27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Habakkuk 1: 2-3, 2: 2-4
2. Psalms 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
3. 2 Timothy 1: 6-8, 13-14
4. Luke 17: 5-10

• Hope for the morrow
• In some circles, the overall arc of events in our contemporary world points strongly to the impending 2nd coming of Christ, when all of the "loose ends" will get tied up, justice will finally be meted out to all wrong doers, and we will finally be done with this mess called "life".
• Does that rule out any sort of vision for making things better today?
• Is there reason to hope that the next generation will be better than the present one?
• Is our only hope for improvement in the "sweet bye and bye" or is God actively working to make the coming years better at the same time?

• The value of freedom
• The children of Israel were desperate for water, and they were wondering where this whole adventure with Moses and God had gone off the rails.
• What sorts of things make you wonder whether you were meant to take a particular path in life?
• How do you pray through that sort of adversity?
• What gives you courage?

• Success and acceptance isn't what it's cracked up to be
• We all want to be successful in life, throughout our lives.
• How do you define success?
• Have you ever done anything that looked like a bad idea to others, maybe even an abject failure?
• How do you think God defines success?

• The power of obedience
• How do you express your faith on a daily, yearly basis?
• How has that expression changed you?
• Has that expression of your faith always been comfortable for you?
• Are you getting better at exceeding your comfort zone?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Where do I put my hope?
2. Do I look for freedom from things, or freedom to things?
3. How much do I value acceptance?
4. How has my faith changed my life?  How should it?

Someday my ship will come in

If you want to wait until some magic moment,
When everything falls neatly into its place,
Then you're likely to be waiting a very long time.

Tomorrow is full of potential, and disappointment.
A land where anything could happen,
And a time when hardly anything is started.

Today, with all of its limitations is the only now
That you will ever have.  The only moment that
You can control, messy and broken as it is.

Today is the day to start a new practice,
Today is the day to find forgiveness,
Today is the day to make peace with the world.

Shalom!

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Amos 6: 1a, 4-7
2. Psalms 146: 7, 8-9, 9-10
3. 1 Timothy 6:11-16
4. Luke 16: 19-31

• Self-made man
• In my generation, the "self made man" was held in high esteem.  This was the tycoon who started poor, worked hard, rose through the ranks, and "really made something" of themselves without the benefit of name, title, or inheritance.
• Which makes it tough to feel responsibility for those who are lost at the fringes of our society.  They are all reaping the results of decisions that they have made, so is there an obligation on the part of the rest of us to help?
• Would helping these lost (the unemployed, the homeless, AIDS victims, inner city gang members, ... the list goes on and on) violate their personal freedoms?
• How would we reach out to such folks since our lives are so removed from theirs?
• Or, are there others, still lost at the fringes, who are closer to home?

• Solidarity in our time
• Who are the "fatherless and the widows", those with no one to stand up for them, in our time?
• Is it possible that, by direct means or indirect ones, I might be taking advantage of injustices done to people that I've never even met?  If I get a bargain on a shirt made with slave labor in Malaysia, am I responsible in any way?
• How deep into the supply chains of our lives should we dig when looking for sustainable, just business practices?

• Perseverance isn't always pretty
• Among the monks it's said that the young pray for patience, and the old for perseverance.
• Are there any aspects of your Christian walk that are getting harder with each passing year?
• Is that just age creeping up on you, or is there a tiredness of another sort that's emerging?
• How can you keep your relationship with Jesus fresh and lively?

• Warning others
• What does it really mean to be a prophet?
• Do you think that poets are ever prophetic?
• Do you think that it's possible to have too many prophets in our midst?
• Could God be calling you to be a prophet in the context of some community?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Am I willing to be touched by others in need?
2. Do I see all of humanity connected in God?
3. How am I renewing my faith for the long haul?
4. If I imagine myself heroically standing up for my faith, where/when is that?

Someday this will all be yours

Dad had it in his mind to leave behind a legacy.
Nothing pretentious mind you, no statuary needed.
Just something, a trend, a discovery, a school of thought
That said "Tom Brown was here and we're better for it."

I remember as a child, Dad putting his arm around my shoulders,
And in one sweeping gesture, taking in our suburban home,
The garage with the cars, the tools, the assorted stuff,
Not to mention the crazy dog in the backyard

And with that grand gesture, he said "someday, this will all be yours."
I must have been in my early teens by that time,
Because I remember thinking that was a mixed blessing at best.
For I'd already seen the responsibilities that came with "all that".

