Your Pastoral Coach

Gospel Reflection for Sunday, October 29, 2006

Scripture reflection for the readings for Sunday, October 29, 2006. In today's Gospel reading from Mark, a blind man keeps calling out to Jesus and asking him to have pity on him and heal him. Others nearby just ask him to be silent. Then Jesus hears him and calls him. People then said to him, "Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you." He then ran to Jesus, who asks him "what do you want me to do?" The man says he wants to see and Jesus says, "go on your way, your faith has saved you."

You can reflect on this reading in many different ways. An obvious one is that the blind recognized and believed in Jesus while those with sight doubted. But my mind went elsewhere. Last night I read in Jules' blog "Mazed with Grace" the following quote from Marianne Williamsom, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." That got me thinking. To what degree are we blind to our strengths, to our talents, and to the wonderful divine potential within us? With God's gifts we are powerful beyond measure, can face anything, and can make such an amazing impact on people. But we are blind to it, and to some degree we are afraid to not be blind. Once we know, we will have an obligation to do something with it. When we timidly ask, others tell us to be silent.

Jesus is calling us. Calling us to get up and run to him. Calling us to see who we truly are and to see how we can be God's hands and God's voice here on earth. We may need a friend to nudge us like someone nudged the blind man. "Take courage, get up, Jesus is calling you!" When we run to him, he will heal us of our blindness, we will experience the joy of authenticity, and the ecstasy of living as channels of God's grace.

Jesus, have pity on me, and heal me from my blindness! God bless!

Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection

A Request for Prayers

You may not have seen this, but my mother added this in the comments section of the "God Unites us All" post:

"God unites us all! When we are one in God, miracles can happen that is why I'm requesting prayers. Two weeks ago my 44 years old neighbor got sick with pain while conducting a meeting at the hospital where he works. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Before they could do anything, it advanced to the bladder and lungs. He has 4 children, a girl 18, a boy 12 and two beautiful twin girls 6. I feel humble at the immensity of his faith and strength. He says he needs to fight because his children need him. God can unite us all in prayer to support this man that still has so much to do. Thank you!"

Posted by: Carmen | October 18, 2006 at 11:00 PM

Dear God, please bless this father, and if it is your will, help him heal so that he can be thee for his children. Please give the family the strength they need.

Technorati Tags: Prayer

Gospel Reflection for Sunday, October 22, 2006

A Scriptural reflection for the readings of Sunday, October 22, 2006. The call to serve. Can you imagine how happy we would be if we lived and worked with Jesus' spirit of service? I'm not talking about thinking of this every now and then as I do. But to always be conscious of the Christ within us who moves our heart to selflessly love and serve. Can you imagine how many of the ills of the world, wars, terrorism, poverty, hunger,violence would vanish if all of us, rich and poor, working class and elite would live our lives moved by this spirit of service?

"Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 43-45) The Son of God. Here to serve! Yet, when we work we are more concerned about our ego and issues of power, greed, and position than about using our gifts for the benefit of society. Earlier this year I heard a person in my parish talk about his work. He is 79 and has a large Christmas Tree farm with thousands and thousands of trees. Apparently they take a lot of work, trimming and pruning. Every morning, he would stand in front of the trees and say this prayer by heart:

"Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all who pass their life in labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my own inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honor to use and develop by my labor the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever recoiling before weariness or difficulties.

Help me to work, above all, with purity of intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must render of time lost, talents wasted, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after your example, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen" (Prayer to Saint Joseph for the Spirit of Work)

He inspired me with his daily offering. I now have this prayer at my desk and say it every day before work. I hope it can help me work with a spirit of service. We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God...

Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection

Gospel Reflection for Sunday, October 15, 2006

A Scripture reflection for the readings for Sunday, October 15, 2006. What an absolutely gorgeous reading we had today from the Book of Wisdom. So deep, so powerful, and yet, so poetic. Solomon sings the praises of wisdom. "Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands." We have heard that life is nothing but cumulative effect of all the choices we make. The same could be said about our spiritual life. How do we know that we even have a choice to make? How do we know the vision that could be realized with the right decision? How do we weigh the benefits and risks of our decisions? How do we know what God's will is for us? Wisdom, wisdom, and wisdom. The consequences to some decisions will be tough. We will need courage and prudence, and other gifts to carry things out. But wisdom helps us see through the fog and choose in a way that pleases God.

In the Gospel reading the good rich man asks Jesus, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Isn't this the question we ask with every decision? How do I love you the most? How do I follow your will? When we love our dear God with all our heart, when we pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us, when we live in the presence of God every day of our lives, then we are in the company of wisdom. May all our decisions be guided by Divine love and wisdom.

Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection

God Unites Us All

I think I wrote about this last year, but it always makes such an impact on me. This past weekend my son Quique and I attended a football game at my alma matter, the University of Notre Dame, which is a Catholic university. The were 80,000 people for the game. Two and a half hours before the game the players and coach attend mass together at the Basilica. Then, they walked from church to the stadium through a "tunnel" of people that are lined up at either side wishing them well. When they first take to the field, they each go to the end zone, take off their helmet, and kneel in prayer. At the beginning of the game, in addition to singing the National Anthem, a prayer is said.

Then after the game, visitors rush to the basilica for Saturday mass, which is always 30 minutes after the end of the game. The church was packed, with people standing along walls. In the church, you have fans of both teams worshiping together. You have rich people all dressed up because they had box seats, and people in sweat pants, you have professors and stadium ushers with their yellow vests. Parents, students, visitors, old, and young gathered and holding hands. The mass is always angelic and you leave uplifted.

God, the great uniter. Let's also embody that peacemaking spirit!

Technorati Tags: Catholic Spiritiality, Hope