"I do not fear at all what men can do to me for speaking the truth. I only fear what God would do if I were to lie." - St John Bosco
Gospel text (Lk 12,1-7): At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
"Beware of the leaven'that is, the hypocrisy'of the Pharisees.
"There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows."
So many of us have safety deposit boxes and even safes in our homes where we place all of our valuables to protect them from theft and fire. However, some valuables cannot be protected in that way. One is our faith.
Three-hundred and sixty-five times, once for each day of the year, the Lord commands us in the Bible: "Do not be afraid" (Lk 12:4). Pope John Paul II repeatedly proclaimed, prayed, and prophesied: "Do not be afraid." Although Satan tries to use fear to manipulate and even to enslave us (Heb 2:15), we can overcome the temptations to give in to fear. We can overcome not because we are strong, but because Jesus is our Strength and we believe in His love for us.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Though we walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil for He is at our side (Ps 23:4) and even within us (see Jn 6:56). Jesus is the Light of the world. He is our Light and our Salvation; whom shall we fear? (Ps 27:1) Jesus is Love (1 Jn 4:16), and "Love has no room for fear; rather, perfect love casts out all fear" (1 Jn 4:18). Jesus is God. He is perfect. Know Jesus; no fear!
This isn’t easy however; we are still human. It takes a conscious, day-by-day, moment-by-moment effort to love in this way, especially when others cause us harm. Love isn’t easy; it’s a risk, it’s a decision, it comes with the knowledge that it may never be returned. But “Do not be afraid”, for this is truly the love of God.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The mystery of grace: it never comes too late
“For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.” - Saint Augustine
(Gospel Lk 11:47-54 ): The Lord said:
"Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
'I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute'
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter."
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
As I reviewed the readings for today, two themes were apparent to me, grace and hypocrisy. The first reading (Romans 3:21-30) and the responsorial psalm (Psalm 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab) resound with God’s grace and mercy. In the gospel, Jesus clearly takes them (us) to task for hypocrisy and dishonesty in living God’s word.
I have often spoken of grace in my reflections – I love the sound of the word, I love the meaning! Grace is such a beautiful concept, yet almost beyond comprehension. God so freely gives this to us and sometimes, we do not even reach out and embrace it. I remember well a teacher in High School teaching us history in an Accelerated curriculum. She was not about to let us think our intellectual gifts were anything but God-given. She frequently reminded us that there but for the grace of God go I. At any moment, she reminded those abilities could be lost in an accident. I realize that at least once or twice daily, I use the expression, “by the grace of God.” It is not lost on me that all the goodness in my life I owe to God and that all I do should be for the glory of God. Of course, once again what I know and what I do are not always consistent. Clearly, my actions do not always reflect God’s glory as my goal. My feet are definitely of clay although as I age I can see this more rapidly and try to change it more consistently. A recent gospel reminded us that intentions alone are not enough, to say we will follow and do not, does not get us to our goal.
The gospel addresses such inconsistencies. Jesus is very clear in his message, He will not accept hypocrisy! While this idea of building temples and appearing to be reverent yet rejecting the word of God may have pertained directly to the scribes and Pharisees at that time, it still pertains to us at least symbolically. It sometimes seems that as a collective we have strayed far and wide from the intent of many of the teachings of Jesus. Our actions oftentimes belie our values. We describe some values or even people as being of the utmost importance yet there is no evidence to support this in our daily lives. I love the words from St. Francis of Assisi, Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words. The message is obvious: through our actions, our words, our very being, anyone should immediately know our values and who we really are. We speak of being “centered” yet what is at that center of our being and how is it expressed to others?
One last closing thought: Our lives are God’s gift to us, what we do with our lives is our gift to God.
(Gospel Lk 11:47-54 ): The Lord said:
"Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
'I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute'
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter."
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
As I reviewed the readings for today, two themes were apparent to me, grace and hypocrisy. The first reading (Romans 3:21-30) and the responsorial psalm (Psalm 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab) resound with God’s grace and mercy. In the gospel, Jesus clearly takes them (us) to task for hypocrisy and dishonesty in living God’s word.
