Sold for Good

~~~ Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~
~~~ Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 ~~~

Here comes that master dreamer!

Joseph's brothers mocked him
by calling him 'the master dreamer'.

We all have dreams.
Why is Joseph different?

Joseph was the youngest of the brothers.
He was born late in the life of his parents.
Perhaps he reported the mischievous behavior to their father.

They were able to find many reasons to tease and taunt him.
When Jacob made Joseph a beautiful new colorful tunic
that was it. The brothers had had enough.

Joseph had recently shared with his father
and his brothers two dreams.

“Look, I had another dream,” he said; “this time, 
the sun and the moon and eleven stars 
were bowing down to me.” Genesis 37:9

They were primed for evil to enter into their hearts.
Once they were away from their father
they began to actively plot his death.

The brothers refused to accept the dreams of Joseph.
He was the laughing stock of his brothers.

Little did they know what God
had planned for their little brother.

Because they were distracted from killing their brother
 by an approaching caravan of Ishmaelites.

Ultimately they sold Joseph into slavery.

For them this was a win win.
They got rid of him and his wild dreams.
The added benefit earned them
some extra money in the deal.

Because of their evil plot, Joseph
was able to save his people
 including his own family
from certain starvation.

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

What if your worst enemy was the very person
God would use to save your life one day.

How would you feel?

What if you had the opportunity to save
your worst enemy...
Would you do it?

Joseph saw the doom of the great famine in a dream.
He could have kept it to himself and done nothing.

Joseph was given the grace
to understand that God was using him. 

God wanted to save the people from starvation;
it was Joseph who was tasked to tell the King.

The King had learned to listen to Joseph.
More often than not he interpreted his dreams
in the long run to the benefit of the King.

God continues to do great things for his people...
this includes you and me.
God continues to use individuals to bring
about his Divine plans for us.

Be open, God may be planning to use you
in a very unique way.

Now is the time to pray for the grace
to see how and where God wants to use you.

God spoke to Joseph in his dreams.
What do you dream?

Blessed even in your dreams.

~~~ Peace ~~~

The Holy Family

~~~ The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph ~~~

~~~ Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 ~~~ Psalm 128 ~~~ Colossians 3:12-21 ~~~
~~~ Luke 2:41-52 ~~~

God chose to send Jesus into a family.
Mary, Joseph, and Jesus give us a beautiful family model.
Mary was young, vibrant, healthy and eager
 to do the will of God.
She was a woman of prayer.

Joseph was already in love with Mary
so he was able to find within himself
the strength to take his part in God's plan.

Together they created the perfect environment
for God's plan to be revealed.
God sent the life of Jesus to flourish
until birth within Mary.

...kindness to a father will not be forgotten...

Mary was certainly the birth mother of Jesus,
but Joseph was not his birth father.

Joseph was equivalent to the adoptive father of Jesus.
Legally Joseph was the father of Jesus.
The angel, sent by God, prepared the mind
and heart for Joseph to be a willing participant in this plan.

This unique family arrangement has far reaching
meaning even for today's families.

Jesus was obedient to both Mary and Joseph.
Jesus honored his parents.
At the same time Jesus acted like a typical young boy.
He left his parents without telling them he was off to the temple.

The holy family unit is a beautiful model for our world today.
What makes a family holy?
Is it because Jesus was their son?
Perhaps this title was bestowed upon them
 because of their son, Jesus.

But any family can be a 'holy' family.

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, 
gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another, 
if one has a grievance against another; 
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love, 
that is, the bond of perfection.

Recently Pope Francis gave us three vital components
for a 'holy' family ...Prayer, faith, and joy.

Families should pray together.
We have many opportunities to pray in a family.
It is important that we pray for one another.
It is important that we acknowledge that we need God in our family.

Keeping the faith alive in our family;
it part of how we interact with those outside of our family.
How we treat others is a reflection of our faith.
We should practice and foster our faith within the family unit.

Is there joy in your family?
If you do not have joy then it is difficult
to recognize the joy within your family.

The joy of a holy family is deeply connected to God.

In joy we can put on holiness, compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
In joy we can find ways to forgive one another...
to extend unconditional love to one another.

