Do You Know John 3:16?

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 5:17-26 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ 

~~~ John 3:16-21 ~~~

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

God sent his only Son so that everyone 

who believes...might have eternal life.

Have you ever considered just 

how generous and magnanimous God is.

He could have said...look I have my favorite people

 and I am going to provide for their salvation...

everyone else is on their own.

Imagine if we had no model to follow...

no teachings from Jesus to give us hope...?

How would we be able to find 

our was in the darkness of the world?

How would we be sure that we 

could live a holy life?

How would we be able to comprehend

 a love greater than what we share?

How could we believe in our own personal eternal life?

Would salvation be a surprise after we took our final breath?

Would we believe that death really was the end of all?

...And this is the verdict,

that the light came into the world...

God sent his only Son to be the light of the world.

We still live in a world filled with darkness.

Many times a darkness that we no longer identify as darkness.

If you always wear your sunglasses

 the light from the sun would not be experienced.

If one day you removed your sunglasses

your eyes would automatically want to close.

The light of the sunshine would

 be too bright to keep your eyes open. 

John 3:16 inspires us to seek the light.

For it is precisely the light that leads us to 

our personal eternal salvation.

It is through this Light

that we are saved.

Without the Light we would be eternally lost.

There is nothing greater than this love God has for us.

God did not create the world we know 

just to sit back and watch it all crumble and fall apart.

God has a vested interest in your eternal salvation.

Today the Gospel from John

 gives us inspired proof.

Blessings...the closer we come to the Light.

~~~ Saving Peace ~~~

God's Angelic Invitation

~~~ Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 ~~~ Psalm 40 ~~~ 

~~~ Hebrews 10:4-10 ~~~ Luke 1:26-38 ~~~

...Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;

in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.

Mary does say, Yes. 

She gave not just heart and soul to God;

she gave her whole body.

Have you ever given your mind, soul,

 and body to anything?

If you are a mother perhaps you are inclined

 to answer in the affirmative.

Mary knew she was a virgin, 

how could she give up control

 of her body to the invitation of an angel.

God did not send Jesus into the body of a lamb.

Slaughtering an animal could not offer 

the mercy of God to mankind.

We as humans needed to be saved by another human.

We needed to be saved by someone who could 

understand our sinfulness.

Jesus was without sin, while he took 

on the reparation for all sin.

The Annunciation of the Lord

brought Mary into direct and vital 

contact with our salvation.

Over time Mary came to a deeper understanding

 and acceptance of her roll as the woman 

who bore our salvation.

Mary gave birth to our salvation.

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

When Mary spoke these beautiful words of submission

 she did not have an insider view of the next

 thirty three years of her life.

God gave her unbelievable joy at the Annunciation.

Her joy was great enough to keep alive her desire

 to be a lifelong servant of God.

Have you considered God wants 

you to also be his life long servant.

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Doing the will of God keeps us focused

 on the reality that he came to dwell among us.

Mary held nothing back from her 

submission to the will of God.

We can learn so much from her. 

Mary can be a model for how we too can 

trust the Lord to take care of us.

We are tempted to hold back part of our life from God.

Mary teaches us that there is no reason for us 

to hold back any part of our existence.

We are invited to take the lead from Mary...

to give all of who we are to God.

Blessed to answer with our personal 'yes'.

Thank you, Mary,

for your total commitment to doing

 the will of the Lord.

...for being our inspiration to do the same...

~~~Peace~~~

Hatred...Persecution...Endurance...Salvation

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

~~~ Hosea 14:2-10 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ Matthew 10:16-23 ~~~

Earlier in this Gospel, Matthew writes
about the words we are to speak.
The Holy Spirit will give the right words to us.
The right words are not always received well...
in fact you may even be hated.
Hate is a really strong word. We use it in various negative contexts.
We 'hate' some foods, rude people, even certain colors.

Jesus is giving us a heads up...he says
you will be hated just because of his name.
So basically, before you say anything
 you will be hated just because you are a believer.
He doesn't say you might be hated he says you will be hated.
That one verse makes you pause a moment to stop and think.

You will be hated by all because of my name,

but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.

Are you willing to be hated just because you want to believe in Jesus?
Why would someone knowingly
 put themselves in a situation to be hated?

But we cannot stop with that verse...
if you do not read the rest of the verse you miss the whole point.

