Remnants of God

~~~Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time~~~

~~~ Jeremiah 31:7-9 ~~~ Psalm 126 ~~~ Hebrews 5:1-6 ~~~ 

~~~ Mark 10:46-52 ~~~

"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."

Jesus is calling us together...he gathers all people...

the blind...the lame...mothers...children...

Jesus dries your tears, consoles, guides, and leads all 

on level roads so that you will not stumble.

The Lord delivered his people even though

 they were the remnant of Israel.

Have you ever felt like you were nothing but a remnant?

Sometimes as we age and the daily tasks become more challenging

 we may feel like a remnant of our former selves.

I have fond memories of browsing through 

the remnant bin in the fabric store.

You may just find a beautiful piece of fabric 

rolled up and tossed aside as just a remnant.

A remnant is the end of the bolt...

the piece not large enough to make anything worthwhile.

The Lord intentionally sought after those 

who were left out of Israel.

Today he is still seeking out the remnants...

To God a remnant is something of rare beauty...

something worth saving...something to cherish.

You are the remnant God draws to his cheek.

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

It must bring great joy to your heart to know

 how much God has done for you.

How he loved you more than you ever 

would have guessed.

Bartimaeus may have considered himself nothing more

 than a left over blind piece of society.

A remnant with a voice...a voice that cried out to Jesus.

Jesus heard the voice of this poor blind man.

Jesus sends his disciples to this blind man.

"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."

Jesus calls you when you least expect to hear his voice.

Jesus calls you when you have given up on yourself.

Jesus calls you from the remnant bin...

unrolls you...Jesus admires the beauty of your soul.

Jesus takes time to guide you,

 to love you, to save you.

You are a remnant chosen by God.

Blessed to be saved from the fabric bin.

~~~ Peace ~~~

Longing of the Soul

~~~ Romans 8:1-11 ~~~ Psalm 24 ~~~ Luke 13:1-9 ~~~

In reflecting on the words of Paul's letter to the Romans

 it was important to give you much of the text.

Allow his words to be addressed to you personally.

The concern of the spirit for you is life and peace.

Paul speaks harsh words to you who live only in the flesh.

He goes so far as to say if you are in the flesh you cannot please God.

Wow! Is it possible to have an inner balance

between the flesh and the spirit?

For those who live according to the flesh

are concerned with the things of the flesh,

but those who live according to the spirit

with the things of the spirit. 

The concern of the flesh is death,

but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.

For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God;

it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it;

and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh;

on the contrary, you are in the spirit,

if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

But if Christ is in you,

although the body is dead because of sin,

the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,

the one who raised Christ from the dead

will give life to your mortal bodies also,

through his Spirit that dwells in you.

The body may be dead but the Spirit of the one

 who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within you.

With this Spirit within, your mortal body 

will also be granted life.

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

It is the spirit planted within you that makes

 you yearn to see the face of the Lord.

The ache within your soul is this longing to see God.

The gardener love his fig tree...

He was willing to wait...to give the tree more time to be fruitful.

God is willing to wait for you to do whatever 

it takes to renounce the flesh.

God is willing to wait for you to realize 

the indwelling of the spirit.

It is through this holy spirit that we come

 to know and love Jesus at a deeper level.

The things of the flesh bring passing pleasures;

the spirit brings abundance fruitfulness to your soul.

Blessed to recognize it is the Spirit for which we yearn.

~~~Peace~~~

Mind-Body Struggle

~~~ Romans 7:18-25A ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Luke 12:54-59 ~~~

Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?

Jesus notices that the people were able to tell about the weather
 by observing the clouds and wind direction.
But when it came to more personal things
they were greatly deficient.

The letter to the Romans gives us a possible explanation.

I know that good does not dwell in me, 
that is, in my flesh.
The willing is ready at hand, 
but doing the good is not.

Paul notes that even when he intends to do good
he fails miserably.
He cannot make his mind and his body cooperate.
Instead it seems to Paul that his mind and his body
 are at odds with one another.

Have you ever found yourself in the midst
of something you did not want to do?

God designed your body to respond to pleasure.
You have your incredible five senses.
Your senses are truly a gift from God.

Your sense of sight allows you to enjoy
the beauty of all of creation.

But your sight may also be a source of sin.
How do you preserve what you see for good?
Do you seek to view that which may lead you to sin?

Your sense of taste allows you to enjoy the many flavors
of herbs, spices, and sugar to name a few.

But your sense of taste may also be a source of sin.
Have you ever eaten too much?
Do you crave sweets?
Do you use food for comfort?

I see in my members another principle
at war with the law of my mind,
taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Your sense of touch allows you to feel
with every part of your body.

But your sense of touch can also be a source of sin.
Either pleasure or pain, hot or cold,
even this can be a source of sin.
Are you too concerned about your body?

Paul presents with this dilemma that we all face with hope.

Miserable one that I am!
Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Are there times when you feel like crying out to the Lord?
Are you feeling miserable too?
Does you body frustrate your good intentions?

Paul knows that it is only the Lord
that can come to our assistance.
He is the one who understands
this constant struggle that we have between
our mind and our bodies.

The gift of your body and its senses
can bring about goodness at times while at other
times be a source of distress.

Blessed to have a mind and body
wonderfully made by God.
~~~Peace~~~

