26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Ezekiel 18: 25-28
2. Psalms 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
3. Philippians 2: 1-11
4. Matthew 21: 28-32

• If only I knew when I was going to die
• The pragmatist might look at God's mercy and conclude that if they can just make that death-bed conversion, slide into home plate as it were, then the rest of their life leading up to that final moment could be dedicated to self-gratification and indulgence.  I still remember Fr. Peter telling us that true happiness springs from holiness.
•  How would you define happiness based on your experience?
•  Is true happiness a state of mind, an emotion, a thought that you have, ...?
•  Is sadness the opposite of true happiness?
•  How do you tell when you are in a state of true happiness?

• The hope of mercy
•  Life is hard.  We need each other.  Building trust takes time.  Overcoming sin in our lives is a daily miracle that God calls us to.  Sometimes I think that each of us would benefit from the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in some way or another.
• Are there repeated sin patterns that you fall into in your life?
• When you fall into one of those, how do you respond?  Do you despair of ever leaving that behind for good, do you beat yourself up for being weak, how do you pray your way through that?
• When you think about the ways that God has shown you His mercy through the years, how do you feel?  Does His mercy inspire you?
• Do you think this sort of meditation might be a good prayer form for you? 

• Unity in humility
• In some ways its easy to regard other faiths, other denominations the same way that we do sovereign nations: you stay within your borders, and you can handle your own affairs any way that you like as long as you let us handle things within our borders the way that we see fit.  I like to think that God has something better for us.  I just don't know how to get there.
• Where do divisions among us begin?
• What's the difference between a mere matter of taste such as whether the celebrant really needs to vest for a worship service or not, and something foundational, like the Trinity?
• Even if "they" are confused about some tenet, can we still learn anything from them?
• Can they learn anything from us?
• Where might such an exchange lead? 

• The magic of action
• Discernment is a process, and like all journeys, sometimes it has false starts, blind alleys, and U-turns.  But eventually, we figure out what to do and commit.  And even then, there's room for a change of mind and heart.
• What are some warning signs that you've made a poor, even sinful decision?
• What do you do to make yourself more sensitive to those sinful decisions?
• Do you think that good intentions make a difference in life?
• Do you think that God will always prosper the work of our hands if we follow His will in our lives?
• What does "prosper" really mean when it comes to following God? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• What am I doing to increase holiness in my life?
• Where might I benefit more from the mercy that God's shown me?
• How/where can I help bring about greater/deeper unity?
• Am I humble enough to pray for guidance when I need it?

Lost

 

I lose my way from time to time.

I used to long for a clear path ahead of me,

Clear directions for the journey,

Plenty of good signage along the way.

 

Then I began to see perhaps

The better part is to become sensitive.

Better at listening.

Better at knowing when I've strayed.

 

Lately, I'm trying to learn greater awareness.

Awareness of who I'm becoming.

Awareness of how better to serve where I find myself.

Awareness of new horizons opening up in front of me.

 

The trail ahead is not marked as well as I'd like.

But gradually, that means less to me.

As I learn that each step is a journey of its own.

To be savored, reflected on, celebrated.

 

Learning to trust God in the moment.

Giving Him the freedom to help me find freedom.

The freedom to follow with no guarantees.

The freedom to find fulfillment in the everyday. 

 

Shalom!

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Isaiah 55: 6-9
2. Psalms 145: 2-3, 8-9, 17-18
3. Philippians 1: 20c-24, 27a
4. Matthew 20: 1-16a

• God is other
• We're not allowed to make God into our own image.  His priorities, His goals, His dreams do not necessarily align with ours, and that can be a hard reality to embrace.
• Have you ever really, really, wanted something to go a particular way, and wondered how you should pray?
• How did you find the peace to hear what God wanted in that case?
• How did you find the courage to pray for what God desired for you?
• How did that turn out? 

• Our God is near
• Deists believe that God set the universe in motion like a cosmic clock maker, and then just watched it run.  We don't worship that God, but just whom do we worship?
• How close is God to you?  How would you describe that closeness?
• A popular bumper sticker used to read "Does God feel far away?  Guess who moved."  Do you feel that is always the case?
• What does God's intimacy with you really amount to?  What are the benefits of that closeness?
• Do you think that God gets anything from that intimacy? 