The whole point being are you up to the task?
Can you tolerate the pain of being hated in order to attain salvation?

Being hated is something you can experience here and now.
It is the endurance that really counts.
Do you run away the first time someone
expresses their hatred against you for your beliefs?

Do you retaliate? Do you defend yourself?

When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.

Is Jesus telling us to run away?
Doesn't he want us to stand up and defend him?

Or is it more about getting the word
of our salvation out to as many people as possible?

Remember you will be given the words by the Holy Spirit.

Maybe one point about moving on is getting another chance
 to do a better job in the next town.

Every year at the beginning of the new school year,
even if I was teaching the same exact subjects,
I tried to make the lessons better,
 more interesting.

Every time you talk with someone about Jesus
 it will be better because you will be a stronger believer.

The more you speak of the goodness of God
the easier it will be the next time.

Speak the words placed in your heart; you cannot go wrong.
Rejection does not mean stop.
Rejection means move on and keep trying.
Let rejection roll off your back like water off a duck's back.

Blessed with words of wisdom from the Spirit.
~~~Peace~~~

Salvation Steps Out of Rejection

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

Both readings today foreshadow the death of Jesus.

Joseph and the son of the vineyard owner were both rejected.

Joseph was rejected by his own brothers.

They were jealous of him thinking that he 

was favored by their father.

The son of the vineyard owner 

was likewise rejected by those employed by his father.

They had no respect even for the boss's son.

They saw him as a threat to their share of the profits.

They plotted to give themselves a greater portion 

of the inheritance by killing the primary heir.

There is no coincidence that the church gives 

us these parallel readings today.

Joseph is rescued from the well and eventually is reunited 

with his father and brothers.

For many years they were separated.

Their father, so grief stricken oven the loss of his youngest son,

 was sad and depressed.

The brothers concede to their guilty conscience

 and spare the life of Joseph.

But evil still resided in their heart.

Now they are overcome with greed;

they decide to sell their own brother.

They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.

Monetary greed is also the motivating factor

 for the workers in the vineyard.

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’

Perhaps what we should be considering is how God always provides.

God arranged for Joseph to be sold into slavery 

so that later he would be in a position to save 

his entire family from starvation.

Rejection is not always the worst possible situation.

Sometimes the one who is initially rejected later

 is found in the key position.

To answer the call of God to be a better person often 

requires us to exercise great self control.

Joseph had to face his brothers again 

knowing how much they wanted him 'out of the way'.

Ultimately he made the choice to forgive in spite of his understanding.

To a certain extent we have all participated in the killing of Jesus.

He, with this knowledge, chose to forgive us.

His forgiveness gave us so much more than bread for the next day.

His love and mercy does more

 than fills our growling stomach.

He wants us to join him in heaven for all eternity.

Jesus was rejected as the corner stone and becomes 

THE most important person of all time.

Most of us have an innate fear of rejection,

but it is not necessarily a negative.

Rejection did not stop Joseph 

and it certainly did not stop Jesus from saving us.

You might say rejection was part of the plan 

from the very beginning.

Without the rejection there may not 

have been a salvation.

We could say...

Rejection led to our Salvation.

Rejection is equal to our Salvation.

Salvation stepped out of Rejection victorious in the end.

Blessed beyond words or feelings.

Blessed even if rejected by loved ones.

Peace.

The Crib was Still Warm

~~~ 1 John 5:5-13 ~~~ Psalm 147 ~~~ Luke 5:12-16 ~~~

God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 

The gift of the Son, Jesus, gives us our life.
Not just our physical life but our eternal life with him in heaven.
Jesus is our life force.
We get our life energy from the Son, Jesus.
If God had not sent Jesus, the Son,
we do not know what our salvation would look like.
John writes to us about our eternal life today.
While we are still in the season of the joy of Christmas
we are being faced with our death.
The only way to appreciate what has been given
you must be made aware of the gift.
We have to understand now
while the crib is still warm what we have been given.

I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

We don't just have a sweet touching story here.
The animals did not gather around the manger to keep the baby warm.
The wise men did not come just to see the new baby king.
Joseph didn't have ordinary dreams.

Every last detail was part of God's plan to save us.
He wanted to save you before you were ever born.

