Infinite Supply

~~~ Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~
~~~ 2 Kings 4:42-44 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Ephesians 4:1-6 ~~~
~~~ John 6:1-15 ~~~

In those days if you were a true prophet
you were able to work miracles.
This is one way God drew attention to the message
 he was sending out for the people.

If a messenger has no audience
then who will hear the message?

In the Old Testament there were prophets
who did perform miracles...
Elisha is one such person.

The people were hungry, one person had twenty loaves of bread.
This was hardly enough to feed the hungry crowd.
But Elisha had faith in God.

“Give it to the people to eat.” 
“For thus says the LORD,
‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’” 

Just as in the Gospel of the loaves and the fishes;
there was plenty of food left over.
Everyone was feed out of the abundance of God.

Jesus takes care of our physical needs
 as he ministers to our spiritual needs.

Each time Jesus heals or feeds it allows that person
 to live their life in a better more fulfilling manner.

Ideally with their improved life they
 will want to give God the proper credit.

Jesus does not put stipulations on those he feeds.

When your physical hunger is satisfied
your mind is ready to learn...
it is possible to think more clearly...
to better process what the ears are hearing.

Jesus, in feeding the crowds this day, was reinforcing
 his rightful place among the known prophets.

Jesus is different because he is the Bread of Life.
He gives up his own body and blood to be our eternal food.

Just as our bodies need food for a journey so does our soul.
The food which is given to us from Jesus is the
main source of soul nourishment.

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Take a seat on the grassy hill...
Jesus is sending his blessed basket of food to you.
Do not worry there will still be plenty left in the basket.

Now you are ready to learn more.

~~~Peace~~~

Soothing to the Soul

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, 

Bishops and Doctors of the Church

~~~ 1 John 2:22-28 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ John 1:19-28 ~~~

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.

(Heb 1:1,2)

The one announced by John the Baptist...

The one who is not recognized is now with us.

There is no longer a need for God to speak to us through others.

His Son is here. His Son speaks only the words of the Father.

His Son, Jesus, came to do the will of the Father.

Jesus is the 'one' who came after John the Baptist.

Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father,

but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

The great mystery of the union between the Father and the Son

is further emphasized in this passage.

You cannot have the Son without also having the Father.

They are inseparable...united as one God.

The prophets served God's purpose well,

but now we have Jesus, the incarnate person of God.

The prophets paved the way for the Messiah's presence,

yet some still refuse to believe.

And now, children, remain in him,

so that when he appears we may have confidence

and not be put to shame by him at his coming.

As those who believe in the birth of Jesus..

we now wait until he appears to escort us home.

We can chose now to live each day this year

in obedient anticipation

 of our reunion with God in heaven.

Live boldly, live in confidence; the Messiah is with us.

The Lord has made his salvation known...

How are you responding?

We can lie to ourselves in secret,

but God knows what is in the depths of our soul.

The open arms of the child Jesus reminds us of his tenderness,

 his mercy, and his unconditional love.

Certainly we are not worthy, but we are totally...

completely loved in spite of our sinfulness.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation by our God.

Let us rejoice and be glad...

for a child has been born unto us.

Blessings pour forth from his heart

reaching out to our heart.

Let this great love soothe your soul.

~~~Peace~~~

Self-Fulling Prophecy

~~~ Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9 ~~~ Psalm 147 ~~~ Matthew 5:17-19 ~~~

In motivational circles we often hear about the self-fulling prophecy effect.
It is very common for athletes to visualize themselves
crossing the finish line first and even standing
on the podium receiving the gold medal.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

For many years the prophets had been telling of the coming of the Messiah.

God the Father sent down Jesus while we were still in sin
to save us to redeem us.
He fulfilled all of the prophecies beyond comprehension.
The prophets only had a small portion
of just how great Jesus, the Messiah would be.

Jesus was so much more than just the fulfilling of a prophecy.
He had to tell the people, look I am more than what
you have been previously told.

Jesus was the fullness of all prophecies.
No human being would have been capable of this completion.

Jesus came to us to bring all prophecies
of him to the heavenly realm.
That which is out of our comprehension.
God is greater than the sum of all
that the prophets could reveal.

Jesus is about wholeness and completeness.
He wants us to find our wholeness and complete happiness in him.

Truly it is only in him that our soul can find rest.
It is only in him can we be complete.

If there is something missing in your life...
come to Jesus...
there you will find all of your answers.

Blessings and Peace.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

~~~ Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 ~~~ Psalm 80 ~~~ Matthew 17: 9a, 10-13 ~~~

One of the oldest children's games is Rock Paper Scissors.

