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Todays readings can be found here.
The scripture readings today tell us three stories of meeting God face-to-face. Isaiah, the apostle Paul and Simon Peter, James, and John all saw God, repented, and were given a mission. These readings are a reminder for us as we approach Lent, the great season of repentance and turning towards God.
When we meet God face-to-face, the experience should make us realize we want to be good, pure, and perfect in God's eyes. I'm sure in many of our lives we have hurt someone so much that we think we would rather die than live without their forgiveness. We desire more than anything to remove the wrong and restore the love, friendship and communication we once had. In scripture and in our lives, meeting God face-to-face evokes a similar response.
Many people go through their lives never having met God or forgetting that they did. A person could spend a lifetime in the pew and still wondering when God will reveal Himself. God is constantly revealing Himself to humanity. You should look back on your personal history and look for times that God was reaching out to you. Look for patterns, events, or threads that have composed your religious story, brought you to an awareness of God, formed your spirituality, and led you to faith. In those moments, God was revealing Himself. Another scenario to consider is a time when you may have felt great repentance and desire to be reunited with God. Whatever led to that moment was God's revelation.
If these prompts seem weak, and you cannot find a moment in your life where you actually experienced God, or this moment was so long ago, I encourage deep reflection prior to and during the Lenten season. An excellent workbook to use would be Discovering My Experience of God: Awareness and Witness by Frank Desiano and Kenneth Boyack. It provides a step by step spiritual exercise to help you realize where God has met you face-to-face in your life. It is a tool to help you realize your own story of conversion.
Realization that you have met God is the first step in life-long conversion. Meeting God again and again, renewal of self through repentance and a life of mission is the goal of life-long conversion. It is the goal of Jesus Christ and his work on Earth. We may not be Isiah with an angelic vision. We may not be Paul with his conversion on the road to Damascus. We may not be fishermen who witness a miracle of abundance in an empty lake. We are God's children though, and He is revealing Himself to us. We should pray for eyes to see Him.
Showing posts with label Is. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Is. Show all posts
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today's readings can be found here. They are really good this week, so I suggest you look at them if you haven't already!
“Brothers and Sisters … To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” We are each called to God's work. We may not know what it is, but God certainly does. To determine what our call is, it is helpful to look at our strengths, abilities, talents and skills and pray about how they may be used to the benefit of God's holy church.
One person may be good at organizing and office work. Our parish almost always needs help in those areas. One may be good at planning parties and having fun. We have many events that need to be planned including fundraisers, youth events, and ministries to the poor during the holidays. Another may only be good at accounting, the church needs that skill too! Then we have talents such as speaking, writing, singing, and playing musical instruments. The Church needs people to lead music at worship, lector (especially at Saturday 5pm and Sunday at 11:30am), and write for the bulletin. The needs of our parish, and the Church at large are tremendous and each of us are called to serve our Mother Church and the Body of Christ. We are all a part of the one body of Christ and each part has its essential function.
Jesus Christ was called to specific work in His lifetime and when he was about 30 years old, His mother gave him a push that resulted in His first scriptural miracle. At the wedding feast, Mary turned to Jesus knowing He had a special skill that could help the situation at hand. Jesus tells his mother that he isn't ready. Mary pushes him to action, as a good mother would. Sometimes we need someone to push us to action, especially when it comes to serving others and God. Sometimes we need someone to believe in us and encourage us in the good works we do. We need encouragers and enablers in our lives to push us into action.
We need to be encouragers and enablers to our friends, family and to strangers we meet. When we see someone with a skill or ability the church needs, our job is to give them a nudge in God's direction. Every one of us has a part to play in the story of our faith, from the priest, to the lector, to the people who stuff the bulletins, to the ministers for the children, youth, sick, and prisoner, to the infant who plays baby Jesus in the Nativity play. As the hymn says, “We are many parts, we are all one body, and the gifts we have, we are given to share. May the Spirit of Love make us one indeed... Working for the Father's Son, working that His will be done, let us lay our gifts before the Lord.” Indeed, let us lay our gifts before the Lord.
