No More Complaining

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~ Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 ~~~ 

~~~ Psalm 94~~2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14~~Luke 17:5-10 ~~~ 

God did not give us a spirit of cowardice

but rather of power and love and self-control. 

The prophet begins complaining that God is not doing enough...
that God lets things slide by as if he does not notice.

Why do you let me see iniquity?
why do you simply gaze at evil?

Sometimes we wonder if God really does see
all that is happening in our world today.
We question why he lets evil rumble across the Earth.

Because God is silent we fall into the trap of believing
 that what is evil may not be evil after all.
We ask where is God's judging hand of power.

The truth is God does see all.
The truth is God acts in our life on a regular basis.
The truth is when we think God is not watching he is there.
The truth is God gave us free will; he does not step in
 at any given moment to prevent acts of evil.

God never forgets...
He remembers the good in our world.
Likewise he remembers the evil in our world.

Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.

We must keep our eyes fixed on the goodness of the Lord.
We must praise him for all his wondrous deeds;
they far surpass whatever evil exists on this Earth.

Let us hold on to our faith in the Lord.
He makes all things for good...even that which
 is hidden from our human eyes.

God did not give us a spirit of cowardice

but rather of power and love and self-control. 

When we witness the evil in our world
we must remember that we have been given
the spirit of power, love, and self-control.

We have all that we need to walk with the Lord
in his truth and goodness. 

Beloved:
I remind you, to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through
 the imposition of my hands. 

In the words of Paul...
the gifts we have from God need to be given fresh air.
It is the same air we breath that fuels the fire to burn brighter.

Believe
for faith the size of a mustard seed
is enough to move mountains.

No more complaining.
Look for the goodness in your life...
and all will be better.

Blessings from moment to moment.
Peace!

Boasting in the Lord

~~~ 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ 

~~~ Matthew 25:14-30 ~~~

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.

Not many of you were wise by human standards,

not many were powerful,

not many were of noble birth.

Is it worthwhile to consider your own calling?

Do you consider yourself to be a wise person?

Are you motivated by the idea of power?

Is nobility on your family tree?

Time after time God chose the humble person

to spread his message of love.

Here are just a couple Isaiah, Joseph, 

and the Blessed Mother, Mary.

Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,

and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,

and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,

those who count for nothing,

to reduce to nothing those who are something,

God chose the Woman at the Well.

God chose Mary Magdalene.

God chose Moses.

God chose David.

You can probably name many more examples 

of those who were weak and lowly in their community.

...so that no human being might boast before God.

It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God,

It is delightful to hear an actor or an athlete

praise God for giving them the talent and ability to excel.

All that is good in us...all of our gifts and talents

would not exist without God's role.

Any boasting we might make 

must be deferred to Christ Jesus.

as well as righteousness, 

sanctification, and redemption,

so that, as it is written,

Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.

Boast if you choose,

 just make sure you boast in the Lord.

All that we have...all that we are

comes directly from the Lord.

Boast in all we are given to reach holiness.

Boast about how the Lord has saved us for all eternity.

Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.

Blessed as we consider our own calling.

The Lord chose you for a reason.

Have you discovered it yet?

