June 20th, 2017
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 366
2 COR 8:1-9
PS 146:2, 5-6AB, 6C- 7, 8-9A
MT 5:43-48
If you turn on the news today, you’ll find many young men and women who have everything they could ever want materially. Through their natural, God-given skills they have created careers that have lined their coffers and even those of their friends, families, and agents. There seems to be a pervading darkness there that lies under the surface though. From Miley to Katy Perry, we find that these men and women aren’t happy. The money they have achieved, the fame, the drugs and the lifestyle haven’t brought them to some magical nirvana, but seem to have instead left them empty and broken. Suicide is rampant among the rich and famous, as is drug use, pedophilia, and various other dark deeds that aren’t spoken of in polite company. All of these things are a search for something to make them happy, something to give them hope.
Why then is it so hard for us to let go of the very thing that we know doesn’t make us happy? It seems like every time I turn on the radio someone is asking for money. The Church has a yearly fund drive, the Pastoral Council wants to build another house, the guy at the train station wants another handout, and my kids need this or that. God has gifted me with what little money I have to make a difference in the world. To care for my family and friends. The simple act of being asked to give up some of that abundance that He has so generously given me is almost a litmus test to my commitment to the Church and to the Kingdom. Do I have enough faith to let go of the providence I have already received in the belief that it will come to me again? Do I believe God will follow through on His promise to always take care of me?
Paul has spoken the need of a monetary commitment to the community but Jesus, as He always does, gets to the root of the problem. Do we truly love? It’s not the ones who show us love that test our faith and our conversion. The person who gets on our nerves, the one who we don’t know, the one who squanders their own blessings and then expects mine. That’s when our faith is tested. That’s part of what giving to the Church is about. When we find ourselves saying things like “I’ve given them for every project, I’m not doing it anymore!”, we are stepping into that same trap. We are holding to the money that will never bring us happiness, instead of giving and trusting in God to provide. That doesn’t mean one shouldn’t ever consider where their money is going, or do their research to find out that it’s actually going where it says it is. What it does mean though, is that the true stress test of whether or not you are a Christian is: do I believe the promises that Christ has given me? Or am I just going through the motions?
His servant and yours,
Brian Mullins
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer. - Psalm 19:14
Here today we see the homecoming of Tobiah to Nineveh in which he brings not only the cure for Tobit’s blindness but also his new wife. Tobit has been in darkness, blinded by the unfortunate event of sleeping under a wall where birds were nesting. While Tobiah has been gone people have had to lead him around and even now we find Tobit sitting blindly at the gate waiting for the return of his son. His wife, Anna, serves as his guide and watches the road for him and likely for herself. As their son returns Tobit is healed, Anna feels completed, and a daughter is added to the family. An event that could easily have been a sour one now brings joy to Tobit and glory to God. His blindness was not God’s desire, but God has taken something unpleasant and made it into something powerful.
The message here to me is not that God will heal every pain or deficiency. Life is full of suffering that God doesn’t intend for us. Many of those circumstances we bring on ourselves. Sometimes we get diseases that we don’t know why we have them, or conditions that leave us unable to work, or even like Tobit, leaving us in physical blindness. I still believe God can and does heal some of that. I also think that true healing can occur without removing those physical ailments at all. Attitude. Gratitude. How do we respond to life? Do we bring glory to God? Joy to those around us? Do we have gratitude for the mystery of life and the mystery of who God is?
Jesus tries to awaken those around Him in Mark’s Gospel this morning as He tries to broaden their understanding of who the Messiah is. They are looking for a Son of David, and Jesus fits that bill. He’s not the only one though. The line of David isn’t exhausted and He has many cousins that we hear about in other parts of the Gospels. What Jesus wants people to realize is they are in darkness. They have limited their vision of who the Messiah is and God wants them to understand the entirety of the message, suffering and all. That the Messiah will be not a warrior king who comes to free Jerusalem from physical oppression, but a Spiritual King who will die for their sins and free them from the Spiritual bondage they are in regardless of where they live. True freedom is being joyful to God regardless of where we live, how much we have, or the conditions we find ourselves in. Notice those around Jesus respond with joy. “The great crowd heard this with delight.” How do you respond to the Gospel? The presence of God in your lives? The mystery of suffering and redemption? That’s the true mystery of the Messiah, giving us freedom from sin that we might find joy even in the midst of the storm.
His servant and yours,
Brian Mullins "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer. - Psalm 19:14
I remember as a young man seeing video of a volcano for the first time. The lava was flowing down the mountain into the ocean. When it touched the water, it roiled and exploded. Such raw power, such destruction! I was filled with fear that such a thing could happen to us! I knew there were no active volcanoes anywhere near our home in Virginia. Yet, the image was stuck in my mind and for days I couldn't sleep for fear of seeing them in my dreams. That's the image that the Israelites experienced first hand in the desert of God. Loud booming sounds, smoke and fire, lightning and thunder. An image of God so terrifying that they begged Moses to go intercede for them for fear that just hearing God's voice would cause them to die.
The author of Hebrews gives us a different image of God. That of a 'festal' gathering. A party! Recently I went to a wedding with Julie's family. It had been years since we had been to anything of this sort. With work and the kids we just couldn't find time or the money to go. When we arrived though, we were welcomed with open arms and warm familial hugs. We didn't feel out of place, but rather felt we were part of the family... The words that come to mind are: familiar, warm, inviting, peaceful, joyful, welcome. That's the image we get of Heaven. Not something to be feared, but a place to long for. A gathering around the wedding feast of the Lamb where "everyone knows your name."
The key to being invited though, the key to the entire walk of the Christian life, is humility. Not some false humility where one puts themselves down in order to make them look even more 'humble' than someone else, but a true sense of humility in which we realize exactly who we are. An honest assessment of ourselves. A recognition that we are indeed sinners, and yet are called adopted Sons/Daughters of the most High! That we are fallen in nature but chosen in calling. Acceptance of the fact that we are holy, set apart, consecrated for God... not in some haughty manner, but in gentle, silent awe filled wonder that we are who God says we are.... that kind of humility allows us to take the lesser seat. To sit at the foot of the table. Because we know that's where we belong... and if God left us there? We would have no qualms, no quarrels of sitting with the least of our brothers....
