In today's gospel Luke 5:12-16, we meet a leper, one who is "full of leprosy." Now picture that in your mind for a moment. This man is ugly and probably dirty even filthy. He also had lepromas or tumors on the skin. He may have had pieces of fingers and even toes deformed by the skin infection leaving him with stumps. He was a man who was hated by others and more than likely hated himself.
This man approaches Jesus for a cure. My first thought is what were other people doing as he approached. My guess is they ran or at least quickly maneuvered themselves so that they would not touch or be touched by this outcast. They may have even looked away or even hid their children from the disgusting creature.
At the same time, people probably stared or even glared at him. How dare he break protocol. I can imagine the questions rolling through the minds of those on lookers, "how dare he?", "who does he think he is?" and so on and so forth.
IT was definitely not a welcoming crowd. It was hostile and could turn violent at any moment.
Think of the courage the leper possessed. Think of the confidence he mustered as he approached.
That in itself is a beautiful lesson. Against all odds, he seeks help. He lets nothing stand in his way of his goal.
Hee is a man filled with shame and guilt and self-loathing. Yet, Jesus still stretches his hand to touch him. Even when we despise ourselves it is not a true measure of God's deep affection for us. God's affection for us is often deepen than our own sense of shame or disgust. Our feeling toward ourselves does not determine God's love for us.
Jesus touches the untouchable.
As christians we are to do the same.
Jesus sent the man forward to carry out the prescribed ritual. At some point take time to read Leviticus 14. Think about the prescribed ritual. It takes 8 days before the man would be allowed back in the circle of his family and friends.
The ritual is charity. JEsus prescribes the ritual for all of those who doubt, all of those who are nay sayers. Even if they doubt Who Jesus is they would still hold on to the old way of doing things. So rather than debunking the old way he incorporates it in the healing. This way the man was assurred of his place back in community.
JEsus doesn't dispense from ritual. There are many in our society who despise the Catholic church because of her rituals. Yet, the ritual itself can be healing and cleansing.
Lastly, Jesus prays.
Today set aside some time to pray. Remember pray is just like party but with out the t and a few letters scrambled around. Prayer is to breathe in the presence of God. Today when things get hectic, pause for a moment and take a deep breath and breathe in the presence of God.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Dismiss
I often find myself think not like Jesus but like his apostles. This may be a problem. I often wonder if I too am headed in the same direction as they. They are the ones that tuck their tale and run when things get a little scary and a whole lot rough.
In today's gospel the apostles are eager to dismiss the crowd. They want to send them off hungry and tired.
I can feel their pain and I can relate to their angst.
Having been with all they, they just want a little down time, a little me and Jesus time.
But Jesus insist. On fact he demands that the apostles give them something to it. When they are confused by his statement he goes ahead and shows them. The crowd sits down, the bread and fish are blessed and broken, then he hands it to the apostles to give it to the people.
There we are. We can only give what we have first received from Him. We must first receive in order to give. We shouldn't be stingy. Just go ahead and give and watch the miracle unfold.
Sometimes I find myself thinking like the apostles and maybe god is setting me up for a miracle or two. Come lord Jesus set me straight once again.
In today's gospel the apostles are eager to dismiss the crowd. They want to send them off hungry and tired.
I can feel their pain and I can relate to their angst.
Having been with all they, they just want a little down time, a little me and Jesus time.
But Jesus insist. On fact he demands that the apostles give them something to it. When they are confused by his statement he goes ahead and shows them. The crowd sits down, the bread and fish are blessed and broken, then he hands it to the apostles to give it to the people.
There we are. We can only give what we have first received from Him. We must first receive in order to give. We shouldn't be stingy. Just go ahead and give and watch the miracle unfold.
Sometimes I find myself thinking like the apostles and maybe god is setting me up for a miracle or two. Come lord Jesus set me straight once again.
Monday, January 7, 2013
The day after the Epiphany
Today is Monday the day after we celebrated the arrival of the Magi at the scene. The story of the nativity is like a great suspense nor mystery novel. There are many twists and turns and stops and pushes along the way. There is also always present an element of surprise.
