12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Jeremiah 20: 10-13
2. Psalms 69: 8-10, 14, 17, 33-35
3. Romans 5: 12-15
4. Matthew 10: 26-33

• When the going gets rough
• It can be hard to explain your actions to others, particularly when they think that they are looking out for your best interests when they try to talk you out of something that you're sure came to you from God.
• When have you doubted that something/someone/some commitment on your part came from God?
• What did you do?
• Were you right, did you get God's call garbled in the transmission somehow?
• Or did you miss what it was that you were sent there to accomplish?
• Or was it just a matter of staying the course so that God could intervene? 

•  A stranger to my family
• Following God can sometimes lead us to places that make our friends, even our family, worry about us.
• Have you ever been in a place where your family did not know what to make of you?
• How did they convey that to you?
• How did your attitude towards them, and theirs towards you change?
• What did you pray for during that time?  Was it strength, courage, wisdom, perseverance, ... ?
• How did God answer you?
• Is that struggle still going on? 

• Free from sin
• When you think about the phrase "freedom from sin", what does that conjure up for you?
• Is enslavement to sin confined to addictions, be it substance abuse, abusive behavior, using your work as a refuge from unwanted stress, ...?
• Does freedom from sin mean freedom from fear of all sorts?  Should we not fear at least some things in this life, lest we become foolhardy?
• Or does freedom from sin mean that you somehow gain the ability to see yourself from God's perspective, get some objectivity in your life?
• How does Jesus figure into such freedoms for you? 

• Acknowledging God before others
• Youth Day at CCD Congress is an inspiring event.  Seeing all those young Catholics gathered together in one place affirming each other in their faith is amazing.  But I often wonder how those same young people do when they find themselves separated from all of that support?
• Are there times, places, in the company of some people when it's hard to really celebrate your faith?
• Does that necessarily mean that you don't belong there, or that you need to convince them that you know the secret to true happiness, or that you should keep a lower profile?
• How would you define evangelist?
• Are we all called to evangelize in some way or another?
• How do we find the way to evangelize that God is calling us to?
• How can we help others find their inner evangelist? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• How might God give me a course correction in my life?
• What am I afraid of that might block my way towards Jesus?
• How can I be more free in Jesus today?
• Am I proud of my Lord? 

 On My Own?

 

Lost and alone are two desperate companions.

You'll find them in each other's company on a regular basis.

 

Lost knows that they are far from home. 

But has no idea of where to go from here.

 

Sometimes, lost gets so lost they lose track of where they were headed.

Then, they truly are lost.

 

Alone feels abandoned, left to their own devices.
No one cares, no one sees, no one listens.

 

Trying to figure that out, alone soon decides -

That they don't deserve a companion, that no one wants to walk with them.

 

Jesus comes to tell us that both lost and alone are liars.

We, as His children, are never lost, never alone.

 

Jesus knows the way to His Father.  Jesus is the way. 

Jesus will never leave us alone, no matter what.

 

Sometimes, when I pray, I imagine Him sitting facing me

With my hands in His hands, waiting for me to speak.

 

He never tires of hearing from me -

Even when I tire sometimes of hearing myself.

 

And He always knows when it's time to get up -

And get going on whatever is before me.

 

I can always count on His perfect timing.

Moving gracefully from  contemplation to action.

 

And just as gracefully from action to contemplation.

Unlike lost and alone, action and contemplation never let me down. 

 

They don't tell me lies.

They always bring me back to Him.

 

Thank you Jesus for never leaving my side.

Never leaving my hands empty.

 

Shalom!

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Exodus 19: 2-6a
2. Psalms 100: 1-2, 3, 5
3. Romans 5: 6-11
4. Matthew 9: 36-10:8

• A royal people
• Sometimes, it's hard to believe that we are God's "special possession".  Things don't go the way that we want, disappointments arise that we didn't expect, and we begin to wonder where God is in all of that.
• What makes you feel special in God's eyes?
• If you were to describe God to someone, what character traits would you give Him?
• How do you think that God would describe you?
• How does that shape your prayer life? 

•  Thankful hearts
• God's kindness endures forever.  He never tires of showing His kindness and mercy.
• How has God shown kindness to your family, community, parish, nation?
• Do you think that God would ever withhold that kindness?
• What would we have to do before God ceased being kind?
• How likely is that? 

• Second chances
• God is about giving us second, third, fourth, ... chances in life.
• When was a time when you turned God down for something, some call on your life, but you repented later?
• How did you come to see that from His perspective?
• Where did you find the courage to change your mind, your heart?
• How did that turn out in the end?
• Was that what you expected?  

• What troubles you?
• All of us are troubled about many things.  Some are very basic like the occasional student that I have who is food or shelter insecure.  Some are less basic, but no less important like corruption in our government officials, or the growing acts of violence aimed at places of worship.
• Do you think that Jesus is here to minister to us in all of our troubles, or are some of our troubles too small, too insignificant for Him?
• Is it always worthwhile to pray for needs/worries/desires? 
• What are some ways that you have ministered to others in their troubles?
• Do you see that gift that you gave as bringing about the Kingdom of God?
• Who are some who have helped to bring about the Kingdom of God in your life?
• What have you learned from that?

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• What is my image of God?
• What are ways that I might adequately respond to God's kindness to me??
• How can I be more trusting?
• What do I need to believe of God that I'm still struggling with? 

 The Kingdom is at Hand, and Feet too

 

We all had come back to Jesus after He had sent us among God's chosen.

Some of us had mementos of  the journey that we'd been on.

One evening, we all gathered and brought out our memories to share.

 

I was reluctant to bring mine out, but finally Andrew convinced me.

It was a nail from a horseshoe that we had picked up from a farm.

Their only plow horse had gone lame because of a lost shoe.

 

She was a widow with young children, and planting season underway.

No time to let the horse heal before they would need him again.

The rest of the village could not spare their animals either.

 

The family shared what they could with us.

