Reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2019

And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh He brought you to life along with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, He also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.

Last week we found Abraham sitting in the entrance of his test on a hot summer day. Today, his three visitors walked on toward Sodom, intent on destroying the city for its sinfulness, while the Spirit of God remained with Abraham. In one of the most classic dialogs in scripture, Abraham presumes to bargain with God. He wonders, can God forget the serious sinfulness of Sodom for the sake of those who try to live justly? Not once, but three times, he sets a challenge to God – can He look past the sins of so many for the sake of the few innocents. Perhaps it is a bit too far to say, at least at that stage of salvation history, that God would forget the sins of so many. Yet, He could look past their serious sinfulness so that that those, innocent of those serious sins, might not perish. God shows forth His mercy. God previews His approachability.

St. Paul brings our new reality in Jesus to the fore. We are all guilty, all liable, yet God mercifully sent His Son to free us, literally to obliterate every sin (every failing, serious and minor, big and small) that held us captive. Paul tells us that we have been buried with Jesus by our baptism. In those waters we, by God’s grace, the cross of Jesus, and the working of the Holy Spirit, leave sin behind. Uncleanness is abandoned, and we come alive – alive for ever. In that moment, we were raised.

The question before us, what do we do with this new freedom? What are the next steps? How should we act?

Remember that Paul refers to when we were dead. It is past tense, it was before. It is addressed to every one of us, Gentiles in the old order and the new Israel in our rebirth. Freed from our sin, we must respect and honor the fact of our freedom. Again, but how?

Respect and honor our position of freedom in the kingdom. Stand tall, look straight ahead, and pray to the Father looking Him in the eye. Ask in faith. Believe that we will receive. Give praise and thanks. The Lord has forgotten our sin and invites us to approach Him right now.

Bible Study for the 16th Week in Ordinary Time 2019

This week’s memory verse: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace

1 Peter 4:8-10
  • 7/21 – John 15:12-14
  • 7/22 – Luke 6:31
  • 7/23 – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
  • 7/24 – James 4:4
  • 7/25 – 1 John 4:7
  • 7/26 – Matthew 18:20
  • 7/27 – John 15:15

Pray the week: Lord, Grant me Your constant friendship and the grace to use that friendship to declare Your word and build Your kingdom.

Reflection for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2019

Suddenly,
this man.

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, he said “Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant. Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree.

Abraham, sat in the entrance of his tent on a hot day, near a Mediterranean Sumac tree in Mamre. The Canaanites who lived in that land considered the tree to be holy. Mamre lies about halfway between the current day Palestinian cities of Halhul and Hebron. In Arabic, Mamre is referred to as Rāmet el-Ḥalīl or the Hill of the Friend.

Friendship is a key element in today’s scripture. As Abraham sits there, He suddenly encounters God in the form of three travelers (the Holy Trinity). He suddenly rushes out.

We can well experience the kind of day Abraham and his people were experiencing, just step outside. Abraham runs out on this hot day, leaves the shade of his tent, to welcome the stranger – and does just what someone would need on such a hot day. He offers them cool water to wash in, cool shade to rest in, and a fine picnic lunch. In return for Abraham and Sarah’s act of friendship, God rewards them with the promise of their desired child.

God’s mode of operation is predicated on friendship, His unfailing, all-in, friendship with us in grace and His desire for our friendship – a return to Him, dedication to Him. The Prophets Hosea and Joel make God’s word plain to us: “Come back to Me with all your heart.” The theme of friendship runs through the histories and prophesies of the Bible. God’s perfect witness of friendship – He Himself, comes to us and offers His whole self to reconnect us to God.

St. Paul rejoices in sufferings, because he suffered for the sake of his friends in Christ. He sets an example for us; we must be prepared to do all necessary out of the love the flows from our friendship with God. Run out of our tents, offer cool water, food, and most importantly, what we have heard from Jesus. Like Mary, take what we hear and put that into action. Do not let any anxiety get in the way of sudden friendship with God and each person we encounter.

