Reflection for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

fatherson

My children must be
…righteous before the Lord.

We acknowledge that what makes a man righteous is not obedience to the Law, but faith in Jesus Christ.

What is righteousness? It is an attribute implying that a person’s actions are justified, that the person has been “judged” or “reckoned” as leading a life that is pleasing to God. Some of the attributes of righteousness are being upright, just, straight, innocent, true, and sincere.

The Jewish teachers instructed that righteousness was equivalent to following the Law very strictly. The Jewish people have to work at righteousness by carrying out tasks.

St. Paul shows us that righteousness is more than mere acts, even if they are right acts. It comes from faith. Faith in Jesus leads us to performing right and proper acts, but those actions do not come first. Rather those acts derive from faith.

Jesus offers us the salvation He has won for us. Belief and faith in His coming, life, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and second coming provides the benefits of that salvation. In our act of faith in Him, in the waters of regeneration, in accepting the gift of the Holy Spirit, and our membership in the community of faith we are changed to a people who do for the right reason, Jesus.

As changed people we walk in faith and have – already own – what has been won for us through God’s righteousness.

The good and righteous fathers among us have instilled this lesson in us. We are most aware of this when we consider WHY we do what we do.

Our dads showed us the way to go – teaching that we must do things for the right reason. That reason should never be simple adherence to a law or rule. Simple obedience out of fear, or just because, is never a good enough reason. We have to look and consider more deeply the “why” behind what we do.

As those with faith in Jesus Christ we do right, not because society says so or imposes penalties for doing wrong, but because doing right flows from faith. By faith we understand, by faith we live, by faith we walk in His footsteps. We are a people whose first instinct is to love, to do right, to live with integrity, to forgive – all coming from faith.

Simon the leper didn’t get the kind of righteousness faith demands. He wondered why Jesus showed love toward the sinful woman who was anointing His feet. Simon relied on the law in determining what should be done (while forgetting the laws of hospitality). Jesus showed him that her faith was the way to righteousness.
Let our lives and our reasons for doing be based on faith; pleasing to God, pleasing as precious ointment.

Reflection for the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Widow of Nain

Stop crying
…and see hope.

Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me; O LORD, be my helper. You changed my mourning into dancing; O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

Remember learning the Act of Hope? It is one of those basic prayers we all learned as children perhaps from our parents or in catechism class: O my God, relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

Today we see all of this in action. Elijah begs God for mercy upon the widow at Zarephath whose son has died.

Elijah had been a guest in her house for a long time. She and her son were dying of starvation when Elijah arrived, yet she gave him the last of what she had and from that point forward her barrel did not go empty – they were all able to eat for many days. After the famine is over her son got sick and died. After all she did she is pushed to the end of her rope and doubts.

Even though she had witnessed a miracle, and had been fed by the hand of the Lord, there is that moment of weakness and doubt. Yet God does not abandon her, He listens to Elijah’s pleading bringing her son back to life. Then she remembers her faith and the mercy of the Lord.

The lesson is that even though we lack consistent faith God does not forsake us. We always have the promise of hope.

St. Paul is recounting the fact that he had been a cruel jerk toward Christians. He tells the Galatians that at the height of his power and cruelty Jesus touched him, redeemed him, and trusted him with His message.

The lesson is that even though we sin and fall, even if we fall to the depths of depravity, God does not forsake us. He continually calls us back to His way and sends His grace to motivate us to change. We have the hope of forgiveness and redemption.

Two thousand years ago a funeral procession made its way toward the gates of Nain. The crowd was devastated: they had lost a son. His mom, a widow grieved. There was hopelessness. At the gates Jesus notices this grieving. He “was moved with pity for her,” and responded with compassion. He looked her in the eye, and says, “Do not weep.” God has “visited his people,” and was ready to save her and her son.

The lesson is that there is no hopelessness. We have tremendous hope because Jesus has the power not only to heal, but to raise. God continues to surprise us with His hope. Jesus returns to us every day with reason for hope.

Reflection for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

We thank You Lord.
…and anticipate Your coming.

“‘And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds'”

It is the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and our readings focus on the end times, the second coming of Jesus. It can seem like a scary and even depressing subject when we want to focus on celebrating.

When we hear Jesus speak of these images of darkness, falling stars, and the heavens being shaken we are shaken. Daniel reminds us that these will be times of “surpassing distress.”

We grow a little frightened, what if Jesus were really to come tomorrow, or in the next hour, or minute? We certainly may consider ourselves unprepared.

Maybe we are prepared for Thanksgiving. The turkey is purchased, the potatoes, yams, vegetables, those special items unique to our family traditions are stored away. But are we prepared to meet Jesus when He returns?

As we approach Thanksgiving, let’s prepare ourselves; fill ourselves with a spirit of thankfulness. Let that thankfulness include a sense of praise and anticipation for Jesus’ coming.

Whatever the events that will precede the glorious appearance of Jesus with the angelic cohort, we should gladly celebrate Jesus’ promise and be thankful for it. We know that when He comes we will be ready to be drawn to His side.