“Brothers and Sisters … To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” We are each called to God's work. We may not know what it is, but God certainly does. To determine what our call is, it is helpful to look at our strengths, abilities, talents and skills and pray about how they may be used to the benefit of God's holy church.
One person may be good at organizing and office work. Our parish almost always needs help in those areas. One may be good at planning parties and having fun. We have many events that need to be planned including fundraisers, youth events, and ministries to the poor during the holidays. Another may only be good at accounting, the church needs that skill too! Then we have talents such as speaking, writing, singing, and playing musical instruments. The Church needs people to lead music at worship, lector (especially at Saturday 5pm and Sunday at 11:30am), and write for the bulletin. The needs of our parish, and the Church at large are tremendous and each of us are called to serve our Mother Church and the Body of Christ. We are all a part of the one body of Christ and each part has its essential function.
Jesus Christ was called to specific work in His lifetime and when he was about 30 years old, His mother gave him a push that resulted in His first scriptural miracle. At the wedding feast, Mary turned to Jesus knowing He had a special skill that could help the situation at hand. Jesus tells his mother that he isn't ready. Mary pushes him to action, as a good mother would. Sometimes we need someone to push us to action, especially when it comes to serving others and God. Sometimes we need someone to believe in us and encourage us in the good works we do. We need encouragers and enablers in our lives to push us into action.
We need to be encouragers and enablers to our friends, family and to strangers we meet. When we see someone with a skill or ability the church needs, our job is to give them a nudge in God's direction. Every one of us has a part to play in the story of our faith, from the priest, to the lector, to the people who stuff the bulletins, to the ministers for the children, youth, sick, and prisoner, to the infant who plays baby Jesus in the Nativity play. As the hymn says, “We are many parts, we are all one body, and the gifts we have, we are given to share. May the Spirit of Love make us one indeed... Working for the Father's Son, working that His will be done, let us lay our gifts before the Lord.” Indeed, let us lay our gifts before the Lord.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The Baptism of the Lord
Today's readings can be found here.
Today we celebrate Jesus's baptism and the beginning of His public life. If we were hearing the story of Jesus for the first time, we might wonder what that child of God would do with his life. We heard of his miraculous birth, visitation by three kings, escape into Egypt, an ordinary life of pilgrimage as a teen, getting “lost” in the temple. When we listen to the story, he grows older and older. Today, we would be on the edge of our seats with anticipation wondering, “When will he act? He's a grown up already! What will come of his life?”.
When Jesus meets with his cousin John at the river, we've already heard about John, too. We know John was born to woman who was supposedly barren after an appearance of an angel, his father went mute during the gestation, John jumped in the womb when he was in the presence of Mary, pregnant with Jesus. As an adult, John preached far and wide, lived as a wild man in the desert living off of locust and honey. Both men were born under stupendous circumstances and amazing blessings.
When they meet at the river, we know something miraculous is going to happen. John had been baptizing people and saying that one mightier than him would come. Jesus arrives, is baptized and begins praying. The heavens open up and and the Holy Spirit gently descends upon him and a voice is heard, proclaiming that Jesus is God's son and has pleased God.
At this point, we should be on the edge of our seats! It is time for Jesus to begin doing whatever it is that he will do! If this is our first time hearing this story, we wonder, what will he do? The first reading, from the book of Isaiah, gives us our answer. In this reading, God names his servant, with whom he is pleased, just like we heard at the river after Jesus' baptism! Then, we hear what Jesus will do, why he has come to this earth. God says that he will peacefully bring justice to the nations. He is sent to bring light, open the eyes of the blind and free the captive. He is sent as a covenant to the people. Jesus is a promise of peace between God and man.
Fortunately this isn't the first time we have heard this story. We know the covenant between God and man is played out daily at Mass in the sacrifice of Jesus' life on the altar. His life and blood are poured out so that we might live in peace with ourselves and others, freed from sin. We are the captive who needs to be freed. We are the blind who need to see. We are in darkness and should look to Him for the light.