Acquiring Sanctity

~~~ Romans 6:19-23 ~~~ Psalm 1 ~~~ Luke 12:49-53 ~~~

...the benefit that you have leads 
to sanctification, and its end is eternal life.
...the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus frees you from sin and opens
 the path for your sanctification.
One who is bound by sin is incapable of seeing
their way to sanctification.

Sanctification...the act or process of acquiring sanctity,
of being made or becoming holy.

The reminder today is that even though
 the flesh is weak Jesus calls you to holiness.

A holiness that he himself is clearly offering to you.

As one who is sanctified God is with you
here and after death.

You do believe in life after death?
If not, then why would you care about
how you live your life?

I feel sorry for those who believe there is nothing after death.

The whole point of the passion and Resurrection of Our Lord
was so that we could enter into heaven to be in his presence...
to praise and worship him for all of eternity.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!

It is unlikely that you would ignore a fire.
Jesus sets the earth on fire with his holiness.
Jesus sets the earth on fire with his
 invitation to personal sanctity.

Baptized into sanctity, we are set apart...
to be used for a special purpose...
God's purpose.

As a living part of the Body of Christ
you are in a constant state of being sanctified.

We witness sanctification even of bread and wine
during the consecration of the Mass.
The bread and wine are transformed right before your eyes...
they become set apart...holy.

Leviticus 11:14
Tells us to consecrate ourselves, to be holy...

Hebrews 12:14
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness
without which no one will see the Lord.

This is your vocation...

You are to be sanctified in the Lord.

It is holiness that sets the earth on fire...
A fire for the Lord.

Blessings for the journey.

~~~Peace~~~

Sin-Slavery-Obedience

~~~ Romans 6:12-18 ~~~ Psalm 124 ~~~ Luke 12:39-48 ~~~

Sin...Slave...Obedience...Grace

But thanks be to God that, 
although you were once slaves of sin,
you have become obedient from the heart...

Is it not the attitude of the heart
where you discover if you are a slave or obedient?
Sin makes you a slave to things your heart does not want to do.
Slaves have no control over their physical surroundings.
Slaves cannot voice their opinion.

A slave cannot dwell on things of the heart for too long;
for it is very painful for them.

Sin makes you a slave, caged by your own
 weakness and desires.

God, in his infinite wisdom saw how slavery to sin
would keep his chosen people from ever
reuniting with him in heaven.

God sent Jesus to free you from the chains of sin.
God did not want us to remain slaves.
God wants you to come to him in love and obedience.
God wants you to freely chose to come to him.

It is the out pouring of his grace into your heart;
this is why you can become obedient from the heart.

Slavery cannot control your heart unless
you give up and allow it.

If you are to be a slave then there is only one master
to whom you should answer...Jesus.
If you are to be obedient it is from the heart
 that you must take action.

If you become a slave to the Lord;
you must also be humble and docile.

If you chose obedience from the heart
then being a slave of God's is the visible sign.

Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Jesus came to serve and not to be served;
yet we desire to be obedient to his commands.

Without love and grace
radiating from the heart your
commitment to the Lord is nothing
 more than glorified slavery.

The bonds of sin have been broken
 so that you can chose humble obedience to the Lord.

The Lord our God protects and cares for you
not as a slave but as his beloved daughter and son.

Blessed to humbly
chose obedience to the word of God.

