Dine with the Lord

 

~~~ Ephesians 6:1-9 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Luke 13: 22-30 ~~~

 

 "...slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
willingly serving the Lord and not men..."

 

No matter who you are or where you, you can decide in your heart

to willingly serve the Lord.

There is no one who can change your heart but you.

It does not matter if you are rich or poor

your heart can serve the Lord.

The desires of your heart can form your attitude

to give praise and glory to God

in all that you do.

 

"...both they and you have a Master in heaven
and that with him there is no partiality."

 

In the sight of the Lord we are all equal.

In our human weakness we create different altitudes for holiness.

In reality you are either living for the Lord or you are living for yourself.

 

If we are pretending to live for the Lord

when our hearts are living for ourselves;

we may be standing outside the door.

We may be among those whom the Lord claims not to remember...

not to even know.

 

 

"...And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God."

 

I am confident that I want to be among those

who come from all the ends of the earth.

I am confident that I want to recline at table with the Lord.

Therefore, I am compelled to live a life

worth being allowed entrance into the kingdom.

Mind you that I would never be worthy of my own accord;

only worthy because the Lord himself has given to me his invitation.

 

He has given to each of us his personal invitation

to dine with him in the kingdom.

 

Have you sent your RSVP?

Have you misplaced the invitation?

Have you deliberately disposed of the invitation?

Have you rejected his invitation?

 

The invitation to recline at the table with the Lord

is worth doing all that you can to attend.

There is no greater banquet,

than the heavenly banquet in the Kingdom of the Lord.

 

Hope to reunite with you when we get there!

He has prepared a place just for you.

God Works Where You are Lacking

~~~ Ephesians 5: 21-33 ~~~ Psalm 128 ~~~ Luke 13: 18-21 ~~~

 

The power of God is such that he transforms even the smallest

most insignificant things to proclaim his greatness.

"What is the Kingdom of God like?"

 

The kingdom of God is compared to a mustard seed

and handful of dough.

 

The mustard seed is planted in the ground.

Each day it grows some until it is a mature bush. 

It must be fully grown before the birds come to nest in its branches.

The branches must be able to support the weight of the birds.

 

The birds, surprisingly, were attracted to this lowly bush

made into something great by God.

So it is with us.

Even though we may think that we have nothing to offer God in return

for what he has done for us...we are wrong.

God takes the small the lowly and makes of them what he desires.

 

The mustard seed grew as it was destined to do.

The mustard seed grew into a large bush

as many before it had grown.

So it can be for us.

If you look carefully in the Bible God routinely uses someone

or something insignificant to make a point.

 

Most of the prophets had not previously made themselves well known.

God equipped them to accomplish great things in his name.

Jesus used common everyday things like water and wine to perform

his miracles.

He took only a few loaves and fishes to feed a large

crowd of five thousand.

Nothing is too small or insignificant for God.

The greatness of God has the ability to enlarge whatever

he chooses to use for himself.

 

 Never believe that what you are lacking makes you
less likely to be used by God...
nothing could be farther from the truth.

For wherever you are lacking in your life is just
where the Lord will make up the deficit.

If you are willing to open your mind,
heart, soul, and body to be used by God for his greater glory;
be prepared to be amazed at what he will do.
Be in awe as to how he will use you to
bring forth his kingdom here and now.

Always remember...
all things are possible when God is leading the way.
Whether you are a single mustard seed or
a handful of dough you a destined to be great
in the eyes of the Lord...
for he is with you and in you.

