Who is the Good Samaritan?

~ Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~

 

~~Deuteronomy 30:10-14~~Psalm 69 or 19~~Colossians 1:15-20~~Luke 10:25-37~~

 

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

 

The 'words' God gave to Moses we know as the Ten Commandments.

Ten rules to guide you in the way of God.

 

Moses himself describes the law of the Lord...

For this command that I enjoin on you today
is not too mysterious and remote for you.

It is normal for us to see that God does have laws.

If we look at nature we see many examples of the these laws.

The laws of God make sense.

Already within our hearts is a sense of a higher power.

A higher power that deserves our love, honor and praise.

Moses also says to the people referring to the laws...

 '...it is something very near to you,
already in your mouths and in your hearts;
you have only to carry it out.'

 

If what you have in your hearts is not supported by your actions

 then you are not being true to your heart.

 

In the Gospel today Jesus is questioned by a scholar of the law.

This scholar is asking if the old law are still to be obeyed.

Jesus never had the intention of abolishing

the laws given to Moses.

As a scholar of the law this person knew

the laws given to Moses.

 

Loving God with your whole heart, being, strength, and mind...

this is not mysterious...

this is already in your hearts.

Just as Moses was preaching.

It is the next part that causes us the greatest difficulties.

 

'...and your neighbor as yourself.”

 

This causes us problems because we are left to determine

who our neighbors are.

Most of the time we chose the easy most comfortable

 definition of our neighbors.

Our neighbors...

who are they?

The family next door, our friends,

 the people in our book club or bible study,

those who go to the same church;

these people are our neighbors.

But are these our only neighbors?

Jesus goes on with the example of the Good Samaritan.

Here we see the definition of neighbor greatly expanded.

 

It seems that our definition of neighbor is very controlled;

we set our own boundaries.

We want to be comfortable with our neighbors.

 

The definition of neighbor that Jesus presents is far from ours.

The Good Samaritan goes above and beyond what most of us would

consider doing for a friend much less a neighbor.

 

The Good Samaritan is an example for all of us to reach toward.

 

We are challenged to view our neighbor with compassion.

We are challenged to go out of our comfort zone to help our neighbor.

 

To me the person that comes closest to the Good Samaritan

would be Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

She enlarged her circle to include all kinds of people as her neighbors.

She said...

"Intense love does not measure, it just gives."
 

It seems that loving our neighbor as ourselves requires us to consistently

reevaluate if someone meets the guideline to be our neighbor.

Loving our neighbor as ourselves is not something carved in stone

rather it is in the folds of our heart.

God Meant It for Good...

~~~ Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26a ~~~Psalm 105~~~ Matthew 10:24-33~~~

 

Jacob having been reunited with his son,

Joseph, gives his burial instructions.

He wishes to be buried with the rest of his ancestors.

 

When I was a child, every Easter we would bring

my grandmother to the cemetery.

I never could understand why she wanted to go to grandpa's grave.

He was not there. We had to be careful not to walk

 on the marking stones in the grass. 

 

I still do not think it is important to visit a cemetery.

Unless it is a way to show that you do remember a person you loved.

Jacob wanted to be placed with his ancestors as a symbol

 of his inheritance or his heritage. It was important to him.

 

Jacob also leaves instructions for Joseph to not

hold a grudge against his brothers.

The father is interceding on behalf of his other children.

One thing parents want most is for their children to get along.

You know the old saying about not choosing your family, I'm sure. 

Jacob wanted some reassurance that before his death

his sons would be reunited.

 

Joseph, being a man of God had anticipated his responsibility.

 

The brothers are counseled by their father to seek

forgiveness from their brother.

Now it was their turn to came to Joseph, admit their guilt,

and seek his forgiveness.

 

'...Jacob begs you
to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers,
who treated you so cruelly.'
Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we,
the servants of your father’s God, committed.

 

 

It does take a certain amount of humility to admit your offenses.

It takes courage to ask for the person's forgiveness.

It takes courage because, they might not be ready to forgive you.

You open up yourself to their possible anger.

 

But this is not the case here...

 

Joseph replied to them:
“Have no fear. Can I take the place of God?
Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good,
to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.
Therefore have no fear.
I will provide for you and for your children.”

 

God meant it for good...

What?

Can you wrap your head, much less your heart, around those five words?

Joseph remained the protector of his family

until he was one hundred ten years old.

 

We too can rejoice with the psalmist...

 

Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!

 

Sometimes we must wait many years

for a Blessing to become a reality.

 

God allowed Jacob the blessing to die a happy man;

his family was reunited at last.

If you are waiting for a family member to admit guilt for hurting you,

I invite you to pray for your heart to be softened.

The Surprising Family Reunion

