Who is God Seeking

~~~ Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 ~~~ Psalm 50 ~~~ Matthew 23:1-12 ~~~

Jesus scolded the scribes and the Pharisees 

for not being who they claimed to be.

He warned the people to not be fooled

 by their behavior...

their actions were not even aligned 

with their own words.

All their works are performed to be seen.

These holy learned men shrouded

 their true selves in fine clothing.

They become their own diversion.

But nothing can be hidden or disguised before God.

God looks deep within...

God sees the 'pimples' in our soul.

God is not impressed 

with your position at the banquet table.

God seeks those who desire 

a humble and contrite heart.

God seeks those who...

cease doing evil; learn to do good.

This is precisely what we are called 

to do each year during Lent.

We have forty focused days 

to catch ourselves doing evil...

none of us are perfect...we are all sinners.

We have forty focused days 

to learn to do good.

Now is the time to do some soul searching.

Now is the time to stop sinning...at least

 make the serious intention.

Do you really want to do good?

Or is it only when people are watching you?

Jesus shows us the way.

We do not have the task to discover 

what being 'good' means.

God is seeking you.

Help Him find you faster 'do good'

for He already knows who and where you are today.

Blessings 

turn away from evil and do good.

~~~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~~~

Are You Honest with Yourself?

~~~ 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 ~~~ Psalm 139 ~~~ Matthew 23:27-32 ~~~

Jesus continues to harp on the scribes and Pharisees...

Accusing them of white washing the exterior of the tombs

while fully knowing that inside lies rotten flesh and dry bones.

He goes on to accuse them of pretending

 to have been better than those who have died.

 ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,

we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’

Jesus is not easily fooled by their play with words.

Jesus is not impressed by their external appearance and practices.

Jesus knows that the scribes and the Pharisees

are not connected to the truth of Psalm 139.

You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

They shun away from uttering these words.

They fool themselves into believing that only 

they know what lies within their heart.

They fool themselves into believing that Jesus

 is just like the rest of the people.

With the scribes and Pharisees what you see is not what you get.

They lie about who they are and what they are

 right to the face of everyone.

But when they try their usual tactics with Jesus;

it fails to work...Jesus knows too much.

Jesus does not have a crystal ball or any magic abilities.

Nothing is or can be hidden from Jesus...

not darkness...not far away places...

no mountain tops or ocean depths.

Where can I go from your spirit?

From your presence where can I flee?

Secretly the scribes and Pharisees 

are seeking a place where Jesus is not present.

Jesus makes them feel very uncomfortable,

but they remain stubborn, resistant, hard headed.

They continue to polish their public appearance...

they whitewash the sad facade of their life.

Jesus hears their empty words.

Just as he hears all of our words too.

We cannot say or act in such a manner that would

camouflage our true self from God. 

You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

We must learn from the foolish thinking 

of the scribes and Pharisees.

Pretending to be better than we really

 are inside does not work with Jesus.

Imagine Jesus laughing the next time you

are temped to think you can fool him.

Jesus knows us more intimately than our parents or our friends.

Jesus knows us better than we may even know ourselves.

If you pretend long enough you may be able to fool yourself.

You may be able to rationalize away all of your 

ways which are not pleasing to God.

The most holy people learned to come to Jesus 

with their flaws and weaknesses.

We must come to Jesus with an honest open heart.

He is the great healer,

but first you must be honest with yourself.

This is how you are able...

walk in a manner worthy of the God...

who calls you, knows you, and loves you.

May all the days of your life be Blessed

 first from the inside. 

~~~Peace~~~

Hands and Hearts

~~~ Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr ~~~

~~~ Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17 ~~~ Psalm 110 ~~~ Mark 3:1-6 ~~~

“Come up here before us.”

Jesus uses every opportunity as a time for teaching.

We are in the synagogue, Jesus is 

preaching, the Pharisees are present.

Jesus does not call up one of the elders to come forward;

he calls the man with the crippled hand.

This man came to hear the 'teacher' he had 

accepted the loss of his one hand. 

Imagine his surprise when Jesus 

calls him to come before the whole community.