Children of Light

 

~~~ Ephesians 4:32-5:8 ~~~ Psalm 1~~~ Luke 13:10-17 ~~~

 

"...Live as children of light."

 

This is probably one of the most beautiful verses in Luke.

To be alive is to be growing to be nourished to have energy.

Children are innocent, loving, active bundles of energy.

When God said let there be light it was magnificent.

 

Living as children of light gives me this image

of children laughing, running, and playing

outside in the warm sunshine.

 

It would be wonderful to be carefree enjoying life and all good things.

But then that is the picture of a perfect world...

but we know we do not live in a perfect world.

 

There are many children around the world who do not run

and play freely in the sunshine.

 

Without the benefit of light we would be living in a very different world.

We are urged by Paul to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving.

Three traits that are not always easy to put into practice.

 

 

Jesus brought us out of the darkness.

Jesus showed us how to live in the light through

loving compassionately.

 

Jesus took notice of the crippled bent over woman

and reached out to her.

He offered her healing even though it was the Sabbath.

Jesus was quickly criticized for his compassion

because it was the day of rest.

 

If we are so bound by the rules and laws that we cannot

act with love and compassion

we are actually living in the dark.

We are living in the dark because we cannot see

what it means to love.

Without the benefit of light all things appear as darkness.

 

Jesus was preaching in the synagogue on the sabbath

 when he noticed the crippled woman

among the community.

Throughout his public ministry Jesus acts as a

compassionate human being.

 

I think it is worth noting here that Jesus reached out to this woman...

she had not come to ask for healing.

She had come to listen to his teaching.

For her maybe hearing him speak was enough to satisfy her.

 

After being bent over for eighteen years

she had probably become accustomed to her situation.

 

The leader of the synagogue, who was in darkness,

 considered the curing

of the afflicted woman to be 'work'.

Jesus, on the other hand, saw the woman

who had been suffering for eighteen years

and knew he could help her so he did.

 

He laid his hands on her and she was cured.

Jesus gave this woman so much more than she anticipated...

he does the same for us.

 

Has there been a time in your life when God has done more

for you than you had requested?

 

Give thanks that we are his...

that we are children of the Light,

because God is the source of all Light.

Lead Me, Lord

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~~ Jeremiah 31: 7-9 ~~~ Psalm 126 ~~~ Hebrews 5: 1-6 ~~~ Mark 10: 46-52 ~~~

 

 "...I will console them and guide them..."

 

"...I will lead them to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall stumble."

 

Every step we take with God as our guide will be blessed.

He will lead us to the most picturesque pastoral scenes

with rolling hills of green grass, level roads,

 and babbling brooks are waiting.

 

The presence of the Lord will give us consolation because

we know he knows the way.

He knows the best way for me personally.

 

 

"The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy."

 

 

When we invite the Lord to walk with us...to guide us...to lead the way;

our eyes will be opened just as Bartimeaus' were.

 

When Jesus beckons you to come to him

rise joyfully and quickly come

before him.

Bartimeaus actually sprang up in his excitement to be healed by Jesus.

Are we that excited to be in the company of Jesus?

Do we rushed with eager anticipation to the church on Sunday?

 

Jesus asks us the same question he asked Bartimaeus...

"What do you want me to do for you?"

 

If we look at this brief meeting between Bartimaeus and Jesus

we see how simple it is to talk to Jesus.

 

Jesus wants us to ask him for what we want

with the understanding that we may not get what we want

as quickly as Bartimaeus' sight was restored.

 

Jesus indicates that it is not the asking,

 but rather his faith that was responsible for his restored sight.

 

When we are touched by God we do not have to asked to follow Jesus...

we want to follow him.

We want to be in his presence.

We want  to give him praise and

thanksgiving for all that he has done for us.

 

Look at the great things the Lord has done for you

and give thanks with joy.

Grace to Bear Fruit

~~~ Ephesians 4: 7-16 ~~~ Psalm 122 ~~~ Luke 13: 1-91 ~~~

 

"Grace was given to each of us..."

 

Grace is God's life within us.

If we have God alive within our heart

then we are much better prepared

to be active participants in the

"...building up the Body of Christ..."

 

If we have God within it is so much easier to live an authentic life.

"...living the truth in love..."

 

If we have God within we will

"...grow in every way into him, Christ..." 

 

I invite you to pray for the grace necessary

for you to grow....for growth in areas and in ways you are unaware.

 

 

The master walks through his orchard and observes

the three year old fig tree that has not yet produced fruit.

It was typical that by now it should have produced plump juicy figs.

Instead of cutting it down as the master requests the gardener

pleas to allow him more time to care for the fig tree

so that is might bear fruit.

 

Sometimes we too need a friend to intercede for us.

Someone to give us more guidance.

Someone to believe in us even if we are lost and confused.

 

Sometimes we may be the one who can give another person hope.

The gardener could have justifiably cut down the fig tree.

It was taking a place in the orchard and not yielding fruit.

 

I think this gospel causes us to consider patience in our lives.

It is easy to become impatient with ourselves.

We may even become impatient with God.

 

Patience is not always easy,

but waiting may be just what is best at the time.

What in your life is challenging your patience?

How can you make good use of this time of waiting?

Are you cultivating the ground?

Are you fertilizing your heart?