We are the people Daniel speaks of because of our faith in Jesus. “The wise who shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, those who lead the many to justice who shall be like the stars forever.”

Like the psalmist, we can declare that the Lord is our inheritance. What a wonderful thing to be thankful for, an inheritance with God forever in His kingdom.

As we pray this Thanksgiving let us set aside our concern over the events of the end times. Any fantastic theories and predictions about the end of the world and return of Christ are worthless. Instead, praise God and be thankful for the spirit of renewal, which prepares us for Jesus. Pray Maranatha – a word meaning, “Come, O Lord.” This prayer asks for the speedy and early return of Christ.

Build desire and thankfulness for the Second Coming. This is our preparation. To live in the hope that strengthens and fortifies us seeking always to live in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reflection for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

I’ve been drafted!
I will go and serve.

“‘Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.'”

The widow of Zarephath and the widow who contributed to the treasury both did incredible acts of charity. Both gave totally of themselves for the good of others. They gave all they had, not out of surplus. In their giving they placed their faith in the God who provides, God who the psalmist says:

…keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets captives free, gives sight to the blind, raises up those who were bowed down, loves the just, protects strangers, who sustains the fatherless and the widow.

As we reflect today, on this Veterans Day we should recall that our veterans, our service men and women have done exactly the same. Even if wealthy, they decided to place their all on the line to serve – not just their country – but the cause of freedom for their brothers and sisters.

Whatever we do, we have the God given freedom to decide. When drafted, we might choose to go, just because of the law. When we are confronted with Jesus’ command to love and serve others, whether we are clergy or laity, we may follow His commandments just because we are afraid of God’s punishment. That may be sufficient – to follow the law, or to do because we are afraid of punishment, but our faith calls us to do these things out of a greater purpose.

That purpose is God’s call to love, to lean on Him who is our protector, advocate, strength, and teacher.

When we decide to ‘go and serve,’ to give our all, we fulfill the commandment of love – loving God by doing His will and loving our brothers and sisters to the point of sacrificing ourselves for them.

The widows did that. The widow chose to prepare bread and give water to Elijah even though she and her son would be left with almost nothing. The widow gave her last pennies to the treasury for charity.

Jesus had portrayed the religious leaders who feigned piety; accepted honor from people, and stole from widows as living without love, without even acting out of obligation to the law or fear of the Lord. They chose wrongly – and served themselves, not love.

Our call is to live like our veterans, in love and service toward others – and to do so out of love. Let us honor them for their right choice and choose rightly ourselves.

Reflection for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

First and 10
2 to go…

“One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’”

It is Sunday – God first, but of course football.

Let’s think about football math. We all know that when our favorite team gets the ball they start their march down the field with a first and ten – first down and ten yards to go to get another first down. Going from first down to first down, the successful team works its way down the field until (if all goes well) thy score.

It can seem daunting, especially if you are starting at the far end of the field, with almost 100 yards to go against very strong opposition.

Now imagine if your team could get to that touchdown in two yards, in just two steps? It is first and ten, two to go.

Before the scribe came to Jesus the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, chief priests, and elders had been hammering Jesus with questions. Jesus’ answers didn’t matter to them at all. All that mattered was their ends – trapping Jesus and shutting Him down.

Scribes were a class of experts in the Mosaic Law, all 613 laws. This scribe seems sincere in coming to Jesus. He wants to hear how Jesus interprets the 613 laws, and which one He finds to be the greatest one.

Jesus shows the scribe that love of God and love of our brothers and sisters are the two most important commandments. He tells him that these two key commandments are the two yards He needs to go.

These two commandments depend on each other. We are to give our whole hearts to God who is love, and love Him completely. By loving God, and experiencing His love, we learn to love better, stronger, more completely. Eventually we learn to love like God loves. We must take our learning and apply it. Our love for God and His love for us cannot exist in a vacuum. It has to grow, toward others, drawing them into this relationship of love.

Sometimes people separate these two commandments, saying one or the other is what we really need to do. Jesus responded to the question: Which is the first, with two commandments. Jesus indicates an order – one comes first. But He also teaches us that the two are inseparable. Our lives and our faith must be based on love: on a relationship of love to God, and on the sharing of God’s love with others. Having only one misses the touchdown.

Love breaks down all opposition. Our touchdown is heaven – and it only takes two steps to get there, two steps and one theme – love.

Reflection for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Go your way.
Your way is my way Lord.

“Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

Bartimeus literally means Bar-Timeus – the son of Timeus. People saw the son of Timeus as a man without hope. He sat along the road, a blind beggar.

Bartimeus had heard of Jesus and his miracles, and learned that He was passing by. He was filled with hope – he knew that through Jesus, the Messiah, he might recover his eyesight.

Bartimeus came to Jesus for help. As we face the week, and the months ahead, with storms, anxieties, the pressures of holidays (imposed by the world’s view of what the holidays are – not the Church’s view), and other stresses, we must know that we may come to Jesus with the same hope that Bartimeus had – hope for help.

