Your Pastoral Coach

Gospel Reflection for Sunday January 21, 2007

Scriptural reflection on the scripture readings for Sunday, January 21, 2007. These readings are so interesting today. We have two men reading from a scroll, thousand of years apart. One man, Ezra, reads as the people celebrate a new beginning. After many years in exile, a group of devout Jews are set free and able to return to their land for the difficult task of rebuilding their city and their community. Another man, Jesus, also reads from a scroll. A new life and a new beginning emerging. One where captives will be set free, and the blind will see, a life where the oppressed will go free and the poor will receive good tidings. Many of these actions were ones associated with God. So here you have Jesus the man, in his hometown, proclaiming, in so many words, that he is also the Son of God. Through him, all these divine actions will take place. And once again, the people will be set free, from a spiritual exile.

Thousands of years later, we too read these words. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, in Him and through Him, we are also children of God. Through us, the divine hand of God could also work, to heal, to bring good tidings to the poor, and to free the oppress. May we open our hearts and our soul to God working through us. We will continue to fulfill the scriptures and will be creating many years acceptable to the Lord.

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Gospel Reflection for Sunday, January 7, 2007

This meditation is loosely inspired by the Scripture readings for Sunday, January 7, 2007, Solemnity of the Epiphany.

Dear Lord, I have been traveling for so long to see the Divine light in my heart. It seems that my whole life has been a journey. I traveled through the scorching heat of the day, and the bitter cold of night. I traveled through ups and downs, through moments of closeness, as well as those of loneliness and dryness. I heard the calling in my heart. I was so young I can’t tell you when. I saw the light, the beautiful star in the distance, and I could do nothing other than walk and travel to pay homage to the God that will be born in my heart, to adore him.

Sometimes, I feel far from him. Sometimes the burden is too heavy and my journey so tiresome. Would you…? Could I surrender this heavy box of gold? May I give it to you? This treasure of gold is a gift fit for a king like you. It symbolizes power, kingship, purity, and incorruptibility. Would you like this beautiful gift? You see, for me it also symbolizes my hunger for power, my desire for success, my worries about wealth. I can’t carry this box and seek the Divine light. Would you take it?

I’m so excited to journey to see the Divine light! Liberation from killings, death, and war. Liberation from poverty and sickness. I seek immeasurable joy during the day and peace at night. I want to bask in Divine brightness, I want to revel in God’s glory. But, Jesus, I’m tired and I’m weak. Can I give you a gift? May I surrender this heavy box? It contains Frankincense. This is a gift fit for a Priest like you. The pure white smoke, the holy incense, loved by our God, carries our prayers and supplications to heaven. Would you take this heavy burden from me, Son of God, so I may continue my journey toward the shinning star? You see, Frankincense also represents my appearances, my pressures to be Church, my obligations, my bitter fights to protect my definition of faith. It gets heavy over time. I give this to you. So I may continue my journey…

Thanks for easing my burden, I can see the beautiful star shinning brighter than ever! I can feel the warmth in my soul stronger than before. I will persevere, I know. Sometimes the gifts I carry don’t let me see the light as well, and I stumble and fall. I look forward to adoring the God of light and peace, to offering him all of my gifts, to dwell in his presence for eternity. He reveals an all encompassing love to all nations. But dear Lord, the journey has been so long. I do have one more gift for you, because I no longer have the energy to carry so much. Would you take this heavy box of myrrh? May I surrender this heavy burden? Myrrh is a precious ointment used for healing, a medicinal balm to ease pain and suffering. You are the perfect healer, the savior and healer of our souls. What better gift for you, the Messiah? Please know myrrh is also used for embalming in case of death, which frightens me. You don’t suppose that you Christ Savior would have a need for this? Would you face suffering and death? I do thank you.

The light is bright and more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I have arrived. I am here to adore thee, my God, my King, my Priest, my Savior. I’m here to be liberated from sin, injustices, and misery. I am here to pay homage to my beloved. My eyes are filled with tears. I’m so honored to bring you these gifts, dear God.. Oh no…, I had to give my gifts along the way in order to make it to you. Now I have nothing else to give you. Except me, all of me. I hope it suffices… I can do nothing but prostrate myself for you and completely surrender the one thing I have left…, would you accept me?

“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.”

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New Year Resolutions that Stick in 2007

Well, I just finished writing down my resolutions for 2007 and I'm about to start typing the resolutions my kids made today. We help each other with our intentions throughout the year. I though it would be appropriate to repeat my post from this time last year:

I love making New Year resolutions! Then again, I would be a strange life coach if I didn't have fun imagining a better life and making resolutions to realize those dreams. Do you enjoy making goals to improve your life? Only 33% of all Americans set goals for their lives. Few of the New Year resolutions are ever achieved. Here are a few simple tips to ensure your New Year resolutions stick...

1. Write your resolutions down. Only 3% of the people that make goals ever write them down.

2. Keep the number of goals low. Try to make between four to seven goals. Out of these, only have one or two truly transformational goals.

3. Share your goals with loved ones that can encourage and challenge you.

4. Keep your resolutions balanced: spiritual, vocational, emotional (love/friendship), and physical (incl. home & money). Some people make all the goals in one area, mostly physical, but life is more than that and they can't concentrate so much energy in one area.

5. Think about how you may monitor your progress. How would you know that you are achieving what you want to achieve? This is one of the most important things to help with self-discipline, but only 1% of the people who make goals, monitor their progress. You usually improve what you measure.

6. Write your resolutions in confident, present-tense, and positive ways. Avoid things like "stop eating chocolate" or it will backfire and you will obsess about chocolate.

7. Finally, know the difference between transformational goals or event goals. Event goals are things like clean and organize the garage, go on retreat, sign up to volunteer at the hospital. Transformational goals are things like changing career or jobs, improving your health, losing weight, or increasing your happiness. First, these take a lot of energy so you want to have one or two of these. Second, they require more thought to understand what the drivers are and how do they fit with the rest of your life.

Happy and blessed 2007!

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