May you find peace and blessings
as you strive to create a greater sense
of holiness in your family.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
pray for us!
Help us to be more loving and our families will be 'holy'.

~~~Peace~~~
Joy
to the World!

The Internal Audit

~~~ Genesis 44:18-21, 23B-29; 45:1-5 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ 

~~~ Matthew 10:7-15 ~~~

When no one was around Joseph made himself known to his brother.

His tears of joy and mercy began to fall from his eyes.

His sobs grew loud enough to be heard passed the walls.

“I am Joseph,” he said to his brothers.

“Is my father still in good health?”

Joseph is overcome with love and compassion for his father.

If he is to see his father again he must seize this moment.

He must reveal his identity to his brother.

Seeing his elderly father again becomes the motivating factor...

the reason to be reconciled with his brother.

A similar scene often plays out in our families 

when a loved one becomes ill or near death.

So many times it is the death of a family member

 that brings everyone together again.

Often times it is the pain and sorrow of loss that restores

us to our sense of family ties.

...It was really for the sake of saving lives

that God sent me here ahead of you.

Joseph realizes God brought him to this place

 in his life in order to save his family.

Joseph needed nothing for his journey.

His journey was a journey of the heart...his journey was interior...

his journey was one that only he could make.

Joseph engaged his mind, body, and soul in an internal audit.

When you come to believe that the kingdom of heaven is at hand

you will realize that even the dust on your feet

must be left behind.

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

True Blessings come when we are able to release the

past, live in the present, and believe the future will be better.

~~~Peace~~~

Are You Ready to Forgive?

~~~ Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7A, 17-24A ~~~

~~~Psalm 33 ~~~ Matthew 10:1-7 ~~~

Joseph forgives his brothers for dumping him in the well..

leaving him to die...lying to their parents.

On the third day Joseph said to his brothers:

“Do this, and you shall live; for I am a God-fearing man.

Joseph recognized his brothers right away 

when they came for their portion of the grain.

Since he spoke to them through an interpreter, 

they did not know it was Joseph.

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

Joseph grew into a man of God...a man with compassion in his heart...

a man ready to forgive past offenses.

Many times forgiving family members

 is the most difficult thing to practice.

Forgiving family members mean you must put aside

 your expectations for their behavior.

You must overlook their selfish ways, their rude comments,

their cruel actions toward you.

How was Joseph able to look upon his brothers

with compassion and not utter disgust?

But the plan of the LORD stands forever;

the design of his heart, through all generations.

Ultimately it was the plan of God.

Joseph was to save his family;

just as Jesus came to save his family us.

In so many ways we are not 

much different than those brothers.

They thought they were rid of Joseph for the rest of their life.

How often do you do the same?

How often do you walk away from God

 thinking you are rid of him?

Because God is loving, compassionate, and forgiving

does not mean that we may act however we wish.

Jesus sends out the twelve apostles to find us.

We are the lost sheep.

We are the ones who too often 

put ourselves into the well

without realizing what we are doing.

Yes, you read that correctly...

we put ourselves into the well when we turn our back on God.

Jacob was rescued from the well because he was

 to be the one to save his family from starvation.

You are a part of God's plan.

It does not matter how many obstacles you erect...

or how detours you take.

It is by God's grace that his plan takes form.

The Blessings you receive today

are a part of God's plan tomorrow.

~~~Peace~~~

The New Tunic

~~~ Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ 

~~~ Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 ~~~

Three treasures...three sons...three lives thrown out like trash.

Joseph's brothers were jealous and wanted him out of their lives.
So they plotted to kill him in spite of knowing
 how much he was loved by their father.

The workers in the vineyard plotted to kill the landlord's son
with full knowledge that his father was their boss.

These stories are given to us so that we could make
 the natural conclusion about the death of Jesus.

He was the Father's only Son...loved by the Father.
It was the religious leaders of the time
who plotted to get rid of Jesus.

In each story the one who was plotted against posed a threat
 to those who would end their life.

Those with evil in their hearts could not see clearly.
They could not see beyond their own selfishness.

The brothers could not stand that their father had a favorite son.
Why weren't they just as favored?
Why didn't they get new tunics?
They had no need for their youngest brother...
at least not at that point in time.

The tenants in the vineyard worked hard every day...
why should they always give up the fruits they had labored to harvest?

This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.

Greed and jealousy choked their hearts
breaking down all sense of right and wrong.
What breaks down our barriers between right and wrong?
How did their hearts become so filled with hatred?

When Jesus comes on the scene it is a familiar situation.
He was sent down by the Father.
He came to do the will of the Father.
Those who plotted against him were gripped by fear and jealousy.
They were sure he was going to take over
 their position of authority among the people.

He was going to undermine all that they held important.
Of course we know they were very wrong, but
none the less they succeeded in carrying out their plan.

They, however, were very clever and conniving;
They did not actually commit the murder
themselves they just set the wheels in motion.

Joseph is the one who later saves his family from starvation.
The landlord hires all new workers for his vineyard.
Jesus becomes the savior for us all.

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone...

Today let pray for clear vision.
Ask God to purify your heart of any ill will towards others.
The Lord Blesses us in his own way...in his own time.
There is a 'new tunic' ready; just your size.