I have often spoken of grace in my reflections – I love the sound of the word, I love the meaning! Grace is such a beautiful concept, yet almost beyond comprehension. God so freely gives this to us and sometimes, we do not even reach out and embrace it. I remember well a teacher in High School teaching us history in an Accelerated curriculum. She was not about to let us think our intellectual gifts were anything but God-given. She frequently reminded us that there but for the grace of God go I. At any moment, she reminded those abilities could be lost in an accident. I realize that at least once or twice daily, I use the expression, “by the grace of God.” It is not lost on me that all the goodness in my life I owe to God and that all I do should be for the glory of God. Of course, once again what I know and what I do are not always consistent. Clearly, my actions do not always reflect God’s glory as my goal. My feet are definitely of clay although as I age I can see this more rapidly and try to change it more consistently. A recent gospel reminded us that intentions alone are not enough, to say we will follow and do not, does not get us to our goal.
The gospel addresses such inconsistencies. Jesus is very clear in his message, He will not accept hypocrisy! While this idea of building temples and appearing to be reverent yet rejecting the word of God may have pertained directly to the scribes and Pharisees at that time, it still pertains to us at least symbolically. It sometimes seems that as a collective we have strayed far and wide from the intent of many of the teachings of Jesus. Our actions oftentimes belie our values. We describe some values or even people as being of the utmost importance yet there is no evidence to support this in our daily lives. I love the words from St. Francis of Assisi, Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words. The message is obvious: through our actions, our words, our very being, anyone should immediately know our values and who we really are. We speak of being “centered” yet what is at that center of our being and how is it expressed to others?
One last closing thought: Our lives are God’s gift to us, what we do with our lives is our gift to God.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
If you judge people, you have no time to love them - Mother Teresa of Calcutta
This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practice ourselves the kind of behavior we expect from other people. - C. S. Lewis
(Rom 2:1-11): You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment.
For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself,
since you, the judge, do the very same things.
We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true.
Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things
and yet do them yourself,
that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience
in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God
would lead you to repentance?
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart,
you are storing up wrath for yourself
for the day of wrath and revelation
of the just judgment of God,
who will repay everyone according to his works,
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality
through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth
and obey wickedness.
Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone
who does evil, Jew first and then Greek.
But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone
who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
There is no partiality with God.
If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it’s that hypocrisy is THE key temptation for all good people. It’s the line you and I walk every day… How often do we say more than we do? How often do we intend the good and fall short again and again.
So, when Jesus addressed the Pharisees, they functioned as a foil for his disciples. They “love the seat of honor in the synagogues…” What did the disciples fight about at the Last Supper? “Who is the greatest?” What do we fight over in our own time? Yep, you got it.
Paul spoke strongly to the Romans, saying, “You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things…”
Essentially, he’s calling them hypocrites because of the way they judge others. And by extension, he’s calling us… Yep, you got it.
Paul insists that we do the very things we judge others for.
Even though it’s not Lent, I do find that I wonder about what sort of grace, what sort of event, what nudge will God send me to change me? And why does it take so darn long? What don’t I get?
More and more, I believe that the BIG grace and purification I hope for comes only in purgatory. Which leaves me standing always in need of the graces of challenge and comfort from the Lord. Even though it hurts my pride to be situated with the Pharisees, it does seem more realistic and truthful. Ouch!
(Rom 2:1-11): You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment.
For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself,
since you, the judge, do the very same things.
We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true.
Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things
and yet do them yourself,
that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience
in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God
would lead you to repentance?
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart,
you are storing up wrath for yourself
for the day of wrath and revelation
of the just judgment of God,
who will repay everyone according to his works,
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality
through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth
and obey wickedness.
Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone
who does evil, Jew first and then Greek.
But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone
who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
There is no partiality with God.
If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it’s that hypocrisy is THE key temptation for all good people. It’s the line you and I walk every day… How often do we say more than we do? How often do we intend the good and fall short again and again.
So, when Jesus addressed the Pharisees, they functioned as a foil for his disciples. They “love the seat of honor in the synagogues…” What did the disciples fight about at the Last Supper? “Who is the greatest?” What do we fight over in our own time? Yep, you got it.
Paul spoke strongly to the Romans, saying, “You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things…”
Essentially, he’s calling them hypocrites because of the way they judge others. And by extension, he’s calling us… Yep, you got it.
Paul insists that we do the very things we judge others for.
Even though it’s not Lent, I do find that I wonder about what sort of grace, what sort of event, what nudge will God send me to change me? And why does it take so darn long? What don’t I get?