Today we celebrate Jesus's baptism and the beginning of His public life. If we were hearing the story of Jesus for the first time, we might wonder what that child of God would do with his life. We heard of his miraculous birth, visitation by three kings, escape into Egypt, an ordinary life of pilgrimage as a teen, getting “lost” in the temple. When we listen to the story, he grows older and older. Today, we would be on the edge of our seats with anticipation wondering, “When will he act? He's a grown up already! What will come of his life?”.
When Jesus meets with his cousin John at the river, we've already heard about John, too. We know John was born to woman who was supposedly barren after an appearance of an angel, his father went mute during the gestation, John jumped in the womb when he was in the presence of Mary, pregnant with Jesus. As an adult, John preached far and wide, lived as a wild man in the desert living off of locust and honey. Both men were born under stupendous circumstances and amazing blessings.
When they meet at the river, we know something miraculous is going to happen. John had been baptizing people and saying that one mightier than him would come. Jesus arrives, is baptized and begins praying. The heavens open up and and the Holy Spirit gently descends upon him and a voice is heard, proclaiming that Jesus is God's son and has pleased God.
At this point, we should be on the edge of our seats! It is time for Jesus to begin doing whatever it is that he will do! If this is our first time hearing this story, we wonder, what will he do? The first reading, from the book of Isaiah, gives us our answer. In this reading, God names his servant, with whom he is pleased, just like we heard at the river after Jesus' baptism! Then, we hear what Jesus will do, why he has come to this earth. God says that he will peacefully bring justice to the nations. He is sent to bring light, open the eyes of the blind and free the captive. He is sent as a covenant to the people. Jesus is a promise of peace between God and man.
Fortunately this isn't the first time we have heard this story. We know the covenant between God and man is played out daily at Mass in the sacrifice of Jesus' life on the altar. His life and blood are poured out so that we might live in peace with ourselves and others, freed from sin. We are the captive who needs to be freed. We are the blind who need to see. We are in darkness and should look to Him for the light.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Third Sunday of Advent
Today's readings can be found here.
We have so many things to celebrate. God has been so good to all of us. He has provided us with the very lives we live, and provided us with food, shelter, and a place to lay our heads right up until this very night. Times may not have always been easy, but all along God was with us. God is with us.
As we celebrate the moment when God sent down his Son to walk among us, we celebrate the promise that God would always be accessible to us. Before Jesus came, to be with God the priest had to enter the temple. But he could only do it once a year, and he had to have a rope tied around him in case he died of shock just by being in God's presence. If he died, they could pull him out by the rope! Before the temple, Moses had to go up onto the mountain just to speak to God. While he was up there, the people grew tired of waiting for God's message and started making a golden calf to worship instead. Jesus' advent on this earth said, “I am here with you.” Jesus did die and leave the earth, but his resurrection said, “I will always be with you.”
Our first reading from the book of Zephaniah is a celebration of God and his love. It says, “Shout for joy... Sing joyfully... Be glad and exult with all your heart!” I believe this is the message of Christmas. The message that people try to convey in gifts wrapped and topped with pretty bows. This is the message that the Christmas Tree tries to invoke: joy and gladness with shiny bulbs and tinsel. Zephaniah isn't writing about a tree and a present though. He proclaims joy because “The Lord has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies... You have no further misfortune to fear.... Fear not... be not discouraged! The Lord, your God is in your midst, a mighty savior, he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love.”
Zephaniah rejoices because God is in the midst of the people. When God is in our midst he removes judgment, foes, fears, discouragement. God brings peace, joy, gladness, and love. The apostles knew this, Paul especially did. He wrote a letter to the Philippians, which we also read today. He says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again rejoice.” He knew the joy of the Lord. I pray we all do. In this season of Advent, as you bustle about with the tree and the presents, ask yourself, “Am I rejoicing?” You should be. Christ is with us, ever present in the Eucharist and our hearts. This is the advent of our Joy. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, “rejoice”
We have so many things to celebrate. God has been so good to all of us. He has provided us with the very lives we live, and provided us with food, shelter, and a place to lay our heads right up until this very night. Times may not have always been easy, but all along God was with us. God is with us.