• Fruitful labor
• Some labor is easily quantifiable: the annual revenue from your small business, the number of customers that you contacted in a week, your billable hours.  Some is not so easy to measure: the comfort that you were able to give a friend when they needed you, the joy that you imparted to someone when God gave you just the right words for them, the hope that you conveyed along with that casserole that you shared with a friend in need.
• How can you tell whether anything that you do is truly fruitful?
• How can you tell that you're making the best use of your time here on earth?
• How can we work to be as fruitful as possible?
• How can we continue to be fruitful as our minds and bodies gradually (or maybe not so gradually) begin to fail us? 

• The measure of success
• Some folks are just more accomplished.  The wonderfully prolific composers, the academics with multiple college degrees to their names, even the fellow parishioner who seems to be everywhere at once in the parish.  Yet each of us has our own way to holiness charted out for us, and it's our job to find that path and walk it.
• What are some times/places/events that have made you feel really appreciated for your work?
• How did that appreciation help you in that ministry?
• Why do you think that appreciation was expressed in the first place?
• During times when you have not gotten any appreciation for your work, how did that make you feel?
• What can you conclude from that lack of appreciation?
• Do you think that God is at all obliged to thank us?
• Why? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where do I need more peace in my life?
• Where might God be calling me to draw closer to Him?
• Am I where I belong, or am I staying in a place just because its comfortable?
• Where might I be letting a perceived lack of appreciation fill me with anger or resentment?

My Last Days

 

I didn't ask for much from life.

Just that all my days would be characterized by:

Good health

An active lifestyle

Meaningful labor

Great hair.

 

Reality set in a few years later.

My goals became more realistic:

Strength to continue serving God just as I have been.

Courage to face the challenges new and old.

Ministry that builds the community.

An enduring sense of humor about it all.

 

Lately, I'm wondering whether all of that's in the cards for me.

Maybe, maybe I would be happy with:

Strength to serve God however He calls me in the moment.

Perseverance to seek Him with my dying breath.

Grace to be His Presence to others however I'm still able.

A source of hope to those who need it. 

 

Shalom!

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Sirach 27: 30-28: 7
2. Psalms 103: 1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
3. Romans 14: 7-9
4. Matthew 18: 21-35

• Transforming forgiveness
• On May 13th, 1981, Ali Agca attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II.  The pope forgave his would be assassin, and met with him shortly after the attempt.  It would be heart-warming to be able to say that the Pope's forgiveness was transformative for Agca, but reviews of his life since the attempt are decidedly mixed.
• If forgiving another is no guarantee of making them a better person, what is the point?
• Do you think that forgiving another makes you more or less vulnerable to subsequent injury that they might inflict on you?
• Does it really matter? 

• Kind and merciful
• Mercy and justice would appear to be at odds with each other, yet they are both deeply evident in God.
• Do you think that it is possible to show mercy and justice?
• How would you define justice?
• How would you define mercy?
• Is it possible to show one without the other? 

• What matters in the end
• Day to day living can be so day to day.  Life can feel like a treadmill with no real forward progress, barely keeping your head above water.
• If someone asked you what you are living for, what would you say if you only had a minute?
• What would you say if you had a half hour?
• Given the ultimate goal of your life, how does your work fit into that picture today?
• When was the last time that you asked yourself that question? 

• The freedom of forgiveness
• When someone injures us, we suddenly feel vulnerable.  We ask how such a thing could happen to us at all.  Let alone how it could happen to us at the hands of that person.  If we're at all inclined to neurosis, we might spiral into self-doubt and wonder what we did to somehow deserve that.
• Why do you think that it is so hard to forgive?
• Does our forgiveness of another oblige them to respond in any way?
• Does our forgiveness require that they in any way deserve it?
• When you have asked for forgiveness, how has the asking changed you?
• What would have been your reaction if the other person did not forgive you? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Do I have the courage to forgive?
• How can I bring about more mercy and justice in my immediate circle?
• Am I fulfilling my life calling, my destiny in God?
• How/where might God be calling me to heal with forgiveness?

I Forgive You

 

At my age, memory can be a rather fickle thing.

Hurtful things that I've said and done come back to mind.

Floating to the surface of my memory at the oddest times.

And I don't always know what to do with them.

 

I try to remember who I was back then.

I try to find some reason for that behavior.

Or some deeper lesson from that experience.

Maybe inspiration to do better in the future.

 

I know that I cannot redeem that younger me.

No amount of better behavior will make up for those actions.

But perhaps, by the grace of God

I can still bring about some healing.

 

Now I ask God to forgive me

Just in case I've never asked for that.

Where its possible I strive to make amends.

But the hardest thing is to forgive myself.

 

No excuses, no "boys will be boys"

Just a realization that I've been hurtful, spiteful

Nevermind the real or imagined motivations.