Imagine his shock when Jesus asks him

 to stretch out his crippled hand.

Was he embarrassed? Was he afraid to be made

 fun of...to be humiliated?

Of course Jesus does none of those things 

instead Jesus heals this man's hand.

If you were given a choice between

 a withered hand with a humble heart

or perfect hands with a hard heart,

which would you chose?

Jesus took every occasion to get the Pharisees 

to open their eyes...to see that 

he was the Messiah.

The Pharisees instead refused to let their hearts be softened.

Physically they appeared to be perfect specimens of man,

but their hearts were more like the stones

they kicked aside on the road.

Their hard hearts kept them from having

 the ability to identify with Jesus.

For if your heart is hard you

 cannot feel compassion for another person.

A hard heart is impermeable, nothing can penetrate it.  

It is safe to say that not even love 

can truly be experienced when 

one has a hard heart.

I pray that if my heart ever becomes hardened

 that the grace of God will lead me to seek counsel.

The Pharisees had Jesus standing before them.

The Pharisees had Jesus to point out where they needed change.

They became even more resistant...their hearts became even harder.

What if they had actually been allowed to feel the pain 

in their chest of their hard heart?

Would that have made a difference?

We will never know, because God does not work that way.

Jesus gave them many reasons to change, 

but they kept their hearts hard

on purpose...

It was their choice.

Saint Agnes, pray for us.

May we receive Blessings so as 

to never have a hard heart.

~~~ Peace ~~~

?Trick or Treat?

~~~ Philippians 1:1-11 ~~~ Psalm 111 ~~~  Luke 14:1-6 ~~~ 

The elders were always looking for a way to trick Jesus...
...Trick or Treat....

Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law
 and Pharisees in reply, asking,
“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?”

Jesus always responded with a treat....
He treats them to a new way of thinking.
He treats them to a chance to change.
He treats them with his compassion.
He treats them to his forgiveness.
He treats them to his unconditional love.
He treats them to his words of wisdom.
He treats them with completely surrendering his body
 to their vicious cruelty.

He treats them with the last drop of his blood.
He treats them with the promise salvation.

Jesus never tries to trick us into trusting him.
Jesus never tries to trick us into believing him.
Jesus never tries to trick us loving him.
Jesus never tries to trick us into accepting his forgiveness.
Jesus never tries to trick us with his miracles.
Jesus never tries to trick us through his healing touch.
Jesus never tries to trick us by challenging the elders.
Jesus never tries to trick us by dining with sinners.
Jesus never tries to trick us by washing the feet of his apostles.
Jesus never tries to trick us by changing water into wine.
Jesus never tries to trick us by multiplying the loaves and fishes.
Jesus never tries to trick us by calming the stormy waters.
Jesus never tries to trick us into following him.
Jesus never tries to trick us into loving him
 with our whole mind, body, and soul.

Jesus is all about treating us with his majesty and his glory.
He treats us with the beauty of creation...
the flowers, the birds, the colors of the rainbow.

He treats us with friends to stand beside.
He treats us with quiet and peace.
He treats us with the gift off the Eucharist.
He treats us with eternal
unconditional love.

 ...I hold you in my heart,
you who are all partners with me in grace...

Today our task is to treat as many people as possible 

as Jesus would treat them.
Take the time to Bless their day.
Treat them with the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
~~~Peace~~~

The "New Detergent"

~~~ 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3A, 14-17 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Matthew 23:23-26 ~~~

Try not to be shaken out of your minds or alarmed,
but you may need to take another look at your dishes.
Are they as clean as you think they are?
Do they look clean until you hold them up to the light?
Is it time for a new dish washing soap?
Or is ti time to buy new dishes?

Jesus takes some delight, it seems,
in making comparisons to the scribes and Pharisees.
Today it is about their supposedly cleanliness.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence....

Jesus talks about cups and bowls,
but he is really talking about these men in authority.
Jesus does not really care about whether or not
 they are following all of the prescribed cleansing rituals.

He did not come to inspect their kitchens.
He is not the local health department representative.

He speaks to their inner self as compared
 to their external appearance.
Their hearts are corrupt with minutia...the tiniest gnat.

...Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean."

You probably have seen the commercial of the woman
takes a clean glass from the dish washer
only to discover it looks very cloudy.

The detergent had cleaned the outside of the glass,
but a cloudy film remained on the inside.

The new improved detergent promises to rid the dishes of the cloudy film.

Jesus was the 'new detergent'.
He came to remove the cloudy film,
but the scribes and Pharisees resisted such nonsense.

What is on the inside is so much more important than the outside.
The scribes and Pharisees paraded around dressed in their fancy robes.
All the while their insides were left in a state of uncleanliness.

They were not taking care of the important things like...
...judgment and mercy and fidelity.

Sometimes we too focus on the 'outside' of the cup.
If we can keep our heart and soul fixed on the good things of the Lord

then everything else will fall into its proper place.

The scribes and the Pharisees become Obsessive Compulsive
 about even the smallest part of the law. 

They were not the least bit concerned about
 how well they were loving God and their neighbors.

Jesus wants us to follow his example of love.
Observing the law may have its place,
 but it should never supersede our desire to love.

Jesus is the 'new detergent',
he removes the cloudy film from inside our hearts.
He Blesses us with his love so that
 we can in turn love others more completely.

Turn your cleaning first to the inside of the cup and all will be well.
~~~Peace~~~

Look to the Horizon

~~~ Micah 2:1-5 ~~~ Psalm 10 ~~~ Matthew 12:14-21 ~~~

...he withdrew from that place.

Jesus had no one to look out for his safety.
When he enters the town it seems the Pharisees
 are busy plotting against him.
It is discouraging that they had nothing
 better to do with their time,
no better way to use their resources than for evil.

We often see this same mentality in times of war,
but here we have only one person, Jesus.
Why would they need to spend so much energy on this except out of fear.

Jesus does what he had to do in order to keep himself safe;
he in effect goes underground.
He goes into hiding, but he does not cease to heal
 those who followed him.

He does make one important request.
He asks them not to share his whereabouts.

Today we might become suspicious if someone acted the way Jesus did.
We wonder about keeping secrets. We would ask questions.
But for Jesus this was all part of the Divine plan;
his time had not yet come.

We see Jesus at the beginning of his ministry telling his mother
his time had not yet come at the wedding feast.
Now his actions of retreating and his warning of silence
tell us his time to die had not yet come.

Jesus had so much more to do...he was not finished.
He is shielded by the Spirit from harm.
The prophets had foretold....

...a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

The very presence of Jesus brought hope to hundreds,
 even thousands of people.
Today we are still being blessed with hope.
Jesus is the reason we have hope.

The wicked can gather behind closed doors to plan their evil deeds.
But in the end, it is our hope in the Lord that saves us.

The very same hope that those who flocked to him
held firmly in their hearts.
They came in hope that he would cure them.

The Pharisees, however, had no hope in their hearts
as they plotted the death of Jesus.
They were blinded from seeing what could have been better.
Hope is about the future and the Pharisees were caught within themselves.

Sometimes we too may be tempted to be trapped within ourselves.
Our faith teaches us to look to the horizon,
where hope is strong and bright.
Hope is not shrouded in darkness.
Hope is in the dawn of a new day.

