"Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it." -Haggai 1:5-6
Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
I think that we can all relate to this reading from the Old Testament. Sometimes it seems like whatever we do, it's not enough. We work hard and put in our best effort to improve our lives or get something accomplished and then at the end it all falls to pieces.
Sometimes it does work out and we can all relate to "Hannibal" from the A-Team. We pat ourselves on the back and say, "I love it when a plan comes together." We get everything we worked for, all that we wanted and yet once the newness wears off and that becomes our everyday, we see something else that might just be better. We see something that may just be more shiny; or grass that just might be a little greener.
This is exactly what this passage is trying to drive home. We have achieved all of these things, we have taken care of our worldly needs, but it will never be enough. Whether we just need another mountain to conquer, or we try to keep up with the rest of the neighborhood, or we find validation and identity in our job, or even if it's as simple as just having a need to acquire more 'things', we will never find true satisfaction.
I know what you're thinking; "wow man, you're really bumming me out."
Well, it's okay because even though life is a test that none of us studied for, as I have said before, it's an open book test and God wrote the manual. The answer comes in the next lines.
"Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
Go up into the hill country;
bring timber, and build the house
That I may take pleasure in it
and receive my glory, says the LORD." -Haggai 1:7-8
"build the house That I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory"?!?! Hold on, that sounds pretty egotistical of God, doesn't it?
Well, if you think of God as some great scorekeeper in the sky keeping tabs on who loves Him more this week and plotting revenge on those who slight Him then this might make sense to you. But we know that's not who God is. He is the good shepherd, He is the Bread of Life, He is our Heavenly Father. His will for us is that we have life and have it abundantly. He wants us to be filled with joy!
We can feed ourselves the richest foods and we will still hunger. We can drink the finest wine and still not be filled with joy. We can 'have it all' by worldly standards and be poverty stricken in our hearts. As long as we measure by the world's tape measure (and other people's Facebook posts) we will always have some amount of emptiness.
The only thing that can begin to satisfy our hunger is the Bread of Life. The only thing that can begin to fill our emptiness is love, and when we start to see ourselves through the eyes of the loving Heavenly Father, we start to feel His love for us. Did I mention that He is also Love? Not only is He Love, He is perfect Love. And only Perfect Love will ever be able to completely fill that emptiness, and when the emptiness is gone, then we will be filled with joy.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Monday, February 1, 2016
Daily Mass Readings 02/02/2016 or What's the Three Year Return on Bitterness and Anger?
"therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested."
in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested."
As Christians, and as non-believers watching Christians, people often ask why, if we love God, and God loves us, do we have suffering or sorrow?
It's a very difficult question to answer and one of those questions that, in some ways, every individual has to answer that question for himself. I have argued with God, loudly.....in language that I'm sure did NOT impress Him. And in the grand scheme of other people's suffering, my problems were minute.
But I don't like to take solace in the 'well, other people have it worse than I do' argument for a few reasons. The biggest of those reasons, is that, in a way it makes me feel that I am taking joy (or at least decreasing my misery) in somebody else's troubles. Despite this feeling, I do make one exception. Like many Christians, when life gets me down it is comforting to know that Jesus, God made flesh, also experienced worldly suffering. As a matter of fact, that's WHY He came to us. Our God loves us so much that He desired to come and experience our suffering so that He could intimately join Himself to our troubles.
Likewise, Jesus wants us to join our suffering to His. I have heard many of my friends who, I feel, are holier than I am, discuss 'offering it up'. When they go through a hard time, they will offer it up, joining it to Christ's sacrifice on the cross for some specific intention.
This sounds like a good thing to me, but I am still working on it. I tend to get too self-involved in my own problems, which is kind of selfish....and self-centered. When it comes down to it, I invest too much of my 'self' in my suffering. If I invested more wisely, perhaps the world would get a slightly better return?
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Daily Mass Readings 05/20/2015 or I Always Seem to Get Carried Away when I Talk About Wolves...
