Reflection for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

What did you do for me?
I served you.

“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”

Jesus’ disciples came to Him looking for special favors. They wanted to have positions of power, authority, and glory in the kingdom. They even offered to sacrifice a little today if they could have that promise.

Jesus turned the tables on them and used their request to teach them the true message of the kingdom. We aren’t to seek glory, honors, power, and notoriety. Instead, we are to give all we have, even our lives, in service and sacrifice for others. Only then will we come to know the glory of the kingdom. It is a glory where we give completely of ourselves for others. In turn, we are made rich through their giving, serving, and sacrificing for us. Mutual sacrifice is the way of life in the kingdom.

Our first two readings point to the fact that this type of sacrifice, this kind of giving, is not something our Lord and God demand of us as subjects. It is all captured in the key phrase – You know how it is with those who are recognized as rulers…

We do know how it is, right down to this day. Leaders demand obedience, work for personal enrichment, and do favors for “friends” who do favors for them. Money fuels power, and power rewards money.

God came to us, God who has absolute power, glory, and authority, and emptied Himself completely. He was made low, served all, and was completely crushed. In giving His life – He brought us to eternal life. He lost everything so that we might have everything.

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that we have a high priest, Jesus, who sympathizes with our weaknesses, because He faced the same weaknesses – facing them without sin.

Because of this there is no barrier between us and the ultimate power, authority, and glory of God. We may fully and confidently approach the throne of grace, because God will lower Himself from that throne to lift us up. He will serve us, heal us, have mercy on us, forgive us, wash our feet and feed us. He will do it all for us because we are worth that much to Him.

We must follow His example, and lower ourselves, serving and lifting others in sacrificial love.

Bible Study for the Week of the Christian Family
  • 10/14 – Ephesians 5:1-2 – Heavenly Father, grant me the grace to walk in the way of love with my brothers and sisters. Join me together with all Christians, Your children, one family of faith.
  • 10/15 – Genesis 33:5 – Father, I praise and thank You for the gift of children. Grant increase to Christian families so that Your word may be known throughout the world.
  • 10/16 – Titus 2:4 – Father, You graciously inspire women to give generously as wives and mothers. Grant them Your every grace and protection. Keep them from abuse, neglect, and every form of harm.
  • 10/17 – Proverbs 22:6 – Father, grant all parents the grace to increase their children’s knowledge of You and Your word. Grant that all children may live in unity with the family of faith, Your Holy Church, now and throughout their lives.
  • 10/18 – Deuteronomy 11:19 – Father, Your promises and tremendous deeds are ever before me. Grant that I may teach my children Your ways — in my life and example, my words and my deeds.
  • 10/19 – Hebrews 11:20 – Father, grant that my every act of faith may be a blessing to my children and my children’s children.
  • 10/20 – 1 Timothy 3:4 – Lord Jesus, You chose family men to be Your disciples and apostles. Grant that our bishops, priests, and deacons may honor You in their families and before the world.

Pray the week: Lord Jesus, grant Your every grace to my family. Help us to grow in knowledge and faithfulness to You.

Reflection for the Solemnity of the Christian Family

Hey, you look just like…
God.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it”

We’ve all heard the old adage – everyone has a twin somewhere.

Followers of the television show Lost discuss an imaginary French Mathematician named Marseille Roussau putting forward a theory – referred to as Roussau’s genetic mirror theory. Roussau’s theory says that everyone in the world has an exact twin somewhere, however according to the theory you never encounter this person by laws of probability and other natural occurring phenomena. In these discussions, Roussau uses a series of numbers to explain his theory. Of course that’s television.

Now look at the biblical passage from Genesis above. There it is, right there at the very start of the bible, the reality. Everyone looks like – God. Our twin is God, and by His creation each and every person is our twin.

It is wonderful to consider isn’t it. We all bear the image of God. As we celebrate our Church’s unique and special celebration in honor of the Christian Family – we should consider this hallmark of our faith. We are not just natural families, by birth and genetics, with perhaps a twin out there somewhere, but something much greater. We are linked together as images of the Heavenly Father – bearing the image of Jesus in us.

