5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Job 7: 1-4, 6-7
2. Psalms 95: 147: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
3. 1 Corinthians 9: 16-19, 22-23
4. Mark 1: 29-39

• Reason for hope
• Have you ever had someone in your life with a terminal illness, or perhaps they were simply well along in life and it seemed the only thing that changed from one month to the next was the load of medication they were taking or what new limitation they had to live with?
• Is there any reason for hope in such situations?
• What sort of meaning can be had from a life that apparently has so little to look forward to?
• Is there any way that such a person can be an inspiration to others? 

• Called by name
• In our Western world, our name has become nothing more than a text-based alternative to our social security number.  But that name means far more.  To be called by name means that we are understood, appreciated, accepted by the other.
• Do you feel that God accepts you right the way that you are, or do you feel that God has a "to do" list for you of things that need work?
• If you feel that God has that list for you, what would be different in your life if you ever worked through that list?  Would God love you better then?
• Have you ever thought about giving that list up to God?

• The drive of the Gospel - (The bracketed sections are optional)
• Among ourselves, we would all likely say that God has blessed us over and over[, that our relationship to Jesus is the single thing that truly defines us, that life makes sense in the context of God, and no other].
• And, sadly, we all know others who struggle to find meaning in life[, who struggle with catastrophes in their lives from health issues, children who don't share their parent's values, jobs that seem calculated to grind them into dust,] and we wonder whether the faith that we have could help that other person somehow.
• If you were to invite some friend to Church with you, where would you take them?
• Are you sure that they would find a warm welcome there?

• Taking time to pray
• Jesus apparently struggled with a work/life balance as well.  He had to almost "sneak away" to get prayer time along with His Father.
• Why do you think that the Gospels have so little recorded teaching from Jesus about prayer, yet you go into any Christian bookstore and you can find row upon row of books about prayer?
• What do you think Jesus had to pray about?
• Why is it that we never hear in the Gospels about group prayer?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What do I hope for/hope in?
2. Am I living the name, the destiny that God has for me?
3. How can I make my parish more inviting?
4. What am I doing to better my prayer life?

Shalom!

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Deuteronomy 18: 15-20
2. Psalms 95: 1-2, 6-7, 7-9
3. 1 Corinthians 7: 32-35
4. Mark 1: 21-28

• Being accountable
• Every once in a great while, someone will let me know that they were paying attention to something that I'd said, something about the way that I live, and it makes me feel appreciated, until I realize with a jolt the responsibility that puts on me.
• Our very lives speak of our relationship to God.  Is there anyone on your life that you would trust to let you know if you are straying from God's best for you?
• Would you be willing to be that witness for anyone else? 

• Praying for the desire
• One of the freeing tenets of Ignatian spirituality is that God meets us wherever we are.  If we have no desire for, say humility, praying to have the desire to pray for humility is enough for God's graces to start coming our way.  I'm not sure about praying for the desire for the desire for humility though ...
• In a similar way, it's worthy of us as His children to pray that our hearts be softened, knowing that this can often be a long process, and there may be setbacks along the way.
• Are there any issues, perspectives, tightly held prejudices that you have that you would like to open up to God?
• Such softening of the heart is often a frightening thing for us.  Why do you think that is?
• What do those fears say of us and our relationship to God?

• Walk in a Relaxed Manner
• Sr. Joyce Rupp, in her book Walk in a Relaxed Manner mentions intentionally giving up things in her life in order to make room for better, more important things.
• Why do you think that we get so attached to items like a sense of accomplishment, a sense of belonging, or a sense of security?
• Do you think that God will always be faithful to us in those areas?
• How do you simplify your life as you have gone along lately?
• What else do you think you'll shed in the years to come?

• Taking time to ponder
• This Gospel reading is full of drama.  You have to wonder whether any of those who witnessed this liberation pondered what they had seen and wondered what it really meant.
• Are there any things that you would like to be liberated from in your life?
• Jesus Himself isn't going to be in the temple anytime soon, so how do you think you might bring something like that to Him to free you?
• What makes you think that God wants to free you of that burden?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who are the prophets in my life?
2. What are the areas in my life that I need to be more open about?
3. What am I most attached to?  Are any of those getting in the way between me and God?
4. What has Jesus freed me of lately?

Shalom!

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Jonah 3: 1-5, 10
2. Psalms 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
3. 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
4. Mark 1: 14-2

• Being accountable
• Oddly, we are not given any idea of what had aroused God's wrath towards the Ninevites, only that He wanted to warn them.
• When bad things happen to us when we make bad decisions, is that God punishing us?
• When bad things happen to us at all, what do they mean?
• Have you ever had a graced moment, when you were especially close to God, in the setting of hardship or tragedy?
• What made it possible for God to give you that grace?
• What made it possible for you to receive it? 