We do not have eternal life like the movie vampire creatures.
We have eternal life because it has been given to us...
it is God's gift to us.
Everything in the universe seems to be very organized
so it is not surprising to me that our salvation
would have also been highly organized. 

God sent his Son to begin our saving process,
leaving much of the final parts to be done by us.
Individually we have to complete in our own hearts
what God began when his only begotten Son became man.

As always, we have a choice....
We can either cherish and nourish the gift or
let it wither and fall away.

Jesus saved us from the warmth of the crib.
That was the beginning of his salvation gift.
We have received; now we must put it to good use.

...he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
Jesus withdrew to pray.
He prayed for us, that we would all
see his gift and appreciate it.

Blessings in appreciating the great gift of salvation.
The birth of Our Lord is the beginning of our salvation.
The Father eagerly waits our arrival into his eternal kingdom...
heaven.

What You Become

~~~ 1 John 2:29-3:6 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ John 1:29-34 ~~~

Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.

Recently some friends of ours adopted a baby.
They spent a great deal of time, effort, and money
 to make this adoption a reality.
When they had successfully completed every criteria
and were approved to just be considered they were so happy.

Now they had to wait until a birth mother
would choose them to adopt her child.
They continued to prepare their home and their hearts
 to receive a child...a child of their own...
a child that they would welcome into their open arms...
a child that they would instantly love as their own flesh and blood.

Finally the long awaited phone call came one morning.
They had been chosen by a birth mother;
she wanted to meet them in person.
They were beside themselves with excitement
tempered a bit with anxiety.
What if she did not like them after seeing them?
What if she did not like the color of their hair?
What if she did not like the sound of their voices?
So many questions swirled about in their heads.

I am sharing this story because God has adopted us to be his own.
He wanted a way to make us his for all of eternity.
We could never be like God not even if we desperately tried.
But God had a plan, as he always does.
He sent his son, Jesus, to be one of us...now we are kin.

He came as a child in order to make us his children.

He is the light and we are the children of the light.
Our friends did get a child, a son, and they do indeed
 love him as their own.

You know that he was revealed to take away sins,

and in him there is no sin. 

For in the light the darkness of sin cannot prevail.

Jesus came to save us from the darkness of sin.

We continue during this season of Joy
to praise God for all he has done for us.

Psalm 98 sings of how generous and loving God has been to us.

For three days we hear the echos of this joyful psalm.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.

John saw Jesus. John baptized Jesus.
John was given the grace to recognize Jesus
as truly the only one could take away our sins.

Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

In God's divine plan we were adopted by a baby's birth
and then saved by him as an adult.

Only God could have devised such an awesome plan.
Let us forever sing Our God is an Awesome God.
We are adopted, saved, and
eternally Blessed.

We Long to See Your Face

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church
 ~~~ Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 ~~~ Psalm 80 ~~ Matthew 17:9a, 10-13 ~~~

Lord, make us turn to you...what I have found to be true in my life
is that the Lord rarely makes
us do anything.
Pray that God places into your heart the desire
to do his will in all things.
If we agree to let God lead our life he will lead us toward his face.

You cannot actually make out the details of a human face
until you get closer.
If we can see the features of the face of Jesus surely we will be saved.

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

If we are walking in the shadow of sin we will not see the face of God.
If we cannot see the face of God it will make it near impossible to be saved.
 

 

Every year during Advent we are waiting to see the face of God.
Seeing the face of Jesus, even as an infant, brings us
 the joy of our coming salvation.

Although Elijah was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot
 the resurrection of Jesus will be more glorious. 

Let us never tire of seeing his beautiful face.
I pray that when I do see the face of God
 his smile will be all that I have hoped for if not more.

 If all I can see from his face is his smile I will be filled with joy.

The Blessings of Advent
draw us ever closer to Jesus and his mother, Mary.