~~~Peace~~~

Trimming the Wicks

~~~ 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ Matthew 25:1-13 ~~~

The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins

who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 

Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 

The components of this story each play an important roll.

The ten virgins...the oil lamp...the oil...and the wick...

Removing one of these would make this 

a completely different story.

The virgins show up. 

They are eager to greet the bridegroom.

However, he is delayed which means they must wait.

This delay forces them to make 

a necessary decision...

do they put out the lamp or keep

 it burning, risking to run out of fuel.

For some this is a huge dilemma.

The ten virgins all carry their lamp with them.

They all appear to be prepared.

We do not see the inside of the lamps.

We soon learn that half of the women 

brought flasks of additional oil.

They came more prepared than the other five.

In our own lives we can be fooled into believing

 that as long as we show up...

as long as we bring our lamp 

it will be sufficient.

Further reading of this story 

proves that is not quite enough.

When the bridegroom arrives

 only the five wise virgins

 have sufficient oil to keep

 their flame burning brightly.

All ten virgins trimmed their wicks.

‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 

Trimming the wick in an oil lamp is important.

The wick is designed to draw up the oil from the lamp

in a steady fashion in order for the flame to burn.

The burning takes place just above the wick.

This liquid layer prevents the wick from being burned up.

Oxygen is prevented from reaching the wick itself.

As long as the wick remains saturated in the oil

 it is not consumed by the flame.

The virgins got up and trimmed their wicks...

trimmed wicks burn more brightly.

They were eager to have the brightest

 lamp to light the way for the bridegroom.

I invite you to consider what it means

 to be prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom.

I invite you to consider the lamp.

The lamp holds the precious oil; without 

the oil there is no light.

I also invite you to consider the wick...

the trimming of the wick.

We are like the wick because we must

 be saturated with the oil of God...the grace of God.

If we want to burn brightly we must 

have the oil of God's love and mercy.

Five virgins ran out of oil.

When they ran out of oil their wick dried up.

Without oil and a dry wick you 

loose the potential for light.

They lost their way without their lamp.

...those who were ready went into 

the wedding feast with him. 

Those who were ready...

showed up...brought their lamp...

carried extra fuel...trimmed their wick.

They came prepared. 

The doors were opened and the wise virgins 

were welcomed to wedding feast.

Be prepared.

Trimming your wick insures it will burn brightly.

Blessings of the oil.

~~~Peace~~~

Soul Dish Washing

~~~ 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3A, 14-17 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~

~~~ Matthew 23:23-26 ~~~

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,

who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement

and good hope through his grace,

encourage your hearts and strengthen them

in every good deed and word.

We are called to have mercy.

We are called to serve.

We are called to be like Jesus in all ways.

We are called to not just have the heart of Jesus,

but to love through his heart.

It is love that encourages your heart.

It is love that strengthens your heart.

It is love that gives us good hope.

The love that God used to form our heart 

while yet in our mother's womb...

It is that same heart of love that we radiate

 to the world today.

It is because God has loved us that we can go out

 into the world to perform good deeds.

It is because God has loved us that we can speak 

words of hope in today's world.

...cleanse first the inside of the cup,

so that the outside also may be clean.

Next time you take a sip of your favorite beverage

notice the inside of the glass.

My preference is a crystal wine glass.

The glass can only sparkle if the inside is clean...

 then the outside also looks beautiful.

Cleansing the inside insures that you get

 the best flavor from your beverage.

So it is with our heart and soul.

They are inside...to keep a pure heart

means we are more likely 

to have a more pleasing outside.

Eventually what is inside becomes evident

 on the outside through our actions and words.

We become convicted by the state of the inside 

of our heart and soul.

The word of God is living and effective,

able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

Remember your words and actions are true 

reflections of the inside of your cup.

Jesus labels the scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites.

They fail to cleanse the inside of their cup.

For inside they harbor evil...

 they are deficient in mercy and fidelity.

Consider the inside of your cup...

Come to the Lord for his cleaning assistance.

He will help you.

Blessings

Soul dish washing Jesus style.

~~~Peace~~~

Bare Bone Hope

~~~ Ezekiel 37:1-14 ~~~ Psalm 107 ~~~ Matthew 22:34-40 ~~~

The Old Testament is filled with God's surrogates, the prophets.

God chooses, appoints, anoints, and instructs

them to speak on his behalf.

Prophesy over these bones, and say to them:

Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!

God led Ezekiel into a desolate place.

He finds himself surrounded by dry bones.

How can a field of bare dry bones be inspirational?

There are no visible signs of life...no blood, no muscle...no flesh.

Having recently making bone broth I have learned

that dry bare bones are still rich with hidden nutrients.

There are numerous benefits in eating this bone broth.

God instructs Ezekiel to speak

 his words over these dry lifeless bones.

It appears to be a complete waste of time.