More and more, I believe that the BIG grace and purification I hope for comes only in purgatory. Which leaves me standing always in need of the graces of challenge and comfort from the Lord. Even though it hurts my pride to be situated with the Pharisees, it does seem more realistic and truthful. Ouch!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
“One of the hardest things to teach a child is that the truth is more important than the consequences.”
“We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as definitive and has as its highest value one's own ego and one's own desires... The church needs to withstand the tides of trends and the latest novelties.... We must become mature in this adult faith, we must guide the flock of Christ to this faith.” - Pope Benedict XVI
(Romans 1:16-25): Brothers and sisters:
I am not ashamed of the Gospel.
It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:
for Jew first, and then Greek.
For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith;
as it is written, "The one who is righteous by faith will live."
The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven
against every impiety and wickedness
of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
For what can be known about God is evident to them,
because God made it evident to them.
Ever since the creation of the world,
his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity
have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.
As a result, they have no excuse;
for although they knew God
they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks.
Instead, they became vain in their reasoning,
and their senseless minds were darkened.
While claiming to be wise, they became fools
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God
for the likeness of an image of mortal man
or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.
Therefore, God handed them over to impurity
through the lusts of their hearts
for the mutual degradation of their bodies.
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie
and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator,
who is blessed forever. Amen.
The reading today from St Paul is pretty straightforward: “Brothers and Sisters: I am not ashamed of the Gospel”. We are told that salvation is ours if we try to live our lives being faithful to the Gospel.
In a world full of false gods and a world, which promotes these false gods, it can be difficult to live remembering the messages of the Gospel. We are tempted all the time to make decisions for personal gain, forgetting that we are called to think and to behave “out of love” as described in the Gospel.
The reading today reminds us of our faithfulness to God and all that Jesus modeled for us, while on earth. The Gospel messages show us how Jesus loved the weak and the strong, people of influence and people with no influence, the healthy and those lacking good health, people with money and power and those who owned nothing and had few options. Jesus asks us to be faithful to the Gospel, in our thoughts and in our actions, and to not “exchange the truth for a lie.” While there are endless temptations we are reminded to keep our faith strong, making the Gospel the backbone of who we are and how we live our lives.
The Gospel message is as alive today as it was in the time of Jesus and we are directly reminded that “The one who is righteous by faith will live”; and those who “Become vain in their reasoning, while claiming to be wise will become fools by exchanging the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of mortal man.”
If we are witnesses to Christ, we must know that the truth will always shine through the darkness. This is our mission amidst the present culture in which we all live in, trying to model our hearts to the Scared Heart of Jesus. Let us then remember that blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see the face God (Mat 5:8). Each one must decide what he wants to see for all eternity, we can not have it both ways.
(Romans 1:16-25): Brothers and sisters:
I am not ashamed of the Gospel.
It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:
for Jew first, and then Greek.
For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith;
as it is written, "The one who is righteous by faith will live."
The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven
against every impiety and wickedness
of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
For what can be known about God is evident to them,
because God made it evident to them.
Ever since the creation of the world,
his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity
have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.
As a result, they have no excuse;
for although they knew God
they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks.
Instead, they became vain in their reasoning,
and their senseless minds were darkened.
While claiming to be wise, they became fools
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God
for the likeness of an image of mortal man
or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.
Therefore, God handed them over to impurity
through the lusts of their hearts
for the mutual degradation of their bodies.
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie
and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator,
who is blessed forever. Amen.
The reading today from St Paul is pretty straightforward: “Brothers and Sisters: I am not ashamed of the Gospel”. We are told that salvation is ours if we try to live our lives being faithful to the Gospel.
In a world full of false gods and a world, which promotes these false gods, it can be difficult to live remembering the messages of the Gospel. We are tempted all the time to make decisions for personal gain, forgetting that we are called to think and to behave “out of love” as described in the Gospel.
The reading today reminds us of our faithfulness to God and all that Jesus modeled for us, while on earth. The Gospel messages show us how Jesus loved the weak and the strong, people of influence and people with no influence, the healthy and those lacking good health, people with money and power and those who owned nothing and had few options. Jesus asks us to be faithful to the Gospel, in our thoughts and in our actions, and to not “exchange the truth for a lie.” While there are endless temptations we are reminded to keep our faith strong, making the Gospel the backbone of who we are and how we live our lives.
The Gospel message is as alive today as it was in the time of Jesus and we are directly reminded that “The one who is righteous by faith will live”; and those who “Become vain in their reasoning, while claiming to be wise will become fools by exchanging the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of mortal man.”