As images of Jesus we have one Father. We share in one heritage. We are born into one family. We are promised one inheritance, not divided up, but given to each in full.

The Hartford Institute for Religious Research’s National Congregations Study tells us median church in the U.S. has 75 regular participants worshiping on Sunday mornings. For statisticians the median is important because it factors out the influence very large churches.

Visit almost any of the parishes in our Holy Church and you will find exactly that – a small congregation – but a congregation that is family. We look after each other, care for each other, work together, pray for each other (look at our prayer list), worry when someone isn’t in church on Sunday, and of course welcome newcomers into our family (hey, they’re our twins).

As we reflect today and in the week ahead let’s pray for our twins, our Christian family. Let’s thank our Heavenly Father for giving us such a loving family. Let us also seek His help in growing the family. Then, take a few minutes to reach out to a family member we haven’t seen in a while to show your personal care for your twin.

Pray for the Holy Synod of the Central Diocese

Tomorrow, Thursday, October 11th, we begin the quadrennial Holy Synod of the Central Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church. As we review the accomplishments of the last four years and plan for the next four, please join in praying that the Holy Spirit guide the deliberations and grant us His sevenfold gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.

Come Holy Spirit, enkindle the hearts of Thy faithful with the fire of Thy love. Grant Your sevenfold gifts to the Holy Synod of the Central Diocese. Guide us in drawing souls to Your Holy Church. Grant us an increase in vocations. Draw Your community of faith to accord with Your will. Grant that we may set our hearts, minds, and actions to carrying out all that You will. Infuse us with love and fortitude. Renew and energize us by Your ever present grace. Grant safe travel to all participants. Amen.

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. – Isaiah 11:2-3

Bible Study for the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
  • 10/7 – Micah 6:8 – Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to see through conflict and rhetoric so that I may chose leaders who follow Your precepts; who are humble, just, and kind.
  • 10/8 – Daniel 2:21 – Father, all in heaven and earth depend on You. Grant us leaders and governments that rely on You for wisdom and understanding.
  • 10/9 – Exodus 18:25 – Lord God, grant that every leader, whether over few or many, will do Your will. Grant us the grace to choose wisely.
  • 10/10 – Proverbs 29:2 – Heavenly Father, grant that righteousness and peace may abound in our country. Grant that the leaders we choose abide in Your way. Protect us from the wicked and self-serving.
  • 10/11 – James 4:17 – Lord Jesus, You have infused all people with Your image. Grant that our leaders may rule in truth, protecting life and freedom. Turn our leaders from sin.
  • 10/12 – 1 Timothy 2:1-4 – Lord, I offer up my supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for our leaders and all in high positions. Grant that they may lead lives that are quiet and peaceable, godly and dignified. May they lead all to You by their example.
  • 10/13 – Colossians 1:16-20 – Father, You made all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Grant that our leaders recognize You as their head and as first before everything. Through their work and efforts may we find the peace and freedom only You can give.

Pray the week: Lord Jesus, grant me the wisdom to choose leaders rightly.

Reflection for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Hey, butt out of it.
No!

“And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.’”

Is there any direct biblical quote that states Church leaders must become involved in politics? The simple answer is no. Does that mean that Church leaders and Christians in general are to turn a blind eye to government and politics? The answer is also no.

Throughout biblical history we see men and women of faith standing up to power and politics to proclaim what is right and true by God’s standard. The Lord’s prophets obediently confronted civic leaders with their sin and with their godless decisions: Samuel with Saul; Gad and Nathan with David; Elijah, Elisha, and Micaiah with Ahab; Isaiah with Ahaz; Daniel with Belshazzar; Jeremiah with Jehoiakim and Zedekiah; as well as others. At the very beginning of the New Testament we see Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist, confront Herod about his immorality.

Certainly God does not set Himself against government as an institution. Jesus tells us to pay our taxes. Paul tells us to submit ourselves to the governing authorities. Peter tells us to honor the emperor.

All that said, there is a line that cannot be crossed. When Peter was told by the authorities to stop preaching he declared that he must obey God rather than men.

