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Sunday Messages
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July 20, 2008
Wis 12:13-19; Rom 8:18-25; Mt 13:24-43
In today’s gospel we hear another parable from Jesus about seeds and growth. Last weeks parable invited us to reflect on taking in the word of God and letting it affect our behavior. Today’s parable moves us to think of the power of God’s word once it is within us. This parable, along with the two parables next week, affirms the mystery that God’s word keeps on growing in us. This week’s parable tells us that God sows good seed, that is, we are each created good. It further points out that evil entered the world through the misuse of freedom by the angels and humans. The devil was a good being until it made some self-centered choices and now tries to get others to follow. The parable also tells us that God trusts us among the weeds. That is a powerful statement about how God believes that we will ultimately make more good choices than bad and that we have the capacity to keep ourselves from being swallowed up by the forces of evil. Some of the practices that keep us from being destroyed by the “weeds” include worshiping consistently, reading God’s word, taking time for quiet personal prayer, repenting of past sins, and associating with a group of people who keep themselves from the power of evil. When we reflect upon these things, we recognize that this is why we have our Christian community. We see the power of God’s love growing in our midst as we each give God permission to take over our will. We see God touching new people who come into our church. We understand why we have various support groups and study groups for people who wish to stay free from certain destructive behavior patterns and who wish to deepen their walk with the Lord. We are people among weeds but we do not get scared because we have the power of God inside of us. If we stay focused on nurturing our spirituality we will remain safe from the power of evil and be found right with God when we finally coming Home. God desires that we be safe and live with him forever and he trusts that we will.
July 13, 2008
Is 55:1-13; Rom 8:9-17; Mt 13:1-23
Today’s scripture reading talk about the power
of God’s words. We know
that our words have power and we may feel the power of other
people’s words. When
things are said to us, we can feel either positive affirmation or some
negative effects. The
readings today tell us that God’s word goes forth and has a
life-giving effect on each person who takes it in.
The first reading talks about the effect of God’s word which
accomplishes it purpose much like the rain affects the land.
It nurtures life. In
the gospel Jesus tells a parable about a farmer who went out to sow
seeds. The image lets us
know that God’s words speak to us each day, but it also indicates
that we are responsible for letting that word into our hearts.
The promise of the parable is that God’s word goes out to all
freely. God desires to
speak to each person’s heart and offer them the hope of an eternal
purpose and the promise of eternal life.
Despite God’s desire to give new life to his people, the
parable tells us that we are free to receive his word or to destroy
it. God’s word only has
a life-giving affect on us if we give it room to grow in us.
It takes time to develop a deep listing relationship with God.
It does not happen in a hurry. There are many events and voices
in life that can destroy the healing and redeeming effects of God’s
word to us. It is our
choice whether we wish to receive life from God or not.
In the second reading
July 6, 2008
Zech 9:9-12; Rom 7:21-8:6; Mt 11:25-30
This week-end we celebrate our independence as a
nation and we remember those who sacrificed for our freedom.
Our scripture reading today speak about independence within
ourselves which comes from winning our personal “war of
independence.” The first
reading tells us of God’s desire to establish a spiritually
independent nation of people who are surrendered completely to his
will. In the second
reading,
June 29, 2008
Is 2:10-17; Rom 6:3-11; Mt 10:34-42
The scripture readings today leave us no small
challenge and yet they also offer us the way to discover real joy in
life. The second reading
and the gospel both talk about the most difficult part of our human
journey, and that is to get ourselves out of the way so that God can
move in us. In the second
reading
June 22, 2008
Jer 20:7-13; Rom 5:15-19; Mt 10:16-33
The scripture readings today invite us to ponder the powerful gift of knowing who we are and the ability to stand up for the message of Jesus in our world. In the first reading we hear about Jeremiah who proclaimed the message of God despite what anyone thought about him. He was grounded in who he was and he lived his calling despite people’s response. He had a “fire” in his bones to speak God’s word in every situation and no amount of ridicule or persecution could stop him. In the gospel Jesus challenges his disciple to go out as “sheep in the midst of wolves” and tell the world the good news of healing, forgiveness and salvation. He told them to be very wise and completely innocent. Their short time spent hanging around him gave them confidence to do this challenging mission and not worry about what people would do to them. He gave them the inner strength to take on a battle, to face adversity for God with a deep inner conviction and determination. He modeled that inner conviction with his life of care for the sick, his dispelling of demons, and his death on the cross. Do we seek such deep convictions about Jesus that we do not care what other’s think? Do we hang around people who instill such inner conviction and strength in us? As Christians we are challenged to stand together proclaiming Jesus’ message in the midst of the “wolves” in the world who would try to take away our dignity or tempt us to settle for lesser values than those which Jesus proclaimed. We pray that our convictions will grow deeper so that our life becomes more a journey of doing what Jesus did, rather than reacting to what others think. We pray for strength to break free of the prison of past failures and step into the freedom of living as Jesus lived. The more we discover who we are and whose we are, the more we will discover the freedom and the power of walking in Jesus’ steps.