It's there that we encounter Christ in the here and now. In the eyes of the distressful disguises that He chooses to wear. In the outcast, the orphan, the widow... the broken, the fallen, the addicted, the scared... yes, there that we sit with Him at the table... Yet we are called to be like Christ in all things, yes? To be not just guests at the wedding, but co-hosts with our adopted Brother. Are you doing your part? Are you going out to the honored guest and lifting them up to a higher place? It's in the sick, the poor, the angry, the unappreciated, the fallen away, the mangled up, chewed up, and spit out person that we encounter Christ face to face... are you helping Him find a higher place at the table? Christ deserves the seat of honor.. the highest praise... the best meal and the best plates... are you offering Him the best you have? Or are you leaving Him sitting at the lower end of the table while you sit with those who make you comfortable?
We have work to do Church... more especially I have work to do.
His servant and yours,
Brian
"He must increase, I must decrease."
A reflection on the readings for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time: August 28th, 2016. Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24; Luke 14:1, 7-14
I’ve told this story before. The story of sitting on the riverbank of the Mississippi at the White House in Saint Louis, Missouri. How that the sun was shinning, the birds singing, the river flowing it’s long easy strides. That I was sitting there meditating on being thankful and how awestruck we should be at the generosity of God. There I was having this beautiful moment of relaxation with the beauty of nature when the thought occurred to me: This moment would be perfect if a deer would just walk out of the woods right now. God had created a moment in which I could encounter Him on a greater level, a moment in which the temporal could touch the infinite… a perfect moment. There I was trying to be God.
Our first reading shows us that times haven’t changed much in that regards. Just like I on the riverbank that Mark Twain made famous sought to perfect a moment that was already perfect, the world tries to tell us what makes us happy. Frank Sinatra once sang a song called “I did it my way.” In that song he lauds that his life is coming to an end, and that he always did it his way. Later in his life he was known to complain about the song. His daughter said he described it as like having something on his shoe, something unpleasant that you just couldn’t get off. It was too ego centric, too self serving. It reminds me of that saying the kids have, “I’ll do me, and let you do you.” You be your own truth, and I’ll be my own truth, and we’ll be both be happy. Yet, very few of us are happy.
The Saints show us a different way. In their emulation of Christ they instead put others first. They put their egos aside and serve God and man instead. They let their own wants and needs go to the way side. They aren’t concerned with honor, or glory, or riches or fame. Recognition at the end of the day is not their concern. Mother Teresa was once told by someone that they wouldn’t do what we she did for a million dollars. She replied, “I wouldn’t do it for a million dollars either!” She realized that the true reward is not in the comforts of this life, but in the joy of communion with Christ. Not just in Heaven, not just in the Sacraments, but also in each other. In the faces of those distressing disguises that Christ is wont to wear: the poor, the widow, the orphan, the refugee, the sinner.
Christ on the cross shows us the fulfillment of life. The Disciples were confounded when He said that it was near impossible for a rich and wealthy person to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The Jews in first century Palestine, like many of the people today, had a sort of prosperity Gospel understanding of how things worked. The more God loved you? The more you had. The less favor with God? The poorer and sicker they were. Jesus turned that on it’s head. The first, the most honored, wealthy and powerful King of all times and places? Died destitute on the cross. The first was last in the eyes of the world, but the last in the eyes of the world? Is first and foremost in Heaven. That’s true happiness… right there on the crucifix. A man with no wealth, no power, no honor, no pleasure…. But living out the will of the Father. Dying in the place of all of us as the greatest act of love in the history of everything!
That’s our challenge as well. To die to self that we might serve others. Not to make God an afterthought… not to get everything else in order first, and then.. After work, health, retirement, vacation, school, kids and all the other things we add in there, to find a moment for God… Rather to put God in their first.. And then place the rest around Him and in His arms… That is lasting joy.
I moved out of my parents home into a house they had generously given me when I was just shy of eighteen. I remember making many, many mistakes. One that comes to mind this morning involved being in a hurry to get back to whatever I was doing but trying to cook at the same time. I decided to deep fry some 'tater-tots' so I could have a quick snack. In my hurry to get back to the computer, or tv, or whatever it was... I forgot to take off that little plastic cover you put on top to keep the oil from getting stuff in it. A few minutes later I smelt smoke. Running into the kitchen I saw fire literally licking the ceiling tile! I grabbed the thing off the oven and put it on the floor so the fire couldn't touch the roof. Then I grabbed a glass of water off the nearby counter and threw it in it. As flames engulfed my face and hair began to dissipate like the morning dew, I realized the truth of the saying oil and water do not mix.
I believe that to be the crux of the message from Jesus in the gospel today. Some would use this verse to allow anger and hatred to rule in their lives. To claim that anyone who stands in their way is simply doing so because they are a 'good Christian.' Jesus is not giving us permission to be hateful. He is not saying that we can ignore the rest of the Gospel and lose our joy, our kindness and our love. No, rather He is giving us a dire warning. That good and evil do not mix. That often the response to our Christian walk and the message we bear will be an explosion. That like the oil that splattered on my legs going straight through the skin, people will often blow up and respond with anger and division. We are to love them anyway... to care for them... even at the cost of our own lives, our own desires.
In today's world were people soften the message of Christ, the cross becomes a thing of the past. That's not what Jesus demands of us. These three readings grouped together remind us of the price of discipleship. That our goal is not one of flowers and rainbows, gentle currents and soft beds, but the discomfort of Calvary. We are challenged to live our faith with joy amidst persecution, love amidst hate, a friendly demeanor when all others are bearing down upon us. The early Church realized that Christianity was a call to martyrdom, a call to give up our lives if need be, without rejected the faith. In all of this they realized that God's mercy was beyond anything we could fathom, but that the call was not lessened by that, but strengthened in the example set forth by the incarnation of God himself and the Way of the Cross.
