14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Isaiah 66: 10-14c
2. Psalms 66: 1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
3. Galatians 6: 14-18
4. Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20

1. Mourning creatively
• What are you mourning today?  Maybe it's the loss of a loved one, a job, or some treasured ability, like being able to put away a load of ice cream and not have it show.
• Do you think that Jesus is morning those same things with and through you?
• Where are you looking for comfort for what you mourn?
• When and how do you see that comfort coming to you?
2. Sharing the joy
• Who are some of the people in your life who have shared a truly joyous event with you?
• Why do you think that they wanted to share that with you?
• How can we be better at sharing with one another, with listening, with being present?
3. Transformation
• Do you think that God experiments, or is it the case that everything that happens has a ultimate goal, an ultimate meaning and it's all part of the plan?
• If there is a plan, why do you think we so often don't figure it out/find out about it until all of the shouting is done?
• What is the difference between faith and fatalism?
4. Owning the results
• Ignatian indifference is a theme that St. Ignatius writes on frequently.  One thing that we are particularly challenged to be indifferent to the outcome of our actions.
• If the disciples were surely going to meet abject failure in various towns and villages, why wouldn't the Holy Spirit just direct them elsewhere and save the trip?
• Have you had episodes in your life, your career, communities that you have belonged to where you look back and say "there's some time I wish I could have back"?
• How do you think God sees those episodes in your life?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who in my life needs comforting?
2. Who in my life needs someone to share their joy with?
3. Am I willing to fail for Jesus?
4. When was the last time that I thanked those who labor with me in God's vineyards at home, school, in the office, at Church?

Trust Walk

"Well Naomi, that's the twelfth city that we've visited that has thrown us out summarily."
"Jacob, you're not actually counting the number of times we're rejected, are you?"

"Bet your bottom dollar!  When we get back to the others, I'm going to compare notes."
"I can't believe you!  Men, you make a competition out of everything!"

"Uh, well, I just want to find out who used which techniques for evangelization, and how they worked."
"Somehow, I don't think that's the point.  We're just supposed to get the Word out there."

"What, and not care about the results?!?  Why bother then?"
"Life is a journey, not a destination.  We cannot gauge our actions by their outcomes."

"Fine, then I'll just start walking in circles, and see where that gets me!"
"You just do that.  I don't know why I put up with you.  You're so stubborn!"

"Well, if you walk away from me, you won't be following the Master's instructions to go in twos."
"But if I stay with you, I go nowhere!"

And that boys and girls, is why you never heard about Naomi and Jacob in the Gospels.
Shalom!

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. 1 Kings 19: 16b, 19-21
2. Psalms 16: 1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
3. Galatians 5: 1, 13-18
4. Luke 9: 51-62

1. Anointing
• Each of us has greatness within us, planted there by God.  What is your greatness, how would you name your anointing?
• What did you leave behind to pursue that destiny?
• What are some of the things that you've never been able to pursue, in order to be true to that destiny?
2. Life can be so over rated ...
• How would you define "the good life" in general?
• How would you define "the good life" for yourself?
• How does God contribute to achieving that "good life"?
3. Freedom from something, or freedom to something?
• What would you like to be free of?  Maybe it's worry about your future, freedom from the demands of a daily grind that threatens to obliterate your soul, maybe it's freedom from a relationship that has somehow gone toxic.
• What would you like to be free to, or for?  Maybe deep down in side you have always wanted to be a stage actor, but went into insurance because it paid better, or you secretly harbor a desire to teach philosophy at some small private university, but you can find no way out of the job that you now have because you put in so much to get there.  What sort of answer does freedom provide you?
• What makes you think that Jesus cares about those sorts of freedom?
4. Deciding once and for all
• Do you think that our decision to follow Jesus happens all at once or by degrees?
• When we make decisions to leave something behind, should we burn our bridges behind us?
• Do you think that it's possible to "stay right where you are" but transform it somehow, into a place where God can dwell where He could not previously?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Am I actively preparing the next generation to take up the ministries that I am performing today?
2. Do I know the next step in the path of life that God holds out before me?
3. Am I willing to pay the price for my freedom to be closer to God?
4. Am I willing to follow wherever Jesus goes?