It is popular because it requires nothing but a friend and yourself.

Here are the rules:

Rock...make a fist with your hand

Paper....lay your hand out flat

Scissors...make a cutting motion

by opening your pointer and middle fingers

Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock...

The objective is to select a gesture which defeats that of the opponent.

It is a fun game to select a 'winner'.

 

In the scriptures today we have Elijah, John the Baptist, and Jesus.

"In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace..."

 

Elijah came before John the Baptist.

John the Baptist came before Jesus.

The coming of Jesus brings more than any of the prophets

or even John the Baptist could offer.

 

John the Baptist confirms what the prophets had been proclaiming

 for many previous years including Elijah.

 

Elijah could call down fire from the sky.

John the Baptist scooped up water from the Jordan River,

poured it over the head of Jesus parting the sky for

the voice of God to proclaim...

this is my beloved Son...

Jesus broke the chains of sin and opened the gates of heaven

so that we may enter into eternal life with him in heaven.

 

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

 

 

We do not need the play the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors

to see the face of God.

The birth of Jesus in a humble stable 'beats' everything else.

We can see the face of God in the face of the child Jesus.

 

None of the prophets; not Moses or Elijah not even John the Baptist

can compare to what this child Jesus does for us.

He comes with the power given to him from the Father.

He has power over earth, wind, fire, and water.

 

We are in the middle of Advent

the birth of our salvation draws nearer with each passing day.

It is good for us to reflect now on how much

we appreciate what has been done for us.

God sent his only beloved son to live among us.

The Word becomes flesh...

and he lives among us.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

To Bubble Forth

 

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~~Numbers 11: 25-29 ~~~ Psalm 19 ~~~ James 5:1-6 ~~~ Mark 9: 38-43, 47-48~~~

 

 

We are reminded today, by James, that wealth and material things

will not insure you swift passage into heaven.

 

In both the book of Numbers and in Mark we hear that the spirit of God is intended for each of us. Those present when the spirit descended thought that they were the only ones who had been blessed.

 

"Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,
the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;
and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied."

To have the gift of prophecy...

A prophet is not one who foretells the future.

A prophet is one appointed by God to be his messenger.

A person who speaks for God.

 

Prophet

Hebrew: nabi, from a root meaning "to bubble forth,

as from a fountain" hence “to utter"

 

When the spirit of the Lord falls upon you literally are so filled

that you are 'bubbling forth' with the good news.

When a person is filled with the spirit of the Lord

they cannot contain it within themselves.

 

We are all called to be prophets, because we are all called to speak on God's behalf.

We are all called to give our testimony of how God has worked in our life.

 

Some were confused in our readings today in thinking

that only a chosen few

could proclaim the truths of God...

they were wrong.

 

"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But Moses answered him,
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"

 

Every time we speak on God's behalf to another person we are prophesying.

A few years ago someone asked me if I thought there were prophets among us today;

that day I did not have an answer for her.

Today I would confidently answer 'yes'.

 

If we cause others to sin by our actions the opposite must also hold true.

If we inspire others to be better than they were the day before we have done well.

 

For if who we are can be an inspiration to others are we not prophesying?

 

"...There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me..."

 

Do you believe that you have a message from God?

Has God touched you in a profound way?

 

 

In the Bible there are at least 28 named Prophets of God.

Perhaps prophets are the human equivalent of God's heavenly messengers...

the Archangels.

 

What is important is that we too have the been blessed with the Spirit of the Lord.

Let words of goodness be your primary expression.

 

"...For whoever is not against us is for us..."

 