As we celebrate the moment when God sent down his Son to walk among us, we celebrate the promise that God would always be accessible to us. Before Jesus came, to be with God the priest had to enter the temple. But he could only do it once a year, and he had to have a rope tied around him in case he died of shock just by being in God's presence. If he died, they could pull him out by the rope! Before the temple, Moses had to go up onto the mountain just to speak to God. While he was up there, the people grew tired of waiting for God's message and started making a golden calf to worship instead. Jesus' advent on this earth said, “I am here with you.” Jesus did die and leave the earth, but his resurrection said, “I will always be with you.”
Our first reading from the book of Zephaniah is a celebration of God and his love. It says, “Shout for joy... Sing joyfully... Be glad and exult with all your heart!” I believe this is the message of Christmas. The message that people try to convey in gifts wrapped and topped with pretty bows. This is the message that the Christmas Tree tries to invoke: joy and gladness with shiny bulbs and tinsel. Zephaniah isn't writing about a tree and a present though. He proclaims joy because “The Lord has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies... You have no further misfortune to fear.... Fear not... be not discouraged! The Lord, your God is in your midst, a mighty savior, he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love.”
Zephaniah rejoices because God is in the midst of the people. When God is in our midst he removes judgment, foes, fears, discouragement. God brings peace, joy, gladness, and love. The apostles knew this, Paul especially did. He wrote a letter to the Philippians, which we also read today. He says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again rejoice.” He knew the joy of the Lord. I pray we all do. In this season of Advent, as you bustle about with the tree and the presents, ask yourself, “Am I rejoicing?” You should be. Christ is with us, ever present in the Eucharist and our hearts. This is the advent of our Joy. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, “rejoice”
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
You can find today's readings here!
It is quite difficult, in the United States of America, to not want to be the best. We think our country, our sports teams, and our schools are “Number One!” We are taught from a young age that we can “achieve anything we put our minds to”. We are told daily of small town nobodies who turned into superstars overnight (Thank you, reality TV). It is perfectly understandable to most Americans then, that James and John asked to be put in a place of honor because of their association with Jesus. They were trying to climb up Jesus' political ladder and “be all they could be”.
Unfortunately for James and John, but fortunate for all of humanity, Jesus does not have a political ladder, a social ladder or any kind of ladder to rank people. He doesn't even rank himself. He tells the disciples that to be the best, they must serve the least. They must be the servant to others, and serve the children, poor, castout, downtrodden, widow and sick.
For this we must be extremely grateful. Many would consider themselves lucky, well-off, or taken care of, but external things aren't the most important in this situation, internal things are. Even if our external selves have power, wealth or fame, the shape of our souls is often poor, childlike, foolish, sick, cast out, or downtrodden. We don't have a clue what to do in times when we should. We fumble for faith in hard times and let our faith slip in the easy times. But if we look at our “American Dream” we know we can be number one, even in our faith
Last week, Jesus told us, “nothing is impossible with God.” This is because WE are the ones who need to be served. We are served by Christ, who died on the cross for US. We are the ones who are poor in spirit, we are the ones who are the least. We are so blessed and fortunate to have God who is full of mercy and understands our human weakness. In being the least in God's eyes, we become the best in His eyes. By being last, we become the first. We trust that God cares for us. We trust that Jesus' sacrifice was meant for us. We trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us in our lives. Because we trust, we can echo the prayer of the psalmists, and praise God for His mercy on our lowliness when we sing, “Lord, let Your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You. “
It is quite difficult, in the United States of America, to not want to be the best. We think our country, our sports teams, and our schools are “Number One!” We are taught from a young age that we can “achieve anything we put our minds to”. We are told daily of small town nobodies who turned into superstars overnight (Thank you, reality TV). It is perfectly understandable to most Americans then, that James and John asked to be put in a place of honor because of their association with Jesus. They were trying to climb up Jesus' political ladder and “be all they could be”.
