Thought of the Day January 31, 2019 Rejoice in the Lord always
By spiritaflame 10:10 AM Thought of the Day
Permit me to close with this story which sums up
why we should plunge
into the joy of the Lord or as St. Paul urges:
“Rejoice in the Lord
always.”
A Cloistered Carmelite Sister solved the problem of life in
this way. Her name was Sister Catherine. She
was preparing the midday
meal
for the sisters in her convent in Spain. She finished early. Nothing
to
do! So while waiting for the bell to announce the time of prayer, she
took
up four pots, put them on her head, and started a balancing skit in
the
small kitchen! She had hardly reached the door, when in came
Mother
Teresa of Jesus. Obviously, Mother Teresa could not help
laughing
seeing Sister Catherine doing this performance in the kitchen!
"Gosh,
Sister, what in the world are you doing?!" And then she
remarked,
"You are so lively! Even to heaven, you will be laughing...." To
which
Sister Catherine immediately answered ... "Why, Mother, is there
any
other way of going to heaven?!"
Would that each of us would have this attitude throughout our lives. Then
when we die, we will laugh our way into heaven as we see the smiling face of
God.
Thought of the Day January 30, 2019 Enter into the joy of the Lord
By spiritaflame 11:10 AM Thought of the Day
Just as the joy of Jesus was contagious, so our joy
is meant
to impact and affect others around us. Have you
ever been
around a joyful person for a long time and did feel
the joy
welling up in you? And the opposite is true. Have
you ever
been around a negative and depressed person and not
leave
with a down feeling yourself? The difference is what is shared
intentionally or unintentionally.
Again listen to the Holy Father’s wisdom.
“If we keep this joy to ourselves it will
make us sick in the end,
our
hearts will grow old and wrinkled and our faces will no
longer
transmit that great joy only nostalgia, melancholy which
is
not healthy. Sometimes these melancholy Christians faces
have
more in common with pickled peppers than the joy of
having
a beautiful life. Joy cannot be held at heel: it must be
let
go. Joy is a pilgrim virtue.”
When
we have the joy of the Lord within us, we will have the
freedom
to sing and dance before the Lord’s presence like
David
did before the Ark of the Covenant. He did this not to draw
attention
to himself but as a sign of his gratitude for the fidelity of God.
In
the words of St. Augustine: “The Christian should be an Alleluia from
head
to foot.” Or as St. John of the Cross
has said: The soul of one
who
loves God always
swims in joy, always keeps holiday, and is always in
the mood for
singing. Learn to enter into the joy of the Lord. (To be
continued)
Reflection on Scripture Fourth Sunday Gospel Year C Opposition to Jesus
By spiritaflame 11:04 AM Reading Reflections
Fourth Sunday Ordinary Gospel C
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
· We pick up where we left off with Last Sunday’s Gospel.
· Luke presents Jesus as the One who fulfills the Old Testament prophesy of Isaiah, which points to the future Messiah.
And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
· Though they speak highly of Jesus, their mood will change very quickly. They are amazed that one of their own would be so learned in the Word of God.
They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”
· Notice they identify Jesus as the son of Joseph. They do not refer to his mother Mary. Is Joseph still alive at this point? We do not know. But we can imagine that Mary was in the synagogue that day.
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
· They were curious to see some of the same signs and wonders Jesus had done in Capernaum and elsewhere. Jesus indicates that just as there was a lack of faith on the part of the people during Elijah’s time so that same lack of faith in him will block him from working the signs of God’ love in their midst.
· Notice Jesus identified himself as a prophet and put himself on the same par as Elijah and Elisha, two of the great prophets of Israel. That was safe. It would not be safe for him to identify himself as the promised Messiah.
When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
· Jesus touched a sensitive nerve in the core of their being when he identified their lack of openness and faith.
· What is God trying to do in our lives at this time, but because of our resistance or lack of openness he is not able to accomplish it?
· This was not the time or place for Jesus to die. His hour had not come.
· Have we experienced rejection or resistance from our family or friends as we seek to follow the way of the Lord? How have we handled it?
· What do we take from this passage and apply to our life?
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
· We pick up where we left off with Last Sunday’s Gospel.
· Luke presents Jesus as the One who fulfills the Old Testament prophesy of Isaiah, which points to the future Messiah.
And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
· Though they speak highly of Jesus, their mood will change very quickly. They are amazed that one of their own would be so learned in the Word of God.
They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”
· Notice they identify Jesus as the son of Joseph. They do not refer to his mother Mary. Is Joseph still alive at this point? We do not know. But we can imagine that Mary was in the synagogue that day.
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
· They were curious to see some of the same signs and wonders Jesus had done in Capernaum and elsewhere. Jesus indicates that just as there was a lack of faith on the part of the people during Elijah’s time so that same lack of faith in him will block him from working the signs of God’ love in their midst.
· Notice Jesus identified himself as a prophet and put himself on the same par as Elijah and Elisha, two of the great prophets of Israel. That was safe. It would not be safe for him to identify himself as the promised Messiah.
When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
· Jesus touched a sensitive nerve in the core of their being when he identified their lack of openness and faith.
· What is God trying to do in our lives at this time, but because of our resistance or lack of openness he is not able to accomplish it?
· This was not the time or place for Jesus to die. His hour had not come.
· Have we experienced rejection or resistance from our family or friends as we seek to follow the way of the Lord? How have we handled it?
· What do we take from this passage and apply to our life?
Thought of the Day January 29, 2019 How truly joyful am I?
By spiritaflame 10:39 AM Thought of the Day
Pope Francis continues to reflect on joy. "The
Christian grows in joy through
trusting in God.
God always remembers his covenant." And in turn, "the
Christian
knows that God remembers him, that God loves him,
that God
accompanies him, that God is waiting for him. And
this is joy."
Pope
Francis goes on to say: It is “joy that Christians breath”,
Christians
express themselves joyfully. Joy cannot be
purchased
or forced. “No”, the Pope said, “it is a fruit of the
Holy
Spirit. The one who puts joy in our hearts is the Holy
Spirit”.
“Joy does not mean living from laugh to laugh. No,
it’s not
that. Joy is not entertainment. No, it’s not that.
It is something
else. Christian joy is peace, peace that is deeply
rooted,
peace in the heart, the peace that only God can
give. This is
Christian joy. It is not easy to foster this joy.”
How joyful are we each day? Is our joy truly a reflection of the presence of the
Lord within us? (To be continued)
Thought of the Day January 28, 2019 Let the joy of Jesus radiate from me
By spiritaflame 10:41 AM Thought of the Day
Like Jesus, we are called to be faithful to our identity as a
child of God, to what God has and is doing in our lives and to the mission he
has given us to accomplish, whether others accept or reject us. For our joy is
in pleasing the Lord primarily and not in pleasing others.
