Better Answer

~~~ Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 50:5-9A ~~~ Psalm 116 ~~~ 

~~~ James 2:14-18 ~~~ Mark 8:27-35 ~~~

“But who do you say that I am?” 

Can you honestly answer this question?

What influences your answer the most? 

Does your answer depend on how your day is going?

There are so many possible topics from today's readings...

faith...good works...and taking up your cross.

All related to who Jesus is to you personally.

To have faith you must believe in something or someone...Jesus.

But faith is not something you should keep hidden away.

Jesus says if you have faith...if you want to follow me...

if you know who I am then

you must pick up your cross and carry it with you.

We must serve others and perform good works 

for our own personal gratification.

Instead we must let our desire to be more like 

Christ to our guiding force.

 ...deny himself,

take up his cross, and follow me. 

Who do YOU say Jesus is?

Knowing Christ does not shield you 

from trials, and hardships in your life.

It is precisely those trials and hardships that teach 

you more about who Jesus truly is...

it is through these that you begin to fully 

formulate your answer within your own heart.

Jesus must be real for you right now...today.

Jesus cannot be real for you only in the good times.

To take up your cross and follow Jesus;

sometimes means coming to the bottom of the cross,

wrapping your arms around the feet of Jesus

and simply looking up into his eyes.

It is Jesus alone who can give you the strength to carry cross.

But if you do not know who he is how can you come to him?

Your relationship with Jesus is personal.

but your demonstration of your faith is visible to others.

Every day you take up your crosses and follow Jesus

is another day that you come to better know how

to answer his question...

“But who do you say that I am?” 

You are unbelievably Blessed...

let those define your faith commitment.

Every time you answer his question 

your answer will become more personal.

You are living into a better answer.

Think of those you love the most...

who do you say they are?

~~~Peace~~~

Guess Who Came to Dinner?

~~~ Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67 ~~~ Psalm 106 ~~~ Matthew 9:9-13 ~~~

 

 “Follow me.”

Today we are given another example of someone

 chosen by Jesus to follow him...

Matthew was a despised tax collector. Tax collectors are rarely

looked upon kindly.

This is one more example of Jesus calling without judging.

The who witnessed this invitation were quick to judge.

Matthew not only got up and left his job;

he also immediately welcomed Jesus into his home.

They shared a meal together along with some friends of Matthew.

Understandably, Matthew's friends were in the same

if not similar occupation.

Matthew means gift of God.

Matthew brought the gift of God to his friends and co-workers.

 

Jesus now has the opportunity to touch the lives

of those who come to dinner.

Those who come by invitation from Matthew.

Jesus now had several others he could influence with his kindness.

Jesus did not judge those who came to dinner that day, but others did.

This is true today as well, Jesus accepts all who come to him

even if they were invited by someone else.

 

This is what evangelization is all about...

we are called to invite others to follow Jesus.

 

In the midst of criticism, Jesus makes a profound proclamation.

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do...

It may be true that those who are well do not need a physician,

 but those who are well need to maintain their health.

We have the Eucharist to help us maintain the health of our soul.

We have the sacrament of reconciliation

 to maintain the health of our heart.

 

 

...Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

 

We have a merciful and just God.

A God slow to anger.

When you come to know God you also come to understand

 his mercy and forgiveness.

No matter how many times we fail; Jesus is always willing

to forgive us and take us back into his loving care.

Jesus came for us...we are among those he calls sinners.

 

When Jesus comes to dine in your heart do as Matthew did...

invite your friends to join with you at table.

If they come to know you they will surely also come to know Jesus.

 

Jesus accepted Matthew's invitation to dine with him in his home.

He came to witness God's acceptance and mercy.

Matthew quickly responded to the direct call of Jesus.

When you are being called to follow Jesus there is no confusion...

 

Jesus often used parables to teach his point of view,

but when he calls his disciples it is not in the context of a story.

Jesus uses few words when he calls you to follow him.