Unfortunately for James and John, but fortunate for all of humanity, Jesus does not have a political ladder, a social ladder or any kind of ladder to rank people. He doesn't even rank himself. He tells the disciples that to be the best, they must serve the least. They must be the servant to others, and serve the children, poor, castout, downtrodden, widow and sick.
For this we must be extremely grateful. Many would consider themselves lucky, well-off, or taken care of, but external things aren't the most important in this situation, internal things are. Even if our external selves have power, wealth or fame, the shape of our souls is often poor, childlike, foolish, sick, cast out, or downtrodden. We don't have a clue what to do in times when we should. We fumble for faith in hard times and let our faith slip in the easy times. But if we look at our “American Dream” we know we can be number one, even in our faith
Last week, Jesus told us, “nothing is impossible with God.” This is because WE are the ones who need to be served. We are served by Christ, who died on the cross for US. We are the ones who are poor in spirit, we are the ones who are the least. We are so blessed and fortunate to have God who is full of mercy and understands our human weakness. In being the least in God's eyes, we become the best in His eyes. By being last, we become the first. We trust that God cares for us. We trust that Jesus' sacrifice was meant for us. We trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us in our lives. Because we trust, we can echo the prayer of the psalmists, and praise God for His mercy on our lowliness when we sing, “Lord, let Your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You. “
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Food for the journey (Vol 2)
Please visit Conversion Diary, host of Seven Quick Takes.
Prayer of the week
Please take from me my life
when I don't have the strength
to give it away to you, Jesus.
From the Saints
"Life's distortions are removed by God's kind eye, giving us sight of our dignity and seeing the ways our soul glass is smudged." - St. Catherine of Sienna
Quote of the week
"Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them." -Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
On the Mass
"We are going to be bored unless we come with a burning desire to hear God's word, to meet him in sacrament and to be changed in the way in which we continue to live our lives.
[We should] bring to the sacred liturgy all that is transpiring within our own lives. We can then bring it directly to God and place it in his hands and offer ourselves in a way that is open and pliable to his loving will. We want to be taught by him. We want to be purified by him. We want to be changed by him. For this to happen .. we have to move beyond wanting to be entertained or made to feel good. Rather we need to be strengthened by a voluntary self-offering in union with Christ that accepts the kind of suffering that purifies and ennobles us.
This kind of engagement in the liturgy is what liturgy ultimately implies. Liturgy is ultimately and involvement that demands courage and a lively faith. It requires the desire of the whole person to be engaged. It includes a willingness to be transformed and led into a new life. "
from Spiritual Masters: Living a life of prayer in the Catholic Tradition by Bishop Alfred Hughes
Truth
Jesus will never be arrested for forced entry. We have to open the door to let him in.
Almost the last bite
The Great Commission is what Christ told his followers to DO. It's not the great suggestion.
Scripture of the Week
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God. - Is 49:4
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today's readings can be found here
The question posed in James is "What good is faith without works?" For an individual, faith in God's sanctifying grace is all that is needed to be saved. However, on earth, we are living in community. Community needs each member to contribute in one way or another. Otherwise we are all just living next to each other instead of with each other.
Mahatma Ghandi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians." Wow. What kind of behavior must we have been displaying for him to say that? We must not be living out the ministry of Christ and the works of our faith to our fullest extent.
Looking at the vast array of religious orders, it is easy to see that there are many different types of works to be done: ministry to the sick, healthy, dying, survivor, poor, wealthy, orphan, child, teen, homosexual, married, single, addict, homeless, jobless, soldier, hungry, and more. There are orders who focus on teaching, healing, health, meditation, contemplation, preaching, politics, social justice, and missionary work. Even within our own church building, opportunities abound for works: extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, lectoring, singing, altar serving, greeting, taking the collection, becoming a Deacon, writing the bulletin, teaching catechism, collecting for the food drive, writing letters to representatives, leading the Mom's group, cleaning the church pews after mass, cleaning the candles and altar before mass, parish council, and so much more.
God asks for our time, talent and treasure to meet the needs of the community. God's gift of grace saves us. Our faith sustains us. Our works help our neighbor and build our community. I pray that each of us can respond to the needs of the community according to the call on our hearts and that one day, a great leader may say, “I like your Christ, and I love your Christians.”