But, dad was right.  There's too much stuff in the garage
To even allow us to park one care there, let alone two.
We finally retired our mortgage a couple of years ago.
Got the kids through college and well established.

And that's been rewarding.  I've touched lives along the way.
But I always wonder, worry actually,
Whether I've paid enough attention to the Lazarus along the way
That was patiently waiting for help that only I could give.

I remember frequently being told "never take generosity for granted."
And I've done a good job at expressing appreciation for each kindness.
But maybe I've taken being generous for granted.
And missed some opportunities along the way.

Lord make me sensitive to the calls for help that you send my way
That I may live a life full of living
And empty of regrets
Amen.

Shalom!

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Amos 8: 4-7
2. Psalms 113: 1-2, 4-6, 7-8
3. 1 Timothy 2: 1-8
4. Luke 16: 1-13

• Someone's watching
• How would you define oppression?
• Is it denying someone opportunity to live in a particular neighbohood, send their children to a particular school, get admitted into a prestigious college, a prevailing and pervasive attitude towards "their kind", or something deeper?
• What is the difference between good business and oppression?
• What are we to do about it?

• Solidarity in our time
• Who do you think the prophets and psalmists are talking about when they refer to the poor and the lowly?
• Do you think that you can identify with the poor and the lowly in any regard?
• How has God lifted you up?

• The price of peace
• During this time of polarization in our country, how are you praying for our nation?
• Do you think that God is interested?
• What do you think God wants to come out of this season in our history?
• What can we, as His people do to help?

• Who/what do you worship?
• How do you tell when something that you thought you owned, owns you?
• How do you fix that broken relationship when you find it?
• How do you keep from letting that happen in the first place?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Am I sensitive to those in need who are around me?
2. Do I see others, less fortunate than myself as "losers"?
3. Do I trust God even in politics?
4. What can I do to become pure of heart?

Wake Up Call

Lord, here we are at the start of another day.
I don't know what you have ordered for this day,
Nor do I know how those gifts will come to me.
Give me the grace to accept all of it gratefully,
That I might see Your image engraved in each moment.

Help me to find joy in the littlest of things
That I might find that same joy in you.
Help me to be generous and give away
All that I am, have and hope for to those You bring to me
So that my hands are full when I come home to you.

Give me the grace to savor the jeweled moments
So that I can give them away without regrets
And not try to cling to that which was never mine.
Give me simplicity, trust, and courage,
That I may not trade you for success, honor, or appreciation.

Let me find peace in stillness
Meaning in the silence
And guidance when there seems no light about me
That my trust in you
Might light my way to my next horizon.

Shalom!

24 Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Exodus 32: 7-11, 13-14
2. Psalms 51: 3-4, 12-13, 17, 19
3. 1 Timothy 1: 12-17
4. Luke 15: 1-32

• You're not alone ...
• The ancient Hebrews felt abandoned by God at the foot of Mount Horeb.  Lots of drama going on up on the mountain, but no one there among the people to tell them what was going on, how long it would last, whether they'd get done in time to make the Saturday matinee at the Bijou ...
• When have you had a hard time trusting God?
• What was God asking you to trust Him for at the time?
• How did you pray about that trust issue?
• How did God answer?

• If only you knew
• Do you ever wonder whether you are blissfully unaware of some of your sins?
• Do you think that what you don't know won't hurt you?
• How do you think we can become more sensitive?
• Is it worth it?

• Trusting me
• What are some things that God has trusted you with?
• For instance, if you are a parent, God has entrusted you with His children.
• Or, if you have any abilities, God has entrusted those to your stewardship.
• Do you think that you are always worthy of God's trust in you?
• How has God made you more trustworthy over time?

• Hitting bottom
• The parable of the prodigal father shows the son "coming to his senses".
• The parable tells us that he realized that he was starving for no good reason.  Do you think that a person in such a circumstance might come to other conclusions (such as "gee, I guess I cannot make it entirely on my own!)?
• What might some of those be?
• Do you think that his turning back to his father was perfect contrition?
• Why do you think it does/does no matter?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. How deep is my trust in God?
2. Am I hurting others in my community without knowing it?
3. How is my life a gospel?
4. What is holding me back from true freedom?

Trading my sorrows

You really cannot go home again.
Sure, the place may still be there, even the people,
But they have changed, you have changed
Time has had its way with you and what was
And joined in some grand conspiracy to take it all away.