Pope Francis has been very prolific about the need for joy in
the life of the Christian. Let me share with you some of his thoughts.
“A Christian is a man, or a woman, of joy: a man and a woman
with joy in their heart. There is no Christian without joy! You may be told
that there are many such Christians," the pope warned, but “they are not
Christians! They say they are, but they are not! They are missing something.”
“The
Christian identity card is joy, the Gospel’s joy, the joy of
having
been chosen by Jesus, saved by Jesus, regenerated
by
Jesus; the joy of that hope that Jesus is waiting for us, the
joy
that - even with the crosses and sufferings we bear in this
life
- is expressed in another way, which is peace in the
certainty
that Jesus accompanies us, is with us."
Am I a true witness of Jesus if I do not allow the joy of the Lord to radiate
from within me? (To be continued)
Thought of the Day January 25, 2019 Reflecting on our blessings brings joy
By spiritaflame 3:05 PM Thought of the Day
Remembering the blessings of God which we have
received over our lifetime, should raise a joyful response to God for his love
and mercy. Mary’s Magnificat is such a prayer of joy. So is the prayer that
Zachariah uttered at the time of John’s circumcision. The prayer of Simeon
after seeing the Messiah was a prayer of joy. Even the prayer of Jesus to the
Father at the end of the Last Supper was a response of joy for all the Father
had don and will do in glorifying the Son. Knowing that he was going back to the
Father and that the disciples would be initially sad, he prayed: But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they
may share my joy completely.
As I remember the many blessings of God,
gratitude and joy should well up in my heart. Take for instance the grace of my
baptism. Even though I may not have been conscious of this Kairos moment in my
life my parents and godparents
were joyful for me in becoming an adopted child of God. The Church was joyful
in the presence and ministry of the priest. The Father was joyful to welcome
and call me a beloved son. Jesus rejoiced that his death and resurrection
continued to transform creatures in alienation. With joy, the Spirit entered
into me. I became a Temple of the Holy Spirit, sharing the divine life of
God. My conscious joy occurs later in my
life. Having been told of this transforming grace and by grace coming to my own
convicting awareness of God's love, I rejoiced with gratitude in God's mercy
and gift of regeneration.
How often do we reflect on our many blessings with joy?
Thought of the Day January 24, 2019 Joy is the fruit of love
By spiritaflame 2:58 PM Thought of the Day
The joy that Jesus is talking about comes from
the Lord. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that blossoms in our life when we
are in an intimate relationship with God. Paul tells us: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Roms 15:13) Falling
in love with Jesus and growing in love will bring about a joy that no one can
take from us. For this joy is not based on external circumstances but internal
relationship.
The more we live in this relationship the more
we will want to do the will of God in our life. As this brought joy to Jesus,
so it will bring joy to us. The one loved desires to please the lover in
response. As St. Therese of Avila said:
Love is responded to with love alone.
Joy is the fruit of love.
Thought of the Day January 23, 2019 Is our joy contagious?
By spiritaflame 2:51 PM Thought of the Day
Jesus brought joy through his ministry, from the calling of his
disciples to the healing of those who were ill; from the raising of the
daughter of Jairus to the raising of Lazarus; from the feeding of the
multitudes to the deliverances from the bondage of Satan; from his joyful
entrance into Jerusalem to his own resurrection; from finding the lost sheep
and coin to the return of the prodigal son.
At the same time, seeing the effectiveness of the disciples’
ministry after he sent them to minister in his name, Luke tells us: “At that very moment he rejoiced [in] the holy Spirit and
said, ‘I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you
have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them
to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been
Jesus’
joy is contagious. The disciples were also caught up in the joy of the Lord at the
time of ministry. Jesus had sent the seventy-two disciples ahead of him to
minister in his name. Luke tells us: The seventy[-two] returned
rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your
name.” Pleased, Jesus helped them to see why they were joyful. They had
done the will of God in bringing the good news of salvation to those in need.
But Jesus told them that the real focus of their joy is beyond them. He said “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice
because your names are written in heaven.” (Lk 10:21)
Is our joy contagious? (To be continued)
Homily
Third Sunday Year C
Reading
1: What is the background to this reading? People have returned to Jerusalem
after their exile into Babylonia. They began, following the command of God, to
rebuild first the city, then the Temple which were destroyed. In the process of
restoration, Ezra the priest found scrolls which were hidden at the time of the
exile. The scrolls were the Book of the Law, the Torah.
Once
he realized what he had found, namely its significance, he told Nehemiah the
Governor. They decided that the people needed to hear this Word of the Lord
which would explain their relationship to God as his chosen people, the
necessity of living as a Covenant people and how their ancestors were sent into
exile because they had broken the Covenant.
As
Ezra read from the Word of God the people began to weep before the Lord. But
Ezra reminded them that this was not a time to weep over the past but a time of
rejoicing. Why? They have found the source of their history and the
recollection of God’s love for his chosen people. He proclaimed that since they
are the people chosen by God they should rejoice for the Lord is their
strength.
Eventually,
he will call them to renew their covenant with God publicly. The Word of God
was proclaimed; its truth was revealed, interpreted and received with
rejoicing. Each Sunday we gather to hear the Word of God, our Salvation History.
We are reminded how God has truly loved us and has redeemed us, so that we may
be truly his people in whom we find our strength.
Reading
2: Paul reminds us who we are in relationship to God. We are the Body of
Christ. He reminds us also who we are in relationship to one another. We are
members of the one Body. He reminds us that in Baptism we entered into a new
relationship with God and filled with the Holy Spirit. He tells us that because
we are one in Christ there should be no division on antipathy between us.
Each
member is unique and has a unique role in the Body of Christ. As such each is
to be in harmony with the other. Our importance is not in who we are in
ourselves, but who we are in Christ. Therefore, Paul says if one part suffers,
all the parts suffer with it; if one is honored all the members are to be
joyful. We are to understand our role and how we have been gifted by the Holy
Spirit and exercise that gift for the good of others.
Gospel:
We begin with the first four verses of Luke’s Gospel where he states that he
wants to write down in an orderly sequence the life and teachings of Jesus.
This he has received from an eyewitness. Then we jump to the fourth chapter of
Luke, which begins the public ministry of Jesus.
According
to Luke, immediately after the Baptism of the Lord, which we celebrated two
Sundays ago, Jesus began to teach and preach in such a way that people were
amazed. His reputation spread throughout the region of Galilee. Now he returns
to Nazareth, maybe to visit Mary.