With Christian martyrs in the recent news, displaced Christians being persecuted and martyred in many nations, and some making the claim that "in this century [we are[ witnessing more shedding of Christian blood than any of the previous twenty"; our eyes turn toward the past and the future.. but we must need live in the present. You and I in the comfort of America likely will not be called to give our lives for our faith, though it is not out of the realm of possibilities. The challenge for us at the current moment is: to die to our own selves. To live our lives in a way that shows us to be servants of Christ. To look for Him in every encounter with others and ask How can I feed them? How can I give them drink? How can I clothe them? That means both physically and spiritually. To ever be prepared to give "an account for the hope that is in us." (1 Peter 3:15) Is there anything standing the way of that? Anything stopping me from serving the widow, the orphan, the refugee? The victim and the bully? Until we become detached from those things which stand in the way of complete abandonment to Christ and His calling, Paul reminds us that we "have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood."
What is preventing you from being the person you were created to be? Fix that first. Work on your relationship with God first and everything else will fall into place.
The other day I was having a conversation with someone about being Holy. My friend Jamie loaned me a book about this topic (How to Be Holy: First Steps to Becoming a Saint, Peter Kreeft) and it has been heavily on my mind. While we were talking a few other people joined in. We were talking about struggling with sin. At one point someone turned to me and said, "Yeah but you don't count." As if being in formation for the Diaconate or being a very active Catholic in my religion made my struggles with sin and temptation less of an issue. I think we have that image of Christ sometimes. As if He was made in a way that made it easier for Him to be perfect, easier for Him to be Holy.
Ezekiel in his prophetic utterance this morning gave the people of Israel a glimpse of two futures. One in which the city itself would fall into exile with the royal prince being cast out, and another in which the royal Son would be given the same treatment. Jesus picked up his baggage and carried it out of the city. Up onto a hill where the darkness settled in. Some would dismiss this as a solar eclipse, mere coincidence. I would chalk it up to creation itself mourning that which we did not see. Like the prince of Jerusalem, Jesus was veiled to His people. They could not see Him for their own sin, their own failures. In a way, they said to Him as well, "You don't count."
In Jesus parable again I see that theme. The first servant goes to the judge and He offers him mercy. The servant goes out into the world, a man who should be filled with joy at his fortune. Instead, his greed kicks back in. He wants to get back to where he was before. Instead of sharing the mercy he has received, he finds someone who owes him money and begins to choke him. He has him thrown into prison in anger. When word got out the Master was furious and demanded an account of him. It was as if the servant was saying "I am important enough for grace" but my fellow servant, well they don't count. Them. The other. They... those guys over there... they don't count.
We as Christians are challenged to be Holy. Not just me, not just the priests and religious, not just the holy rollers or bible thumpers... every single one of us is called to be a Saint. To be like Jesus, to follow in His footsteps. His footsteps are the way of the Cross. That means shouldering our own crosses and marching out to our own deaths. Now most of us aren't going to be martyrs. Many of us are going to die in our sleep, in some way that isn't glamorous or extraordinary. That doesn't mean "you don't count." It means that God is asking us to die spiritually.. to our egos... to ourselves... to live our lives in a way that says to every single person we encounter "You matter." To everyone of them, regardless of their station, religion, legal status, political party, sexual orientation, lifestyle, or what have you. To say to them "As God has shown me mercy, so I show it to you." Are you offering His love to others? Or simply holding inside?
You count. You matter. You are Holy and loved by God. Stop letting the enemy convince you otherwise.
His servant and yours,
Brian
"He must increase, I must decrease."
A reflection on the readingsfor daily Mass on Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, August 11, 2016. Ezekiel 12:1-12; Psalm 78; The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 18:21-19:1
"My dwelling, like a shepherd's tent, is struck down and born away from me." A shepherd's tent is a hastily constructed tent that is only intended for the night. Something that if the wind picks up is blown away and no longer to be found. When the shepherd's move on they are often left in place and within a short time nothing is left but tatters and rags. One would be hard pressed to even tell what it was that had stood there. It reminds me of the scene in the Wizard of Oz when the house circled in the tornado and you could see all of this being carried off with it. Our dwelling though, is our body. Hezekiah feels that his life is over and he mourns the loss.
The readings remind us that this life is fleeting and finite. That our only hope is in the Lord who made heaven and earth. Hezekiah calls out to Him and He performs a miraculous healing and even makes the Sun itself move backwards in time to prove it will come about. We often do a lot to extend our lives. We diet, we exercise, we go to doctors time and again. Those are all good things. Do we take it to God in prayer? He is the source of life itself. Why do we only tend to do the physical while ignoring the spiritual half of our lives?
One of the more serious temptations which stifles boldness and zeal is a defeatism which turns us into querulous and disillusioned pessimists, “sourpusses”. - Pope Francis
Some take it to extremes though. Saint Francis at the end of his life looked back on all of the mortification he did on himself, the rough life that truly destroyed his health, and he realized that that was not good either. God did not create us to live lives of dour, resent-filled hours. He created us to be at peace and filled with joy. Yes, to be a temporary structure, but one that is so filled with love that it is not concerned with the next moment. A structure that just provide shelter to those in need in the present, not consumed with the ills of the past or the fears of the future. Mortification is important, but we have to be careful how far we take it. If it draws us closer to God? Continue. If it makes you feel hopeless or despair? Get rid of it.
Jesus reminds us that God gave us everything He gave us for our own benefit. Even the Sabbath was not meant as something to make you starve yourself, but a day of rest in which you could commune with God and with one another. It is not a rule made by a tyrant who sits around all day waiting to cross your name out of His book of life the moment you make a mistake, but one made by a loving Father who realizes His children often forget that they too need to take a day to rest and recover. Be a shepherd's tent, but don't let the world blow you away before it is time. Take a moment each day to recover, and a day each week to rest and contemplate the wonder of God's great gift to us. All of our life is a gift, and the Gospel a treasure to make us fully human, not to punish us and turn us into 'sour pusses . '
Society wants to blur the lines between male and female, man and woman, father and mother, man and wife. They want us to be convinced that in order to be equals, we must do things in the exact same way. As a dad I know that there is something more amazing about a mother's love, something that is sought actively by the children because of it's qualities, because of it's comfort. Yes, there are differences and I'm not painting all men and women with the same brush.. but I do find that the girls want their mommy when they need comfort and their dad when they need something done. Mom seems to be kinder, gentler, and more understanding. Dad is often brash and abrasive, but will defend them with his dying breath. The image we have in scripture today is of a mother, Jerusalem, Zion the dwelling of the Lord.
