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Sunday Messages
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Is 61:10-62:3; Gal 3:23-4:7; Jn 1:1-18
The gospel reading today tells us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it.” These are John’s words referring to Jesus coming into the world. His presence would change the world and every person forever. We had heard in the Christmas story that when the shepherds saw Jesus they understood life differently. They went forth glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen. Today we celebrate the powerful light that Jesus casts on all of life. We remember how his presence ahs freed us from darkness and how he continues to transform our lives. We might ponder who has brought the presence of Jesus to us this year? Who has given us courage to change and step out of darkness into the light of Jesus? Who has challenged us to be honest with ourselves and helped us shake loose from self pity and apathy so that we could set into life and the purpose God has for us? We celebrate the healing relationships which have brought us into the light of Jesus. We give thanks for people who have stood by us and have seen the little child is us longing to be set free. We rejoice as we remember the people who have offered us the Holy Spirit, the power of God’s love to become who God intended us to be. The light of Jesus continues to shine in the darkness of our lives through people who allow God to work through them. As we conclude another year we are grateful that God is always present inviting us into the life of hope and serenity. As we step into another year we open ourselves to the light and life that Jesus offers to us. We open ourselves to the possibilities of how God is going to use us to bring light and life to those around us. We stand in awe at the miracle of Jesus presence in the world. We offer hope to anyone we know who still lives in darkness. Let this New Year be filled with the light and love of Jesus.
December 24, 2006
Mic 5:2-4; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-56
The scripture readings today offer us a strong
word of courage as we face what seem like impossible challenges.
When we feel too small or insignificant to do our job, the
words of the first reading give us strength.
They tell us of the fact that
I take a moment to invite you to let the Christmas Story this year take you back to the moment God conceived you. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we remember the tender love of God that brought us into existence and we celebrate the depth and beauty of that love. I thank you for the ways each of you has brought new life to our community and I pray that your Christmas is filled with the deep inner peace of Jesus.
December 17, 2006
Zeph 3:14-20; Phil 4:4-9; Lk 3:7-18
The scripture readings for today offer us a word
of hope and a promise of joy.
In the first reading we hear the words, “Shout for joy of Daughter
Zion, sing joyfully O Israel, be glad and exult with all your heart.”
In the second reading
December 10, 2006
The words of the gospel today, “Prepare the way
of thee Lord” set the overall theme of this holy season of Advent.
They invite us to pause and consider what we can do to open the
way for Jesus to more fully permeate the chambers of our heart and the
streets of our world.
Today’s scripture readings make us aware that preparing for the coming
of Jesus gives us hope because it breaks through the maze of everyday
life and invites us to take initiative in receiving the power of God’s
love. This hope is
described in the first reading where God invites the people of
Dan 12:1-13; Heb 10:31-39; Mk 13:14-23
The gospel today gives us an apocalyptic vision
of end time and all the things that certain people believed would
happen when Jesus was to come again.
Some thought that the end would come soon after the
resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus would not have trained his disciples for ministry if he thought
the end was coming soon.
When the end of the world did not come, a number of years after Jesus’
resurrection, more and more people started to re-examine Jesus’ words.
They came to realize that they were to be part of bringing Jesus’
presence into the world.
They began to understand that all the chaos that was going on was not
a sign of the end but part of living in a broken world.
Their faith in Jesus helped them to handle the chaos of the
world and to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus as things happened around
them. Instead of waiting
for the end they became people with a mission, empowered by Jesus’
love for them. If we understand
these words of Jesus correctly, we realize that we are called to stand
in the midst of the chaos of the world and proclaim the transforming
and healing power of Jesus.
God has chosen us to participate in bringing his presence into
the world not out of fear of the end but in a spirit of hope.
We do not accept the values of the world but we hold up the
values of Jesus and the power of his love to transform our lives and
heal our wounds. Today we
give thanks for the many people who have listened to Jesus and spread
his message to us. We give
thanks that we are part of an eternal mission begun by Jesus and
continuing through history.
We give thanks for this community of
November 12, 2006
1 Kgs 17:8-16; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12:38-44
The stories in the first reading and the gospel
today make it clear that following God is a radical thing.
God calls us to a radical commitment to him.
In the first reading the prophet of God, Elijah, asks the widow
to trust the word of God completely and give away her last bit of
food. When she gives her
last food away, her jar of flour does not go empty and her jar of oil
does not run dry. Her
situation seemed hopeless and yet when she trusted and did what God
asked, she was blessed. In
the gospel Jesus points to the widow who put in her last two coins for
God’s house. Her situation
was hopeless and yet she puts her last two coins in the temple
treasury. Jesus uses the
situation to teach his disciples about what it means to follow him.
Even when things seem hopeless, the widows in the stories give their
last things to the work of God.
What situations in the world seem hopeless to you?
What is God asking you to give even when it seems like your
contribution is too small to help much?
We read about starving people in the world.
We can not feed them all, but we can feed one or two.
We can all look around and see people starving for meaning in
life. What words, what
invitations can we make to one or two to feed their deepest hungers?
What can our voice do to proclaim the power of God’s love?
We might ponder what concrete contribution we can make to
announce the saving message of Jesus?
As we ponder we ask ourselves, what am I willing to risk?
If we do not take a risk, nothing happens.
How radical of a commitment are we willing to make to let
people know that we are His disciples?
As we ponder all these questions we realize that giving all we
have for Jesus may not change the world much, but it will change us.
If we listen to God’s voice and make our contribution, we will
break out of the feeling of hopelessness and discover the excitement
of being part of Jesus’ mission.
We are invited, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to radically
step into the mission of Jesus and give everything we have to proclaim
his name.
November 5, 2006
Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. This has been a prominent feast throughout church history. It is a feast about memories of people and their deeds, and their sacrifices. It is a feast about heroes, courageous people who fought the fight of faith and remained faithful to the end. It is a feast about people who lives life with the deep joy that Jesus desires for each one of us. We remember these heroes because they give us courage to stand firm in our commitment to Jesus. This feast gives us reason to pause and ponder the questions, What will be remembered about us, and Do we live with the joy of Jesus in our hearts?