~~~ Peace ~~~

Seek Peace

~~~ Feast of the Holy Family ~~~

~~Sir 3:2-6, 12-14~~Psalm 128~~Col 3:12-21~~Mt 2:13-15, 19-23~~

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus did not have the Christmas card perfect beginning.

They had many trials and heartaches to face.
Joseph was chosen to be the head of the household
 because he was obedient to God,
but let us also remember that he loved Mary.
Joseph loved Mary before he had one visit from the angel
or a single dream from God.

We are given the blueprint for a strong family...
The man is the head of the house...he is the protector...
he is the one who leads the family in the way of the Lord.

This is often not the way in our society today;
too many times the fathers are absent.
Even worse they may disappear completely.

Joseph had learned by now not to question the angel of his dreams.
And it was his role to care for his family...
to keep them out of harms way.

Just imagine for a moment what it would be like to know
someone in authority was looking to kill your child.
How frightening that must have been for these new parents.

Paul gives us the complete formula
for having a peaceful, loving family unit.
In fact this is everything we need to know to live in peace
and harmony with everyone in our life, but especially
with our family members.

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.

Somehow as Mary and Joseph fled with their tiny baby
 they were given the peace of God.
They were reassured that this was exactly
 what they needed to do for their son's safety.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

The Holy Family shows us how to walk with the Lord
when facing great fear...
fear for the life of their son.

The way of the Lord is ultimately the way of peace.
Your world may be crumbling down around you,
but the Lord promises you his peace.

Ask for an increase in his gift of Peace...
you will be blessed.
Let the peace of the Lord filter into your heart now.

God Meant It for Good...

~~~ Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26a ~~~Psalm 105~~~ Matthew 10:24-33~~~

 

Jacob having been reunited with his son,

Joseph, gives his burial instructions.

He wishes to be buried with the rest of his ancestors.

 

When I was a child, every Easter we would bring

my grandmother to the cemetery.

I never could understand why she wanted to go to grandpa's grave.

He was not there. We had to be careful not to walk

 on the marking stones in the grass. 

 

I still do not think it is important to visit a cemetery.

Unless it is a way to show that you do remember a person you loved.

Jacob wanted to be placed with his ancestors as a symbol

 of his inheritance or his heritage. It was important to him.

 

Jacob also leaves instructions for Joseph to not

hold a grudge against his brothers.

The father is interceding on behalf of his other children.

One thing parents want most is for their children to get along.

You know the old saying about not choosing your family, I'm sure. 

Jacob wanted some reassurance that before his death

his sons would be reunited.

 

Joseph, being a man of God had anticipated his responsibility.

 

The brothers are counseled by their father to seek

forgiveness from their brother.

Now it was their turn to came to Joseph, admit their guilt,

and seek his forgiveness.

 

'...Jacob begs you
to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers,
who treated you so cruelly.'
Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we,
the servants of your father’s God, committed.

 

 

It does take a certain amount of humility to admit your offenses.

It takes courage to ask for the person's forgiveness.

It takes courage because, they might not be ready to forgive you.

You open up yourself to their possible anger.

 

But this is not the case here...

 

Joseph replied to them:
“Have no fear. Can I take the place of God?
Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good,
to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.
Therefore have no fear.
I will provide for you and for your children.”

 

God meant it for good...

What?

Can you wrap your head, much less your heart, around those five words?

Joseph remained the protector of his family

until he was one hundred ten years old.

 

We too can rejoice with the psalmist...

 

Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!

 

Sometimes we must wait many years

for a Blessing to become a reality.

