'Poor in Spirit' Wins the Reward

~~~ 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ Matthew 5:1-12 ~~~

 

Our hope for you is firm,
for we know that as you share in the sufferings,
you also share in the encouragement.

 

The Beatitudes are full of hope and encouragement.

The Beatitudes challenge many of our commonly held beliefs.

 

If you reflect on the Beatitudes from Matthew's gospel today;

here is what you will not find.

There is no blessing for the proud.

There is no blessing for those who belittle others.

There is no blessing for the one who stands in the spotlight

bragging of his accomplishments.

There is no blessing for the driver who cut you off in morning traffic.

There is no blessing for the husband who abuses his wife.

There is no blessing for those who harm children.

There is no blessing for the neighborhood drug dealer.

 

Instead, the Beatitudes speak of things that today

we might consider weaknesses.

The poor in spirit...mourners...the meek...

those seeking justice...the merciful...the clean of heart...

the peacemakers...and the persecuted.

 

In which of these categories can I find myself?

Honestly it can change from day to day.

I have been among those who mourn, but it is not where I would long to stay.

I have been among those seeking justice,

but has it always been for the right reasons...

I am not sure.

You can be very selfish in seeking justice for your own sake.

Being a peacemaker can be challenging at times too,

especially when those around you

do not want peace or when they do not value peace.

 

 

Certainly we all want to see the kingdom of heaven, to find comfort, to be satisfied,

to experience mercy, to see God and be called his child.

It seems that in order to get to heaven you must allow yourself

 to be poor in spirit and persecuted.

 

Taste and see how good the LORD is...

 

Perhaps the very first Beatitude is the key to all of the others that follow.

'Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven...'

 

If we are to enter into the kingdom of heaven it is crucial that we die to ourselves.

To enter the kingdom of heaven we must confess that we totally rely on God.

We must believe with all of our heart that we need God in our daily life.

 

Poor in Spirit means you empty your self; putting aside all that is self-centered.

Much easier said then lived from day to day.

It takes hope and encouragement to truly be 'poor in spirit'.

It requires one to look beyond one's own self.

 

Be one who becomes cloaked in the blessings of the Beatitudes.

Keep striving for the Kingdom of Heaven...

one day we hope to arrive at our destination.

See you on the other side!!

Hope is More than Surviving

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~1 Kings 17:17-24~~Psalm 30~~Galatians 1:11-19 ~~Luke 7:11-17~~

 

Both stories we have today are of widows

 who are facing the reality of the death of another loved one.

Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”
Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper room
where he was staying, and put him on his bed.

 

He took the son from the lap of the grieving mother.

A woman who has already faced the death of her spouse.

He took the son away to the upper room.

The upper room which can be associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Elijah prayed over the child three times...he prayed

to the Trinity without having knowledge of it.

 

Elijah asked for the breath of life to return to the child.

He prayed in God's name.

“O LORD, my God,
let the life breath return to the body of this child.”

 

Paul acknowledges that it is God who prepared his heart.

It is God who works through him.

 

'...the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.'

Paul too was given new life even though no one interceded on his behalf,

but rather God sought him out from his own.

New life can be quite surprising and shocking

when it comes to someone like Paul.

Paul was confident and comfortable in his old life.

Until God came to him, Paul thought

 he was doing the right thing with his life.

 

'...The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.'  

 

Elijah and Paul can make this claim humbly.

It is God who works his miracles through their earthly person. 

 

 

The returning of life is a vivid example of never

losing hope in the power of the Lord God. 

Hope is held dear by all believers.

 

We praise God;

You changed my mourning into dancing... 

 

 Jesus comes to the coffin of the widow's son.

Moved with pity he tells her to stop crying.

 He brought her hope that God is here for his people.

Jesus touched the coffin and the breath of life returned to his body.

Jesus placed the child in his mother's arms.

Later, the lifeless body of Jesus would be placed

 into the arms of his mother.  

 

Jesus is the hope of the world.

 “God has visited his people.” 

God continues to place hope into our hearts.

Hope that can only come from his promise of ever lasting life in him.

 

Hope of the World, be with us.

Mary Kept All in Her Heart

 

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

~~~ Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20 ~~~ Psalm Response Tobit 13:2, 6efgh, 7, 8 ~~~ Luke 2:41-51~~~

 

When Mary and Joseph presented their son in the temple,

they were told that swords would pierce the heart of Mary.

