Grab Your Lamp!

 

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

 

Today we have a repeat of yesterday's mantra...

"...Stay awake for you know neither the day nor the hour."

 

The virgins who joined in the banquet were prepared.

They were indeed awake. They had planned well.

They were not just living for the moment.

They knew it was up to themselves to be ready

whenever the bridegroom did arrive.

They took responsibility for themselves.

No one can be ready and prepared for you.

No one else is required to help you be prepared.

No one is responsible for your readiness.

 

I just saw news footage of people being rescued

from their flooded houses

during the recent hurricane.

The truth is they were not prepared.

They did not heed the warnings.

In some cases they made a conscious decision to ignore the orders to evacuate.

So they took the chance of being plucked from their attic in the quickly rising waters.

They were willing to put the lives of the rescuers at risk for their own decisions.

 

For the longest time I used to think that the virgins

who were prepared were just selfish.

I used to think that the christian thing to do would have been to share.

But, typical of these Jesus stories, there is another view point at play here.

 

While it might be worthwhile to be concerned and care

about the wel-being of others,

ultimately you are responsible for yourself.

You cannot rely on others to take care of you

unless you are incapacitated.

Your soul preparedness is uniquely your chore...your assignment.

You are the one who must care for your soul...

you are the one who must secure oil for your lamp...

you are the one who must trim your wick in order

to have a more efficient lamp.

 

Your lamp provides a light for your path...a light for you feet.

If your lamp goes out it is you who will stumble and fall.

Another's lamp may provide some light for you along the way,

but it will not be like having your very own lamp.

 

Having your own lamp gives you the freedom and flexibility to move to around giving you the best sight possible.

 

If you allow your lamp to go out there is no one to blame but yourself.

If you allow your lamp to run out of oil;

there is no one but yourself to point a finger at.  

 

If you have your lamp oil burning it is a known fact that is must be dark.

You would not need to use your lamp oil in the daylight.

 

In the daylight is when you make your plans.

You check to see if you indeed have enough oil for your lamp.

If you have been awake and made your plans in the light of the day you will be

prepared when the time comes to light your lamp.

 

It is sad to think that when the bridegroom comes

you may be denied access to the banquet

because you were not prepared.

 

 Everyday is another opportunity to be prepared for the

arrival of the bridegroom.

So do want to stand with the prepared wise five or

will you stand with the unprepared foolish five?

 

 

You know where you stand right now.

This is valuable knowledge.

If you stand with the wise then you must continue

to be vigilant to maintain your state of preparedness. 

On the other hand if you stand with the foolish;

it is time

to start changing.

This is what is so great about Lent.

Lent is a major reminder to be prepared.

But we cannot wait until then, because we simply do not

know either the day or the hour

when the Lord will come.

 

People Get Ready, as the old gospel song says.

Get Ready to Stand with the Wise.

Enriched in Every Way

~~~ 1 Cor 1:1-9 ~~~Psalm 145 ~~~ Matthew 24: 42-51 ~~~

"Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come..."

 

If we are to take this verse literally I guess we would never get any rest.

We would always be on the lookout for the coming of the Lord.

So eventually as a result of sleep deprivation we would experience

hallucinations and begin to see the coming of the Lord.

 

When the Lord does come for us it will not be a sleep deprived

induced hallucination.

So if God did not mean for us to take this in the literal context,

what does it mean?

 

If we are awake to the many ways in which God blesses us

we will not be surprised when he comes.

We must stay awake so as to never take things for granted.

It is so easy to be complacent, especially when things are going well.

It is easier to stay awake when you are in troubled or dark times.

Staying awake does not imply that you are in the disposition

to receive the Lord though. They are not one in the same.

 

Paul gives us some insight into why we should stay awake.

Paul helps us to see how it is possible to stay awake.

 

First of all we should stay awake because we

"...have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy..."

 

How can we read those words and then refuse to stay awake.

Paul also reminds us through his letter to the Corinthians that

in him, Jesus, we were enriched in every way.

 

As a former teacher of those children who were gifted and talented,

part of my responsibility was to enrich their educational experience.

We have numerous food products on the market today that are enriched with extra nutrients and vitamins.

We can enrich the soil in our gardens through fertilizers.

Paul says we were enriched in every way.

His words are all inclusive.

How many ways could we be enriched by God?

 

Let's examine the word enrich.

The dictionary:

to make rich or richer especially by the addition or increase

of some desirable quality, attribute, or ingredient.

to add beauty to

to enhance the taste of

improving the nutritive value of food

especially by restoring part of the nutrients lost in precessing

to process so as to add or increase the proportion of a desirable ingredient.

 

Surely through the grace of God which Paul speaks of often

we have been granted access to every desirable quality and attribute.

Jesus modeled for us all of these enriched qualities.

We are capable of seeing the hidden beauty all around us

if we but stay awake.

 

Jesus came to restore us to the fullness

of relationship with our creator.

Jesus is the one who embodies all

of what the word enrich means.

 

Enrich is to make something more full,

more meaningful,

and more rewarding.

Does this not describe the person of Jesus?

The promise of everlasting life makes

everything more meaningful

and more rewarding.

If we stay awake we will appreciate more deeply.

 

Paul further says

"...you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait..."

 

While we may feel inadequate in many ways

let those words of Paul inspire you.

You are not lacking in any spiritual gift.

 So what are you

waiting for?

What are you looking for?

You have been enriched in all things in all ways.

We have every reason to join the psalmist...

"...tell of your wondrous works..."

 

 

We have been called, sanctified, enriched and are not lacking.

When you consider all of this packed into one sentence

you have been prepared to stay awake.

Prepared for your soul to be awake does not mean

your physical eyes are also open.

You can be physically asleep in your bed and still

remain awake in your heart for the coming of the Lord.

 

It is dependent on the disposition of your heart.

If your heart is closed then you cannot be truly awake.

If your heart is clouded with sin

you cannot stay awake;

 it would be far too painful to endure.

 

If you are concerned about 'staying awake'

ask for that new heart to replace your heart of stone.

God is faithful...

It is worth 'staying awake'.

The Runway of Life

 