Like Bartimeus, we have heard of Jesus, and we know His miracles. We know that He isn’t just passing by, but is with us at every moment. Like Bartimeus we have every right to call out to Him in hope. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

God truly delivers help and healing. He delivered Israel from bondage and brought them back. They left in tears and sinfulness and returned on level roads rejoicing. Likewise He gathers us in, protects us, and delivers us when we call out to Him.

As Jesus called to Bartimeus, He calls to us. Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The gracious call of Jesus gives us hope to come to him in our need. If we come to him in hope we shall have what we came for. He will open our eyes to the miracles and wonders guaranteed to His children.

Bartimeus cast aside his garments. We too must cast away the garment of self-sufficiency, and free of the weight of doubt we may go forward with clear eyes. Jesus clears our vision, lifting all the weights that bear down on us.

Now it is up to us. Jesus told Bartimeus – receive your sight, be it unto you as you desire. “Go your way,” that is, to your own house, about your own business.

Bartimeus was given the choice that is in front of all of us. Jesus gives us what we ask for and gives us the opportunity to see clearly. Bartimeus saw clearly and chose to follow Jesus – to Jerusalem and beyond.

Bartimeus saw not just physically, but with the eyes of faith. As we face our anxieties, let us ask Jesus for the help we hope for, the hope He has guaranteed. Then let us respond with eyes of faith to follow Him.

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.

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.

Reflection for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Key kids.
You get it.

“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Why did Jesus compare receiving a child to receiving Him?

The key in this verse is the word “receive.” It actually means to take by the hand. It means to take up. It means to befriend. It means to receive in hospitality. It means to accept into one’s life.

Whoever does these things isn’t just receiving a child, but they are also receiving Jesus because they no longer care about being pretentious, pompous, high-and-mighty, or arrogant. They are open, not just the innocence or a child, but to becoming small themselves.

We all know that we can’t act like big shots around children. They see right through it and will call us on it. In relating to a child we have to let down our guards, open up, and soften ourselves.

We have to do the same to accept Jesus, and to accept and welcome His Father as our Father.

Jesus was showing the disciples, who were arguing about who’s first that they had to let go of that attitude. They had to stop pretending after greatness because the only place they could find greatness, find heaven, was in being the servant to each other.

Jesus loved children because they weren’t competing. They were open to love and plain teaching. They recognized Jesus’ love – they got Him. While the men and women around Him, even His disciples were blinded by their own goals, children clearly saw God’s goals for their lives – and they accepted God’s goals as their goals.

We will all be called to account for our approach to life – how closely our lives follow Jesus’ way.

Did we treat our faith as something complex and hierarchical? Did we treat our faith as based on community and service to each other and the wider world?

Do we dwell on disputes and the competition to be greater than others? Do we focus on humility and self-denial so as to be most like Jesus?

St. James, having learned from Jesus during these days, points out that we tend to seek for ourselves, we focus only on our passions, we ask wrongly. We need to listen to the child’s voice. When we hear, “May I please have a glass of water?” our hearts should melt to become the servant who fulfills that child’s need – for the water that brings both physical and spiritual life. Be a humble believer, accept that child, and receive Jesus.

Reflection for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Figure it out!
Is it math?

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.”

Jesus has the answer.

When we are confronted by struggles, by conflicts, by different paths that might pull us away from God’s path, that is the mantra we should focus on – Jesus has the answer.

We have been hearing about the Bread of Life for several weeks. We veered off from Mark’s Gospel, which is the standard gospel for Sunday’s this year, and focused on John 6 – Jesus speaking of Himself as the Bread of Life – for five weeks. I thought to myself – is anyone sick of bread yet. Well, some of the disciples were. They found Jesus’ word hard, too much; they decided to veer off into other paths. Maybe they went to look for the doughnuts of life, or the Doritos of life, or whichever pursuit might better fulfill their lives. Maybe they thought they could figure it out on their own, rely on themselves, and maybe even – not be so accountable.

As the disciples slip away we find the moment where Judas began to doubt, where the seeds of betrayal were set.

Jesus’ teaching, and its emphasis on whole-hearted, personal commitment to Him, antagonized people, and fewer supported Him. Remember after feeding the 5,000 the people wanted to make Jesus an earthly king. Judas, a member of the Zealot party wanted that too. He wanted Israel to regain earthly power under an earthly king. He thought Jesus would be that charismatic and dynamic king, and would use His miracles to achieve those ends. Judas’ commitment was to the politics of life. He saw Jesus’ earthly attraction and power slipping away, and his heart never really figured out that Jesus has the answer.

Peter and the other disciples stand in stark contrast. They were the exception. They repeated to themselves, and here publically their whole-hearted personal commitment to Jesus.

They knew that there was no better place to go. Commitment to family, politics, Doritos, any other attraction would never outshine their commitment to Jesus. Every one of them proved it with lives dedicated to Jesus.

Jesus is life and has all we need – the answers, the bread, the water, and the light. His words of life are words that carry life with them. In the same way, His bread, light, and water carry life with them. He gives everything we need to truly live – and live forever. When we are confronted with figuring it out, finding our way, we find the answer in Jesus. Jesus is not just an answer; He is the answer.