The Hope for Something Greater

~~~ Romans 1:1-7 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ Luke 11:29-32 ~~~

 

This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.

 

We are so filled with doubt that we too want visible proof.

'Seeing is believing' may just be our crutch.

Too often we are lacking in faith, trust and hope.

In life there seems to always be something better

whether it is in our imagination or actual.

We seem to never be satisfied.

 

Jesus is telling the crowd...

I am not going to give you another sign.

You have Jonah.

Jonah emerged after three days.

 His preaching saved the entire city of Nineveh.

The people heeded his words, took the appropriate action

and God spared them from destruction.

 

Jesus goes on...what Jonah did was great and wonderful.

but there is something far better, much greater.

 

 ...there is something greater than Jonah...

 

 

The people all knew the story of Jonah.

How could anything be greater?

An entire city was spared the wrath of God.

 

Jesus was giving them a preview of what was to come.

He was speaking about himself as the one

who would bring about something greater

 than the saving of one city.

 

Jesus was sent by the Father to secure salvation for all peoples.

Jesus was not only the greater he was the greatest.

Through his death all generations would be able to be granted salvation.

 

Our salvation is a gift from God.

The people of Nineveh showed their willingness to repent

 in a very visible way...

sackcloth....ashes...fasting.

What are we doing so many years later?

Are we willing to show visible signs of our repentance?

Is Ash Wednesday sufficient?

 

Jesus called the people he was speaking to

an evil generation.

I wonder what he would say to us today?

If you tune into the evening news regularly

you may begin to think that we are the evil generation.

We are inundated with images of our culture of death, yet we have

the greatest gift of eternal life.

 

Blessings come in believing something greater

is a reality in our world today.

The Lord has made known his salvation.

Are You Willing to Change

~~~ Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 ~~~

"Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us...
...his life is not like that of others,
and different are his ways...
...Let us see whether his words be true...
...let us put him to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience...
...their wickedness blinded them..."

The wicked made a terrible mistake in judgement.
They did recognize that Jesus was very different from themselves,
but they held these differences against him.
They were unable to accept his holiness;
that is what made him different.
We tend to keep our distance from those who do not share similar views.
This is how we choose our friends.
We first search for what we have in common with the other person.
The more we have in common the more likely
a friendship will develop.

Jesus not only turned over the money changers tables
 he turned over most of their beliefs.
Jesus had no doubt that his way was the right way,
but he was unable to convince the wicked ones
who wanted him out of their way.
They wanted to continue to believe what they had always believed.
Isn't this the easier path to take even for us today?

Our own church is at the beginning of a new Papacy.
Already we are seeing changes...more simplicity...
less pomp and circumstance, if you will.
I wonder how long it will be before some become irritated
with the 'changes'?

The anointed one of God was in their midst and they could not see him.

'...When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.'

It is almost like they thought he would be coming from outer space...
as an alien.
This might have been easier for them to accept.
At least they would not experience any jealousy.
Did they want Jesus to look different too?
He certainly acted in ways different from them.

Jesus walked, ate, and drank with them.
He healed their illnesses, he feed them,
he showed tremendous compassion for the least of them.
And yet none of his words or actions were enough to convince them.

 

So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,

“You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”

Many times I experience sorrow that Jesus was so violently rejected.
He endured this because he was in agreement with the Father
that we should be saved.
God created us to be with him in heaven.
The death of Jesus was the most profound way of accomplishing his will.
Our salvation had to be visibly secured in a way that we could not
ignore or dismiss it.
The Crucifixion cannot be taken lightly.

Has anything changed in your life or your heart during this Lent?
If not there is still time. It is never too late for a conversion of the heart.
Lord, take my life and make it more pleasing to you.
Enlighten the way to accept the change you desire fro me.
Amen.