Since
he is a covenant observer, faithful to the Law, he goes with Mary to the
synagogue on the Sabbath to praise God and to hear the Word of God. He had just
had a powerful affirmation of the Father’s love for him. He was anointed by the
Holy Spirit so that his ministry would be confirmed with signs and wonders.
Because
he is somewhat of a hometown celebrity already, they ask him to read the Word
of God and interpret it for them. Providentially they gave him the scroll of
Isaiah the prophet. Jesus unrolled it to where Isaiah had prophesied what Jesus
had experienced at his Baptism. It identified his mission as the One promised
and sent by God. After reading the passage he concluded by saying: “Today, this
passage has been fulfilled in your midst.” In other words, I am the one Isaiah
is speaking about. I have experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and
know the plan God has for me. At first the people were amazed, but as Jesus
continued to explain, they turned against him and wanted to kill him.
In
the first reading the people heard the Word of God, wept and then rejoiced at
what God had revealed. In the Gospel the people heard the Word of God, were
amazed but then rejected the interpretation. We have heard the Word of God. How
do we receive it? How do we respond to it? Do we allow it to root in our hearts
and bring about growth and bear fruit? Or do we stifle the Word of God by
ignoring it and not acting on it?
Thought of the Day January 22, 2019 Jesus brought joy to others
By spiritaflame 10:28 AM Thought of the Day
As Jesus kept before him his relationship with the Father, so we are called to
do the same. In so doing our joy will not be altered by the circumstances of
our life, but will be sustained and nourished by our joy in God, whom we hope
to see face to face and be with eternally.
Jesus was a source of joy for
others. Mary rejoices in the Lord after
Elizabeth confirms the word of God to her that she had conceived and was the
Mother of the Lord. Recalling God’s mercy and blessings, Mary proclaims: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the
Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his
handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The
Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:46-49)
Earlier when Elizabeth heard the
greeting of Mary, the Christ Bearer, Luke tells us: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in
her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and
said, ‘Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the
mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.’” Lk 1:41-45)
The birth of the Christ child brings joy to Mary and Joseph. The
angels rejoice in proclaiming his birth to Shepherds. When the Shepherds find
the new born Savior they rejoice. Simeon and Anna rejoiced in the Temple when
the child is presented in the Temple. The Wise Men rejoiced when they
encountered the new born King, after being led by the light of a star and the
light of the prophetic word of God.
Are we bringing joy to others in our daily life? (To be continued)
This inner joy of Jesus, sustained by his relationship with the
Father and the Spirit, did not prevent him from experiencing the normal
struggles, sufferings and sadness of human existence. He wept over the death of
Lazarus and over the obstinacy of the Jewish religious leaders. He was saddened
over the lack of faith of his fellow townspeople and extended family in
Nazareth. He was disturbed by the misunderstanding and refusal of some of his
disciples in accepting his teaching on the Eucharist and his passion.
None of this negated the truth of his identity as the beloved
Son of the Father. Pope Francis may have had Jesus in mind when he wrote:
"l realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times
in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes,
but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal
certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved. I
understand the grief of people who have to endure great suffering, yet slowly
but surely we all have to let the joy of faith slowly revive as a quiet yet
firm trust, even amid the greatest distress.” – Evangelii Gaudium, 6 (To be continued)
Thought of the Day January 18, 2019 The joy of the Father in his Son
By spiritaflame 10:39 AM Thought of the Day
The Father, too, expressed his joy over Jesus' decision to be
the obedient Son. In fact, the Father, who is rarely heard, also publicly
demonstrated his joy. We read in Luke: “After all
the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was
praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit
descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven,
‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Lk 3:21-23) The Fathers
of the Church said that this was the kiss of the Father that was like a seal on
the heart of Jesus sustaining him throughout his life. The
Trinitarian joy becomes complete when the Spirit filled Jesus with a fresh new
anointing, empowering the Messiah with spiritual gifts of signs and wonders.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It flows from living in the Spirit
and following his lead. Jesus was full of the Spirit from the moment of his
conception in Mary’s worm, when the Spirit overshadowed Mary.
The same love and joy of the Father was expressed at the time of
Jesus’ Transfiguration prior to his passion. We
read in Matthew: “While Peter was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a
shadow over them,*then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my
beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’”(Matthew 17:5)
That love was mutual. Jesus loved the Father.
He said that this in different ways. ““My food
is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.” (John
4:34) Jesus found great joy in doing the will of the Father, in pleasing the
Father even by obediently embracing the mystery of the cross. Jesus knew that
the Father would never abandon him, even in the times of his greatest
suffering. In John he says: The one who
sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is
pleasing to him.”(John 8:29) This gave him great joy.
In the same way, Jesus reminds us again and again that he will
never abandon us, that he will be with us till the end of the ages. (To be continued)
Thought of the Day January 17, 2019 Joy comes from relationship with God
By spiritaflame 10:14 AM Thought of the Day
In John 15:11, Jesus
says: “I have told you this
so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” Jesus spoke these words in the context of the relationship
between the vine and the branches. As
the branch that remains attached to the vine shares in the life of the vine and
bears fruit, so, Jesus says, when we remain in him by acting on his word, we
will share in his joy. Do you have the joy of the Jesus in you? Do you want more
of the joy of the Jesus?
What is the joy of Jesus? Just as our joy comes from our
relationship with Jesus, so his joy in his humanity came from his intimate
relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. There was a bond of intimate love between the
Father and the Son both as Son of God and Son of Man. Jesus knew this love
early on in his life. As he grew in wisdom, age and knowledge before God and
man, Jesus became clearly aware of his full identity as the Son of God and of
his mission as the Messiah. In his joyful excitement he desired to make a
public demonstration of his love response to the Father. He chose to totally
obey the will of the Father, no matter the cost, even to lay down his life.
By going down to the Jordan and allowing John the Baptizer to
immerse him into the water would be this public manifestation response. This
event was a joyful kairos moment in the life of Jesus. (To be continued)
Homily
Second Sunday Year C
Reading
1:
It
its initial application the prophet is telling the people in exile that God is
about to restore them to a renewed relationship. He will do this to manifest
his glory
It
its main application the prophet reveals almost 700 years before it happens
that he will send a Messiah to restore them and us from our captivity of sin. In
spite of the infidelity of the people of Israel and our infidelity, God
promises to protect and save us. He has not abandoned us nor will he ever do
so. It is a message of hope and restoration.
He
shows his glory by revealing his great love for us. He will give us a new name,
his “delight” and his “espoused.” We will no longer be “forsaken” and “desolate”.