But for God nothing is a waste of time...he can restore...

he can make all things new again. 

The scene appears to be hopeless, but Ezekiel did as God requested.

Ezekiel spoke God's words over the bones.

Prophesy over these bones, and say to them:

Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!

When we find ourselves in a dry bare bones

place we too must listen to the word of the Lord.

There is a core of new life in the words of the Lord.

If we believe that God will restore an abundance of life,

then even in the midst of a pile of bones

we will not give up.

O my people, I will open your graves

and have you rise from them...

I will put my spirit in you that you may live...

The bones were restored to the land of the living

once God breathed the Spirit upon them.

Jesus is spirit and life.

This is how we are to know that God

 is indeed a God of his word.

We have been promised to receive the spirit of life.

There is nothing too dry, nothing too barren;

not even bare bones.

God commands...

From the four winds come, O spirit,

and breathe into these slain that they may come to life.

We must believe in God's words of life.

We are called to hold on to hope in 

everlasting life.

Blessed with the Spirit of the Lord.

Our hope is based in the promise of the Lord.

~~~Peace~~~

The Assumption of Mary

~~~ Solemnity of The Assumption of 

The Blessed Virgin Mary ~~~

~~~ Revelation 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB ~~~ Psalm 45 ~~~

~~~ 1 Corinthians 15:20-27 ~~~ Luke 1:39-56 ~~~

...the Almighty has done great things for me

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation...

I never tire of reflecting on the 

beautiful words of Mary's acceptance speech.

The dogma of the Assumption
of the Blessed Mother was defined in 1950.

Mary was set apart and chosen by God for all eternity.
Because of his special favor bestowed on her and intimate
 relationship with the Holy Spirit...

The whole Trinity honored the Blessed Mother
 in the most profound manner.

The artistic depiction of Mary being assumed into heaven
is difficult for we as humans to accept.
The concept is very foreign to us.
We are limited by our own mundane existence.

We accept this as a matter of faith.
When you consider the purity and holiness
of her body it becomes more acceptable.

Her body was the Tabernacle for the Savior of the World.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...

The soul of Mary was wrapped
 in holiness from her conception.
She was filled with the pure love of God.
The great joy of her parents paled
 in comparison to God's joy in her. 

Mary is often referred to as Queen of Mercy.
Mary is our most loving advocate before Jesus.

She knows that his love and capacity
 for mercy is beyond limits.

Mary kept all things in her heart.
She looks upon each of us with her loving heart.
She takes to her Son our failings along
 with our good intentions.

Mary knows that we all have goodness within our soul.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.

We are part of the current generation who
still call Mary Blessed.

Mary will forever be the one who intercedes
on our behalf before her Son, Jesus.

Mary is the Queen of Heaven.
Her beauty shines brightly as she takes
 her place next to her Son.

Blessed Mother Mary
we honor you today body and soul
as the Queen of Heaven.

Blessed and protected
by the Blessed Mother, Mary.

~~~Peace~~~

Seventy-Seven Times

~~~ Memorial of Saint Clare ~~~

~~~ Ezekiel 12:1-12 ~~~ Psalm 78 ~~~ Matthew 18:21–19:1 ~~~

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,

“Lord, if my brother sins against me,

how often must I forgive him?

As many as seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I say to you, 

not seven times but seventy-seven times.

This is one of the numerous 

verses in the Bible about forgiveness.

In the Old Testament God is the one 

who forgives his chosen people.

Animal sacrifices were made in atonement

 for sins...seeking God's forgiveness.

Moses pleads to God for forgiveness

 on behalf of the people of Israel.

Now if you would only forgive their sin! 

But if you will not, then blot me out of the book

 that you have written.” 

Exodus 32:32

Jeremiah and Isaiah 

also address God's forgiveness.

With the birth of Jesus 

we see a profound shift in the meaning of forgiveness.

Jesus comes to save an entire world. 

His death atoned for the sins for the whole world.

Jesus heals while simultaneously 

forgiving their personal sins.

Jesus brings God's 

forgiveness right to God's chosen people. 

Jesus teaches us about 

the importance of forgiveness.

He includes forgiveness

 in his own example of how we should pray.

...forgive us our trespasses as 

we forgive those who trespass against us...

Hanging on the cross Jesus speaks

 his final words of forgiveness...

...forgive them for they know not what they do...

It is in our own best interest to practice forgiveness.

Forgiving those who hurt us frees us from a heavy burden.

...how often must I forgive him?

As many as seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I say to you, 

not seven times but seventy-seven times.

The heavy burden of carrying hurt and anger toward another

greatly impairs the grace God is so freely giving us.

Jesus passes the forgiveness ball to each of us.

So dear readers the ball is in your court.

Who is in most need of your forgiveness?

Even if you cannot tell them in words;

forgive them in your heart...

Open your heart to the forgiving grace of God.

Blessed to be forgiven.