~~~Peace~~~

Overflowing Grace

~~~ Romans 5:12, 15B, 17-19, 20B-21 ~~~ Psalm 40 ~~~ 

~~~ Luke 12:35-38 ~~~

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Each time you recite/pray the Our Father
you are professing the will of God...
thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven...

Do these words actually mean that YOU are
willing to do the will of God?
Is it okay for others to do his will?
Do you have reservations
when it becomes too personal?

This is not an easy verse to reflect upon.
It is not easy because you cannot know
what God will ask of you.

There are times when doing the will of God is fulfilling.
There also those times when doing the will
 of God is down right painful.

Have you ever hesitated to raise your hand...
to willfully volunteer...to say 'here I am, Lord'?
Of course God knows where you are at all times.

Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more...

Sometimes we do not volunteer to do the will of God
because we are trapped by our own frailties.

It takes trust and courage to step out of the crowd...
to come forward...to accept the invitation.

When you raise your hand...
when you come forward to do the will of God;
in that precise moment grace is poured upon you.

His grace is more powerful than any of your shortcomings.
When you say 'here I am, Lord'
the grace begins to flow into your soul.
It continues to flow until the cup of your
soul is overflowing.

It is only through this out pouring of grace that you
are able to hear the will of God.

When grace is filling up your heart
his words become clear.

Your fears and doubts are washed away
 as his graces overflow your soul.

It is grace that you can do the will of God.
It is grace that gives you the strength to commit
even when you are not sure.

May the Grace of the Lord
bless your soul today.
May you have the strength needed to
do the will of God no matter what
or where it may lead you.

~~~Peace~~~

Insatiable Greed

~~~ Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues ~~~

Priests, and Companions, Martyrs

~~~ Romans 4:20-25 ~~~ Psalm Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75 ~~~

~~~ Luke 12:13-21 ~~~

Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.

The parable of the rich man is a good reminder that
all of our possessions remain here
the day that we die.

Greed...an intense selfish desire
to have more of something than you need
especially wealth or money.

The richness and wealth of life does not
depend on our possessions.

Greed is one of the seven deadly sins,
because it throws ones soul into great chaos.
The soul filled with greed is ruthless.
Greed can lead to violence and hatred.

If you want to follow Jesus there is no place for greed.

If you want to follow Jesus it is best to get rid of your extra things.
When greed is in control of your life it consumes your soul.
Greed renders the soul in capable of loving,
because everything has strings attached.

Jesus had no use for greed.
Greed leads to sin because eventually you
will do whatever it takes to have more.

There can be no love for the poor
when greed resides in your heart.

A person driven by greed will not be stopped
in his endeavors for more.

Anyone who gets in the way of a person
controlled by greed will eventually get hurt.

A greedy person is a person to stay away from.

Beware, jealousy is the cousin of greed.
Too often we tend to focus on what we want
and lose sight of what we really need.

Greed is insatiable.

Making provisions to store more is not the ticket to heaven.
Store up your wealth in what matters to God.

Thus will it be for the one 
who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God.

Love and compassion is
what we need more of in our heart.
The treasures which hold value to God
cannot be stored in barns.

There is no room for greed when your heart
 is already completely filled up with love.

May the Lord teach us to value what
 matters most to him.

Blessed be the Poor in Spirit.

~~~Peace~~~

Ego Trap

~~~ Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 53:10-11 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ 

~~~ Hebrews 4:14-16 ~~~ Mark 10:35-45 ~~~

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

Some of the apostles got a little carried away
with themselves when it came to Jesus and service.
James and John went too far with this request...

Teacher, we want you to do for us 
whatever we ask of you.

A servant may be at the beck and call of his master,
Jesus was taking the servant concept
much further.

There are not many servants who would be willing
 to give up their lives for their master.
That is exactly the kind of servant Jesus came to embrace.
Jesus was both servant and master...teacher.
Jesus came with wisdom and understanding far
beyond what the apostles could imagine.

James and John were confused.
Did they secretly want to be equal to Jesus?
Did they want to be a 'master'?
What kind of servant did they see in Jesus?

We can ask ourselves similar questions.
Sometimes our actions indicate that we
want to be equal with Jesus.

Perhaps we too have the desire to be seated on his side.
Perhaps we would like to have the recognition.

Jesus was both master and servant,
but he was dedicated to serving others.
His mission was to serve even unto his death on the cross.

I have only met a handful of people in my life
who truly have a servant heart and attitude.

We struggle with getting our egos out of the way.

Jame and John fell head first into the ego trap.
But they pretended to be disguised as servants of Jesus.

It is mostly our own egos that get us into trouble.
It is our ego that convinces us to things
 and say things before we think.

James and John were full of themselves.
They put a great value on the fact that they were with Jesus.
Their self confidence fueled by their ego  prevented
them from seeing Jesus as the servant and master.

Their egos caused problems among the other apostles.
Their egos caused the others to quarrel among themselves.
Who did James and John think they were
making such a request of Jesus.

Did they not all want to sit as his right and his left?

...through his suffering, my servant shall justify many...

James and John could not grasp the full understanding
 of the suffering Jesus was going to endure.

No mere human being could have endured
the suffering Jesus endured.

While he was fully human;
his heavenly father made it possible
through their intimate relationship
for Jesus to conquer death itself.

There was no other human who could have
accomplished such a mission.

Blessed to among the servants of the Lord.
May you too serve rather than be served...
this is the way of the Lord.