"At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus:
“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock
of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers,
in which you tend the Church of God
that he acquired with his own Blood.
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you,
and they will not spare the flock.
And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth
to draw the disciples away after them." -Acts 20:28-30
Daily Mass Readings 05/20/2015
There are a lot of wolves out there. There is a lot of evil. Just watch the news on any given day and you will hear about the evil in the world. Nine dead in a shootout between rival motorcycle gangs, a man overdosed on heroin and was found unconscious lying next to his four year old daughter, the Boston Marathon bomber is sentenced to death, and a man is accused of choking his girlfriend's three year old daughter. And these stories are all in the local news, all in one day! There is no doubt the wolves of evil are stalking every one of us, sadly, even the most innocent of us.
Paul warns us, as well, that some of the wolves will come from our own flock. From the Catholics insisting that the death penalty is acceptable under Church teaching (hint: check out John Paul II's writings on that) to an organization called Catholics for Choice (who I am sure will be the next to block me from their FB page). There are a lot of people perverting Jesus' teachings for their own interest, or at least their own consciences.
I'm not saying that in a civilized society we can't have a difference of opinion. Many people I love deeply disagree with me on a host of issues, but when you claim to be speaking the teachings of the Church that was founded by Christ and has survived despite persecution, despite speaking the unpopular truth and despite centuries of its own 'wolves in sheep's clothing'; when you claim in the name of your organization that you are Catholic, you should be sure that your opinion matches their truth. Otherwise, you are just another wolf, leading the lambs astray.
And don't even get me started about the wolves standing around with signs saying "God Hates (insert group here)" or "So and So is going to HELL" or those wolves that tell you if you pray hard enough, (and send me some 'seed money') Jesus will make you rich and make all your dreams come true! I don't have a theology degree, but I don't think Jesus died on the cross so that I could have a beach house and an SUV. He died on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven and to give us an example of what real love looks like.
Compared to that, a beach house and an SUV is meaningless.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
P.S. If you're interested in the Church's real opinion of the death penalty
“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock
of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers,
in which you tend the Church of God
that he acquired with his own Blood.
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you,
and they will not spare the flock.
And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth
to draw the disciples away after them." -Acts 20:28-30
Daily Mass Readings 05/20/2015
There are a lot of wolves out there. There is a lot of evil. Just watch the news on any given day and you will hear about the evil in the world. Nine dead in a shootout between rival motorcycle gangs, a man overdosed on heroin and was found unconscious lying next to his four year old daughter, the Boston Marathon bomber is sentenced to death, and a man is accused of choking his girlfriend's three year old daughter. And these stories are all in the local news, all in one day! There is no doubt the wolves of evil are stalking every one of us, sadly, even the most innocent of us.
Paul warns us, as well, that some of the wolves will come from our own flock. From the Catholics insisting that the death penalty is acceptable under Church teaching (hint: check out John Paul II's writings on that) to an organization called Catholics for Choice (who I am sure will be the next to block me from their FB page). There are a lot of people perverting Jesus' teachings for their own interest, or at least their own consciences.
I'm not saying that in a civilized society we can't have a difference of opinion. Many people I love deeply disagree with me on a host of issues, but when you claim to be speaking the teachings of the Church that was founded by Christ and has survived despite persecution, despite speaking the unpopular truth and despite centuries of its own 'wolves in sheep's clothing'; when you claim in the name of your organization that you are Catholic, you should be sure that your opinion matches their truth. Otherwise, you are just another wolf, leading the lambs astray.
And don't even get me started about the wolves standing around with signs saying "God Hates (insert group here)" or "So and So is going to HELL" or those wolves that tell you if you pray hard enough, (and send me some 'seed money') Jesus will make you rich and make all your dreams come true! I don't have a theology degree, but I don't think Jesus died on the cross so that I could have a beach house and an SUV. He died on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven and to give us an example of what real love looks like.
Compared to that, a beach house and an SUV is meaningless.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
P.S. If you're interested in the Church's real opinion of the death penalty
[Punishment] ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent.