~~~ 2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18 ~~~ Psalm 128 ~~~ Mark 6: 17-29 ~~~

The Memorial of the Passion of John the Baptist

 

Do you live up to your own expectations for yourself?

Are you concerned about living up to the expectations of others?

Are you sometimes confused about expectations in general?

 

Paul's letter to the Thessalonians sounds to me like

he had high expectations for himself.

It is reasonable to have higher expectations for yourself

if you know you are presenting yourself as a model.

 

"...Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us..."

 

But too many times people are modeled after

and their example is less than stellar.

How often do our young people strive to model themselves

after movie stars.

It is difficult today to find a movie star who is

living a life worth following.

The goal today seems to live the most sensational life you can...

the more extreme and outlandish you can be the better.

If you can stay in the headlines all is good.

 

Sometimes it takes real courage to live up to your own expectations.

It takes real back bone to do the right thing,

especially when you think no one is watching.

Then we have the pathetic story of Herod.

 

If he had any expectations for his own behavior we do not know.

It is obvious that that he was a weak man

as he could not stand up to a young girl.

He granted her murderous request because he was too weak

not to live up to her expectations of him.

 

Perhaps Herod never gave any thought to being seen

as a model for his invited guests.

But those in public office are by default viewed as a kind of model.

They often are a model of the society as a whole.

 

I sometimes wonder if we have any one left

with the character and integrity of St. Paul or John the Baptist.

 

"May the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.

This greeting is in my own hand, Paul's.
This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you."

 

I pray that we be led to those who are true models for the Lord.

For when we are exposed to those who honestly model

what it means to love and serve the Lord;

we are encouraged and strengthened.

 

 

You are a model for someone.

You are walking the on the Runway of Life.

What do they see when they look at you?

How are your actions showing them what you believe?

 

What are You Blind To

The Memorial of St. Augustine

~~~ 2 Thes 2: 1-3a, 14-17 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Matthew 23: 23-26 ~~~

 

St. Augustine is called the Doctor of Grace.

Once again the scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites

get an in your face experience from Jesus....

 

"...You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin..."

 

I can just see it now if we were to start bringing herbs and

pungent spices as our offering to church each week.

Is this really what it means to tithe?

I think, not.

Jesus goes on to tell them what they have been ignoring instead...

"...have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity."

 

They have neglected judgment to the point that they have appointed

themselves as the judge and the jury.

They had the final say,

because after all they were the law scholars.

No offense to the lawyers out there.

It is so easy to fall into the trap of judging others.

We can come up with so many reasons as to why

we are justified in judging someone.

Next time you are tempted to judge someone, pause

for a minute and ask yourself,

'Why do I feel the need to judge this person?'

 

They have neglected mercy because when you are always right

what use is mercy to you.

Mercy is for those who want to make amends with their

fellow community and family members.

Mercy is for the weak those you pity.

They did not have time to be bothered with mercy.

Mercy requires that you actually hear what the other person has to say.

Mercy is not only about your side of the story.

Mercy is something freely given to each of us by God.

Mercy requires compassion and kindness extended toward others.

The scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites had no time for this either.

If you are the judge and jury mercy is not part of the equation.

 

Lastly Jesus chooses to include fidelity.

We are not talking about the well known insurance company here.

The dictionary defines fidelity as faithfulness to a cause, person, or belief

demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.

Instead of being faithful to the teachings of the Lord;

 they become the nit pickers.

Scrutinizing the dot on every i and the cross on each t

became their greatest concern.

 

Jesus does not stop here he continues to pour more fuel on the fire...

"...Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!"

 

There are times when the little things would be better ignored

so that you can address the larger concepts.

You know how very tiny a gnat is compared to a camel.

Furthermore a camel can store up 'stuff' in those signature humps.

They just totally miss the point.

I know some educators exactly like this with their students.

Is the student getting the work done precisely as the teacher has instructed?

Are the margins set to the teacher's specifications?

You get the point.

 

But here comes the real clincher from Jesus.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean."

He points out that they are lacking in self examination.

The have not been inclined to look at their own self.

They are so busy with judging and scrutinizing everyone else.

They do not see their own internal corruption.

 

This is true for ourselves too.

If we take care of our spiritual self, that is the tending of our soul

we will also have a beautiful outside.

Whatever is inside will show on the outside.

We only pretend to believe that people cannot see who we really are.

 

 

Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.

Why do you think that psalm was written?

 

I think because if we keep ourselves on the the right track

it will be reflected in how we deal with others.

 

We will recognize that all judgment comes through God.

We will practice extending mercy to others even when it is difficult.

We will be faithful to the gospel message even when we find it challenging.

 

May the outside of your cup truly reflect the fine wine

stored within your heart.

 

St. Augustine, lead us to truth and knowledge.

Grace to You

The Memorial of St. Monica

