Accept the Kingdom like a Child

This is a reflection on the daily readings for 5/25/12 (Sat) which may be found here.

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When Jesus says you must be like a child, or in this case, “accept the kingdom of God like a child” there is more to it than, in a childlike way, accepting everything.

The book of Sirach teaches us what it means to be a child: a child is a symbol of our original state in creation. Sirach writes that all men were “created with knowledge in the spirit” and likewise“he puts fear of him in all flesh.”

Man was created to know, understand, fear, and love God. Many of us, being hardened to sin, no longer seek Him, fear Him, or love Him as we should. A child, on the other hand, has built into him all these things. Children express innocence and you see how devoted a child is to the parent who loves them. Since God loves them with a greater love than anyone, they cling to Him in total trust, and rightly so.

This was the original state of our creation. In error a child must be corrected, but the one who loves his parents will willingly listen when he's gone astray.

When Jesus speaks of children he speaks about innocence, but not about an innocence where we don't know anything. The innocence Jesus calls us to is where we know and trust all that we need to know.

To Choose and to be a Friend

This is a reflection on the daily readings for 5/24/12 (Sat) which may be found here.

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The wisdom of Sirach states, “For he who fears God behaves accordingly,” (Sir 6:17) which is to say that someone who fears the Lord will seek to live his life according to right conduct.

The Pharisees, the ones who sought to trick Jesus, were not acting in a manner respectful to the Law, but rather acting according to pride. These are the sort of people we should seek to correct, for any of us who engage in gossip or deceit in order to discredit our foes become a foe to right conduct. If they cannot or will not be corrected we should not share in their friendship, for a friend who speaks ill of others in a mean and spiteful way may become the enemy who does the same to us.

Sirach warns us to be on our guard and that when it comes to friends we should be selective and careful, probing the character of each.

The Psalm today is a hymn to this very process. Those who hold this Psalm in their hearts have the heart that each of us desire in a friend—delighting in God's precepts, desiring to understand His ways, and the humility to be lead in what is right.

Jesus warns, however, that a love of law—the Pharisees loved the law—must always be coupled by a life of love. Only then can both operate in harmony.

Love without the Law allows all others into our hearts as friends. Like bad dispositions, bad friends lead us to vice and sin. The Law without love makes us harsh, deceitful, and protective of a thing over a person. Both are good in themselves, but either can be corrupted into sin. It is only together, loving the Lord and His precepts, and loving each other, that either one takes root and transforms us.

Where the Spirit Leads

If they hated me they will hate you. If they kept my word they will also keep yours. This is a cause for hope as well as a word of caution. Christ tells us that those who hated Christ will continue to hate him in you. But there are also those whose hearts are ready to receive Him and yet they wait for you to come to them. Then when you do come to them Christ will be there for that person as well.

The Acts of the Apostles relates this notion to us. Paul and Timothy desired to go to a number of places but they could not on account of the Holy Spirit. It wasn't until a dream told Paul that Macedonia needed him that he was allowed to continue. When we mold our ministry and evangelization according to our wishes it's likely that we won't reach our goal. When we listen to the Spirit and go where it leads us we will be doing God's work in a greater capacity.

Discerning God's call can be difficult, but one manner of discerning His will is seeing what is available to us. Paul never took extraneous means to preach God's word. When he was traveling to communities already established he uplifted his brethren in those communities. When he came to a place in need of Christ's message he proclaimed it. And when he was thrown in prison he preached the Word in prison. Part of doing what God intends for us doesn't require any great plans on our part, it comes from bringing Him with you wherever you go. If you are a mother have Christ with you. If you pray for others, place them before His altar. If you labor during the day, keep His precepts with you.

In this way Christ will be alongside you and in living this way you will come to know the Spirit's will. As you grow in Him the Spirit will lead you to where you need to go. Do not abandon where you are in hopes of doing more. If the Spirit desires more he will bring more to you. Realize that 'no slave is greater than his master.' Christ was obedient to the will of the Father, doing His will one place at a time. With that same trust and obedience, let us do the same.

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This is a reflection I gave today (5/4/2013). The readings may be found here. Please comment. If you've like what you've read, please +1 it, as it helps me! ~M

The Pilgrimage

This is a reflection for the readings of this day (4/26/2013) which may be found here.

