Along the Bank of the River

~~~ Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 ~~~ Psalm 46 ~~~ John 5:1-16 ~~~

Water seems to be the focus for both readings today.

The prophet Ezekiel tells of being led deeper 

and deeper into the water.

The angel coaxes him to keep walking into the water 

with each step it rises around him...

first ankle deep, then knee deep, waist deep

until it is too deep to keep walking.

 ...the water had risen so high it had become a river

that could not be crossed except by swimming.

There is no nearby bridge to cross this river.

The angel guides him to sit on the river bank 

where the richness and abundance of God is revealed.

Everywhere this water flows beauty and life flourish.

It is a perfect picture of God's goodness.

Stopping to sit alongside the river gives the angel 

a chance to spotlight all that is good because 

of the flowing water...the rising waters.

It would be good for us to also stop and rest 

awhile in the goodness of God.

When the waters of life are rising all around us...

When we want to escape...

When we fear death by drowning is eminent...

pause for a moment, let the serenity of God calm your soul. 

God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed...

Jesus passes by the crippled man sitting near the pool of healing water.

Jesus has noticed him on previous occasions, but

today Jesus initiates conversation with this man.

“Do you want to be well?”

The answer might seem obvious to us but does this man

truly want to be healed or is he resigned

to remain a victim of his illness.

Jesus' question invites this man to claim his healing.

The moment he decides to claim his healing 

he is able to pick up his mat and walk away.

At first the man thought to be healed 

he had to first get into the pool of water.

Then he brought me to the bank of the river, 

where he had me sit.

Along the bank of the river

 I saw very many trees on both sides.

What this man realized was that his desire 

needed to be aligned with the desire 

Jesus had for him to be healed.

Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath which 

was technically forbidden.

According to Jewish law

 one is not allowed to 'work' on that day.

Healing and carrying a mat were in effect breaking the law.

When are you most likely to extend joy to another?

Why would something so important as healing 

a person not be allowed?

This man no longer needed to remain near the pool.

Now he could take his only belonging, his mat,

and go back to his home.

Jesus is near to all those who are in need of his healing.

Jesus is here for you in your time of distress.

He blesses us every day.

~~~Peace~~~

When Less is More

~~~ Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ 1 Kings 17:10-16 ~~~ Psalm 146 ~~~ 

~~~ Hebrews 9:24-28 ~~~ Mark 12:38-44 ~~~

You always have something to contribute.

It may be a small handful of flour...a little cake...two small coins.

Nothing is insignificant for God.

I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar

and a little oil in my jug. 

In Kings and in Mark today

the widow is used as an example.

These two women become teaching opportunities.

A woman had a very low place at that time,

but to be a widow was an even lower place.

The death a woman's husband left her abandoned and helpless.

She was often looked upon with pity.

She had no husband to offer protection.

She was most vulnerable.

Widows were often taken advantage of,

because they had no one to tend to their financial affairs.

A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.

God consistently turns less into more without fail.

In the time of Jesus, to be a widow was to be in jeopardy.

The widow literally had no source of income.

For these two women to give from their meager means

was worth drawing our attention.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The women today gave from their poverty.

They could have chosen to carefully guard what they had,

but instead they chose to give.

What about you?

How do view what you have in comparison

 to what you are willing to give?

For some this may be a difficult question.

When have you given enough?

Can you give too much?

Who should be the recipient of what you give?

These are all legitimate questions.

The examples today confirm that no matter

 what you have to give 

God will bless you with abundance.

In what we give to God there is always abundance.

God has no limits...he sees all gifts in context of your means.

The widows had little...

The scribes, who had much, expected to be given more.

They often found ways, legal or otherwise, to get more. 

They made a mockery

 of those who gave from their poverty.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Whatever you have God will make it more than sufficient.

God does turn less into more every day.

He blesses you with enough.

~~~Peace~~~

Are You Cheerful?