—John Paul II, The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae), 1995
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Daily Mass Readings 05/19/2015 or Methuselah's Keys to Longevity!
"Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began." -Jn. 17:3-5
Daily Mass Readings 05/19/2015
This passage in today's Gospel reading struck me because Jesus is showing us how we too should glorify God by accomplishing the work he gave us to do. And he lets us know that we will also be glorified with Him and have eternal life in truly knowing God.
The catch here is.......what is the work that God gave you to do?
I think as men we often think of our 'work' as our jobs, but we forget that for most of us our job is not necessarily in sync with our vocation. Now I am not saying that our jobs contradict our true vocations, just that sometimes we need to see our jobs as simply a tool towards the accomplishment of our vocation. If we orient our work life that way, God is there and He will guide us towards whatever work helps us best to achieve our mission. (Even, as I have been known to do, if we are dragged kicking and screaming). Knowing that we are where He wants us to be and seeing what work He has put there for us can make those tough days seem better by focusing on how our role helps others and how God's love shines through us in our everyday work.
Paul's letter echoes this idea of doing what we are sent to accomplish. He is saying farewell to people he expects that he will never see again and he tells them flat out, 'you didn't always like what I had to say, but I did what I was sent to do and proclaimed the truth, so buzz off, you're on your own from here!' Well, that's not exactly what he says, but you get the idea. He basically says, I did what God sent me here to do, now I am ready with a peaceful heart, to move on to what He has planned for me next, whatever it is, even if it's death.
How great would it be, at the end of your days, when you know you will be moving on out of this world, to be able to say the same:
I have done what God sent me here to do, I have spoken the truth, I have loved, I have served, and I am ready, looking forward to moving on to the joy He has in store for me.
I pray that I may feel that expectant joy! I'm not expecting it for a long time, mind you. I am certain He has much more for me to accomplish and at the rate that I screw it up sometimes, I could live to be as old as Methuselah! Or to put it more eloquently, as the poem my father like to quote so often says, I have
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began." -Jn. 17:3-5
Daily Mass Readings 05/19/2015
This passage in today's Gospel reading struck me because Jesus is showing us how we too should glorify God by accomplishing the work he gave us to do. And he lets us know that we will also be glorified with Him and have eternal life in truly knowing God.
The catch here is.......what is the work that God gave you to do?
I think as men we often think of our 'work' as our jobs, but we forget that for most of us our job is not necessarily in sync with our vocation. Now I am not saying that our jobs contradict our true vocations, just that sometimes we need to see our jobs as simply a tool towards the accomplishment of our vocation. If we orient our work life that way, God is there and He will guide us towards whatever work helps us best to achieve our mission. (Even, as I have been known to do, if we are dragged kicking and screaming). Knowing that we are where He wants us to be and seeing what work He has put there for us can make those tough days seem better by focusing on how our role helps others and how God's love shines through us in our everyday work.
Paul's letter echoes this idea of doing what we are sent to accomplish. He is saying farewell to people he expects that he will never see again and he tells them flat out, 'you didn't always like what I had to say, but I did what I was sent to do and proclaimed the truth, so buzz off, you're on your own from here!' Well, that's not exactly what he says, but you get the idea. He basically says, I did what God sent me here to do, now I am ready with a peaceful heart, to move on to what He has planned for me next, whatever it is, even if it's death.
How great would it be, at the end of your days, when you know you will be moving on out of this world, to be able to say the same:
I have done what God sent me here to do, I have spoken the truth, I have loved, I have served, and I am ready, looking forward to moving on to the joy He has in store for me.
I pray that I may feel that expectant joy! I'm not expecting it for a long time, mind you. I am certain He has much more for me to accomplish and at the rate that I screw it up sometimes, I could live to be as old as Methuselah! Or to put it more eloquently, as the poem my father like to quote so often says, I have
.... miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 12/02/2014 or P.D.O. Productions Presents, The Twelve Apostles; A One Man Show!
"Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” -Luke 10:21-24
12/02/2014 Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Jesus was telling his disciples that they were witnessing world changing history. They had front row seats to the prophecies that had been anticipated for thousands of years among their people. But in a lot of ways, his words fell on deaf ears with them. You see, even though the disciples believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, even their group was subject to some of the same human frailties that we see today.
We hear stories about ambitious disciples jockeying for position around Jesus when he would take his throne as king. I have no doubt that there was gossiping and private conversations behind Jesus' back questioning his leadership in moments of doubt. We hear of an over-zealous Peter cutting off the ear of one of the guards sent to arrest Jesus. And of course, there is Judas' ultimate betrayal in the garden for thirty pieces of silver.
As we prepare our hearts for the baby of Bethlehem's arrival at Christmas, let's use this Advent to clear out the same junk that plagued these disciples. I know I have been every one of them at one time or another. I have tried to exult myself like the brothers jockeying for their place by the throne. I have had conversations that I would not have had if they were face to face with the person I was talking about. I have been so zealous in my defense of the faith that I have injured others. And every time I willingly choose sin I betray Christ. I have a good friend who told me one day that we are the scourging pillar; our sins are the stripes on his back. My friend is very well read so I apologize if he read it somewhere and I missed a footnote, but as far as I'm concerned, I heard it from him. But in those moments of sin we betray Jesus many more times than Judas.
So I will try to be child like and innocent in my belief without the grown-up jealousy, envy, greed and pride. I will enjoy the season for its own sake and savor every moment I can. You try as well, and let me know how it goes.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” -Luke 10:21-24
12/02/2014 Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Jesus was telling his disciples that they were witnessing world changing history. They had front row seats to the prophecies that had been anticipated for thousands of years among their people. But in a lot of ways, his words fell on deaf ears with them. You see, even though the disciples believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, even their group was subject to some of the same human frailties that we see today.
We hear stories about ambitious disciples jockeying for position around Jesus when he would take his throne as king. I have no doubt that there was gossiping and private conversations behind Jesus' back questioning his leadership in moments of doubt. We hear of an over-zealous Peter cutting off the ear of one of the guards sent to arrest Jesus. And of course, there is Judas' ultimate betrayal in the garden for thirty pieces of silver.
As we prepare our hearts for the baby of Bethlehem's arrival at Christmas, let's use this Advent to clear out the same junk that plagued these disciples. I know I have been every one of them at one time or another. I have tried to exult myself like the brothers jockeying for their place by the throne. I have had conversations that I would not have had if they were face to face with the person I was talking about. I have been so zealous in my defense of the faith that I have injured others. And every time I willingly choose sin I betray Christ. I have a good friend who told me one day that we are the scourging pillar; our sins are the stripes on his back. My friend is very well read so I apologize if he read it somewhere and I missed a footnote, but as far as I'm concerned, I heard it from him. But in those moments of sin we betray Jesus many more times than Judas.
So I will try to be child like and innocent in my belief without the grown-up jealousy, envy, greed and pride. I will enjoy the season for its own sake and savor every moment I can. You try as well, and let me know how it goes.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 11/26/2014 or Have I Got a Deal for You!
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute." -Luke 21:12-15
11/26/2014 Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Wow! Does that Jesus know how to sell himself or what?
"Follow me and I can almost guarantee that after being poor and wandering around trying to explain your relationship with me to other people, many of whom don't have time for me or even despise me, I can just about guarantee you that you will die a torturous awful death!" Sign me up!
Yes, following Jesus was not going to be a bowl of cherries. I suppose he figured he should tell them right off so that they wouldn't be surprised later on. The persecution that Jesus spoke of was not the 'Oh my Gaawwd! Did you hear that the school board put "Holiday" break on the calendar instead of Christmas break?". It was a persecution leading to a slow and a painful death
I sometime think that our culture and the media therein, are set on fomenting so much conflict that it all gets out of hand. And soon people are dying or there are businesses burned down or looted because their faaaaaavorite news station happened to come on the air and that guy.... you know, that guy...... the guy with the awesome hair! He just told us that we should be outraged! Soon, someone gets hurt or someone dies and the next cycle of the outrage factory begins again. In the end, nothing is solved. When our outrage has such a low threshold or is so wildly out of perspective, we only damage ourselves and real persecution when it comes along. Actual issues that need fixing are marginalized as 'those people' just wanting to complain again and in the end, as I said, nothing gets solved.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute." -Luke 21:12-15
11/26/2014 Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Wow! Does that Jesus know how to sell himself or what?