• The ways of God
• In some ways, Star Wars characters are bigger than life, far far removed from our day to day existence, but maybe not so much.
• Do you see yourself as a knight - someone to defend the defenseless, bring justice to the land, hold evil doers accountable, or do you feel it's fine to support the retired Jedi fund regularly and leave it go at that?
• Do you have a Yoda in your life?
• Would you like one?

• In it for the long run
• There's a great scene in the movie The Intern where Robert De Niro is interviewing for an intern job.  He's 70 years old in the film and they perky young interviewer asks him "where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
• We don't have much of an idea how much longer we have.  For my part, if I knew it was only going to be 10 years, I'd cash out my IRA and to heck with the income tax implications, but I think I'll leave that portfolio where it is for now.  So, how do we live in anticipation of the end of history?
• What are the things about this life that you won't see in the next life that you are going to miss the most?
• What makes you sure those won't be there waiting for you?

• Counting my sins and failings
• At one time, the popular perception of confession was an inventory of the specific sins that you had committed since the last time in the confessional.
• What would you rather be healed of, individual infractions of God's Law, lapses in your faith, distance from God, ...?
• How do you think that you can get to the root of sin in your life?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who are the prophets in my life?
2. How is God showing me His ways in my life?
3. What am I most attached to?  Are any of those getting in the way between me and God?
4. What have I given up lately to be with Jesus?

Shalom!

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Samuel 3: 3b-10, 19
2. Psalms 40: 2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
3. 1 Corinthians 6: 13c-15a, 17-20
4. John 1: 35-42

• Listening can be so hard
• Do you feel that you have a calling, or do you feel that your life has been just a random sequence of lucky (or not so lucky) breaks and seized opportunities?
• If you had the chance, what would you have done differently with your life?
• Why?
• Do you think that God always calls us to what will make us happy?
• If we feel happy, does that necessarily mean that we are holy?

• I have come to do your will, now would you please tell me what it is?
• How do you find God's will in your life?
• How often do you check up on that direction?  Every few years, once a month, minute by minute?
• Do you think that if anything changed in God's will for your life, He might tell you?
• How has He told you of those changes in the past?

• Bought and paid for
• We speak of redemption from sin, but that word redeem is a strong one.  It implies that we were slaves before we were redeemed.
• Imagine that you've inherited an enormous debt from your parents upon their death, and now you are responsible for paying that debt off, or you end up leaving some or all of that to your children.
• What might you be willing to do to have such an enormous debt forgiven?
• What might be your attitude toward the person who forgave you that debt?
• How can we become more aware of what God has done for us by our redemption?

• Expect the unexpected
• You have to give the early disciples credit for being willing to plunge into the unknown.
• A good friend of yours moves into the neighborhood and asks you about local parishes.  You volunteer to show them around yours.
• Where would you start such a tour, what would you say?  How would you know that you are doing them a favor by getting them involved?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who/what am I listening to lately?
2. What would I be willing to give up, just to know God's perfect will for me, perfectly?
3. How am I living the freedom that Jesus has given me?
4. What about me, my life, would draw anyone else into my community?

Shalom!

The Epiphany of the Lord

Our readings for the Feast of the Epiphany are:

1. Isaiah 6: 1-6
2. Psalms 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
3. Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6
4. Matthew 2: 1-12

• And what are you radiating today?
• What are some of the lessons that you've learned from the lives of others?
• How did you become aware of those lessons?  Was it when you tried to describe the influence that person has had on you to someone else, or maybe when they passed, or you had the occasion to think about your relationship with that other person?
• Who might be some folks who are influenced/inspired by you?
• What do you think that you might be inspiring them to?

• Politics as usual
• It's somewhat fashionable to be cynical about government, but there are no end of prayers in the Bible for God to bless the king.  Why is that?
• Do you think any of those reasons apply today?
• Do you think God is a Democrat or a Republican, maybe He's a Green?

• What are you stewarding today?
• A steward administers his master's assets on the master's behalf.
• What has God given you to be steward over?
• How is that going?
• Do you think that the blessings/assets that we steward changes over time?
• How do you know when your "portfolio" goes through a change like that?

• The King of the Jews hits it big and goes global, no, cosmic!
• If Jesus isn't just King of the Jews, or Lord of the Christians, why is it that the rest of the world doesn't believe the way we do?  After all, they seem like rational people.  Don't they have the internet "over there"?
• How can we be more hospitable to others seeking to know Jesus better?
• What might we be able to learn from other traditions/cultures/world views?
• What really is ecumenism, and why should we care?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who are the influential people in my life?  Do they know that?
2. When was the last time that I prayed for anyone in office?
3. How am I growing the gifts within me?
4. Do I live a life that would be at all appealing to anyone else?