All we need do is respond affirmatively.

 

Blessings found in the call and in the dinner invitation.

Our Blessings come in reaching out to others. 

 

“The only difference between saints and sinners

is that every saint has a past while every sinner has a future. ”

Oscar Wilde

No Excuses Allowed

~~~Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time~~~

 

~~1 King of Kings 19:16b, 19-21~~Psalm 16 ~~Galatians 5:1, 13-18~~Luke 9:51-62~~

 

Why was it easier for uneducated fishermen to leave their nets behind to 'follow' Jesus?

Today we find the invitation to 'follow him' so challenging.

We, like the two people in the gospel, can find so many excuses.

 

What excuses have you given yourself for not 'following' Jesus faithfully?

 

The gospel also presents us with procrastination

 as a reason to not 'following' Jesus.

While God is certainly patient with us, when he calls

we should answer as quickly as possible.

 

What are you waiting for? What if the invitation only comes once?

Jesus is not static; he moves on.

 

I have often wondered why his apostles 'followed' him so promptly...

was it his voice, his demeanor, his eyes, the expression on his face?

 

They certainly did not 'follow him' for any of his earthly possessions...

for he did not even have a place to lay his head.

 

 

Following Jesus…

If you are following Jesus, you cannot stay in the garden praying.

You cannot retreat to the desert alone.

You cannot lock yourself away in the upper room.

You cannot become stuck in fear. You cannot live paralyzed unable to walk.

If you are following Jesus you must go all the way to the foot of the cross.

You must accept ownership of your contribution in his crucifixion.

You must take up your cross and carry it to the foot of his cross.

You must let the salvific drops of his blood splash on you.

If you are following Jesus you must get close enough

to experience his glory and his pain.

Following Jesus is not sitting at home in your comfy arm chair.

 Following Jesus means walking the dusty roads.

 Following Jesus means knowing when to kick off the dust…

...knowing when to move forward….knowing when to leave.

Following Jesus means allowing him to mold you and use you as he wills;

not as you may desire. Following Jesus means you are

 strong and convicted in your faith.

Every day you follow Jesus you open yourself up

to possibilities beyond your wildest imagination.

Following Jesus is not for wimps; it requires stamina and perseverance.

Every day you follow Jesus he showers you

with sufficient grace to make it through one more day.

Every day you follow Jesus you are abundantly blessed.

He is the way, the truth, and the life.

He leads us to green pastures.

He is the light for the path. He always shows us the way to love.

 

When you commit to 'following Jesus' your cup will be overflowing with Blessings.

Due Diligence

Acts of the Apostles 28:16-20, 30-31~~~ Psalm 11 ~~~ John 21:20-25 ~~~

 

What concern is it of yours?
You follow me.

 

Were those who loved Jesus were concerned about his wellbeing?

Or was their concern rooted somewhere more personal?

Peter became suspicious of everyone, even the disciple Jesus loved the most.

It almost seem ironic since Peter himself would

disassociate himself from Jesus later.

 

Jesus reprimands Peter.

It is of no concern to Peter.

Peter had the responsibility to follow Jesus with all of his energy.

Concerning himself with who was about to betray Jesus

was diverting his energy from the primary place.

 

What might the message be for us today?

If we are truly following Jesus;

our eyes are fixed on him.

We are not capable of understanding the ways of God.

What if I want him to remain until I come?

 

Jesus will take care of every conceivable life situation...

we must trust that he will.

Jesus could have handled Judas differently, but he chose

to allow it to unfold without intervention.

He could have approached Judas and asked him

 to not show up for his last meal with twelve.

 

Jesus, more often than not,

 handles situations very differently than we would expect.

 

 

John tells us in these closing sentences

that the information about Jesus was too much to entirely record.

I do not think the whole world would contain the books
that would be written.

 

What has been preserved in the Bible gives us much information about Jesus.

 If we reflect and study the Bible we can picture how

the presence of Jesus would effect a specific scenario.

 

Not surprisingly, whatever our first reaction to a given situation is

the presence of Jesus would change it.

 

Jesus spared the life of the one who would commit a grave sin against him.

Most of us would not be able to do the same.

 

My prayer is to acquire a mind more like the mind of Jesus. 

 The more often we are conscious of our actions

the more often we might be able to align with Jesus

 

This requires daily diligence.

Always know that God is with you...

supporting you...

guiding you.

We Came to be Known as Christians

 

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 11:19-26 ~~~ Psalm 87 ~~~ John 10:22-30 ~~~

 

To me one of the beautiful realities about scripture

is how the New Testament is better understood by reading the Old Testament,

especially within the historical context.

But what is even more profound is how the present time

in our journey of faith is better understood

by reading the New Testament, especially now.

Every year after Easter we hear from the Acts of the Apostles.

We hear how the early church flourished

and the number of believers increased daily.

 

Today we hear how we came to be called Christians.

It is obvious that God did indeed send the Holy Spirit.  

He opened the minds and the hearts of many

who heard the message from the apostles and other faithful followers.

 

The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 

 

 Barnabas, like others during this time,

...saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart...

as he traveled from village to village.

 

I wonder where we can witness the grace of God at work today.

This year during the Holy Saturday vigil we welcomed

eighty people into our church.

Surely that was the grace of God at work.

I invite you to look for evidence of the grace of God around you.

 

During the recent tragedy in Boston

the grace of God was evident

through the many who came to the aid

and assistance of the injured. 

Helping a stranger in need must be motivated

by the grace of God through compassion.

 

Today we learn when we were first known as Christians.

Christian...a follower of Christ...the Anointed One.

 

'...in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.'  

 

 

Jesus sent out such strong and deep shock waves

 that we can still feel the effect today

more than two thousand years later.

His teachings turned the world upside down.

We are still trying to emulate who he was.

It is not an easy task, but he is with us to show us the way.

He is the Good Shepherd.

 

My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.

 

 A shepherd would never abandon his sheep,

not even one who strayed away from the flock.

 

I pray to hear the voice of the Shepherd so as not to stray,

but to faithfully follow him.

 

We know how we came to be called Christians.

Another Easter Blessing.

How can we keep from rejoicing?

The Tax Collector Hosts a Dinner for Jesus