This element of surprise is important. Just like every good book keeps suspense with that anticipation of surprise, so does God working in and around our lives.
There is always an element surprise when it comes to God.
As a priest friends describes those events, "is it odd or is it God."
Nonetheless, corny as it may seem, God is the element of surprise in our life.
I wonder as we turn the corner from the Epiphany and head toward the Baptism of the Lord and the beginning of Ordinary time, what the journey for the Magi was like on the way home.
In a dream they get a message not to Go to Herod but to head east by another way.
I wonder if they all had the same dream? I wonder what there conversation was like that early morning as they bit farewell to Joseph and Mary and the child?
I wonder what kind of hospitality they received from the Holy Family, that had so little to offer considering the circumstances.
I imagine them getting dressed in their eastern persian garb, head dress and flowing gowns, mounting their camels and slowly fading out of sight. It must have seemed like a mirage for the Holy Family as they watched those camels slowly disappear over the horizon in the cool of the morning.
What kind of effect did the Magi have as they brought back to the east their experience and encounter with the child lying in a manger?
How soon did the Magi stop telling the tale of their adventure or did they tell it often and relive each day? I wonder if like us they caught up with living that they lost sight of the purpose of life they encountered in the manger?
So they journey back to the east like missionaries with a message and a purpose carrying the encounter with them.
So it is with us. We too carry the encounter with us. We too have a decision to make. Do we just get on with our lives and forget the encounter or do we keep it at the center so way somehow?
All I know is, as we go through life, be sure to be on the look out for that element of surprise, that appearance of God in our midst. The epiphany is always just around the corner, over the bend, just beyond the horizon, as close as the next child we meet, the next face we encounter, the next step we take.
This element of surprise is important. Just like every good book keeps suspense with that anticipation of surprise, so does God working in and around our lives.
There is always an element surprise when it comes to God.
As a priest friends describes those events, "is it odd or is it God."
Nonetheless, corny as it may seem, God is the element of surprise in our life.
I wonder as we turn the corner from the Epiphany and head toward the Baptism of the Lord and the beginning of Ordinary time, what the journey for the Magi was like on the way home.
In a dream they get a message not to Go to Herod but to head east by another way.
I wonder if they all had the same dream? I wonder what there conversation was like that early morning as they bit farewell to Joseph and Mary and the child?
I wonder what kind of hospitality they received from the Holy Family, that had so little to offer considering the circumstances.
I imagine them getting dressed in their eastern persian garb, head dress and flowing gowns, mounting their camels and slowly fading out of sight. It must have seemed like a mirage for the Holy Family as they watched those camels slowly disappear over the horizon in the cool of the morning.
What kind of effect did the Magi have as they brought back to the east their experience and encounter with the child lying in a manger?
How soon did the Magi stop telling the tale of their adventure or did they tell it often and relive each day? I wonder if like us they caught up with living that they lost sight of the purpose of life they encountered in the manger?
So they journey back to the east like missionaries with a message and a purpose carrying the encounter with them.
So it is with us. We too carry the encounter with us. We too have a decision to make. Do we just get on with our lives and forget the encounter or do we keep it at the center so way somehow?
All I know is, as we go through life, be sure to be on the look out for that element of surprise, that appearance of God in our midst. The epiphany is always just around the corner, over the bend, just beyond the horizon, as close as the next child we meet, the next face we encounter, the next step we take.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
On the Magi
From Pope Benedict's book
Matthew tells us that when the Magi "saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."
The pope comments, "It is the joy of one whose heart has received a ray of God's light and who can now see that his hope has been realized-the joy of one who has found what he sought, and has himself been found."
How do we receive that light in our own life? How do we allow that same attitude of rejoicing be contagious in our lives and relationships with others?
Matthew continues, "Going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him."
The pope continues, "The wise men do a proskynesis before the royal child, that is to say they throw themselves onto the ground before him. This is the homage offered to a divine king..."
When have we truly did homage to Christ in our life? Many of us offer lip service but when have we really humbled ourselves in true submission, letting God have his way with us and ultimately dictating the way we shall go in life? We know the Magi departed by another way; what about us?