Drink of the One Spirit

~~~ 1 Cor 12:2-14, 27-31a ~~~ Psalm 100 ~~~Luke 7: 11-17 ~~~

 

"...in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body...

....all given to drink of one Spirit...
...Now the body is not a single part, but many..."

God has blessed us in a special way.

The Body of Christ would not be whole without each of us.

We are each a vital part of the Body of Christ.

Through Baptism we were welcomed into the whole body.

 

We have been given gifts as God see fit for us.

If he knows each hair upon our head;

then certainly he will bestow on us our unique gifts.

The body functions much more efficiently

when all the parts a working as they were designed.

 

Just as each ingredient of a recipe contributes to the tasty dish.

It does not matter if you are the main ingredient or the dash of salt;

you are an essential part for the dish.

 

Paul goes on to talk about those who are the apostles,

the prophets, the teachers,

and those blessed with the gifts of healing,

assistance, administration, and speaking in tongues.

 

Paul offers these words of encouragement...

"...Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts."

 

While you will always be an essential part of the Body of Christ;

the unique part you are may change over time.

If there is a spiritual gift you desire;

 ask for it

during your prayer time.

 

If you are not given the specific gift you want;

 God may just give you new insight.

 He may help you see how to better use the gifts

 he has already given to you.

 

 

Being a part of the Body of Christ we can sing with the psalmist today...

"We are his people: the sheep of his flock."

 

His kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness forever.

 

He cares about us so much that he raises the only son of a grieving mother.

He tells this widowed woman 'Do not weep.'

 

Being a part of the Body of Christ we have value.

Being a part of the Body of Christ we are loved and cared for

by Christ himself.

 

Being a part of the Body of Christ we share in the same Spirit.

Know that whatever part you have within this Body

you are essential...

you are a unique part.

May we look upon those we meet as a member of the

same body...the Body of Christ.

Technicolor Prophecies

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~ Is. 35:4-7a ~~~ Psalm 146 ~~~ James 2: 1-5 ~~~ Mark 7: 31-37 ~~~

 

The Prophet Isaiah is foretelling the wonderful things that will happen

when the Messiah comes.

"...Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you..."

 

When I was little we were excited to have our very first tiny black and white television. We would gather around this colorless box to be entertained.

Back then we could only dream of how a color picture might eventually be seen from the same box. The two telescopic antennae rising high above the box made it seem that much more unreal. How was the picture coming into that box?

What part did those silver antennas play?

 

When Jesus came, through his public ministry he began

to fulfill the prophecies.

The prophets were like watching the black and white TV.

When Jesus came all that he said and did was

so much more vivid than the prophecies had foretold.

 

Jesus was the prophecies brought to life in technicolor.

He was the first reality show, to tap into their current popularity.

Can you imagine the reporters and cameramen of today following Jesus around.

Capturing on real time video everything he did...what he ate...who he cured...the words of his parables...his common hand gestures as he spoke...his facial expressions.

His private times away in prayer.

 

The promises Isaiah is proclaiming...

  

"...Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water..."

 

The psalm goes on the sing of all that the Lord does...

...gives food...

...sets captives free...

...sight to blind...

...protects strangers...

...sustaining orphans and widows...

 

Jesus could have just walked about the countryside

without interacting with anyone near him

and still worked his miracles.

 

But instead he interacted with people as a compassionate

caring person.

A real caring person.

Jesus brought the prophecies to life in technicolor.

 

 

Without the death and Resurrection of Jesus

our own lives would have not have the

opportunity to live in technicolor.

 

We can choose to have our eyes and ears opened

by this very same person of God...

Jesus.

 

He does still open the eyes and ears of those who believe today.

Allow God to bring the technicolor back into your life.

Pay attention...

your eyes and ears will

 "Be opened!" --

"Ephphatha!"--

May your blessings today

be not only in technicolor but in high definition.

Rejected and Dismissed

~~~ Jeremiah 26:1-9 ~~~ Psalm 69 ~~~ Matthew 13: 54-58 ~~~

Jeremiah and Jesus both rejected and dismissed by those in

closest proximity to their hometown.

"...When Jeremiah finished speaking
all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people,
the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying,
"You must be put to death!"

Jeremiah had been given the inspired words of God, but the people rejected him.

Often when the truth is revealed to us we prefer to deny what we are hearing.

When our ears hear words that are not flattering to what we hold as truth

we tend to turn away.

We so want to believe what we want to believe no matter what.

It is a common struggle we all face.

Jeremiah was trying to warn the people...

God was giving them a chance to change, but they would not listen.

They remained hard headed which translated into

hardness of heart as well.

It must have been very discouraging for the prophets when they were

dismissed as speaking foolishness.

Years later enter a humble and lowly man, Jesus.

The son of a carpenter; not well schooled by their standards.

"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter's son'
Is not his mother named Mary..."

After all the scribes had all of the knowledge. They were the highly

educated. What did this man know? Who was he to be telling them

how things were?

Where was he getting his foolish ideas from? Who had he been hanging around?

He was obviously confused about the truths.

Jesus had no idea about branding and market research.

Even though The Father had sent him and the Holy Spirit had conceived

him in the womb of Mary; he was not a person of authority.

At least not to the synogogue officials.

They were puzzled by what they were hearing and his actions.

When something is puzzling it is much easier to ignore.

Think about the things you do not understand...

Do you really take the time to investigate and research or

do you just leave them for others to deal with?

It was inevitable that Jesus would need to leave his familiar surroundings.