The Pilgrimage of Israel to Christ is now the pilgrimage of Christ to the Father.

Thomas asked Jesus to show him the destination, but Christ did not reveal this to us. The only way we can experience the end of a pilgrimage is to make a pilgrimage. Why was it that Thomas, of all Apostles, asked Jesus “We do not know where you are going; how will we know the way?”

Thomas was anxious and doubtful. He had seen the power of God active in his own life but he could not overcome his worries. There are likewise many of us who experience doubts, whether it is the promise of tomorrow or the promise of eternal life. Jesus reassures and challenges Thomas simultaneously: Do not be afraid, if you follow Me you will be exactly where you need to be.

Did not Jesus begin by saying “Do not let your hearts be troubled”? All the same there are many things that “eye has not seen, nor ear heard.”

Jesus asks us to trust him, and should we have any reason to doubt his assurances? Yet even when we do doubt Jesus makes every effort to calm the storm in our hearts. If we are lost he will find us, if we are troubled he will comfort us, and if we rejoice he gently guides us. Perhaps Thomas' worry was that he might lose sight of Christ on this pilgrimage—Jesus reassures him that he would not be able to take the first step if He was not with him. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Apart from Him we do not journey. Let us, then, join the procession of Abraham, the patriarchs, the prophets, and all holy men and women who have walked where we now walk. Truly, on this pilgrimage you are precisely where you need to be.

The voice of the Spirit

The readings this reflection is based on may be found here. (Acts 11:19-26, Ps 87, Jn 10:22-30)

 

My homeletics professor once told my class, “What you say is not always what people hear” and I find that to be a fitting lesson for today's Gospel.

Jesus spoke plainly, but perhaps not in the manner some expected. Jesus spoke many times in veiled language and parables for a number of reasons, often occurring at the same time. Jesus spoke obscurely so those with closed hearts could not understand. He spoke like this because some who followed him were not yet ready to understand. Likewise, he spoke in this way so that those who believe in Him may understand who He truly is.

No one comes to the Father except to Christ. No one is drawn to Christ unless the Father opens their ears, eyes, and hearts. The words of the Son are the words of the Father.

For some these words are confusing and for others they make perfect sense. When Christ speaks he divides; those who hear his voice follow and those who are not His follow someone or something else.

We see in the Acts of the Apostles that when Jesus had risen from the dead his voice was then heard in his shepherds whom He and the Apostles appointed. The voice of His shepherds is Christ's own voice. How is it that the voice of the Father, Son, and shepherds is the same? The answer lies in the Holy Spirit, whose name indicates that the breath of the Father and Son is the Spirit. When Barnabas and Paul spoke, many were added to the Lord because they were “filled with the Spirit.”

What Christ says is not always what we hear. In these instances we have an Advocate who prays unceasingly for us and groans that we might hear. May we pray that the Holy Spirit becomes the air around us, the air which allows the Word to reach our ears and allows His voice to come from our lips.

Our Works, His Grace

 [For your benefit I've included the Gospel since it was my sole focus for this reflection. Please leave a comment or your reaction below!]

When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea, embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading. (Jn 6:16-21)

The Gospel writers were fond of relating 'on/by the water' scenes to their readers. Many significant events happen by the seashore: some of the Apostles are called, Jesus teaches great crowds, and he encounters the Apostles after the Resurrection.

In this instance—Jesus walking on water—it would appear as if nothing significant happens, at least nothing as instructive as Jesus' instruction and dialogue with Peter.

Our indication comes from what follows this scene, namely the 'bread of life' discourse in the sixth chapter of John. The account of Jesus appearing to the disciples walking on water is the prelude to one of His most important teachings.

Place your own spirit in this setting.

The theme of light, again, helps us understand how we should take these events to heart.

In the evening, the time light recedes from the sky, the Apostles set out to sea. The boat here is an instrument of man's labor and when rowing on the sea a man is entirely dependent upon his efforts to keep himself safe and guide his journey.

Darkness came and Jesus was not yet with them. They anticipated Jesus would be with them, but instead they were confronted with darkness. They could no longer rely on their senses and their sense of direction was reduced or even negated. These men, by their own efforts, sought God in the darkness but could not find Him straightaway. They, however, were not disheartened.