Oh that you would be comforted by a mother, fed by her, protected by her and guided by her. Christ gave us the Church to do just that. He didn't give us a book, for that matter He didn't write a single word with his own incarnate hand. Rather He gave us apostles, He gave us the Gospel, which the Church then gave to us in book form. The Church is our mother, our guide. She is there not to create tension or punish us, but rather to guide us to that joy and comfort that God promises. That comfort ironically comes from being disciplined. True freedom comes from being able to make a choice with your intellect even when your senses and desires try to pull you in the wrong direction. The Church gives us guidelines on what is good for us, what is going to make us "flourish like the grass."
Why do we do that? Not to earn the ability to do miracles, or to revel in the fact that demons tremble at the name of Christ, not even for being a healer or a speaker... or any sort of gift. Those are secondary to the greatest miracle of all, the miracle of salvation. That's right, Jesus' mission was not primarily to be a healer.. but to remind us that "in the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those dwelling in the valley of darkness and death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace." Forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God... restoration of a broken relationship. That is the greatest miracle that Christ offers us. He tells us to rejoice because our names are written in Heaven! How beautiful a thought, oh how happy a day!
He sends us out like the disciples. Into the world to be witnesses to this forgiveness. Not to be grumbling or complaining about that which we have received or have not, but to accept all things with humility and graciousness. To pass blessings on those who you meet, wishing them peace! Yesterday I was thinking about this during Adoration. As I often do I prayed "God get rid of all that is me, and replace it with you." I've always thought that a good prayer. God seemed to say to me, "That is not what I am asking of you." He doesn't want me to become a mirror image of Him, an automaton who simply does everything the way He does, when He wants, exactly as a robot. If He wanted that, He'd have made that! Rather, He wants me to be ONE with Him, as He and the Father are one. I was bowled over. He wants me to go out into the world as me, spreading the message He has given me, with the words that my faculties allow me to use.
That's right, when He sent 72 out, there were 72 individuals.. all working together as one unit to provide one message. Each one though was an individual, unique, loved by God... created with the personalities and temperaments that God desired them to have. "He loves me for me!" Jesus told me to stop using Him as a scapegoat and asking Him to simply take away my free will and instead have some discipline, to work to use the brain, soul and spirit He gave me to become the man I am made to be. That doesn't mean that all Catholics will ever look the same, or sound the same.. or act the same... but we will have the same message, given with our own unique ability to say it, live it, and pray it. Are you ready for that? It's time to stop praying for a supernatural conversion that takes away those things we struggle with, and instead receive the grace that He has been pouring out on us to allow us to bolster our own discipline to grow closer to Him and further away from Sin.
I used to hang out with this friend of mine after work. We'd sit around having a few drinks. He'd then bring out his drugs, consume them go on what he called a relaxing trip after work. We'd then sit and talk about God. Strange isn't it? There we were doing things that He would find unpleasant, things which did not draw us closer to Him and yet our hearts still longed for Him. My friend would talk about how rough his life was and ask why would God do that to him? Why wasn't life a bed of roses? Why did 'bad people' get good things, and good people get bad things> Yet, there we were turning our backs on His grace and preventing Him from being a part of our life fully. We were like a man drowning in the ocean, beating the hands and face of the Life Guard who tried to pull us out to safety.. and then complaining that no one was helping.
The readings today remind us that God has been sending the message of salvation since the beginning of time itself. He has been showing us through Prophets, Judges, Kings, and Saints exactly the life we need to live to open those channels of grace. The life we need to live to be restored to the image of God that we were created to be. That doesn't mean a bed of roses. In fact, Jesus gave us the ultimate example of living that life to it's fullest.. and it was far from comfort. It was a life filled with grace, a life that changed the world around it, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and sought God's will above all things. We fall below that threshold so often don't we? Too often we, like the Israelites, could be called a stiff necked people. We continually do those things we know God has shown us to be bad for our spiritual health.
St. John Paul the II point out how this Psalm (Psalm 5) of supplication, like so may others in this book contrasts the person who prays with those who do evil. Because of God's unwavering love and constant care and assistance, we can turn to him in confidence amid the turmoil, sin, and temptation that surround our daily lives. United to God, the faithful are always secure; through prayer the people of God express their trust in his mercy. It please God to shower his blessings upon his people and protect them with his unsurpassable goodness. (Cf. St. John Paul II, General Audience, May 30, 2001) - Note from the Didache Bible (Pg 614, note 5)
When fear overwhelmed the disciples, they shouted out for Jesus to deliver them. Jesus stood up and rebuked the waves and winds, and there was calm. It's funny isn't it? Jesus didn't take them out of the boat to dry land. He didn't remove the water from the situation. He didn't take them into the vacuum of space to where the wind itself could never move. No, he instead brought calm to them. They were still in the boat, still on the water, still at the mercy of the elements; their location had not changed.. but their peace was restored. The storm was calmed around them, but everything that created the storm in the first place was still there. Spiritually I think that's a powerful lesson for us... What God offers us is not necessarily a new location, or change of venue..... He offers to calm the storm... that doesn't mean that stress will miraculously disappear.. but if you let Him, His grace will give you the ability to be peaceful and filled with joy in the same location, the same situation. That's what Jesus offers us every day. Peace, joy and love with the grace of God.
The Israelites received an almost ominous threat. That's because we read into it our human emotions, we anthropomorphize God to try and understand him further. God said to them through Amos:
So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel! and since I will deal thus with you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
God was letting them know of His grace, to see His mercy and justice. He did indeed deal with them in His own way... through the incarnation. Just like the disciples we are coming face to face with God himself, in the person of Christ. When we come to the altar for communion we again come face to face with Christ in the Eucharist and should be reminded that God is right there in front of us... and we should not be terrified... rather we should be bolstered by our faith.. because God has chosen to deal with us in His own way.. love and mercy itself! Are you ready for Jesus to calm the storm around you? To rest in His arms in communion? To draw closer to Him in Reconciliation? To find peace, joy, and happiness right where you are at this very moment? He might not remove the bed of roses, but simply open your eyes to the beauty and grace present through the pleasure of their sight and smell.