~~~Peace~~~

Words From the Spirit

~~~ Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch ~~~

~~~ Bishop and Martyr ~~~

~~~ Romans 4:13, 16-18 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ Luke 12:8-12 ~~~

...the Holy Spirit will teach you
 at that moment what you should say.

Keep the presence of God in your heart and soul;
the Holy Spirit will inspire your very words.
The words of peace...
...words of comfort...
...words of courage...
...words of understanding....
...words of love...
...words of forgiveness...

The Holy Spirit will teach you the words of conversion.

Do not be reluctant to profess your faith...
to proclaim your belief in Jesus Christ.

Saint Ignatius Loyola left us many words of wisdom.
Here are a few quotes from him...

Be slow to speak, and only after having first listened quietly, 
so that you may understand the meaning, leanings, 
and wishes of those who do speak. 
Thus you will better know 
when to speak and when to be silent.

Go and set the world on fire.

Find God in all things.

Saint Ignatius, pray for us.
May you learn to speak words of mercy,
peace, love, and kindness.

May your words be a Blessing to others.
~~~Peace~~~

A Guiltless Future

~~~ Romans 4:1-8 ~~~ Psalm 32 ~~~ Luke 12:1-7 ~~~ 

Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.

There are some people who record their sins on stone tablets.

There are some who write their sins in the sand along the shore line.

Those who write on stone can not forgive themselves.

If you cannot forgive yourself then you cannot 

grasp the idea of God forgiving you.

Those who write in the sand 

may just be going through the motions.

Perhaps they are just hoping the tide will quickly 

come to wash away their sins.

Maybe those who write their sins in the sand

are truly penitent, accepting the knowledge

 that God does not hold on to their sins.

God has no need to hold on to your sins.

God does not save them to torture you 

with guilt at some future date.

“I confess my faults to the LORD,”

and you took away the guilt of my sin.

Confess your sins...give them to God...

resolve to sin no more...

go forth with the mercy of God 

in your heart and do good.

No matter what sins you have committed...

 I turn to you, Lord, 

in time of trouble, and you

 fill me with the joy of salvation.

The joy given to us in times of trouble
 is meant to hold us over until which time
when we have passed the crisis.

Your sins are times of trouble;
this is precisely when you need to turn to the Lord.
There is no sense in being embarrassed by your sins,
God knows your exact shortcomings,
after all he has counted every hair on your head.

Jesus brought salvation for you.
This attitude is not being selfish it is being honest.

Pray for greater trust in the Lord.
Pray for the humility to confess your sins.
May God's love and mercy be with you
all the days of your life.

Blessings inside and out...
physically, mentally, and spiritually.

~~~Peace~~~

Saint Teresa of Avila...