~~~ Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 ~~~ Psalm 37 ~~~ Matthew 10:16-23 ~~~

 

'...do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak...'

 

It is God the Father who speaks through Joseph

 as he finds himself in an awkward situation.

The very family members who wanted him dead were standing before him. 

Joseph does not respond in a typical human way instead

because it is God speaking through him he shows compassion to his brothers.

 

Because God is giving Joseph the words eventually

he is reunited with his elderly father, Israel.

 

 Jacob's name was changed to Israel after wrestling with an angel.

Jacob, the son who deceitfully received his father's blessing.

 

God upholds this blessings bestowed on Jacob...years later.

 

Jacob must have been overjoyed when he was told that Joseph was alive.

Not only is Joseph alive, but he is now in a position

 to save his family from starvation.

 

God assures Jacob that he should return to Egypt.

...Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt...

 

God was working in the lives of all parties in this story for generations.

 

 

In many ways Joseph is foreshadowing the qualities

we would see in the person of Jesus.

 

This is a mirror of the return of the prodigal son.

The difference is the son goes out to welcome his father.

...Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot
and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen.
As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck
and wept a long time in his arms.

 

When our eyes are opened to our sins, 'running' to reconciliation

is the way we 'run' to meet our Father.

 

When we are forgiven,

 we too want to cling to our Father in gratitude and love.

We want to experience the arms of our Father surrounding us.

 

Israel can finally find rest in the God of his father.

He is humbled by how God had fulfilled his father's blessing.

A blessing that he truly did not deserve.

 

God shows Israel, now late in his life, just how a brother

should treat another brother.

Joseph acts with love, compassion, and justly.

 

God will provide for all that we need.

Not only will he protect us in times of turmoil;

he will give us the correct words to say.

 

Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.

 

Blessings are available whether you are the father

running out to meet your prodigal or

if you are the son rushing

out to meet your estranged father.

 

Blessings are in peaceful reunion.

The Ear of Your Heart

~~~Memorial of Saint Benedict ~~~

 

~~~ Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5 ~~ Psalm 105 ~~ Matthew 10:7-15 ~~~

 

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

 

The beautiful story of Joseph continues in the readings today.

Joseph could no longer control himself...

the familial love he had for his brothers and his father poured out of his heart.

The desire to be reunited with his father brought him great joy.

He was eager to once again embrace his elderly father.

 

When Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers they are speechless.

They cannot begin to imagine how this brother whom they had  grossly mistreated

could possibly find mercy in his heart for them.

 

To me this is a wonderful example to how God

can turn all things into something good.

It took many years before Joseph

was able to use his position to save his family.

But it did come to pass;

he was able to save his family and reconcile with his brothers.

Joseph tells his brothers that what they did had always been in God's plan.

 

But now do not be distressed,
and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here.
It was really for the sake of saving lives
that God sent me here ahead of you.

 

 

What we perceive as negative may be exactly what God uses for his good.

For he truly can transform all things for his good.

We must pray for more trust and patience.

 

Joseph must have been just as surprised

as to how God used his situation

 to help his family

 as he was to have been dumped by his brothers.

 

His brothers were probably even more surprised.

They were most surprised by the compassion from Joseph.

 

Joseph was listening to God with the ears of his heart.

 

“Listen and attend with the ear of your heart.” 

