“Rend your hearts and not your garments” (Joel 2:13).
With these insightful words of the prophet Joel, the liturgy introduces us into Lent today, indicating the conversion of the heart characteristic of this time of grace. The prophetic call is a challenge for all of us, without exception, and reminds us that conversion is not a matter reducible to outward forms or vague intentions, but engages and transforms one’s entire existence from the center of the person, from the conscience. We are invited to embark on a journey in which, in defiance of the routine, we strive to open our eyes and ears, but especially the heart, to go beyond our “little garden.”
To open oneself to God and to others: we live in an increasingly artificial world, in a culture of “doing”, [a culture] of the “useful”, in which we exclude God from our horizon without even realizing it. Lent calls us to “give ourselves a ‘shake-up’”, to remember that we are creatures, that we are not God.
We run the risk of closing ourselves to others also: we risk forgetting them, too - but only when the difficulties and sufferings of our brothers challenge us, only then we can start our journey of conversion towards Easter. It is an itinerary that includes the cross and sacrifice. Today’s Gospel shows the elements of this spiritual journey: prayer , fasting and almsgiving (cf. Mt 6,1-6.16-18 ). All three involve the need not to be dominated by the appearance of things: the appearance of things does not matter – nor does the value of life depend on the approval of others or on success, but from how much we have inside.
The first element is the prayer. Prayer is the strength of the Christian and of every believing person. In the weakness and fragility of our life, we can turn to God with the confidence of children and enter into communion with Him. In the face of so many wounds that hurt us and that could harden the heart, we are called to dive into the sea of prayer, which is the sea of God’s boundless love, to enjoy its tenderness. Lent is a time of prayer, a more intense, more diligent prayer, [one] more able to take care of the needs of the brethren, to intercede before God for the many situations of poverty and suffering.
The second element of the Lenten journey is fasting. We must be careful not to make a formal fasting, or one that in truth “satisfies” us because it makes us feel as though we have all in order. Fasting makes sense if it really affects our security, and also if a benefit to others comes from it, if it helps us to grow in the spirit of the Good Samaritan, who bends down to his brother in need and takes care of him. Fasting involves choosing a sober life, which does not waste, which does not “discard”. Fasting helps us to train the heart to essentiality and sharing. It is a sign of awareness and responsibility in the face of injustices, abuses, especially towards the poor and the little ones, and is a sign of our trust in God and His providence.
The third element is almsgiving: it is a sign of gratuity because alms are given to someone from whom you would not expect to receive anything in return. Gratuity should be one of the characteristics of a Christian, who, aware of having received everything from God freely, that is without any merit, learns to give to others freely. Today often gratuity is not part of everyday life, where everything is bought and sold. Everything is calculation and measurement. Almsgiving helps us to live the gratuitousness of the gift, which is freedom from the obsession with possessing things, [freedom from] the fear of losing what one has, from the sadness of those who do not want to share their well-being with others.
With its calls to conversion, Lent comes providentially to rouse us, to shake us from our torpor, from the risk of moving forward [merely] by inertia. The exhortation that the Lord speaks to us through the prophet Joel is loud and clear: "Return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12). Why must we return to God? Because something is wrong in us, in society, in the Church - and we need to change, to turn things around, to repent! Once again Lent comes to make its prophetic appeal, to remind us that it is possible to realize something new within ourselves and around us, simply because God is faithful, continues to be full of goodness and mercy, and is always ready to forgive and start over from scratch. With this filial confidence, let us set out on our way!
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
SPIRITUAL OLYMPICS
Joel 2:12-18; PS 51 Be merciful O Lord for we have sinned; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matt 6:1-6,16-18
It is that time of year again. Spring cleaning for the soul. Or if you prefer the spiritual Olympics has begun and today is the opening ceremony. Though we do not have a dance routine or even a theme song to boot; we do not have a torch being carried to light an emblematic fire for the nations; we just have a simple splash of ash upon the forehead to kick start the season of discipline, a season of training in true love.
Prayer, fasting, and giving will be the events in which we compete that we might deepen our love for God, love for neighbor, and our detachment of self.
The keynote address revolves around two statements we shall hear over and over again: remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return and Repent and believe in the gospel.
Both are important if we are to understand the 40 days of Lent.
Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return. Time is running out. Don't waste it. We are called to examine our life and see where we are headed. Many would suggest that since we do not have much time then we should make the most of it by doing whatever we want. Well, that would be a waste.
Remembering we are dust reminds us that we are dust alive in the hands of God. We have our existence from another and it is only in the other that we shall find ultimate fulfillment and true value.
