Thought of the Day February 28, 2019 Man refuses the grace of God
By spiritaflame 9:33 AM Thought of the Day
My grace is sufficient (continued)
Maybe an analogy would help. While the hot air balloon wants to rise to the heights of the sky, the ballasts, attached to the gondola, weigh it down, holding it close to the ground. Paul attests that the human spirit wants to commune with God while the weaknesses of the flesh and mind keep it entrapped. We seek a life of perfection, but the difficulties, adversities and trials of life --the bumps in a sense--are always part of the journey. We get a glimpse of life with God, knowing with St. Augustine “My heart is restless until it rests in you, my God”, while at the same time, we are aware of the struggles which tend to distract and divert us.
This mixed reality is evidenced from the beginning of the Scriptures and throughout until the end. God created man and woman in his own image and likeness and set them over all of creation as they shared his very life through gift. That was the spiritual high. But then came the low. The evil one came to separate them from God. He began by isolating Eve from Adam; then Eve and Adam from God. The temptation was simple and direct: “You can be like God, knowing good and evil.” “Instead of depending upon God and seeking his will in all things, listen to the doubt I am stirring in your heart,” the Evil One suggests. And God says: “My grace is sufficient.” It fell on hardened hearts, so sin entered into the world and with it death.
Yahweh delivered his people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt through mighty signs and wonders. He brought them into the desert to forge a covenant with them at the foot of Mt Horeb. God revealed his presence through signs and wonders. He called Moses to come up to the mountain to receive the Commandments. This was a spiritual grace moment for Israel. Then came the diversion. The people wanted a god they could see and control. So they fashioned a golden calf which they worshiped with sinful revelry. “My grace is sufficient” could not be heard because of their abominable and idolatrous deeds.
God anointed David, empowered him, gave him the kingly place of honor and authority, defeated all his enemies and yet David lusted after Bathsheba and conceived a child through her, had Uriah, her husband, killed, then took her for his wife. In the moment of temptation David didn’t want to hear “My grace is sufficient”, so he sinned. (To be continued)
Maybe an analogy would help. While the hot air balloon wants to rise to the heights of the sky, the ballasts, attached to the gondola, weigh it down, holding it close to the ground. Paul attests that the human spirit wants to commune with God while the weaknesses of the flesh and mind keep it entrapped. We seek a life of perfection, but the difficulties, adversities and trials of life --the bumps in a sense--are always part of the journey. We get a glimpse of life with God, knowing with St. Augustine “My heart is restless until it rests in you, my God”, while at the same time, we are aware of the struggles which tend to distract and divert us.
This mixed reality is evidenced from the beginning of the Scriptures and throughout until the end. God created man and woman in his own image and likeness and set them over all of creation as they shared his very life through gift. That was the spiritual high. But then came the low. The evil one came to separate them from God. He began by isolating Eve from Adam; then Eve and Adam from God. The temptation was simple and direct: “You can be like God, knowing good and evil.” “Instead of depending upon God and seeking his will in all things, listen to the doubt I am stirring in your heart,” the Evil One suggests. And God says: “My grace is sufficient.” It fell on hardened hearts, so sin entered into the world and with it death.
Yahweh delivered his people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt through mighty signs and wonders. He brought them into the desert to forge a covenant with them at the foot of Mt Horeb. God revealed his presence through signs and wonders. He called Moses to come up to the mountain to receive the Commandments. This was a spiritual grace moment for Israel. Then came the diversion. The people wanted a god they could see and control. So they fashioned a golden calf which they worshiped with sinful revelry. “My grace is sufficient” could not be heard because of their abominable and idolatrous deeds.
God anointed David, empowered him, gave him the kingly place of honor and authority, defeated all his enemies and yet David lusted after Bathsheba and conceived a child through her, had Uriah, her husband, killed, then took her for his wife. In the moment of temptation David didn’t want to hear “My grace is sufficient”, so he sinned. (To be continued)
Homily
Eighth Sunday Year C
Reading
1: One’s speech and words tell us much about a person: character, values,
motives and true self. One uses a sieve or a strainer to separate the useful
and good from what will be discarded. As the reading says: “So too does one’s
speech discloses the bent of one’s mind.”
What
is our strainer? How conscious are we of our speech? Do we control and filter
our thoughts before we speak them? Or do we speak whatever comes to mind,
regardless of the consequences?
The
Letter of James speaks of the important role our tongues have. Like
the
rudder of a boat or the steering wheel of a car, the person can direct the boat
or car in whatever direction. James says: “The tongue is a small part but it
moves great things. By our tongues we bless God and speak evil of others, who
have been made in the likeness of God.”
A
woman confessed that she had gossiped about her neighbor. The priest gave her
two penances: one was to take a feather pillow and spread the feathers over the
neighborhood; then come back to him. When she did, he told her to go and
retrieve each feather. She said that was impossible. Then he said do you see
the destruction you have caused when you said what you said about your
neighbor?
Reading
2: Death is inevitable for each person. As the scriptures say, there is a time
to be born and a time to die. The
question is will death defeat us or will we defeat death?
Paul
tells us that through Jesus we have been given the victory over the second
death, which is eternal alienation from God. In faith we know that we will live
eternally. Physical death is a moment in life. But if we die separated from God
our eternity will be a continuation of the same. If we die in union with God,
because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, then we, by God’s grace and mercy,
will live with God eternally.
What
will make the difference in our life? Paul tells us. “To be firm, steadfast and
always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your
labor is not in vain.”
Gospel:
Jesus picks up the theme of the first reading. How easy is it for us to notice
the faults of others but are blinded to our own more serious failings? Not only
do we notice the other’s faults, but we verbalize them in a judgmental and
condemning way. Jesus calls this hypocrisy! We are being two-faced.
Jesus
tells us to work on our own faults first. Clean our own closet from its
skeletons. And if we are led by God to encourage another to deal with a fault,
do it in and out of love.