The second readings speak about people who stand before the throne of God robed in white with palm branches in their hands. It speaks of how they “came through the great ordeal” and how they washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.” These words describe heroes who lived the great joy and inner peace of serving God in all things. It refers to people who won the victory over themselves so that they could surrender their wills to God’s will. It speaks of people who discover what life is really about and then lives it to the full. These people found the joy of which Jesus speaks in the gospel reading. They found happiness because they were “poor in spirit.’ They knew they needed God. They found happiness because they were “single heart.” They did various things in life but their common trait was a constant desire to honor God with their lives. They found happiness in being persecuted by people who did not understand. They stood their ground when others quit. They looked sacrifice in the face and embraced it because through it they saw the face of God. This feast has been prominent through church history because remembering these heroes has given courage to those who are still in the battle. We are blessed today by remembering the saints and we are emboldened by their sacrifices. We listen to their song of praise being sung before the throne of God and we sing along.
Isa 59:1-19; Heb 5:12-6:12; Mk 10:46-52
Today’s gospel story demonstrates the power of Jesus’ love to draw someone through their fear, to bring about personal transformation, and to even make sacrifices to follow. The story is that of Bartimaeus and his encounter with Jesus. Bartimaeus calls out to Jesus and despite the crowd’s attempts to stop him; he persists in his call until Jesus stops and talks with him. Bartimaeus throw off his garment, jumps up and allows Jesus to open his eyes. This encounter leads to Bartimaeus' decision to follow Jesus up the road. It is a story about love, about new sight, about personal transformation and about commitment. It is a story about you and me. As we ponder the story we ask ourselves the questions: Where am I blind? In what ways do the voices of others keep me from meeting Jesus? What are the “old cloaks” that hold me back from following Jesus up the road? Where has fear kept me from making sacrifices for Jesus? We have overcome many of these things and yet we probably each struggle with a couple areas. Today we are invited to name the things that may still be in the way of true inner peace, of a total surrender to the Lord. Each time we open ourselves to Jesus’ words, each time we throw off something that hinders spiritual growth, each time we recommit to the work of Jesus, our inner peace increases. We become freer to move in the power of the Holy Spirit. This sets the stage for us to lead others to Jesus, which is the theme for this year's RENEW program. We can offer to others the gifts that we have received from Jesus. We can offer insight to others who are blinded by the things of this world. We can offer hope to those who are stuck under the weight of old cloaks. We are ready to make sacrifices to follow Jesus and invite others onto the road. Today we ask Jesus to help us step through our fears, open our eyes and set us free.
October 22, 2006
Isa 53:4-12; Heb 4:12-16; Mk 10:35-45
The gospel reading today recounts an interesting story about Jesus with his disciples. James and John make a rather strong demand on Jesus. They say, “Jesus, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you.” Jesus is gentle with them but eventually leads them to realize that they need to develop a servant’s heart. As we ponder the reading we might wonder what is not filled in them that they need this position so badly. Everyone has needs and wants, but their request indicates a deep unfulfilled need. Their need overshadows their relationship with Jesus. They forget that they are the disciples and Jesus is the master. They ask him to serve them when in fact they are to be the servants of him. Unfulfilled needs from childhood or deep seated inner pains can cause us to loose perspective and create unhealthy needs. The question is, how do we develop a servant’s heart, how do we get past ourselves and focus on God’s will for our lives? The first reading tells us that Jesus offers us his healing and forgiving love to free us from the inner pains that cause unhealthy needs. Jesus gives us the power to prepare ourselves to be servants. Isaiah writes, “By his wounds we are healed.” This readings is describing the healing power of the Cross which is available to us. By the power of Jesus’ love flowing from the cross we can be healed on the inside and be freed to be true servants of the Lord. The second reading indicates that through the Word of God we have access to discovering the power of Jesus’ love. The Bible opens for us the way to feel the awesome love that Jesus has for us, a love which frees us from dependency on things of this world. In this gospel account, James and John were not yet transformed by Jesus’ love but one day they would be. They would let go of their own needs and become true servants of Jesus. By accepting Jesus’ personal love for us we can be set free to be servants and we can offer to others the gift of freedom in Jesus.
October 15, 2006
Amos 5:6-15; Heb 3:1-6; Mk 10:17-31
In our gospel reading today Jesus shares his
heart about two important issues.
His love for the man who comes to him is expressed in two
directives. He says, “Go
sell what you have and give the money to the poor and then come,
follow me.” His words are
in response to the man’s question, “What must I do to have eternal
life?” Jesus wants us to
be with him forever and his words offer us the path.
He realized that if we get hung up on this world’s goods, they
will imprison us and distract us from the purpose of our life, namely,
to know, love and serve God.
Jesus saw the man who came to him as a good man, but a man who
was captured by the lure of things.
The man’s response indicates that he was indeed possessed by
his possessions. He walked
away from Jesus and was unable to follow because the cost was too
high. This gospel
challenges us to ponder how attached we are to the things of this
world. It is not just
possessions, but schedules and time restrains.
How often do we see people distracted from Jesus by worldly
events that they want to attend?
How often does the lure of having some thing keep us from giving to
the mission of Jesus? It
is a human instinct to want to possess things and as Jesus goes on to
say that is why it is hard for the rich people to enter the Kingdom of
heaven. He indicates that
the battle to overcome the control of possessions is only won by the
power of God. We each need
God’s help to stay free.
The focus then is to develop a deep love relationship with God so that
everything in this world looks small in relation to his love for us.
The more we give God possession of our hearts, our minds, and
our wills, the easier it is to stay free from the lure of this world’s
things. The true riches of
life are found in having a personal love relationship with Jesus.
Following in his footsteps gives us the strength to live in freedom
and to enjoy the awareness of his constant love.
We let Jesus’ words set us free this week.