Setting the Bar High

 

~~~ Ephesians 4: 1-6 ~~~ Psalm 24 ~~~ Luke 12: 54-59 ~~~

 

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

 

Paul's advice to the Ephesians lays out the virtues of a believer

who longs to see the face of God.

He says we must live in a manner that is worthy of our call.

You probably have heard the saying...

'God didn't make no junk'.

 

If we managed to live in humility, gentleness, and patience;

it would be easy to love everyone.

 

God inspired Paul to set the bar high with his expectations

for how we should live.

If there are high expectations we just might be more prone

to continue to try to reach them.

God never promised he would make it easy to follow him.

 

Sometimes it is through our continued efforts to meet his expectations

that we come to a deeper understanding of who God is.

 

It takes a lifetime of aspiring to be a better person...

to be a person filled with more love

before we can experience what it means to have his peace.

 

What will be our experience when we see the face of God?

Will it be too glorious for us to behold?

Will we come to understand humility in its purest sense?

Will we be overwhelmed with the greatness of his love?

 

 

If we are striving to live in a manner worthy of our call;

we are striving to see his face someday.

 

"...live in a manner worthy of the call you have received..."

 

There can be nothing more worth living for

than to see the face of God someday.

 

We must live each day confident in what we believe.

So well written by Saint Paul...

"...one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all."

 

May we be bound together forever in the peace of the Lord

as we are all part of the same Body of Christ.

Blazing Love

~~~ Ephesians 3: 14-21 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ Luke 12: 49-53 ~~~

 

Jesus said to his disciples...

"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!

 

This morning the homilist spoke of this fire as the fire of love.

What a beautiful comparison.

The flames of love are not a consuming destructive fire.

The flames of love ignite passion.

When you are in love the whole world appears brighter..

as if illuminated by some invisible source.

 

In fact, Jesus is the invisible force of light...pure light.

He came from the source of light.

 

Jesus came to set the world on fire with this blazing love.

No one before Jesus or since him has exhibited such a blazing fire of love.

 

This extreme love, brought to Earth through Jesus,

may indeed cause dissension even among family members.

We can only begin to understand this love if

we invite Christ to dwell within our hearts.

This indwelling can only take place though the power of the Spirit.

 

His Spirit must enter into your heart and remain there.

The Spirit is not just passing through as if on a road trip...

no, the Spirit must take up residence within your heart.

You must give him a permanent address.

 

 

 

It is by the grace of his Spirit that we come to know...

"...the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

This outlandish love which Jesus desires to give us may indeed cause

discomfort to those around you.

We must pay attention to give this abiding love,

freely given to us, to all whom we meet.

Visualize your hearts burning within you as you contemplate

God's burning love for you.

Faithful Servant

~~~ Ephesians 3:2-12 ~~~ Isaiah 12:2-3 ~~~ Luke 12: 39-48 ~~~

 

 

"...Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."

 

Does this verse from Luke disturb you as much as it does me?

If you are reading this I would think that you also read the Bible.

If you are a believer then you have been blessed with the gift of faith.

If you have the gift of faith then this verse is speaking to you.

If this verse is referring to you, how are you meeting his demands?

 

Yesterday I learned that a friend of mine unexpectedly passed away.

She was alone and seemingly died in her sleep.

 

"...You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."

She was not battling a long illness...she was not in an accident...

she was simply living her life as a best she could.

She was a woman of faith.

She was a woman who often shared her appreciation for her faith.

She assisted groups of men and women explore their own beliefs

through Inquiry classes.

 

I hope that God was pleased with how she had responded to his demands

because she was an active believer.

May she rest in peace in the arms of God

who gifted her with faith.

 

Whenever we are faced with the death of a friend or relative

it may be the perfect time to do some introspection of your own.

 

I do not have the statistics, but I think probably most people do not

have an idea of when they will meet the Lord.

The challenge remains as to how to always be prepared.

It is easy to get caught up in living not giving must thought to dying.

 

Paul is speaking in his letter to the Ephesians about how he is meeting

the demands of his call from God.

 

 

Paul makes it clear that we...

 

"...are coheirs, members of the same Body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus..."

 

If we are all a part of the same Body then we are each affected

for either better or worse by one another.

Just as what happens in one part of our body

 is felt by the other parts of the body.

 

Whatever good you can do to meet the demands of one

who has been entrusted with much

ultimately will benefit the whole body.

 

The good you do today will live on in the greater body of Christ

even after he has come to carry you home.

 

In appreciation for the good my friend intended to share with others.

She responded well to what she had been given through her faith.

 

She was a faithful reader of my writings.

She will be missed by all who loved her.

She was a faithful servant.

Sacred Temple Within

~~~ Ephesians 2:12-22 ~~~ Psalm 85 ~~~ Luke 12: 35-38 ~~~

 

"Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

 

Our growing into a sacred temple in the Lord is a continuous process

much as the work on our local highways.

God is urging us to be vigilant about being built together.

We are consistently being challenged into creating this dwelling place of God.

 

Lest we think of this place literally as a building we would be misled...

this dwelling place lies within our our own hearts.

 

We have been made a temple of the Spirit through our Baptism.

We are united with him who supports the entire structure.

It is only through his support that we are able to continue the building.

 

The temple of the Spirit is a constant work in progress.