The farther away he got from those who knew his background

the less likely he would be rejected.

Those in his area had created biases within themselves

especially the synogogue officials.

Let us join in prayer with the psalmist...

Are we willing to be outcast and insulted for the Lord?

Are we zealous for the Lord?

We cannot dismiss the words of the Lord.

It is these very words that bring life and joy to our soul

in times of tribulation.

You are free and open to believe without bias against this

lowly carpenter's son....

JESUS.

Let Jesus Open Your Mind

~~~ Acts 3: 11-26 ~~~ Psalm 8 ~~~ Luke 24: 35-48 ~~~

Peter is not mincing his words during this sermon. He accuses the Israelites of ignoring all of the words of the prophets. “...The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.” Peter finally says after he calms down, but I know you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did.”

In other words you still have a chance to make things right with your God. Even if you make a mistake and follow the wrong person; once you discover this you can still repent and be converted.

These are the very people God made his covenant with through Abraham and Moses. He is appealing to their understanding of their own heritage...don’t you get it?

You are the chosen people from ancient times.

Jesus extended peace to the disciples, standing in their midst, while the two from Emmaus are excitedly sharing how they ‘recognized him in the breaking of the bread’.

I think so often we are fearful when we recognize God is working in our lives. Questions do arise within our hearts. Maybe we are fine where we are and the thought of something different is unsettling. Our plans are often not God's plans for us.

Jesus invites them to touch him. He wants them to know without a doubt that it really is him. It is not a ghost they are creating in their mind, but it is him. While they are still catching their breath he asks for something to eat. He eats and confirms for them the truths written by the prophets long before.

Then Jesus does something remarkable, but yet something we can also pray for today... “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” They had this huge AHA! Suddenly their questions were no longer unanswered. They could see with new vision. Jesus was giving them this blessing, because of their faithfulness. They became first person witnesses to the fulfillment of the scriptural promises.

Amazing Grace!!

They had first hand confirmation of his resurrection. They once again touched him and ate with him. This is one of several post resurrection appearances made by Jesus. He was assuring his beloved followers that there would be no questions or any doubt about the resurrection.

They had made the sorrowful journey to Golgotha with him and now

they are included in the magnificence of his Resurrection.

What you have seen with your own eyes,

touched with your own fingers,

and heard with your own ears can never be taken away from you.

These experiences with Jesus permanently imprinted  upon their hearts.

They went out to spread the good news.

The prophets were indeed inspired by God through their words.

What is imprinted upon your heart?

Denied and Betrayed by Friends? Really?

Isaiah 49:1-6 ~~~ Psalm 71 ~~~ John 13: 21-33, 36-38

I have long found joy in the poetic writing style of the prophets, especially Jeremiah and Isaiah. Today we hear such tender intimate words from Isaiah..."The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name..." How blessed to have that kind of connection with God to be able to say those words...and more importantly to believe them to be true.

When we go about the work of the Lord for his glory and not our own the reward is great. The prophet is of course making reference to Jesus, but is it not also true for us. If what we do for others in turn gives glory to God we can be a light to all.

Do you want to put that intention into your heart? Do you want to be light for others or are you content keeping to yourself?

The psalmist writes of salvation songs of God rescuing him from the hand of the wicked. He continues with acknowledging his total dependence on God from birth. This is the kind of trust God wants us to have in him...just as newborn must trust its mother to care for it. The difference is that the baby knows nothing else; it is completely dependent the parents for all of its needs.

We, as adults, struggle with this kind of dependence on God's providential care. We instead become worry warts and just get in God's way. On the other hand I do not think God wants us to be helpless little babies. He wants to live our lives trusting that he really does know what is best for each of us.

Peter is one Jesus' dearest friends.have been very painful for him to be told by Jesus that he would deny knowing him that very night. Throughout the New Testament Peter is someone whom we can relate to. He finds himself saying things that he later regrets. He says things before he thinks. He is so us, but denying Jesus after spending the last three years together day after day is hard to believe.

When fear grabs your body your responses are unpredictable. He was caught up in the emotions of the night. Learning that one of their own would later betray Jesus that night was shocking to Peter. 

It is best not to ever say what you would or would not do
without knowing all of the circumstances.
All of these negative things had to take place before Jesus could be glorified. He tries to explain to his followers that they could not come with him on the rest of the salvation journey. They would soon come to understand the fullness of his words.

We are forever grateful for the suffering which you endured for us, dear Jesus.

Today call or email a friend or family member;

let them know you were thinking of them.

Tell them you said a prayer for them.