Then a storm stirred the waters, which indicates that their efforts would not only meet resistance but that at this moment they had no control over their own situation. Nevertheless they remained steadfast and labored in the storm. Life itself will have moments of darkness where we do not know where we are going and storms that leave us at the mercy of all around us.

After a time they saw Jesus walking on water: Jesus navigates the darkness easily and He is not at the mercy of what surrounds Him. Rather, He is in complete control. He approached their boat and at that moment they became afraid. They had encountered difficulties but never this strange and marvelous sight. Jesus tells them, “Do not be afraid” and they listened.

Rather than accept upon impulse something marvelous and strange they waited for the Lord's voice to assure them. After His reassurance, meaning they discerned clearly that He was the Lord, they desired that He enter their boat, that is to say their own efforts.

The moment they desired this the boat they were in landed at their destination. Here it does not say they “rowed to their destination” but rather they “immediately arrived.” It was still dark and the storm persisted but Jesus brought them safely to their destination.

Seek Him in all you do--it sounds easy, but it requires strength and perseverance. It also requires that we humble ourselves and submit to instruction and correction.

My brothers and sisters, our good works and labors will not bring us to our final destination, only Jesus can. Like the disciples in this boat, however, they persevered through darkness and storm anticipating Jesus. Jesus came to them, not the other way around. When they desired that He might with them their journey had ended.

There is no journey apart from seeking Christ. Though we are stuck at times in storm and darkness He approaches us in all serenity. Accept Him into your daily labors. Then all of your works, if not successful, will be complete. 

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 A reflection I gave today (4/13/2013). The readings I reflected on may be found here, but I provided the Gospel, my sole focus, in the work.

I decided to go the 'allegorical' route this time around while mixing in some moral/spiritual instruction. While I don't feel myself particularly qualified or worthy to offer such lofty advice, this is rather me sitting with this reading and allowing it to rest with me for a while. Hopefully you find something to reflect on yourself.

Apart from God it Perishes

This one was difficult to write about. When it comes to commenting on the spiritual life there are billions of variables. Great saints like Francis de Sales and Ignatius of Loyola could say it all better than me--and a college of saints beyond them. I could have written more but I'd committed myself to being simpler. Nevertheless I added a significant amount from when I delivered this today.

This is my own humble attempt, one that I brought about from today's (4/12/2013) Scripture passages. Please be sure to comment and, if you so desire, follow this blog!

If it is man-made it will perish and if it is from God it can never be destroyed. The pharisee Gamaliel said as much to his fellow leaders concerning the Apostles who preached the name of Jesus.

Were the leaders truly persuaded by his words? Though they did not kill the Apostles they flogged them so as to dissuade them from preaching. This did little to stop them as they considered it an honor to suffer in the Lord's name. We know the fate of the Apostles, all martyrs, which is summed up in the phrase “love of life did not deter them from death” (Rev 12:11). They were willing to suffer for Christ's sake and for the mission He gave them.

There is a parallel we may draw between the Apostles and Jesus multiplying the loaves and fishes:

The Apostles, preaching Jesus, are carried away, rebuked, and made to suffer.

Jesus, manifesting his power to a great multitude, was going to be carried away, honored, and made king.

In this brief synopsis there are many parallels but I'll focus on only one. The Apostles bore Christ into Jerusalem, but when a multitude of men wished to carry Him off and make Him king, he departed from them. What is the lesson we can learn here?

Many of us, even with good intentions, will want to bear Christ as 'king' in this world. Yet when we make Christ the champion of our own causes we run the risk of exulting ourselves in Christ's name. The area becomes all the more gray when it's something we care about.

Christ's entry into Jerusalem. Remember this?

The difference between the two groups—the Apostles and the multitude—is, I suspect, that the Apostles knew who Christ was and what he stood for while the multitude wanted to exult Christ for what they wanted Christ to be for them. The situation is an unsettling one to think about since Christ is an easy name to gather around and a name that inspires us so greatly.

We must reflect deeply about how we present Him and why we present Him. When we truly present Him we must be prepared to suffer in the flesh and in the spirit, and even then the suffering and persecution does not mean God is with us or that we've suffered for His name. Recall that “Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all those who were loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing” (Acts 5:36).

