In today's first reading, Isaiah 65: 17-21, the Lord says to us through the prophet: "Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth;the things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; for I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people."
What I believe comes to be! For instance, if I believe that I will fail, failure will be mine. On the contrary, if I believe that I shall succeed, I will succeed in some way, even if that success is how I handle failure! Living through faith in God's power to "create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight," I will, then, experience God's power to bring good out of what I may have perceived as disaster. We see this kind of faith at work in the royal official in today's Gospel, John 4: 43-54. The royal official asked Jesus to come down to Capernaum to heal his dying son. At first it looked as if Jesus was dismissing him with a rebuke when he said: "Unless you people see signs and wonders you will not believe." The royal official simply repeated his request and Jesus says to him: "You may go; your son will live" and at that moment his son began to recover.
Like the royal official, if I live by faith, I will not hesitate to bring my concerns to Jesus, knowing that He has the power to help me in my need, whatever that need might be. As I rely upon God to respond to my requests for help, my thinking negatively will be changed into thinking positively. And like the royal official, I will then experience how God delights in me and restores my faith in Him.
Lord, I pray for the faith to believe in what you create and are capable of creating. Like the royal official, may I grow in my knowledge of who You really are: a compassionate, loving, faithful God, whose love is infinite and generously shared. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Monday, April 1, 2019
Sunday, March 31, 2019
A God with Arms Always Open to Embrace Us
In today's Gospel, Luke 14: 1-3, 11-32, Jesus tells the story of the loving father, the prodigal son and the elder brother. Who am I in that story? the prodigal son who squanders the inheritance God has given me, living promiscuously, deceptively, corruptly, slovenly; the elder brother who lives by the letter of the law, does everything right, feels justified, superior to others and gets extremely angry when someone who turns from sin and evil is celebrated? Do I secretively rejoice at another's misfortune or poor choices saying, when things go wrong for this person, that he or she is getting what is deserved? Do I withdraw and sulk when such a person turns from evil to do good and a party is thrown in his or her honor? Or am I the father/ the person eagerly waiting for the return of the "prodigal" person, running to greet him/her with open arms--no questions asked but, instead, arranging for a big celebration!
The father, in this parable, of course, is God! We are both of the children! When you and I go astray, make poor choices that create a famine in our lives on all fronts--emotionally, socially, physically, financially, psychologically, spiritually--, as did both sons, God waits and waits and waits. God will wait hourly, weekly, monthly, yearly for our return. No matter how long we separate ourselves from God--from Love, Forgiveness, Intimacy, Reconciliation--God waits to embrace us with open, caring, loving arms, showing us compassion, restoring good fortunes to us, and lavishing us with gifts. The inheritance God has for us is intact!
Lord, open my eyes to Your love, Your compassion, Your generosity, Your longing to embrace me! Whenever I fall or wander off to places where I will encounter famine spiritually, socially, psychologically, emotionally, may I have the humility to come back to you, as did the prodigal son in this parable. Forgive me, Lord, when I stay away and give up, saying something like: "What use is it for me to make any changes in my life; it is too late. Anyway, I'm lost. I'm no good. What I have done is unforgivable!" Please, Lord, don't let me stay stuck in those poisonous attitudes and in humility return to you! I ask this in Jesus' name! Amen!
The father, in this parable, of course, is God! We are both of the children! When you and I go astray, make poor choices that create a famine in our lives on all fronts--emotionally, socially, physically, financially, psychologically, spiritually--, as did both sons, God waits and waits and waits. God will wait hourly, weekly, monthly, yearly for our return. No matter how long we separate ourselves from God--from Love, Forgiveness, Intimacy, Reconciliation--God waits to embrace us with open, caring, loving arms, showing us compassion, restoring good fortunes to us, and lavishing us with gifts. The inheritance God has for us is intact!