June 15, 2008
Ex 19:2-8; Rom 5:6-11; Mt 9:35-10:15
Today we celebrate Father’s Day.
The scripture readings describe the greatest gift a father can
give to his children. It
is the awareness of how deeply God loves them.
The gift of God’s awesome love for us is described in the
second scripture reading today.
June 8, 2008
Hos 5:15-6:6; Rom 4:13-18; Mt 9:9-13
Today’s scripture readings reveal the very depth of Jesus’ love and the reason for his coming to earth and dying on the cross. The gospel reveals a God who has a passion for saving his people from themselves. Jesus’ actions of calling Matthew to be his apostle and sitting at table with sinners assure us that we are acceptable to him. His actions tell us that he will do anything to keep us from being lost to the power of sin. Jesus gets questioned by the Pharisees about his choice to eat with sinners and it gives him a chance to explain the deep longing he has to save sinners. He came to save the lost. Their ridicule does not stop him from reaching out to those who were willing to allow his words and his love to transform their lives. What is also clear in the gospel is that Jesus offers the invitation, but only those who take it receive his gift of forgiveness. The Pharisees did not experience forgiveness because they were unwilling to acknowledge their sin. They remained stuck in their sin and missed the freeing love of Jesus. They could see Jesus’ love offered to the sinners, but they could not receive it because they were not willing to surrender to him. This must have been a great source of pain for Jesus. We are all sinners but Jesus offers us the gift of forgiveness. The words tell us that we are all worthy of his forgiveness, but we must acknowledge our sin and accept a relationship with him. In his acceptance we find acceptance. In his love we experience a presence that can set us free to live a life of wholeness and peace. Today’s scripture words give us great hope for our life and the lives of those we know. We can offer this gift of Jesus to anyone, affirming their goodness and inviting them to be freed by the love and mercy of Jesus. Take time to invite someone to the Table of the Lord so that they might experience the gift of Divine Mercy. Let someone know they are welcome.
June 1, 2008
Deut 11:18-28; Rom 3:21-28; Mt7:21-27
Our scripture readings today speak about building our lives on the Word of God, the Rock of our salvation. In the first reading, God say, “Put these words of mine in your heart and soul.” God knows that his word, his laws guide us to the healthiest and most joy-filled life. He desires that we stay safe in his love and protected in this presence. Every day we make choices which help create the next segment of our life. Jesus invites us in the gospel to listen to his words and act on them. He offers us the new life which flows from grounding our decisions in his word. When our choices are in accord with the will of Jesus for us, we live a life of deep inner joy and serenity because we are living our purpose for existence. Jesus uses the image of building the house of our life on solid rock. As we listen to these words we recognize that Jesus’ laws for our life are for our benefit and health. He does not want us to get lost or destroyed by poor choices. He does not want us to get destroyed by the words of the world which offer immediate comfort but long term death. He invites us to embrace his words and to feel his love as we make the everyday choices of our lives. The first reading invites families to write the Word of God on the doorposts of their houses. God wants us to be continually reminded of his deep love for us. Today we might write his words on our screen savers or our cell phone texts. The more we allow God’s word to direct our every thought an action, the richer our lives will be. Each of these readings reminds us of the power of God’s word to give our life meaning and purpose as well as to keep us healthy. If we build a strong foundation in our life on the Word of God, we will enjoy a deep sense of fulfillment and joy throughout our life. Jesus is the Rock of our salvation.
May 25, 2008
Is 49:8-18; 1 Cor 4:1-13; Mt 6:24-34
As I pondered the scripture readings for today and the celebration of Graduation, I thought of Mother Theresa’s words about people. In the gospel Jesus calls us to be fully devoted to him, and sometimes we hold back because of what other people will think or say. In her reflections Mother Theresa makes it clear that what other people think is no0t important, but only what God thinks because in the end, they will not be there anyway. Every time we “graduate” into a new season of our lives, we are challenged to make a new decision for Jesus. Today Jesus clearly invites us to serve him rather than serving “wealth” or the world. There are so many messages that would tempt us to seek to get ahead in the world and yet the world holds nothing eternal. Jesus tells us that if we seek him first, then the things of the world will fall into place. He instructs his disciple and us that worry is useless and even destructive. It takes away from our life while worship of him adds to our life. In the first reading we get a beautiful picture of God holding on to us. God says through the prophet Isaiah, “I have inscribed you on the palm of my hand.” That picture of being help in God’s hand is a powerful image which dispels worry and energizes us to become all that God hopes for us. God will never, never, never stop loving us. God delights in filling all of our needs and waits for us to invite his love into our hearts. When we live each day in that nearness to God, all worry and fear go away. As we hear in the psalm today, God is our rock and our salvation, our stronghold, our safety and our honor. As Christians we are privileged to know our Creator personally and feel his personal love for us. Knowing God’s personal love for us becomes more and more important and powerful as we grow. Whether we are graduating from one class to another or graduating to a new season in our life journey, the words today give us something to hold on to. They give us hope in God and the strength to face tomorrow with joy. Seeking Jesus’ first, puts everything else into perspective.