Making amends doesn't turn the clock back on itself,
Give you the chance to pretend as though it never happened.
Forgiveness is far harder harder than travel.
It means seeing yourself with fresh eyes,
Looking yourself in the eye and admitting fault.

And not merely being satisfied with some superficial motive,
True forgiveness can only occur in the company of true awareness.
And awareness can hurt a great deal.
Particularly if you have been dodging that awareness a long time.
And fooling yourself along the way.

God never tires of waiting for our discovery.
God even has the mercy to let us make that journey one step at a time.
Never hurrying the process, or pushing an outcome.
Still He waits, with so much hanging in the balance -
Waiting for us to gradually see ourselves for who we truly are.

It's in our weakest, darkest moments that He can be most present
Shriven of all pretense, all lies, all posturing
We stand naked before Him, and know
The depth of His mercy towards us.
Pity the poor person afraid of weakness.

Shalom!

23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

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

1. Wisdom 9: 13-18b
2. Psalms 90: 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 4, 17
3. Philemon 9-10, 12-17
4. Luke 14: 25-33

• The big picture
• Have you ever been told that your take on something suffered because you didn't have "the big picture"?
• Were you able to find out the "big picture" so that you could make decisions more intelligently, or did you have to continue to muddle along, knowing that there was more going on than met the eye?
• Why do you think that God doesn't always give us the "big picture"?
• Do you think that any of us has that "big picture"?

• Separation anxiety
• Have you ever felt abandoned by God, lost in some maze that no one else can see?
• How do you think that you got into that circumstance?
• How did you work your way out?
• What did that teach you?

• Transformation
• Have there been any sharp turning points in your relationship with God?
• Were any of those expiences brought on by something that you did, or were they totally initiated by God?
• Do you wish that you had seen those coming?

• Decluttering life
• If your house was burning, what would you be sure to rescue on your way out?
• How do you know if your attitude toward that thing/person is helping you, or hurting you in your walk with Jesus?
• How are we supposed to rid ourselves of attachments to things in our lives that are hurting us?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. How deep is my trust in God?
2. What in my life is robbing me of my peace?
3. What is going on right now in my life that will make my relationship with Jesus better?
4. What is holding me back from true freedom?

Trading my sorrows

The hard part of making your career in a large corporation
Is that, in the aggregate, there's a powerful, nameless, faceless presence,
That often lacks anything that anyone would call kindness.

Some shrug their shoulders and call it the law of the jungle.
The fit survive, the rest of us don't.  It's hopeless to try to make it different.
You might as well try to stop the wind from blowing.

Others will tell you that it is no one's fault.  Fear is the constant strand
Woven through the decision making process.  Fear of losing business
Fear of losing suppliers, fear of losing control, fear of irrelevance.

Others will tell you that it's not worth worrying about, whatever the reason,
Just move on with your life and be grateful that you dodged those bullets,
All those years.  Gratitude will ease the pain, buffer the grieving, open your eyes.

For my part, I just know that nursing a grudge, cherishing a hurt
Hurts no one but myself.  The hard part is knowing who to forgive.
And maybe that forgiveness needs to start with me.

Forgive myself for getting so attached to a career, a position, a spot at the table
That the whole bundle became so important to me, that I let the rest slip away.
And mistook obsession for a work ethic.  Forgetting that there are all sorts of work.

Maybe the best way to be ready to give something/someone up is to savor that now,
And know that there will be no regrets later for lost opportunities to learn and grow.
And remind myself that every moment is privileged, every season in life unique.

Shalom!

22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

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

1. Sirach 3: 17-18, 20, 28-29
2. Psalms 68: 4-5, 6-7, 10-11
3. Hebrews 12: 18-19, 22-24a
4. Luke 14: 1, 7-14

• Finding humility
• When you think of humility, who are some of the examples to you?
• When I was a kid, one saying that was in circulation was "it's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am."  That chestnut was always delivered with a self-mocking air so that the speaker would not get shot down outright, but it speaks to an underlying conception that humility and greatness are somehow at odds with each other.
• Do you feel that a humble person somehow needs to downplay, hide, or camoflage their skills, talents, accomplishments?
• If someone came to you and asked you for some exercises (practices/habits) that they could adopt to foster greater humility, what would you give them?

• Making room for the forgotten
• How do people "fall through the cracks"?  For instance, an elderly widow may have relatives, but they are all from a younger generation, occupied with the pressures of getting their kids through college, finishing off a morgage, worrying about threatened budget cuts, and the like, so they never get any visitors.
• As a whole, what do these "invisible" people have to tell us about us as a culture?
• What can we do to change that within our families, our communities, our churches?