We are members of the body of Christ, the Church is the boat that keeps us afloat. As long as we keep Christ in the boat, it's smooth sailing.. we just need to have faith. Again today the question is asked, "What manner of man is this?" As you gaze upon the Eucharist, can you hear Him saying, "Who do you say that I AM?"
Several years ago my wife found some discounted tickets from Rockford to Arizona for a price we could not pass up. So our family packed our things and flew the miles to the warm desert state to visit family and experience the world. It was one thing to see the desert, the cacti, and the grand canyon in pictures. It was another to experience the true majesty of God's creation in person. To walk in the sand and heat, to see the sites and even to rest in the shade. One day during the trip we went swimming at a pool. Laying there in the shade I watched as the kids laughed and giggled. Moira was almost two years old. Her sister was watching her by the steps in the shallow end and her mother had gone to the bathroom. At some point I dozed off. I woke to a strange sound. I don't know if it was Julie yelling or the bubbles in the pool, but when I jerked up I saw that Moira was no where to be seen and her sisters were over by the deep end.
It turned out Moira was under the water. We got to her before she could drown, but to this day she still has a fear of getting water in her eyes. I'll never forget those few moments of panic though. Those moments when I thought my daughter was gone. The fear of thinking my center, the person we were living for, the child we had been so intimately connected with for two years was possibly gone from our lives. I can't imagine what that must be like for a parent. To lose their child first. It shouldn't be that way, right? We all expect our kids to out live us, to be there until after we ourselves have passed. Too many parents experience that right now in their lives, and my heart goes out to them.
In the readings for today, it is even more poignant that these widows had lost not just their child, but their only sons. In a world where women have no rights, where they must be cared for by their husbands and their children in their old age, this was her center... her focus.. her only hope. This child would be the one who would make an income for the family, provide them a home, give his mother a life. Instead her hope was gone. Her husband was already gone, any other sons as well, and here the last of the lineage was dead before her. How angry these things make us, don't they? So much so we blame God for them. Why God? Why do good things happen to good people? Why pain? Why suffering? Why death? The widow of Zarephath had the same response. "Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt and to kill my son?"
It's easy to do that isn't it. Elijah in response did what we are all called to do. He got on his knees and he prayed for the boy. He gave his heart into it, groaning and begging God to make a change. To restore hope, joy, peace. He stood in the gap for the widow, bringing back her life to her. Her focus was restored with the life of her son. She knew then that Elijah was indeed a man of God because he spoke the "Word of the Lord." That's a key to remember as well. Our "yes must be yes and our no, no." Our word must be truth, we must speak the Gospel as it is, not deviating or trying to make it our own.. it's not ours to change. God has given it to us in His plan, His way. We hand it on in the same manner.
Then comes the scene in the Gospel where Jesus performs a similar, but more astounding, miracle. Unlike Elijah, He does not ask for permission to take the son into His arms, but rather puts His hand on the son of His own desire. He informs them not to weep and then instead of needing to pray for God's intercession, He simply speaks "I tell you arise!" and it comes about. The people realize at that moment that history has just changed. This man is more than just a prophet, this is a man who speaks with authority. "God has visited his people!" This widow has been restored, given back her hope, her focus, the thing that makes life worth living.
I imagine that is similar to what I felt when I saw Moira's head surface, spitting out water and gasping for air. Relief, concern, but above all hope. Peace. That is what Jesus is offering to us today. Every day we lose focus. We lose some hope. The world tears at us and Satan prowls around seeking to destroy us. The news is depressing, kids reject their parents and their faith, and even the music is filled with drugs, violence, and degrading imagery. We can encounter Him the same way the widow did, in person, directly, through the Sacraments. In Reconciliation and in the Eucharist, we come face to face with Jesus who declares to us "Do not weep." He then can restore to us that which was our focus, that which was lost. He places himself in our hearts that we might be complete again, that we might have hope for eternal life, that we can know we are cared for and taken care of. We are no longer on our own, He is with us.
Then He challenges us to go out into the world with Him. To reach out to all of those others who have been widowed by their existence. All of those who have lost hope, who have no one to care for them, who need food, drink, friendship. To take that Sacramental presence we receive and become life givers, hope bringers, messengers of peace and joy. It's only when we become little 'Christ's' that we can even hope to manage that. Not to go alone, but to bring Him into every interaction, every thought, every deed. Mathew 25 tells us exactly how to do that.
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’
So are you ready for that? To feed the hungry, cloth the naked, welcome the refugee among you, give water to the thirsty, visit the sick and prisoner? The world is filled with people who are imprisoned by their own vices, their own sinful natures. It's our job as Church to go out and give them a reason for our hope. To meet them where they are, and love them so much we never leave them there. Instead we journey with them toward eternity, seeking to eat the wedding feast of the lamb with them by our side. Make a friend, be a friend, and bring that friend to Christ. We have work to do Church!
In the first reading we see this very intriguing event. Ezra has stood up in front of the people and read to them the Law of God. As he read it to them they begin to weep and cry. They were sad, scared. They heard all the things they were supposed to be doing and realize they were so far from that. Was there any hope? Ezra comforts them and says get up, God is good! This is a day Holy to the Lord. It's a feast. Go eat and enjoy!
Sometimes we have that reaction ourselves. Jesus gave us the beatitudes to remind us that the ten commandments require detachment. They require humility. They require being more like Christ. When we hear that.. when we are honest... sometimes we want to fall down on the ground and say.. I'm not worthy. Who am I but a worm? A sinful man, unworthy of your grace, unworthy of your love. Satan helps with that doesn't he? He whispers in your ear "remember that thing you did? Remember those words you said?" He wants you to think you aren't worthy.. he wants you not to accept God's mercy, God's love.
We have to be careful not to get to where God's mercy is never great enough. We have to avoid simply having hellfire and brimstone preaching without the immense love and mercy of God. God is not a hateful tyrant, stomping around upstairs just waiting for you to make a mistake. He's not up there with an eraser, glaring in your direction like that teacher who hated you... just hoping he can erase your name from the Lamb's book of life. No, he's a loving Father. He has to chastise because he is just and true, but he takes no savor in doing so. He does not hope you will fail.. he longs for you to soar with the eagles.