October 8, 2006
Gen 2:18-24; Heb 2:1-18; Mk 10:2-9
The scripture readings for today address the challenges of our human nature and in particular they speak to the challenges of our sexuality. In the first reading we hear the story of God creating the woman as a complement to the man. The account proclaims God’s design of creation in which the woman and man in relationship minister to each other and together model the image of God. God’s creation of man and woman demonstrate his deep love and yet the relating of men and women can cause challenges. In the gospel Jesus addresses the issue of men and women relating to each other in the life long union of marriage. Unique from all the teachers of his day, Jesus proclaimed the absolute indissolubility of marriages. He seemed to have a unique understanding of how men and women could relate to each other in a way that would last for a lifetime. His words affirm the goodness of marriage and proclaim the power of being “joined by God.” His words tell us that being deeply connected to God is the source of a deep and lasting relationship with a spouse. He affirms the supernatural power of each man and each woman having a personal relationship with God. When asked about divorce, he turns the discussion toward the presence of God in a relationship. In a world where much focus is one people’s personal gain, Jesus offers a refreshing look at marriage. He roots his words in the first reading, going back to the original intend of creation. It is easy to get caught up in the thoughts and philosophies of this world and forget God’s intent for marriage. For this reason we take special care for those who are entering marriages. There is a need for preparation in communication skills, relating skills, and financial planning, but none is as important as having God at the center of each person’s life. By God’s power humans are able to relate in a way that is healthy and that will lead to a lasting union. When God keeps joining a man and a woman in marriage, no outside pressure can tear them apart.
October 1, 2006
Num 11:4-29; Jma 4:7-12; Mk 9:38-48
I recall a time being at a church where people would periodically stop in to ask for a meal or a voucher to get a meal. People were generally grateful but one day a man asked for a meal right around supper time. I offered him my sandwich that I had just made. He grabbed it and walked out the door without a word. It would have been nice to hear a “Thank you.” Tithing to God’s work on earth is our “thank you” for all that we receive. Not to tithe is like the man who grabbed the gift and walked away. Scripture tells us that we make that “Thank you” by giving 10% of our income back to God for his work. It describes that amount as “God’s money.” Jesus says in Lk 16:12, “If you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s money, who will give you what is your own.” Today we reflect on how trustworthy we have been with God’s money and how trustworthy we are going to be with it in the coming year. The “thank you” that we offer to God is a form of worship to him. We honor him by giving the first percentage of our income to him to build his kingdom.
Giving to God is also the best investment we can make with God’s money. When we invest in other people and our own eternal life, our money keeps on working for eternity. Think about it! We sometimes ponder what a life is worth. Today we ponder what is an eternal life worth? We can feel the deep satisfaction of helping someone find eternal life in God’s presence.
Giving to God as Jesus calls us to do is also a sacrifice. We can each think of ways each year to spend the $2,000 or $4,000, or $6,000, or $10,000 that is God’s money on things for ourselves. Letting go of it at first causes a twinge of pain, but the rewards are much greater than we can imagine. Somebody’s tithe brought you and me to know Jesus and their gift has offered us a chance for eternal life. Their sacrifice was worth it. Today you begin praying about what gift of gratitude, what investment, what sacrifice God is asking of you for his glory.
Wis 1:16-2:22; Jms 3:16-4:6; Mk 9:30-37
Last week we reflected on two important
attributes of a Christian disciple, namely, determination and
faithfulness. In today’s
gospel Jesus speaks about another significant attribute of being his
disciple. He says,
“Whoever wants to be first must be the servant of all.”
We might think of servants doing all the menial tasks, but as
servants of Jesus we do the most significant work of all because we
are working for God. Our
true identity is in doing God’s mission for our lives;
anything less than that is menial work.
There is a great joy in helping someone in God’s name.
There is profound satisfaction in doing a ministry that
enhances the
September 17, 2006
Isa 50:4-9; Jms 2:1-18; Mk 8:27-38
Today’s first reading and gospel speak about
determination. The first
reading is the third Servant Song about the person who was determined
to stay faithful to God despite all adversity.
The author writes, “I set my face like flint, knowing that I
shall not be put to shame.”
People were turning away from God, saying they had other things to do,
fearing ridicule of others but the author proclaims that faithfulness
to God is the only way to true peace.
The setting of the gospel is similar.
Jesus has just determined that he was going to go to
September 10, 2006
Isa 35:4-7; Jms 1:17-27; Mk 7:31-37
Today’s first scripture reading proclaims the
power of God’s presence to calm fears and set people free.
We read, “Say to those whose hearts are frightened, ‘Be strong,
fear not. Here is your
God.’ Then will the eyes
of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared, then will the
lame leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.”
This is a powerful message of hope.
This is what Jesus did.
This is our mission as followers of Jesus.
We have a treasure to offer to people and Jesus calls each of
us to give this gift. In
the gospel Jesus offers the gift of healing to the deaf man.
He proclaims that he is the Messiah by doing the work of the
Messiah. He desires to set
each person free. He
invites the man to freedom by asking him to “Be opened.”
This phrase means more than a medical term for opening of a
human organ. It is an
invitation to be liberated on the inside from the things of this world
that have bound him.
Jesus' mission was bigger than just curing people.
He wanted them to live with an inner freedom that came from
being open to his love, his forgiveness, his way of life.
This freedom comes when we first hear Jesus, when we come aside
from the crowd and listen to Jesus’ voice.
Our mission is to take time to come aside from the noise of the
world and be open to Jesus’ message.
Once we have been empowered by his message, we are called to
invite other people aside and offer them the hope and freedom of being
open to Jesus’ healing love.
Jesus changed society by taking people aside one at a time and
speaking individually to their heart.
