The Numbers Increase

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

~~Isaiah 66:10-14c~~Psalm 66~~Galatians 6:14-18 ~~Luke 10:1-12, 17-20~~

 

'The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest...'

 

We typically see this verse used in reference to a plea for more vocations

 to the priesthood and religious life.

However, we too are the laborers in the vineyard.

We are being urged to go out into the field;

we too can share in the harvest.

There is only one harvest necessary to be reaped,

one that spreads the gospel of love.

 

Recently I played a game where you must match

the puzzle pieces with the model.

If you try to use the wrong piece

it is rejected and sent to the bottom on the screen.

 

Jesus is sending out his seventy-two on a pilgrimage of peace.

 

Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.

 

When people of peace come together 'puzzle' pieces match.

The peace remains with both persons...

the visitor and the residents.

 

 

Evangelization is growing...Jesus is planting his seeds...

his teachings are being spread by others.

 

‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’

 

There is no time to waste.

If you reach out to someone and they reject your offer; move on.

Leave the area behind, hold on to nothing.

Give credit to God for the good which you are able to accomplish in the field.

 

Finally there is one reason to remain joyful.

 

'...rejoice because your names are written in heaven.'

 

If you answer the call of the Lord to go out into the field and harvest

 your name is recorded by the Lord.

On a lighter side what fun it would be to actually see your name

written above in the blue sky. 

How great the blessings for those whose names have been recorded by God in heaven. 

 Go out to all of the world and spread the good news!

Blindness of Deception

~~~ Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29 ~~~ Psalm 135 ~~~ Matthew 9:14-17 ~~~

 

Today we have the curious story of deception in the first book of the Bible...Genesis.

When reading the book of Genesis we are given the full scope of our creation...

from the creation of everything through the first

sin in the garden leading on to deception and murder.

 

Isaac was old and his eyesight was greatly diminished.

As customary of the time, a special blessing was bestowed

on the first born son by the father.

For whatever reason the mother, Rebekah, plotted to deceive her husband.

She wanted her son Esau to receive the special blessing from Issac.

 

When you lose one of your senses the others become more sensitive.

They almost become hyper sensitive to the environment.

Having lost his vision Issac now mostly relied on his sense of hearing, smell, and touch.

Rebekah went to great lengths; she covered the arms and hands of Jacob with animal fur.

This was the deception of touch.

When Issac felt the hand of Jacob he thought is felt like the hand of Esau.

 

Even though Issac has questions about the timeliness of the hunt,

he trusts his son's word.

 

But Isaac asked,

“How did you succeed so quickly, son?”
He answered,
“The LORD, your God, let things turn out well with me.”

 

Lying creates its own world apart from the real world.

As we know one lie leads to another etc.

 

“Although the voice is Jacob’s, the hands are Esau’s.”

 

The deception and lies continue...

Issac once again asks...Are you my son?

Still not convinced it is Esau before him;

 Issac combines his sense of touch with his sense of smell.

 

Finally his father Isaac said to Jacob,
“Come closer, son, and kiss me.”
As Jacob went up and kissed him,
Isaac smelled the fragrance of his clothes.

 

The ultimate deception is one shrouded in false love

 and empty gestures of affection. 

 

 Jacob undoubtedly loved his father and his mother.

Unfortunately he was not strong enough to disobey his mother's plot of deception.

 

 

With that, he blessed him saying,

“Ah, the fragrance of my son
is like the fragrance of a field
that the LORD has blessed!

 

Isaac gives the blessing to the wrong son in good faith.

The lies and deception were a success.

 In blind faith, Isaac gave his special blessing to Jacob instead of Esau.

Imagine the sadness and disgust when the truth is revealed to Isaac.

 

Deception is selfish and unworthy of any type of blessing.

The truth will set you free in all circumstances.

Imagine the disappointment experienced by Esau upon learning

what his brother and mother had done.

He was not deprived of his rightful blessing.

 

Those who would plan to deceive may go to great lengths

 to create a plausible scene.

Unfortunately we must be vigilant to those who

wish to deceive others. 

 

Blessings lie in the Truth.

Guess Who Came to Dinner?

~~~ Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67 ~~~ Psalm 106 ~~~ Matthew 9:9-13 ~~~

 

 “Follow me.”

Today we are given another example of someone

 chosen by Jesus to follow him...

Matthew was a despised tax collector. Tax collectors are rarely

looked upon kindly.

This is one more example of Jesus calling without judging.

The who witnessed this invitation were quick to judge.

Matthew not only got up and left his job;

he also immediately welcomed Jesus into his home.

They shared a meal together along with some friends of Matthew.

Understandably, Matthew's friends were in the same

if not similar occupation.

Matthew means gift of God.