The question posed in James is "What good is faith without works?" For an individual, faith in God's sanctifying grace is all that is needed to be saved. However, on earth, we are living in community. Community needs each member to contribute in one way or another. Otherwise we are all just living next to each other instead of with each other.
Mahatma Ghandi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians." Wow. What kind of behavior must we have been displaying for him to say that? We must not be living out the ministry of Christ and the works of our faith to our fullest extent.
Looking at the vast array of religious orders, it is easy to see that there are many different types of works to be done: ministry to the sick, healthy, dying, survivor, poor, wealthy, orphan, child, teen, homosexual, married, single, addict, homeless, jobless, soldier, hungry, and more. There are orders who focus on teaching, healing, health, meditation, contemplation, preaching, politics, social justice, and missionary work. Even within our own church building, opportunities abound for works: extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, lectoring, singing, altar serving, greeting, taking the collection, becoming a Deacon, writing the bulletin, teaching catechism, collecting for the food drive, writing letters to representatives, leading the Mom's group, cleaning the church pews after mass, cleaning the candles and altar before mass, parish council, and so much more.
God asks for our time, talent and treasure to meet the needs of the community. God's gift of grace saves us. Our faith sustains us. Our works help our neighbor and build our community. I pray that each of us can respond to the needs of the community according to the call on our hearts and that one day, a great leader may say, “I like your Christ, and I love your Christians.”
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
You can find today's readings here
God made His kingdom for all people but so many will miss out on it. He made His kingdom for you, me, our neighbors, the relative you haven't spoken to in years, and the guy who cut you off in traffic. He sent us all an invitation to His kingdom. You and I have shown up for the pre-party (church), but have the others? Who is missing today? Why aren't they here? Are their eyes closed to the invitation, did they turn a deaf ear to the call, was their body unable to get them to the car and drive here, would they be embarassed say that they went to church?
The scripture says, "the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared." It also tells us, "the lame will leap" and the "tongue of the mute will sing." Do you know someone spiritually deaf, blind, mute, or lame? We all do. They have this disability because they have ignored God's offer. They might need a reminder about God's love and desire for them.
What does it take for a Christian to speak out to others? It takes courage. God promises to support our efforts if they are efforts of God. Today's first reading tells us, "Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you." He comes to defend us, to support us and give us the help we need on our earthly journey.
This earth is full of spiritually blind, deaf, lame and mute people. If we open our mouths to say to them, "God has something for you". God will support us, He will strengthen us. But we must be brave to speak out. God does not want to act alone in His plan of salvation. You are a part of His plan. "Be strong, fear not."
God made His kingdom for all people but so many will miss out on it. He made His kingdom for you, me, our neighbors, the relative you haven't spoken to in years, and the guy who cut you off in traffic. He sent us all an invitation to His kingdom. You and I have shown up for the pre-party (church), but have the others? Who is missing today? Why aren't they here? Are their eyes closed to the invitation, did they turn a deaf ear to the call, was their body unable to get them to the car and drive here, would they be embarassed say that they went to church?
The scripture says, "the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared." It also tells us, "the lame will leap" and the "tongue of the mute will sing." Do you know someone spiritually deaf, blind, mute, or lame? We all do. They have this disability because they have ignored God's offer. They might need a reminder about God's love and desire for them.
What does it take for a Christian to speak out to others? It takes courage. God promises to support our efforts if they are efforts of God. Today's first reading tells us, "Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you." He comes to defend us, to support us and give us the help we need on our earthly journey.
This earth is full of spiritually blind, deaf, lame and mute people. If we open our mouths to say to them, "God has something for you". God will support us, He will strengthen us. But we must be brave to speak out. God does not want to act alone in His plan of salvation. You are a part of His plan. "Be strong, fear not."