~~~ 2Thes 1:1-5, 11-12 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~Matthew 23: 13-22 ~~~

 

We have this saying...the blind leading the blind...

My interpretation of this is if the teacher does not first

know the material then it is impossible to teach it to another.

Together we may we able to muddle through the material

but much will be lost in the process.

 

In the gospel message from Matthew Jesus is addressing the Scribes,

Pharisees, and the hypocrites.

He says you are supposed to be the most learned

and you have got it all wrong.

You cannot understand things for yourself,

 so how are you going to lead the rest?

 

Paul, by contrast, has his eyes and heart open.

He is in a much better state to share his knowledge.

Look just at how Paul greets his followers...

"...grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

Right away Paul's message is obviously instilled with the spirit of God.

He thanks God for those he writes to and praises them

"...your faith flourishes ever more,
and the love of every one of you for one another

grows ever greater..."

 

I cannot ever remember it recorded that the scribes or the Pharisees

said anything uplifting to those under them.

Instead they were masters at criticism.

They were diligent about looking for whether or not

you were following all of the prescribed rituals and laws.

 

Paul goes on to share how he speaks of the Thessalonians to others.

He uses their community as a model and inspiration for others.

 

The scribes and pharisees do not hold up any one community as an example.

They are prevented from seeing the good that is present.

They are not capable of giving thanks, because they do not see what

the people are doing right.

 

As a parent and a teacher,

 I know it is so much more effective to give genuine

praise to your children than to be ever

on the lookout for opportunities to reprimand.

 

Paul wants this group of people to know that he prays for them.

Paul prays for them with a specific intention in mind.

"...that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith..."

 

I do not know about you, but personally I would be thrilled if someone was

offering this prayer to God on my behalf.

Paul was so in love with the Lord that he could not keep it for himself.

He was compelled to share his joy in the Lord with all those he met.

 

The scribes and pharisees were compelled to share

with all of those they met,

but it was to prove they had all of the answers.

It was to prove that they were better than the rest of the lowly people.

They were better because

THEY had all of the right answers.

THEY knew how things were supposed to be done.

THEY were the educated.

THEY were the experts.

 

They were so caught up in their own greatness and egos

that they could not see that something better

was being laid out before their very eyes.

 

They continued to be the 'blind leading the blind'.

The people who followed Jesus perhaps felt

free from the critical eyes of the scribes and the pharisees.

 

 

Saint Monica is such a beautiful example today. 

Remember to always pray

even for that which seems impossible.

Paul prayed for his followers.

Saint Monica prayed for her son Augustine.

 

Our prayers are always answered.

Sometimes God makes us wait on him

lest we forget that he is God.

 

We are not God; we must trust his timing and the manner

in which he answers our prayers.

For he always answers even if he makes us wait.

He always answers our prayers even when we cannot see

that which is the actual answer.

 

On a personal note.

God recently answered one of my prayers

in the form of a big blue bus...

the Mega Bus.

In my wildest dreams I would never have prayed for a blue bus.

I have learned to never under estimate the creativity of our God.

He continues to amaze me!

I pray that each of you will allow God to amaze you

in unexpected ways.

Oh, and I might add that your eyes be able to see when

the answer is presented before you.

 

You can only accept that which is made visible to you.

St. Monica, pray for our conversion!

Whom Will You Serve?