This is why the second statement is valuable: repent and believe in the gospel.
Repent that is it is time for a change, a change in direction. The gospel now becomes a true compass of orientation. The good news helps us get our bearings straight and thus realigns us with true greatness, a greatness we are created for, written in our very existence.
Pope Benedict reminded us some years ago that the world will promise us comfort, but we are not made for comfort we are made for greatness.
The season of Lent has arrived in the nick of time to call out to us that reality once again that we are made for greatness and through prayer, fasting, and giving we can discover the greatness written into our existence by the maker's hand and let it out for the benefit of the world.
It is time to get our head, heart, and soul in the game.
"we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us…that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ…do not receive the grace of God in vain." 2 corinthians 5
The grace of the season has arrived. The invitation is laid at our feet. The ash has been splashed upon our forehead. Let the world experience true greatness: pray, fast, give.
Let the games begin.
It is that time of year again. Spring cleaning for the soul. Or if you prefer the spiritual Olympics has begun and today is the opening ceremony. Though we do not have a dance routine or even a theme song to boot; we do not have a torch being carried to light an emblematic fire for the nations; we just have a simple splash of ash upon the forehead to kick start the season of discipline, a season of training in true love.
Prayer, fasting, and giving will be the events in which we compete that we might deepen our love for God, love for neighbor, and our detachment of self.
The keynote address revolves around two statements we shall hear over and over again: remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return and Repent and believe in the gospel.
Both are important if we are to understand the 40 days of Lent.
Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return. Time is running out. Don't waste it. We are called to examine our life and see where we are headed. Many would suggest that since we do not have much time then we should make the most of it by doing whatever we want. Well, that would be a waste.
Remembering we are dust reminds us that we are dust alive in the hands of God. We have our existence from another and it is only in the other that we shall find ultimate fulfillment and true value.
This is why the second statement is valuable: repent and believe in the gospel.
Repent that is it is time for a change, a change in direction. The gospel now becomes a true compass of orientation. The good news helps us get our bearings straight and thus realigns us with true greatness, a greatness we are created for, written in our very existence.
Pope Benedict reminded us some years ago that the world will promise us comfort, but we are not made for comfort we are made for greatness.
The season of Lent has arrived in the nick of time to call out to us that reality once again that we are made for greatness and through prayer, fasting, and giving we can discover the greatness written into our existence by the maker's hand and let it out for the benefit of the world.
It is time to get our head, heart, and soul in the game.
"we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us…that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ…do not receive the grace of God in vain." 2 corinthians 5
The grace of the season has arrived. The invitation is laid at our feet. The ash has been splashed upon our forehead. Let the world experience true greatness: pray, fast, give.
Let the games begin.
Monday, March 3, 2014
WHY DONT YOU
1 Peter 1:3-9; Ps111 The Lord will remember his covenant forever; Mark 10:17-27
Today in the life of the church we celebrate the memorial of Katharine Drexel that is Saint Katharine. A native of Philadelphia, born in to a very affluent family, a world traveler of sorts, St. Katharine, after nursing her stepmother through a three year period of terminal illness began to consider what mattered most in life.
On one of her trips to Italy, having encountered Pope Leo XIII, She asks him to send more missionaries to Wyoming for her fried Bishop O'Connor. The pope's reply was simple and to the point, "Why don't you become a missionary."
Think about that simple exchange.
How often do we complain about things not getting done? How often do we push the job off on others and just continue to complain? When was the last time we did anything about it?
This is exactly what God in the Holy Spirit was doing through Pope Leo XIII for Katharine Drexel.
It was an invitation to do something about it. IT was invitation not only to recognize the need but to supply what was lacking.
In 1889, Katharine decided to give the remainder of her life to the service of God and his church, forming a order of sisters dedicated to the education of the Native Americans and the African Americans, including having founded XavierUniversity in New Orleans.
She eventually passed from this life at the age of 96, having been born in 1858 she lived almost a century upon her death in 1954. She was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.
It all started with a compassionate heart to do something and invitation not to pass the buck but rather to take the reigns and make it happen.
These are the kind of people Jesus is in need of today. We have many who recognize problems and areas that need attention but so few who are actually willingly to do something about it because they lack commitment.
Why Don't you become a missionary?
Listen again to the words of JEsus in the gospel for today.
"A man ran up, knelt down before Jesus, and asked him, 'Good teacher, what must i do to inherit eternal life?…Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, ;you are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me."
Why Don't You become a Missionary? What are you still lacking?