Joyful Rivers Clapping

~~~ 1 John 3: 7-10 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ John 1:35-42 ~~~

 

The words of praise continue in Psalm 98.

I first thought I had made a mistake in typing

the psalm number for today, but

as I looked more closely it is correct.

Both yesterday and today we have psalm 98.

This is such a significant song that today we are 

given additional verses.

 

All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

 

The saving power of God is something all of the earth is celebrating.

If a celebration is in order you should be out with others.

Have you ever tried to celebrate alone?

It is much more fun to celebrate with others.

To laugh, sing, and dance together.

Making joyful music with a group is exhilarating.

Every thing should be singing the praises of God.

 

He could have gone on down the road, so to speak.

God could have just created another 'Earth' and started over.

He could have placed another

Adam and Eve in the Garden of this new earth.

 

But instead he sends his son down to save us from our

human weaknesses.

 

"...Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy before the LORD."

 

If all of creation could break into song, as we know music,

what a glorious event that would be to behold.

We would have a viral YouTube video in no time.

As all of creation made their voices heard praising the Lord

who created them.

 

God wants us to celebrate our salvation.

If we really did celebrate our redemption

we might think twice before acting like it didn't matter.

That it was no big deal.

 

If the rivers were clapping their hands it would be a BIG deal.

We would never take it for granted.

 

 

“Come, and you will see.”

 

This has to be one of my favorite verses.

It is so real to me.

Some things just cannot be put into words.

Words do not do them justice.

Words are limiting...they are confining.

When Jesus says 'Come, and you will see'

words are no match for seeing what the Lord is doing.

His invitation extends to you today.

What is God inviting you to see?

What will he show you today?

 

“Come, and you will see.”

Covenant of the Heart

~~ Jeremiah 31:31-34 ~~ Psalm 51 ~~ Hebrews 5: 7-9 ~~ John 12: 20-33 ~~

A contract is made between two parties who do not trust one another and because of this distrust they set 'limits' to their own responsibilities. A covenant is made between two parties who trust one another.
Throughout the Old Testament we see God entering into covenants with individuals...Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses.

If you have ever purchased anything life a car or a house you have undoubtedly had the experience of entering into a contract with another party. Usually these contracts are filled with legal verbiage that mean nothing to the non legal person...until something goes wrong. If something goes wrong then you drag out the contract, that you faithfully signed, and begin to read the fine print...

When you enter into a covenant with God you never have to be anxious about the fine print or the legality of the agreement. Covenants with God are always for our good. God does not break his covenants, but the other party may not follow through.

God makes a new covenant, a covenant of the heart. God places upon our hearts his law claiming us for his own. '...they shall be my people.'

This covenant of the heart which God initializes remains in us and resides in the hearts of each person. To further solidify this covenant he sends his only Son to earth. This son, Jesus, through obedience to the Father perfects this covenant of the heart God makes with us. Because of the death of Jesus we have complete trust in God. The death of Jesus sealed the covenant of the heart; "he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him."

When we honor our side of this covenant we too become obedient to the Father. We must die to ourselves just as the grain of wheat in order to become fruitful. "Whoever serves me must follow me" To honor his/her side of this covenant.  "...and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me."
A covenant with God is imbued with Love and never distrust.

Those who live in covenant of the heart with God will be lifted up
from the earth and drawn to Jesus himself.

It is to our benefit to guard this covenant of the heart we have with God. He wants us to be at peace with this 'covenantal' arrangement. He creates the clean heart of a clear conscience, he renews our spirit and gives us a willing spirit, and the joy of salvation.

God sent Jesus to save us because he was not taking any chances with our salvation. He could not leave us to our own way...
he saw how that did not work too well in the past.
Open your heart into the possibilities of this magnificent covenant with the Lord.
Let Go and Let God
design your heart.

Selfless or Selfish: Which One?

~~~ Daniel 3: 25, 34-43 ~~~ Psalm 25 ~~~ Matthew 18: 21-35 ~~~

"...with a contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received...let our sacrifice be in your presence today...as we follow unreservedly...we follow you with our whole heart..." (Daniel)

Fire consumes and purifies. Fire consumes things that are flammable like fibers, paper, and cardboard. Fire purifies silver and precious metals, but does not consume in the process.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the white hot furnace for refusing to worship the golden statue made for King Nebuchadnezzar. As the three prayed and praised God for his faithfulness, they proclaimed, 'Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.'

They asked God to intervene on their behalf.
Later, after Jesus' baptism, Satan uses a similar argument attempting to manipulate Jesus to respond to his requests. Jesus rebukes the devil, saying, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.' 

Here we have a stark contrast in motivation. Satan is tempting Jesus and the three men in the fiery furnace are surrendering in their supplication to God.  Both incidents use a similar approach in their choice of words.

We can be guilty of the same in our prayer. Do our words always reflect our true motivation? Are we simply using the same words we have used as a child; only now with different motivation?

Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father securing salvation for us. Our salvation was his motivation. What is your motivation in prayer? Are your prayers a reflection of selfishness or selflessness?

God sent an angel to save the three from the fire because their prayer was honest and sincere. They are examples of complete trust in God.