Trust Walk

"Relax" he said, it's just a walk.
"But I cannot see anything." I said "all I have to go on is the sound of your voice."

"Trust me, trust the process, trust yourself."
"But where are we going?  Why are we going there?"

"Remember, the idea here is to practice trust.  That's really the destination."
"But you could just leave me here, and then what would I do?"

"Trust me, I'm not going to leave you until we're done."
"At least keep up a steady stream of chatter so that I know you're there."

"Not necessary.  If you don't hear from me, just keep going.  I'm here, always will be here for you."
"We've never done this before, not quite, how do I know I can trust you?"

"You just do.  Now, just be present to the moment and let the destination emerge in its own time."
"I don't feel comfortable with this at all.  And furthermore, I think you actually enjoy this."

"What if I do.  Does that make me a bad person?"
"Will I ever learn to let go of being comfortable?"

"I don't want to spoil the journey for you."

Shalom!

12th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Zechariah 12: 10-11: 13:1
2. Psalm 63: 2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
3. Galatians 3: 26-29
4. Luke 9: 18-24

1. Act of contrition
• You're on an elevator with someone whom you care about deeply.  Out of the blue, they ask you what "victory over sin" really means.  You have 10 floors before the two of you get off the eleveator and you part ways.  What do you say?
• How has Jesus given you victory over sin?
• Is that victory over sin (singular) or sins (plural)?
2. Glory isn't always obvious
• How would you define the glory of God?
• Where have you seen that glory?
• Do you think that God ever finds you glorious?
• Why or why not?
3. What is the most important fact about you?
• Pretend for a moment that you're speed dating.  A total stranger is sitting across the table from you and you have only minutes to acquaint them with you.  Where do you begin?
• There are no end to the labels that we can accumulate in life.  Gender, degrees, awards. jobs past and present, in what ways are those unimportant to Christ?
• In what ways are those same qualities about us important to Christ?
4. Who do you say that Jesus is?
• Based on your experiences with Jesus, what characteristics would you give Him?
• How has your appreciation of Jesus' character changed over the years?
• Why/how has that happened?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What have I done this week that will make a lasting improvement in my relationship with Jesus?
2. Where do I look for the glory of God in my life?
3. How have I reached out to someone beyond my comfort zone this week?
4. How is Christ revealing Himself in me this week?

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Sometimes, I imagine myself there in these Gospel passages.

Sometimes I'm one of the crowd, one of the disciples, 

And just lately, when I heard Jesus ask His followers who they say He is.

I imagine myself one of the disciples who is new to the group asking:

Master, who do you say that I am?  You didn't give me a new name.

I earnestly look into Jesus' rich deep brown eyes, and see kindness,

And warmth, and maybe a resonating chuckle as he looks at me.

And after a long while, He looks at me and says "you are he who follows."

But I press Him, and ask "but Lord, will I be a Presbyter, a deacon, 

Even the gardener.  I just want a role, something to hang on to.

Jesus said "I don't understand.  Tell me more."  My jaw dropped.
What's the point of omniscience if you have to ask questions I thought.
Instead I said "I saw a T-shirt once that said "I'm a teacher,
What's your super power?"  Get it?  That ability, that destiny it defines you."
Jesus nodded slowly, stroking his beard meditatively, and then He said

"I think I see where you are coming from.  You want to know ahead of time
What will be asked of you, how you will serve, how you will be called on.
I'm afraid that I can't say for sure just how or where you'll be sent.
But, I think I have a name for you if you would like that:
He who finds himself where he is needed, when he's needed there."

"But, " I stammered, "that's so generic.  Any of your disciples could be named thus."
To which Jesus smiled again and said "You speak truly.  Yet none of them,
None of them will find their way to where they are needed quite the way you will.
None of them will bring just what is needed when they get there the same as you.
You, and only you will be the answer to the need you find when you arrive."