~~~ Isaiah 58:9b-14 ~~~ Psalm 86 ~~~ Luke 5:27-32 ~~~

 

When the tax collector hears the call from Jesus to Follow him,

he immediately leaves his money table.

He walks away from his well paying job.

Later that same day he calls his friends together for a banquet in honor of Jesus.

Who knows this could have been equivalent to a political fund raiser

in today's environment.

 

"...leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them..."

 

Little did the tax collector know that he was exposing his unsavory friends

 to the presence of a holy and righteous man...Jesus.

The Pharisees and the scribes were well aware that tax collectors

 were not considered to be among the holy.

They were not known for keeping the Jewish laws or rituals.

 

 

Jesus on the other hand accepted the invitation from the tax collector.

Jesus did not try to judge the intentions or the tax collector's friends.

 

Jesus had a stronger personality.

He could not be influenced by their potential corrupt ways.

Perhaps the presence of Jesus coupled with the conversion of the tax collector

 made an impact on these guests.

Perhaps they were affected for the better.

The Bible does not provide for us every detail of those who were influenced by Jesus.

 

All who come in contact with Jesus, however, leave as a changed person...

some more than others.

Some walked away from their former life immediately.

Some were changed in ways less obvious,

but all were changed.

 

We have the same situation.

We too are changed whenever we come into contact with Jesus...

especially through receiving the Eucharist in Communion.

 

Jesus came to earth for everyone...he does not discriminate. 

We have much to learn from just this one dinner.

 

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

 

We follow Jesus because he is loving, kind, and

accepting of all who come to him.

