Departures and Arrivals

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 20:28-38 ~~~ Psalm 68 ~~~ 

~~~ John 17:11B-19 ~~~

They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.

We are reminded again in today's readings...
we do not belong to the world.
The world has no claim on us, however
we freely and gladly give ourselves to the world.

Do not believe that the world is all
that matters.

If we do not belong to the world
why does the world matter so much?
After creation God gave the world to us.
God created the world for our use.
Along with this gift comes the responsibility
we have to care for this world.
If we are to care for the world it does not
follow that we belong to the world.
The world was given to us to make our life on Earth easier.
God would not have placed us here with nothing.
He wanted us to have the means to sustain the life
 he intently breathed into our nostrils.

Consecrate them in the truth. 
Your word is truth.

Jesus not only lived and died for us...
he also prayed for us.

Today we hear that he consecrated us in truth.

Jesus was preparing us for his departure.
We have these readings as concrete evidence.
 God never meant for us to be left alone.

The promise of the arrival of the Holy Spirit
 keeps us from being too sad by the departure of Jesus.

We have had the experience of loved ones leaving us in death.
We hurriedly gather as many pictures as we can;
they serve as a way of keeping our loved one close.

Jesus consecrated us to the Father in truth.
This truth is the word of God.
The word that was made flesh.
The word that took his place among us.

Jesus departed from his family and disciples.
Jesus departed from this world.
We eagerly await the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

Blessings within
departures and arrivals.

~~~ Peace ~~~

"Hooked" on Jesus

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 16:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 100 ~~~ John 15:18-21 ~~~

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own...

The world wants us to be exclusive to its whims and temptations.
Just consider every commercial on network television
 that captures your attention.
Now days we don't even leave our chair
during a commercial because they are making
 them more and more entertaining.
Some commercials are almost considered a necessity.

How else would we find out about the numerous negative side effects
 of our medications? I am half kidding,
but it is so close to the truth.
We get hooked into commercials because
they are designed in such a manner
that we begin to identify with the actors.
These are actors they are not real.
Speaking of actors; we have so many different
'reality' shows that I have lost count...
just more examples of how the world lures us unto itself.

Jesus has such a different method to 'lure' us to himself.
He does not try to make us his slave.
He does not trick us with actors.
He does not attract us to himself through the things of the world.

Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’

A slave hardly has the freedom to think their own thoughts.
A slave eventually becomes immune to hope.
A slave surrenders to the darkness...this is what the world has to offer.

We were not chosen by God to be a slave.
We were chosen by God to be his friend...to know him and to love him.
God had called us to proclaim the Good News...

I want to get 'hooked' on Jesus because of his great love and mercy.
The world offers nothing in comparison.
The world offers no mercy, just criticism and judgment.

We are Blessed because we know the one true God.
~~~Peace~~~

Out of This World

 

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 16:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 100 ~~~ John 15:18-21 ~~~

 

'...because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.'

 

‘No slave is greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

It was common for people during the time of Jesus to keep slaves.

A slave would never consider him or herself greater than their master.

The master was the ruler the owner. The master had the final say in all matters.

The slave only performed those tasks dictated by the master.

 

Jesus came to do the will of the Father.

He surrendered himself just as a slave surrenders to their master.

A good, benevolent master took good care of his slaves.

The slaves were valuable.

They performed specific functions to make things run smoothly.

A master could not do everything that needed to get done without his slaves.

 

 

A devoted slave might have the occasion to admire the master.

A sharp slave might even have desired to be like the master...

to have his personality traits.

 

Jesus is telling his disciples that none of them will ever be greater

than he is because it simply cannot happen.

In fact the opposite is what they should expect.

If Jesus is persecuted then they too should expect to be persecuted.

If Jesus is misunderstood then they too will be misunderstood too.

 

We are not of this world we belong with God in heaven.

We believe that there is something more than the life we have here on Earth.

We believe there is something more beyond this physical life.