"Lord, do you treat all of your disciples this way?" and Jesus replies "every one."
At least I am going to be in good company as I shuffle from one scene to the next.
Jesus seems to think that I'm going to somehow master this way of one day at a time.
And, in my imagination, Jesus stands, and takes off for Jerusalem, not even looking back.
And the rest of us follow, hardly daring to imagine what lies ahead.

I've given up the quest for any name beyond "disciple", knowing that's all I am,
Trusting that staying close to Jesus is all that I really need,
Trusting that all else will come my way along the way
When needed in the way needed.
Hoping that, at journey's end I'll be known as "he who followed well"

Rather than "he who got lost thoroughly and often".

Shalom!

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. 2 Samuel 12: 7-10, 13
2. Psalm 32: 1-2, 5, 7, 11
3. Galatians 2: 16, 19-21
4. Luke 7:36-8:3

1. Act of contrition
• Unfortunately, Scripture doesn't often give us insight into the inner workings of people's minds.  I can only imagine King David struggling with a whole range of emotions when Nathan confronted him about his infidelity.  I can even imagine David struggling with thoughts such as "this is what kings do, we take what we want", or "how dare you try to tell me that I am wrong after all that I have done for this nation?".  All we get is the outcome from that struggle: "I have sinned against the Lord".
• In your past, how have you come to grips with the sin in your life?
• Who are some of those who have helped you with that process?
• Why do you think that is so hard?
• For those of us over 20, does it ever get easier?
2. Freedom is a funny thing
• Particularly in the US, we hallow freedom, but the problem is that the true nature of what freedom really is can become indistinct in our minds when we stop thinking critically about the purpose of that freedom.
• How has God made you more free in the past few years?  Think of freedom perhaps in terms of being set free from preconceived notions, free from habits of mind, approach, or activities, free from fears about certain outcomes, not because you were certain that things were going to go your way, but because you knew it was going to work out regardless.
• How has that freedom transformed you into a better person?
• How have others around you benefited from that transformation?
3. Mending fences is hard to do
• How do you think that our relationship with God impacts our relationships with others?
• How do you think that our relationships with others impacts our relationship with God?
• If you gave your best friend the same treatment that you gave God, how long do you think that friendship would last?
4. If only Jesus had Twitter
• You have to respect this woman's resourcefulness in tracking Jesus down.  She had to find Him in some public setting, yet not one that would be mobbed with people, she had to get the ointment together and get it to him, and most of all, she had to have the courage to approach Him.  All of that without Facebook or Twitter to tell her what His status was moment by moment.
• Have you always felt welcomed by the Church?
• How would you say that the mercy of God has been evident around you and to you in recent years?
• How can we show more mercy, more hospitality, be more godlike in our dealings with others?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Are there things in my life that I don't want to talk to God about?
2. Where do I need to seek more freedom?
3. Where are the relationships in my life that need tending?
4. How have I been the mercy of God to others?

Servant Leadership

History is full of sad accounts of great leaders with feet of clay.
Oddly, most of these are men.  I'll have to figure that out someday.

Made great contributions, inspired others, improved their communities,
And fell into sin somehow, and felt trapped in the jaws of a vice.

To let that failure come to light would devastate those innocent ones
Those who had drawn strength from our once mighty hero.

Disappointment, loss, sense of betrayal would wound them
If they found out about this secret sin, this hidden failing.

The merciful thing seems to spare them all of that, keep it secret.
When the reality is that Jesus is calling for a true healing, a release.

And what of those who have looked up to our fallen leader?
Maybe, just maybe, they'll be inspired by humility and honor

Inspired in ways that they never could have been by success and triumph.
Greatness doesn't lie so much in fruitful campaigns, but in courage and honesty.

Admitting who we are to one another is just so hard.
Admitting that we all have that in common isn't easy either.

It's said that Jesus came to comfort the afflicted
And to afflict the comfortable.

Lord grant me honesty with myself and others
And the courage to be free.
Shalom!