But they knew it was going to be a long, harsh winter.

I've farmed.  I knew the back-breaking toil needed.

 

I asked to see their plow yoke.

The wooden crossbeam was worn and smooth from use.

The leather strapping still in good shape.

 

I hefted the yoke to my shoulders and looked at Andrew.

He just nodded and stepped into the yoke.

The widow was reluctant to let us pull her plow, 

 

But we told her that we were young, and strong.

The soil there proved almost eager for the seed.

Andrew and I worked from dawn to dusk for days on end.

 

But we got her little farm plowed, fixed some things too.

We were too exhausted to talk much at the end of each day.

But when we saw that she was going to be OK for now -

 

She clasped our new roughened  hands, looked us in the eye,

And said "surely God is with us." and sent us on our way.

I hear that she's gotten to be quite a preacher in her village. 

 

Shalom!

Corpus Christi

Our readings for Corpus Christi Sunday are:

1. Deuteronomy 8: 2-3, 14b-16a
2. Psalms 147: 12-13, 14-15, 19-20
3. 1 Corinthians 10: 16-17
4. John 6: 51-58

• Companion along the way
• It's often hard to recognize God in our darkest moments.
• Think of a time when hope left you, you felt abandoned, and you wondered whether God was punishing you for something.
• Do you think that God punishes us?
• What makes you say that?
• Would you describe God as a God of Mercy, or a God of Love, ...
• Where do you think that image of God that you hold came from. 

•  Thankful hearts
• What/whom are you most thankful for?
• How has that/they changed you?
• How/how often do you express your thanks for those blessings? 

• One
• Our American culture prizes rugged individualism, the self-made man, the lone wolf.  And all of that is good to a certain point.  But in a very real sense, we are all one, but it's not always easy to embrace that truth.
• Are there people in your life who are really really difficult to deal with?
• What is it about them that drives you nuts?
• Do you think that God might have put that annoying person in your life for a purpose?
• Does that change your attitude towards them at all?  

• Hard to believe
• If you read John 6 it might remind you of John 4 - the Samaritan woman at the well.  In both cases, Jesus starts off with a radical statement, His audience has a hard time understanding/believing what He has to tell them, He dialogs with them some more, and the Samaritan woman comes to believe.  "The Jews", by contrast and even Jesus' disciples left the scene shaking their heads.
• Have you ever struggled with belief?  Maybe its hard to believe that the Eucharist makes us into what we partake of.  Maybe its hard to believe that the Eucharist makes us all one with each other.  Or maybe its hard to believe that the Eucharist shows us the way to God the Father in ways that nothing/no one else can.
• How have you gotten past that phase of being slow to believe?
• How would you make that transition easier, quicker, better if you had the chance? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to companion Him along the way?
• Are there blessings in my life that I might be missing, or misunderstanding?
• How can I be more loving?
• What do I need to believe of God that I'm still struggling with? 

 

Shalom!

Trinity Sunday

Our readings for Trinity Sunday are:

1. Exodus 34: 4b-6, 8-9
2. Daniel 3: 52, 53, 54, 55
3. 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13
4. John 3: 16-18

• Companion along the way
• There was a popular bumper sticker that read "God is my copilot".  That called forth an answering bumper sticker: "If God is your copilot, you need to move over."  Perhaps there's a vibrant theology that has room for both of those perspectives.
• If you truly believed that God desires to be your companion, someone who is with you through thick and thin, what would that do to your prayer life?
• Would you expect this "God as companion" to make your journey easier?
• If so, how?
• If so, why?
• Do you treat God as well as you want Him to treat you? 

•  Letting God be God
• This is one of those rare Sundays in which the responsorial is drawn from the book of Daniel rather than psalms.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have been given the chance to "repent" from defying the king's command to worship his idol: "If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us!  But even if he will not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”
• In general, what do you expect God to do for you when you follow His plan for you?
• Has God ever disappointed you in that regard?
• What does God guarantee that He will do on our behalf when we follow him? 

• Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
• We need each other.  We need the inspiration and companionship that a fellowship offers to help us be the best version of ourselves.  That need just takes a little longer to get addressed if, like me, you happen to be an introvert.
• What are some fellowships that you have been a part of that have, and continue to, shape you?
• How did that influence in your life come about?
• How did you end up in that community of believers?  

• Hard to believe
• What does an insomniac, dyslexic, agnostic do all night?  Next time you see me, ask the answer to that riddle.  In the meantime, if you're honest, what is the hardest thing to believe about the promises that Jesus offers us?
• In the face of the misery in the world around us, is it hard to believe that God is loving at all?
• In the face of the complexity of the problems that we are confronted with as Christians, is hard to believe that God can call us to make a real difference, to move the needle?
• In the face of the fear and hate boiling in so many hearts these days, is it hard to believe that God really expects us to be agents for healing and reconciliation?
• Is it hard to believe that the salvation of each of us is linked to all of us? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to companion Him along the way?
• What do I count on God for in my life?
• How can I be generous in my communities?
• What do I need to believe of God that I'm still struggling with? 

Growing Old With Jesus

The village elder was hardly ever alone.

Those who knew him well would come and sit in his company just to be there,

Just to find again their center so that they could go forth and live from that center.

 

Others, many from neighboring villages,

Would travel there, burning with questions, doubts, worries,

Usually trying to find a way out of their problems.

 

A small handful of them would come seeking for a way through.

Some way to transform their view of their life in the moment,

And see God's presence that had always been there in plain sight.

 

A yet smaller handful were true disciples.

Men and women committed to renewing their own communities.

Missionaries of peace, learning how to transform themselves so they could transform others.

 

One of those disciples asked the village elder one day whether he had any regrets.

He smiled softly and said

I regret hanging onto my regrets for so long.

 

Every time that I gain new freedom in my devotion to our God -

Every time that I learn of a deeper love that I can share -

It is then that I would regret not having learned those things earlier.