As
we enter into Lent, what better area to work on than our thoughts and speech?
What would happen to us if we would spend Lent conscious of filtering our
negative, judgmental, critical, angry and destructive thoughts about others? What,
if instead of letting these stir within us, we brought them to the foot of the
cross before we spoke them? Would we be putting into practice the admonition of
Paul when he said: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it in the name of
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”?
If
we did work on our thoughts and speech this Lent maybe several things would be
accomplished. We would be working on the junk within each of us, with the
awareness of the inevitability of death and its eternal consequences. We would
also build up in love the other persons around us, by not judging them but
encouraging them.
Yes,
there is a law of sin within each of us. But there is also the law of grace to
help us overcome this law of sin if we so choose. God’s grace is sufficient. It’s
our openness that grace that is one of the calls of Lent.
Thought of the Day February 27, 2019 My grace is sufficient
By spiritaflame 10:14 AM Thought of the Day
My Grace is sufficient.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection.’ And so I willingly boast of my weaknesses instead, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I am content with weakness, mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:9-10)
What was the context of this faith realization on Paul’s part? He joyfully boasts of the spiritual highs of his life and humbly acknowledges the spiritual lows. The highs were a gift and the lows were opportunities through temptations. Both came from outside of himself. The highs came from the gratuitous love of God and the lows came from an “angel of Satan” but through the permissive will of God. It was hard for him to verbally explain the visions and extraordinary revelations he experienced and he does not elaborate what “the thorn in the flesh” was.
Listen to his own words as he relates the spiritual highs: “I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, whether he was in or outside his body I cannot say, only God can say--a man who was snatched up the third heaven. I know that this man--whether in or outside his body I do not know, God knows--was snatched up to Paradise to hear words which cannot be uttered, words which no man may speak.” (2 Cor 12: 2-4) That was the high; some mystical experience given to Paul by God, not because of his own merit but as pure gift of grace.
But to ensure that the Corinthians did not think that he was above the weakness of humanity because of this spiritual experience, Paul provides the contrasting picture, the reality of life, which many more could easier relate to. Listen again to his words: “But I refrain, lest anyone think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from my lips. As to the extraordinary revelations, in order that I might not become conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and keep me from getting proud.” (2 Cor 12: 7-8)
(To be continued)
“My grace is sufficient for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection.’ And so I willingly boast of my weaknesses instead, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I am content with weakness, mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:9-10)
What was the context of this faith realization on Paul’s part? He joyfully boasts of the spiritual highs of his life and humbly acknowledges the spiritual lows. The highs were a gift and the lows were opportunities through temptations. Both came from outside of himself. The highs came from the gratuitous love of God and the lows came from an “angel of Satan” but through the permissive will of God. It was hard for him to verbally explain the visions and extraordinary revelations he experienced and he does not elaborate what “the thorn in the flesh” was.
Listen to his own words as he relates the spiritual highs: “I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, whether he was in or outside his body I cannot say, only God can say--a man who was snatched up the third heaven. I know that this man--whether in or outside his body I do not know, God knows--was snatched up to Paradise to hear words which cannot be uttered, words which no man may speak.” (2 Cor 12: 2-4) That was the high; some mystical experience given to Paul by God, not because of his own merit but as pure gift of grace.
But to ensure that the Corinthians did not think that he was above the weakness of humanity because of this spiritual experience, Paul provides the contrasting picture, the reality of life, which many more could easier relate to. Listen again to his words: “But I refrain, lest anyone think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from my lips. As to the extraordinary revelations, in order that I might not become conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and keep me from getting proud.” (2 Cor 12: 7-8)
(To be continued)
The prayer of Saint Faustina, a humble apostle of Divine
Mercy in our times may help us to better understand mercy in action and how to
plunge into mercy.
“Help me, O Lord,
…that my eyes may be merciful, so that I will never be suspicious or judge by appearances, but always look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and be of help to them;
… that my ears may be merciful, so that I will be attentive to my neighbors’ needs, and not indifferent to their pains and complaints;
… that my tongue may be merciful, so that I will never speak badly of others, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all;
… that my hands may be merciful and full of good deeds;
… that my feet may be merciful, so that I will hasten to help my neighbor, despite my own fatigue and weariness;
… that my heart may be merciful, so that I myself will share in all the sufferings of my neighbor” (Diary, 163).
…that my eyes may be merciful, so that I will never be suspicious or judge by appearances, but always look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and be of help to them;
… that my ears may be merciful, so that I will be attentive to my neighbors’ needs, and not indifferent to their pains and complaints;
… that my tongue may be merciful, so that I will never speak badly of others, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all;
… that my hands may be merciful and full of good deeds;
… that my feet may be merciful, so that I will hasten to help my neighbor, despite my own fatigue and weariness;
… that my heart may be merciful, so that I myself will share in all the sufferings of my neighbor” (Diary, 163).
In so many ways we are recipients of the mercy of God flowing from the heart
of Jesus as the divine rays. Even before we cry out, ALord, have mercy,@ his gift of mercy has
been promised and given, independently of anything we do. Our cry for mercy does not open up the door
of mercy in God=s
heart, but opens us to the given reality
of God=s love, already poured
out.
Paradoxically, the extent
of openness of the door of our own heart to receive mercy is in proportion to
the wideness of mercy we extend to others in love. This is the meaning of the statement in the
Beatitudes: ABlessed
are they who show mercy, mercy shall be their=s@ (Mt 5:7). Our Holy Father has given us this reflection:
AThe church sees these
words (of the Beatitude) as a call to action.
Practicing mercy is a lifestyle, a characteristic of the Christian
vocation. It is a creative love in which
the one who gives also profits, and in any case they who show mercy can easily
find themselves in need of mercy.@
(14)
What we want, what this world needs, is for us to live
the mercy of God—to be mercy right down to the depths of our soul—in what we
say and what we do.