Bible Study for the 15th Week in Ordinary Time 2019

This week’s memory verse: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”

John 14:15
  • 7/14 – 2 John 1:6
  • 7/15 – 1 John 2:4-5
  • 7/16 – 2 Peter 1:5-7
  • 7/17 – 1 John 4:21
  • 7/18 – 1 John 4:8
  • 7/19 – Matthew 7:12
  • 7/20 – Luke 6:46

Pray the week: Lord, Grand that I may adhere to your commandment of love, devoting myself to you and all my brothers and sister.

Reflection for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2019

The
Goal.

“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

The age-old question, ‘How do I get to heaven?’ A young man, a legal scholar, approaches Jesus to ask exactly that. How do I receive a share of heaven, how do I inherit a place there?

Of course, the scholar came to the right person. Who better to ask than the King of heaven and earth, who dwelt in heaven from eternity? We will cover Jesus’ answer later.

For now, let us focus on the various attempts at human answers to the heaven question.

For some, heaven is an impossibility, a fantasy. It is something made up by primitive people who needed answers to the world’s mysteries. They have no need for an answer on how to get there because no one gets to heaven. Rather, they are readying themselves to flash out of existence.

On the opposite end are people with vague notions of spirituality. They have squishy notions of what heaven is, an indeterminant place of peace and contentment, the fulfillment of whoever conjures a fantasy of what it will be. In their estimation, everybody (except the usual suspects) gets to heaven.

The other major religions of the world have amazingly similar perspectives on how to get to heaven. It is as simple as checking off items from a to do list. For the Jewish people, it is the keeping of the Law. For Muslims, at a basic level, the following of the five pillars, righteous actions, and striving will lead to heaven.

God instructs us differently. Our call is to get to the core of all lists, laws, and rules. God’s way is love. So, how do we achieve our inheritance and get to heaven? It is faith based devotion of our our hearts, souls, bodies, and minds on the Lord. Love of God, in and of itself, is the first commandment. This love extends through and beyond God – and must also be focused on each person we encounter. With faith in Jesus as the way, we are to love, get to building the kingdom here and now, and thus gain the inheritance.

Bible Study for the 14th Week in Ordinary Time 2019

This week’s memory verse: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33
  • 7/7 – Romans 14:17-18
  • 7/8 – 1 Corinthians 4:20
  • 7/9 – Psalm 145:13
  • 7/10 – Matthew 10:7-8
  • 7/11 – Luke 1:33
  • 7/12 – Hebrews 12:28
  • 7/13 – Colossians 1:13-14

Pray the week: Lord, Thank you for the kingdom and the promise. Grant that I may spread the word made real by Your word and sacrifice.

Reflection for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2019

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

As I was studying for this week’s discussion, I came across a great word: performative. The Webster type definition seems a little complex. Here it is: “Relating to or denoting an utterance by means of which the speaker performs a particular act.” This example, contained in the definition, sets it out better: “performative utterances do not merely describe what one is doing; to say the utterance is to do it”

The words Jesus gives his messengers, as He sends them out, are performative: they do, they accomplish what He says. The kingdom of God advances and draws near. Jesus seemingly gives great power. When the disciples return, they rejoice for they have seen remarkable things, miracles. Yet Jesus cautions them. Why?

Jesus cautions them, not to get caught up in the power they have (something we as Christians have completely forgotten and neglected), but to see more clearly the ends that are being achieved.

Certainly, Jesus words accomplished the power the disciples exhibited. Yet they did far more than that. Those signs and wonders were mere markers of the coming new age, the redeemed time, the advent of the kingdom. The performative word of Jesus ushers in the kingdom, invites all into that kingdom. Jesus’ presence among us and His performative words bring the kingdom. So, we must share.

We have to reconnect to the performative words of Jesus. 

We have power in faith. We have to own that power and have confidence that Jesus – GOD – provided. His is the true and performative gospel. What He said is! The enemy cannot win against us because we bring the truth.

Beyond that power, and more compelling, is the word we bring, whether accepted or not: ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ And if some do not listen, we say: Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.