If we are witnesses to Christ, we must know that the truth will always shine through the darkness. This is our mission amidst the present culture in which we all live in, trying to model our hearts to the Scared Heart of Jesus. Let us then remember that blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see the face God (Mat 5:8). Each one must decide what he wants to see for all eternity, we can not have it both ways.
Monday, October 10, 2011
"If you are who you are meant to be you will set the world ablaze." - St. Catherine of Siena
Our Lord has created persons for all states in life, and in all of them we see people who achieved sanctity by fulfilling their obligations well.--St. Anthony Mary Claret
(Rom 1:1-7)Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,
called to be an Apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the Gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are "called to holiness" (Rm 1:7). The secular culture cherishes the idea that holiness restricts our desires, implying that holy people are not free to do what they "really" want. However, "God has not called us to immorality but to holiness" (1 Thes 4:7). Only the holy "live in freedom — but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh" (Gal 5:13).
"It is God's will that you grow in holiness" (1 Thes 4:3). Yet "there is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle" (Catechism, 2015). There is a saying: "The more I say 'No' to myself, the more I find myself saying 'Yes' to the Holy Spirit." What we learn from that is, by self-denial, what we gain is far more fulfilling than what he renounce.
We can't become holy by our own efforts or will. What we can do is let the Spirit make us holy. The Spirit fights against our sinful desires and gives us holy desires (Gal 5:17). If we desire to be holy, we will be, for Jesus promises: "Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill" (Mt 5:6).
God wants to "share His holiness" with you (Heb 12:10). Answer the call to holiness (Rm 1:7). "Receive the Holy Spirit" (Jn 20:22). Be made holy as God is holy (1 Pt 1:16).
(Rom 1:1-7)Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,
called to be an Apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God,
which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the Gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are "called to holiness" (Rm 1:7). The secular culture cherishes the idea that holiness restricts our desires, implying that holy people are not free to do what they "really" want. However, "God has not called us to immorality but to holiness" (1 Thes 4:7). Only the holy "live in freedom — but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh" (Gal 5:13).
"It is God's will that you grow in holiness" (1 Thes 4:3). Yet "there is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle" (Catechism, 2015). There is a saying: "The more I say 'No' to myself, the more I find myself saying 'Yes' to the Holy Spirit." What we learn from that is, by self-denial, what we gain is far more fulfilling than what he renounce.
We can't become holy by our own efforts or will. What we can do is let the Spirit make us holy. The Spirit fights against our sinful desires and gives us holy desires (Gal 5:17). If we desire to be holy, we will be, for Jesus promises: "Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill" (Mt 5:6).
God wants to "share His holiness" with you (Heb 12:10). Answer the call to holiness (Rm 1:7). "Receive the Holy Spirit" (Jn 20:22). Be made holy as God is holy (1 Pt 1:16).
Sunday, October 9, 2011
YOU ARE INVITED
...Christ did not appoint professors, but followers. If Christianity ... is not reduplicated in the life of the person expounding it, then he does not expound Christianity, for Christianity is a message about living and can only be expounded by being realized in men's lives. --Soren Kierkegaard
(Gospel Mt 22:1-14)
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
"Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."'
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.'
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'
Many are invited, but few are chosen."
God wants His house to be full for His heavenly banquet (Lk 14:23). His strategy for filling His house is to send His servants all over His kingdom, especially to the byroads (Mt 22:9), alleys (Lk 14:21), and other unlikely places.
Jesus understands this dilemma. That's why He specifically calls His servants "fishers of men" (Mt 4:19). Any fisherman who wants to bring home a catch knows that he will probably not easily "come upon" large numbers of fish; rather, he must learn "how to cope with every circumstance" (Phil 4:12). He knows that he must study the habits of the fish and spend much time, effort, and frustration learning their favorite feeding places and times. A leisurely midday fishing trip might be convenient for the fisherman, but he will likely bring home an empty boat. His best catch might come before dawn, in freezing weather, in dangerous waters, or after many unsuccessful attempts. The main question is: Will the fisherman take the trouble to "come upon" the fish?
Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to go out every day and night looking for the dying in the streets to give them love, a dignified death, to clean them, and feed them. Once, she said: «I'm not afraid of dying, because when I will be before the Father, there will be so many poor people I gave Him, that they will know how to defend me».