May 18, 2008
Gen 1:1-2:3; 2 Cor 13:5-14; Mt 28:16-20
Today we celebrate the Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We ponder the mystery of how God exists with many different facets, and more importantly we take time to experience the awesome love that God ahs for each one of us. The scripture readings today, describe various things about God and show us that the early church talked of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As we think of God we often wonder about the ways of God. Sometimes people get a sense that God has something to do with causing suffering in the world and then they pull away from God in anger. These kinds of beliefs come from people’s own feelings which they may portray as God’s feelings. They would perhaps like to punish someone or teach someone a lesson if they stepped out of line, but God does not need to do that. The first reading tells us that God created all things good and it was human being’s misuse of their gift of freedom that caused the world to get in such disarray that suffering entered the world. God wanted only the best for human beings but in their gift of free will they also received the possibility to do harmful things to themselves and others. That was the risk of creating humans free. It seems God hurts when humans misuse their gift of freedom to hurt someone else. As we reflect on the Trinity, we recognize that it is the awesome, patient, unconditional love of God that is always there for us to love us back into wholeness and forgiveness when we fall short of God’s purpose. Today we are each invited to review our picture of God. We are invited to reflect on Jesus words about God and his own revelation of God through his life witness. He demonstrated most clearly what God is like. He described God as Abba or Father, himself as God’s Son, and the Holy Spirit as their indwelling presence in our lives. He portrayed a God of mercy, healing, care and compassion. Today we let that presence of God totally fill us so that we are empowered to go forth and “make disciples of all nations,” beginning with the people right around us. We offer them the gift of Trinity love.
May 11, 2008 Pentecost
Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:4-13; Jn 20:19-23
Today we celebrate Mother’s Day and the Feast of Pentecost. It is intriguing to ponder the relationship between these two celebrations. We remember the gift of life given to us by our mothers and the gift of life offered to us by the coming of the Holy Spirit. When we think of the gift of mother’s we can think of their role in giving to their children, roots, identity and wings. They are in sacred position to offer their children roots in the message of Jesus, an identity as his chosen children, and the wings to fly through life on the power of his love. Moms are the most influential people in a child’s life during the formative years and so they have this sacred position to fashion their children’s hearts and minds in Jesus. There is no guarantee that their children will “fly” in His power, but they can offer the opportunity. Jesus did the same thing with his disciples. He formed them by his words and life witness. He showed them the power of the Father’s love. He taught them that they were not just fisherman, carpenters, shepherds, or tax collectors, but sons and daughters of the One they could call Abba. Then he gave them wings and sent them forth in the power of his Holy Spirit to carry on the work that he had begun. There was no guarantee that they would “fly”, but he gave them the opportunity to spread their wings and try. Today we celebrate that giving of divine wings to every person who believes in Jesus. It is the celebration of a new power on earth that could transform human lives with the energy of divine love. God poured out a new energy on that first Pentecost, an energy which is still available to all of us who believe in him. That new energy fills us with inner Peace and a confidence to share God’s life with others. It fills us with power to do miracles and to offer healing to those who are open to it. It offers us discernment to distinguish the voice of God from other voices. It offers us hope and the ability to give hope and faith to others. Today is truly a celebration of the gift of life, human and divine, all in the power of God’s Spirit.
May 4, 2008
Acts 1:1-14; 1 Pet 4:12-19; Jn 17:1-11
In the first reading today, we are each reminded of our mission to carry on the ministry of Jesus. As Jesus said to his apostles he says to us, “You are to be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” Each of us has the privilege of sharing the saving and healing message of Jesus with those with whom we live and work. Even though this task can seem frightful and sometimes impossible, Jesus promises to be with us. It is our friendship with him that gives us access to the love which heals and changes people’s hearts. We do not have to do it all. We simply need to stay in a deep love relationship with Jesus so that his power can move through us to the people he chooses to transform. If we think that we are unworthy to be used by God, or if we are unwilling to allow God’s power to flow through us, we limit God’s ability to use us as his witnesses. We make the process possible by believing in his power and giving him free access to our will. The way people see us abiding in God and responding with his love to the challenges of life speaks powerfully of his transforming love. We do not necessarily have to preach with words, but we are called to witness to a relationship with him which makes every one of our choices say that he is Lord of our lives. Each of us has been chosen by him, despite our background or abilities, to be witnesses of the power of his love in the world today. He promises to be with us always. With him at our side we can significantly influence those people around us. Jesus invites us today to step into his mission and open ourselves to what his Holy Spirit will do in our lives. We have been gifted with knowledge of him and we have been anointed with his love in order that we might bless others. We carry the treasure of his love in our hearts every day.