Are we more enthralled with the star then the one who the star points toward?
As the pope directs us, "The story of the wise men's star makes a similar point: it is not the star that determines the child's destiny but it is the child that directs the star."
Do we and are we willingly to be directed? Are we willingly to let our destiny to be shaped by Him whose manger becomes the cross upon which he shows us what love looks like?
"The gifts represent three aspects of the mystery of Christ: gold points to Jesus' kingship, the incense to his divine sonship, the myrrh to the mystery of his passion...through the myrrh the mystery of the cross is once again associated with Jesus kingship and mysteriously proclaimed in the worship offered by the wise men. Anointing (with Myrrh) is an attempt to resist death, which only becomes definitive with decomposition. By the time the women came to the tomb to anoint the body on Easter morning-Jesus had already been risen. He no longer needed myrrh as a protection against death, because God's life itself had overcome death."
Myrrh is the only gift that is not needed. This is important for us to remember as we all in our own way face death. We no longer need to put up a resistance to death for in Christ death is no longer what it use to be. The one who is born for us is for us life.
Matthew tells us that when the Magi "saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."
The pope comments, "It is the joy of one whose heart has received a ray of God's light and who can now see that his hope has been realized-the joy of one who has found what he sought, and has himself been found."
How do we receive that light in our own life? How do we allow that same attitude of rejoicing be contagious in our lives and relationships with others?
Matthew continues, "Going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him."
The pope continues, "The wise men do a proskynesis before the royal child, that is to say they throw themselves onto the ground before him. This is the homage offered to a divine king..."
When have we truly did homage to Christ in our life? Many of us offer lip service but when have we really humbled ourselves in true submission, letting God have his way with us and ultimately dictating the way we shall go in life? We know the Magi departed by another way; what about us?
Are we more enthralled with the star then the one who the star points toward?
As the pope directs us, "The story of the wise men's star makes a similar point: it is not the star that determines the child's destiny but it is the child that directs the star."
Do we and are we willingly to be directed? Are we willingly to let our destiny to be shaped by Him whose manger becomes the cross upon which he shows us what love looks like?
"The gifts represent three aspects of the mystery of Christ: gold points to Jesus' kingship, the incense to his divine sonship, the myrrh to the mystery of his passion...through the myrrh the mystery of the cross is once again associated with Jesus kingship and mysteriously proclaimed in the worship offered by the wise men. Anointing (with Myrrh) is an attempt to resist death, which only becomes definitive with decomposition. By the time the women came to the tomb to anoint the body on Easter morning-Jesus had already been risen. He no longer needed myrrh as a protection against death, because God's life itself had overcome death."
Myrrh is the only gift that is not needed. This is important for us to remember as we all in our own way face death. We no longer need to put up a resistance to death for in Christ death is no longer what it use to be. The one who is born for us is for us life.
Sperm donor sued for child support
I not sure if any of you have been keeping up with the latest news coming from Kansas.
Apparently, a Sperm donor is being sued for child support by the state of Kansas' department for children and families. Due to technicality, the sperm donor is to be accountable for the support of child conceived because the women who used the sperm did not use a doctor nor a clinic but rather impregnated themselves using a syringe at home.
Kansas law apparently requires a physician to be used for "artificial" insemination or else the donor is held responsible.
The donor had this to say, "I donated genetic material and that was it for me. I'm not being held to be a parent...I'm not raising a child, I wasn't expected to be paying for child support."
So far this is by far my top news story of the year. 5 days in and already it begins.
I like the ruling. I think all sperm donors should be held responsible for child support. It would certainly help us all rediscover the necessary connection between sex and life.
Since when is sperm just genetic material. Really! What has our society become!
The couple in question is two women who thought they had the right to "play" parents.
Come on America lets rediscover our common sense.
Lets put babies back into families where Moms and Dads are once again a suitable environment for growth.
Apparently, a Sperm donor is being sued for child support by the state of Kansas' department for children and families. Due to technicality, the sperm donor is to be accountable for the support of child conceived because the women who used the sperm did not use a doctor nor a clinic but rather impregnated themselves using a syringe at home.
