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Gospel Reflection for Sunday July 30, 2006

A Scripture reflection for the readings of Sunday, July 30, 2006. In the Gospel reading for this Sunday, John again recounts the story where while preaching by the Sea of Galilee Jesus performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. There are many meanings we can attach to this story. It clearly demonstrate the divine power of Jesus, as the Son of God, over physical things. It aligns with Jesus representing Himself as he bread of life that will nourish our souls for years to come through the Eucharist. In fact, he used similar words in this miracle and in the last supper. It also reminds the people that through Jesus God is fulfilling His promise (Jeremiah) that He would send a messiah that would bring with him abundance. For me, this story also speaks of a miracle we may live in our lives every week. With God's help and for love, God will help us do the seemingly impossible.

We often hear or feel the call from God to do things we believe we are inadequate to do. Things that scare us because they could turn everything in our life upside down if we fail. We wonder how we could possibly do what we need to do with our meager resources (only one basket of food...). Yet, when we surrender to God, when we put our absolute trust in Divine Providence, life gives us everything we need to live our purpose. Think about how Mother Theresa started her ministry and the negligible resources she had. Look at the hundreds of thousands of lives the Missionaries of Charity have touched. Think back to what St. Francis had when he began his group of men preaching and serving, and look at what the Franciscans have been able to do. The University of Notre Dame began in a very small rustic cabin by the shore of a lake. Look at it now and the impact it has had in the world. The same can be said about the Red Cross, the Lukemia Society, and so many wonderful endeavors. The miracle of living our life purpose may never reach the magnitude of these organizations or the lives of these saints. Yet, if we allow ourselves to be taken by the current of the river of living water, if we allow God to multiply our gifts and talents for His purpose, we can make the impossible real.

Gospel Reflection for Sunday July 23, 2006

Scriptural reflection of the readings for Sunday, July 23, 2006, Some of the readings for this Sunday talk about our collective need to have direction in our lives, to be moved by a guiding force that is greater than us, a force we call God. We hunger for meaning and peace, we yearn to be protected, comforted, and nurtured. We seek to understand and to thrive. Life is difficult and it provides us with many challenges and opportunities to grow. We are weak, and at times fall. Actually, we fall many times. Yet we know that if we seek our shepherd, he will guide us into verdant pastures.

I had a beautiful experience yesterday that really helped me connect with the words of these Scriptural passages. A dear friend of mine has been battling an addiction to narcotics. A few months ago things have gotten bad enough that friends and family gathered for an intervention that lasted until very late at night and we were able to get a counselor in the phone to help us. The next day we took her to a clinic. She was "kicking and screaming" (figuratively speaking), but agreed to go through an intensive outpatient rehab program, although "she really didn't have a problem." It was an intense 35 day program. I'm happy to say that she has been clean for 65 days, is happier, found a job, and is creating a new set of friends. One of the things that is helping her is attending 4-5 Narcotics Anonymous group meetings a week. To support her, my wife and I attended one last night with her.

I was very proud to hear all the stories of people fighting this disease with all their might . Some had been clean for 5 years and two for 5 days. Nonetheless, they live a constant struggle and challenge. What they said reminded me of what we read in this Sunday's Psalm (23). They recognize that the only way that they can survive, is to completely surrender to a higher power, a shepherd. Every time they think they can go alone, they stumble and fall. As they walk through the dark valley, full of temptations and problems, they fear no evil because they recognize they are powerless and only through God they can gain the courage and wisdom to succeed. Their words and principles I heard last night are so useful for all of us...

Just for today..., my thoughts will be on my recovery, living and enjoying life without the use of drugs. Just for today..., I will have faith in someone who believes in me and wants my recovery. Just for today..., I will read Scripture and put my trust in a higher power. Every day they surrender and some may pray, "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come." And you know what? Those that do, get help because our God is so kind and loving. There is hope, as this Sunday's passage from Mark reminds us, "When he (Jesus) disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things."

May the Lord strengthen those suffering from any addiction, may they surrender to God and find peace and strength in him.

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Gospel Reflection for Sunday, July 16, 2006

A scriptural reflection of the readings for Sunday, July 16, 2006. The escalation of violence in the Middle East has really been impacting my heart in the last week. The senseless and useless kidnapping of Israel soldiers by groups from Palestine and now Lebanon. The overpowering and violent response from Israel that has claimed the lives of well over 50 people and injured hundreds. The retaliation back to Israel. More lives, more death, more destruction of divine human beings. This is so wrong and so senseless.

Psalm 85 caught my eye and my heart this morning. Particularly this passage: "Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss. Truth will spring from the earth; justice will look down from heaven." Psalm 85 is a national lament written after the exile. It reminds God of the wonderful things it did for the people in the past, it laments and asks for forgiveness and help, and it tells God His people will wait with open and humble hearts. This Psalm may have been used during harvest festivals.