At the same time we have to avoid God becoming buddy Jesus. We cannot see God as only love without justice, only mercy without righteousness. He is both and, not either or. He offers the grace, but if we do not accept it, he is bound by who he is, by his own very nature, to have no choice but to punish us. We choose that, you know? God never chooses bad for us, but how often do we out of our own sinful ignorance and concupiscence choose that which is not for our own good? Too often.
That's why Jesus came to die for us. To make us part of the Body of Christ. Each of us is entirely and utterly unique. No one can do anything like you can do it. No one has the same skillset, same thought patterns, same exact life... only you are you.. and God loves you entirely. So much so that he wants you to be a part of His body, a part of Him. He wants us to work together to form one working organism... with millions of unique jobs to be done. He's calling you to be a part of that.. To be a part of His Church, because it needs you. Somewhere there is a job to be done... whether in the church itself through Holy Orders, in the service at the mass, or out in the world witnessing with your work ethic and joyful attitude.
How do we get there though? On our own we have trouble always being joyful, don't we? We are supposed to be bringing life into the world.. but too often we bring the opposite. We tear down. We yell. We get angry. The Key is in the responsorial Psalm. You're words, Lord, are spirit and life. There it is.. the key.. The Word of God is life itself... It is in receiving that Word, in internalizing it, in allowing it to change us.. that we become more like God.. we become life givers, not takers. We become lights, not darkness. That doesn't mean you lose your uniqueness. God doesn't make you into another clone, another zombie... he says to you, You are my unique child and I love you. I don't expect you to do things the same as everyone else.. but I long for you to share my life giving love with others in your own unique way.
He has given us the beatitudes to follow. To show us how to be that life giving person. These call us to detachment. They call us to righteousness. They call us to love.. But more importantly they call us to Christ. They describe perfectly the man of Christ. They describe Christ on the cross. A man who was happy. A man who was detached. A man who cared for others, despite his own circumstances. A man fully given to God's will and mission, while still being completely unique. They very Son of God.
It is in receiving Him, Christ, that we can even hope to have the grace of taking up our own unique crosses. We as Catholics believe that the Eucharist is that person. It's not a thing. Not an it. Not just bread. Rather, it is truly the substance of Christ, Body, Soul and Divinity. When we go to Mass we are truly receiving the Living Word of God. We get fed from the table of the Sacred Scriptures and the table of the Sacrifice of the Mass. Two liturgies, one table. Two different bites, one single dish. Heaven kisses earth and we are lifted up to be with God, with the Angels and Saints in Heaven. We come into God's presence, we are brought face to face with Christ on Calvary.
I imagine for some that's as shocking as what Jesus did in the gospel when he proclaimed to the people that He was who Isaiah spoke of 400 years ago.. the Christ.. the Messiah.. the one to liberate the people. Then, he backed it up. He performed all those things which he read about.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
That promise was not just to them... but to you and I. He comes to us today in the Eucharist and says to you: Are you poor? Is your spirit lacking? Is there something you need in our relationship? Let me fulfill you. Are you captive to some sin? Is there something in your life holding you back from giving yourself to me 100%? Let me free you. Are you blind to my love for you? To my presence in your life? Is it too hard for you to see my hand at work in your life? Believe in me and I will open your eyes. Are you oppressed? Is there something pushing you down? Is your own ego or addiction a tyrant keeping you from accepting my mercy? My child let me be your salvation.
Today is the Sabbath, the daily Holy to the Lord. I challenge though that all days, all moments, every second.. is Holy to the Lord. God himself entered time in the person of Christ and through his presence has sanctified to God every thing. Every moment was created for you. Every second of your life a gift. Christ came to proclaim to you a lifetime of forgiveness. A lifetime of freedom. A lifetime of joy and gladness. Are you ready to accept it? Are you ready to be filled with joy? Start with the Eucharist today. Live the beatitudes. They will draw you closer to Christ and Christ will show you that indeed, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
It's almost as if Christ is singing to you that Old Jim Croce song:
If I could save time in a bottle The first thing that I'd like to do Is to save every day till eternity passes away Just to spend them with you
How about you? If you could save every moment of your life in a bottle.. and relive them... would you relive them for God? The Bible is our love story.. Christ is our lover.. we are the beloved... Is he enough for us? Every time we choose something else... well, we have become spiritually poor. We have become blind. We have become oppressed. We have become idolaters. Even then.. even when we have fallen once more... like a concern parent he reaches out to us and tries to help us up... and he calls out.. and says.. I still love you.. come back to me. I am right here.. I have come to bring liberty, freedom, and joy... let me free you and love you.
Back when my daughter was much younger she stayed at home with me during the day. We would work on learning the things she needed to know for school. My mother had bought us these wonderful little math and reading flash cards and we would use those. We would also go over very simple things about God and the bible. I was trying to prepare her for her life of learning, both in the secular world of public education and in the religious world of C.C.D. There were times she'd get what I would say, and other times I wasn't sure she was learning, especially when it came to things like who God was, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the trinity. How do you explain such difficult concepts to someone who is 4 years old?
I still did my best and we would talk plainly and simply about God. As her math skills improved, her letter recognition and even simple reading began to flourish as well. One day she was laying on the floor looking up through the skylight at the sky. She sat scrunching up her face like she was trying to figure something out.
"What are you thinking about?", I asked.
"Thinking about the Holy Ghost."
"ah, what about him?"
"That cloud looks like him."
"How so?"
"Well, it looks like Jesus, but he has on a costume like the Holy Spirit."
It's a simple analogy, and imperfect in many ways. But she was getting it! She knew that they were both God.. but they were different people, different looking, but the same substance. I was so excited! She was learning! How beautiful that is for a parent to watch their child begin to wrestle with difficult, and even abstract concepts, and start to grasp them for the first time.
In the Gospel for tomorrow I feel that is why Jesus is rejoicing. Seventy of his missionaries have just returned filled with excitement at the success of their mission. "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" How amazing that must be? How powerful and exciting to see the Lord move through miracles that make his presence evident in the world. Yet, Jesus reminds them that it isn't these loud showy things that they should be excited about, but their salvation. How often is it that we want that though? We want the flash. We want the bang. We want to see the mountains move. We want the fourth of July. Jesus wants to give us Easter though. As Elijah found on the top of the mountain, God wasn't in the lightning. He wasn't in the earth quake. Not in the thunder or the flame. He was in the stillness, in the quite whispering wind of the Spirit.
