘touch’, I heal. This healing comes from realizing that I am loved. The message of Jesus is to ‘pass it on’! Am I doing this? What part does this have in my journeying toward God? A look at the readings help us with this today. In today’s passage from the Book of Kings, a foreign general asks Elisha for healing from leprosy. He is prepared to do anything to show his compliance. The prophet invites him to wash in the Jordan River. At first the general objects at this ridiculous command. Then his servants plead with him to set aside his pride. He does so and does what Elisha says and is totally healed. His skin is not only healed, it returns to t he softness and wholeness he had as a child. Jesus taught us that we must be like ‘little children’ to enter His kingdom. Do I trust? Do I realize it is about God and not about me Am I too proud to say, ‘Lord, please help me?’ Paul is writing to Timothy. He is in prison, in chains and has surrendered to the reality of his impending torture and death. He can’t preach, set up churches, make grand speeches anymore. He can’t even send a letter without depending on others. This must have been frustrating to him, but he realizes that God accomplishes all…trust Him. I look back in my life and think on the times I have been in very humbling circumstances and how much God was teaching me. Lord give me the grace to be aware of this moment now…You are present…You are leading me…You are loving me…You are giving me the grace to be a part of Your plan for me and my world. In the Gospel, Jesus is continuing His long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem teaching about discipleship. It always is an interesting reflection for me to spend time on what I think discipleship is… then to pick up Luke’s gospel focusing on chapters 9 - 19 where Jesus is telling what true discipleship is. Jesus encounters ten lepers asking for money. Lepers were totally dependent on charity for survival. Jesus gives them nothing but tells them to show themselves to the priests since only a priest could declare a leper cleansed and healed. They leave. On the way one realizes that he has been healed. We are not told if the other nine had realized at that time that they had been healed. He comes to Jesus and glorifies God in a loud voice. Then he falls at Jesus’ feet and thanks Him. He has been healed by the power of God, mediated through Jesus. Then comes the shocking statement, “He was a Samaritan.” Jesus says, “Your faith has saved you.” All are called. All are chosen. All are gifted. All are given the grace daily to praise God for all. All are disciples to be Jesus in their world. The New Testament scholar Tom Wright offers a summary on today’s gospel. “The work of salvation, in its full sense, is [1) about whole human beings, not merely souls; (2) about the present, not simply the future; and (3) about what God does through us, not merely what God does in and for us.” So I reflect on: • What have I learned from the humbling experiences in my life that I couldn’t learn any other way? • Do I say ‘Thank You’ often or rarely? • In reflecting on ‘gratitude’…what are the top ten reasons I am grateful? • A simple exercise is to make a list of the ways in which I express gratitude to God…after each one say, ’Thank you, Lord!’ Sacred Space 2016 says, “How long does gratitude last? These lepers were respectful, even fawning, when they were still suffering: ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” In their misery they joined forces, waiving the old hostility between Jews and Samaritans. But when they saw their leprosy healed, and felt themselves whole, nine of them took their blessing for granted and forgot to say thank you. Lord, all throughout my life I have known kindnesses; there have been people whom I thanked after a big favor, using inflated language and saying that I would never forget them. But my gratitude grows cold. Let me count my blessings, not take them for granted.” Connections shares these beautiful words: “Gratitude is a practice - a way of approaching life - that is grounded in the conviction that God has breathed His life into us for no other reason than love so deep we cannot begin to fathom it, and that the only fitting response we can make to such unexplainable and unmerited love is to stand humbly before God in quiet, humble gratitude. Like the Samaritan leper who gives thanks for the miracle that has taken place in his life, we, too, can be transformed by such joyful gratitude to God once we realize that God makes His loving presence known in every human heart.”

October 2, 2016

October 2, 2016
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
Habakkuk 1: 23; 2: 2-4; 2 Timothy 1: 6-8, 13-14; Luke 17: 5-10
I am not on the top of the list for being a patient person. I used to be consistently near the bottom of
the list. In my earlier years I would start a number of projects and not see them to completion. I
have corrected this quite a bit. The difficulty arises when I take on too much; I am not great at
asking for ‘help’ to finish whatever the project is. Overall I would say that I’m not very patient with
myself. In reflection, this can too often carry over in my relationship with God. This serves for
many reflections and asking God for His continued presence and help. This is what faith is all about.
How often do I ask God for help? Do I trust that He will always respond? Do I believe that He
cares that much for me? God does care…totally…all the time!So the real crux of the problem is
myself. The readings help me with this.
Habakkuk was a prophet who wrote a few years after Nahum, another prophet. Now Nahum
concentrated on one single event: the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC. Assyria was the enemy of Judah
and because they were defeated at Nineveh,Nahum was overjoyed, Judah would no longer be
invaded by Assyria. The opening verse of Nahum’s prophecy is “A jealous and avenging God is the
Lord.” Along comes Habakuk and he is telling the people of a new crisis Judah is facing: the threat
of Babylon. Habakuk not only reacts to this imminent danger, but ponders the underlying problem.