He refers to himself as a “builder” because God desires to re-build and restore
his initial relationship with us lost by the sin of Adam and Eve.
Reading
2:
Not
only does God delight in us, but he also empowers us for ministry. He lavishly
pours upon us, as he did upon Jesus after his baptism in the Jordan, the
anointing gifts of the Holy Spirit. Like Jesus, he gives us all the gifts we
need to do the work of God.
What
is this work? To manifest that God loves us and delights in us. To each person
the manifestation of the Spirit is given. What should our response be? We are
called to become aware of the Spirit’s lead and to act on that lead in the
gifts and power of the Spirit so that the work of God may be accomplished. These
gifts are to be used in a complete self-giving way. These gifts are given to
build up the kingdom of God by ministering to others.
Unfortunately,
these gifts of the Spirit remain dormant in us for many years until we stir
them into flame, as Paul says, and use them for the purpose designed by God.
Gospel:
Jesus
is aware that the Father delights in him as the Father affirmed this after Jesus’
baptism. Jesus is aware that the Father gave him a fresh outpouring of the
gifts of the Spirit. Jesus, as a result, follows the lead of the Spirit. Jesus
goes forth to manifest the glory of God and the love of God. He does this
initially through the miracle of water becoming wine.
Mary’s
intercession on behalf of the married couple confirmed for Jesus what the
Spirit was saying within him. Underlying Jesus’ response to Mary was his
conviction of doing this because the Father desired it.
He
mentioned that his hour had not come. But he knows that by performing his
miracle—first sign—he will be manifesting the glory of God in anticipation of
the ultimate sign of the Father’s glory, his death and resurrection.
Mary
was led by the Spirit. There is a cooperation of others in this miracle. The
servants had to choose to follow the directions of Jesus, showing the human
participation in the work of God. They had to provide the water and do what
they were told, even if they did not understand.
We
are the delight of the Lord by God’s choice not because of anything we have
done. God pours out his Spirit upon us because of God’s choice. God will lead
us to do the work of the Kingdom. It is our choice to be attentive to the lead
of the Spirit and act on the word of God. Mary’s admonition to the servants
prepared them to experience the miracle. We too are admonished to do whatever
he tells us to do. But when we do, we too will see the glory of God revealed in
and through us.
Thought of the Day January 16, 2019 Plunge into the Joy of the Lord
By spiritaflame 10:45 AM Thought of the Day
Plunge into the Joy of the Lord.
Rich Mullins wrote a song entitled The Joy of Jesus. The words
of two of the verses are:
"And may the joy of Jesus be in you And may the joy of
Jesus be with you And may you know the joy of Jesus And may the joys of Jesus
be in you.
And may you dance and laugh and sing May you know the warmth of
His embrace May you feel the brush of angel wings Like the wind upon your
face."
God is the God of joy. So often we think of God as a stern judge
or an old cranky person. But one of the personal qualities of Jesus is joy.
Yes, he is a man of great sorrows. But he is also an image of joy, reflecting
the joy of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, we don’t see too many
portraits of Jesus depicting him with a smile.
As Son of God, Jesus’ life was fully
human. There were sufferings, trials and difficulties. He embraced the cross
for our sake. And he told his disciples that they too need to take up their
cross and follow him. But he not only wanted them to share with him in his
sufferings but to share in his joy to the full. In John 15:11, Jesus says: “I have told
you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”
Jesus is the source of true, lasting joy. In him we find our joy. The
completion of this joy comes when we are in the presence of God forever in
glory. As Psalm 16:11 says: “You
will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence; the delights at
your right hand forever.” The antiphon for that Psalm in the Divine Office is
more explicit. “When I see your face, O Lord, I shall know the fullness of
joy.” (To Be continued)
Second Sunday Ordinary Gospel Reflections C
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
· Cana was about four miles from Nazareth.
· This is the first mentioned of Mary in John’s Gospel. The second time will be at Calvary. In placing Mary at the beginning and the end of Jesus’ ministry is John trying to say something about Mary’s involvement in the redemptive work of Jesus?
· Since Joseph is not mentioned, it is possible that he has died.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him,“ They have no wine.”
· Mary was not only a guest, but she probably, like the other women, helped in the serving of the food.
· Mary’s role as intercessor is identified here. She continues this role on our behalf even in the present moment.
And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”
· Here and from the cross Jesus addresses his mother as “woman.” This is done in respect. He probably never called her by her name.
· “My hour” is a favorite expression in John’s Gospel. It refers to Jesus ultimate glorification of the Father through the gift of his life on the cross.
His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”
· This simple directive Mary gives to us as well. Her role is to point us to Jesus. How obedient are we to Jesus?
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim.
· This would compute to about 100-150 gallons of water. When Jesus does something he is overly generous. Recall the multiplication of the loaves and the fish or the miraculous catch of fish to the point the nets were breaking. One of the signs of the messianic times was abundance.
Then he told them,“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from -. although the servers who had drawn the water knew -.,the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
· Has Jesus treated you any different? Has he not provided you with the best? What should our response be?
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
· In John’s Gospel, this was the first sign or miracle Jesus performed that led to his disciples putting their faith in him.
· How do we apply this passage to our life? What does Jesus want to teach us through this event?
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
· Cana was about four miles from Nazareth.
· This is the first mentioned of Mary in John’s Gospel. The second time will be at Calvary. In placing Mary at the beginning and the end of Jesus’ ministry is John trying to say something about Mary’s involvement in the redemptive work of Jesus?
· Since Joseph is not mentioned, it is possible that he has died.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him,“ They have no wine.”
· Mary was not only a guest, but she probably, like the other women, helped in the serving of the food.
· Mary’s role as intercessor is identified here. She continues this role on our behalf even in the present moment.
And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”
· Here and from the cross Jesus addresses his mother as “woman.” This is done in respect. He probably never called her by her name.
· “My hour” is a favorite expression in John’s Gospel. It refers to Jesus ultimate glorification of the Father through the gift of his life on the cross.
His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”
· This simple directive Mary gives to us as well. Her role is to point us to Jesus. How obedient are we to Jesus?
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim.
· This would compute to about 100-150 gallons of water. When Jesus does something he is overly generous. Recall the multiplication of the loaves and the fish or the miraculous catch of fish to the point the nets were breaking. One of the signs of the messianic times was abundance.
Then he told them,“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from -. although the servers who had drawn the water knew -.,the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
· Has Jesus treated you any different? Has he not provided you with the best? What should our response be?
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
· In John’s Gospel, this was the first sign or miracle Jesus performed that led to his disciples putting their faith in him.