That is why Jesus tells us: “Blessed are the merciful,
they shall receive mercy.” God has shown us mercy beyond measure. The only
response to mercy is mercy, just as the only response to love is love. Jesus
reminds of this if different ways. One was in the parable of the merciless
servant. Though he had been totally and freely forgiven an enormous debt by the
Master, he was not grateful. Instead, he insisted that another servant, a peer,
should pay back the small debt he owed. He refused to show the same mercy to
another. As a result, that merciless servant had to pay for his ingratitude. He
failed to remember that the gift one measures with will be measured back to
that person. How could he expect mercy again, if he did not show mercy? (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 22, 2019 It is by mercy we are saved
By spiritaflame 10:09 AM Thought of the Day
From natural birth in blood to spiritual rebirth in
the waters of baptism to our entrance into eternal glory is a continual
experience of God's tender, compassionate mercy. All is mercy. God is not obliged to love us.
He chooses to do so. While we are deserving his judgment because all have
sinned and have fallen short of glory, God's mercy brings us through judgment
to glory.
Let me tell you a story. A man dies and goes to
heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says,
"Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell
me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points
for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get
in." "Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman
for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart." "That's
wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life
and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."
"Terrific!" says St. Peter, "that's certainly worth a
point." "One point? Golly. How
about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for
homeless veterans." "Fantastic, that's good for two more
points," he says. "TWO POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this
rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!" "Come on
in!
We will only know in eternal glory the blessings of
mercy we have received from God in our life time. In a flash back we will see
our whole life before us: our shortcomings deserving of judgment and God's
mercy freely given. He does this so that we will never believe that it is by
our actions that we merited eternal salvation. Our cry, Lord, have mercy, can
never be empty words but must be a realization of our true condition as human
beings. We are in need of God's mercy. Maybe it has best been said by St. John
Chrysostom: "Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our
credit, our confidence in being heard by God must be based on God's mercy and
love for us. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that
we shall be saved." (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 21, 2019 Jesus shows us mercy
By spiritaflame 9:47 AM Thought of the Day
What Jesus expressed in parable about the mercy of our
heavenly Father, he lived in his own life.
The greatest demonstration of mercy in action is seen in the event of
Jesus= death and
resurrection. Though innocent and
without sin and deserving of love, he received cruel injustice at the hands of
man and seeming abandonment by God. In
the words of Paul to the Corinthians: AFor
our sake God made him who did not know sin to be sin.@(2 Cor 5:21). Out of love
for us the Father asked the Son to take on all of the sins of the world and destroy
sin and death through the free gifts of his life for our life. What an exchange: Sin for grace in mercy,
death for life and freedom! Not receiving any justice, Jesus showed us Mercy.
Each person is a child of God with dignity and worth
that is only God-given. Sometimes, that dignity is tarnished through personal
sin or because of the sins of others inflicted on us. In any case, shame and
guilt makes it hard to see our true worth. In our misery we need mercy, which
begins with an awareness of God’s forgiveness.
We don’t deserve mercy nor can we merit mercy. It is a gratuitous gift
from God, who gives us not what we deserve but what we are in desperation for
to truly survive.
Paul states it beautifully in his Letter to the
Ephesians: “You were dead in your
transgressions and sins in which you
once lived following the age of this world, following
the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the
disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the desires of
our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by
nature children of wrath, like the rest. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he
had for us, even
when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in
Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the
immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-7) (To be continued)
Homily:
Seventh Sunday Year C
Reading
1: Background. Though David had served Saul the King faithfully, Saul wanted to
kill David so as to prevent him from being king. Saul was in pursuit of David. Saul
was not seeking the Lord’s will but his own desires. But will David seek the
Lord’s will?
David
is put to the test when he had a clear opportunity to end the pursuit and
settle the question of who should be king. His aide, Abishai, was
guided/motivated by his natural inclinations: kill your enemy when you have the
opportunity. David was motivated by a higher, sacred principle: Do no harm to
the Lord’s anointed.
Being
anointed by the Lord himself, David knew that Saul likewise had been set aside
by God. David shared his inner commitment to God by respecting what God
respects. Because of this, in time after the death of Saul in battle, David was
recognized and anointed as King of Israel.
Are
we guided by the principle of the Spirit or the principle of the flesh? Does
faith or feeling determine our actions?
Reading
2: Paul contrasts Adam, the first man with Christ, the second man. The first
Adam was a living being; Jesus was both human and a life-giving spirit. Adam
followed his natural instincts and sinned. Jesus followed spiritual leadings
and did the will of the Father.
We
are both earthly and spiritual. But what is and what should be the source and
foundation of our life and daily decisions? Are they our earthly drives which
are flawed because of sin or our spiritual relationship with Christ, which
gives us the grace to seek the Father’s will? Will we allow our earthly life to
dominate our spiritual life and thus let sin rule us? Or will we choose the
grace of God to enable us to direct our earthly life according to God’s plan?
Gospel:
These words from Jesus’ teaching are familiar to us. They constitute the foundation and the
challenge of what it means to be a disciple. Jesus makes practical the choice
between our earthly nature and our spiritual nature: our relationship with Adam
through birth or our relationship with Jesus through rebirth in baptism.
Nature
learned perceptions say: hate your enemy; do evil to those who hate you, curse
those who curse you, mistreat those who mistreat you. Eye for an eye and tooth
for a tooth. This is the earthly Adam within us.
But
being reborn in baptism, sharing life with and in Jesus challenges us to: love
our enemies; do good to those who hate us; pray for those who mistreat us; turn
the other cheek; go beyond what is required. What is the foundation of our
spiritual principle? Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.