It's difficult to determine everything, but a few things we should keep in mind: “he must increase, I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). Can we sacrifice a bit of our pride for the sake of unity? Can we sacrifice our own image so it more closely images the shame of the cross?

Remember this?

Those who bear Christ know that there are times they must let go just as Christ left his hands and feet to those men who would drive nails into them. Those who hold themselves up hold onto themselves even tighter—and they usually lose everything.

The suffering we're called to endure comes about when we courageously yet humbly present Christ to the world, at times by standing boldly in the face of injustice while at other times speaking His name because we are compelled to speak no other.

What should be our concern? “To dwell in the Lord's house all the days of my life” (Ps 27:4) and when we seek this above all else, all we should hold dear will become clear. Our zeal will never falter and “although our outer self is wasting away our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor 4:16).

The Freedom or Prison of Choice

Another reflection that I delivered today (4/10/2013). This version has some content added and modified.

Please share your thoughts, reactions, or give a critique if you so desire. (You do not need to register in order to post)

The readings may be found here. The readings are: Acts 5:17-26, Ps 34, John 3:16-21


 

The Sadduces, filled with jealousy, threw the Apostles in prison. We ought to ask ourselves who was really imprisoned.

At times we think it is pitiful to be poor, but the Lord hears the cry of the poor (cf. Psalm 34). The rich live in prisons of money, the prideful live in prisons of ambition, and the relativist lives in the prison of no boundaries.

“The powerful grow poor and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Ps. 34:11)

“Blessed is the man who takes refuge in the Lord,” for that man is given true freedom. Upon reflection we discover that boundaries, rules, restrictions, and commandments were given to us not to restrict our freedom but to ensure it. At times these restrictions pain us, because restrictions cause tensions with our desires.

The one who believes that freedom is fulfilling every desire runs headlong towards a cliff and over, where there is no more freedom. The one who discerns the nature of his desires in light of God's help and His servant's teachings is able to say “yes” to this and “no” to that, preserving his life and developing it too.

Jesus is the “light of the world” (Jn 8:12) and He lights these commandments He's given us. While they do not burn as bright as He does, they are given as guides that keep us close to Him.

John tells us simply and plainly: “light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil” (Jn 3:20).

There are those who do not want to be told what to do, and thus they flee the Light and the smaller lights he has placed around us. We can ignore large commandments, but truly we can even ignore instruction in our own life of faith and even those concepts of Him we hold so dear. Shall the lights He's placed around us be where we gather or from where we flee?

The light, in the end, will expose our works, our thoughts, and our heart. Even if we are in error, this is not a cause for fear. Come to the light and you will know Him. Come to Him and you will freely choose Him.

Peter at the Head: A Lesson in Leadership

 This was a reflection given today, 4/5/2013 on the readings from Acts 4:1-12, Ps 188, and Jn 21:1-14. They may be found here, though I tried to write in a way that you wouldn't necessarily have to read them--but they are recommended.

Peter is the leader of both these Scripture passages and present us with lessons about human leadership. Peter, because of his temperament, was a leader. Scripture, when it lists the Twelve (or any group of them) always names him first, and he teaches us by his example both positively and negatively. The way light is used, additionally, helps us to discern the meaning behind his actions.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and John enter the temple because they are on their way to the 3 o'clock hour of prayer (cf. Acts 3:1-10). As they go on their way to pray with everyone else they encounter a man begging at the temple gate. Peter said to him first “I can neither give you silver or gold … but what I do I have I give you … Jesus the Nazorean” (Acts 3:6). Peter promised him nothing earthly. He did not promise him healing nor did he promise him a life of wealth. He rather gave him Christ and the crippled man became strong.

By his example Peter showed us how the weak and infirm are made strong through Jesus Christ. He also showed us that those of us who are strong now should look kindly on the elderly, weak, and sick and never deprive Christ from their presence. The moment the two encountered this man in the power of the Spirit, he entered the temple praising God.

This was after the Resurrection, after Peter had encountered Christ and had been instructed by Him personally. In the Gospel we see the process it took for Peter to get there.