~~~Peace~~~

Abundant Grace

~~~ Feast of Saint Lawrence ~~~

~~~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 ~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~ John 12:24-26 ~~~  

God is able to make every grace 

abundant for you,

so that in all things, 

always having all you need,

you may have an abundance for every good work.

God makes grace abundant for you.

It is up to each of us to come before God 

to be receptive for his abundant grace.

Grace is a necessary component of every good work.

Grace puts every possibility within our grasp.

Grace is God's way of making us more holy.

Imagine God's grace being the most beautiful 

composition you have ever heard.

Imagine God's grace lifting up not 

just your heart but your soul.

The greater the grace the closer 

we move into the footsteps of Jesus.

...unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,

it remains just a grain of wheat;

but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

The grace of God sustains the wheat 

even as it falls to the ground and dies.

The grace of God produces

 all that is needed for abundant fruit.

All that is filled with the beauty of grace

will produce much fruit.

All that is good in your life 

is the evidence of God's grace at work on your behalf.

Grace freely given to you.

How well will you make use of this

abundant gift of grace?

Without God's grace 

we would be like a fish out of water.

May the grace of God

produce abundant fruit in your

 heart, soul...

and in your daily life.

~~~ Peace ~~~

The Best Guide

~~~ Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 ~~~ (Psalm) ~~~ 

Deuteronmy 32:35CD-36AB, 39ABCD, 41

~~~ Matthew 16:24-28 ~~~

"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,

take up his cross, and follow me..."

Guided tours...hike through the forest...mountain trail...

A tour guide alerts you to what is important

 to notice in the present environment.

A tour guide often carries a flag pole so you can 

see to follow him/her.

The guide knows the material...they are familiar with the space.

I know with a guide I get so much more information.

I have many friends that find zip lining to be exhilarating.

Having followed the path to the high point

they get into a harness and zip down along the cable line.

When you are ready to find a guide you check 

for the person with the highest ratings...the best reviews. 

Jesus is the perfect guide...

He asks us to follow him. He knows the way.
He has so much wisdom and knowledge he wants to share with us.

...take up his cross, and follow me..."

This is where we are tempted to pass up the
opportunity to follow Jesus the perfect guide.

We are never quite sure we can take up our cross...never
sure we want to carry our cross.

But even those who follow a guide
 through the woods carry their backpack.
Sometimes this backpack can be a very heavy load.

The interesting thing is that you become so engaged
in listening and following the guide that soon
the backpack no longer seems such a burden.

The same is true when we accept the invitation to follow Jesus.
We must take up our cross, but he quickly makes the journey
 so incredible that the cross seems to become lighter.

Jesus is the most wonderful guide for us.
He leads us into the most breathtaking places.

He leads us to everlasting life with him...
where all beauty, truth, and love awaits for us.

Blessings to take up your cross and follow Jesus.
The load of the cross will seem lighter
and you will be
in peace.

Peter's Correct Answer