• Seeing is believing
• As Catholics, our sacramental life is replete with things that we can touch, smell, taste and hear (the so called "smells and bells" of our faith).  If all of those sacraments are there for one purpose, to point us to God, why are there so many?
• How can we, as liturgical ministers, make those sacramental experiences richer, more potent in terms of making the hevenly realities more immanent and accessible?
• How can the sacraments permeate/inform/illumine our lives and vice versa?

• Giving up the outcome
• In aerospace, we were pretty famous for hosting meetings that went nowhere.  The reasons for such time wasters were legion.  Folks didn't come prepared, the agenda was unclear, the hidden agenda was out of phase with the published agenda, the leader forgot, and invited Ron, when everyone knows that Ron will never let anything of consequence happen unless he's in charge, ...  When we endure something like that, the assessment can often be "there's an hour of my life that I'll never get back."
• If you were given a secret power that allowed you to predict whether something was going to be a success before you embarked on that effort, how would you use that ability?
• Let's take it a step further, and say that you could establish what you meant by "success", and this amazing power of yours would take that into account.
• Do you see God ever giving us such a capability?
• Why or why not?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What am I willing to invest in order to achieve real humility?
2. Am I willing to bear the pain of what it means to be "forgotten" so that I can minister to the forgotten ones around me?
3. What about my life is not sacred that should be?
4. Am I willing to serve, with no thought for the benefits?

Kindness Anonymous

Pithy words of advice tell a great deal about the culture that spawned them.
In fact, I suspect that such bits of sage wisdom could easily be used
As a yardstick to measure changes in our culture as they happen.

"Never "google" an old girlfriend.  You'll never really like what you see."
If she's done well for herself, you'll kick yourself for not making it work.
And you'll wonder why the two of you went your separate ways.

If she's fallen from grace, and become some pale caricature of herself,
You may feel a moment of triumph and relief that you bailed when you did,
But then another part of you asks whether she would have been better with you.

Nowadays, fame, notoriety, publication if you will
Is so easy to come by, that a life of anonymity is unheard of,
And can rouse suspicions.  After all, the Unibomber was pretty private too.

There's scarcely any room anymore for quiet, unassuming virtues like kindness,
Extending a gentle hand when needed, saving a heart, wiping a tear, offering tea
Each of these acts of love has a sharp focus, one, maybe two at a time.

The love is extended, the event done, and everyone goes back to what they were about.
But a transformation has occurred in sharing a burden, a sacramental exchange of gifts
And Christ is remembered in the sharing of pains and sorrows, joys and triumphs,

Whether there was anyone there to record it and post it
Or not.

Shalom!

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

1. Isaiah 66: 18-21
2. Psalms 117: 1, 2
3. Hebrews 12: 5-7, 11-13
4. Luke 13: 22-30

• Unexpected brotherhood
• More and more we are learning to appreciate and value diversity along different dimensions: ethnic, gender, cultural, and even religious.  Do you think that God meant for us as a race, a people, to be so diverse, or do you think that a Godly unity is built upon all of us sharing the same point of view?
• Do you think that God expresses Himself differently to different people?
• Why do you suppose that is?
• What does it say about how we try to show God's glory to others?

• Our place in history
• God's faithfulness spans generations, continents, epochs.  Have you ever reviewed family history and looked for signs of God's hand in past generations, previous places?
• What do you think that you would find?
• Who is the historian in your family?
• Do they ever draw lessons from the family history, try to apply them to the present, invite the present generation to a deeper sense of identity as part of a long and enduring relationship with God?

• Seeking transformation
• There is a great deal of attention being paid to the question of the distinction between discipline and abuse.  How would you define each of those terms in the context of a family?
• How would you define discipline vs. abuse in a Church setting?
• Does God ever get angry?
• Does that anger ever lead to abuse?
• Why not?
• What can we learn from that?

• You never know who you'll run into in heaven
• How would you define hospitality?
• Where is hospitality appropriate?  Is there a hospitality dimension at home, work, school,church?
• How are those ministries of hospitality related?
• How can we be more hospitable?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Am I willing to reach beyond my comfort zone to show God to another?
2. How do I celebrate God's mercy in my life?
3. Am I disciplining myself to God's service?
4. Can I trust God to touch the heart of even those whom I don't like?

Shalom!