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, 

Virgin and Doctor of the Church

~~~ Romans 3:21-30 ~~~ Psalm 130 ~~~ Luke 11:47-54 ~~~

Within the walls of the cloister,

Saint Teresa of Avila filled the convent with

the beauty of her close relationship with the Lord.

She reformed religious life into something 

more than a mere title one gets for joining an order.

In her day, many probably said "Woe to you, Teresa."

She advocated some major changes for religious.

She was not interested in building meaningless memorials. 

Woe to you, scholars of the law!

You have taken away the key of knowledge.

The key of knowledge for Saint Teresa was her

tremendous love for Jesus.

Her great love relationship gave her equally 

great spiritual insight.

For there is no distinction;

all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.

They are justified freely by his grace

through the redemption in Christ Jesus...

Teresa was ever mindful of being a sinner,

but knew of the saving power of Jesus.

She gave up her shoes to emphasize poverty and penance.

Teresa was one spark 

that ignited change within the church.

She met with resistance, but did not 

let it deter her from her beliefs.

God loved Teresa and he had a very specific job for her.

She was a woman. Who would listen to her?

She was a contemplative. Why would she want 

to give up her worldly comforts?

She was an active reformer. 

How did she overcome those 

men who resisted?

Saint Teresa had everything going for her in the 

secular world yet she answered God's call

 to give up everything and follow him.

Her writings, especially the Way of Perfection

 and The Interior Castle, have helped generations of believers.

In 1970 the Catholic church declared Saint Teresa

 to be a Doctor of the Church.

A rare title bestowed to anyone

 much less a woman.

In closing, beautiful thoughts from Teresa...

“May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, 

and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul 

the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. 

It is there for each and everyone of you.” 

Saint Teresa of Jesus,

pray for us.

May you be Blessed with deeper faith,

greater peace in the acceptance of God's love for you.

~~~Peace~~~

Your Cozy Rut

~~~ Romans 2:1-11 ~~~ Psalm 62 ~~~ Luke 11:42-46 ~~~

Woe to you Pharisees!

Jesus leaves out no one...not the Pharisees, 

the scribes or the scripture scholars.

Nor does he leave us out either.

He addresses us with these same words of Woe.

We often take our spiritual life for granted...

becoming complacent with our own rituals and devotions.

I met a person who would not attend a retreat

because it would interfere with her

morning prayer practices.

She could not see the benefit of coming away by herself

to spend time with God.

She had convinced herself that what she 

was doing was all that she needed.

Perhaps she was also patting herself 

on the back because of her morning rituals.

The Pharisees and the scholars were very proud

of their position, knowledge, perceived wisdom,

and even their holiness.

They were living by their own standards...

not the standards of God.

Jesus goes out of his way to touch the lives of those he meets.

He models every day what it means to do good works.

The critics of the day had their heads 

buried in their rules and regulations.

They were looking for those not keeping the rules and laws.

They ignored those who followed the rules and the laws.

You are like unseen graves over which 

people unknowingly walk.

They took away the human love and compassion.

All that mattered to them was the prescribed laws.

Sometimes I ask if we have not done the same.

Have we gotten into a rut

 by going through the motions 

of being a good person?

Do we prefer to 'play it safe'?

Doing what we have always done;

letting the autopilot button of our life be in charge.

There is no partiality with God.

Jesus opened the gates of heaven to all.

It does not matter if you are a scholar

 or the homeless man begging on the next corner.

Jesus tries to coax us out of our rut,

and when coaxing does not work

 he tries a more direct technique.

Jesus was being very direct with the Pharisees

 and the scholars, but most of them buried themselves

 deeper into their cozy rut.

Not even nature is allowed to stay in a rut.

Maybe that is why God gave us the four seasons in a year.

If you stay in your self indulgent rut it is very unlikely 

that you will advance in your relationship with God.

...there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone

who does good...

It will be better for you if you 

take the necessary steps to climb out of 

your rut yourself.

Search for your rut...examine it carefully...

climb out...change is possible.

You do not need to be defined by your personal rut.

This is exactly what happened to the Pharisees, scribes,

and the legal scholars of the time.

Follow Jesus...

he is not in the rut...

he is both constant and ever changing.

Woe to you...

Blessings to get out of the rut;

however long it may take.