· How do we apply this passage to our life? What does Jesus want to teach us through this event?
Thought of the Day January 15, 2019 Love is a choice to surrender to another
By spiritaflame 9:49 AM Thought of the Day
In answer to the question, “Why was I made?” an earlier catechism answer responded, “I was made to know, love and serve the Lord in this life and to be happy with him in the next.” When we acknowledge the great commandment, we say “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your mind, with all of your strength and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” To do what these two faith proclamations state, we must choose to align our will with the will of God for us. To do otherwise is to oppose the Lord’s plan by substituting our own plan of life, thus making ourselves the center of life and not God.
Such surrender and alignment can only occur when the love of God is the motivation and not the love of self. This happens when we fall so in love with God that nothing and no one, including ourselves is more important to us. “Love is the ‘weight” of a soul which draws it as if by a law of gravity to what it loves and where it finds its rightful rest.” (Raniero Cantalamessa, Life in the Lordship of Christ, p. 144).
Such surrender and alignment can only occur when the love of God is the motivation and not the love of self. This happens when we fall so in love with God that nothing and no one, including ourselves is more important to us. “Love is the ‘weight” of a soul which draws it as if by a law of gravity to what it loves and where it finds its rightful rest.” (Raniero Cantalamessa, Life in the Lordship of Christ, p. 144).
Choosing out of love to unite our will to the will of God makes this act of surrendering an act of true freedom. We are no longer bound by the law of sin with its roots within us, but are free to live the life of the Spirit, the call to holiness.
"Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures--I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul; I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father." (Charles de Foucauld)
Thought of the Day January 14, 2019 Only in love can I find God
By spiritaflame 10:06 AM Thought of the Day
What happens when I so fall in love with God? "Only in love can I find you, my God. In love the gates of my soul spring open, allowing me to breathe a new air of freedom and forget my own petty self. In love my whole being streams forth out of the rigid confines of narrowness and anxious self-assertion which makes me a prisoner of my own poverty and emptiness. In love all the powers of my soul flow out toward you, wanting never more to return, but to lose themselves completely in you, since by your love you are the inmost center of my heart, closer to me than I am to myself. But when I love you, when I manage to break out of the narrow circle of self and leave behind the restless agony of unanswered questions, when my blinded eyes no longer look merely from afar and from the outside upon your unapproachable brightness, and much more when you yourself, O Incomprehensible One, have become through love the inmost center of my life, then I can bury myself entirely in you, O mysterious God, and with myself all my questions." (Karl Rahner)
When we surrender our sinful need to be in control, we do not surrender the use of our free will. We freely choose to exercise this gift in a way that is in harmony with who we are and in harmony with our ultimate destiny and fulfillment.
"(God), You first loved us so that we might love you--not because you needed our love, but because we could not be what you created us to be, except by loving you." (William of St. Thierry)
"If we really love we will imitate. In fact, we couldn't give in exchange a more exquisite fruit of our love than imitation." (St. Augustine) (To be continued)
When we surrender our sinful need to be in control, we do not surrender the use of our free will. We freely choose to exercise this gift in a way that is in harmony with who we are and in harmony with our ultimate destiny and fulfillment.
"(God), You first loved us so that we might love you--not because you needed our love, but because we could not be what you created us to be, except by loving you." (William of St. Thierry)
"If we really love we will imitate. In fact, we couldn't give in exchange a more exquisite fruit of our love than imitation." (St. Augustine) (To be continued)
St. Augustine expressed his love relationship with God in these words: "Late have I loved you, O beauty so ancient and new! Late have I loved you. Behold you were ever within me, and I abroad seeking you there. I...rushed madly about in the midst of forms beautiful which you made. You were ever with me, but I was not with you. The very things which had not been, unless they were in you, kept me from you. You called me by name, you cried aloud to me, and your voice pierced my deafness.
Listen to the words of St. Theresa of Lisieux: "I have no longer any desire except that of loving Jesus unto folly. Yes, it is love alone that attracts me. I no longer desire suffering nor death, and yet, I love both. I have desired them for a long time. I have had suffering; I have come close to dying....Now, abandonment is my only guide. I can no longer ask ardently for anything except that God's will may be perfectly accomplished in my soul. (St. Therese of the Child Jesus)
Once we fall in love with Jesus, then we want nothing more than to do his will. That was the key to Jesus' own life. He was so in love with the Abba, the Father, that he wanted nothing more than to do the will of the Father, even to the death of the cross. Pleasing the other is the only thing that matters when love is the bond between persons. It is not a chore or a burden; it is a delight and a privilege. "Love consists...in the firmness of our determination to try to please God in everything. (Teresa of Avila) (To be continued)
Listen to the words of St. Theresa of Lisieux: "I have no longer any desire except that of loving Jesus unto folly. Yes, it is love alone that attracts me. I no longer desire suffering nor death, and yet, I love both. I have desired them for a long time. I have had suffering; I have come close to dying....Now, abandonment is my only guide. I can no longer ask ardently for anything except that God's will may be perfectly accomplished in my soul. (St. Therese of the Child Jesus)
Once we fall in love with Jesus, then we want nothing more than to do his will. That was the key to Jesus' own life. He was so in love with the Abba, the Father, that he wanted nothing more than to do the will of the Father, even to the death of the cross. Pleasing the other is the only thing that matters when love is the bond between persons. It is not a chore or a burden; it is a delight and a privilege. "Love consists...in the firmness of our determination to try to please God in everything. (Teresa of Avila) (To be continued)
Thought of the Day January 10, 2019 What love looks like
By spiritaflame 10:47 AM Thought of the Day
In a sense what baptism of water, baptism of the Spirit and baptism of fire do for us is regenerate the heart. Baptism of water gives us the heart of a new creature. The old self alienated from God dies and a new self lives. Baptism of the Spirit give us the heart of disciple/witness open to the work of the kingdom. Baptism of fire gives us the heart of a lover captured in the web of love spun by God who is love.
Down through the ages person after person has made that journey where nothing else mattered but Jesus. And once they surrendered to this relationship, they became consumed by love. The more they loved the more they saw it wasn't enough, because in their gift of love they experienced God's love even more.
When the penitent woman in the Gospel of Luke pours costly perfumed oil on the feet of Jesus, she does it because of her great love for the Master who had forgiven her many sins. Nothing was too costly in comparison to the love shown and the love wishing to be shown. She was captivated by Jesus’ unconditional love and wanted to surrender her total self to please him in all things.