Jesus reminds us today that there is a standard set by God. This is a right, just, and truth-filled standard – as perfect as God is perfect. Whenever civil governments or the whims of society run afoul of God’s standard the Church must arise, proclaim and teach the standard, and accept persecution for it.

The early church knew it, and endured suffering from the Roman emperors because they refused to bend from God’s standard.

Jesus equips and empowers with the authority of His way – the one and only right way. As we prepare to vote, as we consider the options, let us pray and exhort each other to stand with God’s standard. Let us abide by biblical principals in the vote we cast. There is no perfect candidate. There is no one that is perfect and without sin. Measure each against God’s standards and vote for the people who best hold to and strive to meet the only standard that matters.

Bible Study for the 26th Week in Ordinary Time
  • 9/30 – Luke 9:11 – Lord Jesus, You welcomed all who sought You. Open my heart to see Your word in action in all those who follow You.
  • 10/1 – Luke 15:2 – Lord Jesus, You did not judge sinners but welcomed them, opening their hearts to renounce sin and follow You. Grant me the gift of Your forgiveness for the times I have judged others so that I may follow You in the community of faith.
  • 10/2 – Matthew 10:40 – Lord Jesus, grant me openness of heart and mind to receive all who follow You.
  • 10/3 – Galatians 4:14 – Lord, whenever my brothers and sisters face trials grant that I may receive them as I would receive You in Your time of trial. May I recognize the image of Your passion in them.
  • 10/4 – Luke 14:12-14 – Lord of heaven and earth, grant that I may not seek recognition or credit for opening my heart, church, or home but rather that I welcome all as a sign of Your kingdom.
  • 10/5 – Romans 15:7 – Lord Jesus, You did not count our sins and failing, but offered Yourself up to remove our burden. Grant that the glory and freedom You obtained for us may be reflected in my openness to all Your followers; sharers in Your victory.
  • 10/6 – Acts 28:20 – Lord, those in bondage call out to You. Whenever they call out may I be open to receiving, supporting, and welcoming them as You welcome me.

Pray the week: Lord Jesus, teach me to welcome all who profess Your name as my family.

Reflection for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I’m locking up Jesus.
Hey, wait a minute…

“John said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us.’”

We meet someone, and find out that they are doing amazing things in Jesus’ name what do we think. Maybe they are drawing dozens of people into their Church. Maybe they are really effective at serving others, helping them find God’s forgiveness and healing through their words and actions. Maybe they are a really great preacher. What’s is our reaction especially if they are not members of our parish or our Holy Church?

Today’s gospel shows us that the disciples’ reaction is jealousy, anger, and a desire to stop that person. Better yet, they want to use the power of God (that’s Jesus) to stop them. It sort of reminds us of how petty the disciples could be at times.

Remember, in Luke 9, after a town had rejected Jesus the very same disciple, John, came to Jesus and asked if he could call down fire from heaven to destroy the town.

Jesus tells us today that our reaction to our brothers and sisters who bear His name should be one of joy, happiness, thankfulness, and fellowship. The person the disciples saw, and the people we find, doing great things in Jesus’ name all belong to Him. Jesus isn’t claiming exclusivity for His followers, or creating one human boss over all.

Jesus did not create one human boss over all because He well knew human weakness. If the disciples couldn’t rejoice in the wonderful things being done in His name, if their first reaction to anyone who didn’t get Jesus was to destroy them, how could He trust any one of them to be the “one over all?”

It is sad and unfortunate when one Church claims such things. It makes all Christians look bad because those that do not know Jesus see a sign that says Church is a closed community – a gated community with Jesus locked up inside. It speaks of exclusivity rather than openness.

Jesus left us a sacred and holy way of life. He gave us His word. He provided us with the nourishment of His sacraments. He showed us love and welcome. He expects all that follow Him to do just that – follow Him as the “One in charge.”

When we get the urge to lock Jesus up in a gated community, to claim Him exclusively, remember today’s example. He says: You cannot lock me up. There is no “one in charge” but rather “One in charge.” All who follow the “One in charge” are blessed and welcome.