Mary kept everything in her heart.

 

I can only imagine the anxiety she must have experienced

when she could not find Jesus.

Being lost in the temple does not sound like a bad thing, but

as a parent it is the unknown that causes fear to rise in your heart.

Mary took her responsibility to care for Jesus very seriously.

She was to look after him until it was time for his public ministry to begin.

 

After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers...

 

Three days is a long time when your child is missing...

three days symbolically connected to Jesus being raised from the dead also after three days.

 

 

Even though they were relieved in finding him safe in the temple

they still needed, as parents,

to express their frustration they had felt.

 

“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”

 

This was to be only one of many more times

Mary would experience what had been prophesied to her

years earlier in the temple.

 

Mary had to let go of Jesus so that he could freely be about his Father's work.

Her heart held joys, sorrows, fears, hopes, wishes, desires for her son.

As parents we come to realize that our children are not ours to keep;

we cannot hold on to them for ever.

Mary knew in her heart that Jesus was going to be facing terrible ordeals in his life.

She could not protect him or prevent harm from coming to him.

She had to hold all of this and so much more in her heart.

 

The heart of Mary is filled with love.

A mother's love.

A love that extends out to all of us who love her son.

Mary is a devoted mother who is ready to take our needs

and our anxieties to her son, Jesus.

The Heart of Mary is pure and overflowing with Love.

 

Mary, teach us how to love like you.

Intercede on our behalf, we pray,

 as we come to you and place our trust in your beautiful heart.

Mother Mary, pray for us.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus

~~~ Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ~~~

 

~~ Ezekiel 34:11-16 ~~ Psalm 23 ~~ Rom 5:5b-11 ~~ Luke 15:3-7 ~~

 

'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'

 

When something is dear to your heart, as we are to the heart of Jesus,

it is easy too understand the joy in finding the lost.

 

We hold  many people and even material things dear to our heart.

None of which compares to what Jesus holds precious in his heart.

 

Imagine your soul tucked into the heart of Jesus; with every beat of his heart he loves you completely.

He loves you without reservation.

He loves you because he made you into his image.

He holds in his heart all of our joys and sorrows.

There is nothing we can keep from the heart of Jesus.

His precious heart is holding you.

 

He has graciously sent his love into our own hearts.

The love he shares with us is the same love that we share with others.

We are a mirror reflecting Jesus' love out toward others.

 

 

I found this prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus this morning.

I offer it here for your personal prayer on this holy day...

a day we remember with gratitude the heart of Jesus

that unconditionally loves you.

 

Prayer of Trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus

In all my temptations,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my weaknesses,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my difficulties,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my trials,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my sorrows,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In all my work,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In every failure,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In every discouragement,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In life and in death,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In time and in eternity,
I place my trust in You,
O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Amen.

 

The Shepherd loves and protects his sheep.

He finds those who wander away from the flock.

He gently drapes them across his shoulders and carries

 them home to where they belong.

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

Only when returned to the safety of the flock does the lost one

realize this is where he truly wants to remain.

 

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

blesses us with every single beat;

shedding every last drop of his blood to grant us salvation.

I place my trust in You, O Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Loving God Prepares the Heart

~~~ Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a ~~~ Psalm 128 ~~~ Mk 12:28-34 ~~~

 

 

 

At last Jesus and one of the scribes come to a major agreement...

 

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

 

The one common denominator is love.

If we love God with our entire being; how can we not love our neighbor?

If we love God then it will surely be reflected in how we deal with our neighbor.

 

But how do we know if we really love God?

I think we must look at how we love our neighbor.

And honestly it is so much more difficult to love my neighbor

 than to love God.

I must remind myself often that loving God and loving

 my neighbor cannot be separated.

Jesus seems to indicate they might be of equal importance,

 for the Christian life to be authentic.

 

 

Tobiah takes Sarah for his lawful wife;

 even though seven others before him had quickly been stricken by death.

