Gaze Upon His Loveliness

~~~ Isaiah 29:17-24 ~~~ Psalm 27 ~~~ Matthew 9:27-31 ~~~

 

"...One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple..."

 

A new mother gazes into the face of her newborn baby.

To gaze means to look intently with great curiosity, interest,

pleasure, or wonder.

 

To gaze on the loveliness of God seems so simple.

In order to gaze one must be present and still.

It is the stillness that allows us to look intently.

It is the stillness that allows us to see the loveliness.

 

Lovely might be used by a father to describe how his daughter

looks on her wedding day.

Loveliness inspires love and beauty.

How would you describe the beauty of the Lord?

Can our puny words even do this loveliness justice?

 

Must we be inside the house of the Lord in order to gaze upon

his loveliness?

I relish to think about the loveliness of God.

As I look around at the beauty he has given us here on earth

how awesome must be his beauty.

 

Loveliness is a beauty that not only is physically appealing

but also emotionally appealing.

I believe God wants us to experience his

beauty through our emotions.

Beauty is not restricted to what you can see with your eyes.

The psalmist implies that we will want to sit

and gaze upon the loveliness of God

all the days of our life.

In heaven that would translate to all of eternity.

Our eyes will want to remain transfixed on the Lord.

This beauty will satisfy every need we have ever experienced.

 

 

The next phrase of this verse directs our attention

to the temple...God's house.

This is of course just for us because God certainly

does not need a 'place' to reside.

 

A favorite part of traveling for us is to visit the churches in different cities.

I have written before about how inspiring

La Familia Sagruda in Barcelona, Spain

is for me.

We are to encouraged to turn our thoughts toward God

while we are in his house. If this is to be then the structure

rightfully should reflect something of the qualities of God.

 

Consider just the quality of loveliness...

What is it about your place of worship that speaks of

the loveliness of the Lord?

Perhaps it is one statue, one candle, or the altar.

So often for me it has been

the sun streaming through the stained glass windows...

The colors dancing off the walls as the sun slowly

moves across the window...

this inspires me to contamplate the

loveliness of the Lord.

 

I have been blessed to witness the reflections from

the stained glass windows illuminate the altar during the Consecration.

We are surrounded with the loveliness of the Lord.

How often are we still long enough to gaze at the sight?

Take time to Gaze upon the Loveliness

of the Lord.

It will be good for your soul.

The Cloud of Dust

~~~ Isaiah 26:1-6 ~~~ Psalm 118 ~~~  Matthew 7:21, 24-27 ~~~

 

Most of the time when I read the Bible I try to visualize the scene,

that is after all what comprehension is all about.

Today there were a couple images used that conjured very vivid pictures

because of events we have experienced in recent years.

 

Isaiah speaks of the Lord being like a Rock.

No matter how firm your foundation.

No matter how safe you believe your city to be God can bring it down.

 

"...He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust."

 

On the terrible day the twin towers tumbled to the ground the dust created

as they fell was unbelievable.

The scene of people running trying to escape the huge cloud

of dust and debris was frightening.

While I certainly do not believe this was an act of punishment from God;

nevertheless it provides more meaning for these words from the prophet, Isaiah.

 

"Trust in the Lord"

is the advice from the prophet.

God is really the only one we can completely trust.

 

The psalmist echoes the same message...

"...It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man."

 

Build your faith and beliefs on the Lord.

Hear his words and act accordingly.

The word of the Lord is constant and firm as the Rock of Gibraltar.

When you build upon trusting in God you are

free to act according to his will.

If you do not place your trust solely in the Lord you are left

to the unpredictablity of yourself and others around you.

 

If you do not put your trust in the Lord

you will be like the house washed away from the recent hurricane

on the northeast coast.

When the storms of life hit and shake you to your foundation.

It is then that you take notice of whether or not you have built

on firm rock solid ground.