April 27, 2008
Acts 17:22-31; 1 Pet 3:8-18; Jn 15:1-8
Today we celebrate First Communion for three of our children and it is a beautiful time to reflect on the gift of receiving Jesus. In today’s gospel Jesus says some very profound things to his followers which give deep meaning to what communion with Jesus is all about.. His words are at the core of spiritual growth. He says, “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine… apart from me you can do nothing.” This image makes it clear that only in relationship with Jesus will we discover our deepest purpose and have the energy to live our deepest purpose. The key question in Jesus’ words is, “What does it mean to abide in him, to be in communion with him?” I think from the image we recognize that it does not mean that we go to Jesus only when we need something or when it is convenient for us. Abide means constantly being connected, constantly receiving nurturance, constantly submitting to God’s direction and purpose. In this constant connectedness the love of Jesus can flow to us and we can bear fruit with our lives in his name. When we align our will with Jesus, we open the channels for his energy to flow through us. Our significance is all related to abiding in Jesus. Only in this spirituality of abiding do Jesus’ words about prayer make sense. He says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” If we are continually listening to and abiding in God’s word, our prayers will carry a power to bring about change. The power of prayer is in the relationship we have with Jesus and our desire to submit to his will. The energy of God’s love flows into us through the abiding connection that we develop with him. Today’s words teach us the power of developing that abiding relationship. Jesus invites us to receive the life-giving energy of his love for us every day. This is a holy communion with God.
April 20, 2008
Acts 17:1-15; 1 Pet 2:1-10; Jn 14:1-14
Today’ scripture readings give us the truth about who we really are and how to discover whose we really are. In the second reading, the apostle Peter describes our identity as Christians. He writes, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people he claims for his own to proclaim the glorious works of the Lord.” Do we each know this truth? Do we feel this identity every day? This is God’s perspective of us and he wants us to see it. If we do not see ourselves this way, then the words of the first reading may make sense. It describes how Paul and Silas came in cities and proclaimed the message of Jesus. People were so used to their perspective on life that they tried to get rid of Paul and Silas. They said, “These people (Paul and Silas) have been turning the world upside down with their teaching.” When we are used to seeing the world as we see it with our needs and wants on top, it does feel like the message of Jesus “turns our world upside down.” We must turn upside down and empty ourselves of our perspective to see the new way of looking at life from God’s eyes. We must repent of the thought patterns and actions that have caused us to be blinded to God’s perspective of life. Then we can begin to feel like “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation.” Then we can discover the peace which Jesus offers to his followers in the gospel. He says, “Do not let your hearts be troubles.” Our hearts get troubled when we do not see life as God sees it. We make our own troubles by trying to control situations or trying to run the world in a way that is not in agreement with God’s way. Jesus came to set us free by stepping into his perspective of life and his protective care. He is the “way, the truth and the life.’ Any attempt we make to live life other than his way caused stress, anxiety, fear, and emptiness. We keep ourselves free by stopping and choosing to seek his perspective on everything we do. Today he invites us to choose Life.
April 13, 2008
Acts 6:1-9; 1 Pet 2:19-25; Jn 10:1-10
Today’s scripture readings take us into one of the joys of living in the power of the risen presence of Jesus. Part of the gift of Jesus’ resurrection is that his living presence guides our lives and assures us of his love. In the gospel we read about the gift of being cared for personally by Jesus. He speaks to our hearts and assures us of his guiding hand, his protection and grace throughout our lives. His words challenge us to listen to the gift he has to offer. The fullness of life is found in the path that Jesus has for us and each day he speaks words to empower us along that path. Our human freedom allows us to take other paths, but none of these leads to inner peace and tranquility. Because each of us has an ego, we are tempted to do things our way or do things in order that we look good or get ahead. The challenge of our words today is to humble ourselves and listen to the One who knows our eternal destiny. At times following his path involves some initial sacrifices, but Jesus’ way always leads to life and offers the hope of eternal life. We have many voices from our life story and from the media of our age, but these voices do not offer life. They lead us astray as Peter says in the second reading and eventually they bring us to a dead end road. We are invited to break away from these worldly voices and walk unto the path that Jesus offers. If we have been tempted astray by our own ego, we are challenged to turn back to God’s path for us. In the first reading we hear how Stephen listened to Jesus’ voice. He offered his gifts to be a deacon and later offered his gifts to give testimony to Jesus’ risen presence. His sacrifice to follow Jesus was great, but he kept his eyes on God and experienced the deep joy of serving him. Life is exciting when we wake up each morning and ask Jesus for our instructions for the day and the power to do miracles. He speaks to our hearts each day and gives us all that we need to carry out his mission. Listen for the Voice that gives meaning and joy to each day.