 

But I finally learned that with each decision of mine that is freely chosen,

Each decision that is sincerely founded on seeking God more,

I am fulfilling God's destiny for me in the moment.

 

All that has gone on before, the missteps, the out and out rebellion, 

The times that I was in too much of a hurry to even pray,

They are all part of the clay of my life that God is molding into something beautiful.

 

They are what He is redeeming right this very moment.

They are the substance of my salvation

They are what God is resurrecting even now. 

 

Shalom!

Pentecost Sunday

Our readings for Pentecost Sunday of Easter are:

1. Acts 2: 1-11
2. Psalms 104: 1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
3. 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13
4. John 20: 19-23

• Immanent vs. transcendent
• Ecumenism seeks to foster unity among Christians.  To most folks, that sounds like an unabashedly good goal. But to some, the compromises brokered along the way to unity are too costly, feeling like a theological sell out.
• What should be the source/font of unity among Christians?
• Why bother with our differences in the first place?  If we can coexist peaceably, who cares what those "other guys" think?
• What do you think that God wants most for all of the various Christian denominations.  

•  God loving in and through creation
• One theme in Ignatian spirituality is that creation is still ongoing, and that God invites us daily into the process of creation as we follow Him, one decision at a time.  In a very real way, we join our work with God's and we enter into God as God enters into us.
• When are you the most creative?  Is it maybe when you're giving counsel to a friend, making some piece of artwork, drafting some bold proposal for a new ministry, designing a building, ...
• How did you find yourself doing such work?
• Do you get paid for that?
• Should you? 

• Finding your niche
• What is the best way to recruit people into ministry?
• How do you tell if they made a bad selection of how they are going to serve?
• How do you tell them that they may have taken a wrong turn in a particular ministry?
• Do you think that there might be some room for a "spiritual aptitude test?"
• Have you ever thought about preparing your "spiritual resume?"  

• Peace in the commission
• One way to tell if you're in the right place at the right time doing the right thing is whether that service that you're performing fills you with peace.  You might be utterly exhausted at the end of the day, and yet be full of joy.
• Have you ever been in a ministry/service in which you were not at peace?
• How did you get into that position in the first place?
• Do you think that it was God's will that you were there?
• How did you discern what to do then? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to foster greater unity among His people?
• Is my work building the Kingdom?
• Am I a welcoming presence in the ministry that I'm in?
• How might God be calling me to join Him in building His Kingdom? 

Wax On Wax Off

It's hard to tell sometimes what possible use God can make of our experiences.

Those dark, dreary days when nothing seems to go right.

When no one seems to notice how hard you work.

When the only thing keeping you going is faithfulness.

 

But resurrection tells us that good can come of those days.

That strength, fortitude, patience, humility forged thus -

Will stand the test of time, if we are willing to receive God's transforming grace.

And that God can use our past to make us ready for anything.

 

Lord, help me trust Your Presence always.

Let me never take your hand upon my shoulder for granted.

Let me always be grateful for your guidance.

Even when I cannot tell where we are going.

 

I no longer ask for lightening clarity.

No cosmic reason for doubt, pain, or loneliness.

I ask for just three things of you:

Trust, humility, and the courage to seek You above all else. 

 

Shalom!

6th Sunday of Easter

Our readings for Sixth Sunday of Easter are:

1. Acts 8: 5-8, 14-17
2. Psalms 66: 1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
3. 1 Peter 3: 15-18
4. John 14: 15-21

• Withstanding persecution
• The first reading tells of the first christian diaspora - the scattering of Jesus' followers under persecution.  Far from staying silent, Philip and the others spread the Gospel even more.  Persecution can come in many forms.
• Why do you think that God allows His people to be persecuted?
• What does that tell you about God?
• Do you think that we are ever ready for persecution?
• Where would you find the strength to resist persecution? 

• God is on the move
• God is a god of action, getting right in there with us.
• How has God been moving in your life lately?
• How do you know it's Him?
• Do you think that this movement of His in your life would convince anyone else that God is real? 

• I like Him
• In The Man of La Mancha there is a scene in which Aldonza asks Sncho Panza why he follows his master, even though no one else can see a reason.
• If someone asked you why you follow Jesus, what would you say?
• Have those reasons changed at all through the years?
• Do you think of yourself as an evangelist at all?
• Why is that? 

• Loving obedience
• We do the will of God in our lives, not because we want to earn God's favor, but because that obedience is the way that we express our love of God, and it is in that expression that our love deepens.
• How has God "nudged" you when He has something new for you?
• How do you tell God's "nudges" from just random static in your life?
• How do you tell when you have made a mistake trying to follow God's will?
• What makes you so eager to follow Him? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might I be weak, and need greater strength?
• Where is God most real in my life?
• Are there those in my life that only I can bring the joy of the Gospel?
• How might God be calling me to join Him in building His Kingdom? 

Without Seeing You

Lord, I'm more like Thomas than I care to admit.

I've tried to follow you and your ways for a long time now.

I've tried to be honest with myself, and with you.

I've tried to recognize my true motives.

And seek Your help when I need it.

 

But, really, if I'm totally honest -

I'm not so sure that I'm always on the mark.

I'm not so sure that I'm at all successful.

I'm not so sure that I even know myself.

But there is one thing that I'm pretty sure of.

 

That my desire to please you, pleases you.

That my seeking you allows me to find you.

Even in the surprising places that you are found -

Those places that I would never think to look.

Thank you Jesus for your unexpected Presence.

 

Help me to keep loving in the uncertainty,

To keep walking even if I cannot see the road ahead,

To keep giving of myself even if I don't know where it will lead,

To keep praying even when it's hard to know what to pray for,

To keep hoping that you are, and will always be at my side. 

 

Shalom!