 

 

Throughout the liturgical cycle of readings

we are reminded time and time again to trust in the Lord.

 

Why, you might ask do we need to be reminded repeatedly

about something that makes so much sense.

Somehow as we go about our day to day routines we begin to rely

more and more on ourselves and our

accomplishmentsin this world.

It takes something as visual as being chased down by a cloud of dust

to bring us to our knees in the reality that we

only have God.

He is the only one who is deserving of our complete trust.

 

The word of God never lies to us.

The word of God is never designed to trick or deceive us.

The word of God is always the basis and foundation of all truth.

If we cannot trust God

then who is it that we can trust?

 

Saint Nicholas, pray for us,

especially during this season of Advent.

It truly is in giving that we receive.

Teach us to trust in the Divine Providence.

Compassionate God

~~~ Isaiah 25:6-10a ~~~ Psalm 23 ~~~ Matthew 15:29-37 ~~~

 

The Lord is my shepherd...psalm 23

one of the most well known

and often quoted scripture verses.

Not because we know much about sheep and shepherds,

but because we find comfort in trusting that God will take care of us.

None of have had the experience of tending for a herd of sheep, but

we believe that the shepherd only wants what is good for his sheep.

It is an analogy that gives us comfort when we consider

our relationship with God.

A shepherd watches over his flock night and day.

He does not allow the dangers of darkness access to his sheep.

When we contemplate God as our shepherd we somehow know

 that even in our darkness he is there watching over us.

 

God will provide for all of our needs.

We must keep admit that our 'needs' may not always be what we think.

We have the human tendency to be selfish.

Often our 'needs' are nothing more than 'wants'.

 

 

~~ Compassionate God ~~

 

Great crowds followed Jesus.

They were attracted to him for many reasons;

one being his compassion for others.

You cannot be selfish and compassionate at the same time.

 

The last few weeks I have been listening to a series on compassion and our brain.

It was produced by Sounds True titled The Compassionate Brain.

I invite you to check it out on their site.

 

The latest research confirms the positive effect compassion has on our brain.

When we step away from ourselves and think of others

we are actually improving our mental and spiritual welbeing.

 

Jesus exhibits his compassion through most of his miracles and

interactions with those around them.

"...Great crowds came to him,
having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,
and many others.
They placed them at his feet, and he cured them."

 

Up on the mountain the sick and the lame were carried to him for healing.

He could have just extended his compassion in healing to those before him,

but he went a step farther.

 

Jeus was also concerned about all of the people present...

even those who dod not come to be healed.

Jesus was sensitive to their real physical hunger.

 

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,
"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
for they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
I do not want to send them away hungry,
for fear they may collapse on the way."

 

 

Climbing up the hill in the heat to see and hear Jesus

was exhausing, especially if you are now also very hungry.

 

Coming to Jesus may require sacrifice, but not starvation.

Jesus healed the lame and he nourished all those present.

 

Today food trucks would have swarmed to the area

hoping to sell a few thousand tacos.

Hoping to make their monthly quota in a couple hours.

 

There were no such luxuries during the time of Jesus.

He took it upon himself to provide for the needs of the crowd

because of his compassion for others.

 

Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,
gave thanks, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over--seven baskets full.

 

Jesus used what was gathered from the people...

through his blessing the meager amount of food

was more than enough to feed the large crowd.

 

Jesus took the time to be mindful of his surroundings.

He was aware of more then just those who had come for healing.

We miss the fact that God is always aware of our needs.

He is the Good Shepherd who cares for his flock day and night.

He is the Good Sheperd who protects his little sheep

from the attack of the wolf.

 

I invite you to find ways during the Advent time to reach out

to those around you who are less fortunate.

Now is the time to put aside selfishness.

Now is the time to put compassion into practice.

You may even need to begin with compassion for yourself...

this is not being selfish, by the way.

All that Jesus gave he already had within...

given to him from the Father.

We have a Compassionate God

who loves us.

Living the Prophet's Vision

~~~ Isaiah 11:1-10 ~~~Psalm 72 ~~~ Luke 10:21-24 ~~~

 

If you read Isaiah carefully you may just notice his writing foreshadowed

the gifts of the Holy Spirit and even hints of the Beatitudes.