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b~~~Psalm 34~~~Eph 5:2a, 25-32~~~John 6:60-69~~~

 

Unless you are a robot or under some hypnotic spell

you have had the occasion to question your faith.

It is normal to to have doubts from time to time.

 

Have you ever disagreed with one of the church's teachings?

Have you ever not been in total agreement

with the teachings or mandates of the church?

Most of us can answer yes to these questions,

but we chose to remain faithful in spite of our questions.

 

But many people make the choice to leave the church

when they disagree, or have felt rejected by the church,

or been denied access to the sacraments as a result of past choices.

 

This is where the disciples of Jesus find themselves today.

They just cannot accept his teachings about the Bread of Life.

 

"This saying is hard; who can accept it?"

 

Because they could not believe and accept his teaching

they turned and walked away.

It must have been disappointing to Jesus

to be rejected in this way.

Even though Jesus knew what was in their hearts

he still delivered his message.

 

Joshua is addressing a similar situation today with his people...

"If it does not please you to serve the LORD,
decide today whom you will serve..."

 

His question was, which God are you going to serve?

Joshua gave them an ultimatum.

He was not willing to tolerate indecision.

 

The people were so reluctant to change

from their service to their idol gods.

Finally he says you can decide for yourself,

"...As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

 

The people were able to use right judgment

and in the end put aside their doubts.

They were able to make the connection

and see that the goods things they had experienced had indeed

come from God.

 

"...Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."

It is good for us also to be reminded of all that God

has done for us throughout our life.

He truly is the God of Spirit and Life.

It is the Spirit of the Lord that gives us life.

It is the Spirit of God that speaks to us in the scriptures

and in the teachings of the church.

The Spirit has provided guidance for the church to continue to flourish.

 

Jesus emphasizes the gift of faith, which comes from the Father.

"For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father."

As people turned away and left,

 Jesus gives his apostles the chance to make the same decision.

"Do you also want to leave?" 

 

Jesus never requires one to stay with him against their will.

 

Unlike some cults we have witnessed in our time,

Jesus always invites you to freely follow him.

Likewise you are free to leave his community of faith.

Jesus does not take us as prisoners

or slaves...

we are free.

We are free to accept the results of our choices.

 

 

Taste and See the goodness of the Lord

and you will make the best decisions.

As for me and my house we have made the choice to serve the Lord.

We have made the choice for the Spirit and the Life of the Lord.

What have you chosen?

God's Glory...Beyond Brilliance

~~~ Ez 43: 1-7ab ~~~ Psalm 85 ~~~ Matthew 23: 1-12 ~~~

 

The glory of the Lord shines brighter than we can comprehend.

The glory of the Lord encompasses with a vastness we have never seen.

"...the earth shone with his glory..."

 

The glory of the Lord flows freely across the land.

The glory of the Lord travels encountering no obstacles.

 

The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.

 

There is only one Lord who can radiate such glory.

There is only one Father...

There is only one Rabbi...

There is only one Teacher...

There is only one Master...

 

We may be impressed by what we hear from those would be teachers.

We may be fooled by their majestic garments, and pompous demeanors,

but there is only One who's presence is seen as visible light.

A light so bright that we must have a unique word

just to describe its brilliance...

GLORY

 

The impostors among us love places of honor at banquets

"All their works are performed to be seen."

 

Even in their synagogues they relish at being seated in places of honor

where all present see that they are important and influential.

As we have come to understand Jesus

turns everything upside down

with his lessons.

They are foreign to what has been the norm before his coming.

Jesus claims that those who are truly great will be dressed to impress others.

Jesus instead says to be truly great you must be a servant to others.

 

"...The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

 

I can just imagine how offended and resentful the

'masters'...'rabbis'...and 'teachers' must have been

when presented with this concept.

Jesus cautions his followers to not imitate the actions of these

mislead leaders.

They are filled with their own ego.

When your ego supercedes everything else you cannot

be about the work of the Lord.

 

We must all be humbled before the glory of the Lord.

To witness the glory of the Lord will truly cause us to be struck with

such wonder and awe that we

will collapse to the ground in its presence.

 

We will know without a doubt that this glory is coming from the Lord.

For not even the light from the sun will compare to this

divine glory.

The glory from the Lord will not be a hot fiery glory.

The glory of the Lord will be one of powerful overwhelming Love.

There will be no question that it is coming not only from the Lord,

but with the his presence.

 

 

When the glory of the Lord is revealed

it will be capable of scooping us up to become one with it.

Of course this is pure speculation on my part so you may have

a different point of view, which is fine as well.

 

Help me, Lord, to be ready to receive your glory

when it is revealed to me.

Perhaps at the hour of our death the light so many people

claim to see is only a tiny speck of the full spectrum of God's glory.

How Do You Know Me?