5th Sunday of Easter

Our readings for fifth Sunday of Easter are:

1. Acts 6: 1-7
2. Psalms 33: 1-2, 4-5, 18-19
3. 1 Peter 2: 4-9
4. John 14: 1-12

• Serving others
• Fr. Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries tells of a parish that he served in the LA inner city.  They started sheltering the homeless in their church, but that created some unexpected challenges.  No amount of incense on Sunday morning was quite enough to remove the smell of all those homeless people who had spent the night there.
• Do you think Fr. Boyle's church went "over the top" caring for the poor?
• How should they have done things differently?
• Is a church an inappropriate place for the homeless to sleep?
• Is someone's bedroom an inappropriate place to worship God? 

• I am not alone
• God is always with us.  We are pretty confident of that.
• When have you felt the presence of God powerfully in your life?
• What difference did that Presence make in the here and now?
• How did that Presence change you in the time since then?
• What do you do to try to be in that Presence all the time? 

• Finding your purpose
• How would you define a priest?
• Does a priest have to be ordained?
• Who are some priests who have made a difference in your life?
• Do they have anything in common?
• Do you have anything in common with them?
• Would you like to? 

• Be the miracle
• How would you define "miracle"?
• How do such things happen?
• What role does God play in miracles?
• What role do we play in them?
• What are some miracles that you've seen?
• What are some miracles that you'd like to see? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to work for justice in some small way?
• Who in my life needs a companion?
• Where is God building humility in me?
• How might God be calling me to participate in a miracle? 

Give me Ears to Listen

I am convinced that the Spirit manifests Himself in creativity.
That ability to see things in a new way unlike any other.
That ability to see a path through the present where there is none.
That ability to bring dreams barely whispered into full-throated reality.

The Spirit calls in the whispers of the day to day.
When we are able to stop and listen to what the day is telling us.
And when we are willing to silence the shouts from all sides.
And ask ourselves: "where was I closest to God today?"

And also ask ourselves "where did I feel absent, cut off, removed from God?"
How did that happen to me?
What did I do about that estrangement, that isolation?
What does that isolation tell me about God, His will for me?

Sadly, we'll never get it right.
God's direction is seldom crystal clear, at least for now.
But the only way to learn to listen is to learn to obey.
And trust God in the mistakes along the way.

For if we wait for perfect clarity before obedience - 
We'll never make mistakes, which would be a mistake.
We'll never learn confidence in our ears.
We'll never learn courage in the face of our fears.

Come, sit a spell with me and pray.
That we might both hear His voice in our separate lives together.
And learn how to build His Kingdom.
One imperfect living stone at a time. 

Shalom!

4th Sunday of Easter

Our readings for fourth Sunday of Easter are:

1. Acts 2: 2: 14a, 36-41
2. Psalms 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
3. 1 Peter 2: 20b-25
4. John 10: 1-10

• Survivalists
• Survivalists come in several flavors, but none of them want to depend on "the grid" for essential services because they are certain that it is just a matter of time before the conventional infrastructure has a catastrophic failure.  Sort of hard to argue with that perspective when you watch the evening news.
• What corruption do you see in our world today?
• How can we, as God's elect, save ourselves from such corruption?
• How can we help each other achieve such salvation?
• Can we have an impact on any of the corruption around us? 

• I am not alone
• I love the story of Veronica from the Mater Dolorosa.  She risked a great deal by stepping away from the crowd to minister to Jesus, no matter how briefly.  Wiping His face probably did little to relieve His physical suffering.  But it meant all the world to Him, I'm sure.
• When is a time that you have been able to be a companion to someone else?
• How did you help them through their challenges of the moment?
• How did that make you feel?
• How did that encounter with another help you in your own challenges? 

• Finding meaning
• Suffering, regardless of the nature of that suffering, often feels unfair.  We do our best to follow God's direction, and yet things go wrong in spite of our best efforts.  That's hard to understand.
• What has caused you suffering, or still causes you suffering?
• Do you feel that God owes you an explanation?
• If Jesus suffered for us, what purpose can our suffering serve?
• Which virtue(s) do you think would help you through suffering the most? 

• Finding your mission
• Jesus the gate leads us into His fold as well as outward to mission.  The two rely on each other for their renewal and meaning.
• How have others helped you find your mission(s) through the years?
• How have you helped others to find their mission?
• Why do you think that we need each other that way?
• How can we be better at helping others find where they belong?
• Does that "place of belonging" ever change?

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to work for justice in some small way?
• Who in my life needs a companion?
• Where is God building humility in me?
• Am I where I belong in all things?

Shalom!

3rd Sunday of Easter

Our readings for third Sunday of Easter are:

1. Acts 2: 14: 22-33
2. Psalms 16: 1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
3. 1 Peter 1: 17-21
4. Luke 24: 13-35

• Finding your voice
• Peter must have felt himself a total failure at Jesus' crucifixion, but Jesus showed him mercy and forgiveness, and caused a resurrection in Peter that was a true transformation.  Peter had been afraid to speak up, but he found his voice.
• Speaking up can happen in many ways.  We can "speak up" by giving our time, talent, treasure away.  We can speak up by written and other artistic forms of expression.  We can speak up by helping the poor.
• How do you "speak up" about the Kingdom?
• Do you think that your voice is making a difference?
• Do you feel called in your work?
• If not, why not? 

• My Body in Confidence
• Most of us have one of two relationships to our own body: it's working pretty well so we take it for granted, or for one reason or another, we're uncomfortably aware of it and it's slow evolution as we grow ever more aged.  But there's a third option, we can learn to listen to our bodies.
• When you get tense, or tired out, or anxious, where does that emotion tend to center in your body?
• Do you ever stop to ask yourself why you are feeling that way, or do you just "power through it" since you probably don't have time to try to deal with such things as feelings?
• Have you ever "sat down" with your body and try to figure out why it's feeling the way that it does?
• What has it told you lately? 