Thomas a Kempis expressed this reality in these words: "He that loves, flies, runs and rejoices; he is free and not bound....Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength pleads no excuse of impossibility...for it thinks all things possible it is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many thing, and brings them to a conclusion. But he who does not love, faints and lies down." (To be continued)
Down through the ages person after person has made that journey where nothing else mattered but Jesus. And once they surrendered to this relationship, they became consumed by love. The more they loved the more they saw it wasn't enough, because in their gift of love they experienced God's love even more.
When the penitent woman in the Gospel of Luke pours costly perfumed oil on the feet of Jesus, she does it because of her great love for the Master who had forgiven her many sins. Nothing was too costly in comparison to the love shown and the love wishing to be shown. She was captivated by Jesus’ unconditional love and wanted to surrender her total self to please him in all things.
Thomas a Kempis expressed this reality in these words: "He that loves, flies, runs and rejoices; he is free and not bound....Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength pleads no excuse of impossibility...for it thinks all things possible it is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many thing, and brings them to a conclusion. But he who does not love, faints and lies down." (To be continued)
It was a long journey for Peter from that first invitation along the sea of Galilee to follow Jesus to that moment when Peter came to love Jesus along the same seashore three years later. (Tell the story.) Along the journey Peter had to be transformed by grace; Peter had to die to what Peter wanted in this relationship; Peter had to let go control of the relationship; Peter had to want what Jesus wanted and nothing else.
Falling in love is like being baptized in fire. We begin our journey of love first by being baptized in water. God pours his love upon us, shares his life with us by which we become adopted sons and daughters of the God who is love. “Love consists in this: not that we have loved God, but that he has loved us” (1 Jn 4:10). Then we experience baptism in the Spirit, in which having recognized the unconditional love of God we desire more than ever before to turn away from sin, to accept God’s love and return God’s love through the power of the Spirit. But it is not until we receive the baptism of fire that our hearts longs for God as much as we long for the breath in our lungs.
Story: Man wanted to grow in his love for God; came to the holy man and asked to be taught how to love God more. The holy man invited the young man to wade into the river until the water was chest high. Then without warning the holy man grabbed the man by the hair and plunged his head under the water, holding it there until the man began to gasp for air. Then he raised his head out of the water. When the man caught his breath, the holy man plunged his head once more under the water, holding it there even longer. Again, when the man thought he no breath left, the holy man lifted his head out of the water. No sooner did he catch his breath again, than the holy man pushed his head under for the third time. He began to blow bubbles and swallow water, when the holy man released his grasp on the man’s head. After catching his breath, the man gasped, “Why were you trying to drown me?” The holy man responded: “When you desire God more than the breath in your lungs, then you will have fallen in love with God.” (To be continued)
Falling in love is like being baptized in fire. We begin our journey of love first by being baptized in water. God pours his love upon us, shares his life with us by which we become adopted sons and daughters of the God who is love. “Love consists in this: not that we have loved God, but that he has loved us” (1 Jn 4:10). Then we experience baptism in the Spirit, in which having recognized the unconditional love of God we desire more than ever before to turn away from sin, to accept God’s love and return God’s love through the power of the Spirit. But it is not until we receive the baptism of fire that our hearts longs for God as much as we long for the breath in our lungs.
Story: Man wanted to grow in his love for God; came to the holy man and asked to be taught how to love God more. The holy man invited the young man to wade into the river until the water was chest high. Then without warning the holy man grabbed the man by the hair and plunged his head under the water, holding it there until the man began to gasp for air. Then he raised his head out of the water. When the man caught his breath, the holy man plunged his head once more under the water, holding it there even longer. Again, when the man thought he no breath left, the holy man lifted his head out of the water. No sooner did he catch his breath again, than the holy man pushed his head under for the third time. He began to blow bubbles and swallow water, when the holy man released his grasp on the man’s head. After catching his breath, the man gasped, “Why were you trying to drown me?” The holy man responded: “When you desire God more than the breath in your lungs, then you will have fallen in love with God.” (To be continued)
Homily
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Reading
1: Isaiah prophesied centuries before the birth of the Messiah who he would be
and what he would do. He is the Servant of the Lord, the chosen One who is
pleasing to God. He will be given of God’ Spirit to reconcile the world to God.
He will be a light for the people, healing and freeing them from bondage.
Jesus
later will show that he is the fulfillment of these words. “I have come to
serve, not to be served.” “I have come to lay down my life for the salvation of
all.”
God
from the beginning of his ministry and throughout affirmed Jesus as his Chosen
One, his beloved Son. We see this on the Day of Jesus’ baptism. The Father was
heard saying: “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And the
Spirit of the Lord fell upon him, anointing him for ministry. From that day on,
Luke tells us, that Jesus was led by the Spirit, teaching, healing and setting
captives free.
Reading
2: Peter, like Isaiah identifies who Jesus is. He is Lord of all. Like Isaiah,
he focuses on what Jesus did under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He went
about doing good, freeing all those oppressed by the evil one. But the most
important identity is that God was with him, fulfilling what Isaiah said: God
would uphold his beloved servant.
From
Pentecost until this event in the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles only
reached out and preached to the Jewish people. Now, God, through a vision told
Peter that some servants from the house of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, will
come asking for him. He was to go with them. While Jesus did not enter into a
Centurion’s house, this was a new moment in God’s plan of salvation. Peter was
directed by God to do so.
Peter
came to realize that God shows no partiality. The Good News of salvation is to
be preached to the Gentiles as well.
The
Church has chosen this reading for today because of its focus on the baptism of
Jesus by John, fulfilling the prophetic plan of God for the salvation of all
people. The baptism of Cornelius, a pagan, and his whole household confirms God’s
plan and Jesus’ final commission to the Apostles: Go out to the whole world and
baptize, teaching them all I have taught you.
Gospel:
The baptism of Jesus is the inauguration of his public ministry. It is the
public affirmation by the Father of Jesus’ relationship with the Father. It is
the public anointing by the Holy Spirit, empowering Jesus in his humanity for
the work of salvation. It is a pivotal
moment in the life of Jesus. Here, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled.
Jesus,
by being baptized, was stating his public yes to the Father’s call for him to
be the Messiah. The Father received his yes and re-affirmed that Jesus was his
Beloved Son. As part of this affirmation the Father anoints Jesus in his
humanity with the power of the Holy Spirit for mission. This experience was the
event that sustained Jesus throughout his ministry. No matter what he had to
endure—rejection, condemnation, abandonment, a cruel death on the cross—Jesus knew
that he was the beloved Son of the Father and that God was with him.
How
important is our baptism for us? Do we know the date of our baptism? Do we
celebrated it? Like Jesus it was the moment in time that the Father said to us:
You are my beloved son or daughter. It was the time that God anointed us with
the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. In times of difficulties do we
return to this experience, this truth: I am the beloved of the Father? If
Jesus, the Beloved of the Father, could endure his sufferings knowing this, can
I not do likewise because I am the beloved too?