Here at
September 3, 2006
Deut 4:1-9; Eph 6:10-20; Mk 7:1-23
Today’s scripture readings focus on our behavior and the rules or laws that guide us. As in any game, the rules keep order and give everyone equal opportunity. They keep us focused on the goal. The first reading begins with showing us the power of God’s laws not only to keep us focused on God but to give witness to those who do not know God. The author writes, “Observe the laws of God carefully for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations.” When we follow God’s laws, we stay healthy and proclaim to those around us that there is a higher value to life than just what we see. We proclaim a deeper and more profound purpose to life. It gives us an inner confidence that we belong to the Lord. With time we come to understand that God’s law is always just, and that it is for our own benefit. It guides us on the healthiest way to live. In the gospel Jesus challenges the Jewish leaders to distinguish between human laws and God’s laws. Human laws tend to focus on external behavior whereas God’s laws focus on the internal attitudes. Jesus was not concerned about the human laws of washing hands and dishes. He was concerned about behaviors which tear down at the fiber of human life. He gives examples of such things which destroy the human heart. These he names as fornication (sexual activity outside of marriage), theft, murder, adultery, greed, maliciousness, lying, sensuality, envy, slander, arrogance, and wickedness. Even though our culture might tell us that some of these things are not wrong, Jesus tells us that these activities cut down at our true self. If Jesus sees them as destructive, we might consider his wisdom. The internal laws of God are for our benefit and what we do contrary to those laws destroys our self-esteem and destroys the human spirit. Jesus words are challenging but they do lead to the fullness of life and an inner joy that no one can take away. We each are invited to use Jesus’ words to guide our lives, to move toward a healthier and happier life, and to confess when we cross the line. In Jesus we find true peace.
Josh 24:1-25; Eph 5:21-33; Jn 6:60-69
Today’s scripture readings focus on commitment.
In the gospel we hear the story of Jesus teaching about who he
really is. The more he
revealed what it meant to follow him, the more people started to walk
away. He challenged his
listeners to decide whether they would stay with him even when they
did not fully understand.
Finally he asked his apostles, “Are you going to leave also?”
That is the question we face today.
When being a follower of Jesus involves giving up some
convenience, or giving up something we want, will we be faithful to
Jesus or will we walk away.
Peter gives us an example of a powerful faith statement.
He says, “Lord, to whom shall we go, you have the words of
eternal life, and we have come to believe that you are the Holy one of
God.” Jesus is the only
one who has eternal truth, power to heal and the promise of eternal
life. All of our choices
in life are related to our response to Jesus’ question, are you going
to leave? Will you stand
with me when the going gets tough?
Will you ultimately choose a relationship with me over
everything else? Will you
accept inconvenience and even ridicule and suffering for my name?
Many things in this world would try to lure us away from a
commitment to Jesus. Only
we can choose what our response will be.
In the first reading, Joshua challenges the people in his care
to the same type of commitment.
He tells them that they must choose between serving the false gods of
this world or the God of the universe. He makes it clear that we can
not do both. In the second
reading,
August 20, 2006
Prov 9:1-6; Eph 5:15-20; Jn 6:53-59
A woman told me once that right after she
received Holy Communion, she felt the blanket of love wrap around her
and a deep peace filled her heart.
This may be similar to what Jesus was talking about in today’s
gospel when he said, “Just as the Father who has life sent me and I
have life because of the Father, so the person who feeds on me will
have life because of me.”
We get life and have life from feeding on Jesus.
This “life” is larger than just breathing.
Jesus desires that we have a deep and awesome sense of his
peace with us at every moment.
He did not intend us to live with constant stress, anxiety, fear or
hurt.
He offers us the gift of his presence in Holy Communion and
invites us to “feed on him” often.
When we ponder his life, we recognize that he drew life from
the Father in the same way.
He could be always giving, always patient, always empathetic,
compassionate and peaceful because he took time to draw life and love
from the Father. When we
connect to Jesus in this intimate way, we connect in an eternal way.
We begin and foster a relationship that is meant to be forever
and thus we connect to our true destiny.
This gives eternal purpose to all that we do and are.
Today we are invited again to ponder the depth of our
connection with Jesus and to discover if that connection is giving us
the life we were intended to have.
August 13, 2006
Deut 8:1-10; Eph 4:25-5:2; Jn 6:37-51
In the second scripture reading for today,
Today we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. It was a very significant moment in the life of Jesus and the life of three of his followers. The event describes the essence of the spiritual journey, namely, the quest to see the face of God. There is a deep longing in every human being to come home, to feel the safety of the Creator, to see the face of God. Our religious practice is meant to set the stage for us to experience God’s presence. In the first reading we hear how the giving of the 10 commandments allowed Moses to experience the awesome presence of God in such a way that it made his face radiant. In the gospel we hear how Jesus, while at prayer, experienced a time of transfiguration when his whole being radiated. He beamed with love. In the second reading Peter describes what he felt as he remembers seeing the presence of God in Jesus on the day Jesus was transfigured. Our spiritual journey is about putting ourselves in occasions where we can “see the face of God.” We are invited today to consider ways that we can open ourselves to the power and love of God. Like Moses, we might see God in the commandments as we seek to grow in holiness and the ways of God. Like Jesus, we might see the face of God in times of personal prayer. Like Peter, we might feel the awesome presence of God in the Eucharist where we remember what Jesus has done for us. We each have many occasions to experience God and to be enriched by his presence. Our journey is to put ourselves in situations where we can feel God and then to open ourselves to his transforming presence. We each long to be home, to be where the Creator is. In this life we get glimpses of home, of God’s unconditional love at moments when we stop and take time to soak in the presence of God. Today is a good day to see the face of God and to radiate his presence in our life.
Today’s second reading and gospel speak to an
important message. They
point us to finding Jesus in the midst of challenges and adversity.
The gospel is the story of the disciples crossing over the
July 23, 2006
Isaiah 57:14-21; Eph 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-44
Today’s gospel story offers us much to ponder.
It is the familiar story of the multiplication of loaves.
The story begins with Jesus wanting to rest for a while, but
when he sees the crowd, it says his heart was “moved with compassion.”
This phrase describes the Divine desire to save the lost.
We read in other places where Jesus is “moved with compassion”
and cures the sick.
He hurt when people were sick or lost like “sheep without a
shepherd.” These words
give us a deep insight into the heart of Jesus.