• Divine Mercy
•  The Good News of Jesus resurrection is not so much an affirmation of God's power as it is a lesson in God's ability to transform disappointment, betrayal, suffering, death into abundant life.  But we have to find hope first.
• When have your hopes been dashed in life?
• How did you handle that disappointment?
• How did you learn to hope again?
• What do you hope for lately? 

• Faith sharing
• Things can happen in our lives that isolate us, and make us feel as though we're all alone.  That could be a dire medical diagnosis, a death close to us, depression that won't go away.  Those are the times that we must stand fast in our discipleship and weather the storm.
• Have you ever felt alone, as though you were going through something that no one else would really understand?
• What did you do to try to get through that time of isolation?
• How did you finally make it through?
• What did you learn about such occasions in your life?
• Do you think that you're prepared for the next one? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to work for justice in some small way?
• Where might God be speaking to me through my own body?
• What in my life makes me worry about the way that God sees me?
• Can I trust God enough to share my faith with others?

I'm Forgiven

We had set out for Emmaus to try to pick up the pieces.
Neither of us had any idea what lay ahead of us.
But Jerusalem, the defeated disciples, the triumphant Jews,
None of those had anything that either of us wanted going forward.

Most of all, I worried what I would say to my parents, my siblings.
I had left all of them to follow Jesus.  None of them understood.
I could hardly articulate where I was going, why I was going.
I probably sounded mildly deranged to them back then.

Now, now I would be going back home, a mere shell of my former self.
I felt like I had aged twenty years in the past three.
The life had gone from my step, the light from my eyes.
Now, now I was just surviving, only because there was nought else to do.

But then Jesus came upon us, spent the day with us.
Broke bread with us, and in that moment of hospitality -
We knew Him for who He was, who we were with Him -
And who He is within us.

 It wasn't until we were half way back to Jerusalem -
The shadows on the road growing longer, and the night growing chill -
That I realized that I had been as big a disappointment to Him -
As He had been to us.  But He never left us.

And I realized then that He had forgiven me.
Absolved me of my despair, and doubts, and fears.
Entrusted us with the Good News for the rest of the disciples.
And all Jerusalem, all God's children.

I dropped to my knees and thanked God for seeking me out.
Finding me even as I fled the scene.
Knowing that I would not have the courage to stay.
Certain of my uncertainty.

He is alive.
He is alive in me.
Because I am forgiven.

And now, and now, I can even forgive myself. 

Shalom!

Divine Mercy Sunday (AKA 2nd Sunday of Easter)

Our readings for Divine Mercy Sunday day are:

1. Acts 2: 42-47
2. Psalms 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24
3. 1 Peter 1: 3-9
4. John 20: 19-31

• Community living
• In the book Kisses From Katie a young missionary to Uganda is confronted by unimaginable poverty and suffering.  One of the principles that illuminates her service is the simple statement "God doesn't make extra babies" which I take to mean that all children are God's children, regardless of how they come into this world.
• How would you define justice?
• Can justice be measured?
• Is it possible for there to be justice as long as any of us have any more than anyone else?
• How can we help to bring about justice in our immediate vicinity?
• Is that enough? 

• Finding victory
• Victory can mean a lot of different things.
• What are some things that God has given you victory over?
• How did you pray for that victory?  What were you looking for in that victory?
• Is a victory in our lives necessarily always permanent?
• Why is that? 

• Finding true joy
• Joy is a funny emotion.  We might tell others that landing that dream job gives you joy, or, if you're lucky, your children give you joy.  Or maybe your spouse gives you joy.
• Is all joy the same?
• What are some things that give you joy that never change, that are solid, despite anything else going on in your life?
• Is joy incompatible with sorrow in your life?
• What do you do to fill your life with more joy? 

• Faith sharing
• There is no second-hand faith.  I cannot give you my faith as a gift, as much as I might wish that I could.  We can share with each other of our faith, we can share experiences of God that we have had because we had faith.  But faith has to come from within.
• Have you ever become discouraged when you're trying to share your faith with others?
• If that person or persons had received faith, what would you want to see them do with that faith?
• What changes would you want to see in their lives?
• Why is faith so hard?
• Is it worse today than before?
• Why? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to work for justice in some small way?
• Am I settling for a stale-mate when God has a victory for me?
• What brings me joy?
• Can I trust God enough to share my faith with others?

 

Shalom!

Easter Sunday

Our readings for Easter Sunday day are:

1. Acts 10: 34a, 37-43
2. Psalms 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23
3. 1 Corinthians 5: 6b-8
4. John 20: 1-9

• Finding your voice
• Peter shrank away from being accountable for following Jesus when all looked dark and dying.  I imagine that Peter came very close to taking his own life like Judas.  Wishing instead that he had died for Jesus so that he, Peter would not have been such an abject failure.  Yet Jesus was able to pull life from that death of Peter's.
• We have all failed in ways large and small.  Have any of your failures drawn you closer to God?
• What was the sequence of events that you went through as that failure was transformed, resurrected in your life?
• How were you praying during that transformation? 

• Finding the Cornerstone
• Jesus was rejected because He and His life, His ministry didn't fit the mold.  No one seemed to know what to do with Him, what to make of Him.
• What are some things that have helped you find humility?
• How have those things changed you?
• How did you manage to accept that grace of humility in your life?
• Has humility gotten any easier with time? 

• Finding sincerity
• It's easy to lie to ourselves and others about our motives, our desires.  But God can only call forth the best from us if we're willing and able to face that which we typically want to hide.
• How do you identify and acknowledge where you are weak, a failure, in poverty?
• Do you make a regular practice of that?
• Does it ever get any easier?
• Is it worth it? 

• It takes a village
• In those first few hours of Easter Sunday morning, I suspect that each disciple achieved a different perspective on the resurrection.  That was based on where they were in their faith journey at the time, what they saw and experienced, and their openness to the Gospel unfolding before them.  As they joyously shared their faith, a fuller and even more wondrous vision began to emerge.
• How are some ways that you share your faith with others?
•  As you share your faith, has that faith deepened in the sharing?
• Who are some folks who have shared their faith with you?
• How has their sharing deepened your faith?
• Why is that sort of faith sharing so necessary?