~~~ Rv 21: 9b- 14~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ John 1: 45- 51 ~~~

 

In this Gospel story Jesus sees Nathaniel coming toward him and immediately complements him for being a true child of Israel.   

Jesus continues to comment the Nathaniel has no duplicity in him.

The dictionary defines duplicity

 as deceitfulness in speech or conduct,

as by speaking or acting in two different ways

to different people concerning the same matter;

double-dealing.

 

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."

Nathaniel was surprised that Jesus knew of him much less

that he could label him a true child of Israel.

It is not much of a stretch to believe that Jesus could read much about

Nathaniel just by looking at him.

Many times Jesus reveals knowledge about a person

in his presence without being told.

 

Jesus can read our hearts.

Jesus can look into your eyes and words are not needed.

Of course Nathaniel does not know that Jesus possesses this ability

to read hearts. It is expected that he would be surprised.

To Jesus we are like an open book.

 

Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

What happens under the fig tree?

It was known that Rabbis like their forefathers

sat and studied under the fig-tree.

Was Nathaniel sitting there under the fig tree with the elders

soaking up as much of their knowledge as he could?

Perhaps the fig tree was a favorite spot for Nathaniel; a place

where he could go to quietly reflect on his life.

Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

There seems to be some mutual recognition between Jesus and Nathaniel.

Nathaniel addresses Jesus as Rabbi...a title of respect...of teacher.

He also immediately acknowledges Jesus as the King of Israel.

 

Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

Whatever happened to Nathaniel under the fig tree was personal

and Jesus somehow reveals to Nathaniel he knew the secrets in his heart.

Jesus makes reference to the fig tree setting it apart as significant.

If the fig tree was not somehow important; then why would

Jesus even mention it to Nathaniel.

 

You will see greater things than this."

 

Jesus says to Nathaniel if you think what happens

under the fig tree is great

you are in for a real treat if you come with me.

You will experience things that will blow you away...

just walk with me for awhile and you will be amazed.

 

 

Here is our invitation...

this passage has been my inspiration for inviting my readers

to join me under the fig tree.

Truths are revealed the fig tree...Jesus surprises us under the fig tree...

Jesus promises that if we come with him we too will see greater things.

 

Pray for God to amaze you with things far beyond your imagination.

There is no need for duplicity when Jesus is coming toward you.

After all what could you hide from Our Lord?

A New and Natural Heart

~~~ Ezekiel 36: 23-28 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~Matthew 21: 1-14 ~~~

 

"A clean heart create for me, O God..."

 

"I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities...

I will cleanse you..."

 

The pure cleansing baptismal waters come to mind here.

Jesus is the Living Water.

He cleansed, healed, and inspired the woman at the well with one cup of water.

Just to be sprinkled with his 'holy' water will send down his healing and cleansing.

There are times when the sprinkling with holy water is part of our liturgy.

One of the most moving times we see a sprinkling take place is during a funeral.

Towards the end of the service the entire is sprinkled with holy water.

This sprinkling ushers us into relationship with the Lord at our baptism.

This later sprinkling ushers our soul into it's eternal relationship with God.

 

 

"...I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts...."

 

If you have ever had the occasion to walk into a Build a Bear store.

The whole process from picking out your 'bear', stuffing it,

 to the fluffing station is quite charming.

What I think is the best part is when you get to take

the soft little heart...

hold it in your hands...

make a wish or prayer intention for the recipient...

kiss it and lovingly place inside the bear.

 

You can also at some point

record a personal message

to your loved one.

This tiny recording is also tucked inside the bear.

 

The person who receives this precious gift can listen

to your recorded message over and over again.

Each time they want to hear your voice it is just a squeeze away.

Every bear has its own special 'touch point' to activate the message.

 

You may be wondering where I am going with this stuffed animal story.

Today we hear God promising to remove our stony heart,

replacing it with a new natural heart.

I believe if we allow God to take our heart

 and replace it; he goes a step farther.

 

Along with this new natural heart

comes his voice embedded within it.

So that from then forward we have but to return

to that 'touch point' and hear his voice speaking to us once again.

 

You do believe God speaks to you, right?

His grace gives us the ability to hear his voice

 deep within our heart.

I believe it is natural to be able to hear God,

but we are not always in a disposition

to find the correct 'touch point'.

 

 

How awesome would it be to be a heart surgeon?

If I were I would hold the person's heart and say a prayer for their healing.

I would also pray for God to carefully guide my hands.

 

Place your hand over your heart...

now imagine God touching your heart making it new and natural.

He did not create us to have stony hearts.

He is always willing to restore your heart to its natural state;

so that you can be better at loving and listening.

Equal Pay for Less Work?

~~~ Ez 34:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 23 ~~~ Matthew 20: 1-16 ~~~

The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want.

If God's ways were not so profoundly different from our ways

would we be capable

of recognizing him as God?