Why do bad people come after good people? Why does evil seem to triumph? The age old question:
‘Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people’ has been around for a long time and it
will continue to be so. This continues in the classic work, the book of Job. Habakkuk’s closing
sentence today: “The just man, because of his faith, shall live.” The beginning of the prophet’s refection
saw him accusing God of turning a deaf ear to the lack of faith of the people. God says be patient!
The central point is what is meant by ‘faith’? Faith is simply trusting God…this faith helps one to
wait for the future. The prophet is explaining the attributes of God. He believes and writes that God
is just and His justice will ultimately prevail. It is God’s world. I have been treated to be an
important part of that world and to play my own part in God’s plan. Seldom, if ever will I realize or
appreciate my part…but that is why I was created and continued to be loved by God who provides
all the help, the grace that I need to have His plan reach its competition. The only question and
difficulty is how long? The easy answer is there is no time for God…time is with me. Poor me!
This brings in another point that Paul brings up in his writing to Timothy. This is written shortly
before Paul’s martyrdom. In a sense Paul is passing on his hopes and his legacy to Timothy. He
reminds Timothy to “stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For
God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self control.” It is not about me, it
is about being a messenger, an apostle of Jesus’ life and love. Don’t be afraid to share my belief in
God…don’t be afraid of being a person of love…don’t be afraid if I face ridicule or rejection. You
don’t open up a package and unwrap faith…faith is not a thing, but rather a relationship with God.
Faith is a gift from God but God does not force Himself on anyone. Faith is not something that
when it is acquired it is fully grown at the start. Faith has to grow. I learn how by being aware of
others…and responding by being caring and loving. Why? Because that is how Jesus lived and He
told us He needs each one of us. So I really don’t lose my faith, I have just ceased or cut short my
relationship with God who is giving me all the help I need. But I say NO…it’s not about You…it’s
about me!
Luke shares the apostles asking Jesus to increase their faith. Jesus said, “If you have the faith the size of
a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey
you.” He is telling us that what looks impossible…with God, all human things are possible. Do I
believe in God? Am I giving God a chance? In the gospels from Luke these last few weeks, Jesus is
repeating the aspects of what it means to be His follower, His disciple. Jesus is saying, just look at
the role of a servant. He is doing his job in the field. When he comes inside after working all day,
his job has not ended. He had to continue to do what is commanded of him. Luke is sharing these
remarks of Jesus to his community to admonish the early Christians to be more faith filled and
obedient believers rather than waiting for a pat on the back or a reward. God’s reward is life in
heaven forever with the Trinity…it comes by loving…by being Jesus. We work on this each day
because we need to…this is what strengthens our faith, our belief in the gift of life given by God.
My faith grows when it is exercised. My faith grows when it is nourished. My faith grows by
prayer and in living in a believing community.
Luke, A Devotional Commentary, Meditations on the Gospel According to St. Luke says it
beautifully: “Have you ever thought about how easily we could work for God and yet never really know Him?
We could do all sorts of work for the church and the poor, either out of a sense of duty or out of a desire to
ensure our place in heaven. But if we respond to God this way, we’ve missed the point. He is calling us to a
relationship of love, not one of slavery. Those who think like duty-bound slaves miss out on a wonderful
experience of life in the kingdom of God. They won’t know a relationship with Jesus that can fill them so deeply
that they long to give everything back to Him.
Of course, there are things we must do as His disciples. Jesus has told us to obey His commandments. But
there are things that we do for Jesus just because we love Him—like turning our hearts to Him during a busy
day or going out of our way to help one of His little ones. Let us respond to Jesus out of love today. Let us ask
the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with God’s love so that His love for us would awaken our love for Him.”
So I reflect on:
• Where have I been impatient with myself or with God and what has helped my impatience to
grow?
• ‘Every man for himself’ is not a Gospel value. How do I participate in the common good?
• I reflect on the seemingly impossible tasks accomplished in my life because others had faith in my
ability. Did I tell God, ‘thanks’?
• God’s will does not always fit in with my own desires. How have I learned to submit to God’s
will instead of doing what I want to do?
• How much effort do I put into trying to live God’s will? Do I ask Him for help?
Sacred Space 2016 states:
“Jesus draws attention to the greatness hidden in something tiny. We too are tiny, but God empowers those
who truly follow Him to do great things. God can work through us, beyond all our hopes and dreams, when we
do not get in the way.
Lord, you fill me with Your unlimited love, and You invite me to share that love with a needy world. Let it be
my joy to do that. That is my greatness, to serve in love. And the opportunities are endless.”
s…and responding by being caring and loving. Why? Because that is how Jes