April 6, 2008
Acts 2:36-47; 1 Pet 1:17-23; Lk 24:13-35
In today’s gospel we hear the powerful story of how the first disciples began to experience Jesus alive in their life. They were walking home discouraged and distressed because they thought he was dead, that he was gone forever. Then as they walked, he came to walk with them and talked about the Bible to them. They did not recognize him on the road but when they invited him into their house to share bread together their eyes were opened and they recognized him in their midst. This account draws us into the question, “How do we experience Jesus in our daily life.” He walks with us every day but often we do not feel him and then we can get discouraged and stressed out. When we stop running and take time to quiet ourselves and read the scriptures, we can feel a “fire of love burning in our hearts” as they did. When we invite Jesus into our hearts and “break bread“ with him, we can see how he is constantly with us. When we feel Jesus with us we can talk to him about the issues of the day as the two disciples did. Jesus sheds new light on any situation we encounter. He may not always “fix it’ the way we would like, but he gives us the power and the courage to change what we can change to make things better. Knowing he is with us in the situation fills us with Peace, gives us hope and affords us the confidence that things will ultimately work out. The disciple’s invitation for Jesus to “stay with” them is the most crucial choice we make each day. When we begin the day asking Jesus to stay with us and then throughout the day invite him to stay with us, we can handle anything. As we take more and more time to experience Jesus in our daily lives and feel him in our hearts, we will have more energy to do the ministry that he calls us to do. His living risen presence within us is the greatest gift of being a Christian. Invite him into your heart again today.
March 30, 2008
Acts 2:14-32; 1Pet 1:3-9; Jn 20:19-31
On this first Sunday after Easter, the scripture
readings give us more evidence of Jesus’ resurrection by describing
the events after his resurrection.
The gospel tells us of the deep Peace that Jesus offered when
he rose from the dead. This
gift of inner Peace is one of the clearest signs of his living
presence. This is why we
decided to make
March 23, 2008 – EASTER
Acts 10:34-43; Col 3:1-4; Jn 20:1-10
Today we celebrate the most profound feast of the
church year which breaks open our perception and fills us with the
hope of new life. The
first reading describes the change that happened to the early
disciples because of the resurrection of Jesus.
In the gospel today,
March 16, 2008
Is 45:21-25; Phil 2:5-11; Mt26:36-27:66
This weekend we step into Holy Week.
We begin this journey by remembering Jesus journey into
March 9, 2008
Ezek 37:1-14; Rom 6:16-23; Jn 11:1-44
The scripture readings of this fifth Sunday of
Lent move us to reflect on the essence of life.
They talk about death and life in away that draws us into a
greater understanding of the life that God offers to us.
The first reading from Ezekiel offers a daunting image of how
life can be without God’s presence.
It begins with a picture of dry bones which are not even
connected until they begin to hear the voice of God.
Then gradually by receiving God’s life and breath they become
persons. It is a stark
picture of people who are dead on the inside, who walk and talk but
who are dry as bones. Without
the breath of God every one of us is simply dry bones which become
dust. The gospel story
also speaks of life for those who hear the voice of God and allow his
breath to fill them. Jesus
offers that breath of God to all who will trust him.
Martha and Mary must first trust that he can offer new life.
His apostles risk going with him to
.
March 2, 2008
1 Sam 16:1-13; Eph 5:1-14; Jn 9:1-38
Today’s scripture readings offer us some powerful words about seeing as God sees. It is quite easy to get blinded by ourselves and the things of this world and today we are invited to open our eyes to God’s perspective. The gospel begins by reflecting on the origins of sickness, disease, and suffering. In the story we hear how the Jewish people had come to see a condition like blindness as a punishment from God. If we begin to doubt God’s love and think that he would cause us to be sick or diseased, then we have already given up the possibility of healing. Part of Jesus’ mission was to clearly show that God is on the side of health, that God does not want his children to suffer and that he will do all that we allow him to, to restore our health. We must be willing to look beyond the disease to the power of his healing love and his great desire to lavish that love upon us. The blind man in the story responds to Jesus’ invitation to be healed by obeying his directive. Once he goes to wash his eyes, he is able to see. So many stay blind because they will not listen to God’s perspective on life and surrender to his will. Our will can blind us to the very meaning of life. In the first reading we notice how Samuel was blinded by the appearance of Jesse’s sons. He had to get past seeing just the outside of the person and look in the heart as God does. Our eyes become a great hindrance to seeing. This blindness also takes away the joy the God wants for us. We get ourselves imprisoned within our own wants and do not see the great purpose and plan God has in mind for our lives. The symbolism in the gospel story is that the blind man was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Once he felt the power of God’s love, he had the strength to step out of his old way of life and surrender completely to God’s will. It is in God’s will that we find the greatest joy of life and see the beauty of his presence every day.
February 24, 2008
Ex 17:1-7; Rom 5:1-11; Jn 4:5-42
The image of flowing water is used in the first
reading and the gospel this week to symbolize God’s awesome,
life-giving love flowing over us.
The scripture readings proclaim the same message as our small
group booklet for this week which speaks about God’s “sustaining
grace.” All of our
scripture words this week drench us in the awareness that God
continuously is pouring out his love upon us, inviting us to drink it
in and allow it to sustain us each day, especially in our darkest
moments. In the first
reading we hear about the Jewish people out in the desert grumbling
because they had no water. God
move among them through Moses to break open the rock and give them the
sustaining water they need. It
is a powerful picture of how every human being longs for love (flowing
water). When they turn to
God, he can quench their deepest thirst because he is Love.