Kansas law apparently requires a physician to be used for "artificial" insemination or else the donor is held responsible.
The donor had this to say, "I donated genetic material and that was it for me. I'm not being held to be a parent...I'm not raising a child, I wasn't expected to be paying for child support."
So far this is by far my top news story of the year. 5 days in and already it begins.
I like the ruling. I think all sperm donors should be held responsible for child support. It would certainly help us all rediscover the necessary connection between sex and life.
Since when is sperm just genetic material. Really! What has our society become!
The couple in question is two women who thought they had the right to "play" parents.
Come on America lets rediscover our common sense.
Lets put babies back into families where Moms and Dads are once again a suitable environment for growth.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Ten Lords a leaping
1 John 2 :29-36; Ps 98 All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God; John 1:29-34
Today is the tenth day of Christmas. That's right, we are not yet finished with Christmas or its season nor its joy.
Remembering the twelve days of Christmas were originally meant as a catechetical tool to teach the faith in a time when the faith was outlawed (in England to be fact), we turn to the Ten Lords a leaping.
This particular tool for teaching is directed toward the ten commandments, which is fitting on today's feast.
Today in the church we celebrate the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Jesus means savior. His name is both who he is and what his mission or purpose is all about.
This is why we are asked by the Church to bow our heads every time the name of Jesus is proclaimed or pronounced in the liturgy.
We bow our heads to acknowledge with gratitude the great favor we have received from almighty God for each of us and all of us. Jesus saves and we are forever grateful.
To recall the words of Jesus in the gospel, "Father protect them in Your name that you gave me."
The invocation of the name of Jesus is protection for us as we journey through life. We live and breathe beneath the protection of the one who Saves.
Invoke the name of Jesus often, especially when temptation comes knocking.
Now turning our attention to the Ten Commandments, we recall one of them, "Do not take the name of the Lord in vain."
There is great significance to this commandment. How often people come and mention how they let the name of God slip but they will usually follow it up with but I didn't mean anything by it.
This is exactly the point of the commandment. Taking something in vain is when we don't mean anything by it. Perhaps we should start meaning something with the words we use and the names we profess.
Lastly, Notice that in the first reading the very first word that comes from the Mouth of John the Baptist, "Behold."
Behold....What do we behold on a daily basis? How do we behold Jesus acting in our life and the lives of others? How do we behold the saving mystery of grace? What do people behold in us?
Often we think we are living right and holding firm to the faith but what others experience in us is something completely different. Today behold yourself and behold how others respond to you and in the midst of that behold the one who comes to save.
IHS
Today is the tenth day of Christmas. That's right, we are not yet finished with Christmas or its season nor its joy.
Remembering the twelve days of Christmas were originally meant as a catechetical tool to teach the faith in a time when the faith was outlawed (in England to be fact), we turn to the Ten Lords a leaping.
This particular tool for teaching is directed toward the ten commandments, which is fitting on today's feast.
Today in the church we celebrate the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Jesus means savior. His name is both who he is and what his mission or purpose is all about.
This is why we are asked by the Church to bow our heads every time the name of Jesus is proclaimed or pronounced in the liturgy.
We bow our heads to acknowledge with gratitude the great favor we have received from almighty God for each of us and all of us. Jesus saves and we are forever grateful.
To recall the words of Jesus in the gospel, "Father protect them in Your name that you gave me."
The invocation of the name of Jesus is protection for us as we journey through life. We live and breathe beneath the protection of the one who Saves.
Invoke the name of Jesus often, especially when temptation comes knocking.
Now turning our attention to the Ten Commandments, we recall one of them, "Do not take the name of the Lord in vain."
There is great significance to this commandment. How often people come and mention how they let the name of God slip but they will usually follow it up with but I didn't mean anything by it.
This is exactly the point of the commandment. Taking something in vain is when we don't mean anything by it. Perhaps we should start meaning something with the words we use and the names we profess.
Lastly, Notice that in the first reading the very first word that comes from the Mouth of John the Baptist, "Behold."