Lord, open my eyes to Your love, Your compassion, Your generosity, Your longing to embrace me! Whenever I fall or wander off to places where I will encounter famine spiritually, socially, psychologically, emotionally, may I have the humility to come back to you, as did the prodigal son in this parable. Forgive me, Lord, when I stay away and give up, saying something like: "What use is it for me to make any changes in my life; it is too late. Anyway, I'm lost. I'm no good. What I have done is unforgivable!" Please, Lord, don't let me stay stuck in those poisonous attitudes and in humility return to you! I ask this in Jesus' name! Amen!
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Turning toward God, Not Away from Him
In today's first reading, Jeremiah 7: 23-28, the Lord says to us through the prophet: "Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me."
Have you, have I, have we turned our backs on the Lord and walked away from Him? Or do we turn our faces to the Lord and in faith walk with Him and toward Him? In hope and in faith and in love, do we keep going forward no matter how difficult the journey might be? Or do we return to "the flesh pots of Egypt," to our whims, urges and impulses, walking away from doing what we know is right and choosing the easier path that makes no demands upon us? When challenged to go forward, do we say to people, either in word or action: "Leave me alone. I've done enough! I'm too tired. I'm too old! I'm too young!"
No matter what, God always walks along side us on the journey of faith, giving us the strength, the courage, and the wisdom we need to move forward! Not only is God with us on our way to heaven, so, too, are all the saints, those who have gone before us and those here on earth making the journey with us to our eternal homes! And furthermore, the angels, especially our guardian angel, walks with us as well!
Lord, forgive us for the times when we have turned our backs to you and give us the strength to turn back to you again and again in faith, hope and love!
Have you, have I, have we turned our backs on the Lord and walked away from Him? Or do we turn our faces to the Lord and in faith walk with Him and toward Him? In hope and in faith and in love, do we keep going forward no matter how difficult the journey might be? Or do we return to "the flesh pots of Egypt," to our whims, urges and impulses, walking away from doing what we know is right and choosing the easier path that makes no demands upon us? When challenged to go forward, do we say to people, either in word or action: "Leave me alone. I've done enough! I'm too tired. I'm too old! I'm too young!"
No matter what, God always walks along side us on the journey of faith, giving us the strength, the courage, and the wisdom we need to move forward! Not only is God with us on our way to heaven, so, too, are all the saints, those who have gone before us and those here on earth making the journey with us to our eternal homes! And furthermore, the angels, especially our guardian angel, walks with us as well!
Lord, forgive us for the times when we have turned our backs to you and give us the strength to turn back to you again and again in faith, hope and love!
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Jesus: the One Who Shows Us How to Love God and our Neighbor
In the first reading, Dt 4: 1, 5-9, Moses says to he people: "Now, Israel, hear the statues and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may life, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you....[T]each them to your children and to your children's children." In the gospel, Matthew 5: 17-19, Jesus says to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill....[W]hoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will e called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."
The Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey, a place in the Middle East. We are on our way to a better place, our eternal home, heaven, a place of eternal peace, a place where Satan and evil does not exist! Statues and decrees and commandments are guideposts along our way to help us meet our goals of entering eternal life to live with God forever by living a life of love and service to others. Woe to those, Jesus warns us, who teach little ones to ignore or trample upon the commandments by a life of disobedience!
How am I an example of one who obeys God's commandments, the commandments of love, loving God--the first second and third commandments--and loving one's neighbor--the 4th through the 10th commandments?
The Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey, a place in the Middle East. We are on our way to a better place, our eternal home, heaven, a place of eternal peace, a place where Satan and evil does not exist! Statues and decrees and commandments are guideposts along our way to help us meet our goals of entering eternal life to live with God forever by living a life of love and service to others. Woe to those, Jesus warns us, who teach little ones to ignore or trample upon the commandments by a life of disobedience!
How am I an example of one who obeys God's commandments, the commandments of love, loving God--the first second and third commandments--and loving one's neighbor--the 4th through the 10th commandments?