And let that younger me know that he is loved.

 

Eternity knows no bounds of time as we know it.

I like to think that I can reach back to that younger me

Claim my right as a child of the Eternal.

And lay a loving hand on his shoulder.

 

And maybe start some healing at the source.

Maybe learn from him how to show mercy in the hear and now.

To those who need it all around me.

And leave a little more of me in Jesus' loving hands.

 

Shalom!

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Ezekiel 33: 7-9
2. Psalms 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
3. Romans 13: 8-10
4. Matthew 18: 15-20

• The hazards of speaking out
• It's easy to tell ourselves that someone out there will have the courage to speak up about some corruption that has caught our attention.  But if everyone feels that way, nothing gets said, nothing gets done.
• You no doubt can think of a number of things going on around you that are wrong.  If you were told that you could make a big difference in just one of them, which of those wrongs would you seek to right?
• Where would you start in trying to solve that?
• What would be the risks?
• How do you know that you are not the one to address that wrong? 

• Trust
• There are several different dimensions of trust, each of which supports the others.  First there's trust that God's will always offers us opportunities to draw closer to Him.  Then there's trust that drawing closer to God is, ultimately, the best thing that can possibly happen to us.  Finally, there's trust that God will reveal Himself to us in a manner that we can understand and act on.
• How has God revealed Himself to you over the years?
• Would you be open to Him revealing Himself by some very different means than what He's used with you in the past?
• Do you think that God's revelation is harder than it really needs to be?
• What to do you do to actively seek His will for you?
• What do you do to make sure that you're hearing Him rightly?
• How has that worked out for you? 

• Debt of love
•  Maybe you have a heart big enough to love the world, I'm afraid that I fall short of that.
• Who are some folks in your life that you ended up being called to love that you would not have chosen?
• How did you come to realize that?
• How did your generosity change them?
• How did your generosity change you? 

• I'm here for you
• We live in a culture that celebrates rugged individualism, self-reliance, the "self-made man" (at least in conservative circles) is held up as an ideal.  And all of that has its place.  But, like everything else in life, there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing."
• Have you ever felt called to help someone else see their own error, their own sin?
• Has anyone else ever ministered to you in that way?
• Why do you think that sort of loving connection between us is so rare?
• What can/should we do to improve?
• What can we do to safeguard against creating a community of busybodies?  Even if those busybodies have the best intentions in the world? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me into a prophetic episode?
• What/who do I really trust in my life?
• Who might God be calling me to love in a new way?
• Where might God be calling me into a deeper partnership with Him?

Lost

 

One of the mother goats in my herd died yesterday of thirst.

She looked at me with her eyes clouded with dehydration,

Trying to nurse her newborn kid who was too weak to stand.

Meanwhile, nothing but sand and rocks in view in all directions.

 

I tried to rekindle the excitement of  our escape from Egypt.

That magical night when anything seemed possible.

I pictured in my mind when we thought we were trapped -

Trapped between the Red Sea and Pharoh's wrath.

 

I remembered the days that we spent in front of Mt. Horeb.

Listening to God and Moses communing in the distance.

Wondering what was going on, how long it would go on,

And most of all, what our future held for us.

 

None of that was any help as I watched my dying herd.

Knowing that my family was not far behind.

And wondering where I, my tribe, my nation, had gone wrong.

Was it God, or Moses, our own sin?

 

We were promised freedom from slavery.

And a land flowing with milk and honey.

Which turned out to be populated by war-like giants.

And the freedom seems to just be freedom to starve.

 

No clear way forward, no way to return.

And we cannot just stay here to die.

I wonder what purpose God had for bringing us here.

I wonder what He is telling Moses over yonder.

 

I hate to go back into the tent and face my family.

They were counting on me to lead them, 

Show them the way.

And I have nothing to say, nothing to give them.

 

I have to believe that we're still following the same God.

The one who called us out of slavery to worship Him.

The one who gave us Moses to lead us.

The one who journeys with us in the Tabernacle.

 

It's just so hard to slack your thirst with just belief. 

But at least I can tell them that we will not die alone.

That the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still walks with us.

And that we are still His chosen. 

 

Shalom!

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Jeremiah 20: 7-9
2. Psalms 63: 2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
3. Romans 12: 1-2
4. Matthew 16: 21-27

• Savoring the surprises
• Most of us don't like surprises.  We like to feel that a) we're smart enough to see what's coming, and b) we have some small measure of control in our lives.  Too bad.
• What are some of the most delightful surprises that have come along in your life?
• How did one or more of those change you?
• What did you have to go through in order to really see that as a blessing?
• If you had the ability to talk to your younger self from that time, what would you tell them?
• When was the last time that you thanked God for that surprise? 