These
expectations from Jesus are against the world’s thinking and are counter
culture. At the heart of these directives are two primary initiatives:
forgiveness and embracing the cross of mistreatment as Jesus did. Pope St. John
Paul II gave us such an example when after being shot, went to see his
assailant to forgive him. He suffered mistreatment but offered forgiveness. Obviously,
Jesus is the perfect witness. From the cross he extended forgiveness to those
who put him to death.
Jesus’
words challenge us to be more like God. God loves us beyond our ability to
comprehend or imagine. He loves us unconditionally in spite of our faults and
failings. We may never be able to love God the same way but we can love God by following
his directives to the best of our abilities. We can seek to be more like the
second Adam rather than the first Adam.
The younger son (in the parable of the Prodigal Son) asked for what he deemed was his by
right, his inheritance. What he received
was the gift of love, since the inheritance was not his until his father died. And yet the father out of love gave it to
him, when he was still living. When the
son lost all because of his selfish lifestyle, he did not deserved to be a son,
for he had thrown the privilege away when he separated himself from the father. He did not even have a right to be a servant or a hired hand. In justice the father should
have treated the son with contempt, as the latter had treated the father. The elder one should have humiliated the son
as the father was humiliated. But the
merciful love of the foolish father could not permit him to do anything else
but forgive, accept and restore this his son.
This mercy is made clear when the father could have
rightly demanded the son to plead with him for forgiveness. Instead of running to the son, the father
should have waited for the son to come all the way to him. But all the actions of the father B from running to his son,
from embracing and kissing his son, from putting a ring on his finger and rich
robes on his body, from killing the fatted calf and declaring a party of
celebration B
all pointed to a total gift of mercy.
The core of mercy is found in the real dignity
inherent in the father and in the son.
In the words of John Paul II: AMercy
is based on the common experience of the dignity that is proper to a
person. It is his dignity that makes the
son understand the truth about himself and his actions; it is that re-found
dignity that is respected by the father in a way that he seems to forget all
evil done.@
(6)
It is mercy that dictates that it is better to restore
the person than to destroy the person; to love the person into life than to
hate the person into death; to extend to another what in greater degree has
already been given to me. (To be continued)
Reflection on Scripture Seventh Sunday Gospel C The way of life of a disciple
By spiritaflame 10:34 AM Reading Reflections
Seventh Sunday Ordinary Gospel C
Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
· How does the word of Jesus correspond or conflict with the learned behavior taught by the world today?
· The way of a disciple of Jesus must be different than the way of the world. One leads to eternal life and the other the destruction of life and relationships. Which do you want to choose?
· How does God treat us? This is the way we are to treat others. God moves from justice to mercy and love. Do we expect God to treat us in any other way than we treat others?
· Jesus gives specific examples how we are to move from justice to mercy in our relationship to others. How do we measure against them?
For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
· The love Jesus is requiring of us is not an emotional feeling, but a decision to act for the good of the other because God has shown us this kind of love when we were undeserving of it. Is our love for others reflective of this command of Jesus? If not, what will we decide to do?
· If we think Jesus is asking too much of us, view him on the cross and see that he put into action what he asked of us.
· The basis of what we do as disciples is not the way of the world but the way of the Lord. Which way do we choose to follow?
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
· What a sobering thought! The way we treat others is the way we are telling God to treat us. If we love others, forgive others, show kindness to others, then this is how God will judge us. But the opposite is also true. God has set the standard of mercy and love. But if we want the standard to be strict justice and non-forgiveness, so it will be.
· What needs to change in our life as a result of reflection on this passage?
· With Lent coming up what could be a good Lenten resolution as a result of this teaching of Jesus?
Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
· How does the word of Jesus correspond or conflict with the learned behavior taught by the world today?
· The way of a disciple of Jesus must be different than the way of the world. One leads to eternal life and the other the destruction of life and relationships. Which do you want to choose?
· How does God treat us? This is the way we are to treat others. God moves from justice to mercy and love. Do we expect God to treat us in any other way than we treat others?
· Jesus gives specific examples how we are to move from justice to mercy in our relationship to others. How do we measure against them?
For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
· The love Jesus is requiring of us is not an emotional feeling, but a decision to act for the good of the other because God has shown us this kind of love when we were undeserving of it. Is our love for others reflective of this command of Jesus? If not, what will we decide to do?
· If we think Jesus is asking too much of us, view him on the cross and see that he put into action what he asked of us.
· The basis of what we do as disciples is not the way of the world but the way of the Lord. Which way do we choose to follow?
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
· What a sobering thought! The way we treat others is the way we are telling God to treat us. If we love others, forgive others, show kindness to others, then this is how God will judge us. But the opposite is also true. God has set the standard of mercy and love. But if we want the standard to be strict justice and non-forgiveness, so it will be.
· What needs to change in our life as a result of reflection on this passage?
· With Lent coming up what could be a good Lenten resolution as a result of this teaching of Jesus?
What does Jesus teach us about mercy?
Jesus=
best teaching on the mercy of the Father is reflected in the lives of three
fictional but relatable individuals in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. While
the characters are totally human, the message expressed in the actions of the
forgiving father are a reflective glimpse of the infinite mercy of God. In the father of the parable, love overcomes
separation, rejection and all denial of the younger son=s true identity; mercy
overshadows human justice and unrighteous anger demanded by the older son. In
all Athe father...is faithful
to his fatherhood, faithful to his love for his son."
In the prodigal son, folly squandered material goods
and unworthiness and guilt replace
self-importance and past dreams; the reality of sin revealed his humiliation,
seen in his resigned willingness to
embrace the life of a hired servant. In
the older brother, resentment blinded judgement; anger denied relationship to
the father and to the brother; rejection of his father=s decision alienated him
from the family=s
joyful celebration. While the father saw the son=s
return in terms of resurrection and new life, the older brother would have
preferred him to remain dead and forgotten. He wanted strict, unrelenting
justice, swift and final.