He does not want anyone to be lost or unprotected.
Further on in the story we hear the challenge to his disciples
and to us. He says to
them, “How many loaves do you have?”
Jesus requested some human input to make this miracle happen.
He invited the apostles to participate in this awesome event by
offering what they had.
Alone they could not feed the 5000, but with Jesus’ power and their
offering, all could be fed.
The question for us today is, “How many loaves do I have that I am
willing to offer to Jesus for his blessing?”
Which of my talents and resources am I willing to put in front
of Jesus for him to bless, break and distribute to others?
We each have talents and skills which could be used to “feed”
the spiritual hungers of many people.
Jesus invites us to participate in the awesome ministry of
“feeding” the hungry and bringing the lost into life with him.
Why does he ask of our “loaves”? He asks because we have been
richly blessed. In the
second reading
July 16, 2006
Amos 7:7-15; Eph 2:1-14; Mark 6:7-13
In our second scripture reading today St. Paul describes the great gift and blessing it is to be a Christian. He says that “God has bestowed on us every spiritual blessing” and that God “chose” us to be holy and blameless and “full of love.” All of this is pure gift from God. We might ask, “Why me?” and God would say, “Because I want you.” He sees goodness in us and has chosen us to live in the beauty of that goodness. He sees goodness in us even if we do not see it in ourselves. He blesses us so that we might feel blessed and that we might bless others. It is an awesome gift and it is given to us! We have knowledge of spiritual things which many people do not have. We have a confidence which flows from knowing that we are his sons and daughters. We can offer healing to others because we are “full of love.” We have been filled completely with God’s love at baptism and we can freely offer that love to all we meet. The gospel tells us that this love is all we need for our life journey. Jesus tells his disciples that anything else that they might take for their journey of life would be a distraction from the treasure and power they carry in their heart. We carry a rich treasure in our hearts and it can change the lives of all who are seeking something greater than this life. We have a treasure that deep down every person longs for. It is knowledge of an eternal purpose and an awareness that we belong to the Creator. We can go through life filled with the energy of the Holy Spirit and the power of that Spirit. Even if we do not feel worthy of this great gift, God sees us as worthy and has chosen us for this awesome ministry. He knows our fears and our longings, but his love surpasses and takes us past all of those. In the journey of life there is no greater possession than the knowledge that we are loved, that we belong and that we have a purpose. Jesus assures us of all those things in the scripture readings today and invites us to make the journey in his Peace.
July 9, 2006
Ezek. 2:1-7; 2 Cor 12:2-10; Mk 6:1-6
The scripture readings today focus on our real source of strength and power. St. Paul, in the reading, secondsummarizes it best when he writes, "When I am powerless, it is then that I am strong." What he is talking about is the fact that when he admitted that he was powerless and needed God’s intervention of grace, he realized that then he had an enormous strength. He fought many battles to proclaim Jesus’ message and he was aware that only by Jesus’ strength could he do this. His words offer us the key to overcoming weaknesses in our lives. When we admit that we are powerless over some feeling or behavior, then we can accept the grace and power of Jesus to help us. It is at that moment that we become strong. We can even go so far as to "boast of our weakness" as Paul did, so that the power of Jesus may rest upon us. This kind of admission takes humility which is the greatest virtue for spiritual growth. We each have areas in our life in which we are powerless. When we want to share the message of Jesus with someone, we may feel overwhelmed with fear or unworthiness. When we try to get out of a destructive relationship we may feel too afraid. When we try to change a behavior like drinking too much or eating too much, or working too much, we may find ourselves unable to stop. When we want to try to change a habit in our life, we may find we go right back to it. It is only when we admit that we are powerless over such behaviors, or relationships, or feelings, that we can receive the power of Jesus. When we do this out loud to at least one other person, we are on the road to inner freedom. In these moments of admitting our powerlessness, we find our greatest strength. When we admit that we need God, we give God the chance to enter our lives and heal us. In the gospel we read how Jesus wanted to heal the people of Nazareth , but they would not allow him in. Jesus can free us and heal us when we invite his power into our lives and desire to make him Lord of our lives.
July 2, 2006
Deut 15:7-11; 2 Cor 8:1-9,13-15; Mk 5:22-24,35-43
Today’s gospel reading invites us to ponder the question, what is life? If we listen to the request Jairus makes of Jesus, it opens us to a divine perspective of life. Jairus says, "Come and lay your hands on my daughter so that she may get well and live." Jesus ministry addresses a great human fallacy, namely, that if we are breathing we are alive and when we stop breathing, we are dead. Jesus changes all the definitions. From his perspective, if we are connected to Jesus, we are alive, and if we are not connected to Jesus, we are dead. Jairus asks for both a physical healing for his daughter and a spiritual healing. He seems to know that if Jesus just heals her body without giving her real life, she is not complete, she is not really alive. Jesus’ ministry was meant to bring people into real life. At times that included healing or restoration of physical life, but the ultimate goal was the fullness of life found in relationship with Jesus. If we are breathing in God’s Holy Spirit every day, we are alive and when we stop breathing in God’s Spirit, we start dying. We might ponder today, "What parts of me are dead?" What parts of me are not surrendered over to God’s Hoy Spirit? Where do I need Jesus to lay his hands on me so that I might get well and live? What spiritual disciplines do I use to keep myself alive in God’s Spirit? These are deep questions and yet without being alive in God, we walk around dead. Human life only has its fullest meaning in God. We have a treasure in knowing what real life is, and it is this treasure that only has value if we continually nurture it. Without a daily and weekly diet of spiritual food, spiritual nurture, we die. Think of all the people who we know who are dead. If we have real life, and live the fullness of life in Christ, we can give them a great treasure. Our mission is to give real life to people. The gospel tells us that we have the power and authority in Jesus to do this. Jesus "made himself poor, though he was rich, that we might become rich by his poverty." We can share the riches.