Today in the life of the church we celebrate the memorial of Katharine Drexel that is Saint Katharine. A native of Philadelphia, born in to a very affluent family, a world traveler of sorts, St. Katharine, after nursing her stepmother through a three year period of terminal illness began to consider what mattered most in life.
On one of her trips to Italy, having encountered Pope Leo XIII, She asks him to send more missionaries to Wyoming for her fried Bishop O'Connor. The pope's reply was simple and to the point, "Why don't you become a missionary."
Think about that simple exchange.
How often do we complain about things not getting done? How often do we push the job off on others and just continue to complain? When was the last time we did anything about it?
This is exactly what God in the Holy Spirit was doing through Pope Leo XIII for Katharine Drexel.
It was an invitation to do something about it. IT was invitation not only to recognize the need but to supply what was lacking.
In 1889, Katharine decided to give the remainder of her life to the service of God and his church, forming a order of sisters dedicated to the education of the Native Americans and the African Americans, including having founded XavierUniversity in New Orleans.
She eventually passed from this life at the age of 96, having been born in 1858 she lived almost a century upon her death in 1954. She was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.
It all started with a compassionate heart to do something and invitation not to pass the buck but rather to take the reigns and make it happen.
These are the kind of people Jesus is in need of today. We have many who recognize problems and areas that need attention but so few who are actually willingly to do something about it because they lack commitment.
Why Don't you become a missionary?
Listen again to the words of JEsus in the gospel for today.
"A man ran up, knelt down before Jesus, and asked him, 'Good teacher, what must i do to inherit eternal life?…Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, ;you are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me."
Why Don't You become a Missionary? What are you still lacking?
Sunday, March 2, 2014
ARE YOU NOT
Isaiah 49:14-15; PS 62 Rest in God alone, my soul; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Mt 6:24-34
Remember the old song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy…" (Whistle here…)
What is the heart of our worry and anxiety in our life? Why do we get so caught up in things and let them consume us, control us, guide and direct us?
At the very heart of today's gospel as Jesus is speaking and inviting us not to worry he makes an observation, "Look at the birds is the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them…Learn form the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them…"
Right in between that observation, snuggled comfortably between the birds and wild flowers Jesus says these words, "Are not you more important then the?"
That is the question for us. Why do we worry? Why do we have anxiety? Why do we need medication for our nerves and for our ulcers? Simply this: We do not value ourselves sufficiently. We undervalue our worth before the eyes of our heavenly Father.
We suffer from spiritual low self-esteem. we don't think we count. We don't thin God is concerned? We under value God's care and concern even after he sent his son to die on the cross to prove his love, his undying faithfulness and desire for our well being.
We doubt. We refuse to accept the high value he has placed upon us.
This is the source of our worry and our anxiety an ultimately our misery: spiritual low self esteem.
As we get ready for Lent perhaps we should take that question and let it leads us through these 40 days of retreat: Are not you more import an than they?
Perhaps at the end we can say "Yes."
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds…Are you not more important than they?…"
Remember the old song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy…" (Whistle here…)
What is the heart of our worry and anxiety in our life? Why do we get so caught up in things and let them consume us, control us, guide and direct us?
At the very heart of today's gospel as Jesus is speaking and inviting us not to worry he makes an observation, "Look at the birds is the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them…Learn form the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them…"
Right in between that observation, snuggled comfortably between the birds and wild flowers Jesus says these words, "Are not you more important then the?"
That is the question for us. Why do we worry? Why do we have anxiety? Why do we need medication for our nerves and for our ulcers? Simply this: We do not value ourselves sufficiently. We undervalue our worth before the eyes of our heavenly Father.
We suffer from spiritual low self-esteem. we don't think we count. We don't thin God is concerned? We under value God's care and concern even after he sent his son to die on the cross to prove his love, his undying faithfulness and desire for our well being.
We doubt. We refuse to accept the high value he has placed upon us.
This is the source of our worry and our anxiety an ultimately our misery: spiritual low self esteem.
As we get ready for Lent perhaps we should take that question and let it leads us through these 40 days of retreat: Are not you more import an than they?
Perhaps at the end we can say "Yes."
Thursday, February 27, 2014
SALT OVERFLOW
James 5:1-6; Ps 49 Blessed are the poor in Spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs; Mark 9:41-50
"Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." JEsus in today's gospel.
Salt.
Here are a few words from Pope Benedict as Cardinal Ratzinger
"Salt interpreted as a symbol of wisdom, sapientia, always in association with sapere, with tasting: one must discover a taste for truth. He who is wise is the one who taste things as they really are. Salt was also used as sacrificial offering in Old Testament: only by salt were such offerings made pleasing to the taste of the Godhead.