Behold....What do we behold on a daily basis? How do we behold Jesus acting in our life and the lives of others? How do we behold the saving mystery of grace? What do people behold in us?
Often we think we are living right and holding firm to the faith but what others experience in us is something completely different. Today behold yourself and behold how others respond to you and in the midst of that behold the one who comes to save.
IHS
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
closed minded
Today on January 2nd we celebrate the memorial of St Basil and St Gregory.
As we turn our attention to the New Year, the church directs our gaze once again to the grace being active in the human heart, mind and soul as we venerate these two saints and doctors of the Church.
They stood fast to what was orthodox, that is, right teaching in regards to the faith and believe in the identity of Christ.
Basil and Gregory found themselves in the mix of contention as the early church struggled with Arianism, the teaching that Jesus was not one with the Father, that he was a creature, just a notch above the angels.
Basil and Gregory fought for the truth and they refused to tolerate false teachings in regards to the essential identity of Jesus, the one begotten from Father from all ages, eternal and truly divine.
It is because of Arianism we have the word "consubstantial" in our creed even today. We profess Jesus to be the same not similar to the Father, begotten not made, one in being with the Father.
We certainly have lost our way when it comes to taking a stand for what is true and good.
In our society we try to remain "opened" minded and thus tolerate all kinds of nonsense when it comes to opinion expressed about who God is from all eternity and who Christ is as well.
Sometimes, as Basil and Gregory teach us, that one's mind should be open only in so far as it can shut upon that which is true. We do not open our mind in order to keep it ajar but we open it in order to bite down on that which is of true substance, worthy of chewing.
Imagine walking around all day with your mouth open. We would soon discover that many un welcomed things would gather causing havoc to our health. It is the same with our mind. When we try to tolerate everything then we begin to believe in nothing.
Isn't this where we find ourselves in the current milieu.
This is where Basil and Gregory can assist us in our endeavor as we journey through the New Year.
"In 372 Emperor Valens sent Modestus, the prefect, to Cappadocia to introduce Arianism as the state religion. Modestus approached the holy bishop, upbraided him for his teaching, and threatened despoliation, exile, martyrdom, and death. To these words of the Byzantine despot, Basil replied with the peace of divine faith: "Is that all? Nothing of what you mentioned touches me. We possess nothing, we can be robbed of nothing. Exile will be impossible, since everywhere on God's earth I am at home. Torments cannot afflict me, for I have no body. And death is welcome, for it will bring me more quickly to God. To a great extent I am already dead; for a long time I have been hastening to the grave."
Astonished, the prefect remarked: "Till today no one has ever spoken to me so courageously." "Perhaps," rejoined Basil, "you have never before met a bishop." Modestus hastened back to Valens. "Emperor," he said, "we are bested by this leader of the Church. He is too strong for threats, too firm for words, too clever for persuasion."
These are the kind of Bishops we need today. As we honor the memories and life of Basil and Gregory, we should pray for our Bishops that they have the same kind of audacity to stand up against bullies of our current society, refusing to step down from what is true.
We should pray also for ourselves that we begin to discern what is true and good and worthy of closing our mind and heart around.
In the opening lines of today's first reading John poses a question, "who is the liar?"
Think about that for a moment. Lying presupposes the possibility of truth.
If there were no truth there could be no lying. But we know there is truth, especially in regards to the God's revelation. Not everything is acceptable, not everything is worthy of our belief.
Truth is greater than what we think or suppose or even hold to as an opinion.
There are lies and liars which means there are those who seek to speak the truth.
Where do we fit in this scheme of things? This of course begs the question, why are we Christians?
We are Christians in the first place, not because Jesus was a splendid teacher of morals in the first century Palestine or because we like his vision for ordering society. We are Christian because somehow in Christ we have been touched and even transformed by God himself.
This is what Basil and Gregory were insisting on in their fight for right teaching, orthodoxy. The one who is Consubstantial with the Father, God from God, Light from Light, as entered into our time and brought us face to face with God, truth has a face, in JEsus and through his church we know what it looks like and for this we are ever grateful. As we say in the Kyrie, "Lord JEsus, you have given us the consolation of the truth, Lord, have Mercy."