We would not want it any other way.

If we stop building up the temple then deterioration is on its way.

 

 

 

In order to maintain this temple of the Spirit we must be vigilant.

We must be in a heightened state of awareness

even during the late night and early morning hours.

We must have the tample ready so that when we hear the knock

on the door we are ready.

 

"...Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival."

 

We are making ready the temple of the Lord within our hearts.

It is by his grace that we can be vigilant.

If we maintain a state of readiness then it will not matter

what day or hour;

for when the bridegroom returns

we will be eager to swing open the doors.

We will be able to say...

Here I am Lord.

I am ready to do your will.

I have kept watch.

The temple is built to my best ability.

Only you, Lord, can complete the building of this temple.

 

For when the Lord does come he

"...speaks of peace to his people."

 

Attend to his Spirit dwelling within...

for you know not when he will knock requesting entry.

 

"...you are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God."

What Matters to God

~~~ Ephesians 2:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 100 ~~~ Luke 12:13-21 ~~~

 

What matters to God?

 

"...For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;
it is not from works, so no one may boast."

 

 

If we do not have our priorities in the right order it matters little what we do.

Because what matters to God is often not what matters to us.

We saw a prime example of this just yesterday in the Gospel reading.

James and John wanted to sit on either side of Jesus;

hoping to be the beneficiaries of special favors.

 

Often the things that matter to God are not tangible.

Often the things that matter to God are from the heart.

Often the things that matter to God are not about us at all,

but rather about others.

 

Jesus came to restore us to himself.

God saw that humankind was struggling.

They were not able to determine

what really mattered to God.

God was not interested in the sacrifice of animals.

 

God was interested in us allowing him to be our shepherd.

 

"...we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works
that God has prepared in advance,
that we should live in them."

 

We do not need to build bigger barns to hold what matters to God.

God does not want us focus solely on our physical inheritance.

What matters to God is the inheritance he has prepared for us.

The inheritance given to because we belong to him.

He has claimed us for his own.

 

 

There is no need for us to hoard our material things.

In the heavenly kingdom material things matter not.

It is best if we do not lose sight of what matters to God.

Most of the saints had few possessions.

The saints practiced on keeping their priorities on God.

The saints provide models for each of us.

 

Material things are not bad in themselves;

it is the priority we place upon them in our life.

God will certainly not condemn us for prospering in this world,

but it is also our duty to prosper in what matters to God.

 

I does not matter to God if I have 20 pairs of shoes, but

it does matter to him if I spend 20 minutes in prayer

or extend kindness to 20 people this week.

 

Here is your challenge for this week:

For every pair of shoes you own make the effort to extend

a special greeting to

that many people.

Give to those individuals what matters to God the most...

Love.

Merciful Servant

 

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~ Isaiah 53:10-11 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ Hebrews 4:14-16 ~~~ Mark 10: 35-45 ~~~

 

Jesus came as a servant to our world,

but not even his closest disciples had a handle on that fact.

In their eagerness to be favored by Jesus they made ridiculous requests.

 

They actually expected Jesus to do whatever served them well...

whatever they thought was in their best interest.

We should find great comfort with James and John

because if they could not

understand why Jesus came to earth,

maybe we should be less harsh on ourselves.

 

Even though Jesus had told them before that

he was going up to Jerusalem to die;

they continued to insist that they 'could drink the same cup'.

 

"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
They said to him, "We can."

 

Previously these same disciples had been reprimanded by Jesus

for arguing among themselves about which one of them was the greatest.

They just could not get the point that Jesus was going to suffer.

He was going to suffer unto his death.

It is probably safe to say that none of them; neither James or John

would have taken his place on the cross.

 

They looked upon Jesus as they had looked upon other rulers...

they all had a chosen few that sat with them in the place of honor.

But Jesus was not like any of the previous rulers.

Jesus was not going to have a kingdom littered with appointed positions.

Jesus was not going to rule as any earthly king would rule.

 

"...the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

 

 The disciples wanted to be given special places of honor,

but Jesus came to give us special graces.

Jesus became one of us so that he could truly understand

what it meant to be human.

Jesus wanted us to be able to identify with him

 in our human joys and sufferings.

 

It was clear that Jesus was not impressed with the material things of this world.

Having special places and granting special favors for a chosen few 

were not part of his plan.

He came that we might all have share in the salvation blessing

he would secure for each of us. 

 

 

We do not have to sit at the right or the left of Jesus to be the

recipients of his mercy, grace, and love.

The cup Jesus drank for us was the cup full of pain and agony

for all the sins of the whole world.

Jesus was doing the will of the Father

when he came down from heaven.

Jesus was doing the will of the Father

when he walked the long road to Calvary. 

 

Jesus was doing the will of the Father when he stretched his arms

reaching out to the right and to the left.

His outstretched arms embraced all of eternity

before those very disciples who wanted their own special favors.

 

If you want 'special' favors from the Lord then prehaps you should

examine if you are doing the will of God the Father.

Are you serving the needs of those around you?

 

The suffering of our one Lord was way beyond our comprehension.

 

"...through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear."

 

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Eyes of the Heart

 

~~~ Ephesians 1: 15-23 ~~~ Psalm 8 ~~~ Luke 12: 8-12 ~~~

"...May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones..."