Matthew brought the gift of God to his friends and co-workers.

 

Jesus now has the opportunity to touch the lives

of those who come to dinner.

Those who come by invitation from Matthew.

Jesus now had several others he could influence with his kindness.

Jesus did not judge those who came to dinner that day, but others did.

This is true today as well, Jesus accepts all who come to him

even if they were invited by someone else.

 

This is what evangelization is all about...

we are called to invite others to follow Jesus.

 

In the midst of criticism, Jesus makes a profound proclamation.

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do...

It may be true that those who are well do not need a physician,

 but those who are well need to maintain their health.

We have the Eucharist to help us maintain the health of our soul.

We have the sacrament of reconciliation

 to maintain the health of our heart.

 

 

...Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

 

We have a merciful and just God.

A God slow to anger.

When you come to know God you also come to understand

 his mercy and forgiveness.

No matter how many times we fail; Jesus is always willing

to forgive us and take us back into his loving care.

Jesus came for us...we are among those he calls sinners.

 

When Jesus comes to dine in your heart do as Matthew did...

invite your friends to join with you at table.

If they come to know you they will surely also come to know Jesus.

 

Jesus accepted Matthew's invitation to dine with him in his home.

He came to witness God's acceptance and mercy.

Matthew quickly responded to the direct call of Jesus.

When you are being called to follow Jesus there is no confusion...

 

Jesus often used parables to teach his point of view,

but when he calls his disciples it is not in the context of a story.

Jesus uses few words when he calls you to follow him.

All we need do is respond affirmatively.

 

Blessings found in the call and in the dinner invitation.

Our Blessings come in reaching out to others. 

 

“The only difference between saints and sinners

is that every saint has a past while every sinner has a future. ”

Oscar Wilde

Walk in His Presence

~~~ Genesis 22:1b-19 ~~~ Psalm 115 ~~~ Matthew 9:1-8 ~~~

 

God Bless America.

Home of the brave, land of the free.

 

 I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.

 

This is a wonderful psalm refrain in celebrating our country's independence.

 

Using verses from the daily scriptures I pray for our country.

We have made mistakes in the past with some of our laws

 and we will make mistakes in the future.

We are governed by humans who are frail and blinded

 by power and control.

Yes, as a country we are guilty of committing sins against

God's teachings of love.

But all is not lost in vain.

“Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

 

Jesus does forgive with one stipulation...go and sin no more.

God knows what is in the hearts of all of us, even those who do not profess to know him.

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
“Why do you harbor evil thoughts?

 

Today is a good time to examine what evil thoughts

we do indeed harbor within the recesses of our heart.

Is it patriotic to condemn others?

Are we really the only ones who have all of the right answers?

 

“Where is their God?”

 I sincerely pray that we find the truth from God within our hearts.

I pray that no one has reason to look upon our nation and ask,

'where is their God?'

 

I place my trust in God, for he is the only one who can provide

what our nation longs for...

he alone is the giver of peace.

If we are to pass this peace on to others we must first possess it ourselves.

God himself will provide...

Are we capable of letting God love through us?

 

Here I am...

I come to love and support our beloved America.

I want to see the good in our nation.

I want to hear from the people who are making a difference

by truly spreading the gospel message of love. I pray this love will prevail over evil.

 

I am proud to be an American.

I cannot imagine living in any other country.

 

I invite you to place our country into God's hand.

Prayer is how we acknowledge God's presence in this land of plenty.

 

God, please continue to bless the United States of America.

Cleanse us of our past offenses.

Give our leaders your wisdom and courage in the laws they draft and pass.

 

We are called to follow Jesus...

this is the path flanked with abundant blessings.

God Bless America!!!

Faith or Experience...Which Is It?