~~~ Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr ~~~

~~~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 ~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~ John 12:24-26 ~~~

God loves a cheerful giver.

We hear this so often that it has almost become a cliche.

This verse is used to try to convince people

 to give more money to the church,

or to some fund raiser.

There seems to always be someone who wants your money,

 so why should you be cheerful?

Let's consider what gift you have been given

 that you appreciate the most.

Was it the gift you appreciated the most or was it the giver?

Was it the act of the giver...their generosity?

A gift to be truly a gift must be freely given.

God gave us the greatest gift in Jesus.

Every other gift pales in comparison.

God is able to make every grace abundant for you,

so that in all things, always having all you need,

you may have an abundance for every good work.

If God gives everything we need there

 is no need to save it for later.

There is so much we can give that does not involve money.

The cheerful giver gives of himself or herself.

Each has something to give...

The description of the 'cheerful' giver 

is referring to their state of mind.

Some give without ever considering it to be in a cheerful manner.

Some give for the personal recognition...for selfish reasons.

The cheerful giver is one who gives for the sake of the other.

It is not out of obligation that we give;

but rather out of love for what has been given to us.

To become a cheerful giver you must begin at home.

How are you a cheerful giver with your family?

How you treat your family will ultimately translate

 into how cheerful a giver you are to others.

If you have no cheer in your heart

 it is unlikely that you can be a cheerful giver.

Today I invite you to find a way to be cheerful 

as you go about your daily tasks.

We must practice having a cheerful mindset.

Becoming a cheerful giver is possible.

A cheerful giver gives from the heart.

A cheerful giver does not give to be applauded.

A cheerful giver does not give out of guilt.

A cheerful giver gives 

because God first gave freely to us.

You have been given the grace to be a cheerful giver.

You have been cheerfully Blessed by God.

~~~Peace~~~

No Need for Rationing

~~~ Saint Joseph, the Worker ~~~

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 5:27-33 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ John 3:31-36 ~~~

Just think for a moment; if the elders of the Sanhedrin 

had been able to carry out their plan where would we be today?

The Apostles were so filled with the Spirit

 that there was no chance of getting them to keep quiet.

...the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.

When Jesus left the Apostles for the last time,
he commissioned them to continue delivering
the message he modeled for them.
Now that they were filled with the Holy Spirit
 they simultaneously were charged with confidence.

He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

We know some of the Apostles better than others,
like Peter, James, John, Judas etc.
but they were all gifted by the Spirit.
Perhaps the elders wanted to impose a sort of rationing
where they were given the greater portion.
These men of God were threatening to take some of their portion.
We can see just how flawed their thinking was then.

This is how the dictionary defines
Ration...allow a person to have a fixed amount of a something.

Typically rations are imposed when there is a shortage of some kind.
The demand is greater than the available provisions.
God never has the need to ration;
he is abundance in all things.

God freely gives the gift of the Spirit to all who come to him.
Man made up the word ration, it does not come from God.
To ration would be totally foreign to him.

He wants to love and forgive without rationing.
We have been given the capacity to keep
on loving no matter what happens.
We also have the capacity to forgive the most heinous
transgressions against us.

Recently I saw a story of great forgiveness.
There was a convicted murderer who was about to be publicly
hung in the town square. 

As you might imagine this was in Iran.
Traditionally a family member comes forward to kick the chair
away thus hanging the convict.

The mother of the victim came forward,
slapped the convict in the face.
She stood there for a moment and to everyone's surprise
she did not kick the chair away.
Instead she reached up and removed the executioners
 noose from his neck.

A ration is a fixed portion...
This woman exhibited way more than a fixed portion of forgiveness
 toward the person who had killed her son.

When you ration something it is doled out in a controlled manner.
God gave everything to the Son who in turn gives us all.

Can you imagine a God who would ration anything?
I cannot.
What if, you were only given
 a certain amount of grace from God?
What if, when you had used
your ration there would be no more?

We might actually be better off today if
our available sugar was rationed.
Perhaps we would have fewer cases of diabetes.

Rations serve a purpose for the military out in the field.
But, when it comes to God, even the word 'ration' has no meaning.

Whatever gifts God gives you,
through the Holy Spirit, will never be depleted.
The more we access these gifts the more abundant they become.

No matter how many people you love
it is impossible to run out of love.

We are Blessed because with God there is no scarcity;
there is no portion control, there is only abundance.
There is no need for rationing.
~~~ Peace ~~~

