Our Transparent God

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~Wisdom 12:13, 16-19~~~Psalm 86~~~Romans 8:26-27~~~
~~~Matthew 13:24-43~~~

Those who wish to spread evil 

often do it under the cloak of darkness, with covered faces, 

pretending to be anonymous...as if they did not exist.

Cyber crimes and stolen identities are increasing every day it seems.

While everyone was asleep his enemy came

and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. 

Today we hear much about transparency.

Unfortunately transparency is becoming more and more difficult to define.

I routinely used transparencies during my teaching career.

Making it very easy to share information with the whole class.

They are even available in different colors.

God rules, governs, justifies, forgives,
and loves with complete transparency.
There is no ulterior motive when it comes to God.
The flip side of this might be that there
is only one ulterior motive with God, love.

Many good people today echo Paul's letter to the Romans.
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,

but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. 

And the one who searches hearts

knows what is the intention of the Spirit,

because he intercedes for the holy ones

according to God’s will.

I find myself in a quandary as to how to pray for the current violence

 in the Middle East and in the Ukraine.

It is best to leave the exact words to wisdom of the Spirit.
The Spirit alone can bring goodness and forgiveness.

Someone sowed weeds among the farmer's crops,
but we know in our world today the 'weeds' are among us.
Sometimes we ourselves may even be considered to be weeds;
as our Christian values are challenged.
The parable says Jesus allowed the weeds to grow along side of the crops.

In reality we all have a few of those weeds growing within our hearts.
They are the weeds of prejudice and hatred.
The weeds of our own individual sins.

In nature we sometimes enjoy the weeds
as much as those cultivated crops.
The so called weeds blossom in the Springtime
 dosing the hillsides with color.

It is time to place our complete trust in the Lord.
It is time for us to admit that we do not pray as we should.

It is time to let the Spirit take control.

Seek the Grace and Blessings to surrender all to God.

Allow God, the great harvester, to separate
 the weeds from our own hearts.

May his Peace Reign
 in our hearts.

Grace Enables Us

~~~ 1 Cor15: 1-11 ~~~ Psalm 118 ~~~ Luke 7:36-50 ~~~

 

"...But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective..."

 

Once again today we hear the beautiful lines from Paul's letter to the Corinthians.

What I love about Paul is his honesty and transparency with his followers.

He openly admits that he was once a person that was doing all he

could to fight against the new Christians.

 

In his transparency he acknowledges that it was only

through the grace of God

that his significant spiritual growth was made possible. 

 

Through the goodness of God Paul grew in wisdom concerning the things of God.

God saw something in Paul that he could use to reach others.

God was right...of course...

Paul's spiritual influence continues to flourish today.

 

Paul accepted God's grace and let it be the catalyst for his future mission.

 

The gospel story today of the sinful woman

who weeps and anoints the feet of Jesus

is also about grace and transparency.

 

"...Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment..."

 

 

This woman, even though a well known sinner within her community,

humbly approaches Jesus.

She is in a lowly position at the feet of Jesus.

She is vulnerable wiping his feet with her hair.

 

She did not come in singing and dancing attepting to seduce Jesus.

Those actions might have been more acceptable

 considering her reputation.

 

The Pharisee is also transparent; he does not try to hide

what he perceives as evidence contrary to what he believed.

"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."

 

Well the truth be told; Jesus did know this woman was a sinner

but she was

attentive in caring for him.

The Pharisee had just gone about his customary greetings

with a visitor in his home.

 

This woman did so much more than anyone would have expected.

 

For it is through grace that we too can do more than is expected.

It is through grace that we are safe to be transparent.

If we have nothing to hide transparency should be the norm.

 

Something drew the woman to the feet of Jesus.

Something brought her to her knees in his presence.

Something caused her tears to greatly flow from her eyes.

 

 

Where would you cast yourself today in this story?

 

Are you the Pharisee who extended the invitation?

 Are you the Pharisee who began to question the insight of Jesus?

Are you the Pharisee who was shocked but what he witnessed?

 

Are you the woman

who collects the finest perfumed oil?

Are you the woman

who weeps tears stored up inside from the past?

Are you the woman

who gladly falls to the floor in humility?

Are you the woman

who comes to wash the feet of the Master?

 

Are you so filled with the grace of God

that he could ask you to do anything for him?

 

Before God there is nothing but transparency.

He gives us enough grace to step away from our sins.

He gives us enough grace to go out and proclaim his word.

 

His grace truly is sufficieant for you to accomplish great things in his name.

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.