~~~ Memorial of Saint John Vianney ~~~
~~~ Jeremiah 31:31-34 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ Matthew 16:13-23 ~~~

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

In spite of Peter's tendency to speak without thinking,
this answer was very revealing.

Jesus asked Peter a serious personal question...
"Who do you say the I am?"

Jesus was Peter's friend...his leader...his teacher...
Jesus loved and respected Peter.
Jesus had faith in Peter's leadership abilities.
Jesus was a good teacher and Peter was a good student.

Peter recognized Jesus as Christ...the Anointed One.
Peter recognized him as the Son.
Peter recognized God as living.

Peter saw Jesus as much more than
who he appeared to be to the other apostles.

Peter saw him as the Son of the Living God...
the Living God.

God did not 'die' because he sent Jesus to dwell among us.

God is not dead, Jesus is his living son.
Jesus tells us that he and the Father are one in the same
therefore God is very much a living God.

Jesus trusted Peter enough to give
 him responsibility for the future of his church.

And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not 
prevail against it.

Peter was given the insight
to see Jesus as both divine and human.

This insight came to Peter from the Father.
God the Father was also at work in the heart of Peter.

God is also at work within your heart.

Create a clean heart in me, O God.

It is within the context of a clean heart
 that we can answer the same question
Jesus posed to Peter...

I invite you to sit with your own answer.
Who do YOU say that Jesus is?

Can you be honest with yourself?

Can you live with your answer?
Is Jesus the Son of a Living God to you?

God is Alive!
Jesus came to live among us in a very real way.

Blessings
~~~Peace~~~

Remedy for Our Soul

~~~ Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22 ~~~ 

~~~ Psalm 102 ~~~ Matthew 14:22-36 ~~~

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter overcomes his better judgement...gets out of the boat...

and attempts to walk on the water to meet Jesus.

Peter soon becomes frightened when he is faced

 with the turmoil of the seas.

Jesus never looks away from Peter.

Just as he never looks away from us.

Jesus was constant in his support of Peter.

Just as he supports us in all situations.

Jesus reaches his hand out to save Peter.

Just as his hand is there to save us.

God directed Jeremiah to record his words.

His words were to be recorded so that years

 later we would have them too.

Incurable is your wound,

grievous your bruise;

There is none to plead your cause,

no remedy for your running sore,

no healing for you.

Remedy...is defined as 

a medicine or treatment for a disease or injury.

A remedy is sometimes bitter sweet...may leave

 a nasty taste in our mouth.

We can search for remedies 

for everything from blemishes and dark circles to 

joint pain and high blood pressure, 

but only God has the remedy for our sinful soul.

God sent the only remedy to save all of us...Jesus.

Jesus is the remedy for all of our ills.

Jesus is the remedy for our minor cuts and bruises.

Jesus is the remedy for our broken hearts.

Jesus is the remedy for our greatest pain.

Jesus restores...rebuilds...

supplies abundance...dispenses justice...

loves lavishly.

The LORD looked down from his holy height,

from heaven he beheld the earth...

He beheld the earth and chose to see our potential for good.

If we had no inherent potential to be good

why would God even bother with saving us?

Perhaps the answer is more about who God is

and not at all about who we are.

Jesus became the divine remedy for our soul.

No other remedy could ever have resulted in our salvation.

Jesus is the supernatural remedy 

for all our ills of mind, body, and soul.

It may only become 

completely evident and fully experienced

when we die and are granted entry into heaven.

Then we will have no doubt 

that we had no reason to be afraid.

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Blessings...

the remedy is here to heal us...to make us whole.

~~~Peace~~~

Greed: Selfish Desire

~~~ Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23~~

~~Psalm 90~~ Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11~~Luke 12:13-21~~

“Take care to guard against all greed,

for though one may be rich,

one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

The dictionary defines greed as...

intense and selfish desire for something, 

especially wealth, power, or food.

When an individual becomes strangled by greed

 they can never be satisfied...

there is always something more they desire.

Greed leaves the soul starving for something 

that it does not recognize.

Greed robs the soul of finding peace of heart.

Greed exhausts one's ability to rest.