May you be blessed with hope when you are in most need.
Jesus withdrew, but he did not turn anyone away.
He kept their hope alive.
~~~Peace~~~

The Thorn Bush

~~Ezekiel 37:21-28~~(Psalm)Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13~~ John 11:45-56~~

...If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.

The Pharisees were quite happy with their prestigious positions.

They felt threatened by the good things Jesus was doing.

They wanted to be the ones who were the 'good' people.

The problem is the Pharisees wanted to appear good in the eyes of the Romans.

The Pharisees were considered by the Sadducees to be the 'dissenters'.

The Pharisees became intensely focused on the words of the holy texts;

rather than on the ritual sacrifices.

The leaders for the Pharisees were given the title of rabbi 

meaning master or teacher.

The Romans eventually came into power over Jerusalem.

The Romans are brutal, even killing the priests at the altar.

Herod, a Jew, comes into power and tries to keep the peace.

He tries to keep the Romans and the Jews happy which is a great challenge.

Herod does a good job. He keeps the peace among the Jews 

and the Romans are pleased with him as ruler.

The Pharisees were willing to do most anything to keep their position in society.

They were also willing to dissolve anything that caused unrest;

anything that might jeopardize their place of good favor with the Romans.

So in defense of the Pharisees they were afraid of Jesus.

They did not have the strength of character to Jesus as doing good.

They did not want Jesus to tell them what they were doing wrong.

They plotted to kill Jesus in order to save the nation 

from the wrath of the Romans.

...Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

Once they had made their decision Jesus had to flee from Jerusalem.

He retreated into the desert; no longer spending

time with his Jewish friends.

The danger was intensifying, but Jesus was a devout Jew.

They began to speculate as to whether or not 

he would return for the feast of Passover.

Jesus moves to a place of hiding.

He too was acting in fear.

Fear plus fear does not equal peace.

Fear causes people to act irrationally.

Getting rid of Jesus would solve all of their problems.

Life would return to the status quo 

and all would be well in regards to the Romans.

Sometimes we fall into the same trap of deception.

We believe if we get rid of a situation which we deem as threatening

all will return to the previous state.

We see this played out among our politicians everyday.

I won't bore you with examples, which I am sure you can easily find.

Jesus was about peace.

He does not choose violence to achieve his peace.

His peace is achieved through unconditional love and forgiveness.

The relationship between the Pharisees 

and the Romans was like a giant thorny bush.

The Pharisees were not about to get tangled in the thorns.

It was much easier to just kill Jesus.

Get Jesus out of the way and ignore the thorn bush...the Romans.

They plotted to kill Jesus to maintain 

their false sense of peace with the Romans.

Jesus is the one who has the true peace.

He blesses us with his peace.

He calls us in turn to pass his peace on to our neighbors.

Fear is prickly...

Peace is resting in the Lord.

What is Superfluous in Your Life?

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

 

...the just judgment of God,
who will repay everyone according to his works...

 

The Pharisees were noted for their strict observance of the rules and the laws.

They appointed themselves as the judges and the jury of the Jewish people.

 

...affliction and distress will come upon everyone
who does evil...

The Pharisees buried themselves in the details.

They were so focused on the letter of the law that they

lost their way to God.

They became hideous in the eyes of Jesus.

Woe to you Pharisees! 

 

Superfluous!

The Pharisees were creating so many rules and laws

that they have missed the point.

They were so far away from reality.

They ignored the real issues of the people.

They were more concerned about those things that were non essential.

They bring the tiny fragrant sprigs of mint as their offering.

They glory in being seated in the places of honor.

 

Woe to you Pharisees!

 

Jesus tells them they are foul because they have confused the people.

They have led the people in the wrong direction.

They have not practiced nor taught the people how to love God.

 

 

 The Pharisees were puffed up with their own sense of righteousness.

They puffed up their own egos to the exclusion of really loving God.

None of this will impress God.

God sees through all exterior facades

right into their hearts and minds.

 

There is no partiality with God.

Nothing you say or do will impress God.

He sees all that is good and all that is bad in your life

and he alone will judge accordingly.

 

Blessings come in doing good toward all people.

God rewards those who live in love.

Defiant Healing Leads to Conviction

~~~ Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17 ~~~ Psalm 110 ~~~ Mark 3:1-6 ~~~

 

'...king of peace...'

 

'...by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed...'

 

The power with which Jesus heals is the power of life.

It is the power of the Lord.

It is a princely power of holy splendor bestowed upon him from his birth.

It is a power that cannot be halted by the restraints of a few laws.

It is a power that will not back down in the face of judgment

rendered by the local elders.

It does not give way to criticism.

 

Rather with every road block thrown up before Jesus he responds

with a stronger conviction for his purpose.

 

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”

 

 

Jesus will not be intimidated by the Pharisees.

They cannot succeed in deterring him from doing good.

 

If you are about doing good does it really matter what day it is,

where you are, or who is the recipient?