Mercy is one of expressions of love. Justice is that
which is due a person either by right or because the person earned it. Mercy is
that which goes beyond justice. No one has a right to Mercy nor is it an earned
reward. Mercy is a pure gift; lavishly
poured out because of another=s
bounteous love.
How have you experienced the mercy of God? (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 18, 2019 Jesus plunged into our misery
By spiritaflame 10:06 AM Thought of the Day
Jesus does
not deny that sin and sinners exist; he does not justify Zacchaeus’ frauds or
the deed of the woman caught in adultery or Peter’s triple denial or the
repentant thief. He recognized the
sickness that sin brings about, a sickness that distorts the true image of the
person. Amidst
the internal misery, he saw the imprinted image and likeness of God within. His mercy is greater than their misery.
His mercy can transform their misery into beauty once again.
Jesus
justifies his behavior toward sinners saying that this is how the heavenly
Father acts. He reminds his adversaries of God’s word to the prophets: “It is
mercy that I want and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13).
This is the
theme of the parables of mercy we read in Luke 15: The lost sheep, the lost
coin and the prodigal son. The strayed sheep is vulnerable to its predators,
will die without food and drink. It
cannot take care of itself. The coin is precious to the woman, who diligently
searches for it. The prodigal son’s life ends up in dire straits so much so
that he can’t even eat the food of pigs, because he is worse than them in his
own eyes. As the Shepherd goes after the lost sheep out of love and mercy, as
the woman searches until she finds the lost coin and as the Father welcomes
back the lost son, so Jesus says my Father will show each of you mercy.
Someone has said: “An act of mercy is really to enter into somebody’s chaos,
into all the attendant issues that they have to work with and live with,”
This is what Jesus did when he became man. He plunged into our life of misery so that we can plunge into his eternal mercy. (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 15, 2019 We are in need of God's mercy.
By spiritaflame 10:28 AM Thought of the Day
This is what
St. Augustine says of mercy. “We
human beings, we are vessels of clay that are damaged by the slightest nick” We
cannot live together in harmony, in the family and in any type of community,
without the practice of reciprocal forgiveness and mercy. Mercy (“misericordia”
in Latin) is a word composed of “misereo” and “cor”; it means to be moved in
your heart, to be moved to pity, in the face of suffering or by your brother’s
mistake. This is how God explains his mercy when he sees the people going
astray: “My heart is overwhelmed, my pity is stirred” (Hosea 11:8).
Pope
Benedict in one of his reflections on mercy says: “Indeed, mercy is the central
nucleus of the Gospel message; it is the very name of God, the Face with which
he revealed himself in the Old Covenant and fully in Jesus Christ, the
incarnation of creative and redemptive Love.”
Jesus’ outreach in mercy both in
teaching and action is rooted in his understanding of the true dignity of each
person. Thus, he could say: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but
the sick do. Go and learn
the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy,
not sacrifice.’ I did not come to
call the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13)
We are all sinners and are in need of God's mercy constantly and continually. (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 14, 2019 Jesus, the face of mercy.
By spiritaflame 10:05 AM Thought of the Day
But my favorite passage from Hosea about
God’s loving, forgiving mercy is found in the second chapter of the prophet.
After a history of infidelities and worship of idols, God says: “Therefore, I will allure her now; I will
lead her into the wilderness and speak persuasively to her. Then I will give
her the vineyards she had, and the valley of Achor as a door of hope. There
she will respond as in the days of her youth, as on the day when she came up
from the land of Egypt. On that day you shall call me ‘My husband,’ and you
shall never again call me ‘My baal.’ I will remove from her mouth the names of
the Baals; they shall no longer be mentioned by their name. I will make a
covenant for them on that day....Bow and sword and warfare I will destroy from
the land, and I will give them rest in safety. I will betroth you to me
forever: I will betroth you to me with justice and with judgment, with loyalty
and with compassion; I will betroth you to me with fidelity, and you shall know
the LORD.” (Hosea 2:16-22)
Reflect on Jesus' mercy especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. (To be continued)
Homily
Sixth Sunday Year C
Reading
1: Jeremiah contrasts for us trust in human beings versus trust in God. For the
prophet anyone who trusts in human beings, anyone who trusts in human power and
not in the divine, turns his heart away from God. These actions described by
Jeremiah are all internal actions.
Our
currency at present states “In God we trust”. However, our actions as a people
reveal we trust in ourselves and others and not in God. Recent events have
revealed the futility of trusting in others, who in their own greed have
brought about financial crises, moral disintegration, political injustice.
It
is not trust in others that is the problem but trust in others by turning away
from God. If there is not a level of trust between people there would be
anarchy. However, it is when God is left out of the equation that man falls
apart.
To
trust in human beings and turn away from God is an attempt to make human beings
gods, the center of reality, the beginning and end of everything. Every
political, economic and social system that does not have God as the center has
failed over the centuries.
Trust
in God or trust in self or others was the temptation in the Garden of Eden. It
was the temptations faced by Jesus.
Reading
2: Paul touches on the central message of our faith: the Resurrection of Jesus
from the dead. Because of his Resurrection, we believe that those who die in
relationship to him will rise with him on the last day with glorified bodies.
Our
faith, as Paul says, is not only in the Incarnation (Word became flesh), not
only in the death of Jesus on the cross (our redemption). It is also in his
prophetic word revealing that he would rise on the third day. As Paul says,
either Christ is who he said he is or he is not. Either he fulfilled his
promises to rise from the dead or did not. Each Sunday we profess our faith in
the resurrection of Christ from the dead and our faith in our own future
resurrection from the dead with and in Christ.
Gospel:
Jesus preaches a message that is counter cultural. He calls the physically and
materially poor blessed and confronts the self-focused materially rich. He does
the same with those who are physically hungry in contrast to those who are physically satisfied; those who are mourning
in contrast to those who are enjoying life oblivious of others.