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
God's Mercy as Role Modeling our Call to be Merciful
Today's readings are about mercy, being shown mercy by our God and being called to be merciful in relation to other human beings. The Gospel, Matthew 18:21-35, reveals God's infinite mercy towards us in the parable of the king who forgives a debtor an amount of debt that he absolutely has no way of resolving. Rather than following the king's example, this pardoned debtor exacts payment from someone who owes him a much lesser amount. He has him thrown into prison until he pays up! That leads to the king revoking his pardon and exacting payment from the debtor, who in turn is also imprisoned until he pays the huge amount that he also owes.
We have choices! Forgiving others leads to personal, inner freedom. Exacting payment--holding on to resentments, harboring grudges, and punishing others for their "debts," however we choose to do that--leads to enslaving or imprisoning ourselves in our own anger states. Furthermore, in the Our Father, we ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us. By not forgiving others who hurt us or owe us an apology, or whatever, we subject ourselves to God's justice, which is also infinite--what we mete out to others will be meted out to us!
In the responsorial psalm of today's liturgy, Psalm 25, we pray: "Remember your mercies, O Lord."
That does not exonerate us from doing our part in acting mercifully toward others! Let us remember how merciful God is towards ourselves and, in turn, show mercy to our neighbors, near and far!
We have choices! Forgiving others leads to personal, inner freedom. Exacting payment--holding on to resentments, harboring grudges, and punishing others for their "debts," however we choose to do that--leads to enslaving or imprisoning ourselves in our own anger states. Furthermore, in the Our Father, we ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us. By not forgiving others who hurt us or owe us an apology, or whatever, we subject ourselves to God's justice, which is also infinite--what we mete out to others will be meted out to us!
In the responsorial psalm of today's liturgy, Psalm 25, we pray: "Remember your mercies, O Lord."
That does not exonerate us from doing our part in acting mercifully toward others! Let us remember how merciful God is towards ourselves and, in turn, show mercy to our neighbors, near and far!
Monday, March 25, 2019
Announcing God Assuming Human Nature
Today we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord. Two thousand plus years ago, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, announcing to her that she had found favor with God and was to become pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. The child that would begin to grow in her womb would be God Himself assuming human nature through her and coming to live among us as a human being. This child, the Incarnate Son of God, would be like us in all things but sin.
The opening antiphon of today's liturgy tells us that, as the Lord entered the world, he said: "Behold, I come to do your will, O God." In today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 40, the Lord says: "Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offering you sought not; then said I, 'Behold I come. In the written scroll it is prescribed of me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart.'"
Obedience to the will of God is modeled for Jesus by His mother, who when the angel Gabriel announced God's will for her replied: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." At that moment, as the angel proclaimed, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and Jesus was conceived in her womb! Mary would never be the same and neither would the history of the world.
Emmanual--God-with-us! As Jesus lived in Mary's womb physically, He lives within our bodies spiritually. In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus comes to nourish us, strengthen us, purify us, as well: "Take and eat," Jesus says to us through the priest, "this is my body given up for you." "Take and drink [of the chalice]; this is my blood poured out for you."
Jesus lives in you and me as He lived in Mary. He is there always--when we get up in the morning, when we go to work, when we retire for the night! Jesus never leaves us, never abandons us, and always waits for us to seek His help, to call upon Him in need, and to rely upon Him in all of the circumstances of our lives, especially those that seem overwhelming for us, that leave us with a trillion questions, that baffle, confuse or frustrate us. Jesus also wants us to include Him, look to Him in the joyful, celebratory, exciting moments of our lives.
May we turn to Him and seek Him every moment of every day and night!
The opening antiphon of today's liturgy tells us that, as the Lord entered the world, he said: "Behold, I come to do your will, O God." In today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 40, the Lord says: "Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offering you sought not; then said I, 'Behold I come. In the written scroll it is prescribed of me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart.'"
Obedience to the will of God is modeled for Jesus by His mother, who when the angel Gabriel announced God's will for her replied: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." At that moment, as the angel proclaimed, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and Jesus was conceived in her womb! Mary would never be the same and neither would the history of the world.