 

God allowed Jacob the blessing to die a happy man;

his family was reunited at last.

If you are waiting for a family member to admit guilt for hurting you,

I invite you to pray for your heart to be softened.

The Surprising Family Reunion

~~~ Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 ~~~ Psalm 37 ~~~ Matthew 10:16-23 ~~~

 

'...do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak...'

 

It is God the Father who speaks through Joseph

 as he finds himself in an awkward situation.

The very family members who wanted him dead were standing before him. 

Joseph does not respond in a typical human way instead

because it is God speaking through him he shows compassion to his brothers.

 

Because God is giving Joseph the words eventually

he is reunited with his elderly father, Israel.

 

 Jacob's name was changed to Israel after wrestling with an angel.

Jacob, the son who deceitfully received his father's blessing.

 

God upholds this blessings bestowed on Jacob...years later.

 

Jacob must have been overjoyed when he was told that Joseph was alive.

Not only is Joseph alive, but he is now in a position

 to save his family from starvation.

 

God assures Jacob that he should return to Egypt.

...Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt...

 

God was working in the lives of all parties in this story for generations.

 

 

In many ways Joseph is foreshadowing the qualities

we would see in the person of Jesus.

 

This is a mirror of the return of the prodigal son.

The difference is the son goes out to welcome his father.

...Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot
and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen.
As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck
and wept a long time in his arms.

 

When our eyes are opened to our sins, 'running' to reconciliation

is the way we 'run' to meet our Father.

 

When we are forgiven,

 we too want to cling to our Father in gratitude and love.

We want to experience the arms of our Father surrounding us.

 

Israel can finally find rest in the God of his father.

He is humbled by how God had fulfilled his father's blessing.

A blessing that he truly did not deserve.

 

God shows Israel, now late in his life, just how a brother

should treat another brother.

Joseph acts with love, compassion, and justly.

 

God will provide for all that we need.

Not only will he protect us in times of turmoil;

he will give us the correct words to say.

 

Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.

 

Blessings are available whether you are the father

running out to meet your prodigal or

if you are the son rushing

out to meet your estranged father.

 

Blessings are in peaceful reunion.

The Ear of Your Heart

~~~Memorial of Saint Benedict ~~~

 

~~~ Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5 ~~ Psalm 105 ~~ Matthew 10:7-15 ~~~

 

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

 

The beautiful story of Joseph continues in the readings today.

Joseph could no longer control himself...

the familial love he had for his brothers and his father poured out of his heart.

The desire to be reunited with his father brought him great joy.

He was eager to once again embrace his elderly father.

 

When Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers they are speechless.

They cannot begin to imagine how this brother whom they had  grossly mistreated

could possibly find mercy in his heart for them.

 

To me this is a wonderful example to how God

can turn all things into something good.

It took many years before Joseph

was able to use his position to save his family.

But it did come to pass;

he was able to save his family and reconcile with his brothers.

Joseph tells his brothers that what they did had always been in God's plan.

 

But now do not be distressed,
and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here.
It was really for the sake of saving lives
that God sent me here ahead of you.

 

 

What we perceive as negative may be exactly what God uses for his good.

For he truly can transform all things for his good.

We must pray for more trust and patience.

 

Joseph must have been just as surprised

as to how God used his situation

 to help his family

 as he was to have been dumped by his brothers.

 

His brothers were probably even more surprised.

They were most surprised by the compassion from Joseph.

 

Joseph was listening to God with the ears of his heart.

 

“Listen and attend with the ear of your heart.” 

“He should first show them in deeds rather than words all that is good and holy.”    

from the Rule of St. Benedict.

 

Joseph was practicing what St. Benedict adopted

as part of the rules for his community.

 

Joseph is a servant of the Lord.

He could have easily chosen to act differently.

He could have expressed anger and hatred toward his brothers,

but he instead chose to love them.

 

God loves us even when we do not deserve his love.

God loves us even though we sell our own soul to sin.

Joseph, sold into slavery through no fault of his own,

 was raised up as an instrument of God

 

No matter what our circumstances God wants to use us for his good.

 

Blessings come in trusting that God will make all things right.

And oh by the way...in his time.

Joseph had prepared his heart

long before his face to face encounter with his brothers.

 

Pray to be open to hear with the ears of your heart;

for this is where we will find joy.

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

Seeing Others as They Ought to Be

 

~~~ Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ Matthew 10:1-7 ~~~

 

'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

 

Surely the kingdom of heaven was evident through the hands of Jesus.