They model for us praying in humility; knowing you have nothing to offer to God for his love.
We have "...no way of paying (it) back..." to the Lord for being spared from the consuming fire. Instead we humbly beseige God to "...be patient with me...". (Matthew)

All that we can give back to God is to be available for him to use...
to be willing to do his will...
to come before him with open palms and a humble heart.

To follow him unreservedly, with our whole heart
is the best we can offer for repayment.

"May the Lord, our God, bless us in all our works and undertakings."
(Dt. 15:10)

Summed Up in Five Words

~~~ Isaiah 55: 10-11 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ Matt. 6: 7-15 ~~~

Praise...Submit...Trust...Forgive...Salvation

The temptation to day would be to hear the gospel of Matthew, but not to really listen. Since it is Jesus teaching us how to pray through the Lord's Prayer i.e. the Our Father, we might just find it easier to go on auto pilot. We do that so often we when we hear something very familiar; the words become rote rambling. We arrive at the Amen and only then do we regain consciousness. I think when it comes to the Our Father in particular that is a real danger.

We recite this prayer at every Mass we attend. We recite this prayer several times with each Rosary we pray. We may even recite it when gathered with others for meetings. But reciting it and praying the Our Father are not one in the same. Praying the Our Father requires attention to the words used in each phrase. Some of what is included in the Our Father we might not even feel like believing much less praying.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, they kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

I encounter anxiety and conflict as soon as I get to...'thy will be done'. Truth be told sometimes I resist his will. Sometimes I get frustrated because I cannot see his will. Sometimes his will does not seem congruent with what I want. So this is where I need to stop and spend some time reflecting on God's will in my life. We are not always ready or willing to accept his will for us. It takes a life long commitment to living God's will. Sometimes I just want to act like a spoiled brat and say, 'No, that is most definitely not what I want to do. '...thy will be done...'

The next road block, and I mean road block complete with barricades and law enforcement, is the whole forgiving trespasses section. I heard a preacher on the radio recently that said, '...if you are having trouble in your marriage, Forgiveness...if you are having issues in the work place, Forgiveness...if you are experiencing problems in your church community, Forgiveness...' I think the hit the nail on the head.

In the Our Father Jesus is saying, 'Do you want me to forgive you the manner in which you forgive others?' I think we would all respond with a resounding 'NO'. We want to be forgiven more passionately than we want to forgive. For some reason we like to hold on to the bad feelings against those who have wronged us. But clearly that is not God's way. His way is always mercy and forgiveness. Next time you 'pray' this prayer ask for the grace to forgive as  God forgives. And the next time you want to go for someones jugular vein remember this prayer.

Those are the two most challenging parts of this beautiful prayer for me. I would like to offer you this prayer summed up in five words.

 Praise...Submit...Trust...Forgive...Salvation

In you prayer time this Lent I invite you to focus on Praising God, Submitting to his will when it is most difficult, Trusting that he will take care of your needs, Forgiving in all situations no matter what, and thanking Jesus for his precious gift of Salvation.

This original picture is the head only of Jesus hanging on the cross.

Spend time today really 'praying' the Our Father as it was meant to be prayed...

in praise, submission, trust, forgiveness, and through the grace of salvation.

Painted Promise Across the Sky

~~~ Genesis 9: 8-15 ~~~ Psalm 25 ~~~ 1Peter 3:18-22 ~~~ Mark 1: 12-15 ~~~

Covenant...Rainbows...

No matter how old I get I like most people enjoy seeing rainbows. There is something almost magical about the way the colors arch so perfectly across the sky. It is as if God has gotten out his giant water color set to paint in the air. It reminds me that we have the most phonomenal God. It makes me giddy with excitement. The best is when you see the rare double rainbow or twin rainbows side by side. Two for the price of one rain shower. 

I wonder how far a rainbow can be seen?

As we see in today's Genesis reading God had a definite plan in mind when he revealed the first rainbow across the sky for Noah. He told Noah, "This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you..." God promised to never send another devastating flood. This covenant God entered into with Noah was with all people the whole of mankind.

One might ask why would God use a rainbow? Today we understand that a rainbow is created by light from the sun refracting through water, but in Noah's time it was more mysterious. The theme of water runs throughout the Bible. This is just one of the early references that alluded to our cleansing of sin and evil. In a way God was baptizing the whole earth.