Jesus was defying the authority of the Pharisees and they were none to pleased.

Who did this Jesus think he was?

How dare he question their authority;

publicly in front of those who were in the temple.

 

The Pharisees were acting as any human would in a position of authority.

Jesus was acting as a compassionate God.

There is no comparison.

 

 

Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.

 

They remained silent to his question about preserving life.

Inside their hearts were dead;

they could not bring themselves to value life above all else.

 

...Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart...

 

Jesus cured the man's withered hand right before their eyes.

They were insulted and outraged with this healing on the Sabbath.

They left vowing to do whatever it took to have him put to death.

 

Jesus will always support us in standing up for what is good.

There are so many examples from the lives of the saints

 in support of this fact. 

All around the world even today people are sacrificing their life

for believing in the truth, for acting for what is good.

 

Place your heart in the right place; this is where you begin.

 

Walk closer with Jesus this year and be blessed.

What are You Blind To

The Memorial of St. Augustine

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

 

St. Augustine is called the Doctor of Grace.

Once again the scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites

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

 

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

 

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

pungent spices as our offering to church each week.

Is this really what it means to tithe?

I think, not.

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

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

 

They have neglected judgment to the point that they have appointed

themselves as the judge and the jury.

They had the final say,

because after all they were the law scholars.

No offense to the lawyers out there.

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

We can come up with so many reasons as to why

we are justified in judging someone.

Next time you are tempted to judge someone, pause

for a minute and ask yourself,

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

 

They have neglected mercy because when you are always right

what use is mercy to you.

Mercy is for those who want to make amends with their

fellow community and family members.

Mercy is for the weak those you pity.

They did not have time to be bothered with mercy.

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

Mercy is not only about your side of the story.

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

Mercy requires compassion and kindness extended toward others.

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

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

 

Lastly Jesus chooses to include fidelity.

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

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

demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.

Instead of being faithful to the teachings of the Lord;

 they become the nit pickers.

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

became their greatest concern.

 

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

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

 

There are times when the little things would be better ignored

so that you can address the larger concepts.

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

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

They just totally miss the point.

I know some educators exactly like this with their students.

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

Are the margins set to the teacher's specifications?

You get the point.

 

But here comes the real clincher from Jesus.

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

He points out that they are lacking in self examination.

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

They are so busy with judging and scrutinizing everyone else.

They do not see their own internal corruption.

 

This is true for ourselves too.

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

we will also have a beautiful outside.

Whatever is inside will show on the outside.

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

 

 

Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.

Why do you think that psalm was written?

 

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

it will be reflected in how we deal with others.

 

We will recognize that all judgment comes through God.

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

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

 

May the outside of your cup truly reflect the fine wine

stored within your heart.

 

St. Augustine, lead us to truth and knowledge.

Grace to You

The Memorial of St. Monica

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

 

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

My interpretation of this is if the teacher does not first

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

Together we may we able to muddle through the material

but much will be lost in the process.

 

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

Pharisees, and the hypocrites.

He says you are supposed to be the most learned

and you have got it all wrong.

You cannot understand things for yourself,

 so how are you going to lead the rest?

 

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

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

Look just at how Paul greets his followers...

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

 

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

He thanks God for those he writes to and praises them

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

grows ever greater..."

 

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

said anything uplifting to those under them.

Instead they were masters at criticism.

They were diligent about looking for whether or not

you were following all of the prescribed rituals and laws.

 

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

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

 

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

They are prevented from seeing the good that is present.

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

the people are doing right.

 

As a parent and a teacher,

 I know it is so much more effective to give genuine

praise to your children than to be ever

on the lookout for opportunities to reprimand.

 

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

Paul prays for them with a specific intention in mind.

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

 

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

offering this prayer to God on my behalf.

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

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

 

The scribes and pharisees were compelled to share

with all of those they met,

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

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

They were better because

THEY had all of the right answers.

THEY knew how things were supposed to be done.

THEY were the educated.

THEY were the experts.

 

They were so caught up in their own greatness and egos

that they could not see that something better

was being laid out before their very eyes.