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• What of my failures might God be transforming to life?
• Am I OK with God leading to ministries that look like failure?
• Where might God be calling me to greater freedom?
• Are there any folks sharing their faith with me that I'm not aware of?

Who Do You Run To?

It was still dark, and cold.

Not so dark, not near as cold -

As where they had laid Him.

And I shuddered thinking of His pale, lifeless, form.

 

I so desperately wanted to say "good bye" properly.

Let Him know that He meant the world to me.

Let Him know that I planned to go a journeying.

Telling anyone who would listen what He meant to me.

 

Out of the limited options open to me,

That seemed the only one worth pursuing.

It would be lonely, and dangerous.

But I needed to continue His work.

 

I needed to be the resolute woman that He saw in me.

I needed to be faithful to my true self -

The one that He called forth into the light.

The "me" that only He could see.

 

But before I would leave,

I needed just one last moment with Him.

To promise to be faithful.

And thank Him.

 

My plans were shattered in an instant.

When I saw that the stone was rolled away.

That something profound had happened.

Something that none of us anticipated.

 

I had to tell someone.

I had to discern what this meant.

As shattered as the other disciples were -

They would have to find community again.

 

I knew then where to run to.

Where I needed to share this troubling news.

Where I could find meaning.

In the midst of His baffled followers.

 

So I ran, heedless of my appearance.

Disdainful of the danger that might be afoot.

Back to the bosom of the trauma victims

That I had come to love so dearly.

 

And you, you who now come after me.

You are going to be challenged

And shaken to your core along this journey.

Where will you run to? 

 

 

Shalom!

Palm Sunday

Our readings for Palm Sunday are:

1. Isaiah 50: 4-7
2. Psalms 22: 8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
3. Philippians 2: 6-11
4. Matthew 27: 11-54

• The cost of a well-trained tongue
• Sometimes, words may be true, but they can be spoken from a person who is in a place that makes them ring false.  Until we have learned what it is like to be in another's shoes, it is hard to give them a word that will truly reach them.  It is hard to show mercy until you have come to terms with your own need for mercy, and accepted that mercy from God.
• When was a time that you felt that you had nothing that you could say to someone else in need?
• What did you end up doing/saying for/to them at that time?
• How did you find it in your heart to relate to them that way?
• How did you grow in that encounter? 

• Awesome God
• Someone or something is awesome when they inspire awe, wonder, amazement.  Our culture tells us that awesome is about power, accomplishment, success, respect.  Jesus tells us differently.
• What has God done that is awesome in your life lately?
• Why was that particularly awesome for you?
• Have you thanked Him for that? 

• Emptying Himself
• Jesus was not afraid to give himself away.  But most of us, for our parts, wonder what will be left if we give too much of ourselves away.  We look at the story of the widow's mite and see only starvation. 
• Who is someone that inspires you with their generosity?
• Do they ever seem to run out of what they give away?
• Have you ever felt depleted because of something that you did for another?
• Why do you think that is? 

• Standing with, standing for Jesus
• Scripture doesn't mention anyone standing up for Jesus in this narrative.  It can feel as though the world, our culture, all those in power, have somehow been aligned together in one great conspiracy and the only sensible option is to get out of the way.
• Does standing up for Jesus have to make a difference in order for that stand to be successful?
• How would you even tell if something that you did actually was successful, in that your action brought the Kingdom of God closer?
• What did that stand cost you? 
• Would it make it worth it knowing that you made a real difference? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be teaching me how to reach other?
• What does God desire for me of His awesomeness?
• Where might God be calling me to greater freedom?
• Where might God be calling me to greater freedom?

Splinters

I had important business in the Holy City that day.

Little time for visiting family, even less for sight seeing.

And yet, here I am, trudging along in this death parade.

Struggling next to someone I hardly even know by reputation.

 

When I took that cross beam from Him, He looked deep into my eyes.

Holding that lock as though we both had hours for the exchange.

Then he very softly breathed "thank you".

And then it was time to pick up the pace and keep going.

 

No time for pleasantries.

No time for listing our family lineage.

No time even to ask how of us is doing.

Both of us breathless, Each for his own reasons.

 

At first, I wanted to quietly walk away.

Leave that cursed, loathsome timber in some ditch -

And go about my way -

And try to salvage what I could of this day.

 

But as the rotted fruit and spit meant for Him

That landed instead on me,

And the two of us became more and more alike,

I gradually came to marvel at His freedom.

 

He was trudging along, giving everything.

Freely, without reservation.

And I realized how very bound I was.

Bound to schedules, agreements, patterns

 

All of which told me -

That I was just as bound as He was -

That He was freer than  I was.

And that my shackles were worse than His.

 

And I began to see the occasional spittle,

Dirt,

Even rocks raining down on us -

As evidence that we were becoming one in disgrace.

 

He never issued an invitation to join Him.

But He steadied me with His bloodied hand

As He strove to stay upright along the way.

And I knew community like never before.

 

I have to know more about this Man.

I must search for His disciples -

And join them to join Him

And make all suffering, all insults meaningful.

 

Shalom!

5th Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 5th Sunday in Lent:

1. Ezekiel 37: 12-14
2. Psalms 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
3. Romans 8: 8-11
4. John 11: 1-45

• Don't give up hope, no matter how much it hurts
• Hope makes us resilient in the face of adversity, even persecution.  But its easy to lose hope if we take our eyes off the source of all hope.
• Have you ever given up hope for something?  Maybe it was that your children would regain their faith, maybe it was a hope for some political outcome in our country, maybe it was hope for proper recognition of your contributions, ...
• Did you ever regain that hope?
• Did you come to hope for something else, instead?
• Was that new hope better than the old one? 