We have this reading during Lent because it is a preview of our salvation. It certainly has nothing to do with any weather phenomenon. We need to be remind each year of our salvation story and Lent is the prefect time to get our attention. We need to be reminded because in spite of our Baptism and faithfully following Jesus we still fall into sin.

It seems the power of sin is stronger than our knowledge of God's saving power. No matter who you are or what position you hold in society or the church; we must all be vigilant about sinfulness in our lives. Lent is a time to return to God's way. Lent is a time to remember the message of the rainbow. The message of God's immense love for all of his living creatures.

The Grace of God is always available for us to draw strength,
all we need do is ask for it.

The next time you see a rainbow remember that it is a sign of God's covenant. a promise of our salvation. It is a sign to give us hope in our eternal reward with
God in heaven.

This image reflects God's covenant of life to me.

The light reflected throughout is the gift of eternal life.

The Gift of Baptism.

The 40 Day Marketing Campaign

~~~Joel 2: 12-18 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ 2Cor. 5: 20-6:2 ~~~ Matt. 6: 1-6, 16-18 ~~~

"Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep..."

Today begins Christianity's intense marketing campaign held every year at this time. This campaign will only last for 40 days...it is called Lent. In order to let the world know you are participating in and supportive of this annual event we ask that you come forward to be marked with ashes. This marking of the cross with ashes high upon your forehead is visible for all to view. In fact this is a temporary branding signifying that you willingly agree to share.

 Just for today as we begin this time together we ask you to tell the whole world by this action of being marked with the cross...the time is now.
The permanent branding for a Christian is both the crucifix and the crown of thorns. They are, each one, quickly identified with our salvation.

In order to believe in this salvation the prophet Joel offers us a few guidelines.
"...return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God."

The anointed ministers are urged to offer additional prayers an our behalf even to the point of weeping. Intervening before God for us, each of us, not only those in most need due to grave sin, but me and you.

The prophet taps into our human emotions of compassion for our sisters and brothers. Weeping implies a deeper emotional content; it is not only reciting prayers.

The salvation marketing campaign continues with Psalm 51.
"...wipe out my offense...wash me from guilt...cleanse me...
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me."
And finally, "...a willing spirit sustain in me."

A marketing campaign is only successful if people respond. We, the people, have to take some action. That is what a good campaign does, it moves people to take action. Effective marketing campaigns make the listener or observer believe he or she cannot live without the intended product.

With that in mind we are given Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, "We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." Take action. Do not wait. "...now is a very acceptable time...now is the day of salvation."
Here we are poked with some high pressure sales tactics. You know the drill...this offer is only good until...act before midnight...the price is increasing tomorrow...this offer will never again be made.

The church chose one more person to present the salvation message today and that is with the gospel of Mark. Mark says, 'oh and by the way if you choose to accept this message for your salvation' there is more you need to know. We know that if you accept and agree to take action on your own behalf, it will require time spent in prayer and fasting.

This wonder of salvation comes with a few strings attached...and those would be sacrifices. No one can really make sacrifices in your place. You are the one who must your cross.

Prayer is the most important way to draw strength. Through the power of prayer you are able to make  the necessary sacrifices. Through the power of prayer you can carry your cross.

"But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your father in secret."

While the priests and ministers are on the porch praying and weeping for us we in turn must go to our inner room, behind closed doors to pray. During these next 40 days sequester yourself away for personal prayer and fasting. Do this in secret without boasting about how you have bought in to this life saving marketing campaign. Let your prayers rise like incense to the father in heaven.

This is your life.
This is your salvation.
The time really is now.
The crucifix logo is for you.

Pray to your father in heaven like you have never prayed before; start today. Do not wait!

Let the burned ashes of today create your clean heart of tomorow.

Original photo taken of incense rising at the foot of the cross.

This kaleidoscope image to me reflects leaving the colorful busy outside world;

entering into the inner prayer room.

May this season of Lent bring you ever closer to Our Lord.

May your truly rise like incense upward to the Father.

Is God Present to You?

2 Samuel 12b-15, 17-19