Jesus became human taking on our physical characteristics,

but he brought inside of him the mind of God the Father.

He literally had, if you will, the best of both worlds...

heaven and earth.

The gospel from Matthew today, one case where we might come

away scratching our heads. Why would the boss give

equal pay to his workers?

Those who had worked all day and those who had worked

for an hour received the same wage. Our first reaction is, this is not fair.

We would be outraged if this happened to us in the workplace today.

Maybe this is exactly why in most companies 

your salary is confidential.

In my educational profession that is not the case;

our salaries are public knowledge.

We somehow equate what we are payed with our self worth,

which might not be entirely accurate.

I think the point Jesus was making was not at all

what we see as the literal picture of his words.

I think Jesus had a much different point to make.

Throughout the scriptures we see events where their is rejoicing

over a lost sheep or a prodigal son.

We hear verses like the last shall be first and the first shall be last.

These words may even leave us perplexed and confused.

These present to us more evidence

that our ways and God's are very different.

Jesus uses our world to teach us about the Father's world;

I use world here loosely.

Jesus is trying to help us grasp something

about the higher nature of God,

that is his divine nature.

We all hopefully want to get to heaven.

If you have believed in Jesus your whole life you may feel

more comfortable about reaching heaven when you die.

Note I did not say you would feel worthy to go to heaven,

but certainly that would be your intention.

Then we have the scenario of the person who has a

deathbed conversion. This person embraces God the best he or she

can in spite of it being the end of their life.

Does God look at them and say,

'Sorry you are too late?'

From my experience with God,

 he probably responds quite the opposite.

He most likely greets them at least as joyfully

as the shepherd who finds his lost sheep.

He most likely says to them,

'I have been expecting you. What took you so long?'

Today is the memorial of the

Queenship of the Blessed Mother.

The alternate readings for today are from the Christmas Liturgy.

How appropriate that we would be brought back to the beginning

when Mary gave herself completely to God.

Without the affirmative answer form Mary at the Annunciation

we would not have had the birth of Jesus.

Today we honor the Blessed Mother for the greatest gift

she could have given to us...

The surrendering of her will to God.

Let it be done to me according to your word.

Mary is leading the way to her son, Jesus.

Invite her to be your example to loving Jesus more.

The Path of Pride

~~~ Ez 28:1-10 ~~~ Psalm (Dt 32) ~~~ Matthew 19: 23-30 ~~~

It is tempting at times to fall into the trap of thinking

that we have accomplished the good things in our life.

That through our keen abilities we have

 brought about goodness and success in our life.

Through the prophet Ezekiel the prince of Tyre is being reprimanded

for thinking and acting as if HE were a god.

Giving himself credit, even for his wisdom and intelligence.

He takes pride in the mighty riches he has accumulated for himself...

never once stopping to think for a moment

that he might have had a little help from someone

far greater than himself.

"...Because you have thought yourself
to have the mind of a god,
Therefore I will bring against you
foreigners, the most barbarous of nations...."

Sometimes we see God taking drastic steps to enlighten a person

who has chosen the path paved with the stones of pride.

We become arrogant and intoxicated with the brilliance

of our wonderfulness.

God stands in the middle of this path of pride and stops you in your tracks.

"...you are man, not a god,
handed over to those who will slay you..."

If you do not get it on your own God will tell clearly

inform you of your flawed reasoning.

It is always God who has the final say.

It is always God who calls the shots.

It is always God who judges if the player is safe or out.

If it were not for God where would you really be?

If it not for God's intervention could you be who you are today?

As for me; my answer is a loud "NO".

I try to acknowledge the presence of God actively working in my life...

working through my life...and providing for my life.

It is God who opens the windows when all the doors

seem to be closed.

It is God who leads my decisions.

It is God who walks with me in good times and bad.

If I cannot give God the credit he alone deserves in my life,

then why would I expect him

to be there simply because I call him one day.

Consistency is the key,

 I think.

We cannot take sole credit for something one day

and the next ask God to intercede.

But we have a God that is eager to hear us call on him.

We have a God who is perfect at hearing our call.

The disciples were distraught with Jesus' example

of the camel passing through the eye of a needle.

Camels are large animals.

The disciples were very familiar with camels.

They were very useful on long desert journey's.

Camels can reach over seven feet tall and weigh in

around a thousand pounds;

a rather large animal.

Once again we see Jesus, the master teacher,

use something the disciples knew well

to explain his point concerning something

they knew nothing about.

Seeing how concerned the disciples are Jesus tells them...

"...you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory..."

Along with others who have been faithful followers of Jesus

"...will inherit eternal life."

This teaching ends here with words we will continue

to ponder for many days to come.

"...But many who are first will be last,

and the last will be first."

Those who foolishly continue down the path of pride,

 boasting at every corner of their accomplishments

may be in for a surprise when they arrive at the banquet.

Lord help me to be ever honest and sincere in giving you the credit

for all things I have accomplished.

Without you, Lord I am nothing.

Seen or Unseen?