“He should first show them in deeds rather than words all that is good and holy.”    

from the Rule of St. Benedict.

 

Joseph was practicing what St. Benedict adopted

as part of the rules for his community.

 

Joseph is a servant of the Lord.

He could have easily chosen to act differently.

He could have expressed anger and hatred toward his brothers,

but he instead chose to love them.

 

God loves us even when we do not deserve his love.

God loves us even though we sell our own soul to sin.

Joseph, sold into slavery through no fault of his own,

 was raised up as an instrument of God

 

No matter what our circumstances God wants to use us for his good.

 

Blessings come in trusting that God will make all things right.

And oh by the way...in his time.

Joseph had prepared his heart

long before his face to face encounter with his brothers.

 

Pray to be open to hear with the ears of your heart;

for this is where we will find joy.

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

Seeing Others as They Ought to Be

 

~~~ Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ Matthew 10:1-7 ~~~

 

'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

 

Surely the kingdom of heaven was evident through the hands of Jesus.

Each miracle of healing...every word of mercy and compassion

 he was bringing the kingdom of heaven to Earth.

 

We pray in the Our Father...

thy kingdom come...as it is in heaven...

 

Can we deliver a piece of the kingdom of heaven today?

I believe this is exactly what we are called to do.

 

In the first reading today we have the familiar story of Joseph.

His brothers opted to sell into slavery instead of killing him out of their jealousy.

 

We find the tables have turned and the brothers are in need of their brother's help.

They are in danger of starving and it Joseph who can make the difference.

 

Joseph finds in his heart the goodness

to bring a piece of the kingdom of heaven

down to his corner of the world.

Joseph was in a position of power. He could have exercised revenge on his brothers.

He could have given them what they rightfully deserved life in prison,

but Joseph found goodness in his heart.

 

The Kingdom of Heaven is always about finding goodness.

The Kingdom of Heaven is pure love.

The Kingdom of Heaven is following the will of the Father.

 

 

Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph
and do whatever he told them.

 

I found some curious parallels in this story between Joseph and Jesus.

 

At the wedding of Cana

 Mary tells the servants 'to do whatever he tells you'

referring to Jesus.

Here we have Pharaoh telling the Egyptians to do whatever Joseph tells them.

 

Joseph shares some of the same Jesus qualities.

 

It is Joseph who opened up the grain reserves for 'the whole world'.

It is Joseph who feeds the thousands...including his own brothers.

The very brothers who were willing to end his life.

 

Joseph conceals his identity from his brothers and locks them up for three days.

For three days they were confined to a prison cell.

Jesus was raised form the dead after three days.

The brothers have time to reflect on their guilt for the crimes against Joseph.

 

to be continued...

 

"God has to have two pictures of us:

one is what we are and the other is what we ought to be."

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

The World's First Love

 

By the grace of God, Joseph is able to see what his brothers

ought to be while they stand before him as they are.

 

Lord, let your mercy be on us...

 

The blessings today come through our ability

 to see others as they ought to be;

this is one way we can bring the Kingdom of Heaven to others.

Up Close and Personal

~~~ Genesis 32:23-33 ~~~ Psalm 17 ~~~ Matthew 9:32-38 ~~~

 

Having had total hip replacement a couple years ago,

I can identify with Jacob today.

I did not have 'an encounter with God' resulting in my hip problems though.

Once again we see when God changes your heart he also changes your name.

 

Jacob, from now on, will be called Israel.

 

“You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel,
because you have contended with divine and human beings
and have prevailed.”

 

Jacob asks for another blessing from this force he has wrestled.

Jacob has come to value blessings; after all he cheated his own brother

out of the coveted blessing from their father.

 

From now on Jacob will come to represent all people...the tribes of Israel.

 

Jacob limped along because of his hip.

 

So was this struggle good or bad?

Jacob was now afflicted with a dislocated hip.

He ability to walk would now be accentuated with pain.

Anyone who has experienced sciatic nerve pain 

knows how crippling it can be.