Let us learn that lesson, too.
(Gospel Mt 22:1-14)
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
"Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."'
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.'
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'
Many are invited, but few are chosen."
God wants His house to be full for His heavenly banquet (Lk 14:23). His strategy for filling His house is to send His servants all over His kingdom, especially to the byroads (Mt 22:9), alleys (Lk 14:21), and other unlikely places.
Jesus understands this dilemma. That's why He specifically calls His servants "fishers of men" (Mt 4:19). Any fisherman who wants to bring home a catch knows that he will probably not easily "come upon" large numbers of fish; rather, he must learn "how to cope with every circumstance" (Phil 4:12). He knows that he must study the habits of the fish and spend much time, effort, and frustration learning their favorite feeding places and times. A leisurely midday fishing trip might be convenient for the fisherman, but he will likely bring home an empty boat. His best catch might come before dawn, in freezing weather, in dangerous waters, or after many unsuccessful attempts. The main question is: Will the fisherman take the trouble to "come upon" the fish?
Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to go out every day and night looking for the dying in the streets to give them love, a dignified death, to clean them, and feed them. Once, she said: «I'm not afraid of dying, because when I will be before the Father, there will be so many poor people I gave Him, that they will know how to defend me».
Let us learn that lesson, too.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Some wish to hear the word of God, others wish to receive it
Jesus tapped me on the shoulder and said, Bob, why are you resisting me? I said, I'm not resisting you! He said, You gonna follow me? I said, I've never thought about that before! He said, When you're not following me, you're resisting me. --Bob Dylan
Gospel text (Lk 11,27-28):
While Jesus was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
"Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed."
He replied, "Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it."
At times, people ask me whether we Christians believe in predestination, as other religions do. Certainly not!: we Christians believe God has reserved for us a destination of happiness. God wants us to be happy, fortunate, blessed. Take notice how this word is being repeated in Jesus' teachings: «Blessed, blessed, blessed...». «Blessed are the poor, the meek, the merciful, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who have not seen and yet have believed» (cf. Mt 5:3-12; Jn 20:29). God wants our happiness, a happiness that begins right here in this world, even though the path leading to it is not wealth, or power, or easy success, or fame, but, the poor and humble love of he who expects it all. The joy to believe!
It is a kind of happiness which is greater than the joy of living, because we believe in an endless and eternal life. Mary, Jesus' Mother, is not only blessed because she bore him and nursed him —as spontaneously surmised that local woman— but, mainly, because of her having heard the Word and kept it: for having loved and having let his Son Jesus love her.
If we know and obey God's Word, we are blest. This means we are happy. "Happy are they who observe His decrees, who seek Him with all their heart" (Ps 119:2). Obeying God's Word also makes us secure. Our lives are like houses built on rock (Mt 7:24). Moreover, those who know God's Word are fully competent and equipped for every good work (2 Tm 3:17
The Lord commands us: "Keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all that is written in it; then you will successfully attain your goal" (Jos 1:8).
Gospel text (Lk 11,27-28):
While Jesus was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
"Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed."
He replied, "Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it."
At times, people ask me whether we Christians believe in predestination, as other religions do. Certainly not!: we Christians believe God has reserved for us a destination of happiness. God wants us to be happy, fortunate, blessed. Take notice how this word is being repeated in Jesus' teachings: «Blessed, blessed, blessed...». «Blessed are the poor, the meek, the merciful, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who have not seen and yet have believed» (cf. Mt 5:3-12; Jn 20:29). God wants our happiness, a happiness that begins right here in this world, even though the path leading to it is not wealth, or power, or easy success, or fame, but, the poor and humble love of he who expects it all. The joy to believe!
It is a kind of happiness which is greater than the joy of living, because we believe in an endless and eternal life. Mary, Jesus' Mother, is not only blessed because she bore him and nursed him —as spontaneously surmised that local woman— but, mainly, because of her having heard the Word and kept it: for having loved and having let his Son Jesus love her.
If we know and obey God's Word, we are blest. This means we are happy. "Happy are they who observe His decrees, who seek Him with all their heart" (Ps 119:2). Obeying God's Word also makes us secure. Our lives are like houses built on rock (Mt 7:24). Moreover, those who know God's Word are fully competent and equipped for every good work (2 Tm 3:17
The Lord commands us: "Keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all that is written in it; then you will successfully attain your goal" (Jos 1:8).
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