~~~Peace~~~

Have You Seen His Fingerprints?

~~~ Romans 1:16-25 ~~~ Psalm 19 ~~~ Luke 11:37-41 ~~~

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

Jesus accepts an invitation to dine in the home of a Pharisee.

Pharisees enforced the laws and rules of the day.

It was their job to observe with a very critical eye...

it was expected for them to scrutinize and reprimand 

those not following the rules. 

As soon as Jesus enters into this Pharisee's home 

he breaks a widely prescribed rule...

He does not perform the prescribed 

hand washing before eating. 

This misinformed Pharisee misses the point

 that Jesus is in his house.

He is obsessed with 'the outside' of his cup.

How would any of these rules and laws 

influence your holiness?

What attracts you to a certain glass, cup or mug?

We rarely examine the inside of the cup.

We are more often attracted to the colors

 or the design on the outside.

We usually do not even 

consider the inside.

...they became vain in their reasoning,

and their senseless minds were darkened.

The Pharisees claimed to be wise, but their focus 

on the laws caused them to become vain. 

Their vanity kept them from having the time

 to examine their heart.

Their life was out of balance,

but more importantly their soul was being ignored.

When your priority is out of balance 

too often the outside is what you care most about.

Consider for a moment how God sees you.

To God you appear as a translucent cup.

God sees you as you are inside and outside.

God sees his fingerprints on the outside of your 'cup'

Have you seen his fingerprints from inside?

There is nothing within or without

that you can do to keep what is inside hidden.

God cares more about the inside of you

than your physical appearance.

To God you are a crystal goblet...

An exquisite sparkling cup.

You are a treasure to God...

He created you to be beautiful in all ways.

It is your responsibility to keep

 the crystal cup bright and shining.

If you set your priority to keep the inside of the cup

clean you will be able to see God's 

fingerprints on the outside.

Blessed...

Did not the maker of the outside 

also make the inside?

~~~Peace~~~

Seeking Proof

~~~ Romans 1:1-7 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ Luke 11:29-32 ~~~

...according to the Spirit of holiness... 

...the grace of apostleship...

...the obedience of faith...

...called to belong to Jesus Christ...

...called to be holy...

Maybe it is human nature to seek proof for our beliefs...

we seek visible signs to validate.

Jonah was one such visible sign; he alone 

saved the whole city of Nineveh.  

Jesus acknowledges the accomplishments of Jonah,

but tells the crowd there is something greater...

namely himself.

He alone saves, not just one city;

he alone saves all of humanity for all of eternity.

The sign of Jonah is so insignificant in comparison.

Paul comes on the scene and tells us that we are called to be signs.

Yes, you are called to be a visible sign.

You are called to be a sign because 

you are called to be holy.

You are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

It is through obedience of faith that it is possible

 to receive the grace of apostleship.

It is by this very grace that

you are filled with the

Spirit of holiness.

You do not need to be swallowed up by a big fish

before you can become a sign of hope...

a sign of salvation.

Is it evident by the way you live your life

that you belong to Jesus Christ?

This is the tough question you must answer.

Do you believe that you have been claimed 

by God to be one of his own?

I know, you do not feel worthy,

but let go of that thought because it is irrelevant.

Remember all things are possible for God,

therefore you do belong to Jesus.

He understands all of your doubts, failings,

short comings and still he calls you to 

partake in his Spirit of holiness.

Once Jonah and Saint Paul responded in obedience to God

they were strengthened with the necessary grace 

to go forth as a messenger of God.

You have this same opportunity.

Make your life a visible sign of what you believe.

You may never know who may be changed because of you.

Blessed to be claimed by Jesus.

Be determined to live accordingly.

~~~Peace~~~

What is Lacking?

~~~ Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Wisdom 7:7-11 ~~ Psalm 90 ~~ Hebrews 4:12-13 ~~~ 

~~~ Mark 10:17-30 ~~~

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,

"You are lacking in one thing...

In the Gospel today,

 Jesus uses a very visual analogy to emphasize

the potential problems with wealth.

He states that it is easier for a camel to pass through

the eye of a needle than for one who is rich

to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The one thing lacking is our reluctance to give

of ourselves...not simply from our monetary funds.

Jesus is looking at the man kneeling before him.

This individual believes he is leading a good life...

He addresses Jesus as 'good'. He is keeping the commandments,

but he wants to do more...he wants to be a better person.

In identifying with this person, you most likely 

also want to be a better person.

...the word of God is living and effective,

sharper than any two-edged sword,

penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,

and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

These words from the letter to the Hebrews

contains enough to reflect on for many days.

Jesus lovingly looks at you.

He sees between your soul and your spirit.

You may not be aware that your soul and spirit can be separated.

There is nothing you can conceal from God.

He alone knows exactly what it takes for you to get to heaven.

Your personal relationship with Jesus

 is not a one size fits most. 

Why would he be able to discern the mere reflections of your heart?

Why would he care about the thoughts of your heart?

God has a unique prescription for your soul.

He knows what it will take for you to enter into his kingdom.

He knows all the goodness in your heart and mind,

but he also knows where you can do a better job.

The living word of God,

by design penetrates your soul.