~~~ Ez 24:15-24 ~~~ Psalm (Dt 32) ~~~ Matthew 19:16-22 ~~~

A young man approaches Jesus hoping to learn what he

must do to gain eternal life.

Jesus gives the logical answer...

"If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."

Of course keeping the commandments is a good place

to begin if you are serious about securing eternal life.

Notice the words Jesus uses here...

If you wish to enter into life.....life.

Jesus does not use the word 'eternal'

in his response to the young man.

Jesus simply states 'life'...

for Jesus life is eternal.

They are one in the same...eternal and life.

Jesus offers us eternal life.

You can only give that which you already possess.

Yes, Jesus may grant you any sort of life you want.

There are many adjectives we could use to describe the kind of

or quality of life we desire.

But there can only be one eternal life and it comes

directly from the source of life itself.

If we want to live with Jesus, then the 'life' will be eternal.

The life we live now is the preparation for our eternal life with God.

If today you are not living and looking forward to this

eternal life then what is the point?

What is the point of keeping the commandments if you

are not fixated on this promise of eternal life?

This young man asks a valid question.

He was trying to live a good life.

He was keeping the commandments...

including loving his neighbor as himself.

Perhaps there was a voice inside of him that thought;

should I be doing more?

The young man said to him,
"All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?"

There is so much we as humans lack when it comes to

eternal life. This young man exhibits maturity beyond his years

that he can ask such a question. 

So many times a young person thinks they have already

discovered all the answers.

I remember those days well when I would come home

from college for a visit

thinking I was filled with so much knowledge.

I laugh now at how naive I was back then.

As so often happens with Jesus encounters;

he pushes the envelope with his answer to this young man.

Jesus says great you are keeping the commandments and

you want more?

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me."

Now Jesus adds a new dimension to this concept

of eternal life...being perfect.

Apparently just keeping the commandments

alone does not make one perfect.

Must one be perfect to have eternal life with Jesus?

The young man is not prepared to follow Jesus;

he cannot give up all of his earthly possessions.

He is young living in the first half of his life, proud

of the material things he has been able to accumulate for himself.

The treasure waiting for us in heaven is far beyond what we can fathom.

We are so restricted by our material things that we cannot

imagine happiness without them.

It is so difficult to see that God alone is enough.

Let's face it we are attached to our worldly things.

We like our cars, homes, phones, computers etc. the list is endless.

Jesus is suggesting to the young man here that just maybe

the things he has are his greatest hindrance to gaining eternal life.

All of our possessions keep us grounded here in the world.

Our real life is outside of these material possessions.

Our real life only exists with God.

Henri Nouwen wrote in Bread for the Journey...

'The poor have a treasure to offer because they cannot return our favors.'

Our reward comes in heaven.

Lord, help me to see beyond my possessions in order to

live my life with eyes fixed on

eternal life with you.

We Share in the Divinty

The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~ Proverbs 9: 1-6 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ Eph 5:15-20 ~~~ John 6: 51-58 ~~~

"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."

The hospitality of the Lord is simple, sincere, and inviting.

Wisdom has set the table, completed the prescribed preparations

and flung open the doors for the guests to arrive.

Come to the feast the table of plenty.

All are invited...all are welcome.

The table of the Lord is set.

"Let whoever is simple turn in here;

to the one who lacks understanding, she says,

Come eat of my food and drink of the wine I have mixed!

Forsake foolishness that you may live;

advance in the way of understanding."

There is no need to have fancy recipes with exotic ingredients

 the Lord gives us himself.

He is asking to try to understand as difficult as it is

the He is the Bread of Life.

Whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood

remains in him and God in him.

"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."

If we come to God as little children in simplicity

even that which we do not comprehend will be accepted.

God gives us his own body and blood for our eternal nourishment.

Two simple ingredients, bread and wine, transformed during each Mass

into this divine food.

When the drop of water is poured into the chalice of wine,

the celebrant recites very special words that we

do not hear in the pews.

By the mystery of this water and wine,

may we come to share in the divinity of Christ,

who humbles himself to share in our humanity

  

These beautiful words invite us to share in the divinity with Christ

simply because he came down and shared our humanity.

Christ lowered himself to become human and left

himself as the way to enter into his divinity.

He left himself as the bread of life.

The banquet table set by lady wisdom represents the banquet

table we have at the altar.

God himself has prepared the simple meal

the ingredients are pure all natural

all himself.

I defer to the beautiful words from St. Thomas Aquinas...

"Material food first changes into the one who eats it,

and then, as a consequence,

restores to him lost strength and increases his vitality. 