 

The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.

 

The beginning and the end of today's reading contains the words..

On that day

 

We know that day was when God the Father sent Jesus

down to earth to dwell with us;

to be one of us.

 

God has a knack for bringing impossible things together.

The wolf and the lamb will peacefully share a common space.

Rivals will lie beside one another.

The young of these rivals will run and play games together.

Humans and the animals will coexist in harmony with one another.

In effect all will be right with the world.

We are still waiting for this scene to materialize.

Only through the eyes of authors, like C.S. Lewis and screen writers

do we get to see this kind harmony play out.

 

Only those who will risk going too far

can possibly find out how far one can go.

T. S. Eliot

Perhaps to some Isaiah may have gone too far with his prophesying,

but in truth God takes all things to the extreme...

at least what to us would be extreme.

We might even consider it foolish and naive to think such opposites

as wolves and lambs could

be brought so close together as suggested.

 

Jesus came as one who gives peace...

He is the Prince of Peace.

He gives us his own peace; not for us to hide away for ourselves,

but rather for us to extend his peace to others.

 

 

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see..."

 

 We are not all granted the gift of sight at the same time,

but when it comes we become intoxicated with joy.

 

The Prince of Peace is also the Light of the World.

Without light we might as well not have eyes with which to see.

Whether or not you can physically see

the eyes of your heart must be open.

 

Through the eyes of the heart we can imagine the wonderful world

we  do not behold with our physical eyes.

A world brought together from opposite ends of the spectrum.

A world where wolves and lambs live in peace and harmony.

A world where differences are celebrated...

not because they are different but because they have

been gifted with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.

On that day

all things will come to pass.

From a Distance

~~~ Isaiah 2: 1-5 ~~~ Psalm 122 ~~~ Matthew 8:5-11 ~~~

 

If your heart is filled with loving care and compassion,

as was the centurion's, Jesus will respond.

It is the right disposition of the heart that allows

Jesus to act from anywhere.

It is not necessary to be in any one physical location for God to hear us.

We do not have to recite certain prescribed prayers for God to heal us.

We must only have our heart under the influence of love...concern

for another.

 

We are invited to walk in the light of the Lord.

This can only be possible if our heart is washed in love.

If we do not have love in our heart we cannot walk in the light of the Lord;

it would be too uncomfortable.

We could not stand the intensity of the light.

If we do not love in our heart the light from the Lord

would cause us to turn and flee.

 

God never hears us because of our worthiness;

he hears us because we are his own.

We belong to him.

If we believe for one minute that we can sustain ourselves without God

we are surely doomed.

We have life through him...he alone gives life...

he alone takes life.

 

 

In 1990 Bette Midler won the Grammy for the song...

'From a Distance'

Julis Gold, composer and lyricist of this song, writes...

"The job of a song is to take a person on a musical journey for 3 minutes.

In those 3 minutes you can transport your listener to a better, higher place.

When they return to their starting point,

hopefully they'll be changed forever for the better."

From a distance things do not appear as they are close up.

From a distance things often seem to be better.

Distance is a word with many different interpretations.

There is physical distance...

Jesus was physically distant from the one needing to be healed.

 

There can also be a distance within one's heart.

The Scribes and the Pharisees mostly kept their hearts distant from Jesus.

But this centurion used his heart to connect with Jesus.

He was present both physically and emotionally to Jesus.

He took advantage of his heart connection with Jesus, you might say,

by making his request.

His request was for Jesus to heal someone 'from a distance'.

From a distance Jesus could not interact with the servant

nor could the servant interact with Jesus.

Distance is immaterial for Jesus.

 

Today's psalm asks us to pray for peace for Jerusalem.

Even from a distance we can intercede on behalf of others through our prayers.

 

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings."

 

Distance is never an issue when it comes to Jesus.

There is hope even for those who appear to be distant of heart.

In right relationship with Jesus there is no distance...

physically or emotionally.

 

Be honest...speak and write from your heart.

 

 

Below are the lyrics for 'From a Distance'

 

From a distance the world looks blue and green,
And the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
And the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony,
And it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
It's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
And no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
No hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments
Marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They're the songs of every man.
God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,
Even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
What all this fighting is for.
From a distance there is harmony,
And it echoes through the land.
And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves,
It's the heart of every man.

It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.
And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.
Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.
God is watching us from a distance.

God is watching us from a distance

yet he is also here among us.

 

Come, Lord Jesus...Maranatha!

May you abide in his Peace!

Create the Space to Receive