 

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

The people who followed Jesus perhaps felt

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

 

 

Saint Monica is such a beautiful example today. 

Remember to always pray

even for that which seems impossible.

Paul prayed for his followers.

Saint Monica prayed for her son Augustine.

 

Our prayers are always answered.

Sometimes God makes us wait on him

lest we forget that he is God.

 

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

in which he answers our prayers.

For he always answers even if he makes us wait.

He always answers our prayers even when we cannot see

that which is the actual answer.

 

On a personal note.

God recently answered one of my prayers

in the form of a big blue bus...

the Mega Bus.

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

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

He continues to amaze me!

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

in unexpected ways.

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

the answer is presented before you.

 

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

St. Monica, pray for our conversion!

Why Wait? Return to the Lord, Now

~~~ Hosea 6: 1-6 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ Luke 18: 9-14 ~~~

"Come, let us return to the Lord..."

"...he will raise us up, to live in his presence."

"...let us strive to know the Lord..."

"...it is love that I desire not sacrifice..."
(Hosea)

"My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled,
O God, you will not spurn."
(Psalm 51)

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector present themselves before the Lord in prayer.

The Pharisee projects his judgement of others out from his heart. The Pharisee presents the presumptuous prayer of how worthy his actions have made him. He even compares himself to the stranger he really knows nothing about.
The Tax Collector approaches his prayer from the position of repentance, humility, and unworthiness. He is honest in his prayer asking God for mercy. He admits to God how he has failed to live up to the expectations of God.

Why do we feel we have the right to judge another? How can we compare ourselves to someone we do not even know? Comparing self to another is only an attempt to make yourself feel better...a way to deny your own short comings.
Feelings of superiority have no place when you are in the presence of the Lord. You cannot fool God he is all knowing...So what is the point? It is only to build yourself up with falsities. How long can you keep up the facade?

Throughout scripture the Pharisees have been protrayed as just the type who are constantly comparing themselves to others in a more favorable light. They even try to campare themseles to being better than Jesus. For they knew not what they were doing; this pattern of thought had become their way of life.

What might be the message here for us? The message for me is to be more aware when those prideful thoughts of comparison rush into my heart. It is so easy to forget. I have no right to compare myself to another no matter what I think about them.

We can return to God as many times as needed. He will not enforce a limit until you take your last breath. Return to the Lord in humility and love so that you will be granted the joy of living in his eternal presence.

"...only say the word and my soul will be healed."

Are You Lengthing Your Tassels or Humbly Serving?

~~~ Isaiah 1: 10, 16-20 ~~~ Psalm 50 ~~~ Matthew 23: 1-12 ~~~

"Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord..."

During Lent many people do return to God. Many people do repent. Many people take advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation after many years of boycotting it. Local parishes hold missions. They bring in a priest from a different city and state.

"Come now, let us set things right..."

The church tries its best to get the message out through the readings. It is good that every year we have the incentive to get back on the boat with Jesus.

Jesus is poking the scribes and Pharisees again, '...do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.' Gee I think there is a similar saying 'your actions speak louder than your words.' Just ask any first time parent how important their actions are following their two year old mimicking a gesture they often use.

The Pharisees were also accused of showing off. 'All their works are performed to be seen.' They want to be noticed everywhere they mingle with others. They want to have the recognition and the proper respect they believe they are due. Their clothing and religious artifacts they wear are designed to draw attention. They want all who see them to think highly of their state of holiness.

They 'widen their phylacteries'
the small boxes prominently placed on their foreheads.
You cannot miss seeing these. They set the person apart from the main stream public.

'and lengthen their tassels'
the tassels were to remind them of their relationship with God. The longer and more noticeable they were then, one would presume, the holier the person.

Everything done for show and attention.

 I think this concept has carried over into the military uniforms of some countries. Where the high ranking generals are adorned with tassels and long draping cords. Right away you are alerted to their rank just by how they are dressed.

I also suspect our graduation cap tassel is another tradition connected to this tassel concept. Once you graduate you ceremoniously move your tassel to the other position on the cap. You are visually announcing your accomplishment of acquiring higher degree of knowledge.