We
need to first thank God for the grace of salvation in Baptism. We need to thank
God that we are his beloved. We need to renew our yes to live as the beloved.
We need to follow the lead of the Spirit who is with us and in us.
Thought of the Day January 8, 2019 Our fickleness in relationship with God
By spiritaflame 11:25 AM Thought of the Day
Why are we so fickle in our relationship with God? Why do we take for granted the gift of God's love? We have not yet permanently fallen in love with God! Like Peter we mean well but we don't follow through with our decision. The same Peter who said to Jesus “Lord, to whom shall we go, you have the words of everlasting life. We have come to believe; we are convinced that you are God’s holy one,” is the same person who denied the Master three times on the night of Jesus’ arrest. This was almost prophetically predictable by Peter’s track record before the Resurrection. When Jesus invited Peter to come to him on the water, Peter got out of the boat, gazed at Jesus intently and began to walk on water. But when he took his eyes off Jesus and began to focus on his own weaknesses against the waves and the wind, he began to sink. As long as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus in love and trust, we will not succumb to the temptations of our weak nature.
What we need to do is fall in love with Jesus. What happens when someone falls in love with another person, not just infatuation or self-centered love, but the love that transforms a relationship into a oneness? Nothing else matters but the other person. No mountain is too high to climb, no distance is too far to go, no price is too great to pay. Without the other, life has no meaning. It is not so much what the other can do for us, as much as what can we do for the other.
It was this love which transformed Peter from a fisherman to an apostle, from a doubter to a believer, from a brash, boastful person into a committed lover of the one person who brought the best out of Peter, accepting him as he was. That person was Jesus. (To be continued)
What we need to do is fall in love with Jesus. What happens when someone falls in love with another person, not just infatuation or self-centered love, but the love that transforms a relationship into a oneness? Nothing else matters but the other person. No mountain is too high to climb, no distance is too far to go, no price is too great to pay. Without the other, life has no meaning. It is not so much what the other can do for us, as much as what can we do for the other.
It was this love which transformed Peter from a fisherman to an apostle, from a doubter to a believer, from a brash, boastful person into a committed lover of the one person who brought the best out of Peter, accepting him as he was. That person was Jesus. (To be continued)
Thought of the Day January 7, 2019 Our roller coaster response to God
By spiritaflame 9:51 AM Thought of the Day
When we deliberately and habitually alienate ourselves from God through sin, when we choose to remain in this state of alienation for a long time without concern or remorse, then we are saying that our love is not directed towards the true God but towards a god made more according to our wants and desires. Even though we have been covenanted to God in baptism, even though we have been loved by God unconditionally, we choose to be unfaithful to our commitment of love. This was the situation of Israel in the Old Testament in its espousal relationship to God. Through sin they broke the covenant. Through sin we break our covenant with God.
What is God's response? Listen to the words of God spoken through the prophet Hosea concerning the infidelity of Israel and ours: "So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart....I will make a new covenant for them on that day....I will espouse you to me forever; I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity and you shall know the Lord" (Ho 2: 16, 20, 21-22).
It is not enough just to come back to the Lord through repentance and the sacrament of reconciliation. How often have we done this in the past and then find ourselves running away again like a prodigal son or daughter? We mean well at the time of our return, but the law of sin within us seems too much for us to reject. So like the Israelites in the desert we allow the yearning to return to the flesh pots of our personal Egypt once more to overcome us.
The great miracle is that throughout this spiritual roller coaster of fidelity and infidelity, this off and on, hot and cold response on our part, God's love for us remains unchanged. "My ways are not your ways; my thoughts are not your thoughts." (To be continued)
What is God's response? Listen to the words of God spoken through the prophet Hosea concerning the infidelity of Israel and ours: "So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart....I will make a new covenant for them on that day....I will espouse you to me forever; I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity and you shall know the Lord" (Ho 2: 16, 20, 21-22).
It is not enough just to come back to the Lord through repentance and the sacrament of reconciliation. How often have we done this in the past and then find ourselves running away again like a prodigal son or daughter? We mean well at the time of our return, but the law of sin within us seems too much for us to reject. So like the Israelites in the desert we allow the yearning to return to the flesh pots of our personal Egypt once more to overcome us.
The great miracle is that throughout this spiritual roller coaster of fidelity and infidelity, this off and on, hot and cold response on our part, God's love for us remains unchanged. "My ways are not your ways; my thoughts are not your thoughts." (To be continued)
When we deliberately and habitually alienate ourselves from God through sin, when we choose to remain in this state of alienation for a long time without concern or remorse, then we are saying that our love is not directed towards the true God but towards a god made more according to our wants and desires. Even though we have been covenanted to God in baptism, even though we have been loved by God unconditionally, we choose to be unfaithful to our commitment of love. This was the situation of Israel in the Old Testament in its espousal relationship to God. Through sin they broke the covenant. Through sin we break our covenant with God.
What is God's response? Listen to the words of God spoken through the prophet Hosea concerning the infidelity of Israel and ours: "So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart....I will make a new covenant for them on that day....I will espouse you to me forever; I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity and you shall know the Lord" (Ho 2: 16, 20, 21-22).
It is not enough just to come back to the Lord through repentance and the sacrament of reconciliation. How often have we done this in the past and then find ourselves running away again like a prodigal son or daughter? We mean well at the time of our return, but the law of sin within us seems too much for us to reject. So like the Israelites in the desert we allow the yearning to return to the flesh pots of our personal Egypt once more to overcome us. (To be continued)
What is God's response? Listen to the words of God spoken through the prophet Hosea concerning the infidelity of Israel and ours: "So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart....I will make a new covenant for them on that day....I will espouse you to me forever; I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity and you shall know the Lord" (Ho 2: 16, 20, 21-22).
It is not enough just to come back to the Lord through repentance and the sacrament of reconciliation. How often have we done this in the past and then find ourselves running away again like a prodigal son or daughter? We mean well at the time of our return, but the law of sin within us seems too much for us to reject. So like the Israelites in the desert we allow the yearning to return to the flesh pots of our personal Egypt once more to overcome us. (To be continued)
INFORMATION
JANUARY MONTHLY MASSES
FOR MEN
SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 2019
7:30 AM
FOR WOMEN
SATURDAY JANUARY 12, 2019
8:00 AM
BISHOP'S HOUSE
BRING A FRIEND
FELLOWSHIP AFTERWARDS.