Because we have been sealed with the Spirit
we also are enlightened by the same Spirit.

If we could actually view the world through the eyes of our heart
I think we would live in a very different world.
The love of God is firmly planted within our hearts from conception,
but over time the 'stuff' of life obscures it.

It takes focused intention to see the with the eyes of the heart.
There is however an exception to seeing with the eyes of the heart;
when two people are in love.
When you are in love it often is primarily that one sees
with the eyes of the heart.
Love is blind, the saying goes because it is the eyes of the heart
that sustain the love one has for another.

Loving our neighbor as our self is not the same love as loving with the eyes of the heart. Loving our neighbor is often the act of our will.
We decide to love the other person because it is the right action to take...
it is the right state of mind.

Looking through the lens of the love of God enables us to know
 the hope which is part of his love.
Seeing with heart we can have faith
in those things which we cannot understand.
Seeing with heart we can believe those things
we cannot explain.

Why does one person fall in love with another person?
Many times there is no explanation.

 

Today let us join St. Paul in giving thanks for those who love us.

Let us give thanks for those whom we love.

Let us pray for the gift to see those we are less inclined to love

with the eyes of the heart.

If we believe that we are made in the image and likeness of God then

it follows that we can and should love all people.

 

"...do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment

what you should say."

 

The Holy Spirit activates the love within our hearts.

The Holy Spirit will put the words of love in our hearts,

 so that we can speak them to others.

 

It is through loving others that we ever hope to inherit our place

with the holy ones.

God is love and he sent us His Spirit to abide in our hearts.

Claimed to be His Own

~~~ Ephesians 1: 11-14 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ Luke 12:1-7 ~~~

 

The readings today speak of our heavenly inheritance

beginning by being sealed with the Holy Spirit. 

 

Our very existence was deigned to give praise to God.

We often lose sight of that part of our life.

We think we are here for our pleasure and entertainment.

"...the Gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
which is the first installment of our inheritance
toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory."

 

Have you ever thought about what it means to be sealed

with the Holy Spirit?

When an envelope is sealed it encloses the contents.

The contents are protected inside the sealed envelope.

 

Perhaps when we are sealed with the Holy Spirit it is a kind of protection too.

The Holy Spirit inspires us to keep the content of our salvation close to our heart...

namely Jesus Christ.

 

Being sealed also represents a certain ownership.

If you have imposed your seal upon a letter

you are claiming it as your property.

 

So whether or not we are consciously aware of it;

believers are claimed for God

with the seal of the

Holy Spirit.

We are destined to be his...we belong to him...

he is our creator...he gives us every breath we take.

We are his possession claimed and sealed with

his Holy Spirit.

 

If God cares even for the smallest sparrow how much more

does he care for those he has claimed for his own.

 

"...Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows."

 

Do not be afraid of believing.

Do not be afraid to speak loudly what you may have whispered.

Do not be afraid to come into the light and be heard.

Do not be afraid to be seen

as one claimed for God.

 

 

Give thanks and praise with song and dance

before the Lord...

for he has done great things for you and me.

 

Rejoice because we have been chosen and sealed,

belonging to the Lord.

The Lord is Near

Feast of Saint Luke,

the Evangelist

 

~~~ 2Timothy 4: 10-17b ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Luke 10: 1-9 ~~~

 

Jesus sent them ahead of him in pairs.

Were they to prepare the way?

Were they to scope out the best places for him to stay?

Were they to warm up the crowd like an opening act?

 

Paul writes to Timothy about his hardships and how he has been

deserted by his so called friends.

But Paul is completely convicted to stand up for the Lord and his teachings.

Paul has complete faith that no matter how he is mistreated

he has the Lord beside him.

Sometimes I think we wonder if God really is on our side.

When things in our life turn out less than as planned

or fall short of what we had envisioned;

we question...

 

"...the Lord stood by me and gave me strength..."

 

We doubt if the Lord really is near by...

we are not confident that he hears our pleas.

We often want some sort of tangible reassurance.

This is when we must allow our faith to supersede all other thoughts.

 

"...The LORD is near to all who call upon him..."