Jesus was all inclusive;

 there were no private exclusive parties.

Lord, help me to be more loving of others and less judgmental.

I choose to be more aware of your presence today, Lord.

 

Living Words "Aha" Times

~~~ Hebrews 4:12-16 ~~~  Psalm 19 ~~~ Mark 2:13-17 ~~~

 

"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.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account..."

 

This passage from Paul's letter to the Hebrews gives us much food for thought.

Consider the word of God as something alive.

We know that our words have power.

Our words can tear down a person or build them up.

If our words can affect another human being it makes sense that God's words would be much more powerful.

God's word is living because the 'Word' became flesh.

 

God's word is effective because it delivers the undeniable truth about God himself.

God's word is sharper than a two-edged sword because it

penetrates into our soul.

Striking the human body with a sword would cause great damage to the flesh...penetrating the bone and marrow.

God's word cuts between the soul and the spirit.

God's word cuts into that which cannot be seen.

When the soul and spirit is touched by the living word of God

 there may not be any physical evidence.

No one may be able to tell the difference

until you begin to think and act differently.

 

I believe it is impossible to not be changed by the living word of God

IF

you truly let this living word rest in your soul and spirit.

 

Pray for God to give you those individual 'Aha' times where

you hear the words with new ears.

Where for the first time you can hear that God's words are meant for you

at this time on this exact day.

When this happens it is like getting a breath of fresh air.

It is like a veil has been pushed aside.

It is like lighting a candle inside your heart.

 

 

Every day someone is touched in a personal way by this living word of God.

If today you hear his voice prepare to have your soul and spirit

exposed and naked before the Lord.

 

Jesus was able to chose his disciples, even a local tax collector.

These individuals were able to hear and accept his invitation to

'follow' him because his words are spirit and life.

Jesus is the word made flesh.

His words of invitation penetrated into

the soul and spirit

and they responded affirmatively.

How have you responded to God's word?

Brand New Day for You

Saint Maria Goretti, Pray for us!

~~~ Amos 8:4-6, 9-12 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Matthew 9: 9-13 ~~~

"...Yes, days are coming, says the Lord GOD,
when I will send famine upon the land:
Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water,
but for hearing the word of the LORD.

Then shall they wander from sea to sea
and rove from the north to the east
In search of the word of the LORD,
but they shall not find it."

A famine for hearing the word of the Lord would indeed be a catastrophic day.

And yet how many times have we heard but not listened to the word? More importantly how many times have we heard and willfully ignored the word?

How many times have we denied the word?

When we are without the word firmly planted in our heart we are lost.

There is nothing to really anchor us and so we are tossed about

like toys in the bathtub water.

What will happen next?

Which way will the tide carry us?

Will the waves cause us to capsize?

If the words of the Lord are an integral part of the fabric of who you are no one and nothing can take that away from you. Even if someone would come along and take away your Bible they could never take away what you have stored in your heart.

Tuck the words of the Lord into your heart let them be alive there...

feel them giving you life...they are the green pasture...the living water...

His words are essential to our ability to practice our faith.

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet", sings Amy Grant.

The words of the Lord contain all the advice you will ever need.

Matthew, a tax collector, when called to follow;

got up asked no questions and took his place at the side of Jesus.

"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Jesus was challenging his critics to study and notice what was changing since he came to town. He had a new attitude about how to treat other people.

He was reminding them to go back to the scripture they should have known.

"For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts." Hosea 6:6

Jesus intended to model love above all else.

His mercy is greater than any sacrifice we could conceive.

There is nothing we could sacrifice that would equal the mercy

Jesus offers to each of us.

Jesus calls when you are living your life.

Did you notice Matthew was working?

Matthew may have been longing for a change

not knowing how to make it a reality.

Jesus makes the impossible possible.

Jesus showed Matthew a better way to make a life!

He never ceases to surprise us!