"Follow me and I can almost guarantee that after being poor and wandering around trying to explain your relationship with me to other people, many of whom don't have time for me or even despise me, I can just about guarantee you that you will die a torturous awful death!" Sign me up!
Yes, following Jesus was not going to be a bowl of cherries. I suppose he figured he should tell them right off so that they wouldn't be surprised later on. The persecution that Jesus spoke of was not the 'Oh my Gaawwd! Did you hear that the school board put "Holiday" break on the calendar instead of Christmas break?". It was a persecution leading to a slow and a painful death
I sometime think that our culture and the media therein, are set on fomenting so much conflict that it all gets out of hand. And soon people are dying or there are businesses burned down or looted because their faaaaaavorite news station happened to come on the air and that guy.... you know, that guy...... the guy with the awesome hair! He just told us that we should be outraged! Soon, someone gets hurt or someone dies and the next cycle of the outrage factory begins again. In the end, nothing is solved. When our outrage has such a low threshold or is so wildly out of perspective, we only damage ourselves and real persecution when it comes along. Actual issues that need fixing are marginalized as 'those people' just wanting to complain again and in the end, as I said, nothing gets solved.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 11/25/2014 or Hmm, That's Funny, This Polaroid Looked so Nice a Few Minutes Ago...
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!" -Luke 21:8
11/25/2014 Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
We live in a time that is rife with false prophets. Some engage in misleading twisting of God's word (or the Pope's) to force it to fit their agenda. Some merely slap the label of 'Catholic' on themselves and then rally against all that the Church teaches. Almost all of us, to some extent, proclaim our Christianity on the outside and in public, but then behind closed doors or while driving on the highway are the furthest thing from the image of our Lord.
It is important that we do not become that false prophet misleading people. We become false prophets not only in what we say, but also in the times when we keep silent. There are a lot of places in our culture where it is easy for Christians to be quiet and go along to get along. But remember, whatever we intentionally do or intentionally ignore is a type of witness. And if we call ourselves Christian, then it is a witness to what Christians believe. Trust me, there is a lot of misinformation about what we believe (especially as Catholics), the last thing we need to do is to sit by silently letting the distorted perceptions of false prophets carry on.
We are the hands and feet, eyes and ears, hearts and yes, voices of the body of Christ. Let's do our best to image Him with compassion, mercy, strength and love. Only then will our witness to the truth resemble in even a small way, the beauty of our King.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!" -Luke 21:8
11/25/2014 Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
We live in a time that is rife with false prophets. Some engage in misleading twisting of God's word (or the Pope's) to force it to fit their agenda. Some merely slap the label of 'Catholic' on themselves and then rally against all that the Church teaches. Almost all of us, to some extent, proclaim our Christianity on the outside and in public, but then behind closed doors or while driving on the highway are the furthest thing from the image of our Lord.
It is important that we do not become that false prophet misleading people. We become false prophets not only in what we say, but also in the times when we keep silent. There are a lot of places in our culture where it is easy for Christians to be quiet and go along to get along. But remember, whatever we intentionally do or intentionally ignore is a type of witness. And if we call ourselves Christian, then it is a witness to what Christians believe. Trust me, there is a lot of misinformation about what we believe (especially as Catholics), the last thing we need to do is to sit by silently letting the distorted perceptions of false prophets carry on.
We are the hands and feet, eyes and ears, hearts and yes, voices of the body of Christ. Let's do our best to image Him with compassion, mercy, strength and love. Only then will our witness to the truth resemble in even a small way, the beauty of our King.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
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