Your marriage to her has been decided in heaven!

 

This time was going to be different...the curse had been lifted by the angel,

through the power of prayer and faith.

 

Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife,
“My love, get up.
Let us pray and beg our Lord to have mercy on us
and to grant us deliverance.”

 

Loving God is made evident through the prayers we say...

Prayers said with all our heart, all our understanding,

and all our strength.

 

The combination of love for God and each other

sealed with prayer saved the life of Tobiah.

Call down your mercy on me and on her,
and allow us to live together to a happy old age.

Tobiah brought God into his marriage with Sarah

and God smiled down upon them.

They both had such faith and confidence in the sincerity

of their prayer together that they

rose and went right to bed.

Their closing Amen. Amen. still echoing in the air.

 

Loving our neighbor follows closely in the footsteps of loving God.

Loving God first prepares the heart to love the neighbor.

Perfect Heavenly Love

 

 St. Boniface, Pray for us.

~~~ Tobit 3:1-11a, 16-17a ~~~ Psalm 25 ~~~ Mark 12:18-27 ~~~

 

 “Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God,
and blessed is your holy and honorable name.
Blessed are you in all your works for ever!”
Following this prayer answers reigned down upon the supplicants.

God is more likely to respond to true prayers of surrender.

He is less likely to respond to our despair.

 

In despair you curl up into a tight ball and become unresponsive...

In surrender before God you lay prostrate, face down...

thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  

This is a prayer of thanksgiving in anticipation for what God will do.

 

I invite you to begin the practice of thanking God for what

he will bring to fruition in your life

 For God, as we know, does not operate within our limits of time.

Everything connected with us is present to God.

What we pray for today he has already taken care of for us.

We may not be able to see God's angels, but he sends them to surround us;

they are his appointed messengers.

 

As soon as this prayer was offered up to God;
he sent down his answers.
The angel came to Tobit restoring his sight.
The wicked demon was driven away from Sarah, giving her peace.

 

Time, being of no consequence to God, makes the questions
about wives and husbands in heaven a foolish one.

When we arrive in heaven whatever we were as an earthly person
will be brought into his holiness and glory.  

We cannot fathom all that God has prepared for those who love him.
Relationships in heaven will be relationships of complete love...
the love that can only come from God.
We will not be making choices or comparing one person to another person.
We will instead see the greater picture of what it means
to be a part of the entire Body of Christ.
There will be no jealousy or favoritism...
We will all be one with God.

When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.

The love that we have for one another here on earth
pales in comparison to the perfection of heavenly love.

 Let us strive to love as best as we can for a greater
experience awaits us in eternity with our heavenly Father.

 

Eternal Blessings of Perfect Love.

Generous Giving

~~~ Tobit 2:9-14 ~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~ Mark 12:13-17 ~~~

 

The elders approach Jesus like a school of blood thirsty sharks.
 

At first they begin to flatter him...

Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

 

Then they lock in, executing their real purpose in attracting his attention.

Is it lawful to pay taxes to Cesar?
(Matters concerning money...a hot topic, even in present times.)

 

They are too blind to see that there may be more

than one way to look at a dilemma. 

The answer to their question is not  'yes' or 'no' answer.

God is just in all matters,

even when it comes to paying your due taxes.

 

 

Tobit was a good man blinded by cataracts, we are told.

But Tobit is also blind to grasping the possibility

that his wife could be paid for her work with something other than money.

 

The owners were more generous than Tobit expected

in paying his wife for her sewing.

The owners were creative...they paid her what she expected to paid,

but they did not stop they gave her more.

They also gave her a goat...for food.

Nothing she said could convince her husband that

the goat was part of her compensation for her work.

 

He accuses her of stealing the goat, because he himself

would not have been so generous.

How we treat others says more about who we are than

 we might want to believe.

Is this personality trait our greatest hurdle in believing

 that God only wants

what is in our best interest?

He consistently gives so much more than we deserve.

 

The wife of Tobit was given more than was due

for the work she had completed.

The same is true for each of us;

we are given eternal salvation for living a life of love.

 

Is living a good life enough to receive entry into heaven?

We will have to wait and see.

 

Where charity and love prevail God is surely there.