It
is not that Jesus is exalting human poverty, hunger, sadness while condemning
the opposites. The underlying factor is one’s relationship with God whether one
is poor or rich, hungry or satisfied. In light of that relationship the poor
person places his trust in God and the one with wealth sees that he is a
steward of what belongs to God.
Jesus
is not opposed to wealth nor does he wants people to suffer poverty. Did he not
accept to dine with the rich man? Did he not feed the five thousand? Did he not
raised the son of the widow of Naim? Did he not change water into wine so the wedding
celebration could continue?
The
question is poverty with or without God and richness without reference to God
or under the Lordship of God.
Jesus
himself was poor in the sense he had no place to lay down his head but rich
because he trusted in the providence of the Father to care for him as long as
he was doing the will of the Father.
So
the question is whether we trust in God or in ourselves and others. If we are
rich or full or happy, are we conscious of those in need and what does God want
us to do with what we have? Or are we oblivious like the rich man towards
Lazarus? We can’t solve the world’s problem. But we can make a difference in
one person’s life.
Thought of the Day February 13, 2019 Plunge into the ocean of mercy
By spiritaflame 10:26 AM Thought of the Day
Plunge into the ocean of mercy
Matthew 5:7: “Blessed are
the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew gives us the command of
Jesus. Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful. Jesus
gives us the reason for us to be merciful.
What is mercy? First, we need to see it from God’s
perspective to better understand what God is saying to us. There are two main
terms used in the scriptures for mercy: hesed
and rahamim. The first expresses God’s unfailing fidelity to his covenant
relationship with the people of Israel. It is based on his everlasting love,
namely on who he is. The second is more graphic. Literally, it means from the
bowels of God or mercy that is from deep within. That is why the prophets talk
about God’s love for his people is like that of a mother for the child she bore
in her womb. This love was expressed by Isaiah thus: “Can
a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget, I will never forget you” (Is 49:15).
Hosea, the prophet, expresses this tender
love of God for his people in words of gratuitous and forgiveness. As a father
loves a son, so God said to Israel: “When Israel was a child I loved him; out
of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the farther they went from
me... Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them in my arms; I drew
them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises
an infant to his cheeks... I stooped to feed my child” (Hos 11:1-4).
Reflect on God's mercy which you have received many times over. (To be continued)
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Times Gospel Reflections C
Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
· Luke tells us that Gentiles from Tyre and Sidon as well as Jews from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to hear Jesus and experience his miraculous powers.
· What comes before this passage in Luke is the relating that Jesus spent the night on the mountain side in prayer and followed this by naming the twelve apostles. Thus he came down with the twelve.
· What we have is Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew’s Gospel.
· Luke’s version is shorter because, though he is dependent on Matthew for one of his sources, his audience is different from Matthew. Matthew is predominately speaking to Jewish converts; Luke to Gentile converts.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
· Luke addresses the economically and socially poor and calls them blessed. Matthew focuses on the religious and spiritual poor who depend on the Lord for all.
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.
· Again the same distinction is made by Luke and Matthew: Luke is concerned about the people in his community who are without proper amount of food and calls them blessed. While they may suffer now, they will be blessed. Matthew looks at those who are hungry and thirsty for justice and righteousness.
Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
· Luke is addressing the physically sad; Matthew blesses those who mourn because of sin.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way
· Do we experience some of this in our life because we try to follow Jesus? If so, we should be happy to know that we will be blessed, not now but in heaven.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
· Luke provides four “beatitudes”; Matthew gives eight.
· Luke balances the picture by adding some negative contrasts: four woes. These are absent from Matthew.
· Luke addresses those who are financially rich but who do not share their blessings with those who are poor.
Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
· In contrast to those above who are hungry now and who will be satisfied later, Luke tells those who are physically filled now that they will be hungry because they did not share with others.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
· Luke reminds those who enjoy their lives without concern for others or at the expense of others that the day will come when their situation will become reversed.
· Recall the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the poor man. (Lk 16:19-31)
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”
· Notice all four woes are in contrast to the four blessings. Luke seeks to warn those in his community what true discipleship is all about.
· What application can you make in your own life from this passage?
Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
· Luke tells us that Gentiles from Tyre and Sidon as well as Jews from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to hear Jesus and experience his miraculous powers.
· What comes before this passage in Luke is the relating that Jesus spent the night on the mountain side in prayer and followed this by naming the twelve apostles. Thus he came down with the twelve.
· What we have is Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew’s Gospel.
· Luke’s version is shorter because, though he is dependent on Matthew for one of his sources, his audience is different from Matthew. Matthew is predominately speaking to Jewish converts; Luke to Gentile converts.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
· Luke addresses the economically and socially poor and calls them blessed. Matthew focuses on the religious and spiritual poor who depend on the Lord for all.
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.
· Again the same distinction is made by Luke and Matthew: Luke is concerned about the people in his community who are without proper amount of food and calls them blessed. While they may suffer now, they will be blessed. Matthew looks at those who are hungry and thirsty for justice and righteousness.
Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
· Luke is addressing the physically sad; Matthew blesses those who mourn because of sin.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way
· Do we experience some of this in our life because we try to follow Jesus? If so, we should be happy to know that we will be blessed, not now but in heaven.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
· Luke provides four “beatitudes”; Matthew gives eight.
· Luke balances the picture by adding some negative contrasts: four woes. These are absent from Matthew.
· Luke addresses those who are financially rich but who do not share their blessings with those who are poor.
Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
· In contrast to those above who are hungry now and who will be satisfied later, Luke tells those who are physically filled now that they will be hungry because they did not share with others.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
· Luke reminds those who enjoy their lives without concern for others or at the expense of others that the day will come when their situation will become reversed.
· Recall the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the poor man. (Lk 16:19-31)
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”
· Notice all four woes are in contrast to the four blessings. Luke seeks to warn those in his community what true discipleship is all about.
· What application can you make in your own life from this passage?