Center Stage

~~~ 1 John 5:14-21 ~~~ Psalm 149 ~~~ John 3:22-30 ~~~

...Abundance...

He must increase; I must decrease.

...we know that what we have asked him for is ours. 

John was baptizing in the waters when nearby

 Jesus also began to baptize.

John did not see this as a problem.

He did not feel Jesus was trying to compete with him.

John did not object to people going to his cousin to be baptized.

John knew from the beginning that he was
 the 'opening act'

not the main attraction.

So it happened that a heated discussion erupted 

concerning the fact that Jesus was also in the waters.

The Jewish people had strict rituals surrounding water.
There was abundant water in this region.

They had water rituals for consecration, cleansing, 

bathing, and purification.

There were specific instructions just for
hand and feet washing.

Baptism is closely connected with the water ritual of cleansing.

A person being consecrated or purified 

was to have their entire body washed and even their clothes.

Jesus observed the washing, cleansing, and purification rituals,

but he shifted the emphasis from the outward or external

to the inside or the internal...

ultimately to the core of the person; their heart.

The closer you get to something the larger it gets.

As Jesus gets closer to John, John steps aside 

and Jesus becomes the focal point.
Jesus was more concerned about the cleansing of the heart.
He would even be ridiculed later for not following
the strict washing rituals before eating.

Today we believe that hand washing
is the primary way to avoid spreading germs
 from one person to another.

John knew that allowing Jesus to take center stage
 in no way diminished the role he was sent to fulfill.

Blessed are those who allow Jesus to increase 

as they willingly decrease.

Peace.

The Fishing Challenge

~~~ 1 Cor 3:18-23 ~~~ Psalm 24 ~~~ Luke 5: 1-11 ~~~

 

I am particularly fond of today's gospel from Luke.

"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."

 

A few years ago this was the theme for our annual women's retreat.

The whole passage has a wonderful message of listening to what God tells us.

Listening even when we have our doubts.

Listening even when we think we know better.

Listening when he is asking us to repeat something we have previously done.

 

Jesus told Peter and the others to lower their nets for a catch.

The fishermen had just returned from being out fishing all day.

They were tired and futrther more they had not caught any fish...

Why would they want to try one more time?

 

Jesus uses what we are familiar with and puts his own spin on it.

Jesus turns something we thought we knew

into something unbelievable.

Jesus takes the mundane and makes it remarkable.

 

Peter tries to talk Jesus out of this late fishing expedition,

but in the end they do lower their nets.

 

How often are we tempted to tell Jesus we are tired?

How often do we want to say to Jesus this will not work?

How often do we finally surrender to what God wants from us?

 

Jesus respected Peter and the others for their expertise

when it came to fishing.

They were the professionals. This was their livelihood.

This was how they supported their families.

 

"...the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God..."

 

These guys certainly thought they had all of the answers

when it came to fishing.

They knew these particular waters very well.

They had spent many hours and days fishing right here.

This is exactly why Jesus chose to test their trust in him.

Was he also testing their loyalty?

Was he testing their obedience?

 

It is as if Jesus was saying...

okay you 'know it alls' just cast out the nets and I will show you...

Jesus wanted to show them what he could do

in spite of their years of experience and wisdom.

 

His power transcends any knowledge or wisdom

we think we have acquired at our age.

Jesus creates abundance where they had not even caught

one fish that day.

 

"...they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing..."

 

In this abundance Jesus creates the need for them

to reach out to others for help.

He created community between the fishing boats.

In the past the fishermen were probably

only interested in taking care of their own catch.

This was their job.

Whatever they caught would be able to

bring in money for their loved ones.

They were not accustomed to sharing what they caught

with the other fishermen.

 

If the other boat was also theirs they alone had caught enough

to fill both boats.

They both benefited from the full nets of the one boat.

 

This bursting net full of fish was so impressive that

upon returning to the shore...

 

"...they left everything and followed him."

 

Surely they could not understand what he meant in saying

that they would soon be catching men.

 

All of their wisdom collectively did not prepare them for this

fishing expedition.

It was more of a 'deep see' experience.

They followed without any other questions.

Because they were willing to follow, Jesus was encouraged

to embark on his true purpose for being here among us.

Jesus did not come to go fishing with the guys.

But when he did it was an unforgettable day for these fisherman.

 

Peter fell to his knees admitting before Jesus and the others,

his peers, that he was truly humbled by what he had just witnessed.

 

 

Peter is so human...he is so much like us.