Each miracle of healing...every word of mercy and compassion

 he was bringing the kingdom of heaven to Earth.

 

We pray in the Our Father...

thy kingdom come...as it is in heaven...

 

Can we deliver a piece of the kingdom of heaven today?

I believe this is exactly what we are called to do.

 

In the first reading today we have the familiar story of Joseph.

His brothers opted to sell into slavery instead of killing him out of their jealousy.

 

We find the tables have turned and the brothers are in need of their brother's help.

They are in danger of starving and it Joseph who can make the difference.

 

Joseph finds in his heart the goodness

to bring a piece of the kingdom of heaven

down to his corner of the world.

Joseph was in a position of power. He could have exercised revenge on his brothers.

He could have given them what they rightfully deserved life in prison,

but Joseph found goodness in his heart.

 

The Kingdom of Heaven is always about finding goodness.

The Kingdom of Heaven is pure love.

The Kingdom of Heaven is following the will of the Father.

 

 

Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph
and do whatever he told them.

 

I found some curious parallels in this story between Joseph and Jesus.

 

At the wedding of Cana

 Mary tells the servants 'to do whatever he tells you'

referring to Jesus.

Here we have Pharaoh telling the Egyptians to do whatever Joseph tells them.

 

Joseph shares some of the same Jesus qualities.

 

It is Joseph who opened up the grain reserves for 'the whole world'.

It is Joseph who feeds the thousands...including his own brothers.

The very brothers who were willing to end his life.

 

Joseph conceals his identity from his brothers and locks them up for three days.

For three days they were confined to a prison cell.

Jesus was raised form the dead after three days.

The brothers have time to reflect on their guilt for the crimes against Joseph.

 

to be continued...

 

"God has to have two pictures of us:

one is what we are and the other is what we ought to be."

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

The World's First Love

 

By the grace of God, Joseph is able to see what his brothers

ought to be while they stand before him as they are.

 

Lord, let your mercy be on us...

 

The blessings today come through our ability

 to see others as they ought to be;

this is one way we can bring the Kingdom of Heaven to others.

A Tale of Two Plots

~~~ Genesis 37:3-4,12-13 a,17 b -28 a  ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46 ~~~

Sometimes I wonder if God looks at how we have misused his creation.

I wonder if he has second thoughts about who we have become as a society.

Jesus tries to warn the chief priests and the elders that they are 

extremely close to making a huge mistake in judgment.

He tells them the parable about the landowner who planted a vineyard.

The landowner has gone to great lengths to make his property very pleasing.

The landowner rents out the land and goes away on holiday trusting his tenants.

The landowner returns in time for the harvest.

Numerous times he sends his servants to bring back his produce.

Each time the tenants, filled with evil, kill the servants

 acting as if they are in the position of power.

Finally the owner takes his greatest risk; he sends his own son to the vineyard.

His son is of course the heir to the vineyard.

Who would be so bold as to kill the son of the owner,

but that is exactly what happens.

Those listening to this parable had already decided
what they would do to the evil tenants...

“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”

This would be the typical answer after all that had happened.
Who would not want revenge for the death of their son?

Jesus connects this parable to the scripture passage
(psalm 118) about the rejected stone.
'...The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone
by the Lord has this been done
and it is wonderful in our eyes.'

The elders now know Jesus was talking about them,
but they are unable to make the necessary changes.
They are not spiritually strong enough to stop
what Jesus has told them was going to happen.

How many times do we find ourselves in a similar situation?...
We know better but we make a poor choice any way.
This is what happens when we keep making the same mistakes.
This is what happens when we keep committing the same sins.
Is the case of Jesus all that he did to forewarn the elders of their impending
mistake was ignored.

Even though he came to do the Father's will,
I think he wanted them to understand the consequences of their inaction.

Also today we hear the familiar story of Joseph,
whose own brothers set up a plan to rid their lives of him once and for all.
And if you recall, unbeknownst to them he is rescued.
In the end he, Joseph, turns out to be the one holding the power to save his family.
This includes saving his nasty brothers with selfish hearts.

Be vigilant about those things you struggle with removing
from your life the most.

Remember it is not how many times you fall,
but how many times you get up.
Get up and renew your intentions one more time.
You are loved.

The Obedient Child