Job 38:1-11,16-18; 2 Cor 5:14-21; Mk 4:35-5:20
Today’s scripture readings deal with the mystery of God’s ways and the question of where God is in relation to suffering in the world. In the first reading we pick up where Job has just questioned the mystery of his suffering and God is making his response. We all at times wonder about the issue of suffering. The response of God in the first reading does not explain the origin of suffering and tragedies, but it presents the awesome mystery of God’s power and plan for all creation. After Job listens he recognizes that he has spoken out of turn, that he is too small to understand the mystery of God’s love, and he humbly submits to the mystery. In the gospel the disciples in the boat wonder also about Jesus’ way and why he is sleeping when they feel as if they are about to drown. They feel he does not care about their safety and yet nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus’ timing and his power is way beyond their comprehension. Jesus does not ask them to fully comprehend the mystery of his care; he just asks them to trust him. Both texts invite us to ponder our trust of God, even when we do not understand the awesomeness of his ways. The early church, for which the gospel was first written, was experiencing persecution and their leaders were being killed. They feared that the church, symbolized by the boat, was going to sink. Jesus did not explain why hard things were happening to them, but he did challenge them to trust him unreservedly. Today we may have similar feelings at times when we face difficult situations. The scriptures clearly tell us that God does not cause us pain or illness. Whatever it comes from God assures us that if we stay connected to him, we will be safe. Understanding the mysteries of life, suffering, and healing are beyond us. We are simply called to trust that God has all things under control and in him we can find a purpose in every event, even if it was caused by someone’s sin. Through our relationship with God we can make holy the situations in life that are not holy in themselves.
June 18, 2006
Ezek 31:1-6,10-14; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Mk 4:26-34
In today’s second scripture reading, St. Paul talks about our real home. He describes it as a "tent made by God." He describes the human longing to be "home", to be in the place for which we were destined. It is there that we will completely feel God’s perfect love. In this life we can get glimpses of that home. In the gospel Jesus talks about creating opportunities for people to experience God’s presence. In his imagery of seeds, he indicates that we can plant good words which grow and give space for people to experience God’s love. By expressing true love, acceptance, affirmation, compassion and care we create glimpses of what our true home will be like. We invite people to taste of the gift that God has for them We can create opportunities for people to experience healing and transformation in the power of God’s love. Our kind and affirming words can be the vessels which bring God’s healing presence to a situation. All of these things are part of our longing to be "home." As a church we try to create an atmosphere where people will get a glimpse of the power of God’s love for them. Each of us who have experienced God’s intense love seeks to create this atmosphere of love. It is a great gift to the world. Today, on Father’s Day, we celebrate the many men who have created environments where young people can experience a taste of their real home. We are grateful for those who sacrifice to create a place of love and affirmation. We are very grateful for those who reveal the Father’s love through their care. We ponder how each of us can use our words as seeds to plant environments where people can experience peace and serenity. We can help people get a taste of what God holds for them in heaven. We can help them make the journey to their heavenly "tent": where there is perfect peace and joy in God’s eternal presence.
June 11, 2006 - Trinity
Exod 3:1-6; Rom 8:12-17; Jn 3:1-16
Today we celebrate the feast of the Trinity. It is a great time to reflect on the awesome love of God expressed in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each aspect of God wraps us in love from the first moment we are conceived, throughout our life, and hopefully forever in eternity. The first reading tells us of the event when Moses first encountered this awesome love of God in the "burning bush." He chose to go closer and take time to dialogue with God. This encounter gave him courage to challenge the leader of Egypt and ask him to free the Jewish people. Moses discovered that feeling the intimate love of God gave him power to do impossible things. What are the "burning bushes’ in your life? Is it the Bible lying on the shelf in your house? Is it the Eucharist in church? Is it a song or a quiet drive that give us an opportunity to experience the power of God for our lives? Do we stop our work, our play, and take time to encounter God? Do we take time to be empowered by the awesome presence of God? Is our life "too busy" to stop at the "burning bushes’ in our lives which could help us with every aspect of our life? Are we "too busy" to be loved? Do we run out of energy because we are not being embraced by the Trinity love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Today in the gospel Jesus says that in order to have the fullness of life we need to be "born from above." We need to let the love of God flow down into our hearts, our minds and our bodies so that we can make good choices and stay free from the things which would harm us. We need to continually remember that we were "born from above," we were conceived in the center of the Trinity, being loved into existence by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Embracing that love often throughout the day empowers us to handle any situation and offer healing to any person. Today we take time to encounter the living, loving presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit again. Let the Love soak in.
June 4, 2006 – Pentecost
Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:4-13; Jn 20:19-23
Today we celebrate one of the major feasts of the church year. It is the feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down on 120 disciples of Jesus and empowered them with the gifts to carry on his work. On this day the Church was birthed and the fire of the Holy Spirit began to fill the world as never before. Today’s first reading describes as well as words can the awesome moment when the first disciples felt Jesus’ Spirit alive within themselves. With this experience came a desire and the courage to go out and tell others of the message and power of Jesus’ love. They were fired up to do the work of God in their everyday lives. The second reading describes the gifts of the Holy Spirit which were available to them after they opened themselves to the power of the Spirit. They could speak in other tongues, offer healing to the sick, speak with words of wisdom and knowledge and discern where God was calling them in their lives. Along with these gifts came the deep Peace of Jesus which we hear about in the gospel. Jesus sent forth his Peace to his apostles and as people experienced the Holy Spirit they came to feel and know that deep inner Peace. We celebrate today because all of those gifts are available to us. When we open ourselves to the presence of God and freely choose to invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts and minds, we receive a deep sense of inner Peace and a new courage to go out and tell others of God’s healing love. We are equipped with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit which manifest themselves in our lives when we open ourselves to using them. We have God's words within us to share with people we meet and we have the power of God’s love to offer healing to anyone who is in need. God invites us again today to allow his power to move through us. He invites us to stay in prayer as the first disciples did so that his Spirit could permeate our whole being. He encourages us to put our gifts at his disposal so that he can transform them into gifts for building his kingdom. We can each keep the fire of the Holy Spirit alive by giving our talents and wills over to God for his use. We can be consumed for his glory.