JANUARY MONTHLY MASSES
FOR MEN
SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 2019
7:30 AM
FOR WOMEN
SATURDAY JANUARY 12, 2019
8:00 AM
BISHOP'S HOUSE
BRING A FRIEND
FELLOWSHIP AFTERWARDS.
In the area of love for grace to build on nature what is first needed is the grace of healing of memories and the openness and desire on our part to be healed. This healing begins with forgiveness of the persons who in fact or by perception did not show us love. This forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision. It is a decision in grace to bring to the Lord all the hurts and scars, all the perceptions and experiences, all the verbal and non-verbal signs of rejection and non-love of the past. This choice to forgive each person who so negatively affected us is not for that person's sake, but for our sake, strange as that may sound. This forgiveness involves not only forgiving the other but asking the other for forgiveness for our response and reaction or for anything that was negative in and from us.
As we identify once more these memories which have been suppressed for so long, as we bring them to the Lord, we are to leave them in the Lord's hand or more appropriately at the foot of the cross. We have owned what should not have been owned too long. Now it is time to disassociate ourselves from them so that God can bring his healing within us. Then we can become more receptive of his love as a fact and a perceived reality. All this will take time for us to recognize as grace builds on nature in this area of our lives.
Even when the fact of God's personal love is a perceived reality, we do not always respond to love with love. We can acknowledge that someone loves us, but choose not to love that person in turn. This happens all the time in our human relationships. One spouse can be in love with the other but the gift of love not reciprocated. Many marriages have ended in divorce because one person chose to love someone other than the married spouse. (To be continued)
As we identify once more these memories which have been suppressed for so long, as we bring them to the Lord, we are to leave them in the Lord's hand or more appropriately at the foot of the cross. We have owned what should not have been owned too long. Now it is time to disassociate ourselves from them so that God can bring his healing within us. Then we can become more receptive of his love as a fact and a perceived reality. All this will take time for us to recognize as grace builds on nature in this area of our lives.
Even when the fact of God's personal love is a perceived reality, we do not always respond to love with love. We can acknowledge that someone loves us, but choose not to love that person in turn. This happens all the time in our human relationships. One spouse can be in love with the other but the gift of love not reciprocated. Many marriages have ended in divorce because one person chose to love someone other than the married spouse. (To be continued)
Homily Feast of the Epiphany Year C Our response to God's revelation
By spiritaflame 11:31 AM Homily
Homily
Feast of the Epiphany Year C
Reading
1: To a people who are in a state of spiritual darkness, Isaiah gives hope of a
future glory. He speaks about a light. What is that light? The glory of God.
Jerusalem, once destroyed, will be restored by the Lord. The people once driven
out in exile will return in glory led by the Lord. That prophetic word was
fulfilled.
But
there is another meaning concerning the light. The true light of the world that
destroys and overcomes the darkness of sin is Jesus. His coming brings a new
glory to God’s people and a new revelation. The symbols of gold and
frankincense anticipates the gifts of the wise men in the Gospel. The
proclamation of the promised of the Lord reflects the words of the shepherds,
the wise men and Simon and Anna. These were the initial ones who recognize the
prophecy being fulfilled in the person of Jesus. But what is the new
revelation, implied in the words of Isaiah?
Reading
2: Paul reveals to us that new revelation. He says that it was not known in
previous generations but made known to the Apostles and Paul. What is it? Jesus
came as Savior, not only of the chosen people, the Jews, but of the Gentiles as
well.
Because
of Jesus’ coming and his death and resurrection, we are co-heirs, members of
the same chosen people and co-partners in the salvation brought about by Jesus.
To us, this is not new maybe. But to the people of Paul’s day it was a new
revelation.
Even
the early Jewish converts believed that the Gentiles had first to embrace the
covenant of Moses through circumcision and strictly observe the dietary laws in
order to be saved. Paul says, that salvation comes through baptism, not
circumcision. Gentiles share equally with Jewish converts as members of the
faith community.
If
you were a recent convert as a Gentile, you would no longer feel like a second
class citizen in the community of faith.
Gospel:
The revelation of the birth of the Messiah was proclaimed to the Shepherds by
angels. They came and worshiped. That same revelation of the birth of a new
born king comes to wise men through the sign of a star, a natural sign. But the
true and fuller understanding of how to find and identify this child comes
through the Word of God. It is the information that the priests and scribes
share that gives light to the inquiry of the wise men. Grace builds on nature.
But
hearing the message proclaimed by the angels and being told that the new king
would be born in Bethlehem, requires more than hearing and receiving the truth.
The shepherds acted on the word of the angels. They went with haste to see for
themselves. On seeing, they worshipped and told others of God’s revelation.
The
wise men followed the lead given them by prophesy of Micah. They went to
Bethlehem and found the one they were searching for. They saw a baby with their
human eyes, but saw the revelation of God with the eyes of faith.
We
have come to the annual celebration of the birth of the Savior. We have heard
the words of revelation anew. What has happened in our lives? Business as
usual, like the scribes and priests who read the prophetic word but did nothing
about it personally? Or like the Shepherds and wise men, our lives could not be
the same afterwards. The shepherds could not stop telling others what they had
heard and seen with their own eyes. The wise men couldn’t go back to Herod or the
same way that they had come. Now, because they had heard and seen for
themselves the new born king, there was a new path for them to follow. Has our celebration of the birth of Jesus
open for us a new way of life and a new path to follow?
Thought of the Day January 2, 2019 Grace builds on nature
By spiritaflame 10:38 AM Thought of the Day
There is a theological principle which says that grace builds on nature. By nature we will always struggle with sin because of the inherited roots of concupiscence which remain within us even after baptism. Only through grace can we overcome what Paul calls the law of sin within our body. But we must cooperate with the grace given to us by God if we are to grow in the new life of holiness. But if we allow the law of sin within us to be our focus and not the grace of God, then sin will dominate us and we will never mature in holiness.
This same principle--grace builds on nature-- applies to our ability to love and be loved. It is our nature as human beings to love and to be loved. However, if we do not know what love is because we never really perceived experiencing it in life, then no matter how much God's love is expressed, we cannot receive it nor give it. Both are foreign to us. But if we could break through these life-experiential blocks and receive this gratuitous, unconditional gift then our life would be radically different. (To be continued)
This same principle--grace builds on nature-- applies to our ability to love and be loved. It is our nature as human beings to love and to be loved. However, if we do not know what love is because we never really perceived experiencing it in life, then no matter how much God's love is expressed, we cannot receive it nor give it. Both are foreign to us. But if we could break through these life-experiential blocks and receive this gratuitous, unconditional gift then our life would be radically different. (To be continued)