Transformation
cannot take place as long as the fear of dying to self
controls
us. Plunging into the river of God’s grace involves risking and trusting in the
word of God. Isaiah says “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who
have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and
without cost.”
Lord,
we thank you because for our sake you opened your heart; because in your death
and in your resurrection you became the source of life. Give us life, make us
live from you as our source, and grant that we too may be sources, wellsprings
capable of bestowing the water of life in our time. We thank you for the grace
of Baptism ,Confirmation and Eucharist. Lord bless us, and bless all those who in our time
are thirsty and continue to seek. Amen.
Thought of the Day Februar 11, 2019 The water of life is the Spirit
By spiritaflame 10:14 AM Thought of the Day
In John: 7, Jesus used the opportunity to teach that He is source of this
life-giving water. This river of grace flowed from his pierced side at the time
of his death. It was then that he poured
out his Spirit who is the means by which we receive this life-giving grace. But
for this life-giving water-grace to impact us we have to have a greater thirst
for Jesus than we have now. To believe in Jesus is not an initial assent of the
head but a deeper commitment of our heart to the person who is truly the Lord
of our lives. Understanding of who Jesus is to us is necessary, but more
important is our ever growing love for him.
The gift of the Spirit we received in Baptism and again through
a fresh infusion in Confirmation. But for this gift not to be dormant but to be
effective and fruitful, we must learn to plunge more fully in the life of the
Spirit, allowing the Spirit to lead us into the fuller life of God through holiness
and service.
We do not plunge into the deeper life of this river of grace for
ourselves only. We are to become a conduit by which this river of life can
satisfy others’ in their thirst, like the Samaritan woman.
Listen to Pope Benedict XVI: “In this way the
believer himself becomes a wellspring which gives living water to the parched
earth of history. We see this in the saints. We see this in Mary, that great
woman of faith and love who has become in every generation a wellspring of
faith, love and life. Every Christian…should become, starting from Christ, a
wellspring which gives life to others. We ought to be offering life-giving
water to a parched and thirst world.” (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 8, 2019 Give thanks for God's blessings
By spiritaflame 11:50 AM Thought of the Day
Christ himself taught about this
life-giving water or fountain of water. Recall his encounter with the Samaritan
woman at Jacob’s well. Jesus saw the thirst in her heart for love, meaning,
life, acceptance fulfillment. He offer her the answer to her thirst when he
said to her: “Everyone who
drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever
drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will
become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)
Later in John 7:37 Jesus explains the source of
this fountain of life and the means to receive it. “Then, on the last
great day of the feast of Tabernacles, Jesus was standing and crying out,
saying: ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink: whoever believes in
me, just as Scripture says, ‘From his chest shall flow rivers of living water.’
” Now he said this about the Spirit, which those who believe in him would soon
be receiving. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet
been glorified. (John 7:37-39)
What was the
circumstances that moved Jesus to say these words?
During the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, the
Jewish people were to gather together in Jerusalem not only to remember God's
provision in the Wilderness but also to look forward to that promised Messianic
age when all nations will flow to this city to worship the Lord.
On the last day of the Feast a whole parade of worshipers and
flutists led by the priest would go to the pool of Siloam. The priest has two golden pitchers. One is
for wine. He fills the other with water from the pool. As the flutes continue
to play, a choir of Israelites chants Psalm 118.
The whole procession heads back to the Temple through the Water Gate. A trumpet
sounds as the priest enters the Temple area. He approaches the altar where two
silver basins are waiting. He pours wine into one of the basins as a drink
offering to the Lord and water from the pool of Siloam into the other.
The ceremony was to thank God for His bounty and to ask Him to
provide rain for the crops in the coming year. How often do we thank God for his bounty and blessings? (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 7, 2019 Baptism is the river of grace
By spiritaflame 10:17 AM Thought of the Day
Story of the three men
seeking the mystery of life. One goes as far as the entrance of the cave; the
second goes into the cave while frequently looking back at the entrance. When
he barely can see the entrance, he says he has seen enough. The third continues
in the darkness, groping, cursing, with growing anxiety, fearing of being lost and
dying in the cave. Finally, he sees a faint opening ahead. He stumbles ahead
until he comes to the entrance on the other side of the mountain. There he sees
a beautiful world of life. He would not have completed the journey unless he
trusted and was willing to plunge even into the darkness to reach the life
ahead.
Here is what Pope Benedict
XVI has preached about Ezekiel’svision of the river. “The prophet
Ezekiel saw a vision of the new Temple from which a spring issues forth that
becomes a great life-giving river (cf. Ez 47,1-12). In a land which constantly
suffered from drought and water shortage, this was a great vision of hope.
Nascent Christianity understood: in Christ, this vision was fulfilled. He is
the true, living Temple of God. He is the spring of living water. From him, the
great river pours forth, which in Baptism renews the world and makes it
fruitful; the great river of living water, his Gospel which makes the earth
fertile. Jesus, however, prophesied something still greater. He said: “Whoever
believes in me … out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (Jn 7,38).
In Baptism, the Lord makes us not only persons of light, but also sources from
which living water bursts forth.”
Our baptism is not a past event but a living reality of grace in the present moment enabling us to grow in our life with God. (To be continued)
Thought of the Day February 6, 2019 Plunge into the water with abandon
By spiritaflame 10:40 AM Thought of the Day
The central
image of our reading from Ezekiel 47 is water. Water flows out from the Temple and brings abundant
life with it.
Ezekiel’s river
runs through the Arabah, the desert running from the Sea of Galilee down the
west bank of the Jordan to the Dead Sea. Not only does the river turn this
desert alive with fruit trees which bear new fruit on a monthly basis, but it
turns the deadest place on earth, the Dead Sea, into a virtual Garden of Eden
with fresh water and an abundance of fish. Ezekiel even pictures fisherman
flocking to the formerly-Dead Sea to haul in a catch (47:10).