Emmanual--God-with-us! As Jesus lived in Mary's womb physically, He lives within our bodies spiritually. In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus comes to nourish us, strengthen us, purify us, as well: "Take and eat," Jesus says to us through the priest, "this is my body given up for you." "Take and drink [of the chalice]; this is my blood poured out for you."
Jesus lives in you and me as He lived in Mary. He is there always--when we get up in the morning, when we go to work, when we retire for the night! Jesus never leaves us, never abandons us, and always waits for us to seek His help, to call upon Him in need, and to rely upon Him in all of the circumstances of our lives, especially those that seem overwhelming for us, that leave us with a trillion questions, that baffle, confuse or frustrate us. Jesus also wants us to include Him, look to Him in the joyful, celebratory, exciting moments of our lives.
May we turn to Him and seek Him every moment of every day and night!
Sunday, March 24, 2019
God Partnering with Us and We with God
In today's first reading, Exodus 3: 1-8a, 13-15, Moses sees a bush burning but not being consumed. he approaches the bush and from it God calls him: "Moses, Moses!" He replies: "Here I am!" "Come no nearer," God says to him. "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." God then proceeds to tell him that he is aware of the suffering of his people as slaves to the Egyptians. "I have...heard their cry of complaints against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore, I have come down to rescue them...and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey." The catch: God needs Moses to work with Him in leading the Israelites, Moses' people, out of slavery into freedom!
God does not work alone. He partners with us and equips us to partner with Him! Are you ready? Am I?
We know from more of the story, that Moses argued with God, indicated that he was not equipped to do what God was asking of him. God did not accept his refusal and assured him that He would be with him and, in fact, that his brother Aaron would also assist! Furthermore, God gave Moses detailed instructions of how to proceed!
God does the same with us: He reassures us, sends us help from other people and from Himself, and directs us on how to proceed! He takes us by the right hand, walks beside us, ahead of us and behind us, doing whatever needs to be done for us to accomplish His will!
We are free, of course, to co-operate and bear fruit, freeing ourselves and others from slavery; or we can choose to walk away and "dry up," as did the fig tree in today's Gospel, (Luke 13: 1-9). In the Gospel story, a person checks on a fig tree for three years and finds no fruit and instructs the gardener to chop it down. "Why should it exhaust the soil?" The gardener intercedes and ask that it be spared another year while he cultivates and fertilizes it to see whether it will produce. And so the fig tree is given a second chance to bear fruit, for which it exists.
What are you and I doing with the second and third and fourth chances that God gives us to turn our lives around, to make choices that bear fruit that will last? What are we doing to walk away from apathy, selfishness, barrenness, sloth, and other behaviors and attitudes that block grace that would empower us to cooperate with God's call to partner with Him?
God does not work alone. He partners with us and equips us to partner with Him! Are you ready? Am I?
We know from more of the story, that Moses argued with God, indicated that he was not equipped to do what God was asking of him. God did not accept his refusal and assured him that He would be with him and, in fact, that his brother Aaron would also assist! Furthermore, God gave Moses detailed instructions of how to proceed!
God does the same with us: He reassures us, sends us help from other people and from Himself, and directs us on how to proceed! He takes us by the right hand, walks beside us, ahead of us and behind us, doing whatever needs to be done for us to accomplish His will!
We are free, of course, to co-operate and bear fruit, freeing ourselves and others from slavery; or we can choose to walk away and "dry up," as did the fig tree in today's Gospel, (Luke 13: 1-9). In the Gospel story, a person checks on a fig tree for three years and finds no fruit and instructs the gardener to chop it down. "Why should it exhaust the soil?" The gardener intercedes and ask that it be spared another year while he cultivates and fertilizes it to see whether it will produce. And so the fig tree is given a second chance to bear fruit, for which it exists.
What are you and I doing with the second and third and fourth chances that God gives us to turn our lives around, to make choices that bear fruit that will last? What are we doing to walk away from apathy, selfishness, barrenness, sloth, and other behaviors and attitudes that block grace that would empower us to cooperate with God's call to partner with Him?
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