 

What would it take for God to challenge the wisdom and expertise

you believe you hold?

Where does your wisdom lie?

That is where you might look for God to be working.

Often he is at work where we would not expect.

Grace to be Selfless

~~~ 2 Cor 9:6-10 ~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~ John 12:24-26 ~~~

"God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work."

You cannot give what you do not first have yourself.

If we turn to God, it follows that we also believe.

He will give us all that we need to do good in this world.

As Paul sits down to write to the people of Corinth

he has experienced that which he writes.

Paul knows without a doubt that God bestowed upon him abundant graces;

otherwise he would have continued to persecute the Christians.

I have learned so much from St. Paul's life.

Paul was a passionate person. If he believed in something

he completely embraced it no matter what.

God saw these strong characteristics in Paul.

So he devised a plan to use these very strengths for his glory.

God filled Paul with the overwhelming desire to serve him.

Granted he had to knocked off his horse and blinded but,

 you do what you have to do sometimes.

The abundant grace of God sustained Paul

through many personal hardships.

His strong, determined character was fortified through God's grace.

So what does this have to do with us?

God looks at me (and you) sees my strong areas and gives me grace

to serve him through those strengths.

But God would not be satisfied to stop there.

No, he continues to fill us with his abundant graces.

Until his graces are overflowing into other areas of our life.

Imagine this abundant grace pouring over like a waterfall

With God there is always more he will bestow upon us.

With God, the low fuel light never comes on.

God is abundance!

"...Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me."

God gives us abundant grace

 so that we can find the strength within

to follow him.

Jesus came to serve in response to the will of the Father.

It would bring us closer to God if we could have this same

desire to serve others.

For it is in serving others that we in turn are actually serving God.

There is one word of caution here...

Selfless Service

is the main requirement.

I pray, Lord that I may be granted the necessary graces

to have a true and pure servant's heart.

Please, Lord abundantly bless my strengths

allowing these graces to overflow to where I am weakest.

If not for the Grace of God where would we be...really?

The Child's Basket

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~ 2 Kings 4: 42-44  ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Eph 4:1-6 ~~~ John 6: 1-15 ~~~

The multiplication of the loaves and the fish

is one of my favorite miracle story.

Jesus takes a few loaves and fish from a child and creates abundance.

He creates this abundance right in plain sight,

not hidden away in a deserted place.

Jesus sees the need of the people and he takes care of their need.

They were hungry and he feeds them.

Does he feed them because he did not want them to leave?

Does he feed them because they had walked some

distance to hear him speak?

No one carried with them even a water filled cooler.

There was no food truck nearby.

Basically Jesus was all they had to address their hunger pangs.

Jesus used what was available...he worked with what

they brought with them.

He could have just as easily had them pass an empty basket

which miraculously filled with food. Jesus had the power

to take nothing and make it into something,

but he chose to use what they had.

He allowed what this child brought to be part of his miracle.

Not just part of the miracle but the basis for the miracle...

five barley loaves and two fish.

God uses what we bring to him to create more in our lives.

No matter how small or insignificant God can change

what we have into more.

God can fill our small basket so that it never appears to be empty.

Whenever I see images of St. Peter's square filled with people

 receiving Holy Communion it reminds me of this miracle.

The Pope gives thanks and consecrates what has been

brought forth by the people.

The priests then move out into the crowd distributing the

Body of Christ to everyone present who desires to receive.

Before Jesus preformed this miracle he asks those closest to him this question. 

"Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"

Jesus already knew what he could and would do...

he already had the solution,

but he still asks for their input.

Was Jesus making fun of them?

I don't think so.

Was he asking to see if they would ask him to perform a miracle?

Their answer made it obvious that they alone did not have

the means to feed this crowd.

We can do anything with the help of Jesus.

All things are possible in our life.

Many times Jesus seems to wait to see if we have our own solution.

He may even let us try.

He waits for us to give him the little that we have.

We then watch in awe as he creates his miracles of love.

Next time you think you have little remember that is exactly where God

can come into the picture and create miracles.

Living in God's Abundance

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

The Lord is continuing to speak to us through the prophet Isaiah. The Lord says, okay now that you have taken off the sunglasses...put them away...leave them off, because I have more in store for you.

God says if you follow my ways I will bless you with such abundance you will be astounded. Your life will be drastically changed,