Notice that phrase at the start of the Gospel? Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. That's what we should be asking to do as well. That's the beauty of having the Holy Spirit in our lives. We don't need the flashy. We don't need the speaking in tongues, or the shouting Amen, though these things can be beautiful if done correctly. We don't need the falling out in the spirit, or the miraculous healings, though those too are beautiful and wonderful. Rather we rejoice in just being filled with God. Just his presence in our hearts gives us joy. All the rest is just icing on the cake.
The disciples got to see something that the Prophets and Kings of old desired to see. They got to see the Kingdom of God before them, the Messiah standing in their presence. For centuries the people of God had been longing for this moment, to come face to face with God made man. Many didn't see him. Many ignored him, or thought him to not be doing the right things. The simple, trusting disciples were the ones who saw all of this come to pass. They got to see Christ. They got to see God and live.
What about you? Jesus says to us today as well, "do not rejoice in these miracles; but rather rejoice that your names are written in Heaven." Again, he says "I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it." Do you realize how blessed you are? You get to see the risen Lord in the Eucharist every day you choose to do so. Do you rejoice? Or do you desire rather the flashy, explosive things. Pray to the Holy Spirit that you too will rejoice in Christ's presence in your life. That you will be filled with joy, not seeking the explosive manifestations of the spirit that sparkle and shine in the sky like the fourth of July.. but rather Easter. That transformation that brings you from death to life. If the explosions come? Then rejoice. If not? Rejoice.
Everlasting life is a more astounding miracle than anything we might see here in this world. Rejoice!
In today's Gospel there is this interesting parable. Last night when reflecting on the Gospel, I was drawn to the gold coins and what they represent. Today though it struck me, that this was a very important key to that whole exchange.
While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
Why is this important to understanding the truth of the parable? I think it is in the key of who Jesus is, and not who they thought he was going to be. As in the first reading, the Jewish people were well aware of the fact they were still under oppression from Roman rule. They had been beaten down for many, many years. Here they were expecting deliverance. They wanted to see God fulfill that promise he made to David when he said, "And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever."
How confusing it must have been for the people who thought that Israel would have a king forever. Then not only did they lose their king, but they also lost Jerusalem itself. It was destroyed completely and they were carted off into captivity. Trying to make sense of that they began to develop the theology of the Messiah. It was he they were waiting for. It was he they thought Jesus to be, and they were right in thinking so. The problem was they expected him to be a military leader. Just like David of old, like the judges, someone to rise up against their enemies, and rebuild the kingdom. King David's kingdom was a time of unrivaled prosperity. Everyone had everything they needed, food, wealth, etc. It was what they longed to be returned to.
Here was Jesus approaching Jerusalem and the people around him thought the Kingdom of God was about to be manifest. Even though Jesus had been telling them over and over that he would have to go into Jerusalem and die, they thought he was going to rise up as King and overthrow Israel's political enemies. So Jesus tells us this parable. What does it mean though? Well, Jesus is the nobleman in the story. Jesus is warning them that what they think is going to happen, is not exactly what is going to occur. He has to go to another country, he has to journey back to where he came from, that is to Heaven, in order to become King.
This parable is all about his crucifixion. He is also telling us what we must do while he is gone. That's where the gold coins come in, and that's where my blog from last night starts off. (Are you ready to give an account?) Are we ready to show Him when he returns as king what we have done with his gifts? As we approach the end of the liturgical season we are reminded through our readings that one day will come the end of time. That at that end of time we will be called forward to give an account of what we have done with the things God has given us. As we approach this weekends Mass, let us prepare ourselves for an encounter with Christ the King.
He has gone to prepare a place for us. Are you ready? Get ready. Be ready. Stay ready.
In tomorrow's Gospel we see the king giving to each of his servants a gold coin. Each of them receives one coin and is expected to do his best with it. One gains ten coins in interest, and he is rewarded with being put in charge of ten cities. Another gains five coins, and he is put in charge of five cities. Then comes along another servant who hid the coin in a place where no one could take it, and brought it back later. He didn't even invest it in the bank. The king was furious with him and took the one talent and gave it to the one who already had ten.
What are we to make of this? In Mathew's Gospel the gold coin is called a talent. We can see that a little better when we think about talent's and abilities. To some are given few talents, to some many. Some of us are teachers. Some of us are administrators. Some of us are musicians. Some can sing. Some are good with numbers. Some good with cleaning. God gives to each person many abilities and 'talents.' He reminds us that all of them are to be used for His glory, for His kingdom. We will be asked to give an account of how we used those talents.
We aren't asked to provide the same amount of fruit, or even the same kind of fruit.. but we are asked to bear fruit. God has given each of us gifts. Through our baptism we are given the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We are challenged to go out with these talents, with these fruits and to spread them into the world. We are called to be joyful. How do we increase that talent? By bringing joy to others. We are called to be kind. We increase that by being kind to others and teaching them to be kind in return. Each of the fruits requires us to go out, using the natural talents we have been given, to spread the fruits of the spirit into our world.
For each of us that looks different. For parents it means educating your children, loving them, being patient with them, teaching them what Catholic life really looks like. For grand parents, it means being there for your grand children and helping them to learn how to live out their baptismal calling. For teachers, it means being patient and kind in your classroom and fostering an environment where the fruits begin to flourish. No matter what we do; farmer, electrician, doctor, lawyer, homemaker, dentist, accountant, etc... we are to use those skills that God has endowed us with to help bring about His kingdom right here.
As we approach the end of the liturgical season and head into the season of Advent, we are reminded by the readings that we should be ready. These readings talk about the great event at the end of time where God will ask us to give an accounting for what we have been given. To those who much has given, much is required. "With great power, comes great responsibility." Such simple words from a comic book character, but they ring true to us as Christians. Do you think of the power you've been given? God himself has come to reside in you. Are you sharing him with others? Or hiding him in a handkerchief? Don't be afraid of losing your joy. Don't be afraid that someone might steal it. Rather, realize that with the gifts of the spirit, the only way to keep them... is to continually give them away.