• What is it that you want?
• God is all knowing, so there is nothing that we can tell Him in prayer that He does not already know.  God is immutable, so we cannot change His mind.  We cannot coerce God in any way.  So what is the point of intercessory prayer anyway?
• What is something that you really prayed for with all your might?
• Why did that matter to you?
• Did you have a good idea of what God wanted in that situation?
• Did you ever find out what God wanted in that situation?
• How did praying that way help you? 

• Indwelling of the Spirit
• We sacramentally confer the gift of the Holy Spirit on our confirmandi.  What does that actually accomplish?
• What are some times/places/events in which you especially felt the presence of the Spirit?
• What did that Presence allow you to accomplish?
• Do you feel/act that way all of the time?
• Would you like to?
• What would that sort of closeness to the Spirit require of you? 

• Take away the stone
• Sometimes, something that was in our lives that served a perfectly legitimate purpose gets to a place where we just have to let it go, in favor of something even better.
• What are some things that you've had to let go of in your life as you've gradually drawn closer to Jesus?
• How did you come to know that that person, place, thing, activity needed to go?
• Was it hard to let go?
• What became possible in your life once you were free of that?
• Would you do anything differently if you had to go through that whole process again? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• How can I discern God's calling in others?
• What does God desire for me?
• Where might the Spirit be leading me today?
• Where might God be calling me to greater freedom?

What about my hummus?

When word reached us of Lazarus' death, I knew what to do.

His sisters would likely have half the surrounding villagers at their home.

Food would run out in hours, not to mention the wine.

 

All that I had were some chickpeas and an old press.

I went to one neighbor to barter for a few choice spices.

I went to another for some olive oil on loan.

 

I spent the next morning making a batch of hummus

Not wanting to arrive empty-handed.

And set off for the home of Mary and Martha.

 

My mouth feeling strange that I had to stop before uttering Lazarus' name.

Their home no longer his.

He's now forever confined to a cold, dark, stone house.

 

I arrived and saw what you would expect.

Mourners, professional and amateur milling about.

Mary and Martha trudging through their hospitality.

 

I barely had a chance to give them my hostess gift -

When suddenly word ricocheted through the crowd -

Jesus is here!  Too bad He got here too late to do any good.

 

Like the others, I followed Mary to the tomb.

Not having anything helpful to say, except "I came as soon as I could."

A soft word, a gentle touch, a knowing glance exchanged here and there.

 

And soon I was embraced by the crowd of mourners.

All of us sharing our loss of Lazaras.

All of us in sympathy with the rest of us.

 

Jesus and His disciples were there too.

Then Jesus shocked us telling us to roll away the stone.

All the customary ceremony had been followed.

 

What need had we to disturb the dead?

How would this help us, the living, move forward?

What good would it do?

 

Then Jesus called, and Lazarus answered.

And I asked myself what else might be possible -

If God is willing to even raise the dead.

 

Maybe I can find it in my heart to forgive my brother -

For seizing my share of the inheritance.

And shaming me before the rest of the family.

 

Maybe I can find it in my heart to reach out to Jacob -

My cousin the tax-gatherer.

I miss him and his family so.

 

Maybe I can share some chickpeas with the beggar on my street.

They are not much, but they are all that I have this week.

He has even less. 

 

Maybe I can rise in my own small way. 

 

Shalom!

4th Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 4th Sunday in Lent:

1. 1 Samuel 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a
2. Psalms 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
3. Ephesians 5: 8-14
4. John 9: 1-41

• God's chosen
•  Usually, we're so grateful for volunteers, that we don't really ask whether the person applying for a particular ministry is God's choice.  We're afraid that if we set standards, we won't have any takers.
• Do you believe that the only reason that someone wants to be in a ministry, be it choir member, priest, catechist, food drive worker ... is that they feel called to that ministry?
• If they feel called, are they called?
• What responsibility do we have to select new members?
• What responsibility do we have to search out new members? 

• What is it that you want?
• If we are following God as best as we can, it's a safe bet that our deepest desires come from Him.  The hard part is finding what those desires are.
• What is your deepest desire?
• Would you ever think to pray for that?
• What else are you doing to make that desire happen? 

• Good fruit
• Fruit on trees is easy to identify.  Sometimes, the fruits of our labors are harder to pin down.  Sometimes, the best thing that can be said of something that we worked on involved fruits that we never thought would come of that work.
• If you were to die tomorrow, what would be some of the fruits of your life, from your vantage point?
• Do you ever think to ask Jesus what He thinks your fruits are?
• What can you do to make your life more fruitful?
• Do you always need to know what fruits have come from your work? 

• Unwelcome apostle
• The thing that I love about these Gospel readings for the scrutinies is the recurring themes that we see in them.  One of them is apostleship - spreading the Good News of who Jesus is.
• Talking about your faith with another believer is one thing, talking about your faith to someone who is not a believer is another.  Why has that been in your life?
• One reason to be reluctant to bring up matters of faith is that we figure that the other person will never change, that they have closed their minds, that they are blinded.  Would Jesus ever want the Gospel to be shared with such a person anyway?
• Just because words are true does not necessarily mean that they are shared in love.  How can we be sure to share the Good News in love, and not judgement, with patience and not bitterness?
• Who are some "blind" people in your life that you would love to share your faith with? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• How can I discern God's calling in others?
• What does God desire for me?
• What can I do to be more fruitful?
• Who might I be an apostle to?

Open My Eyes

The Master miraculously opened my eyes.

I could no longer beg for my bread.

I had to learn a trade and earn it for the first time.

 

I went to the village weaver and asked to be taught.

It was hard at first, learning to trust my eyes -

To guide these hands that have been on their own.

 

Eventually, I learned to delight in colors coming together -

Threads interwoven, crossing one another.

Hardly a design visible when first starting.

 

But the true weaver knows where they are going.

They know what the finished product will be.

Even though no one else can tell ahead of time.

 

And I know that my tapestry is still a weaving.

Threads from my deep past, 

Tastes, sights, sounds from today.