In the gospel we see the same image in the story of the woman
at the well. She, too, is
thirsting for love and has been looking in all the wrong places.
No man has filed her need to feel loved, and now she feels
ashamed and alone. Jesus
comes to her in her thirst and offers her the only water that will
quench her thirst. In his
presence she lets down her defenses and finds a relationship that
fills her to overflowing with life-giving love.
She becomes a vessel to invite others to the One who quenches
the deepest human longing for love.
In the second reading
February 17, 2008
Gen 12:1-8; Rom 4:1-17; Jn 3:1-17
Today we move to the second Sunday of Lent and take time to appreciate the grace of Jesus given to us when we have sinned. In the gospel we read, “God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” To get free of sin and experience the extravagant mercy of Jesus flowing from the cross, we must honestly and humble own up to our choices. This week we ponder how to obtain access to the generous grace of Jesus crucifixion. An important beginning in preparing for confession is to distinguish the difference between shame and guilt. Shame is a feeling of being a bad person which can rise up when someone shames on us, telling us what we “should have done” or what we should do. It can pull us down and make us feel like a mistake. Guilt is a healthy feeling that comes when we do an action that is contrary to the values which Jesus lived and taught. When we skip worship because something else is our “god” for the day, or when we “kill” someone by our gossip, or when we lie for our gain, those actions are contrary to the way of Jesus. In order to receive Jesus’ saving grace, it is helpful to name specifically and concretely the choices that have been incongruent with the ways of Jesus. Once we have done this, we can look deeper as to what needs in our life are we not meeting in a healthy way. If we do not meet our needs in a healthy way we will likely end up meeting them in a sinful way. It can be beneficial to try and enter into the pain of the person or persons we have hurt. Such entering into their pain will bring our hearts to “godly sorrow” for our sin. It is the experience of God’s deep love at this point which will move us to make a resolve not to continue the sinful actions. This process leads us to feel the great joy of being free, of having laid our burden down at the cross so that we can live life with the deep joy of God’s presence. God desires to give us this great joy and waits for us to enter this process of confession and inner healing.
February 10, 2008
Gen 2:4 - 3:7; Rom 5:12-19; Mt 4:1-11
Today we celebrate the first Sunday of Lent and
the beginning of our REVIVAL Groups.
The theme for our groups this week is “Living in Grace” and
the readings for today remind us of why we need the grace of God.
The scripture texts take us to the most difficult battle of
life, namely, the battle within ourselves.
The first reading offers a story of how the first people
wrestled with their desire for more pleasure.
It would seem that they had plenty of food to eat in the Garden
of Eden, but they wanted more. We
could wonder why they had to have the fruit of one more tree and yet
as we ponder the story we recognize it as our story.
There is that part in all of us that hungers for more things,
more food, more drink, more pleasure, more power, more control.
Often when we take more, someone gets less or someone gets
hurt. Our challenge as
human beings is to win the battle over ourselves so that we can live
in the freedom of God’s children.
That victory comes by first receiving God’s freely offered
love for us, which we call grace.
God offers us a way to stay free from the bondage of ourselves
and discover the joy of living in his will.
Once we no longer need the immediate pleasure we can begin
receiving the God given pleasures in daily life.
In the gospel we read the story of how Jesus won his inner
battle with human pleasures. His
connection with the Father’s love, the Holy Spirit, allowed his to
win the battle over the temptations of the devil and stay free of the
devil’s trappings.
February 3, 2008
Ex 24:12-18; Phil 3:7-14; Mt 17:1-9
Today’s scripture readings talk about seeing
with new eyes. They offer
us ways of seeing God’s will in the midst of life.
This is the last Sunday before Lent and it gives us an
opportunity to ready our hearts for the special season of Lent.
God wants us to live in the freedom of his presence and
today’s scripture words show us how to live that life.
In the first reading God says to Moses “Come
up to me on the mountain.”
Moses is invited to step away from the normal things of life
and discover a new look at what life is about.
When Moses makes the journey, God reveals the 10 commandments
which offer the healthiest and best way to live.
In the second reading
.