 

God sent St. Luke to be one of St. Paul's most faithful companions.

Luke walked beside Paul. Luke experienced the Holy Spirit moving and working among those whom they addressed.

 

They went out two by two...extending the peace of the Lord to each

household along their journeys.

They were instructed to send greetings of peace.

 

"...If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you."

 

Jesus goes on to instruct these seventy-two disciples.

 Even though they were to bless with his peace it might not

always be received well.

They were not to be surprised or to judge, just to greet with his peace.

 

If you greet someone with peace and they are themselves at peace

then your peace will be well received.

Their soul is ripe to be able to receive more peace.

 

But on the other hand if the person is in a state of unrest and turmoil within,

your peace will be returned to you.

Even the peace of the Lord, a gift freely given, may not be accepted.

You may even get an sense of this rejection within your own heart.

You may be able to sense their hostility within their heart.

 

 

Today we too are being sent out to bring the gift of peace

to those along the way.

It is only possible for us to give peace

if we first have peace of our own.

 

If you are not nurturing your inner peace how can you

draw from it to pass on to others?

My peace I give you

my peace I leave you.

 

Saint Luke the Evangelist, pray for us.

~Pomegranate and the Spirit~

~~~ Galatians 5: 18-25 ~~~ Psalm 1~~~ Luke 11: 42-46 ~~~

 

If you are truly guided by the Spirit, as Paul suggests,

 then you should have nothing to worry about.

If you are in the Spirit then you will be less inclined

to indulge in the things of the flesh.

Most all of the sins that Paul refers to in this letter 

are about selfishly putting yourself above others.

They are supported by believing that we should live for the moment.

They fool us into believing that satisfying our own needs take preference.

 

Paul goes on to say that if we are to be led by the Spirit

then we will manifest more goodness in our lives.

Embed yourself in the Spirit and you will bear fruit.

 

"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

 

It seems to me that the pomegranate is the perfect fruit

to represent the fruit of the Spirit referenced in today's letter by St. Paul.

The pomegranate fruit is unique in that the fruit itself

is neatly packed inside of a vibrant reddish sphere.

Once you cut open the pomegranate you see the actual

edible fruit...many small seeds between 200 and over 1000.

 

So imagine for a moment within the pomegranate

you find all nine fruit of the Spirit.

If you notice the word fruit is singular,

but yet contains many wonderful qualities of the Spirit

to cultivate in our lives.

 

 

In further research on the the pomegranate I was amazed to find

that it has Biblical connections. It is mentioned several times

in the Song of Songs, which poetically speaks of love,

the first of the fruit of the Spirit.

See Song of Songs 4:3, 6:11, 7:12, and 8:12 t

o share just a sampling of the references to the pomegranate.

I am now so fascinated by this unusual fruit

that I want to take more time with it's Biblical connection.

 

But for now take time to reflect on these qualities

that flourish as the fruit of the Spirit.

 

"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

 

Which of these do you feel most comfortable with in your heart?

Which do you find the most challenging?

 

Each one is inviting you to live in the Spirit and not just by the law.

The law can be blind, cold, harsh, and rigid.

By contrast the Spirt is tender, compasionate, and kind.

May the fruit of the pomegranate flourish in your heart.

Designer Frauds

~~~ Galatians 5:1-6 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Luke 11: 37-41 ~~~

 

When we are living meticulously by the law alone we are just fooling ourselves.

The law governs your external attitude.

The law prescribes certain procedures to be carried out at specific times.

The law may restrict the the inner spirit.

 

Jesus came, not to abolish the law, but to expand the view of law.

Jesus knew that even if you followed the law exactly

you were not necessarily a model or holy person.

Following the law may just be a matter of going

through the prescribed actions.

 

The presence of Jesus leave those around him perplexed

as he challenges their understanding of the laws.

Strictly living within the confines of the law can be deceiving.

Jesus often found himself delivering

his message outside the boundaries of the law.

 

We can sometimes become so caught up in the

'outside of the cup' that we overlook

what is happening inside the cup.

The outside of our cup may not be who we really are inside.

Jesus says to the Pharisees

"...Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?"

 

Why are you spending so much time on the outside...

the external appearances?

Do you not know that the maker of the cup also

intimately knows the inside of the cup?

 

Washing the hands is not symbolic of ones internal cleansing.

Outward appearances can be deceiving.

Underneath the external facade there can be a host of maggots and decay.

 

Just because you may dress well or drive a fancy car or

 live in an expensive home; none of these things may represent

what lives inside your heart.

 

Today Jesus is saying pay more attention to your internal intentions

and less about the external ritual laws.

Today Jesus is saying even if you go through all of the prescribed laws

and your heart is not in the proper place

you are a fraud.