~~~ Feast of Saint Thomas, the Apostle ~~~

 

~~~ Ephesians 2:19-22 ~~~ Psalm 117 ~~~ John 20:24-29 ~~~

 

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nail marks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

 

Jesus wanted Thomas to be a believer.

He wanted him to believe in the resurrection;

 so he made this appearance just for Thomas.

Another example of the diversity among those chosen by Jesus himself.

Thomas was an apostle. He had walked with Jesus.

He still had his own personal doubts.

 

Then he (Jesus) said to Thomas,

 “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

 

Jesus invites Thomas to not just see with his eyes

 but to touch his wounded hands and to put his hand into his side.

I wonder if Thomas was a little embarrassed standing there

before the risen Jesus.

I think I might have been asking myself why I could not believe.

 

Jesus granted the requests made by Thomas.

Thomas was not satisfied by the testimonies

given by the others about seeing the risen Jesus.

One might ask where was Thomas? Why was he not with the others?

Was he out preaching about his friend, Jesus?

Was he alone in prayer?

Had he chosen to mourn the death of his friend in private?

Was he hiding in fear of the repercussions of his relationship with Jesus?

We can only speculate.

We do know he was not with the others in the upper room.

 

How many times have I been like Thomas?

How many times have I doubted?

How many times have I been shown a glimpse of the truth by you, Lord?

My prayer today is to never again doubt our Lord.

 

 

 

Coming together with others in time of sadness is so often healing for the soul.

We come together to comfort one another.

 

Jesus demonstrated his great compassion and love for Thomas.

Jesus did not want Thomas to remain an unbeliever.

Jesus does not want us to remain as an unbeliever either.

 

Every day we are given reasons to believe.

Jesus knows that we too may occasionally find ourselves

 in the camp of the non believers.

He will do all that he can to lead us to the camp of the believers.

Believing, that is another expression for Faith.

 

I want to be a strong believer...I renew this decision now...

won't you please join me.

 

'...Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.'

 

We may not be able to see the nail marks in the hands of Jesus,

but we can see all that he has done for us.

The seeds of faith are often hidden in our moments of doubt.

 

May you continue to find numerous reasons to believe.

Blessings come from believing and not seeing.

 

Saint Thomas, pray for us

 in our times of disbelief.

Is God in Your Boat?

 

~~~ Genesis 19:15-29 ~~~ Psalm 26 ~~~ Matthew 8:23-27 ~~~

 

The disciples followed Jesus into the boat...a boat that belonged to one of them.

They followed him into a familiar space which is often not the case.

 

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.

 

Jesus was with them in this familiar place when a violent storm arose.

So many times I heard asked, 'Why would God allow ___ or ___ to happen?'

But here he is leading the way into the boat...

into the waters they had fished in many times.

Is God in your boat of life?

Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;

 

Jesus was there with them but still the storm descended upon them.

Why did he not wake up immediately?

but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

 

Jesus waited for them to come to him.

He was awakened by their desperate cries for help.

Their cries rose above the stormy winds.

“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

 

Perishing is a strong word...this was a violent storm...

they were in a fragile vessel on the open waters.

Perish...to suffer death in a violent, sudden way...

complete and utter destruction.

He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”

 

Jesus calmly responds to their terror with questions about their faith.

He was by their side...in their boat...

a place they had been together many times before,

but they were still afraid for their life.

Trust the Lord in all things great and small, good and bad.

Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.

 

Have you ever seen the waters completely still?

A 'great calm' on the water reflects the surrounding beauty and the blue sky above.

It is during the violent storms in life that we are faced

with the depth of our faith and the trust we have in God.

Is your faith strong enough?

How will you know if it is never put to the test?

 

 

He heard their cries for help and got up.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

 

What sort of man calms the seas they ask;

a man who is also God.

There is no storm too great that he can not calm it.

He is all powerful, but we must exercise our belief in this truth.

 

Whatever violent storms are raging in your life today;

ask God to give you his peace.  Ask him to calm all of your fears.

 

Blessings come amidst the raging waters as well as the subsequent calm.

It is only after the rain that we are able to see the colors in the sky.

Humbly Follow the Teacher

 

~~~ Genesis 18:16-33 ~~~ Psalm 103 ~~~ Matthew 8:18-22 ~~~

 

Yesterday we heard Luke's account of the same message we read today.

The scripture reference to follow Jesus.

 

Jesus crosses to the other side of the lake...

what do you think may be the significance is about the other side of the lake?

The crowd was growing larger...perhaps he was in fear for his safety.

Perhaps he thought it would be easier for the crowd

to see him better from the other side.

 

It is a scribe who addresses Jesus as 'teacher'.

This scribe wants to commit to follow Jesus.

 He is an unlikely candidate to be following Jesus.

 

In Biblical times the scribes were the teachers.

They were the ones who were the most educated.

They were often seen as being elevated above others.

They could write, which also made them command respect.

 

The scribes were THE teachers because

they were among the few would could read and write.

The people looked to the scribes to teach them about the laws of Moses.

Because he could write, the scribes preformed a useful function

within the community.

If you needed something to be written,

a scribe could do it for you.

 

A scribe approached and said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

 

This proclamation, coming from a scribe, was huge.

He was placing Jesus higher than himself.

This was his own choice.

 

How many times do we want to place ourselves

 higher than those around us?

How many times do we judge ourselves to be the better person?

 

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

 

Following Jesus gives you countless reasons

to Bless the Lord.

How can we begin to thank him for all he has done for us?

The best we can give back to our Lord

is to respond be spreading his love and mercy to those

we meet along the path.

 

If a scribe can decide to follow Jesus then so can you.

Blessings come through sending his love forward.