So here's a thought:

What if the length of a women's earring determined her spiritually? My family and a few of my friends frequently shop at a local bead shop. The jeweler who works there has made earrings for us. He has a distinct style. When we see each other it is a joke among us now as to where we have been.
I know it sounds a bit ridiculous, but imagine what attention it would draw.

But this is not what Jesus wants us to do. In fact he preaches humility. He assumed the position of servant. He knelt down at the feet of the apostles and washed their feet.
He taught us by his example time after time that the humble roll of servant was to be preferred by those who follow him.

We are called to be humble servants of the Lord.
So I invite you to honestly consider this question:
Are you lengthening your tassels or humbly serving?

May God give me and you a humble and contrite heart.

Who Are You Fooling?

~~~ Ezekiel 18: 21-28 ~~~ Psalm 130 ~~~ Matt. 5: 20-16 ~~~

"...unless your righteousness surpasses that of scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

The scribes and Pharisees were the scholars the professional enforcers of the laws. The Pharisees knew scripture extremely well, prayed, tithed. They were the self righteous of their time. They were more interested in the letter of the law. They were not necessarily following God with their heart. They were just going through the motions. Jesus is saying don't try to pretend you are holy by outward appearances. It does not work with me, you are only fooling yourself.

We live in a cultural environment where you are constantly bring scrutinized. Are you doing this or that 'right'. In our city there has been much publicity and controversy over the red light cameras. Did you really run the red light? Were you actually the driver?

In our public schools the majority of the time teachers are looking for what is incorrect on the students work. The student's work gets covered with red marks, even inte margins. I have met individuals who quit trying because they know someone will always be there to find fault. Improvment is more than just finding fault. The desire to improve must also be part of the equation.

There is a well known scripture about seeing the plank and the splinter. I am sure you know the one I am referring  to here. Some think that righteousness means to be in the crow's nest overseeing what other's are doing; in order to correct and set them on the right path.

Jesus is saying all that really matters is your relationship with me. He says I can overlook your imperfections on one condition...is your heart in the right place. Jesus says I have infinite mercy. Jesus says I understand when you fall. He had the physical experience of carrying the cross, not just any cross, but our cross heavily laden with our sins. The weight and burden so great that he fell three times.

As I heard in the homily this morning...Jesus extends his mercy to us, which is bigger than anything we could possibly imagine.

We do not need the Pharisees, but yet they still do inhabit our society today.

Jesus has given us the tools we need to live a life blessed with mercy.
'Your sins are forgiven, now go in peace and sin no more.'

That sentence is often heard at the end of reconciliation.

We may not see or feel God's mercy in our life, but it is there. It is what gives us hope for an eternity with God in heaven. Without his mercy we would be lost in every sense of the word, but especially spiritually.

In this kaleidoscope image has captured God's loving eyes as he looks down on us  extending his mercy. 

Allow God to overshadow you with his mercy.

Do Your Actions Speak Louder than Your Words?

Mark 7: 1-13

"Actions speak louder than words" a saying I heard most of my life. When there is an in congruence between what you are doing and what you are saying it creates a dissonance. It is like listening to a composition by Igor Stravinsky. The manner in which he arranged his notes make you feel uncomfortable at times. The Firebird Suite is one of those compositions; you might listen to it sometime and see what you think. I would not recommend his music for meditation!

When you look at yourself, how do you see yourself? Sometimes I ask myself, "Are my actions truly revealing to those around the words I speak or in this case the words I write?" I think what you write is no different from what you say.

Today we are almost numb by the media. The political candidates are almost contradictory within themselves. Unless you know a candidate you can never be sure of what you hear coming from their lips. Our society today has conditioned us to be skeptical of what we hear. A person's actions speak for themselves even if we do not know the reason for said action. Your actions tell more about who you are than you might think.

Today attorney's routinely higher a person who specializes in reading body language. Yes even the slightest blink of an eye or the way you lean forward can be interpreted by this professional. By nature we watch peoples expressions to help us derive more meaning from their words. Are they rolling their eyes, looking away, or shrugging their shoulders?

As a parent and teacher I got pretty adept at reading body language.