January 27, 2008
Amos 3:1-8; 1 Cor 1:10-17; Mt 4:12-23
It is hard to imagine the feelings involved in
the gospel story today. We
read about Jesus walking along the shores of the
January 20, 2008
Is 49:1-7; 1 Cor 1:1-9; Jn 1:29-41
There is something energizing about a calling, a mission, a purpose in life. Today’s scripture readings demonstrate the power and certitude that flow from being called by God. The first reading says, “The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.” Even though Isaiah writes this of himself, we know it is true of every one of us. Before we were born God had a purpose for our life. We might have begun our life journey thinking our purpose was just to be happy and survived, but as we see from the first reading, we sometimes think too small for God’s vision. We were created to participate with God in bringing humanity to a greater awareness of its God-given purpose. Our life journey is meant to impact many people and offer them the life giving power of God’s love. This thought may be frightening at first but when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, God takes the lead in putting us in situations where we can use our gifts to offer a word of hope or healing to someone. God knows what we can do with his help and he invites us into the eternal mission of his saving grace. In the second reading, the apostle Paul reminds his people and us that we are “sanctified in Christ” and empowered to carry on his awesome work of inviting people to a saving relationship with Jesus. Even though Paul was a sinner he found himself doing this holy work in his life. He was often overwhelmed that God would find him worthy, but God did and he finds us worthy of the same mission. None of us could do this work on our own. We must each allow Jesus to transform us with his healing and forgiving love so that we can accomplish this great purpose for which we were born. God did not lead us into a deep love relationship with him for no reason. He sees gifts in us to help transform the world. In the gospel we read how Jesus called his first disciples. He saw gifts in some crude fishermen and tax collectors and invited them to “come and see” where he stayed. Once they hung around him for awhile they discovered the true purpose for their life. We discover our purpose by hanging around Jesus as well.
January 13, 2008
Is 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:1`3-17
Today we remember the Baptism of Jesus, the day
he was empowered by the Father for his eternal mission.
He had been a carpenter but he knew there was more to life than
building with wood. Jesus
must have sensed that there was a larger mission and this was the time
to step into that mission. From
the scriptures he would have known the role of the servant of Yahweh
and he realized that he was that Servant, the Messiah.
He would have known the first reading today and would have
understood that being the Servant of God entailed suffering and
persecution. He also knew
that if he was going to fulfill his personal mission, he would have to
step into this new role and begin preaching, teaching and healing.
On the day of his baptism he chose to step into that role and
was empowered by the Father’s voice to carry out his work.
His new mission would take him through
January 6, 2008
Is 60:1-9; Eph 3:1-12; Mt 2:1-12
On this first Sunday of the New Year we celebrate
one of the great feasts of the church, namely the Epiphany.
This is the celebration of the three kings coming to see Jesus,
but it is more than that. This
feast opens us to reflect on every person’s search for Jesus.
It is about the meaning of life and it proclaims the truth that
until we find Jesus, we wonder through life without direction.
Unless the Star guides our decisions, we are lost.
In the gospel story we hear that the learned people of
December 30, 2007
Is 61:10-62:3; Gal 3:23-4:7; Jn 1:1-18
Today we continue the Christmas theme, reflecting on the power of God to restore us to wholeness as we were created. The first reading gives us a beautiful image of how God wants to restore our identity which we lost through sin. The writer says, “I greatly rejoice in the Lord… for he has clothed me with the garment of salvation and wrapped me in a mantle of holiness.” True joy flows from having our original beauty restored. God fashioned us in his image, whole and complete but human sinfulness has taken its toll and marred our image. We often loose sight of who we are and the great destiny that God has for us. Today’s scripture words give us the promise that God desires to restore us the way he made us. He came into the world to bring us back home when we were lost in the effects of sin. He wraps a new mantle of love and acceptance around us so that we can again appreciate who we truly are. God did not damage us but he will do everything to restore us. He restores our self esteem, our name, our true identity and our life. This promise of restoration is for every person who receives him into their heart. The gospel tells us that Jesus was there when we were created and he desires to refashion us in his image. He comes into our darkness with his light of love. As we hear in the second reading, we are no longer slaves but free sons and daughters who know that we belong to the Creator. To anyone who accepts Jesus, this truth becomes real and they discover the life they were intended to enjoy. The old destructive voices of the past are replaced by the new voices of our true identity. The coming of Jesus offers us this great gift of life and hope. In this Christmas season we absorb this truth and allow it into our whole being. We can handle anything in this world if we know who we really are and whose we really are. We begin the New Year aware of the beauty of our original identity in Jesus. Have a blessed and transforming New Year.
December 23, 2007
Is 7:10-17; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-25
Today we find ourselves days away from celebrating Christmas and still pondering the awesome mystery of how God became human and transformed life for all who would believe in him. The gospel tries to describe how the birth of Jesus came about but there are not enough words to describe this mysterious event. Matthew, the gospel writer, describes Joseph’s dream which somewhat clarifies for Joseph what he is to do to make this invasion of heaven happen. Even with the angel’s explanation in a dream, Joseph is still baffled by the events which defy logic. Joseph does not fully understand, but he does what the angel says anyway. His response to the angel in the dream is a powerful witness for us on this day. We each have decisions to make regarding doing the will of God, and it can be easy at times to doubt the wisdom or the love of God. Joseph’s response testifies to a man who was obedient to a call that did not make sense. He never doubted the love of God. His obedience set the stage for Jesus to be born. If we are going to allow heaven to invade earth, God to appear in our world, we must listen to and obey his direction with the deep trust we see in the actions of Joseph. When we face crises in life as Joseph did, we are challenged to trust unreservedly in the love and care of God. If we stay on God’s side, we will come through the challenges victorious. If we have been wounded by others and wonder why, we can be assured that if we stay in the love of God, healing does happen and we can move forward with a deep peace in our hearts. We are each called like Paul in the second reading, to bring the message of Jesus to those who are searching for him. We are not perfect, but we are chosen by God and if we listen and obey, we will be powerful vessels for bringing Jesus to birth in the world again. Joseph and Paul give us some compelling examples of how to let God move through us. We receive their transforming testimony. May your Christmas be richly blessed by a rebirth of God’s love in your heart.