 

Several years ago I was introduced to a place

where you could purchase 'designer' handbags at a greatly reduced price.

Apparently if you knew the right thing to ask the sales clerk

you gained access to the 'special' room.

 

Little did I know at the time that this 'special' room

containing the 'designer' products was illegal.

All of the products were frauds.

All were rip offs of the real thing.

All were copies made to look like the actual designer handbag

to the unsuspecting buyer.

To the untrained eye you could not tell the difference.

 

I think this is exactly what Jesus is warning us about today.

Are you a true disciple of his or are you just going through the motions?

In other words, are you really a good imitation...a fraud?

 

Don't be offended by these words just examine your own heart.

Just be honest with your self.

Only you and God know the truth.

It really does not matter what anyone else sees or thinks.

 

 

Above all of the laws and rules there is only one thing that matters in the end.

Have you been true to your call to love others...

not only as you love yourself,

but more importantly as God has loved you?

 

You see what really matters is the

'inside of the cup'.

One spec left inside the cup can contaminate the whole contents.

It is time to focus on the inside of the cup.

 

Sometimes Jesus did not follow the prescribed laws

in order to make his point.

Give Yourself Completely

The Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila

(1515-1582)

Doctor of the Church

 

~~~ Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31-5:1 ~~~ Psalm 113 ~~~ Luke 11: 29-32 ~~~

 

Jesus said to them,
"This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.

Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation."

 

Saint Teresa believed that Christ alone makes all things new.

 

Today Jesus is explaining to the crowd that something greater is coming.

The prophets realized that they were not to be regarded as the one who was coming.

Jonah resisted; he was reluctant to answer the call of God.

 

Each generation births those who are still looking for a sign.

They are still looking for 'the one'.

 

Teresa is inspiring with her devotion to Jesus

and her conversational style of prayer.

Some have said, 'Teresa is contagiously inspirational'.

 

Teresa believed that it is within ourselves that we discover

the meaning of God's words.

Teresa assure us that those who practice prayer faithfully will receive all they ask beyond their greatest expectations an hope.

Teresa wrote. 'My house will be a house of prayer'.

She was not only referring to the physical structure of a house,

but also her interior house where God dwells.

Her writings expand on this concept of a house of prayer.

She speaks of the various levels of prayer as 'mansions'.

 

She wants us all to know that God waits for us in our daily prayer.

It is in our prayer when we should be acutely aware

of giving our self completely

to God...body, mind, and soul.

Gradually throughout her life prayer became her passion.

As Teresa grew in age and in her prayer life,

she began to listen better and surrender to her vocation.

 

 

It is only through developing our prayer life that we can begin

to hear the word of God more clearly.

Jonah had to be swallowed up and spit out before he would

surrender to the will of God.

What will it take for you?

What do you need to do to find more time to pray?

The more we begin to live as God desires for us to live

the more we will discover

the wonderfulness of God.

The more we discover the wonderfulness of God

the more energized we will be to continue to be in prayer with him.

 

There have been more books written on prayer than any other topic of religion.

Prayer is our feeble attempt at connection with our creator.

We want to keep in touch with God through our prayers.

We want to experience his unconditional love.

 

The reality of prayer is that it changes you over time.

Dare you take the risk of being changed?

Try devoting more time to prayer and see what happens.

 

Saint Teresa, teach us to cherish our prayer time as much as you did.

Saint Teresa, pray for us!

Timeless Words

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~~ Wisdom 7:7-11 ~~~ Psalm 90 ~~~ Hebrews 4:12-13 ~~~ Mark 10: 17-30 ~~~

 

 

St. Paul once again gives us much to digest in just two verses

from his letter to the Hebrews.

He is speaking to his followers about the qualities of the Word of God.

Here is a summary in five concise words.

 

The Word of God is....

 

Living...Incisive...Penetrating...Revealing...Judgmental

 

 

Each time you here the word of God;

the possibility of hearing it with new ears increases.

No matter how many times you read the Bible

God has something new in store for you.

It is something that just happens.

It is not something you can force,

but you can make the conscious intention

to receive his personal message.

 

The Word of God is Living.

 

The word of God is precise.

He does not leave you wondering what he meant.

He does not beat around the bush.

He does not ramble just to use up time.

When the words of God are spoken he has a purpose for each.

The word of God is like the surgeon's precision cut.

 

The word of God is Incisive.

 

The Word of God passes through every cell of your being.

It touches your heart and your mind.

It stirs the soul into wanting more of God himself.

The word of God finds its way through out your very being.

It moves you to take action...

...To go out into the world and tell the story.

 

The word of God is Penetrating.

 

There is nothing you can hide from God.

You have no secret place.

There is no way to fool God only to fool yourself.

The word of God knows what is in the depths of your soul.

The word of God knows if your actions are not a reflection of your heart.

The word of God exposes your true self.

You cannot run away from the word of God.

 

The Word of God is Revealing.

 

Because of these qualities of the Word of God he alone can justify us.

It is his word alone that can grant us salvation.

It is his word alone that can condemn.

It his word alone that can heal.

It is his words alone that can forgive our offenses.

It is his words that lead us to forgive others.

 

The Word of God is Judgmental.

 

 

As we begin this year of faith what better way to strengthen our faith

than to sit, pray, and reflect with the scriptures.

 

The Word of God is alive and fresh each time

our eyes fall upon the printed words of God.

 

The Word of God is alive and fresh each time

his words seep into our ears.

 

The Word of God is alive and fresh each time

we speak these words to another person.

 

The Word of God is alive and fresh

every moment in time.

 

The Word of God is not static.

The Word of God is rich.

The Word of God meets us where we are

and then takes us where we should be in the end.

 

I continue to be blown away by how the Word of God touches my life.

I pray that you will have a similar experience as you pray with scripture

during this Year of Faith.

First You Must Hear