~~~ Feast of the Holy Family ~~~

 

~~~Sirach 3:2-6,12-14~~~Psalm 128~~~Colossians 3:12-21~~~Luke 2:41-52~~~

 

 

Jesus stays behind in the temple without telling Mary and Joseph.

Jesus is acting like a typical child.

He knew he was okay so why would his parents need to be worried.

Obviously at age twelve Mary and Joseph trusted him to be more responsible.

They were actually shocked that he had not told them.

They did not have cell phones or 'gps' to track him.

 

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

 

It is common in large families to think your child is safely

with another family member when in fact they are not.

This is exactly what happens to the Holy Family.

Today the authorities can issue as amber alert, but in the time of Jesus

the parents had to retrace their steps looking for their child.

 

Family dynamics have not changed much in all of history.

Parents still have expectations of their responsiblity for their children.

Children still want to test their independence.

 

Jesus accepted Mary and Joseph's concern for him.

He did not argue even though he did give them a reason for his behavior.

He left the temple and returned home with them.

 

"Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

 

 

Saint Paul gives us the best qualities for every family to strive toward...

Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.

 

If we can treat all members of our family with compassion, kindness,

forgiveness, and love we would all have better

a relationship with one another.

 

Jesus was obedient to Mary and Joseph just as he was

obedient to the Father who sent him to be one of us.

 

Mary and Joseph did not yell and scream at Jesus;

they did ask him for an explanation for his behavior after finding

that he was safe.

 

During the holidays families can become very stressed.

Before you over react take a deep breath and recall

the Holy Family.

Above all else love your family.

Remain in the Light

~~~ 1 John 2:3-11 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Luke 2: 22-35 ~~~

 

...The Fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

five golden rings....

 

The prophecy of Simeon in the temple was hardly a golden ring.

Simeon was aging; he felt the presence of the Lord

when the Child Jesus was brought

into the sacred space.

 

Simeon was open to the promises of the spirit of the Lord

 just as Mary was when the annunciation was made to her.

 

Mary and Joseph had no premonition of what they

would hear that day in the temple.

They were following the prescribed rituals

 for presenting their son to God.

 

'...Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord...'

 

Just yesterday we read of the slaughter of the male infants

today we see Jesus being presented publicly in the temple.

One might think the temple represented a place of safety

since it was the house of God.

Would that be true today?

I cannot say 'yes' for sure.

 

Mary and Joseph enter the temple in joy and leave the temple

with heavy hearts. Simeon had revealed troubling news to them...

 

"Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

 

Mary had to muster her courage carry her child out of the temple

and live a life of love.

She could not live in constant fear and apprehension

as to how Simeon's words would come to be.

 

We cannot live in an environment of apprehension.

It is not how we live a life of trusting in the Lord's

Divine providence.

 

'...Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall...'

 

 

 

The light has been given to us.

If we believe then we must embrace the light.

We must walk in the light...

Face the light so as not

to be in your own shadow.

 

The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.