December 16, 2007
Is 35:1-10; Jms 5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11
Today we come to the third Sunday of Advent and the scripture readings invite us to ponder the identity of Jesus and our own identity. Our true identity is related to our inner joy. In the gospel John the Baptist sends his disciples to Jesus to ask him about who he really is. John is trying to get his disciples to see that Jesus truly is the Messiah so that they will follow him. By going to Jesus they discover that he is doing what they believed the messiah would do, namely, open the eyes of the blind, clear the ears of the deaf, make the lame walk and allow the dumb to sing. Our spiritual journey involves opening our eyes to who Jesus truly is. Knowing Jesus’ true identity helps us discover our true identity. When we succumb to shame, we are tempted to question our identity and God’s identity. We wonder if God really cares about us and we begin to wonder if we are worth his care. These thoughts destroy the inner joy that God desires for us as his children. Today’s scripture readings call us back to that deep inner joy by remembering our identity as sons and daughters of the Father and reaffirming that when we are connected to God, there is always reason for hope. The first reading gives a powerful picture of the promise of restoration that is available to us in God. The author is living in captivity, exiled in a foreign land and yet he can see what God is doing to set his people free. We each have our times in life when things seem bleak, but if we keep in mind the power of our God and his deep love for us as his children, we can see what he his doing to set us free. Christian joy is not so much a feeling as it is an attitude about life which flows from a deep trust relationship with God. Today we celebrate the inner joy of knowing who we really are and whose we really are. When we are connected to God, we can see miracle happen and live in the hope of eternal life with our God. Our joy is being in his presence and living in his love.
December 9, 2007
Is 11:1-10; Rom 15:4-13; Mt 3:1-12
On this second Sunday of Advent our scripture readings offer another invitation to break out of our normal course of life and evaluate the deeper meaning of life. In the first reading Isaiah offers another vision of what happens when we take time to “climb the mountain of the Lord.” It is a vision of the impossible which becomes possible when human beings make the choice to step out of what looks real and journey into the power of God. Isaiah uses natural imagery of his time to describe the impossible. He says on God’s holy mountain, “the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the cow and the bear shall eat together and the child shall play by the cobra’s den.” These things would never happen in the world as he knew it but when God transforms life, these impossible things become reality. These words challenge us to ponder what “impossible things” could be different if people accepted the full power of the Holy Spirit into their lives. We look at places where people are being “eaten up” by painful memories or destructive words, where children are being “bitten” by the poisonous messages of the media, and souls are being lost to the voices of the present age, and we consider what could be different if people listened to God’s voice and allowed his power to permeate their lives. This is the vision of life that comes to us today. It challenges us to give the Holy Spirit permission to move through us and bring change to seemingly impossible situations. This is the “voice crying out in the wilderness” calling us to make way for the invasion of heaven into life situations here on earth. Our openness to the Holy Spirit makes these invasions possible and God changes some of the destructive things that are going on around us. The scripture words today call us to consider how much better life could be if God voice guided peoples choices. Take a moment and let the images speak to your heart.
December 2, 2007
Is 2:1-5; Rom 13:8-14; Mt 24:37-44
Today we begin the Holy Season of Advent.
It is a sacred time to get our hearts ready for a re-birth of
Jesus into our interior life. It
is a season of internal evaluation and a time for new choices based on
the living presence of Jesus. The
scripture readings today use various images to lead us into this time
of preparation for new birth. The
second reading and the gospel call us to “wake from our sleep.”
We each can get memorized into accepting the ways of the world
and lulled into practices which do not affirm the values of Jesus.
It is human to adjust to our situation and our culture, but in
this season we are called to remember that we do not belong to this
world but are other worldly. The
readings invite us to “wake up” from the ways of the world and
open ourselves to the voice of Jesus within our hearts.
In the first reading, Isaiah the prophet writes about coming
out of the world and climbing the “mountain” so that we can be
instructed by God. To hear
God’s voice we must step out of the business of the world and choose
to accept the message of God. If
we get too busy to hear God, then our lives swirl downward in what
November 25, 2007
Jer 23:1-6; Col 1:11-20; Lk 23:35-43
Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year and we culminate the year with a celebration of Jesus as King. We celebrate his saving mission and the reality that the fullness of God resides in him. This feast is wrapped in paradox because we celebrate Jesus as King with the story of him hanging on the cross. Jesus demonstrated the power of his love most directly by offering himself on the cross for our sins.