So let's go for it. Find someone today to share one of these fruits with. Use your natural, God given talents to do so. Share some love. Some joy. Some kindness. Watch that fruit blossom and grow, that at the end of our temporal lives we can hear him say "You have been faithful in this very small matter, well done my good and faithful servant."
It's been an interesting few days. We've seen the supreme court decide for the entire nation an issue
of morality. Forcing states (regardless of voters opinion in those states) to accept something they may or may not approve of. For many that's a hard thing to swallow. Tempers are high. Families are fighting among one another. People are spitting on Priests. In several celebratory parades people mocked Jesus Christ himself, and attacked Christians in effigy.
So how do we as Christians respond? We live our vocation. It is time for us to step up and be the men and women we claim to be. Imperfect, broken, but forgiven. We pray. We love. We remain chaste to our calling in life. We call people to Christ by our actions as well as our words. It is not a time for anger or berating. Rather its a time for peace, joy and love.
The Supreme court decision does nothing to redefine what we morally believe to be the real, revealed truth of God. So we raise our families. We stay true to our spouses. We live our lives as Catholics. That means a sacramental life. It's time to start receiving those channels of grace and putting them to work. When we do something wrong, it's time to get to confession. When we are having a rough day, it's time to get to communion. We need to start praying as families, as husbands and wives, as single men and women. We need to sanctify the day to the Lord, hour by hour. Take up a rosary, the Divine Office, or just speak to God!
Live your calling. Live it with love, peace and joy. Let people see that you are the person you claim to be. Do not condone sin, but always treat it with the gloves of mercy and love. Every single one of us is a sinner. We all have things in our closet that we are not proud of. We are forgiven, and so we forgive. We pray for the other, as we would pray for ourselves. Above all, we pray His will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.
This morning during my daily walk I was meditating on the Sorrowful mysteries, one that struck
particularly powerfully this morning was the Carrying of the Cross. I began to visualize as I walked and my mind was drawn to one scene in particular, that of Veronica and her veil. Now not everyone knows the story of Veronica, but here is the legend:
The story of Veronica is not told in the gospels, but in early apocryphal writings. An early 2nd century version of The Acts of Pilate reports that a woman named Veronica (Bernice, in the Greek version) was the same woman Jesus cured of a blood disorder (Matthew 9,20-22), and that she came to his trial before Pilate to claim his innocence. Later versions of the story from the 4th or 5th century say that Veronica possessed a cloth imprinted with the face of Jesus. Western pilgrims returning to Europe passed her story on. As the Stations of the Cross developed in late medieval times, Veronica was remembered at the 6th Station: she wipes the face of Jesus on his way to Calvary and he leaves an image of his face on her veil. A healing relic, impressed with the image of Jesus' face, which came to be known as "Veronica's Veil," was honored in St. Peter's Church in Rome as early as the 8th century. - Stations of the Cross
As I went through the day I kept being reminded of this early morning meditation of mine, and wondering how it all tied together. Then as I began to read and meditate on a chapter of "My Other Self" it all begin to fall into place. So let me guide you through the thoughts I've been having today.
Veronica approached the Lord as he walked silently on the path to Calvary. Simon the Cyrenien was carrying his cross and our Lord was the point where mortal flesh was ready to give way, and death seemed a welcome sight. His body ripped and torn, beaten and bruised. Spit from those who teased him ran down his face and his beard was hanging in tattered strips where they had plucked and berated him. The thorns had worked their way deeper into his flesh, and by carrying the cross the agony of the flayed skin on his back had him wracked him pain beyond all measure. She walked up gently, bravely. She reached out to him with a beautiful cloth and began to lovingly cleans his face.
Oh the gesture of love from this woman to her Savior, as she cleansed away the blood, sweat and tears. As she removed the dirt and grim from his face from where he had fallen into the street. She carefully wiped so as not to cause more pain, wincing herself as she crossed the wounds to his cheeks and forehead. Tears filled her eyes as she saw how much he suffered for her. The guards began to beat Jesus and she backed away with tears in her eyes, her breath catching. She clutched this veil to her chest and fell to her knees flooded with grief and agony to see the King of the Universe, brought to such a pitiable state.
What does this tell us about our lives? How do we apply this revelation to our walk with Christ? Jesus told us "Whatever you do for the least of these you do for me." If we look at this as a spiritual truth, and we look at the cross to Calvary in the light of the Sin which Jesus bore for us, it begins to show us a tender reality of how we are to deal with sin in our community, and how far we've fallen from that ideal.
When someone sins they begin to get covered in the grime of the world. The dirt covers their face and mixes with the blood, sweat, and tears caused by and gained through that Sin. It begins to sting their eyes and their face, making it hard to see the path ahead of them. They may not even be able to carry their cross at this point, too weak to go on. They can't see where they are going, or even think of where they've been. All they know is pain.
If we truly are to be to that person as if they were Christ, it's our job to gently and lovingly caress their face with a cloth of cleansing. How gently and lovingly would you touch the face of Jesus if he were before you in such a state? Would you push into his wounds gratingly, demeaning him even further? Or would you look on with understanding, with sorrow, with your breath catching and your eyes full of tears? Would you fall to your knees in grief and agony and cry with them, as others in the community help them pick up their cross and continue on their walk towards God's will? Would you watch as they journey on clutching the cloth of the experience of having known them to your chest as a treasured possession?
Ah how short we fall. Not only do we often not want to carry the cross of someone else, we don't even want to see them in a pitiable state. We treat them as some outsider, the other, THEM. We ostracize them and verbally berate them. We talk about them behind their backs and instead of cleansing their face with a refreshing touch of love, we throw more dirt in their eyes and make them stumble away under their cross to try to get away from your glare. We close our doors and hearts, barricading ourselves away, afraid we might get a bit of their stain on ourselves.
Brothers and sisters, this is not how it should be. Today, and the rest of our lives, let us try to see Jesus in every person we meet.. and if we must address their sins (and sometimes it's absolutely necessary), let us do it as gently as we would wipe the face of Christ, let us lovingly remove the dirt, blood, sweat and tears from their eyes so that they can see clearly the path before them.. and let us cherish every moment of those encounters, as we help carry the cross of someone who has fallen.