Justice and peace will kiss. How few times do we see them kiss, but how overflowing with joy are such events and times. It is impossible to have peace without justice. It is impossible to have justice unless love or kindness and truth meet. Listen to the rhetoric of Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon. There is no glimmer of kindness in their words. Each party claims that they are speaking the truth. Think of conflicts that you have witnessed at home, at work, or in your towns. At the root of most conflict is a selfish intention. Typically one or both parties acted in a selfish way and not based on selfless love and kindness. When we both meet with the best interest of the other or of the whole in mind, things go well and prosper. When we meet with our own interest in mind, trouble begins. Facts and stories are created to twist, cloud or hide the truth to benefit one or the other. People sense hidden agendas and their trust diminishes. Injustices are committed and people suffer without peace.

Only when we allow God to be the center of our lives, filling our entire being with love for Him and others, can we begin each interaction with love and kindness. Only then can we know, speak, and accept truth. We then create justice around us and an environment of peace. It is very possible, although very difficult. In God, all things are possible, and all things begin and end with love. "The LORD will surely grant abundance; our land will yield its increase. Prosperity will march before the Lord, and good fortune will follow behind." (Psalm 85)

May the Lord fill the hearts of all men and women in the Middle East and all over the world with love and kindness. May we humbly open our hearts to receive God's grace.

Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Peace, Scripture Reflection

Silence, Peace, and Birds

This weekend I spent Friday night through Sunday afternoon in silent retreat. I had a chance to spend two full days without speaking to anyone (except night calls to my wife) and with no TV or radio. I was in a rustic cabin in the woods. At least twice a year I need a short retreat like this to re-energize my batteries. Time to pray, to ponder, to write, and to be. I was also working on a personal project and was able to go deep, spending hours at a time on it. I was able to sit in the porch and observe many birds like bluejays, chickadees, titmouse, woodpeckers, crows, and lots of squirrels. Also a wild turkey and a mama deer with her fawn. At night an owl was calling by the cabin. It's so wonderful to be close to nature. I came home refreshed and so happy!

Technorati Tags: Spirituality

St. Therese: Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Soul

We just watched the most recent movie about Saint Therese of Lisieux this weekend. It has been out on DVD for many months now, but we had not had a chance to sit down and watch it. The movie was beautiful. It was wonderful to see her transformation in childhood from a somewhat spoiled and self-centered child to a person that constantly gave of herself to others and was totally in love with Jesus. I wish they would have found a way to share more of her words (that she wrote in her journal), but technically, they were not known until her death.

The movie made me think of her, who along with St. Teresa de Jesus and Mother Teresa, is one of my most beloved saints (I most have a thing for Teresas). I like her ways and her message. We tend to complicate life, to make things difficult. We think we have to accomplish so much and do so much, yet she teaches us to find God in simplicity. We live a holy life not by doing extraordinary things, but by doing little things with extraordinary love.

Thanks St. Therese for showering us with flowers from heaven!

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Gospel Reflection for Sunday, July 2, 2006

Scriptural reflection for the readings of Sunday, July 2. 2006. Faith, love, and miracles. In this Gospel passage from Mark we have two intermingled stories of two miracles. The woman that touches the hem of Jesus' garment and is instantly healed and the daughter of the synagogue official who was sick, is declared dead by the time Jesus gets to the house, but at his command she gets up, healed. Their faith, their love, and Jesus' love and Divine power allowed these miracles to happen. They were healed. Both stories have numerous lessons for us. The woman had been flowing blood for 12 years and had tried everything. Not only was everything known to work had been tried on her, but the act of flowing blood made her an impure woman. Incapable of participating in the religious rituals and known to make anything she touched impure. So there was both physical and emotional pain in her life. Yet, she persevered in her faith, put all her trust in Jesus, and humbly did the unthinkable. She, was who was not pure, touched him who was without a blemish, humbly touching only the hem of his garment. We are never too little, too sinful, too lowly to reach out to Jesus, to surrender completely to him.

When Jesus got to the house the nay-sayers said, why bother, she is already dead. They even ridiculed Jesus for trying. But he continued, focused on healing the girl, moved by the faith of her parents. How many times we are also surrounded by people that put doubt in our lives and fill us with negative thoughts? How many times it is our own mind?

Many of us have had big, painful, or difficult moments in our lives. Times when we have no option but to surrender in complete faith, love, and humility to Jesus and ask for help. We have no other option. I have experienced several miracles in these situations. However, in most of our lives we are experiencing smaller and more numerous situations. Physical pain, relationship problems, unfair treatment by a boss, abusive comments from a spouse, financial concerns, etc. Do we surrender with the same faith and total abandonment as we do with the big things? Or do we just experience physical and emotional death by a thousand little cuts. Half of the root causes for depression relate more to the little things that happen to us and how we deal with them. Many of the physical illnesses that we have come from stress, our reaction to the myriad of real or imaginary problems we have.

We must learn to reach out and touch Jesus' garment in complete faith throughout the day, to surrender all. We must always remember his words in this passage, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." and "Do not be afraid; just have faith"

God bless you!

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