• Gazing on God
• As Catholics, we benefit from the Presence in the Eucharist that we can gaze upon with our own eyes.  But there are many other times and places where God is Present and awaits our gaze, our intentional concentration on Him and Him alone, even if for just a few minutes.
• Have you ever felt as though you're seeing God's face in the eyes of a loved one?
• Have you ever heard His voice in the laughter of children, or the elderly?
• Has He ever spoken to you in a soft breeze or the sounds of falling water in the woods?
• Have you ever wondered at the fact that God wishes to gaze upon you far more than you desire to gaze on Him?
• When God gazes at you, what facial expression do you think that He's wearing? 

• Offering my body
• It's common for Christians to view our flesh as some sort of burden that we carry around, hoping that it will not get us into too much trouble in this life, knowing that we will shed it in death and be freed from its limitations.  But maybe there's more to it than that.
• Have you ever suffered from "heart ache", a heaviness or pain in your body that just would not go away?
• Did you try to "power through it", or were you able to take some time, sit with that feeling, and let it speak to you?
• What did you discover in that conversation?
• Where was God in that conversation?
• Where was your body in that dialogue? 

• I'm here for you
• Sometimes, there just isn't much that we can do that will "make it all better" for someone else, or even ourselves.  But we can, in one way or another, accompany another person on their journey.
• Think of someone who turned to you in a time of real need.
• What were you able to do for them?  Perhaps you were their extraordinary Eucharistic minister, you brought food to them, washed their car, ...
• Out of all that you did for them, what do you think maybe made the biggest difference in their lives at that time?
• Do you think that Jesus could ever use a companion?
• How would you help? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me into deeper trust?
• How is my prayer life these days?
• Am I willing to learn to listen to my body, my intuition, for the wisdom that it has for me?
• Where might God be calling me into a deeper partnership with Him?

Lost

 

Jesus seems beyond committed to this path of destruction.

Past the point of mere acceptance.

He's somehow found His way to embracing this future.

And then what?  What of us, His followers?

 

I don't think that I'm worthy to follow in His footsteps.

If I'm honest, it's more that I lack the courage.

Leaving behind every last shred of respectability.

Boldly stepping into totally unfamiliar territory.

 

The rest of the disciples don't seem very sure either.

Their furtive looks, the strained expressions that they turn on me.

Tell me that they are waiting for some sign from me -

Some leading to tell them how to respond.

 

As much for my sake as for theirs, and Jesus'

I tried to quietly reason with Him.

Remind him what such shame would bring to Him.

Not to mention all of us in His company.

 

That didn't go so well, and now -

Now I have no plan B, no alternative through this.

I considered leaving Him.

But I can no more leave than I can stay.

 

If I'm to be a leader of this dispirited tribe -

I'm going to need some leading myself.

A light ahead of me to show me the way -

Through this dark night that we're plunged into.

 

All that I can think to do is to stay with Him.

Savor the moments that we still have -

However few they may be.

And count on God to make sense of this madness.

 

Shalom!

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Isaiah 22: 19-23
2. Psalms 138: 1-2, 2-3, 6, 8
3. Romans 11: 33-36
4. Matthew 16: 13-20

• You're fired!
• In the course of human history, we occasionally see God removing someone from their office to make room for a better person.  Makes you wonder how bad things have to get before He does that.
• If all authority on earth ultimately comes from God, why do you think that we sometimes have truly horrible leaders?
• What is our responsibility as God's children with regards to those leaders?
• How can we help them to be better partners with God?
• Is that possible if the leader in question is not one of God's followers in the first place? 

• Seeking the lowly
• There are many ways for someone to be lowly, disenfranchised, oppressed.  Not all of them are very obvious.
• What are some ways that you can think of that someone can be "lowly"?
• What are some examples of how you have seen God care for such folks?
• How can we tell how God wants us to partner with Him to support and comfort these lowly ones? 

• Who has been His counselor?
• It's fine for God to have infinite wisdom, but it would be nice if He'd share every once in a while.
• Do you ever pray for wisdom?
• How would you define wisdom?
• What sorts of wisdom are you looking for?
• If you got it, what would you do with that wisdom?
• Do you think that you might live better with greater wisdom? 