Shalom!

Feast of the Holy Family Sunday

Our readings for the Feast of the Holy Family Sunday are:

1. Genesis 15: 1-6; 21: 1-3
2. Psalms 105: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
3. Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19
4. Luke 1: 26-38

• Shaped by belief
• What are some intangible things that you believe in that make your life richer?
• How did you come to believe those things?  Because you needed to believe them, because you wanted to believe, because everyone around you believed, because you saw what that belief did for and to others?
• Have you shared any of those beliefs with others?
• Why or why not?

• Remember me
• Loneliness comes in many flavors, and comes for many reasons.
• What are some of the ways that you are sometimes lonely?
• Do you think that God is there with you in those times?
• Does that make a difference?
• Do you think that Jesus ever felt lonely?
• Do you think that you can companion Jesus in His loneliness?

• Strength from the family
• Every once in awhile I'd do something and my father would say "and here I used to wonder why male alligators eat their young."  I guess that was meant to inspire me not to envy alligators.
• Through the years, how has your family been a source of strength?
• How has your family been a source of grief for you?
• Do you think it's possible to get one without the other?

• Focus focus focus
• It's easy, and perhaps natural, to read about Anna and wonder if she found that life of contemplation rewarding, rich, lively.
• Finding peace at home can often be difficult.  No sooner do you get everything "done" and a new crop of needs pop up, almost as though they were waiting for an opportune moment.
• How do you find the time, and space, to get perspective on your life?
• What in your crazy life are you most thankful for?
• What things in your life would you love to do without?
• Do you think that it's possible for you to make your life simpler this Christmas season?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. When was the last time that I gave voice to what matters most to me?
2. Who am I reaching out to this week in their loneliness?
3. How am I bringing strength and joy to my family?
4. What am I thankful for in my day to day life?

Shalom!

4th Sunday in Advent

Our readings for the 4th Sunday of Advent are:

1. II Samuel 7: 1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
2. Psalms 89: 2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
3. Romans 16: 25-27
4. Luke 1: 26-38

• Your legacy
• When I was in my early 20s, and very impressed with myself, I stumbled upon my father at home, sitting still, his shoulders slumped, his head down.  I asked him what was the matter, and he said "I'm not leaving you and your sister much of a legacy."  To this day I really don't know what he had in mind as an adequate legacy, but his was a concern that many of us have.
• What sort of legacy would you like to leave behind?
• How is that coming along?
• How would you live differently if you believed that, at the final judgement, we will all know everything about each other?

• Counting on God
• A dear friend of yours has suffered tragically.  You tell them God is faithful, and they ask you why you believe that.
• What would you say?
• Would that belief change if you started suffering tragic losses?

• Strength for the journey
• Have you ever found unexpected strength in yourself?
• What called that forth?
• Do you think that strength was there all along and you didn't know it?
• Where do you think our strength comes from?
• Why? 

• Pondering versus amazement
• Richard Rohr draws a profound distinction between pondering and what is often translated into "amazement" in the New Testament.
• Pondering takes the events, the feelings, the consequences of the day's events and actions to prayer, and seeks to find God's perspective on these things.  Pondering searches for the meaning of life.
• Amazement is all about knee-jerk reaction - the sort of response that is all about getting your word(s) in edgewise, meaningful or not.
• What things are going on in your life lately that cause you to ponder?
• How do you know when it's time to stop pondering and weigh in with action?
• We all get pelted with things in our lives, should we ponder all of them?  What if we get behind on our pondering?  What happens to us if we die with unpondered aspects of our lives?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What am I doing to gain strength in humilty?
2. Why do I believe God's promises?
3. Where does my strength come from?
4. What should I be pondering today?

Finding Mercy In Unexpected Places

Snap decisions are so much easier.

Assess the problem, apply the rules,

Job done, what's next?

Asking for the story behind the events,

Pausing to learn who is having the problem,

Hearing more than you wanted to know.

Is often painful,

Always time-consuming,

And doesn't always lead to a better decision anyway.

I like to think that God ponders His decisions,

Weighing options, considering alternatives,

Balancing an infinity of conflicting objectives.

And if I'm patient with that process

My decisions will not necessarily be any better.

But I might be better for the process of making them.

My students, who struggle with deadlines

Because of a sick relative, 

Too many units, too many hours at work ...

I cannot solve their problems.

But I can let them know that they are not alone,

I can bring mercy to a lonely stressed out child of God.

Just knowing that someone else cares

Is sometimes more valuable than a "solution".

Maybe in so doing, I can be Christmas to someone who needs it most.

Shalom!