One cannot rest when there is always something more.

In order to get more they must be in a constant state of acquisition.

God gives us his peace.

Peace never emerges out of greed.

We hear in scripture that 

'love of money is the root of all evil'...

(1Tim.6:10)

Greed keeps one hungry day and night.

Greed cannot quiet the grumbling stomach.

Greed does not come from God.

Perhaps the first sin in the Garden of Eden

was ultimately the first sin of greed.

The temptation of greed was disguised in a luscious

 piece of sweet juicy fruit.

No matter how much we desire or what we 

acquire in our lifetime

none of it gets you into the gates of heaven.

We must find a way to accumulate the intangible.

We must become 

 '...rich in what matters to God.'

It is only God that can

 satisfy the greed of our heart.

He can only do that if we keep 

our tendencies toward greed under control.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Greed is not the path to heaven.

Greed holds one on the race track 

with no finish line in sight.

Christ is all and in all.

There is no room for greed.

None of our earthly possessions

 will make it into eternity with our soul.

Blessings...

greed cannot be the way.

~~~Peace~~~

The Divine Potter

~~~ Jeremiah 18:1-6 ~~~ Psalm 146 ~~~ Matthew 13:47-53 ~~~

This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

Rise up, be off to the potter’s house;

there I will give you my message.

What kind of message can you get from 

a lifeless ball of clay?

Perhaps it is a message of hope.

The potter tirelessly works the clay...

the potter picks up the clay...

the potter caresses the clay...

the potter develops a love relationship with the clay. 

Jeremiah had to get up and go down

 to the potter's house.

We do likewise when get up and go to our churches.

The potter's workshop houses all that is needed

 to make the most beautiful piece of pottery.

When we rise up and go to Mass

the potter has the unique opportunity to create

a most beautiful piece of pottery.

The potter desires to create you into his masterpiece.

A vessel ready to be cured in the fire.

A vessel too beautiful to be taken for granted.

The Divine Potter is waiting to mold you on his wheel.

Rise up, be off to the potter’s house...

Rise and go up to the potter's house

he is waiting for you.

The master potter has great plans

to mold you into the most beautiful vessel imaginable.

I am reminded that the clay is not in charge.

The clay does not act alone.

The clay ultimately surrenders

 to the skilled hands of the potter.

I invite you to picture yourself in the hands of Jesus.

Allow him to form you into His beautiful piece of pottery.

You are unique.

The potter calls you his beloved.

Always Blessed with hope in the potter's hands.

Always loved in the potter's hands.

Always treasured in the potter's hands.

~~~ Peace ~~~

A Parent's Influence

~~~ Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne ~~~

~~~ Jeremiah 14:17-22 ~~~ Psalm 79 ~~~ 

~~~ Matthew 13:36-43 ~~~

We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,

the guilt of our fathers;

that we have sinned against you.

In the garden of life there are some flowers 

like people who capture your attention.

Many times we are told that it is our 

childhood that is the cause of our adult problems.

Many times we are led to believe 

that our parents did something wrong.

Many times we blame our parents for our own shortcomings.

Today we remember the parents of the Blessed Mother, Mary.

Anne and Joachim raised their daughter 

to be the wonderful woman God chose to carry 

Our Lord, Jesus into our world.

God honored Anne and Joachim

by sending his angel Gabriel to their daughter

with the news of her Immaculate Conception.

Mary's parents filled her with love and goodness.

Mary's parents taught her to be open to the voice of God.

Mary's parents raised her to be humble.

Mary's parents valued her purity of mind, body, and heart.

Mary's parents modeled sincerity, truth, and integrity.

Today we honor Anne and Joachim

because they were vital in preparing the Blessed Mother

 to speak her words of the Magnificat.

Is it not you alone, O LORD,

our God, to whom we look?

You alone have done all these things.

May these wonderful parents, Anne and Joachim,

 inspire us to raise their own children with pure 

love and true integrity.

Saints Anne and Joachim,

pray for us.

