wonder and amazement

Wisdom 6:1-11; Psalm 82 Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth; Luke 17:11-19

We have been reading from the book of wisdom over the past few days and I thought I might share what Pope BEnedict has to say about wisdom.

This is part of Pope Benedict's address to astronomers at a blessing of a new observatory:

"knowledge if it aspires to be wisdom cannot be reduced to calculation or experiment... and rather than restricting the eyes of the mind, invites us to lift our gaze to the heavens, and there we discover our place in the universe, there we discover the love that moves the sun and the other stars...we can recapture the sense of wonder and amazement that leads us to God."

We need to recapture our sense of wonder and amazement of not just the big things but the little things; we need to let God wow us on a daily basis and thus nothing becomes ordinary and everything has God's finger print all over it.

Only then can we truly present God again to the world that has forgotten Him.

With a renewed sense of wonder and amazement we become living adoration and our life truly becomes a gift that changes the world and re-centers it to God.

The Leper that returns to Jesus, while the other nine go on their merry way, was wowed by God, was awakened to a new sense of wonder and amazement, "realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him."

This is what it looks like to be in awe.

Leo the great

Words of Pope Leo the Great, Doctor of the Church, concerning what we put our attention toward in this life..

"The fewness of those who were present has if itself shown, dearly beloved, that the religious devotion wherewith, in commemoration of the day of our chastisement and release, the whole body of the faithful used to flock together in order to give God thanks, has on this last occasion been almost entirely neglected; and this has caused me much sadness of heart and great fear...One is ashamed to say it, but one must not keep silence: more is spent on demons than upon the Apostles, and mad spectacles draw greater crowds than blessed martyrdoms. Who was it that restored this city to safety, that rescued it from captivity-the games of the circus-goers or the care of the Saints."

Words of Pope Leo the Great on the birth of Jesus

"Recognize, O Christian, your dignity, and having been made a partner of the divine nature, do not return by an unworthy way of living to the old baseness. Remember who is your Head and to whose body you belong."

The art work is a depiction of Pope Leo's encounter with Attile the Hun, which is in St. Peter's BAsilica in Rome over his burial place.

Church of Rome and the world

Ezekiel 47:1-12; Psalm 46 The waters if the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the most high; 1 corinthians 3:9-17; John 2:13-22

Information on St. John Lateran click here

Today we celebrate the dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica.

As we commemorate this dedication we also pause to remember how far we, as Christians, have come.

For the first 300 years of Christianity, Christians were considered enemies of the state; we were renegades, rebels and outlaws. We were not allowed to practice our faith in the public square. So we went around meeting behind closed doors, seeking hiding places where could whisper our praise to God in muffled sounds.

Then something happened.

Constantine, the emperor of the Roman Empire, had a vision. As he was going off to battle, the cross appeared to him in the sky and he was told that by this sign he would conqueror.

So he marked the armor of his soldiers and horses with the sign of the cross and went into battle and returned victorious.

In honor to the God of the cross, he declared Christianity to be no longer persecuted by the state, to be now one of the legitimate forms of worship in the public sphere. In 313, Christians were free to come from behind the close doors and step out into the open; Christians were allowed to raise their voice in praise where once they were only allowed to whisper softly so as to be undetected.

They could now publicly proclaim the good news.

In 318, the Basilica of St. John Lateran was dedicated.

Today if you got o Rome, you see the Basilica rise high above the city. The facade looms large against the skyline. There on top of the world is a statue of Jesus with the cross in one hand and the other hand pointing out to the world, surrounded by the statues of the apostles.

As look up and ponder the majesty of the Basilica, the majesty of the gesture of Christ, the words of the great commission come to mind, "go out into the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all I have commanded you, and behold I will be with you always until the end of the age."

Strength rises as we recall that we are never alone and Christ ever abiding presence walks before us converting the nations with His cross held high.

The Basilica of St, John Lateran is called the "Omnium urbis et orbis Ecclesiarum mater et caput: the Church of Rome and the World."

What is striking about the cathedral are actually two doors. The first set of doors as walk into the Basilica are the original doors of the Senate House of Rome. As you enter the Basilica you enter through the gates of the Senate which give way to the triumph of the cross.

The second door is a door with the image of the Blessed Mother holding the child Jesus imposed on top of the Crucifixion of Christ with the latin inscription: Christus Heri, Hodie, Semper: Christ: yesterday, today, forever."