July/August 2019 Newsletter – Down With Jesus At The Shore

As Jesus walked along the shore of Lake Galilee

Jesus spent a lot of time along the shore. St. Mark’s gospel practically starts with Jesus walking along the shore. Jesus preached by the shore, walked from the shore out to the boat, across the water, and appears on the shore, seaside, after His resurrection. The well known poem, ‘Footprints in the Sand’ speaks of Jesus walking with us along the shore of our life, beside us at times, carrying us at others. All of these references to the shore, and we never see any references to snow or cold throughout Jesus’ ministry. Sure, there was the storm on the sea, but Jesus took care of that. No cold because there is none in God. As we enter the fullness of the summer months, we find yet again, Jesus with us at the shore. We recognize that Jesus doesn’t hang back at home while we head out to the shore. He is ready, and very much happy to go along. After all, the seaside town of Capernaum was His base (ok, enough, I see that Jesus loved the shore and the sea). Wherever we may go this summer, the message isn’t about Jesus’ love of tourist destinations or those quiet secluded places only we and a few of our friends know about, but rather about what Jesus accomplishes wherever He may be. Jesus loved these places, the shore especially, not because He liked to hang out and soak up rays, but because – the key – that’s where the people were. Jesus came to bring a powerful message – The kingdom is at hand, it is about to break open with a sunlight and freedom you have never known, and when it opens, I want you to be ready to enter. Jesus came to bring that message to everyone. We all have access. The lovely song, Lord, You Have Come To The Seashore/Pescador de Hombres/Barka makes the point. He came to seek, to call, to proclaim. Having done so, He expects us to take up with Him, at the shore, anywhere we go, and say: at Your side, I will seek other shores. Let us seek those shores – the opportunity to make Jesus known everywhere.

Summer is here and the calendar is full of the fun, relaxing, family activities that will live on as fond memories and great friendships. We have our annual church-wide Summer camp and celebrate the camp’s 90th anniversary. There’s golf, music, a picnic (everyone is invited), a wedding shower, a free play, prayers for our country, and a few preparatory items for those far off – after Labor Day – activities.

Don’t rush it. Enjoy it! …and hang with Jesus at the shore.

Read more in our July/August 2019 Newsletter.

Bible Study for the 13th Week in Ordinary Time 2019

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17
  • 6/30 – 1 Peter 2:16
  • 7/1 – John 8:32
  • 7/2 – John 8:36
  • 7/3 – Isaiah 61:1
  • 7/4 – 2 Timothy 1:7
  • 7/5 – James 1:25
  • 7/6 – Romans 8:1-4

Pray the week: Lord, Thank you for the gift of freedom. Grant that I may speak boldly, act powerfully, and by word and deed proclaim your freedom.

Reflection for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2019

For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love… I say, then: live by the Spirit

This week we approach the Fourth of July, and coincidentally, St. Paul is talking about freedom. 

We are, after all, pretty blessed by the freedoms we enjoy. Bishop Hodur and the organizers of our Holy Church made a big deal over the freedom this country espoused. After all, they were able, with only some opposition and persecution, able to organize a democratic Catholic Church without bowing to the money, political power, and influence of the Roman Church in areas of the country where they were they were the definition of “Church.” Hodur and the faithful were able to buy property, publish newspapers and pamphlets, build, educate, exercise support of Union membership, and advocate for the power of collective ownership. Pretty strong ideas and ideals, even today.

That kind of radical freedom was successful and blessed not because of actions, advocacy, or loud voices among a group of people. Rather it was from the fact that this group of people recognized and truly believed in the true freedom found only Christ Jesus. Christ set us free, and with His freedom came their and our ability and power.

Freedom means we no longer bow to any slavery. There is no slavery to politics and power. There is no slavery to money. There is no slavery to calls from the worldly – do this and that and you’ll find happiness. We clearly see that those alleged happiness’s come at the cost of a yoke and chains, bondage – slavery. In Christ we have power and ability to say no to slavery.

Freedom means power to use what we have been given for good that goes beyond simple measurement and scales. It is a freedom and power to be self-sacrificial, to go the extra mile, to go beyond even the extra.

The philosopher Jean Paul Sartre wrote on ‘radical freedom.’ Along our faith lines he posited that everyone always has a choice, and every act is a free act. He noted that those who say, ‘they had no choice,’ are lying. In Christ we have a call to freedom and honesty. So then, with St. Paul let us say I am free, and I live by the Spirit.