• Partnership
• I'm often struck by the partnership that God strives for with us, His people.  He calls upon us to do our part, and we are called upon to count on, and trust God to do His part.  Yet just what those separate responsibilities amount to can seem tough to nail down sometimes.
• What do you mean when you say "it's all in the Lord's hands now?"
• How can you tell when you're not letting God do His part?
• How can you tell when you're not doing your part in bringing about the Kingdom?
• How do you tell what your part is in the first place? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me into deeper, better leadership among His people?
• Who are the lowly in my life?
• Where might I need greater wisdom?  Am I willing to ask for that?
• Where might God be calling me into a deeper partnership with Him?

Carrying the Ark

 

We had broken camp just across the Jordan from Jericho.

One of the mightiest cities in all of Canaan.

Joshua told us that we needed to conquer Jericho before we could take possession of the land.

All that I could think was this was a decidedly mixed blessing -

This "gift" of the promised land.

 

Then I heard that my cohort of priests would lead the way.

Bearing the Ark of the Covenant in procession.

Straight into the River Jordan.

So that God could perform a miracle.

And let us cross the Jordan dry shod.

 

There were those among us who remembered the stories.

Of father Moses leading our ancestors across the Red Sea.

But all that I could think of was my new sandals.

And how dipping them in that muddy Jordan would do them no good.

And wondering why God needed us to help Him part the Jordan.

 

But there was little time for such wonderings.

God wanted us to cross at dawn.

And I wondered what use it was to God.

That this whole operation turned on the faith of little old me.

In the face of making a fool of myself in front of all His people.

 

But then, almost before I knew it -

We were at the river's throbbing bosom.

And I saw the waters rolling up in a wall to our right.

And new land opening up in front of us.

The way ahead perfectly clear where there had been none.

 

I come here every few years with my family.

And tell them the old stories again.

Hoping that they will have the courage

To let God take their hand and lead them 

Into the impossible.

 

Shalom!

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7
2. Psalms 67: 2-3, 5, 6, 8
3. Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32
4. Matthew 15: 21-28

• A house of prayer for all peoples
• Some politicians claim that theirs is a "big tent" organization.  Which means that they are inclusive, welcoming, and non-judgemental.  Are we a "big tent" organization?
• If someone came to you and told you that they thought about becoming Catholic, but felt that there were just "too many rules" for them to abide.  What would you say?
• If someone asked you what were the core beliefs that set us apart from other religions, what would you say?
• If someone came to you and said that they really appreciated the good work that we're doing here in the parish, and they want to make a sizeable donation to support that work, would you have any questions for them? 

•  Let all the nations praise you
• Across the globe, we come from very different cultures.  Yet God desires to be Lord in all of our lives.
• Why do you think that Christianity and Catholicism do not enjoy a wider following in the world today?
• How much of that is on us?
• What can we do within our families, communities, and parishes to be more attractive to others?
• How do we do that without compromising any of the essentials?
• How do we know what those essentials are? 

• Mercy me
• Our God is a God of mercy, and we as His children should be revealing His nature in our lives.
• How would you define mercy?
• What do you think that it costs God to be merciful to us?
• When have you ever been merciful?
• What is the difference between being merciful, versus just letting someone get away with something? 

• Prayer changes things
• Prayer takes a lot of faith.  Ideally, prayer should be a conversation.  Maybe not so much that we seek to wear God down into doing what we want, but that we learn to draw closer to God in the process.
• Have you ever prayed for something, not knowing what the outcome might be?
• How did that turn out for you?
• Are you grateful for the answer that you received?
• What did you learn in that encounter with God?
• Do you think that God has a sense of humor? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be looking to expand my horizons as far as accepting others?
•  How can I be more welcoming?
• What within me prevents me from showing greater mercy?
• Do I really trust God in my life?

Courage to Care

 

You never know where caring for another will take you.

Without warning, the trust you earn by caring opens them up.

They show their heart to you, and suddenly, you know.

 

You know their hurts scarce shared with another.

You know their fears that they have tried to tamp down.

You know that they don't know what's coming next.

 

And neither do you.

 

The decision then becomes whether to step into that need.

Or turn and run, by whatever means possible.

Or worse, pretend interest without meaning it.

 

On the razor's edge of that decision rides the simple question:

Are you a child of mercy, a disciple of the God of Mercy?

Or maybe just a hollow person who looks like a disciple.

 

It hurts to hear that I have no depth to my devotion.

 

But better to confront my shallowness face to face.

And address my fears, prejudices, selfishness

And draw closer to Jesus along the way

 

Than it would be to find comfort in lies. 

Lord, give me the courage to be honest with you -

And myself.

 

There is the beginning of true discipleship. 

 

Shalom!