We continue to be steeped in the Books of Samuel. There is much here we can harvest for reflection. When I first read today's reading I was not sure what I would write about. As I sat with this reading a while longer I was struck by some parallels to Palm Sunday. Yes I see a connection between the celebration in the City of David as he enters with the Ark of the Covenant and the entry of Jesus into the city on Palm Sunday. Both are surrounded with joyous celebration.

The Ark of the Covenant was only a container, but it held within things important and meaningful for the people of David. The Ark was carried by several servants high up on their shoulders. As they traveled all knew and could see that the Ark was with them. It was an outward sign of the presence of God. If God was with them they had a certain sense of confidence. 

There are many other references to the Ark in the Old Testament. God instructed Moses to build the Ark. The book of Exodus is filled with all the details about building the Ark, the dimensions as well as the materials to be used.(Ex. 25) This was a special structure that was to be with them as they went on their journeys. This gold laden box was believed to have powers so strong that they even carried it with them into battle. This Ark allowed them to have safe passage across the Jordan River.

Throughout the Bible the Ark has been reverenced, stolen, fought over, and ultimately lost. It's mysterious whereabouts has been part of myths and legends ever since. Remember the Indiana Jones movie? I am sure you do. Today people are still searching for the Ark.

The point is...the Ark was very important!

Three important things resided in the Ark:

1. The 10 commandment tablets given to Moses (laws), Exodus 25: 21-22
2. The reserved manna given to them by God (food)Exodus 16: 32-33
3. The budding rod of Aaron marking him as priestly.(symbol) Numbers 17: 16-26 

The Ark was always placed in the center of the camp where the glory cloud could be easily seen hovering above the mercy seat.

This is really fascinating, but back to the parallel with Palm Sunday. Right before the Passion we have this glorious entrance of Jesus into the city. There is singing and dancing. Everyone is celebrating; the holy one, the teacher, the healer is entering. Jesus is the ultimate container.

He holds within his person the salvation for all of humanity. He is carried upon a lowly humble donkey; unlike the golden Ark. He gives us his very own body and blood for the nourishment not of our bodies, but of our souls. He is the food for the journey leading us into eternity. Jesus comes not to abolish the old law, (Matt 5:17)  but to fulfill the new law. He gives us the greatest commandment... Love. Jesus is more than the bud on the rod of Aaron. Jesus dies and then rises from the dead. Jesus is the essence of Life itself.

While people still search for Jesus today.

We believe he is with us until the end of time.

(Matthew 28:20)

Original image: the 'Eye of God' taken through the Hubble telescope.

I chose this Kaleidoscope image because the presence of God in my life is sometimes bold andbrilliant; as well as hidden and obscure at times.

But he is always present.

The All-Inclusive Gift

Today is the traditional day we celebrate the Magi's arrival to the Christ child. We have created a wonderful scenario around this event. And whether or not you buy into the whole following the star business the message is still powerful to me.

Jesus came to be the Savior to all of us. Jesus came so that we all might have eternal life.

Mary and Joseph traveled away from their home for the birth of Jesus. He was born in a poverty painted environment. The poor shepherds came as they were tending their sheep. The angels sang from on high. And then the three wise men arrived bearing gifts worthy of a king. They brought fine kingly gifts to a baby...a baby that would bring salvation to all.

These three wise men also represented the richness available to us if we believe and follow Jesus. If we but 'Come and See' as we have heard in the last couple gospels. These three wise men were from very different backgrounds than the shepherds...

You see eternal life is an all inclusive deal. The gift of salvation is an all or nothing package.

John tells us in today's reading from his first letter Chapter 5:11-12, "...God gave us eternal life, and this life is in the Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life." John is speaking with passion for what he knows to be truth. He wants his readers and listeners to catch his wave of passion. He says I am writing these things because I want you to know that you have eternal life. He is sharing the Good News!

You cannot believe in something you do not know anything about. He is pumping up their faith and our faith. We too need to be reminded of the promise of our eternal life.

It is a challenge to believe in something that would last for eternity. We have nothing concrete with which to compare eternity. There is no reference point. What does eternity mean to you?

We measure everything by time. Even if we look to the heavens for the meaning of eternity we are fooled. Scientists today have learned, through powerful telescopes, so much about our Universe. We now know stars are born and die daily. So even they cannot represent eternity to us.

Today as we are reminded of the three wise men let us also remember that the promise of eternal life is for all who believe without exception. Rejoice in this truth!

The original picture is of the Resurrection.

This kaleidoscope image reflects to me the magnificent light of eternal life.