It deciphers who you truly are within.

Some are not ready to hear the truth.

For the young man, when hearing 

that he must get rid of his possessions,

that was too much...he went away sad.

What would you be most reluctant to hear from Jesus.

What must you do to get closer to the threshold of his kingdom?

No matter how impossible it may seem;

he promises that with him nothing is impossible.

Do you believe that to be true for your life?

Jesus is constantly asking us 

to get rid of the extra baggage in our heart.

He alone knows what you are lacking.

He loves you enough to reveal  

to you your specific task.

Are you too going to turn and walk away

 with a sad, heavy heart?

Jesus waits for you.

He knows the beauty within your heart and soul.

He knows just what it takes to make

you more holy and pleasing.

God Blesses you with courage to act.

~~~Peace~~~

Hear and Observe

~~~ Joel 4:12-21 ~~~ Psalm 97 ~~~ Luke 11:27-28 ~~~

While Jesus was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
“Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”

The woman in the crowd was on the right track.
She recognized Jesus as someone special
maybe even holy or anointed.
She was grateful even for the one who
brought nourishment to Jesus.
She was appreciating Mary, whom she did never met.

Did she know that holiness
gave birth to a greater holiness?

The woman was so confident in her conviction
about Jesus that she called out so everyone
around her could hear her words.

He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”

The census information about Jesus and his birth parents
was no longer important.
Who nursed him and cared for him
 was not important.

Jesus does not deny her prayer of praise;
He tells her there is more.
His very words are spirit and life.

His physical presence is less important than
the message he is delivering.

Jesus was in fact honoring his mother without
using her as an example.
Mary heard the word of God
and observed it.
No one has given us a better example
of what it means
 to hear and observe the word
than the Blessed Mother.

~~~Peace~~~

Hold On to Goodness

~~~ Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2 ~~~ Psalm 9 ~~~ Luke 11:15-26 ~~~

...it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons...

The evil in our world today seems to be overpowering any good,

yet there are many people who still believe in God.

When Jesus was presented with evil spirits 

possessing the soul of a person he only need raise 

a single finger to cast away the evil.

A single finger contained enough power and goodness

to send the evil spirits fleeing in the opposite direction.

The crowds are jealous and in their jealousy they are confused.

They accuse Jesus of drawing his power directly from Satan.

To me this does not make any sense...

Why would you engage evil to get rid of evil?

Jesus demonstrated that his power was coming from God.

No other assistance was required.

Jesus is one with the Father there is no 

separation of power.

Therefore if God is all powerful 

then it follows that Jesus too is all powerful.

Evil spirits are no match for the power of God's goodness.

It is the pure goodness of God that makes it possible 

to make evil spirits turn away.

As long as this goodness from God remains fresh and alive

the evil spirits are hesitant to return.

It is possible for you to be an active participant

 in warding off the evil spirits.

One way is through your prayers.

Your daily prayers keep the goodness 

of God like a pool of spring water.

Spring waters are moving, bubbling, teaming with energy.

This is how your prayer life must be if you are to keep 

the evils spirits away from your soul.

Evil does not want to exert extra energy to soak up a soul.

Evil searches for those who are spiritually frail...

Evil comes into the unsuspecting soul.

Hold on to the 'finger of God'

that is truly all you need.

If you do find yourself in a battle with evil spirits

remember it just takes one finger of God

to bring you into his care.

We have never been promised by God

 that all evil would be erased from the world...

But we have been promised

 that he will always be there for us.

Take refuge in your prayer life;

for it is there that you will find the 'finger of God'.

Blessings of protection from all evil.

~~~Peace~~~

The Open Door

~~~ Malachi 3:13-20B ~~~ Psalm 1 ~~~ Luke 11:5-13 ~~~

And I tell you, ask and you will receive;

seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives;

and the one who seeks, finds;

and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

You are most likely very familiar with this text

 from the Gospel of Luke.

In this passage a visitor arrives late and the host does not have 

any bread so he goes to a neighbor's house.

The host believes his neighbor to also be his friend

until he fails to unlock the door.

Instead the neighbor calls out his excuses 

for not getting out of bed.

It is often during difficult times in our life 

when we discover those who are our true friends.

Sometimes we are surprised...

We can be surprised by those who do not respond,

and surprised by those who do respond.

It seems that those we thought were friends are unpredictable.