A man must be salted if he is to be pleasing to God and if he is to acquire a taste for God. The salt of the passion is necessary for him if he is to walk the way of truth: communion of the cross heads to a taste for the truth."
PErhaps this is the salting by fire Jesus is speaking about in the gospel, the willingness to under take the passion, dying to self, which is in align with the rest of the gospel about plucking out eyes and cutting off limbs that lead to sin.
The passion of the believer is the dying to oneself, one's desires, one's affinity for sin.
Thus it is no longer we who live but christ who lives within us. We have been crucified with Christ.
St. Paul refers to salt as grace. Sin repels grace from our hearts thus avoiding sin and continually reaching out to God and invoking his covenant of salt (2 Chron 13:5) with us, then we become bearers of grace and thus bring his peace to the world.
To be salted with fire is to embrace the call of the passion in our life, dying to self, and allowing the fire of the SPirit to penetrate our lives and thus God's grace becomes abundant and overflowing.
Here let Matt Mahr help you with his song Overflow
"Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." JEsus in today's gospel.
Salt.
Here are a few words from Pope Benedict as Cardinal Ratzinger
"Salt interpreted as a symbol of wisdom, sapientia, always in association with sapere, with tasting: one must discover a taste for truth. He who is wise is the one who taste things as they really are. Salt was also used as sacrificial offering in Old Testament: only by salt were such offerings made pleasing to the taste of the Godhead.
A man must be salted if he is to be pleasing to God and if he is to acquire a taste for God. The salt of the passion is necessary for him if he is to walk the way of truth: communion of the cross heads to a taste for the truth."
PErhaps this is the salting by fire Jesus is speaking about in the gospel, the willingness to under take the passion, dying to self, which is in align with the rest of the gospel about plucking out eyes and cutting off limbs that lead to sin.
The passion of the believer is the dying to oneself, one's desires, one's affinity for sin.
Thus it is no longer we who live but christ who lives within us. We have been crucified with Christ.
St. Paul refers to salt as grace. Sin repels grace from our hearts thus avoiding sin and continually reaching out to God and invoking his covenant of salt (2 Chron 13:5) with us, then we become bearers of grace and thus bring his peace to the world.
To be salted with fire is to embrace the call of the passion in our life, dying to self, and allowing the fire of the SPirit to penetrate our lives and thus God's grace becomes abundant and overflowing.
Here let Matt Mahr help you with his song Overflow
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
SELF DEFEATING
James 4:13-17; Ps 49 Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs; Mark 9:38-40
"Where ever the need of the light and life of the Risen Christ is greatest, the church will want to be there…Frequently we act as arbiters of grace rather than its facilitators. But the church is not a tollhouse, it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems…"
"One of the more serious temptations which stifles boldness and Zeal is a defeatism which turns us into querulous and disillusioned pessimists, "sourpusses". Nobody can go off to battle unless he is fully convinced of victory beforehand. If we start with out confidence we have already lost half the battle and we bury our talents. While painfully aware of our own frailties, we have to march on without giving in, keeping in mind what the Lord said to St. Paul" My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Pope Francis Evangelium Guadium
Defeatism!
We often speak of self-defeating behaviors.
How often have w meet people who set themselves up for failure? They procrastinate, choose things that will disappoint, they reject attempts of help or opportunities of success.
Behavior change is complex. Yet St. James tells us plainly, "so for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin."
Sin is a self-defeating behavior. It sets us up for failure , time and time again.
We know this! Yet why do not take a more proactive role in removing ourselves from those situations?
Because of the fall, all of us experience the effects of that original sin and enlarge part they show themselves as self-defeating behaviors.
Part of our task is to not accept these behaviors as fixed parts of our personality. We can not say God made me that way and be done with it. This is the first task of taking hold of the day as St. James says, "If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that." Our plans are subject to that which is greater than us. Thus, we are empowered to embrace each day as a gift and opportunity.
It is in recognizing the poverty of our spirit that we encounter the blessing power of God as the psalmist reminds us, "Blessed are the poor on spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!"
We are conquerors for Christ lives in us. Our self-defeating ways can actually be a source of grace that enables us to be in touch with God's creative and transformative power.
JEsus reminds us, "whoever is not against us is for us." We too shall not be against ourselves but open always to God's redeeming grace.