We give you thanks 

for your beloved daughter, Mary

~~~ Peace~~~

The Persistent Stream

~~~ Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~ Genesis 18:20-32~~Psalm 138 ~~ 

~~~ Colossians  2:12-14 ~~~ Luke 11:1-13 ~~~

...he will get up to give him whatever he needs

because of his persistence...

The dictionary defines persistence...

the quality that allows someone to continue doing something

 or trying to do something even though it is difficult 

or opposed by other people...

the state of occurring or existing beyond the usual, 

expected, or normal time

Perhaps our experience of persistence does 

make us think of children.

When a parent is confronted with the persistence

 of a toddler one tactic is to create a distraction.

Maybe we recall the well known story 

of the hare and the tortoise when we think of persistence.

The tortoise is a prime example of the rewards of being persistent.

He wins the race...

Is your prayer life about winning the race?

When it comes to our prayer life

we, as adults, are encouraged to be persistent.

...ask and you will receive;

seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you. 

We are encouraged to keep praying 

even though it is difficult.

We are encouraged to keep praying 

even though we do not feel God is listening.

We are encouraged to keep praying

even though others tell us it is a waste of time.

Are we foolish to believe that persistence 

is useful when it comes to our selfish wants and needs?

Persistence in prayer helps us to overcome all odds

 that life appears to be against us.

Our prayer life must not be defeated

by those who tell us it does not make a difference.

Persistence in prayer must also to be supported by humility.

Persistence in prayer means to keep asking

with the knowledge that we will accept God's will.

Persistence in prayer carries us beyond

 our own shortcomings.

Persistence in prayer solidifies our faith.

Jesus gives us the words of the Our Father.

Saint Paul tells us to pray 

without ceasing.

Lord, on the day I called for help, 

you answered me.

We can only fail in our prayer life 

when we give up....when we stop having

 hope in the Lord.

When it comes to your prayer life

it is wonderful to be hard headed and persistent.

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, 

the stream always wins; not through strength

 but through persistence.

Wise words from Buddha.

Prayer in our life must be like a stream

 quietly flowing through our souls.

Blessings of persistence in prayer.

~~~Peace~~~

Feast of Mary Magdalene, Apostle

~~~ Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene ~~~

So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:

the old things have passed away;

behold, new things have come.

Mary Magdalene was the first one to witness 

Christ as the new creation.

The Resurrection put an end to the old things.

The Resurrection gives us evidence of the new things.

Mary Magdalene was the messenger commissioned, 

by Jesus himself, to carry the 'new creation' 

news to the apostles.

Mary Magdalene emerged out of the old ways.

She encountered Jesus and from then on she 

believed that he the one true Messiah.

She saw in Jesus the hope for a better future.

Jesus saw in Mary a woman of great potential

 in spite her demonic possession...so he cured her.

Jesus cured Mary and she too became a new creation.

She became a devout believer and follower of Jesus.

She loved Jesus for the person he was...both divine and human.

She had no way of knowing the human Jesus 

she so loved and honored was also the divine person

 who would die to save the whole world.

...go to my brothers and tell them,

‘I am going to my Father and your Father,

to my God and your God.’

Easter morning it was Mary Magdalene

who first saw the Risen Jesus.

He called her be name and her heart

 leaped with joy.

I can only imagine her 

surprise to hear him call her by name.

She came alone expecting to find 

everything as it had been left.

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,

“I have seen the Lord,”

and then reported what he told her.

St. Thomas Aquinas, referred to St. Mary Magdalene

 as “Apostle of the Apostles,” because she was the one 

who announced Jesus’ resurrection to them and the world.

This woman should be an inspiration to all women.

She was given the most important role 

in proclaiming the Resurrection.

She was entrusted to deliver the news accurately 

in a timely manner.

Pope Benedict XVI’s reflection on Mary Magdalene in 2006:

 “A disciple of Christ is one who, in the experience of human weakness, 

has had the humility to ask for his help, has been healed 

by him and has set out following closely after him, 

becoming a witness of the power of his merciful 

love that is stronger than sin and death,”

 the emeritus pope wrote.

Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us.

Blessings for all the faithful followers of Christ.