This is precisely where Jesus enters into the picture.

Jesus is your friend...

Jesus is reliable...

Jesus will always be there for you.

Jesus gives freely of himself to you.

Jesus opens his heart to love you.

Jesus never leaves the door closed.

Jesus is never too tired to be there for you.

Jesus wants you to find him...he wants to take care of you.

For everyone who asks, receives;

and the one who seeks, finds;

and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

The eternal love Jesus has for you is there for the asking.

A true friend's love is a mere drop in the bucket

compared to the love Jesus has for you.

Open my heart, Lord so that I may know

 the great power and strength of your love.

No door can separate you from the love

 and friendship of Jesus.

You have a friend in Jesus forever.

~~~Peace~~~

Bringing Peace to Your Soul

~~~ Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary ~~~

Alternate Readings were used today

from Acts and the Gospel of Luke.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 

my spirit rejoices in God my savior, 

for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.

Today we are reminded to pray the Rosary.

There are many people around the world who find 

comfort in praying the Rosary.

The Rosary consists of simple prayers that are repeated 

on each of the beads.

This repetitive prayer allows one to 

meditate upon the mystery for that decade.

The mysteries of the Rosary are...

Monday - Joyful

Tuesday - Sorrowful

Wednesday - Glorious

Thursday - Luminous

Friday - Sorrowful

Saturday - Joyful

Sunday - Glorious

This is a suggested order to pray the Rosary.

This allows you to use all of the mysteries 

of the the life of Jesus for reflection.

I offer to you this lovely prayer to the Blessed Mother.

Lord Jesus Christ,

you chose the Virgin Mary to be your mother,

a worthy home in which to dwell.

By her prayers keep us from danger

and bring us to the joy of heaven,

where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, 

one God, for ever and ever. 

As the Holy Father stated in his remarks to the families...

God sent Jesus into a family.

God sent Jesus into the womb of the 

Blessed Mother, Mary.

A mother is always receptive to the needs of her children.

The Blessed Mother is available to intercede 

on your behalf to her son, Jesus.

Praying the Rosary can bring peace into your heart.

Praying the Rosary allows one's soul to rest in the Lord.

Praying the Rosary keeps you in relationship with Mary.

If it were not for Mary's 'yes' 

we might be living a very different life...

in a very different world.

I invite you to pray the Rosary as often as you can

so as to call to mind the great mysteries...

to affirm your faith in the greatness of God.

Truly nothing is impossible for God...

Mary is just one of the most visible realities of this greatness.

Mary, Mother of the Rosary,

pray for us...

keep us safe...protect us from evil.

~~~Peace~~~

Be Passionate

~~~ Jonah 3:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 130 ~~~ Luke 10:38-42 ~~~

Blessed are those who hear the word of God

and observe it.

Jonah was resistant, but God does not give up on anyone.

God had a job for Jonah. 

A job that he was chosen for...hand picked.

Jonah had to be plunged into darkness and isolation

 in the belly of a large fish before God could get his attention.

How difficult is it for God to get your attention?

Do you also resist?

Are you stubborn 

with sticking to your own agenda?

Jonah heard God the first time,

but like our children he applied his selective hearing.

Hearing the word of God is hardly adequate,

especially when he has a task for you.

The gospel today gives us the familiar story of Martha and Mary.

Jesus is their friend. It is a safe and relaxing 

time for him to visit in their home.

Martha, as you know, is busy with the details 

of serving their special guest.

Mary, on the other hand, is mesmerized by the presence of Jesus.

She does not want to leave him alone.

She wants to be as close to Jesus as she can be;

so she sits at his feet.

Absorbing every word he speaks

 so that she can hold it near to her heart.

She does not want to miss hearing his message.

Mary is willing to hear and observe

all that Jesus has to share.

How often, if ever, are you in that same state of mind?

When are you that passionate about 

your relationship with Jesus?

There is need of only one thing. 

Mary has chosen the better part

and it will not be taken from her.

There is only one thing that matters...

your relationship with Jesus...

everything else will fall into place.

If you are anxious about your life

the missing piece may be

a deeper closer relationship with God.

Jonah was in darkness. 

He was experiencing sensory deprivation

but God was with him.

Mary chose to isolate herself from stress and anxiety.

Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus.

When you are that close to Jesus

no one nor anything can harm you.

There is need of only one thing...

God blesses you with his presence.

~~~Peace~~~