May this celebration strengthen us in our resolve to live boldly and publicly our faith. May it encourage us to refuse to be silent and voice our faith seeking to transform society.

It is by the cross we shall conqueror.

Word of God set in before you set out

Kings 17:10-16; Psalm 146 Praise the Lord, my soul; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:41-44

Obviously todays readings have a connection; the first and gospel both include widows.

And these widows have a lot to say and offer to us as we continue our journey with God.

However, I am going pass on the widows and focus on Elijah.

Elijah is important for us. He is the precursor to the Messiah. The jewish believed that Elijah would return and then the MEssiah would arrive. In fact, in the passover celebration the Jewish people still today set a place for Elijah anticipating his return.

So it is important for us as Christians, to look closely at ELijah for he will show us where we will encounter the Messiah, Christ, most perfectly in our life.

First, we encounter Elijah with the widow and her son and the oil and flour.

In order to understand this passage we have to go backwards. It is what happens before that sets the stage for what is unfolding in the passage set before us this Sunday.

If we were to go backwards, before this passage 17:10-16, we encounter Elijah doing something.

We encounter Elijah waiting. Now, Elijah isn't just waiting around, killing time. He is keeping vigil. He is attentively listening for the word of God to speak to him. He is waiting on the word.

This is essential.

Elijah does not set out on his journey until the word of God sets in his heart and mind.

The word of God determines the direction of his life. The word must set in before he sets out.

Think about our lives for a moments; think about the decisions we have made, places we have gone, the things we have done.

How often have we rashly made decisions, in haste avoiding the word of God? How often have we been impatient with God's word and took matters in to our own hands?

Look at out society. the fabric of our live sis slowly unraveling because we have set out without letting the word of God set in. How different would our life be in the word of God became our compass, giving us direction?

If we take the word of God with us when we go, it will change where we go and what we do when we get there!

Invitation for us to practice waiting, keeping vigil with and for the Word of God: praying daily, reading scripture and understanding how God reveals himself and what he desires for us. studying the teaching of the church which is the word of God teaching us, and seeking counsel form Holy people who live upright lives.

These are ways we keep vigil for the word and allow the word to set in before we set out.

right stuff

Romans 15:14-21; Psalm 98 The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power; Luke 16:1-8

St. Paul speaking to the early community of Christians in the letter to the Romans reminds them of who they are: "I am convinces about you, brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge, and able to admonish one another."

You are full of goodness.

Paul raises the bar. It is a saying that people will live up to the expectations placed upon them. If you remind them of their goodness while admonishing them then in deed they will begin to live the goodness that you perceive.

You are full of goodness.

St. Paul is both reminding them of the goodness that he sees but also encouraging them to continue to live that goodness for others.

Basically, St. Paul is telling them that they got the right stuff, they just got to let it out.

blush

Romans 14:7-12; Psalm 27 I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the Land of the living; Luke 15:1-10

In pondering the first reading as St. Paul tells us about the "standing before the judgment seat of God" and that we shall "give an account of [ourselves] to God" I thought of a quote from Mark Twain.

Mark Twain made an observation about man; he stated that "man is the only animal that blushes or for that matter needs to."

Blushing refers to a reddening of the face in shame or embarrassment.

When we look ahead to that particular judgment standing before God who sees all, knows all, examines all a question comes to mind, "will we blush."

Will we stand before God red in the face or will we give then angels something to rejoice in here and now: "I tell you there will be rejoicing among the angels over one sinner who repents."

May we accuse ourselves here and now so as to not be accuses later; may we give cause for rejoicing in heaven and leave the shame behind.

st charles

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Charles Borromeo.

He is a patron of apple orchards, intestinal disorders, seminarians and seminaries. Quite a diverse grouping.

St. Charles Borromeo is described in a biography as being shy, unattractive, having a big nose, and spoke with dreadful stammer. In the eyes of the world he was not the first choice; he would be the kid chosen last at recess. Yet, in the eyes of God his souls was to burn with the divine flame of love, spending his life with great zeal for the gospel.

This fact, in itself, should give us a pause when we find our selves judging who and what God can use to further his kingdom.

The state of one's soul is by far the more to be concerned with than outer looks.

St. Charles Borromeo would remind every one that we should never "ask what is the safest bet, but what is the will of God."

Life is no more than the swift passing reflection on the changeless mirror of eternity and men who burn with love of God wear out their mortal sheath before old age dulls their mind and spirit.

He would say, "be mindful of others, but never forgetful of self."