The river in Ezekiel’s
vision flowed from the Temple. The Temple is the dwelling place of God in the
Holy of Holies. The water of the river carries the gift of life to the trees
and plants along its bank. But there is another symbol involved. Ezekiel was told to first step into the
water, then wade into it and finally plunge into it to get the full benefit of
the power and gift of the water which can carry us in the journey of life.
Too many of us are
satisfied only to step into the water, not willing to go deeper for a variety
of reasons. One being fear of giving up control. Others are willing to wade
further into the waters of the river as long as we can feel the security of the
bottom of the river bed. We are still in control. But to wade out above our
heads and to allow the current to carry us seems scary. Where will it take me?
Until we plunge into the water in an abandoned way we will never experience the
freedom of totally trusting in the Lord. (To be continued)
Reflection on Scripture Fifth Sunday Gospel C The call of Peter
By spiritaflame 10:27 AM Reading Reflections
Fifth Sunday Ordinary Gospel C
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
· There is a pattern to Jesus’ ministry. He teaches and then confirms his message with a miraculous sign. Or he performs a sign and, having gotten their attention, then teaches. Both sign and word are messages.
· In this case, the message was for Simon and his friends as well. What he taught we do not know but it could have been a preparation for the invitation to Simon and companions to become his disciples and follow him.
· It was not by accident that he chose Simon’s boat. This was not the first time that Jesus and Simon have met. In John’s Gospel we are told of an initial or preparatory encounter prior to this event.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”
· Sometimes we are more comfortable on the shores of life—in our comfort zone. But God calls us to put out into the deep. What is the area in your life that God is calling you to put out into the deep and move away from your comfort zone?
· Simon had no clue what was about to happen would be life changing for him. Has God done something in your life that was also life-changing, which you were not prepared for?
· What was the first step for Simon and for us? Do what he tells us, even though we do not understand.
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.
· What is the second step for Simon and for us? Recognizing our sinfulness and unworthiness and repent.
· Peter’s own unworthiness and sinfulness was a block to going deeper in his own life. What is the block in our lives? Can we like Peter acknowledge the block, the area of sin and like Peter not let it be a block any longer?
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
· What is the third step? What is an apparent block to us is not an obstacle for Jesus to overcome. This was not the end of the story for Peter or for us.
· The miracle was a preview of what Jesus wanted to do it their lives. But they had to be willing to let go their comfort zone and trust in Jesus and follow him no matter the cost. This is what it means to put out into the deep.
· Peter and his companions were not perfect when they responded to Jesus’ invitation. They grew in relationship as they spent time with Jesus.
· What is the fourth step? We must be willing to surrender and follow the path the Jesus begins to show us in our life.
· What is God saying to you as you reflect on this passage?
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
· There is a pattern to Jesus’ ministry. He teaches and then confirms his message with a miraculous sign. Or he performs a sign and, having gotten their attention, then teaches. Both sign and word are messages.
· In this case, the message was for Simon and his friends as well. What he taught we do not know but it could have been a preparation for the invitation to Simon and companions to become his disciples and follow him.
· It was not by accident that he chose Simon’s boat. This was not the first time that Jesus and Simon have met. In John’s Gospel we are told of an initial or preparatory encounter prior to this event.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”
· Sometimes we are more comfortable on the shores of life—in our comfort zone. But God calls us to put out into the deep. What is the area in your life that God is calling you to put out into the deep and move away from your comfort zone?
· Simon had no clue what was about to happen would be life changing for him. Has God done something in your life that was also life-changing, which you were not prepared for?
· What was the first step for Simon and for us? Do what he tells us, even though we do not understand.
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.
· What is the second step for Simon and for us? Recognizing our sinfulness and unworthiness and repent.
· Peter’s own unworthiness and sinfulness was a block to going deeper in his own life. What is the block in our lives? Can we like Peter acknowledge the block, the area of sin and like Peter not let it be a block any longer?
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
· What is the third step? What is an apparent block to us is not an obstacle for Jesus to overcome. This was not the end of the story for Peter or for us.
· The miracle was a preview of what Jesus wanted to do it their lives. But they had to be willing to let go their comfort zone and trust in Jesus and follow him no matter the cost. This is what it means to put out into the deep.
· Peter and his companions were not perfect when they responded to Jesus’ invitation. They grew in relationship as they spent time with Jesus.
· What is the fourth step? We must be willing to surrender and follow the path the Jesus begins to show us in our life.
· What is God saying to you as you reflect on this passage?
Thought of the Day February 5, 2019 Are you ready to plunge into the river of grace?
By spiritaflame 10:20 AM Thought of the Day
Plunging into the water of grace is the revelation
of God to the prophet Ezekiel in Chapter 47.
As the prophet comes
near the end of the book, Ezekiel announces God’s plans for restoring his
people. The newly restored people of God will have a new temple, a priesthood,
restored sacrifices, and an ideal Promised Land to inhabit.
This is what God
provides. But the people must respond to the provisions of the Lord for them.
How? Listen to the words of the prophet.
Ez 47:1-4) “Then he brought me back to the entrance of the
temple, and there! I saw water flowing out from under the threshold of the
temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east. The water
flowed out toward the right side of the temple to the south of the altar. He brought me
by way of the north gate and around the outside to the outer gate facing east;
there I saw water trickling from the southern side. When he continued eastward with a measuring cord
in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and had me wade through the
water; it was ankle-deep. He measured
off another thousand cubits and once more had me wade through the water; it was
up to the knees. He measured another thousand cubits and had me wade through
the water; it was up to my waist. Once more he
measured off a thousand cubits. Now it was a river I could not wade across. The
water had risen so high, I would have to swim—a river that was impassable.”
The central
image of our reading is water. Water flows out from the Temple and brings abundant
life with it. Are we ready to plunge into the river of grace God offers us in the sacraments? (To be continued)