Fury in the Temple

St. Gregory the Great, pray for us.

~~~ 1 Cor 2:1-5 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Luke 4: 16-30 ~~~

 

Paul acknowledges his weakness as a human,

"...I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling..."

Even though Paul was convicted in mission to preach

he was careful not to assume credit for his messages.

Paul knew without a doubt that he was speaking the words from God.

 

He writes about his preaching

 "...with a demonstration of spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God..."

 

Sometimes I am envious of Paul and others

who were confident that they were being 

directly inspired from God himself.

Each day I just write from what comes into my heart

and can only hope that it is a tiny piece of God's inspiration.

I certainly attempt at being open to whatever he has to reveal.

 

The Gospel reading for today from Luke is the beautiful passage

of Jesus at home in the temple.

He is in the town of Nazareth where he grew up as a young child.

He went with the other men into the temple as was the custom.

He stood to read and was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

 

His eyes were drawn to this section...

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."

 

While those present were impressed with his eloquent manner

of speaking they could not get past his background.

"Is this not the son of Joseph?"

 

We do not know much about Joseph the men of Nazareth

most likely knew him well.

Perhaps he had done carpentry work for them.

Why was he not with Jesus in the temple that day?

Could Joseph read?

There is so much about Joseph that we do not know.

But the comments filled with doubt about his abilities

indicate their surprise.

 

Jesus did not try to change their minds or argue with them in his defense;

he simply stated this fact...

"Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place."

 

Jesus accepted this truth.

He did not let it stop him in any way.

I have often thought how sad it was for those who

lived with Jesus as he was growing up to not be able to believe

that he was the one.

He was the one the prophets had so frequently written about.

There he was standing, living in their midst and

 they were trapped by their traditional thinking.

 

I think we suffer this same entrapment more often than we realize.

That day Jesus goes on to give them numerous examples

of similar situations the prophets had experienced in years past.

 

For some reason this infuriated them. They were filled with fury.

Fury? What a strong word.

We think of fury being used to describe the mighty

ocean waves churning up the ocean waters.

Fury is extreme anger...wild and violent unrestrained anger.

Why did his words incite them so much that day?

What exactly did he say that struck such a strong response?

 

In fact they were so incensed that they were not only going to run him out of town. They were intending to force him over the cliff.

Their desire was to kill him that very day.

They had transitioned from being in awe of how he spoke

to believing

they would be better off if he were dead.

 

As it turns out we actually are better off with his death.

Of course they had no idea what his death

would cause for all of eternity.

 

 

Does it frighten you how quickly humans can change?

One minute you can be the 'golden child' and in the next

breath you can be banned from all contact with others.

We are so fickle at times.

When things are going our way God is great and all is well with the world.

When the tides change and things are not going so well

it takes real commitment

to keep believing that God is great.

It takes strong faith.

 

Some even resort to fury against God

for the unpleasant events in their life.

Dear Lord, help me to see you at work in my life

in spite of not having my way.

The Master Dreamer

~~~ Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46 ~~~

Sibling rivalry is alive and prosperous in the Old Testament. The story of Joseph being left in the desserted cistern is just as well known as the Cain Abel story. Is it fairly common for brothers and sisters to play tricks on each other. Usually it is all fun and games, but in this case Joseph's brothers were not playing a game. Thet were serious about getting rid of their borther. A person consumed by jealousy becomes a non human creature. 'They hated him so much they would not even greet him'.

Imagine your own family members not talking to you.

Imagine how Joseph must have felt.

In today's society Joseph would probably have been the victim of bullying; from his very own brothers. The brothers were operating much like a close knit gang. Young Joseph was eager to be with his older brothers. He had the innocence of a child. Like most young children they want to be with their older brothers. They want to do everything that the older ones get to do. So Joseph was super excited to be sent out to join them.

From a distance the brothers plot to kill their own borther. They were filled up with hate. Their hearts were blackened with sarcasm, 'Here comes that master dreamer'. They were not referring about the dreams of our sleep. For some reason they thought Joseph spent much of his time 'day' dreaming.

How do you feel about being a dreamer? Do you ever 'dream' about things in your life? Do you ever dream about harmony within your family? Do you ever dream about the perfect spouse or friend? What do you dream about?

Jesus had a 'dream' too. His dream was to have us learn how to love like him. He too was betrayed by one almost as close as a brother, Judas.

Joseph was stripped of his special tunic made especially for him by his father. Jesus was stripped of more than just his tunic.

The only way to silence the 'dreamer' is to kill him, but in the case of Joseph God had a bigger plan for him. There is no way his brothers could have ever guessed that this very brother would later be the very one to save them from starvation. They just wanted him out of the picture at any cost, so they sell him for twenty pieces of silver.

and we know of course that Judas also sells Jesus for close to the same amount.

There are no coincidences in the divine plan.

Much later in the life of Joseph he is presented with the opportunity to show great mercy to his brothers and bring great joy to his father. The 'master dreamer' was able to pour forth love that had been taught to him by his father Israel. 'Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons...the child of his old age'.

The evil plot of the brothers was not able to silence the goodness in the heart of Joseph, the master dreamer. Killing Jesus did not stop him from acomplishing his mission, in fact his death was necessary for us to be saved. Just as it was necessary for Joseph to be sold into slavery in order for him to save his family,

even those who plotted to kill him.

The mercy and forgivness of God is way beyond anything we could dream...

either awake or asleep.

In your prayers today choose the one person you most need to forgive and pray for them...just for today...join the 'master dreamer'.