Acts 1:15-26; 1 Jn 5:9-15; Jn 17:11-19
Today’s scripture readings focus on the living presence of Jesus and how his presence affirms us. In the first reading we hear how the early church sought to choose an apostle to replace Judas. They nominated two worthy men, but when it came time for choosing, they let God choose. They were most concerned that the person be God’s desire and not their own doing. When we ponder this idea, we realize that God is in charge of all things. The sooner we submit to his desires, the more peace fills our hearts. These words also remind us that God has chosen us to be apart of his great Kingdom. He sees something in us that made him choose us to participate in bringing others to his deep love. He trusts that despite our human weaknesses, we will be a vessel of his love and compassion to others. Each day we are invited to get our script from God and then follow his instructions. Doing his mission for our lives is the most fulfilling thing we can do, and knowing he chose us personally for this mission, is the most affirming thing that could happen to us. The Creator chose you and me! The words of Jesus in the gospel tell us that he not only chose us but he also protects us on our mission. Jesus "consecrated himself" to protect us. He keeps careful watch over us so that we do not get harmed. When we live our life under his covering, submitting to his will, we have a power and a safety that no one can overcome. As we listen to his directions daily, we feel the beauty of belonging to the Master’s team. We feel the affirmation of being chosen to help change the world and lead all people to the Father. We are truly part of the Dream Team, and our belonging to that Team gives meaning and purpose to every thing we do. No matter how much effort it takes, it is worth it to be with Jesus. Take time this week to reflect on the awesome blessing it is to be chosen by Jesus, and the joy of living each day in his protection and his love.
May 21, 2006
Acts 11:19-30; 1 Jn 4:7-21; Jn 15:9-17
Today’s scripture readings speak about the inner strength that flows from knowing Jesus’ deep love. The first reading begins with the statement, "Those who were scattered because of the persecution…" People had to flee for their lives from Jerusalem and ended up walking 250-350 miles to be safe. As they went, they did not commiserate about the unfairness of the persecution or talk about getting revenge, but rather proclaimed to those they met the power of Jesus’ love. How could they take such a devastating situation and make it an occasion for evangelization? Jesus was alive in them. They felt his awesome presence with them as they walked. They felt what Jesus promised, namely, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you." They had a treasure in their hearts and no persecution could take that away. We have available to us the same power. Each morning we wake up, we do not meet the day alone, but with the love of God infused in our hearts. When we take a moment to experience that love and embrace that love, we will meet the challenges of the day with an extra ordinary power. We go to work or school with an energy that others do not have. We carry a treasure that allows us to stay focused on God’s presence in every situation. We are able to make something holy out of every situation because we carry God’s Holiness within us. In the second reading St. John writes, "love consists in this, not that we have loved God, but that God has first loved us." The first movement is from God to us. We do not have to do this on our own. God is ready each day to fill our minds and heart with a new awareness of how much he treasures us. We only need to receive it and then we are empowered for the day. We are ready for every situation with an energy and an inner peace which no one can take away. We have been chosen to share this marvelous message with everyone we meet. We are His friends.
May 14, 2006
Acts 8:26-40; 1 Jn 3:14-24; Jn 14:15-21
Today we celebrate Mother’s Day and remember the gift of life that God gave us through our mothers. It is the desire of every Christian mother to pass on not only physical life but the powerful spiritual life that flows from knowing Jesus. Today’s scripture readings invite us to reflect on Jesus’ desire to give us the ability to see his presence in our everyday life. He tells us in the gospel that we will be able to "see" him if we have "life." In his terms, to have life is to know God and God’s eternal purpose for our lives. He tells his followers that those who truly want to live must open their eyes to his presence in their life. They begin to "see" by submitting to him through baptism. Life can be filled with much peace and inner joy when we submit to the will of God and "see" every situation in light of Jesus’ Love for us. In the first reading we hear how Philip in his openness to God’s will, is able to "open the eyes" of the Eunuch by explaining the scriptures to him. When we allow our eyes to be open to God’s presence, we can offer the gift of true life to those we meet. Once we have our eyes opened to God in each person we are not blinded by prejudice but can reach out to everyone with the message of life. We can allow our spirits to be moved by the Holy Spirit as Philip did, and when we are moved by the Spirit, our life becomes much more exciting. We "see" the miracles that God’s power performs in our midst. We gather each weekend to again open our eyes to the presence of Jesus and receive the empowerment to go forth and open the eyes of others. We have a precious gift to offer to those around us. Our mother’s are the instruments God used to give us life and perhaps even spiritual life. God wishes to use us to offer spiritual life and Christian insight to the many people who do not know Jesus. The gift we have received we freely give to the honor of his Name.
May 7, 2006
Acts 4:23-37; 1 Jn 3:1-8; Jn 10:11-16
In today’s gospel we hear Jesus describe himself in what came to be the most significant image for him, namely, the Good Shepherd. This image expresses the gentle care of Jesus, the personal concern he has for each one of us, and the gift of protection which he offers to each person. The Good Shepherd is a powerful image for Christian leadership, something to which each of us is called. As we ponder this image today we can take time to feel Jesus' gentle care for us. We can savor the knowledge that Jesus will never leave us and even when we leave him, he will seek to save us from the destructive forces which would destroy us when we are on our own. We can relish the protection that Jesus gives to us because he was willing to sacrifice himself for our safety and salvation. These thoughts empower us in our calling as Christian leaders. We recognize that each of us are called to be Christian leaders in our homes and places of work. This becomes even more challenging when things get hard or people ridicule us for proclaiming the message of Jesus. In the first reading we hear how the apostles found strength in their solidarity with each other. They spoke about Jesus at the risk of their lives, but they came back to the community for prayer and sharing in the Eucharist. They supported one another in being good shepherds to the people who sought to know Jesus. They did not back away from a challenge just because someone threatened or ridiculed them. They prayed for the power of the Holy Spirit to fill them as they went about telling others of the message of Jesus’ saving love. They witnessed signs of God’s power and healing which demonstrated that God was indeed in their midst. Today as we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd we are empowered to carry on this great mission of leading all people to the saving knowledge of Jesus. We pray for each other that we will each have the boldness to bring Jesus into our conversations and offer people the hope of healing and the message of salvation in him. Together we give each other courage in this great mission.