~~~First Sunday of Advent ~~~

 

~~~ Jeremiah 33:14-16 ~~~ Psalm 25 ~~~ 1Thessalonians 3: 12-4:2 ~~~

~~~ Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 ~~~

 

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

 

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
and for you I wait all the day.

 

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

 

As we begin the solemn time of Advent

we are reminded to strengthen our hearts.

A strong heart is fortified with love.

The Blessed Mother is a model for us of what it means to be vigilant

with a heart fully awake.

 

Imagine for a moment being prepared for the coming of the Lord in

mind, body, heart and soul.

With our mind, let us focus on preparing a place in our lives

where Jesus can reside.

Make a commitment to read the daily readings

thinking about what they are saying to you.

With our body, let us act in a manner that exemplifies our intent

to receive Jesus

in a new way during Advent this year.

With our heart and soul, create a sacred inner space where the Lord

is welcome to dwell.

Dedicate time to be still and consider what you are anticipating.

Are you really eagerly waiting for Jesus to be born again

within your heart?

 

With arms outstretched embrace this vision of welcoming Jesus

into your whole being...

...allow him to inspire your thoughts...

...allow him to be present through your actions toward others...

...allow him to be the joy in your heart...

...allow him to be the song in your soul.

 

 

"The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise..."

 

Wait for the Lord.

Be vigilant and strong.

Stand up straight and tall, for he is coming for you...

He is coming so that you might have life everlasting.

 

Be not afraid.

Open up your heart, mind, body, and soul.

Praise him with all that you are.

Guarding Your Heart

~~~ Revelation 22:1-7 ~~~ Psalm 95 ~~~ Luke 21:34-36 ~~~

 

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

 

"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy...

from the anxieties of daily life...

Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent..."

 

Now that we are into the frenzy of the holiday shopping and decorating 

the readings are reminding us to be vigilant...to take care of our heart. 

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the anxieties of the season...

making decisions on those special gifts...

spending time with family can add even more stress.

 

Today's readings also give us the magnificent vision of the tree of life.

The tree grows on either side of the brilliant river.

The tree produces fruit each month.

Is this where the idea for the fruit of the month came from?

The tree is nourished by the life-giving water from the river.

The river is sparkling like crystal.

Many times I have seen the ocean sparkling like crystals

as the bright sun shines down.

It looks like an ocean of diamonds.

An awe inspiring sight to behold.

 

It boggles the mind to think

that the brilliance coming

from the light of the Lord

will be so much brighter.

 

 

I pray for the strength to stay vigilant in the face of my

daily challenges and anxieties.

The reward is great.

I want to see the glorious light

coming from the Lord.

I want to see his face.

I want to be claimed by him and marked with his name

on my forehead.

All of the anxieties of daily life will be no more.

They will pass away.

God sent his angel with this message...

"Behold, I am coming soon."

 

Take care of your heart; it will lead you down the right path.

Do not let your heart become drowsy...

The heart longs for communion with the Lord.

 

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!