Spiritual food, on the other hand,

changes the person who eats it into itself. 

Thus the effect proper to this Sacrament

is the con­ver­sion of a man into Christ,

so that he may no longer live, but Christ lives in him..."

  St. Thomas, Commentary on Book IV of the Sentences, d.12, q.2, a.11

This bread which we eat is designed to transform us into

Christ, though not for us to become a god.

We are to become transformed through consuming the

Body and Blood of Christ so that he may live

more fully in us.

When we recieve Eucharist we become life the source.

Are you aware that each time you recieve Eucharist

you also are joined to Christ in the real sense of the words.

 When we recieve Eucharist our 'Amen' is confirming

our allowing Christ to abide in us.

Our 'Amen' is our surrendering to the

transformation of our soul.

If we are truly transformed then our actions should

likewise be a reflection of that transformation.

This tranformation in order to be authentic must be carried

out of the church and into the real world.

This week Lord, when I am faced with the challenges

of every day life help me to respond through your

living within my soul.

Allow God to Pray Over You

~~~ Ez 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ Matthew 19:13-15 ~~~

Create a clean heart in me, O God.

The prophet Ezekiel gives us a lengthy, detailed list of the things

God does not want us to do.

This list is mirrored through the commandments.

In reading this list we are encouraged to lead an exemplary life.

We are encouraged to live a virtuous life.

"...If a man is virtuous—if he does what is right and just..."

To be virtuous you are honest, caring, fair, compassionate,

faithful, and truthful.

Sounds easy enough, but there is one catch...

you must live this way in all areas of your life

every day.

Why wouldn't you want to live a virtuous life all the time?

Because we are human...we have difficulties being consistent.

We have good intentions, but we are weak.

We mean to do well and follow the Lord's commands,

but our actions often miss the mark.

"...man is virtuous—he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD."

God understands well our weaknesses and so he planned for it.

He wants us to have hope.

He does not want us to throw up our hands

when we fail and walk away.

"...Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit."

The psalmist wrote psalm fifty-one with this promise from God in mind.

We can ask God every day to create in us a clean heart.

We can always return to God.

He is here for us just as the father in the parable if the prodigal son.

Maybe we do not deserve this great compassion and mercy from God,

but we can humbly recognize and accept it.

God is waiting for us to return to him as many times as is necessary

no matter how long we live.

Come to God with your frustrations;

 with how challenging it is to live virtuously every day.

God will touch your heart with love.

Jesus layed hands and prayed over the little children.

Perhaps his prayer over them was for their heart to

be open. Perhaps he prayed so that they would have the desire

firmly planted into their heart to return to God time after time.

Just for today imagine God praying over you...

praying for you...

laying his hands on you...

touching your heart.

If necessary return to your childhood and let God hold you.

Restored...Adorned...Rejected

~~~ Ez 16:1-15, 60,63 ~~~ Psalm(Is 12) ~~~Matthew 19: 3-12~~~

Most likely the shorter version from the prophet Ezekiel

will be heard today, but I would encourage you to get the Bible

and read Chapter 16. It is a beautiful poetic writing

reflecting honesty and great love. It describes how the daughter,

Jerusalem, was born.

What is most evident is that the usual birth rituals

were not performed.

The navel cord was not cut,

the ritual washing and anointing were not done.

The child was not even swaddled, but instead

thrown out on the ground.

This child was passed by and told to live in its blood and

grow like a plant in the field.

The child grew and developed, but was stark naked.

In old age God came and used his cloak to cover the child's nakedness.

At this point God entered into a covenant with the child, Jerusalem,

claiming her for his own.

Once God extended his care and his covenant

everything changed.

Jerusalem was transformed into a beautiful princess.

Dressed in the finest of textiles and adorned with fine jewelry.

This transformation by God to an entity of beauty was squandered.

Jerusalem was

"...captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot..."

Everything that had been gifted by God was misused and wasted.

The beauty evolved into a source of corruption.

God gives us gifts free to use.

God gives us gifts with no strings attached.

God gives us gifts to use wisely.

God gives us gifts; it should follow that we want to return

praise back to him in thanksgiving.

Once we break relationship with God he is not required to repair it,

but if we let him he will.

Repairing a broken relationship does not mean that the consequences

of your actions are also erased.

God did just that with Jerusalem...

he restored the relationship, but it was not the same as before.

"I will re-establish my covenant with you,
that you may know that I am the LORD,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD."

Sometimes restoration requires accepting the associated loss too.

All things can be restored by God, but the harm done is just that

harm done.

If a drunk driver accidentally kills someone while driving

nothing will bring that person back to life,

but the driver can be restored

to living a life of sobriety.

"Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth."

Give appropriate credit to the One who is deserving of it, God.

God chose Jerusalem to be his and then God was ignored.

It is not a good practice to ignore God.