 

The touch of a friend, the lift of a verdant smile 

The sound of a beloved footstep on the hard earth

The smell of the first minutes of a gentle spring rain.

 

Even the disappointments and sorrows have their place.

To try to unravel them from my life is foolish.

For they have a sacred place to fulfill as well. 

 

Every one of them a gift, every one of them a grace.

All to be savored, celebrated, and shared.

Until all of us become one tapestry in Jesus. 

 

Shalom!

3rd Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 3rd Sunday in Lent:

1. Exodus 17: 3-7
2. Psalms 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
3. Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8
4. John 4: 5-42

• Finding your trust
• Stepping into something new can be exciting, exhilarating, scary.  Eventually thought, the novelty wears off, the implications of your decision begin to become clear, and its easy to begin to wonder: "did I really do such a great thing?  Is this really where God wants me?"
• Have you ever done something bold because you felt led to that by God?
• How did that turn out for you?
• Do you still feel as though that was God's leading?
• Why? 

• Seeking a soft heart
• A soft heart is one that is sensitive to the will of God in your life.  The soft heart feels deeply, seeks closeness to God and others, and is willing to bear hurt and pain on the behalf of others because that empathy is what brings us together, what heals us of our hurts and wounds.
• Are there people in your life today that you might not have noticed in years past?  Maybe you were too busy to notice them, or too preoccupied with other things, or afraid of them for one reason or another?
• What made you finally notice them?
• How did that noticing change you? 

• Making peace
• Where do you find peace?
• What can take your peace away?  Maybe it's a painful memory, someone alive today who immediately sets your blood boiling, maybe its a job that you know you have to do, but which you'd rather not.
• How are you praying for that situation?
• How would you like God to change that situation?
• How would like God to change you? 

• Nobody
• A priest is someone within the community who strengthens our relationship to God, and a prophet is someone from without the community who represents God to the community, calling them to justice and reform.
• Do you see yourself as a priest, a prophet, or a little of both?
• Can we ever have too many prophets?
• Can we ever have too many priests?
• Who are some of the local prophets that you admire?
• Who are some of the local priests that you admire?
• How can we help them in their work? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where is God calling me to be bold?
• How can I be more attuned to God's presence in my life?
• What is stealing my peace?
• How can I do more to bring the Kingdom?

Courage to Stay

He's left our village and I miss Him so.

That day at the well, He changed me.

I had been bitter, disappointed, cynical.

And He gave me hope and dignity.

 

Everyone around me in the village looks the same.

But I will never see them the same way again.

All of them, all of us were so eager to hear His voice.

That we all dropped what we were doing.

 

Now, now we are changed.

No longer strangers to one another.

No longer so cold and bitter.

Each seeing in the other another disciple.

 

For whatever reason -

He came here, to our village, 

For all of us, and each of us.

He came for us, and among us.

 

At first, I wanted to follow Him.

Leave behind the jagged memories,

The long list of hurts and sleights.

But I would have missed a greater healing. 

 

It is as us, all of us -

That He offers us healing and peace.

My people and the Jews are one in Him.

Who knows what is next for us?

 

But I know that we can only find our way -

When we travel this road before us

Together.

With Him and each other.

 

Shalom!

2nd Sunday in Lent

Our readings for the 2nd Sunday in Lent:

1. Genesis 12: 1-4a
2. Psalms 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
3. 2 Timothy 1: 8b-10
4. Matthew 17: 1-9

• Don't wait for me
• Ultimately, God's call offers freedom to step out of the familiar, the known, into a much larger world in which the horizons recede, a much larger world in which we can become truly visible, truly prophetic, truly alive.  We must never accept safety and security if it comes at the expense of that freedom.
• How have you become more free, more creative, more daring as you have gone through life?
• What have you had to give up/shed along the way in order to embrace that freedom?
• Have you broken any hearts along the way on that quest?
• Would you do it again? 

• Finding your hope
• Hope is not so much for something, like hoping that your team takes the World Series, as it is hope in someone.  True hope is grounded in the faithfulness of God.  True hope relies on faith and love to give it life, just as hope brings joy and vitality to the other two.  They form a trinity of virtue.
• Have you ever lost hope?
• What brought that on?
• How did you get through that dark season in your life?
• How did that chapter change you?
• If you could go back to the you when you had lost hope, what would you tell yourself? 

• Self-induced hardship
• More often than not, stress and burnout are not the result of working too hard, but working at something that we were never meant to work at.  By contrast, true joy can be found in the strangest of places and circumstances when we are there in pursuit of holiness.
• What were you born to do?
• How did you find that calling in your life?
• Do you think that our calling in life, our essence ever changes?
• How did you know when you had found your calling? 

• Savoring the moment
• Mountain top experiences are good, and often needed.  But they become an obstacle if we try to cling to them.
• What are some mountaintop experiences that you have had through the years?
• How/when did you have to descend from that mountaintop?
• How did that mountaintop experience impact/influence the rest of your life?
• Did you ever return to that same mountaintop to try to rekindle the old feelings?
• How did that go for you? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where is God calling me to be more creative?
• Who do I actually hope in??
• Am I being faithful to who I truly am??
• How can I be better at savoring, really living in the moment?

Leaving for Parts Unknown

A coward dies a thousand deaths.

A brave man dies but once.

 

Both end up just as dead.

But the brave make a difference.

 

Lord,

 

Don't let me let my fear of less than greatness -

Keep me from trying at all.

 

Help me to have the courage to leave the familiar

The comfortable

The secure

 

Behind in favor of following you more closely.

 

Give me eyes for the wide open spaces,

The unexpected turn of trail.

 

Help me learn to sing with the brooks.

Teach me to find home wherever you take me.

 

Teach me to find peace,

Not in the certainty of what today will hold.

But in the certainty that you hold me.

 

Let me measure the span of my life -

Not by how many breaths I take.

But by what takes my breath away.

 

Shalom!