It is a pain that cannot be ignored. It is a haunting pain.

 

There was no need for the wrestling to continue throughout the night;

other than Jacob was also wrestling with his own conscience.

 

What is heavy on your soul can keep you awake at night.

When we are conflicted within God needs to get our attention.

When Jacob's hip was wrenched it brought him into reality.

Darkness makes it impossible to physically see,

making it easier to delve into one's own soul.

Night brings the cover of darkness.

Jacob was alone with the darkness of his own heart.

 

Jacob had been denying his own guilt concerning his brother Esau.

Jacob had destroyed his relationship with his brother

and now had the audacity to wrestle with God.

Did he really believe there would be no consequences for his actions.

 

 

It takes time, but Jacob does realize the value in reconciling with his brother.

God makes all things right in his own time.

Jacob had been away for twenty years.

God faithfully protected Jacob with his angels,

as was previously promised.

 

Jacob returns to his brother for healing. He no longer sees his brother as a threat.

Jacob is not returning to claim his greater inheritance portion.

 

Jacob had an up close and personal encounter

with what he considered to be God.

Jacob wrapped his arms and legs around his opponent.

He could feel the breath of his opponent.

He could could hear the sounds of their physical contact.

 

We too struggle with our sinfulness.

Blessing for us come in reconciling our differences.

Make peace with your family as it heals the soul

and opens the door for grace and blessings.

Like Jacob, we too must live with who we truly are.

 

Blessings in tumbling with God.

911: The Prayer for Protection

~~~ Genesis 28:10-22a ~~~ Psalm 91 ~~~ Matthew 9:18-26 ~~~

 

In you, my God, I place my trust.

 

Psalm 91 has a message for each one of us...

personal, parents, military, firefighters, police officers.

When we are faced with danger this psalm is prayed most often.

 

The Lord is the only one who can offer protection in all circumstances.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty...

 

If you are in the shadow of the Almighty you are near to him.

A shadow is near to that which is blocking the light.

Even though one appears to be in darkness God remains near.

 

If we cannot see the light of the Lord, then standing in his shadow

 is to be close to him.

 

Psalm 91 is a prayer of protection that has been prayed

by many throughout the ages.

It is prayed in times of danger. It is prayed when we are tempted to despair.

It is often called the 'soldier's prayer'.

 

Until today I never connected our emergency call number

 of 911 to this psalm of protection.

Could this, psalm 91:1, have been on the minds and hearts of those

who chose our emergency number?

I do not know, but today I see the connection.

 

In times of temptation we should recall this psalm to give us the necessary strength

to resist...to be strong

Under his wings you are covered from danger; you are protected.

God draws us closer to be near to him...to trust in his protection...

to trust when we are presented with hopeless situations.

 

 

We may not know for certain who composed this psalm,

some believe Moses,

but we can be sure it was inspired by God.

 

God wants us to rely on him for all things in our life.

We see strong evidence of this in the gospel reading today from Matthew.

The suffering woman and the official who's daughter had died

 relied on Jesus for healing and protection.

The woman had spent much of her life seeking a cure

only to face more disappointment.

Each time she was able to grasp on to hope

 it was quickly dashed as the hemorrhaging continued.

 

The official knew of his daughter's death, but he still approached Jesus for help.

He had extreme faith and trust in the healing power of Jesus.

 

Because he clings to me, I will deliver him....

...I will be with him in distress.

 

Comfort is available for those who believe the Lord is with them.

In times of great danger and distress

 the presence of God does bring comfort and peace.

 

In those times when death seems evident

the words of this psalm gives one

strength in knowing that God is with them.

The God who saves...the God who raises up the lowly.

The God of psalm 91

 is the God of divine protection.

 

I invite you to pray for those who have lost their lives

 in combat and as first responders.

The God of psalm 91 grant them shelter in the shadow of your wings.

Dear Lord, give the surviving family members your peace.

 

The blessings today come in trusting in God.

 

In you, my God, I place my trust.