In the evening Peter again takes the initiative by saying “I am going fishing” (Jn 21:3) and the others follow. The Evangelist John notes that they caught nothing and it was during the night. They labored in darkness and Peter led them into darkness. By morning they had nothing to show for their labors. This is the danger of any human leadership, that we might mislead them. All the same no one complained and no one abandoned Peter in his labor—they went out together and remained faithful to one another.

Dawn came, and the moment Peter could be sure it was Christ, he hurried to Him.

Then dawn came, can Jesus stood along the shore. He commanded them to cast their nets into the sea, the same labor they did in darkness, and immediately their nets were full. The one who loved Jesus, John, pointed out that it was Jesus who lead them. Upon hearing this Peter girded himself and ran towards Christ, jumping into the sea to get at him before anyone else. Peter, where he had misled his brethren now leads them again. He had been in error, but when the Truth had been pointed out to him he ran to it. Jesus commanded His disciples to bring him their catch, and again Peter was the first to bring all they had.

Scripture teaches us simply, brothers and sisters, that there will be those who lead us and that at times they will be in error. But if they preach Christ and know Christ they will follow after him first and foremost. Will we allow ourselves to lead when we find Christ? Will we allow ourselves to be led?

We know that we have much to give, but we must first give Christ to others. Labor in the light of Christ and bring all you have to him, then your work will be blessed and others will emerge from darkness and praise God.


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There are many other rich meanings to these passages, especially the Gospel. I wish I could review them all, especially the parallels and differences between Lk 5:1-11 and this Gospel. Maybe I will in the future.

Please feel free to leave a comment on content, or a critique on style/presentation. Thanks again!

Made Glorious

These past reflections were all delivered by me, so that's why the diction resembles the spoken word a bit more than the written word. Please leave a comment below. This was a reflection for 3/26/2013.

Readings: Is 49:1-6, Ps 71, Jn 13:21-33, 36-38 (Link to USCCB)

Jesus was made glorious before all people, but the glory of Jesus mirrors the glory of Israel. Throughout this Lent Scripture has told us the story of Israel. We see that the glory of Israel was not only exposed through miracles, power, and victory, but that her glory was brought about by weakness, sorrow, and betrayal as well.

Jesus, the new Israel, is the same. His glory was revealed through agony, through betrayal, through ridicule, through torture, through abandonment, through injustice, through suffering, and through dying as if he were a disgraced criminal. It was because of these events that the Roman solider could say “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

In the moment it may seem as if our suffering is worthless or that our efforts have been in vain. Scripture teaches us to have hope, that we must be like a farmer who, when he plants his crop, is dependent on the rain and must trust it to bring forth the fruit of his labor.

Our recompense is with God and those who persevere with him will be blessed. But even if we should fail God is ready to accept us again—he suffered all things for our sake and he won't abandon us, even if he leaves us for a time or we leave him for a time.

Trust in him and do not think that we have spent our strength uselessly. Rather, look upon this cross this holy week, and see that there is even glory there.

Drawing all to Him

A reflection I gave at mass today. The readings may be found here: USCCB website
Please leave some comments below.

God, in his great love, wishes to gather all people to himself. In this grand campaign the Lord asks each of us to be conquerors. Greater still he asks us all to be living borders of his kingdom.

In the time of Jesus, a Jew could only seek forgiveness for his sins in the temple. The Jews considered the temple the center of God's kingdom and the borders of Israel the dwelling place of God. Jesus, when he proclaimed “Destroy this temple and I will raise it in three days” was speaking of himself. He replaced the temple of Jerusalem with himself. It is through Jesus that we are forgiven our sins and it is to Him all people should gather.

Truly, God's love is great because he gave the Jews a temple and a place to heal from their sins. His love is even greater because where many would not or could not go to the temple for healing, Jesus, the new Temple, came to them.

Jesus sends us forth, out of love, for those who do not know him. By our words and actions in this world we extend this holy place, this church, to all of those who are outside of it. We amplify the borders of this church in hope of drawing all to Christ, who is our sanctuary.

We are conquerors over sin and death when others return to Christ on account our words and deeds. Jesus, present in the holy Eucharist, is the temple where one finds pardon and peace.

Draw others to Him so that we may all rejoice in saying “We are his people, and He is our God.”