God is at work…..So don’t get lost in the “fog”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah that the word of God will not only be carried out here on earth but it will bear fruit….How easy we forget this in the midst of the chaos we see and live through in this world!……”Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, Giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it”……God is at work! - But his work takes place “under the radar” of the secular world…Just as when Jesus was born in a remote village to poor parents - God today is at work right under “the nose” of the world……As the secular world chases after “stuff”, which ultimately turns to dust and means nothing in the end - God is building his Kingdom, Transforming souls, feeding his people on his very flesh!…..Its up to us to acquire “eyes to see” God at work in the here and now…..Jesus tells us in the pages of Scripture that “the last will be first and the first will be last”…..When Jesus returns, the power structures of the world will flip!…..The Catholic faith and the works of the Gospel are currently disregarded by the secular world - When Jesus returns - What is disregarded will be front and center!…….St Luke tells us - “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand”….Again, how easy we forget this reality…….And because we forget this, Jesus warns us…..”I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”…Trust in the one to come - He said he would return and because he said it - It will happen!- In the mean time - “Put your shoulder to the plow” and don’t look back! - The Kingdom of God is at hand!

“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”

I have worked on Wall Street at an International Global Bank for nearly thirty years….Working in this environment in New York City makes it very easy to “lose sight” of the Kingdom of God….This is why I make a deliberate effort to use my free time wisely and place myself in situations where are can “see” God at work…..As a Lay volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity I would see first hand the “underbelly” of New York City…While the wealthy bankers of Wall Street go home to beautiful homes, eat good food and experience the best America has to offer…So many in New York City struggle and barely survive…..On Wednesdays when I was serving with Mother Teresa’s sisters in Manhattan, we would go to Chinatown and bring hot meals to people who lived in boarding house above the restaurants…These apartments were the size of closets and in some cases filthy!…..The secular world would not believe how some people live in New York City and frankly even if they did see what I saw, the question then becomes - Would they care?….But as the unbelieving world goes about its “business” - The Missionaries of Charity are building God’s Kingdom here on earth…And very few people notice!…..The work of Mother Teresa’s nuns is done quietly and in many respects, this is how God works in our life - Quietly! -  Feeding our soul as we cooperate with him through daily prayer, weekly fasting and Sacramental living…”There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound”…..The works of God are performed in silence but make no mistake - God is at work and his Kingdom is being built in the here and now! - Again right “under the nose” of the world……The culture says to us in word and deed - Where is your God?!?…..This attitude is nothing knew - And Jesus’ response to it is the same as it was two-thousand years ago - “Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you”…..So what should that tell us? - Repent and believe the Gospel - The Kingdom of God is at hand!

“Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him”

Today at Mass we are reminded that God’s word will bear fruit - Do we believe that? - As we see our world today struggle and fall into temptation and sin…..St Paul reminds us - “ Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”…As Catholics we must acquire “eyes to see” - And if we do - We will “see” through “the fog” of the chaos and strife in this world…Just as Good Friday came before Jesus was resurrected from the dead three days later - We too will be redeemed and everything we see around us will be made new!….But in the mean time - We must not lose sight of the reality, which is - That we are an Easter people! - The victory has already been won two thousand years ago!…..Therefore we must keep focused on that victory……Do you remember in the pages of Scripture when Jesus was sleeping on a boat with his disciples and a storm raged on the water? - And the disciples were afraid - So what did they do? - They woke of Jesus, who in turn rebuked the storm…..Jesus was with these men for three years and they seemed to forget who he was - The living God!….. Ask yourself this honestly - Are we any different today?….When the “storms of life” rage around us - How quickly we forget that Christ is close to us and that he is God - How quickly we look to worldly solutions when the answer to our problems is Jesus himself…..We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ and not on the “storm”………God is at work…..So don’t get lost in the “fog”………JMJ