"Where ever the need of the light and life of the Risen Christ is greatest, the church will want to be there…Frequently we act as arbiters of grace rather than its facilitators. But the church is not a tollhouse, it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems…"
"One of the more serious temptations which stifles boldness and Zeal is a defeatism which turns us into querulous and disillusioned pessimists, "sourpusses". Nobody can go off to battle unless he is fully convinced of victory beforehand. If we start with out confidence we have already lost half the battle and we bury our talents. While painfully aware of our own frailties, we have to march on without giving in, keeping in mind what the Lord said to St. Paul" My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Pope Francis Evangelium Guadium
Defeatism!
We often speak of self-defeating behaviors.
How often have w meet people who set themselves up for failure? They procrastinate, choose things that will disappoint, they reject attempts of help or opportunities of success.
Behavior change is complex. Yet St. James tells us plainly, "so for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin."
Sin is a self-defeating behavior. It sets us up for failure , time and time again.
We know this! Yet why do not take a more proactive role in removing ourselves from those situations?
Because of the fall, all of us experience the effects of that original sin and enlarge part they show themselves as self-defeating behaviors.
Part of our task is to not accept these behaviors as fixed parts of our personality. We can not say God made me that way and be done with it. This is the first task of taking hold of the day as St. James says, "If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that." Our plans are subject to that which is greater than us. Thus, we are empowered to embrace each day as a gift and opportunity.
It is in recognizing the poverty of our spirit that we encounter the blessing power of God as the psalmist reminds us, "Blessed are the poor on spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!"
We are conquerors for Christ lives in us. Our self-defeating ways can actually be a source of grace that enables us to be in touch with God's creative and transformative power.
JEsus reminds us, "whoever is not against us is for us." We too shall not be against ourselves but open always to God's redeeming grace.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
UNHAPPINESS
James 4:1-10; PS 55 Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you; Mark 9:30-37
"Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? "
Now this is the question St. James poses in today's first reading. It is an important question, not because we seem to be in a time where conflict and civil disturbance is high. Every time we turn around a new conflict is rising and violence seems to be spreading.
It is an important question because it ultimately deals with something that is near and dear to us all: unhappiness.
St. JAmes is asking us to diagnose the cause of unhappiness in our life and the lives of those around us.
Unhappiness….why does it exist.
Knowing the why can help us with a program of true happiness.
St James diagnosis the situation as follows: "you covet but do not possess. you kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. you do not obtain because you do not ask. you ask but do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
There is the diagnosis. Study it for a while.
When we seek to please our passions unhappiness follows. We love what we want rather than loving what God desires to give.
Unhappiness stems from the inability to be content with God's plan of sheer goodness that we might share his blessed life.
Think about the first commandment: I am the Lord your God. God is saying, "I am yours and you are mine, we belong together."
Can we be content with what God desires for us? Can we let God's desire for us purify the other desires we experience along the way?
St. James says we ask wrongly and this is why we don to receive.
We seek ourselves in love rather than putting God first. We ask with ourselves in mind rather than seeking to do his will in the first place.
Rather than focus on external actions why not spend a few moments reflecting on our internal desires. Then we ask God to realign them to his plan of sheer goodness for us.
"so submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil (the one who stirs up our selfish desires)…Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…"
"Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? "
Now this is the question St. James poses in today's first reading. It is an important question, not because we seem to be in a time where conflict and civil disturbance is high. Every time we turn around a new conflict is rising and violence seems to be spreading.
It is an important question because it ultimately deals with something that is near and dear to us all: unhappiness.
St. JAmes is asking us to diagnose the cause of unhappiness in our life and the lives of those around us.
Unhappiness….why does it exist.
Knowing the why can help us with a program of true happiness.
St James diagnosis the situation as follows: "you covet but do not possess. you kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. you do not obtain because you do not ask. you ask but do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
There is the diagnosis. Study it for a while.
When we seek to please our passions unhappiness follows. We love what we want rather than loving what God desires to give.
Unhappiness stems from the inability to be content with God's plan of sheer goodness that we might share his blessed life.
Think about the first commandment: I am the Lord your God. God is saying, "I am yours and you are mine, we belong together."
Can we be content with what God desires for us? Can we let God's desire for us purify the other desires we experience along the way?
St. James says we ask wrongly and this is why we don to receive.
We seek ourselves in love rather than putting God first. We ask with ourselves in mind rather than seeking to do his will in the first place.
Rather than focus on external actions why not spend a few moments reflecting on our internal desires. Then we ask God to realign them to his plan of sheer goodness for us.
"so submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil (the one who stirs up our selfish desires)…Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)