if you keep your eyes focused on my way.

If we keep our eyes focused on doing what God wants in our life we can share in this same abundance. In his presence the light of God will guide us and this same light coming forth from the sun will bring abundance to the land. The Lord is our light and our salvation, we know that now, but those listening to the prophet did not have the full spectrum of the divine light.

God in his wisdom appealed to what they were familiar with...the things they would want to see changed. He speaks about a plentiful supply of water with beautiful gardens. They were in the desert; water was a scarce commodity. Today it is hard for us to believe it, but water is in short supply in many areas of the world.

God will provide for those who follow him. When you do not have access to water it would be much more challenging to believe the message of a caring God. Globally, 1.2 million people live in areas today wiht inadequate water supply.

Just this past summer we got a little taste of what it would mean to have a serious shortage of water. The promise of water got everyone's attention. It meant not only beautiful gardens but more food and less disease. They could bathe, a luxury when you are on a desert hike for years and years.

God wants us to thirst for him. If you do not know what you are missing you will not long for it? If you do not know there is an alternative how can you reach for it? God is saying, I am the alternative, this is what you have been missing. God is the missing link. The psalmist says 'teach me your ways Lord.' We need to be taught about the better way. The way God wants us live.

Jesus calls the tax collector, Matthew, and says come with me; there is a better way. I will teach you how to live abundantly. I will show the meaning of true wealth without collecting people's wages.

This image reflects God's promise of the abundance of water.

This photo is of the POP Sanctuary during Lent 2010.

Following the way of God leads us to the path of abundance.

An abundance that can only come from God.

With each glass of water you drink,

let that be a reminder of God's generous presence in your life.

You Satisfy the Hungry

Honoring the Big Mac?

Jeroboam set up calves for worship to make it more convenient for his people. He used the 'good ole boy' system of picking his high priests not those from the order of priests...Levites. He set up feasts to honor the calves he had made and offered sacrifices before these idols. He went about his ways in total disregard of what had been set forth by God.

Once you head down the path of wrongdoing it is strewn with dangers. The greatest danger is that one thing will lead to the next until you are so lost you cannot see your way back. When you are in a position of leadership you have a responsibility to lead in a righteous way. You have an obligation to seek wisdom in what it means to lead well. Jeroboam was attempting to please his people and not his God and the God of his ancestors.


Jeroboam was misusing his abundance and his his generosity to his friends. He thought ruling was a popularity contest. He wanted to maintain good favor among the people through granting their desires.

I have seen some parents who sadly find themselves in the same situation; trying to win favor with their children instead of being the parent and using good judgment. Sometimes saying 'no' is the best thing for a child. Jeroboam could not say 'no'.

In the gospel Jesus is once again feeding thousands with only a few loaves and fishes. This is such a familiar story that until now I had failed to see this as a generosity story. A story if you will about the abundance of God. Jesus, says, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd..." The people had been together for three days.

A few times we have been at an outdoor concert and once you get your area 'staked out' you do not want to leave for fear of losing your spot. Not having fast food readily available and no one circulate through the crowd selling cold drinks so leaving for food was the only option. They did not buy an entrance ticket...they did not know this was to be a three day conference. They just did not want to leave. Jesus was amazing them with each teaching. The may not have fully understood the message, but it was Jesus, the healer, who was speaking. They were lucky enough to be present for this event.

The disciples were overwhelmed by the crowd and advised Jesus to send them all home rather than try to feed such a crowd....again. Or just maybe the disciples needed another example of the immense abundance of this person Jesus.

Either way it is a very good lesson for us today; for if God is this generous

with food for the physical body.

How much more generous will he be for our spiritual body.

How generous is he with mercy and forgiveness?

How generous is he with protection?

How generous is he with his presence?

He is generous enough to give us his body and blood in the Eucharist at every Mass.

He is generous enough to say I will be with you until the end of time.

He is generous enough to say 'be not afraid'.

He is generous enough to calm the stormy seas.

He is generous enough to mold us into something for himself.

He is generous enough to sustain our life every day.

Jesus only dismissed the crowd after he had fed all four thousand of them.

On my death bed I hope to be able to pray in thanksgiving

for having been satisfied by the love of the Lord.

Lord, you alone can satisfy the hungry heart.