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Palm Sunday
“The Lord God has given me a well trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary.” Jesus knew how to speak to the weary and reached out to them again and again. This week in scripture, he speaks to the woman who anoints Him with oil from her alabaster jar, to Peter who denies Him, to his disciples as He washes their feet, as He heals the cut ear of the man who came to arrest Him, to the women on His walk to Calvary, to His mother as she stood at His feet, to the thieves on the cross, and to us. His speaks with understanding, love and forgiveness.
I know what it is like to carry the burden of sinning against God, others and myself. I am consumed by my sin. How could I have done things differently? Will everyone find out? What will they think of me? What relationships have I ruined? How will everyone react to me now? My sins have a way of making me weary.
I know my sin could easily become a trap of doubt and despair, but I also know that I have a Savior who loves me and who wants me to return to Him, and return to who I am – a child of God. When Jesus died on the cross, it wasn’t just for all of the people alive at that time; it was for me - today. It was for you - today. He died on the cross to free us from sin by offering us forgiveness. Like the thieves who hung beside Him, we have two paths to take. We can refuse His sacrifice and deny what He offers us. Or we can realize who He is, what He has done for us and ask for forgiveness.
Asking for forgiveness is difficult for many people; however our Church has designed a way to help us. It is called confession, because we put a name to what shames us, and to how we have hurt God, our neighbor and ourselves. This sacrament is also called penance which is a desire to be forgiven. Don’t we all desire to be forgiven and reunited with the ones we love? This sacrament is also called reconciliation because that is what we want most, to be reconciled to God, our neighbor, and ourselves.
In our church Jesus hangs on the cross above the altar. His arms are open. His arms are waiting to embrace us. Jesus was and is always willing to forgive us. Will His gift go unopened? This last week of Lent we have an opportunity to open this gift. Tuesday, April 7th at 7:30 pm, our parish is providing a reconciliation service with over 20 priests, who will put on Christ to hear our confession and help us reconcile ourselves to Him. Our Church is also providing the opportunity to reconcile ourselves after the 9:00 am mass on Tuesday, and on Saturday at 3:45 pm.
Aren’t we tired of carrying around our sin? Jesus had words for the weary. Will we hear them? He has given us such a marvelous gift by his death and resurrection. Will we be like the bad thief on the cross and deny this gift or will we be like the good thief and open it?
I know what it is like to carry the burden of sinning against God, others and myself. I am consumed by my sin. How could I have done things differently? Will everyone find out? What will they think of me? What relationships have I ruined? How will everyone react to me now? My sins have a way of making me weary.
I know my sin could easily become a trap of doubt and despair, but I also know that I have a Savior who loves me and who wants me to return to Him, and return to who I am – a child of God. When Jesus died on the cross, it wasn’t just for all of the people alive at that time; it was for me - today. It was for you - today. He died on the cross to free us from sin by offering us forgiveness. Like the thieves who hung beside Him, we have two paths to take. We can refuse His sacrifice and deny what He offers us. Or we can realize who He is, what He has done for us and ask for forgiveness.
Asking for forgiveness is difficult for many people; however our Church has designed a way to help us. It is called confession, because we put a name to what shames us, and to how we have hurt God, our neighbor and ourselves. This sacrament is also called penance which is a desire to be forgiven. Don’t we all desire to be forgiven and reunited with the ones we love? This sacrament is also called reconciliation because that is what we want most, to be reconciled to God, our neighbor, and ourselves.
In our church Jesus hangs on the cross above the altar. His arms are open. His arms are waiting to embrace us. Jesus was and is always willing to forgive us. Will His gift go unopened? This last week of Lent we have an opportunity to open this gift. Tuesday, April 7th at 7:30 pm, our parish is providing a reconciliation service with over 20 priests, who will put on Christ to hear our confession and help us reconcile ourselves to Him. Our Church is also providing the opportunity to reconcile ourselves after the 9:00 am mass on Tuesday, and on Saturday at 3:45 pm.
Aren’t we tired of carrying around our sin? Jesus had words for the weary. Will we hear them? He has given us such a marvelous gift by his death and resurrection. Will we be like the bad thief on the cross and deny this gift or will we be like the good thief and open it?
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