"Now I Know That There Is a God"

In today's first reading, 2 Kings 5: 1-15b, we encounter Naaman, the commander of King Aram's army, a man who was highly esteemed and respected by the King.  So when he developed leprosy, the King was very concerned. A little child from Israel, captured during one of the wars with Israel and a servant of Naaman's wife,  said to said to her master's wife: "If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria, he would be cured of his leprosy."  Naaman went to the King and told him what the little girl had said. The King's response was: "Go!"  He does so and presents himself to the king of Israel, who angrily tears his garment and says: "Do you think that I am a god."  And in his anger believes that the king of Aram is only seeking to quarrel with him. The prophet Elisha hears of the king of Israel's reaction to Naaman and asks that the leper  be sent to him. Naaman goes to Elisha and expects that the prophet himself will meet him and ostentatiously heal him but instead sends a message that he go into the Jordan and bathe 7 times and his leprosy will be healed. Naaman's ego has a fit and, only at the persuasion of his servants does he bathe in the Jordan. He is healed, as Elisha said he would be.  He returns to Elisha and proclaims: "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel."

Am I, are not you, at times, like Naaman. Our egos invariably seek extraordinary treatment. We believe, at times, that we are entitled to spectacular episodes that exalt our egos! And God says "no"! To experience the miracles of our God, the goodness of our God, God's compassion, we may simply be asked to go to a parish mission, to attend a certain liturgy or to go to confession.  We could bulk like Naaman did when asked to submerge himself seven times in the Jordan or, in faith, follow the suggestion given to us by our children, our grandchildren, our spouse or a friend! Or the Spirit might be nudging us to make a phone call to someone whom we may have insulted or to stop at the flower shop on our way home from work and buy a rose for our spouse. Do we bulk and say: "No way! I can't be bothered!"  Insignificant acts may well bring about a "miracle" and give a message to the recipient that God truly exists and is truly a loving, caring, forgiving, merciful God.

When have you said to yourself or to another: "Now I know that there is a God?"  Be the reason another person would make that proclamation!

Putting on the Attitude of Jesus

In today's first reading, Phil 2: 5-11, S.Paul users us to put on the attitude of Jesus, who, "though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in  human likeness; and  found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross."

Jesus took on humanity, our humanity!  Jesus left heaven, emptying Himself and becoming our slave.  He worked Himself to the bone, so to speak, taking on and destroying death for our sakes.  Nothing was too much for Jesus to show us the depth, the breadth, the height and the length of God's love for us.  As St. Paul says to the Philippians, Jesus, the second person of the Blessed Trinity,  did "not regard equality with God" something to which He had to cling! He chooses humility. He chooses littleness. He chooses total dependence, as any infant, upon His mother and foster father Joseph! God, the Creator of heaven and earth, totally dependent for all of His needs upon a teenage mother, whom He Himself created and sustained in her existence!  He did not bulk. He did not sulk! He did not rebel! He humbly submitted to Mary and Joseph! Not only that! At the age of 33, He humbly submitted to those who rebelled against Him and had Him crucified like a notorious, despised criminal!

St. Paul begins this passage to the Philippians by asking each of us to have "the same attitude" that is ours "in Christ Jesus."  What attitude? A humble, obedient one by which we do not consider it necessary to cling to glory or significant positions of honor and power, being above others! We are asked to let go of entitlements, as Jesus did, and assume positions of humility, submission, and obedience to a High Power at work within our lives!

God as God; God as Bridegroom

My meditation this afternoon began with the phrase "My Face is shining upon you, beaming out Peace that transcends understanding," from "Jesus Calling"  by Sarah Young.  I was regretting some of my behaviors and attitudes that I consider sinful and the Lord said to me: "Your sins are as far from me as the East is from the West.  I see you cleansed of sin by the blood of the cross, when, as I was dying, I poured my purifying blood over you!  I see you in that light day after day, night after night!  You are cleansed, made whole, healed, though you do not yet experience your healing or purification in its entirety. That will only happen when, believing in Me and repenting of your sins,  you enter eternity as my beloved daughter redeemed in my blood and accepting this free gift from a God who loves you and everyone else unconditionally.  As you journey through this vale of tears where Satan roams seeking souls to devour focus on Me, strive to do good every day empowered by My graces and you will be safe, as Sarah Young says in the mediation she offers in Jesus Calling on this date."

In the liturgical readings for today, the second week in Ordinary Time, we encounter a  just God, one who demands that His will be followed, that we do what God asks of us. In 1 Samuel 15:16-23, we are informed of Saul's disobedience when the men of his army, following the defeat of the Amalekites,  took the "best of what had been banned, to sacrifice to the Lord there God in Gilgal."  Samuel says to Saul: "Does the Lord so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the Lord?  Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. For a sin like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he, too, has rejected you as ruler."  Notice the words:  "rejected you as ruler."  Saul does not say that the Lord has rejected Saul as a person.  Saul as ruler was replaced, as we learn later in the Scriptures.

In today's Gospel, Mark 2: 18-22, Jesus shows us another face of God, one who celebrates life with us.  The Pharisees are troubled by this and asks the disciples of Jesus: "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"  Jesus answers: "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?"  We see a God who joins us in our celebrations, is intimate with us, dances with us when we celebrate, rejoices with us when we are rejoicing, and honors us with His presence.  This is the side of a caring, loving, generous God, a God who is not rigid and demanding.

Yes, God wants our obedience to His commands. He wants us to recognize that God alone is God and we are persons wondrously made by our God:  God's masterpieces but not God Him/Herself.  Unlike Adam and Eve, who wanted to be God and followed their wills that were contrary to the will of God, we are to be submissive to the desires of our Creator God!  God leads; we follow!  Adam and Eve failed in that, as did Saul and so many others.  You and I, at times, also fail in being faithful to the directions God sends us each day. The "sacrifice" God asks of us is the submission of our wills, praise and thanksgiving from our lips,  and love from our hearts.

Help me, God, recognize you as God and myself as your daughter/son, as your servant or handmaiden, as Mary and Joseph, whom we just celebrated this Christ season, did!

Jesus' Authority

Today’s first reading, Hebrews 2: 5-15, speak s of the “son of man” being made, “for a little while lower than the angels,” being “crowned…with glory and honor,” and “all things” being subject “under his feet.”   In today’s Gospel, Jesus visits Capernaum with his followers, enters the synagogues and teaches “with authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit,” who cries out: “What have you do so with us, Jesus of Nazareth. Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebukes the demons and says: “Quiet! Come out of him!” The demon submits to Jesus’ authority.  In other parts of the Gospels, nature submits to Jesus when He orders turbulent weather to cease threatening the lives of His disciples.  Diseases of all kinds also submit to Jesus’ healing authoritative powers.  Death itself submits to God’s authority and Jesus overcomes death in His Resurrection and returning to the Father’s glory!  So, too, will we!

In the responsorial psalm of today’s liturgy, Psalm 8, we pray: “You have given him [your Son] rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet.”  Jesus is  Master of the lives of government leaders, members of Congress and of the Supreme Court. He is Master of the members  of ISIS, of every person sitting in our prisons, of all of those planning good or evil things in this world.  He is Master of your life and of mine.

Am I co-operating with Jesus’ authority or resisting it? Am I submissive or obedient to the authority God has given Jesus or am I rebelling against it. Jesus shows us the way to the Father, as He Himself was obedient to His Father even until death!  Will we follow Jesus’ example? Will we accept salvation in Christ Jesus?