~~~Peace~~~

Keeping the Soul Soil Rich

~~~ Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10 ~~~ Psalm 71 ~~~ Matthew 13:1-9 ~~~ 

Whoever has ears ought to hear...

Jesus often spoke in parables inspired by his surroundings.

These parables hold meanings for us today.

The parable of the sower and the seeds

 is the current reading.

We are familiar with the seeds 

falling on different types of soil.

The prophets moved about the peoples 

spreading the seeds of God.

They did indeed experience the 

different types of soil.

Some of their words fell on the path...

some fell on rocky ground...a few fell

 on rich fertile soil.

Jesus too had the same experience 

with not just his precious words.

but his actions too.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you...

We might ask ourselves if God 

has known us from our conception

then why do we struggle with Jesus?

God never just speaks to us 

in words and phrases we want to hear.

From our conception our soul was 

prepared to receive the goodness of the Lord.

We were born with rich soul soil...

It is up to us to keep that soil in pure condition.

It is up to us to remove the rocks and weeds.

We are responsible to hear the words of the parable;

as words meant for us in the present time.

Have no fear before them,

because I am with you to deliver you...

The Lord gives us his grace to know how

 to keep our soul in the listening mode.

To root up and to tear down,

to destroy and to demolish,

to build and to plant.

As we grow in holiness we learn to root up...to tear down...

all that spoils our rich soil.

We learn to destroy the weeds in our souls.

We develop the strength to demolish 

the rocks along our path.

Whoever has ears ought to hear...

Listen carefully to the words of Jesus.

They are words to build upon for our future challenges.

They are words to till the soil ready to receive

 the seeds of love, peace, and forgiveness.

Have no fear before them,

because I am with you to deliver you...

Maintaining the soil of our soul...

keeping it rich, requires a current relationship with Jesus.

Those who have ears must hear the 

words of everlasting life.

Jesus speaks them directly

 into your heart.

Blessed with rich soil.

Blessed to find the weeds.

Blessed to remove the rocks.

Blessed to believe that Jesus is speaking to me.

~~~Peace~~~

Nurture Your Soul

~~Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time~~

~~~Genesis 18:1-10A ~~~ Psalm 15 ~~~

~~~ Colossians 1:24-28 ~~~ Luke 10:38-42 ~~~

Hospitality, Generosity, Stillness, Anxiety...

Martha and Mary, two sisters who showed their love

 for Jesus in very different ways.

Mary who sat beside the Lord at his 

feet listening to him speak. 

Martha, burdened with much serving, 

came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care

that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving...

Martha thought it important to prepare

 a good meal; to serve Jesus.

She wanted to nourish his physical body.

She was busy in the kitchen. 

She could not hear what Jesus was saying.

The two sisters did not get to see Jesus very often.

They were excited that he came to visit them in their home.

Jesus came to get away from the crowds.

Jesus came to relax with his friends.

He could just be his natural self...he was 

comfortable in their company.

Mary sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. 

Mary did not want to waste any time being near to Jesus.

She sat at his feet soaking up every word he spoke.

She relished to hear the stories of his travels.

She was eager to hear how people received him.

She was mesmerized with the healings of how 

he had helped so many people.

The beauty of this story is that Jesus accepted 

both of these women for who they were.

Both are beautiful examples for us.

We need to have spiritual balance in our life.

Jesus does not expect us to pray exclusively.

Jesus does not expect us to go

 out each day and just do good works.

We need to have both prayer and good 

works in order to have a rich fertile spiritual life.

...it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.

Find ways to bring prayer and good works into your life;

this is how you nurture your soul.

Be the goodness in our world

 that you want to see. 

Be the peace in our world

 that you want to experience.

Be the love in the world

that you want to feel.

Be still for the presence of the Lord.

He has not abandoned us...

near to all who call on him.

Blessings

Let there be Peace in our world.