So where am I going with this in connection with today's gospel from Mark? The Pharisees and some scribes observed the strict rules and laws regarding clean and unclean. They literally had hundreds of these rituals to observe. Since they were the enforcer of these rules they were very meticulous about performing them. They were constantly on the look out for those not following the prescribed rituals. They became quick to judge and admonish those in violation. The Pharisees were all about the actions. What you did was far more important than anything you said.

There were no acceptable excuses...you had no options...no circumstances would free you from these rituals. So I can just imagine how livid they were when they observed Jesus and his disciples eating without carefully washing their hands. And even worse not purifying upon returning from the market were they would have encountered many 'unclean' items. I am further reminded now of how Jesus healed people right in the middle of the market place; one of the most unclean places of all.

In reply to their objections Jesus quotes Isaiah's prophecy. Interesting since they were scholars who were very familiar with the Isaiah text. As it is written, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts."

Jesus always knew exactly what to say to every objection flung at him by the Pharisees. He did not allow their preoccupation with the rules and rituals keep him from proclaiming the message he was sent to deliver.

What would Jesus say to us today? Are we more like the strict rule observing Pharisees or are we more intent on continuing to walk  alongside the Lord?

Our actions really do speak louder than our words. There will always be the temptation to let ourselves get carried away with rules and rituals. There is a certain amount of comfort in following every letter of the law I admit.

I am reminded that Jesus walked along the edge. He was not afraid to preach a radical message of love. He blessed us with radical mercy and grace. He ate with sinners and he is constantly inviting us to the table too. He welcomes even the 'unclean' to dine with him.

I chose this original Celtic Wisdom Mandala because it symbolizes the wisdom Jesus came to teach us. This captured kaleidoscope image depicts the beauty and growth within the teachings of Jesus. The black representing the judgement from those who wanted to trap Jesus in the laws. Jesus is the light filled center. His teachings reached beyond the rules.

Let your actions today speak louder than any words you might want to say.

Trapped in the Old Wineskin

Mark 2: 18-22

"...no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather new wine is poured into fresh wineskins."

Well I have to admit when I first read these verses I am offended as I am getting up into the older segment of the population. Am I then to consider my self to be an old wineskin? A wineskin not worthy of new wine?

All joking aside the real issue in this chapter of Mark is the topic of fasting. Why or Why not? Obligation or not?

Once again we have the Pharisees trying to stir up trouble among the followers of Jesus. They try the same tactics a child may use with their parents. The child's argument may go something like...why does Johnny get to do ___, and I cannot? The Pharisees try to cause tension among the disciples. They try to make them believe that by not fasting as was customary they were doing something wrong. "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"

Jesus responds with a reference to the wedding party where the guests would certainly not fast as long as they were with the bridegroom. Jesus is in effect saying this is one of those times when it is permissible to deviate from the norm. It is much like allowing your kids to stay up past their bedtime when their grandparents are visiting. When the grandparents leave things will return to normal; in bed at 8:30 pm. if that is the rule.

The Pharisees did not want things to change; and they certainly did not want Jesus to be the one instigating any changes. In reality the Pharisees felt very threatened by Jesus and all the he represented.

I do not think we are that different from the Pharisees. In many ways we do not like change either. Take a moment right now to think about the changes in your life that you do not like. I can think of many in my own life.

Fasting for that time period meant you did not eat anything not just meat. So you can imagine how grumpy some people were from not eating. Maybe that is the promary problem with the Pharisees; they were just hungry. I know when I am hungry I cannot even think straight; I get grouchy and short-tempered. (I am not trying to discuss the pros and cons of fasting here.)

Jesus was the new wineskin and the new wine the Pharisees were the old wineskins. They were blinded by their stict adherence to the old laws. They were unable to see any reason for not fasting. They could not rejoice in the Lord!

The original picture I chose for this kaleidoscope was of a bare winter tree,

because if we cannot change and move forward we will cease to grow;

we will remain as bare branches.

While I too am challenged by change I believe it is necessary.

May you find a way to embrace change in your life and see it as catalyst for growth.