~~~ Galatians 3: 22-29 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ Luke 11: 27-28 ~~~

 

 

The woman in the crowd was chanting praises to Mary the mother of Jesus

 for giving birth to such a man.

But Jesus is calling us to consider something more.

Mary gave Jesus his flesh and blood.

Part of her essence was used to give him his human body.

 

But this was only possible because she, Mary, heard the word of God.

The birth of Jesus was possible because Mary heard and she accepted.

 

"...blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it."

 

Jesus offers each of us the opportunity to hear the word of God and observe it.

We have Mary as a wonderful example of what that might look like.

Certainly we will not ever be the chosen to be the mother of God,

but there are many chances for us to hear and act.

 

Because the Word became flesh to dwell among us we have been given

the gift of faith.

If we hear the word and receive faith

we too share in the promises made to Abraham. 

 

 

Unless we hear the word of God how can we be saved?

In order to live a full life of faith we must immerse

your selves in the word of God.

Where do we find his words?

Of course you know...

in the Bible.

 

"...through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus."

 

Baptism brings you into the shared life with Christ.

As part of this shared life you also share in the promises

and blessings passed down through the ages.

 

Protect and nuture your faith for it is a precious gem.

The Finger of God

~~~ Galatians 3:7-14 ~~~ Psalm 111 ~~~ Luke 11: 15-26 ~~~

 

Brothers and sisters:
Realize that it is those who have faith
who are children of Abraham.

 

Jesus dies on the cross so that we might inherit

"...the blessing of Abraham..."

 

"...so that we (the Gentiles) might receive the promise

of the Spirit through faith."

 

Even today in our families certain beliefs and customs

are passed down from generation to generation.

So it is with faith.

 

Abraham had faith in God so unwavering

that he was willing to sacrifice his son, Issac.

The great faith of Abraham serves as a model for us.

I would encourage you to spend some time this year getting to know

what the Bible says about Abraham.

Without his great faith we might be a very different people.

 

Throughout our life we are shown examples of faith

from those who have gone before us.

These models of faith serve as the building blocks of our own faith.

We are encouraged to believe when we hear or read

of how others relied on their faith.

To learn how God was there for them.

 

Jesus gives another example of faith in the gospel today.

Yes he is one with the Father, but his actions while here on earth

came directly from his Father.

Do you think for one moment Jesus ever had any doubts?

Do you think he was surprised that he could drive out demons?

 

"...But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you."

 

The finger of God...

It only takes a small amount of faith to experience the power of God.

 

 

The finger of God has been at work within humanity throughout all of eternity.

It is the finger of God that touches causes faith to take root in our hearts.

It is the finger of God that touches our brokenness.

It is the finger of God that heals our wounds.

It is the finger of God that covers us with his mercy.

It is the finger of God spreads his love throughout the land.

 

Jesus became the visible extension of the finger of God.

Jesus touched, blessed, changed, multiplied, wrote in the sand,

and cast out demons with the power of the finger of God.

 

"...the Kingdom of God has come upon you..."

 

You have inherited the Kingdom of God

through the promises made to Abraham.

You have inherited the Kingdom of God

through the extreme faith of Abraham.

You are granted access to the Kingdom of God

by the touch of the 'finger of God'.

 

Michelangelo has a magnificent painting in the Sistine chapel

of the finger of God;

I am sure you have seen pictures of it many times.

 

The finger of God may be subtle and may even go unnoticed, but

it almost always touches the heart.

Lord, my heart is longing for your touch.