Mercy shines forth in truth! Basil and Gregory refused to forsake or take for granted the mercy of God by down playing truth. We should seek to do the same.
As we turn our attention to the New Year, the church directs our gaze once again to the grace being active in the human heart, mind and soul as we venerate these two saints and doctors of the Church.
They stood fast to what was orthodox, that is, right teaching in regards to the faith and believe in the identity of Christ.
Basil and Gregory found themselves in the mix of contention as the early church struggled with Arianism, the teaching that Jesus was not one with the Father, that he was a creature, just a notch above the angels.
Basil and Gregory fought for the truth and they refused to tolerate false teachings in regards to the essential identity of Jesus, the one begotten from Father from all ages, eternal and truly divine.
It is because of Arianism we have the word "consubstantial" in our creed even today. We profess Jesus to be the same not similar to the Father, begotten not made, one in being with the Father.
We certainly have lost our way when it comes to taking a stand for what is true and good.
In our society we try to remain "opened" minded and thus tolerate all kinds of nonsense when it comes to opinion expressed about who God is from all eternity and who Christ is as well.
Sometimes, as Basil and Gregory teach us, that one's mind should be open only in so far as it can shut upon that which is true. We do not open our mind in order to keep it ajar but we open it in order to bite down on that which is of true substance, worthy of chewing.
Imagine walking around all day with your mouth open. We would soon discover that many un welcomed things would gather causing havoc to our health. It is the same with our mind. When we try to tolerate everything then we begin to believe in nothing.
Isn't this where we find ourselves in the current milieu.
This is where Basil and Gregory can assist us in our endeavor as we journey through the New Year.
Here is an excerpt taken from the life of Basil in his conversation with the Emperor:
"In 372 Emperor Valens sent Modestus, the prefect, to Cappadocia to introduce Arianism as the state religion. Modestus approached the holy bishop, upbraided him for his teaching, and threatened despoliation, exile, martyrdom, and death. To these words of the Byzantine despot, Basil replied with the peace of divine faith: "Is that all? Nothing of what you mentioned touches me. We possess nothing, we can be robbed of nothing. Exile will be impossible, since everywhere on God's earth I am at home. Torments cannot afflict me, for I have no body. And death is welcome, for it will bring me more quickly to God. To a great extent I am already dead; for a long time I have been hastening to the grave."
Astonished, the prefect remarked: "Till today no one has ever spoken to me so courageously." "Perhaps," rejoined Basil, "you have never before met a bishop." Modestus hastened back to Valens. "Emperor," he said, "we are bested by this leader of the Church. He is too strong for threats, too firm for words, too clever for persuasion."
These are the kind of Bishops we need today. As we honor the memories and life of Basil and Gregory, we should pray for our Bishops that they have the same kind of audacity to stand up against bullies of our current society, refusing to step down from what is true.
We should pray also for ourselves that we begin to discern what is true and good and worthy of closing our mind and heart around.
In the opening lines of today's first reading John poses a question, "who is the liar?"
Think about that for a moment. Lying presupposes the possibility of truth.
If there were no truth there could be no lying. But we know there is truth, especially in regards to the God's revelation. Not everything is acceptable, not everything is worthy of our belief.
Truth is greater than what we think or suppose or even hold to as an opinion.
There are lies and liars which means there are those who seek to speak the truth.
Where do we fit in this scheme of things? This of course begs the question, why are we Christians?
We are Christians in the first place, not because Jesus was a splendid teacher of morals in the first century Palestine or because we like his vision for ordering society. We are Christian because somehow in Christ we have been touched and even transformed by God himself.
This is what Basil and Gregory were insisting on in their fight for right teaching, orthodoxy. The one who is Consubstantial with the Father, God from God, Light from Light, as entered into our time and brought us face to face with God, truth has a face, in JEsus and through his church we know what it looks like and for this we are ever grateful. As we say in the Kyrie, "Lord JEsus, you have given us the consolation of the truth, Lord, have Mercy."
Mercy shines forth in truth! Basil and Gregory refused to forsake or take for granted the mercy of God by down playing truth. We should seek to do the same.
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