Acts 4:5-12; 1 Jn 1:1-2:2; Lk 24:36-48
This weekend our scripture readings describe how the disciples gradually grew into a deep and committed faith relationship with Jesus. In the gospel we hear the story of how Jesus appears to his disciples after the resurrection to show them that he truly was alive. This was an awesome miracle to comprehend. At first they were afraid but when they heard Jesus' voice their fears began to subside. Then as Jesus ate with them they became more convinced that it was truly him and that he went from death on the cross to life again. Gradually by seeing Jesus, touching him, talking with him and listening to him, they grew into a convincing faith that would lead them to tell others of this great miracle. Once they were convinced that he was alive, they could go and convince others by demonstrating the power of his love. They cared for others with his love, they prayed for others with his love and they spoke of him with such convictions that gradually those who heard them and saw them were convinced that Jesus was alive. Deep faith in Jesus is contagious. The early apostles had a contagious faith that changed the whole world. They spoke with conviction and they spoke with the love of Jesus in their hearts. Today we are invited and encouraged to draw closer to Jesus. We are invited to touch him, to eat with him in the Eucharist every weekend. We are invited to listen to his words in the scripture and absorb his intense love for us. We are invited to listen to his quiet voice speaking within our hearts. We are invited to study his life and thirst for a greater knowledge of his presence in the world. With time we gradually develop a deep faith relationship that becomes contagious. When we speak of Jesus, people recognize that he is our friend. When we greet people, they see Jesus in our eyes. When we stand up for the principles that Jesus proclaimed, people realize that we have a living faith in him that is convincing. Convincing faith does not happen all at once, but if we keep hanging around Jesus, we will develop a faith that can not be shaken and a desire to share that faith with others.
April 23, 2006
Acts 3:12-26; 1 Jn 5:1-6; Jn 20-:19-31
Today we continue the
celebration of Easter with some reflections on how the early church
came to experience Jesus as alive. In the gospel we hear how the
apostles try to tell Thomas that Jesus is alive, but Thomas would not
believe it until he could touch Jesus. We do not get to
physically touch Jesus yet we are challenged to believe in him without
touching him. It is through the word of God, the sacraments, and
our quiet prayer time that we begin to absorb his risen presence into
our hearts. We are invited to let him touch us in these moments
so that our faith will grow. Ultimately each of us must choose to
believe he is alive in us, and when we do, there is an inner Peace
that we recognize as being deeper than anything this world can offer.
Our life takes on an eternal perspective which changes all our
decisions. We can then live life in Easter faith. With this gift
of faith, we are challenged to make Jesus "touchable" to those who do
not yet know him. We create settings where people can come and
absorb the love that God has for them. One of the greatest joys
of faith is to give it away. When our faith life becomes
contagious, we will offer a great gift to many people. That may
be what
April 16, 2006 - Easter
Acts 10:34-43; Col 3:1-4; Mk 16:1-8
Today we celebrate the greatest day of our spiritual life as we remember the Resurrection of Jesus. By the power of the Father’s love, death was transformed into life. Jesus rose triumphant over death and opened the way for each of us to live forever with him. Easter is a celebration of hope, a celebration of life, a celebration of life we can each have in union with Jesus. The sufferings of the Passion were intense but the victory of death is even more intense. The words in today’s gospel, "He has been raised." Give hope to every situation in life. Once we know that life is eternal, all of the things we face in this life become less significant. The thing of greatest significance is fostering a love relationship with God so that when this life is over, the power of his love moving in our hearts will raise us to new life. This is the same love that heals us in this world and fills us with deep inner peace. The more we allow the love of God into our hearts and minds now, the more we will "seek the things that are above," the things that last forever. By virtue of our baptism we were given a chance to feel God’s personal love for us and to live our lives in the power of that love. The man "dressed in a white robe" in the gospel represents the people who have put on their baptismal garment. Like him, we can be people of hope, people who proclaim life even when the signs around us would indicate death. We can live in peace and offer the Peace of God to others because we know that any situation has a spark of hope since the power of God’s love can bring life out of death. Easter is the celebration of the greatest power in the world. It raises us above the things of this world and gives us a vision of life that is eternal. We are invited today to feel the power of that live in our lives and then offer this promise of resurrection to all we meet. In Jesus there is no darkness but only the light of life.
I pray that your Easter is filled with the promise of new life and the peace of Jesus alive in you
April 9, 2006 - Palm Sunday
Mk 11:1-11; Is 45:21-25; Phil 2:5-11; Mk 14:32-15:47
This week-end we begin Holy Week, the special week we remember the
last days of Jesus' life. Today we recall the day Jesus entered
April 2, 2006 - Lent 5
Jer 31:31-34; Heb 5:1-10; Jn 12:20-33
We began this Lenten season with the question, "Are you Willing to draw closer to God?" We considered that we have a Decision to make regarding our relationship with God. We recognized that our life can be Grace-Filled if we allow God to be the center. We can Choose the fullness of life if we desire it. We reflected further that God is rich in mercy and will forgive even our blind spots if we pray, "Lord, That We Might See." And today we ask ourselves, "Do We Believe?" Do we really believe that we can live a peaceful life filled with inner joy and do we believe that when we die, we can live forever with God? Today’s words tell us that the ultimate purpose for our life is to be happy with God forever. Things in this life may not always be so good or work out the way we planned, but the pension plan is out of this world. The journey of life involves some decisions, some letting go, some sacrifice to follow God’s call, but the afterlife is all receiving, it is all blessings, it is all living in the glorious presence of God. Do you believe this? Jesus says in today’s gospel, "Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth a