"But I, O LORD, cry out to you;
with my morning prayer I wait upon you.
Why, O LORD, do you reject me;
why hide from me your face?" -Ps. 88:14-15
10/01/2014 Memorial of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Who hasn't felt this way? We wonder if God is there in our struggles. We wonder if we've been abandoned by our Heavenly Father. And if he has abandoned us, then why?
I wish that I could give a 100% perfect answer to this, but I can't, because I am just a man. This does, however, bring us to the first cliche that people use when bad things happen, "Only God knows what his plans are." I say it's a cliche only because it's been said very often. Being a cliche does not mean that it isn't true. I have had some fairly difficult times, not unlike everyone else mind you, but my family has been through some difficult times. During those times I have definitely struggled with my faith. But in the end, when I resolved myself to trust in God and submitted to whatever his plans were for us, things worked out better than I could have imagined. At this point, we have ended up achieving what I thought might be impossible and we get to have my wife stay home and homeschool our two girls. God doesn't always lead us down an easy road, but if we trust his guidance, we often find that he was listening to us all along and we had no reason to doubt him.
This brings us to another cliche, "God is testing your faith." The question at the root of that cliche is, why does God allow bad things to happen? And the answer to that leads us to free will. God, being all powerful, certainly could have created us to love and adore him endlessly, never disobeying him and feeling perfectly happy and content all the time. But he loves US too much for that. If we weren't truly free, then our love for God and each other would mean nothing. We would be like animals only acting on instinct, but we were given an intellect to discern, making our love an act of will so that when we say yes to loving God or each other, then it means something. How quickly do you think your dog would turn on you if you stopped feeding him? That would be the extent of our relationship with God if we were not given the gift of free will. So does God allow evil to happen to test us? No, evil exists because of our fall in the garden. But if you lose faith in God just because bad things are happening to you, how strong was your faith to begin with? That is where your faith is being tested. That's the whole point of the story of Job, which is today's Old Testament reading. Just because God is not the one testing our faith, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't being tested.
Bad things happen. Sometimes they happen because evil exists and sometimes they just, well, they just happen. Either way, those times test our faith by asking which way we will turn. Because if we take the easy way and turn away from God, it will inevitably lead to more evil. If we turn to God, it may be a harder path, but it will lead to healing and peace.
Two roads diverge before us in these times, and I suggest we try to take the one less traveled by...
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Sunday Mass Readings 09/28/2014 or I Showed Up Late for Work, But at Least I Showed Up!
"A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not, '
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?" -Mt. 21:28-31
09/28/2014 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
This gospel reading and the other readings for today have a streak of repentance running through them, which is not so unusual, of course. But one of the things that strikes me about this reading is that Jesus is talking to some of the priests and elders and he goes on to tell them that tax collectors and prostitutes would be entering the Kingdom of Heaven before them.
He doesn't say this because it is okay to do what tax collectors (notorious thieves of the time) and prostitutes were doing, but because they listened to the message of John the Baptist and repented. They turned away from their sins and oriented their lives towards God. Obviously, they are represented by the son who said no to the father, but ended up working in the vineyard after all.
What's left is the comparison of the priests and elders to the other son. They are the ones who said they would tend to God's vineyard, but never showed up. On the outside, they had the trappings of those who were trying to lead people to God, but in reality, their lives were all about this world. They used their positions to 'pull rank' and feel superior to others. And in the end, they even thought themselves superior to God, literally. They were not tending to the vineyard, they were not leading people to God.
This is still going on today. There are those who puff themselves up with righteousness only to feel superior to others, and they twist God's word to do it. I think of the Westboro Baptist Church types who go around professing that God hates this one or that one, or all of 'X' group are going to Hell. The question of who is going to Hell is above our pay grade as human beings and God does not hate anybody.
There are those on the other extreme as well, who will twist God's word to fit their agenda. They will tell you that the bible doesn't mention what marriage is. I've even found groups that say Jesus would be in favor of abortion. They use pieces of God's word without any context or any historical perspective to fit it to what they want it to say. I almost truly expect the day to come when a theological scholar such as Bill Maher or Ricky Gervais tell us that Jesus was an Atheist.
The bottom line is this. If you say you are going to follow God's word, do it honestly. Get to know it, read it. (here's a tip. If you read the readings for Catholic Daily Mass every day, then in three years you will have read virtually the entirety of the bible, in bit size pieces, a little bit to meditate upon every day.) If you're familiar with His word, then you will know what His plan is for all of us and no one will be able to mislead you about what that plan is. Once you grab hold of it, orient your life toward it and don't let go. I will tell you, however, this is pursuit of perfection, and like any pursuit of perfection, it's really just a journey to better yourself every day and get as close as you can by the end.
Speaking for myself, I have a long way to go...
God Bless,
P.D.O.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not, '
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?" -Mt. 21:28-31
09/28/2014 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
This gospel reading and the other readings for today have a streak of repentance running through them, which is not so unusual, of course. But one of the things that strikes me about this reading is that Jesus is talking to some of the priests and elders and he goes on to tell them that tax collectors and prostitutes would be entering the Kingdom of Heaven before them.
He doesn't say this because it is okay to do what tax collectors (notorious thieves of the time) and prostitutes were doing, but because they listened to the message of John the Baptist and repented. They turned away from their sins and oriented their lives towards God. Obviously, they are represented by the son who said no to the father, but ended up working in the vineyard after all.
What's left is the comparison of the priests and elders to the other son. They are the ones who said they would tend to God's vineyard, but never showed up. On the outside, they had the trappings of those who were trying to lead people to God, but in reality, their lives were all about this world. They used their positions to 'pull rank' and feel superior to others. And in the end, they even thought themselves superior to God, literally. They were not tending to the vineyard, they were not leading people to God.
This is still going on today. There are those who puff themselves up with righteousness only to feel superior to others, and they twist God's word to do it. I think of the Westboro Baptist Church types who go around professing that God hates this one or that one, or all of 'X' group are going to Hell. The question of who is going to Hell is above our pay grade as human beings and God does not hate anybody.
There are those on the other extreme as well, who will twist God's word to fit their agenda. They will tell you that the bible doesn't mention what marriage is. I've even found groups that say Jesus would be in favor of abortion. They use pieces of God's word without any context or any historical perspective to fit it to what they want it to say. I almost truly expect the day to come when a theological scholar such as Bill Maher or Ricky Gervais tell us that Jesus was an Atheist.
The bottom line is this. If you say you are going to follow God's word, do it honestly. Get to know it, read it. (here's a tip. If you read the readings for Catholic Daily Mass every day, then in three years you will have read virtually the entirety of the bible, in bit size pieces, a little bit to meditate upon every day.) If you're familiar with His word, then you will know what His plan is for all of us and no one will be able to mislead you about what that plan is. Once you grab hold of it, orient your life toward it and don't let go. I will tell you, however, this is pursuit of perfection, and like any pursuit of perfection, it's really just a journey to better yourself every day and get as close as you can by the end.
Speaking for myself, I have a long way to go...
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/26/2014 or My First, My Last, My Everything!
"Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
my mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust." -Ps. 144:1-2
09/26/2014 Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time
"Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” -Lk. 9:20-21
Who do you say Jesus is? Is he some historic figure that walked the Earth 2000 years ago? Was he a great prophet? It's always nice when people say that like they're conceding something. "Well, Jesus was a great teacher. He was a great prophet." Oh, thanks for throwing us a bone. But the thing is, Jesus is God made flesh. He said so. So if you say that he was a great teacher and prophet as some sort of conciliatory statement to Christians, then you are saying either he was a liar or he was a crazy man. That's really not that kind, is it?
The Psalm above says what God should be in our lives. He is to be, in essence, our everything. Our love, our protection, our savior and a heavenly father in whose providence we can trust. It is amazing that He even considers our existence, let alone has gone to such great lengths to love us, but he does. As our protection, he can shield us from evil. As our fortress, he can be our safe retreat when we need to find trust in a weary world. And when we have failed, he is our mercy, welcoming us back into his protection with the loving arms of a father.
He loves us. He waits for us, and he is patient. For he knows that all things have their appointed time.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
my mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust." -Ps. 144:1-2
09/26/2014 Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time
"Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.” -Lk. 9:20-21
Who do you say Jesus is? Is he some historic figure that walked the Earth 2000 years ago? Was he a great prophet? It's always nice when people say that like they're conceding something. "Well, Jesus was a great teacher. He was a great prophet." Oh, thanks for throwing us a bone. But the thing is, Jesus is God made flesh. He said so. So if you say that he was a great teacher and prophet as some sort of conciliatory statement to Christians, then you are saying either he was a liar or he was a crazy man. That's really not that kind, is it?
The Psalm above says what God should be in our lives. He is to be, in essence, our everything. Our love, our protection, our savior and a heavenly father in whose providence we can trust. It is amazing that He even considers our existence, let alone has gone to such great lengths to love us, but he does. As our protection, he can shield us from evil. As our fortress, he can be our safe retreat when we need to find trust in a weary world. And when we have failed, he is our mercy, welcoming us back into his protection with the loving arms of a father.
He loves us. He waits for us, and he is patient. For he knows that all things have their appointed time.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/25/2014 or When it's Fourth and Long are You Going for the End Zone or are You Just Gonna Punt?
"Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!
What profit has man from all the labor
which he toils at under the sun?
One generation passes and another comes,
but the world forever stays." -Eccl. 1:2-4
09/25/2014 Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Guess what. Someday, you are going to die. Not exactly an uplifting message is it? But it's true. You are going to die and I am going to die, someday. As Catholics, we are reminded of it every year on Ash Wednesday. As the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister traces the cross on our heads they remind us, "Remember you are dust and to dust you will return."
This message should not surprise us. However, we don't often think of it. As we are driving into work or sitting through that boring meeting or watching the clock until it's time to leave, or sitting in front of the television, we are preoccupied with the minutia of our lives. But all of those things won't amount to anything on the day after we're gone. You can't take money with you. Someone else will replace you at work. The world will go on, almost without missing a beat.
But for as much as we are replaceable at work, there are people who would always have a hole where you were in their heart. For them, we are irreplaceable. But how often do we take them for granted? How many times do we talk to them without the courtesy we would even give a stranger on the street? We have so few days to just love and cherish them, we need to be mindful and do that.
And for all the money you can't take with you, you will take your eternal soul. But how often do we think of what will become of that? As sure as you will die, you will also be judged. "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return." What would become of your soul if that was today? Isn't your landing place for eternity more important than what's for dinner? Isn't it a bit more crucial than why the Patriots aren't scoring more points this year? But how much more time do we devote to those questions than what our relationship with Christ is like or what will happen when we stand before the throne of judgement?
Someday, every one of us is going to die, and to paraphrase Fr. Larry Richards, you can be a saint or you can go to Hell.
Now get out there and have a great day!
God Bless,
P.D.O.
vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!
What profit has man from all the labor
which he toils at under the sun?
One generation passes and another comes,
but the world forever stays." -Eccl. 1:2-4
09/25/2014 Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Guess what. Someday, you are going to die. Not exactly an uplifting message is it? But it's true. You are going to die and I am going to die, someday. As Catholics, we are reminded of it every year on Ash Wednesday. As the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister traces the cross on our heads they remind us, "Remember you are dust and to dust you will return."
This message should not surprise us. However, we don't often think of it. As we are driving into work or sitting through that boring meeting or watching the clock until it's time to leave, or sitting in front of the television, we are preoccupied with the minutia of our lives. But all of those things won't amount to anything on the day after we're gone. You can't take money with you. Someone else will replace you at work. The world will go on, almost without missing a beat.
But for as much as we are replaceable at work, there are people who would always have a hole where you were in their heart. For them, we are irreplaceable. But how often do we take them for granted? How many times do we talk to them without the courtesy we would even give a stranger on the street? We have so few days to just love and cherish them, we need to be mindful and do that.
And for all the money you can't take with you, you will take your eternal soul. But how often do we think of what will become of that? As sure as you will die, you will also be judged. "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return." What would become of your soul if that was today? Isn't your landing place for eternity more important than what's for dinner? Isn't it a bit more crucial than why the Patriots aren't scoring more points this year? But how much more time do we devote to those questions than what our relationship with Christ is like or what will happen when we stand before the throne of judgement?
Someday, every one of us is going to die, and to paraphrase Fr. Larry Richards, you can be a saint or you can go to Hell.
Now get out there and have a great day!
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/23/2014 or Learn to Go With the Flow, But Watch Out Whose River You're On
"Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the LORD;
wherever it pleases him, he directs it.
All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,
but it is the LORD who proves hearts." Prv. 21:1-2
09/23/2014 Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina
So often we pray and we ask the Lord for what we want. We ask for the outcome that we think is best for us. But in our own eyes we can justify sin as virtue if it pleases us. We could be praying for the absolute worst thing for us. I may be praying for wealth and power, hoping that the security will lead to happiness for my family and all the while I could be neglecting my children and they could fall into destructive behaviors. Where would my money and power get me then if I had abdicated my primary responsibility as a parent; getting my kids to Heaven?
If we let go of our expectations and what we think we need and instead ask for the Lord to help us work as His instruments and be the people He knows we can be, we are likely to be very surprised with the amazing things He has in store for us and the incredible joy and peace that He can bring. Only He can search our hearts and only He knows where the path may lead for us. I am in the midst right now of wondering if he pulled me into something that's a bit over my head, but I keep asking and He keeps leading, so onward I go. I figure if God's leading me there, what do I need to fear?
I strive to have a heart like the King's in the hand of the Lord, flowing like a river towards the person only God knows I am capable of being.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
wherever it pleases him, he directs it.
All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,
but it is the LORD who proves hearts." Prv. 21:1-2
09/23/2014 Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina
So often we pray and we ask the Lord for what we want. We ask for the outcome that we think is best for us. But in our own eyes we can justify sin as virtue if it pleases us. We could be praying for the absolute worst thing for us. I may be praying for wealth and power, hoping that the security will lead to happiness for my family and all the while I could be neglecting my children and they could fall into destructive behaviors. Where would my money and power get me then if I had abdicated my primary responsibility as a parent; getting my kids to Heaven?
If we let go of our expectations and what we think we need and instead ask for the Lord to help us work as His instruments and be the people He knows we can be, we are likely to be very surprised with the amazing things He has in store for us and the incredible joy and peace that He can bring. Only He can search our hearts and only He knows where the path may lead for us. I am in the midst right now of wondering if he pulled me into something that's a bit over my head, but I keep asking and He keeps leading, so onward I go. I figure if God's leading me there, what do I need to fear?
I strive to have a heart like the King's in the hand of the Lord, flowing like a river towards the person only God knows I am capable of being.
God Bless,
P.D.O.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/18/2014 or Heckling Muppets and Waiting in the Line for Eternal Relief
"For I am the least of the Apostles,
not fit to be called an Apostle,
because I persecuted the Church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;
not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me." -1Cor. 15:9-10
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” -Lk.7:41-43
09/18/2014 Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time
We are all sinners. No one of us sins better or worse than any other of us. We all do things in our lives that go against what God wishes for us. God's mercy is there and waiting for us any time we decide to accept it. Jesus is dying to forgive our sins, literally! All we have to do is reach out, take his hand, accept his mercy and move on. Aye, there's the rub. We love our sins. We don't want to give them up. We're okay with them. 'Well, it's not that bad' we tell ourselves, 'it's not like I'm an ax-murderer or anything'. Well, sure it's easy to soar over a bar that's so low, isn't it?
But what Jesus is saying is not that he loves one or another more or even that his forgiveness is better for some than it is for others. He is saying, whatever it is that weighs on your soul, whatever you've done to harm God or his creation, he can and will forgive if you ask with a contrite heart and a sincere desire to put sin behind you.
Remember the "Muppet Christmas Carol', when Statler and Waldorff show up as the Marley brothers wearing those chains? Think of sin as those chains and the more we sin, the more links we put on the chain. Now imagine you were in a line and at the front, they were taking the chains off of everybody. They weren't making you melt it down yourself or cut each link and padlock with bolt cutters. You get to the head of the line and there's Jesus waiting with open arms. You look at him sincerely, tell him your sorry and that you love him and he wraps his arms around you. In his embrace you feel the utmost love and peace and when he lets you go, you feel strangely lighter. Whether the chain of sin that imprisoned you was five pounds or five thousand pounds, it's gone and you are calm and grateful. But the guy with the five thousand pound chain feels a heck of a lot lighter, doesn't he?
We need to see where we have added links to the chain and get rid of it. The great part is, we don't need to wait until it weighs five thousand pounds to go to God and have it removed. We can do it anytime. I wrote about the sacrament of reconciliation once here and the sacrament is still as beautiful and life-changing as ever. Which reminds me, I need to go soon.
God bless,
P.D.O.
p.s.- Since we're talking about returning to God no matter how heavy your chain is, it's a good time for a plug! I am part of a ministry at my parish called Coming Home to Catholicism and we have a session coming up soon. Starting on October 9th 2014, for seven weeks, our team will be getting together from 7:00 to 8:30 at St. Kathryn's Parish in Hudson, NH. If you've been away from the church for a while and have thought of returning, come and hang out with a group of people who all left the church at one time and then returned and explore whether it is time for you to do the same.
not fit to be called an Apostle,
because I persecuted the Church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;
not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me." -1Cor. 15:9-10
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” -Lk.7:41-43
09/18/2014 Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time
We are all sinners. No one of us sins better or worse than any other of us. We all do things in our lives that go against what God wishes for us. God's mercy is there and waiting for us any time we decide to accept it. Jesus is dying to forgive our sins, literally! All we have to do is reach out, take his hand, accept his mercy and move on. Aye, there's the rub. We love our sins. We don't want to give them up. We're okay with them. 'Well, it's not that bad' we tell ourselves, 'it's not like I'm an ax-murderer or anything'. Well, sure it's easy to soar over a bar that's so low, isn't it?
But what Jesus is saying is not that he loves one or another more or even that his forgiveness is better for some than it is for others. He is saying, whatever it is that weighs on your soul, whatever you've done to harm God or his creation, he can and will forgive if you ask with a contrite heart and a sincere desire to put sin behind you.
Remember the "Muppet Christmas Carol', when Statler and Waldorff show up as the Marley brothers wearing those chains? Think of sin as those chains and the more we sin, the more links we put on the chain. Now imagine you were in a line and at the front, they were taking the chains off of everybody. They weren't making you melt it down yourself or cut each link and padlock with bolt cutters. You get to the head of the line and there's Jesus waiting with open arms. You look at him sincerely, tell him your sorry and that you love him and he wraps his arms around you. In his embrace you feel the utmost love and peace and when he lets you go, you feel strangely lighter. Whether the chain of sin that imprisoned you was five pounds or five thousand pounds, it's gone and you are calm and grateful. But the guy with the five thousand pound chain feels a heck of a lot lighter, doesn't he?
We need to see where we have added links to the chain and get rid of it. The great part is, we don't need to wait until it weighs five thousand pounds to go to God and have it removed. We can do it anytime. I wrote about the sacrament of reconciliation once here and the sacrament is still as beautiful and life-changing as ever. Which reminds me, I need to go soon.
God bless,
P.D.O.
p.s.- Since we're talking about returning to God no matter how heavy your chain is, it's a good time for a plug! I am part of a ministry at my parish called Coming Home to Catholicism and we have a session coming up soon. Starting on October 9th 2014, for seven weeks, our team will be getting together from 7:00 to 8:30 at St. Kathryn's Parish in Hudson, NH. If you've been away from the church for a while and have thought of returning, come and hang out with a group of people who all left the church at one time and then returned and explore whether it is time for you to do the same.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/17/2014 or That's a Bit Too Much, no no, That's Not Quite Enough...
"For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” -Lk. 7:33-35
09/17/2014 Wednesday of the twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time
You can't please everybody. Sometimes you can't please anybody.
Jesus is asking the crowds, "Look, what do you want?" John the Baptist came, eating locusts and honey and you thought he was crazy. Here I am, I hang out, eat and drink, and you say I'm a drunkard.
And so it goes now. We sometimes get caught up thinking about how others need to prove their holiness to us. I didn't see HIM at the Rosary group this week. Did you see her at the church picnic, making a fool of herself and playing the kids' games all afternoon?
Oh, we judge holiness, don't we. When we do that, the danger is that we will treat people differently based on our petty judgments and what we think they should be doing. But let's think about yesterday's letter from St. Paul where he talked about all of us having different gifts and different roles to play in bringing others to Jesus. Some people witness best by fasting and offering up suffering. Others are more pastoral and serve God best by mingling in with more people and being a witness that way. As St. Paul's letter today tells us, if it is done with love, for others and our Lord, then that is what matters.
Jesus ends by saying "Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
If wisdom and love guide the way you use your spiritual gifts, then you are truly doing God's work.
God bless,
P.D.O.
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” -Lk. 7:33-35
09/17/2014 Wednesday of the twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time
You can't please everybody. Sometimes you can't please anybody.
Jesus is asking the crowds, "Look, what do you want?" John the Baptist came, eating locusts and honey and you thought he was crazy. Here I am, I hang out, eat and drink, and you say I'm a drunkard.
And so it goes now. We sometimes get caught up thinking about how others need to prove their holiness to us. I didn't see HIM at the Rosary group this week. Did you see her at the church picnic, making a fool of herself and playing the kids' games all afternoon?
Oh, we judge holiness, don't we. When we do that, the danger is that we will treat people differently based on our petty judgments and what we think they should be doing. But let's think about yesterday's letter from St. Paul where he talked about all of us having different gifts and different roles to play in bringing others to Jesus. Some people witness best by fasting and offering up suffering. Others are more pastoral and serve God best by mingling in with more people and being a witness that way. As St. Paul's letter today tells us, if it is done with love, for others and our Lord, then that is what matters.
Jesus ends by saying "Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
If wisdom and love guide the way you use your spiritual gifts, then you are truly doing God's work.
God bless,
P.D.O.
Monday, September 15, 2014
09/16/2014 or Head, Shoulders, Knees or Toes? Which Part of the Body of Christ Are You?
"Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts." -1 Cor 12:29-31
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
If someone is a great basketball player, does that automatically mean that he is also a great baseball player? If a pastor can preach like they've been lit on fire by the Holy Spirit, does that automatically make them a good administrator? The answer to both questions, of course, is no. Just ask Michael Jordan.
But it's okay if no one of us is great at everything. We are all given different gifts and abilities. We are all different parts of the Body of Christ. Hmmm, strange, it's almost as if it was intended to be that way so that we were encouraged to depend on one another and work towards a unity based on the common desire to make Christ's presence known in the world.
If you can write (or at least think you can) maybe you should start a blog. If you can sing and write songs, then once the Holy Spirit lights you on fire you will sing like you've never sung before. If you have the gift of gab, then maybe you're being called to catechize or evangelize through your personal witness. If you're more of a behind the scenes manager type, maybe you could organize a charitable ministry.
These are just a few examples of what type of gifts can be used to bring Jesus to others who may not have the chance otherwise. One of the best parts of the movie 'God's Not Dead' is when the college student, Josh, is struggling with whether he should go on debating his professor or just go along and get his grade. He is in a church and the pastor starts talking to him and he reminds him that this might be the only exposure to God that the rest of the students in the class might have; the only voice contradicting the teacher's message that God is dead.
You may be that only voice for someone. You might be the only chance they have to hear about a God who loves us so much he was willing to take part in our suffering and die for us. Perhaps it's not the first time that they've heard it, but the way you witness, through your particular gifts, will be the first time it's resonated with them. Either way, I can guarantee, when you set your gifts to the work of the Holy Spirit, you will be amazed at how great you really can be. In the words of St. Catherine of Sienna, "..you will set the world ablaze."
So what is your gift? What talent has the Holy Spirit entrusted to you? More importantly, how will you use those gifts to bring people to Jesus?
God bless,
P.D.O.
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts." -1 Cor 12:29-31
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
If someone is a great basketball player, does that automatically mean that he is also a great baseball player? If a pastor can preach like they've been lit on fire by the Holy Spirit, does that automatically make them a good administrator? The answer to both questions, of course, is no. Just ask Michael Jordan.
But it's okay if no one of us is great at everything. We are all given different gifts and abilities. We are all different parts of the Body of Christ. Hmmm, strange, it's almost as if it was intended to be that way so that we were encouraged to depend on one another and work towards a unity based on the common desire to make Christ's presence known in the world.
If you can write (or at least think you can) maybe you should start a blog. If you can sing and write songs, then once the Holy Spirit lights you on fire you will sing like you've never sung before. If you have the gift of gab, then maybe you're being called to catechize or evangelize through your personal witness. If you're more of a behind the scenes manager type, maybe you could organize a charitable ministry.
These are just a few examples of what type of gifts can be used to bring Jesus to others who may not have the chance otherwise. One of the best parts of the movie 'God's Not Dead' is when the college student, Josh, is struggling with whether he should go on debating his professor or just go along and get his grade. He is in a church and the pastor starts talking to him and he reminds him that this might be the only exposure to God that the rest of the students in the class might have; the only voice contradicting the teacher's message that God is dead.
You may be that only voice for someone. You might be the only chance they have to hear about a God who loves us so much he was willing to take part in our suffering and die for us. Perhaps it's not the first time that they've heard it, but the way you witness, through your particular gifts, will be the first time it's resonated with them. Either way, I can guarantee, when you set your gifts to the work of the Holy Spirit, you will be amazed at how great you really can be. In the words of St. Catherine of Sienna, "..you will set the world ablaze."
So what is your gift? What talent has the Holy Spirit entrusted to you? More importantly, how will you use those gifts to bring people to Jesus?
God bless,
P.D.O.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows 09/15/2014 or Sometimes Suffering is Just a Bump Against the Guardrail on the Road to God's Plan For You
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!" -Ps. 40:8-9
09/15/2014 Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
"Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her." -Lk. 1:38
I've often wondered if Mary knew everything that she was agreeing to when she gave her 'yes' to the Angel Gabriel. If she didn't know at first, she definitely knew when they brought Jesus for his presentation at the temple, when Simeon told her that the rise and fall of many depended upon Jesus and that she too, would be pierced.
I think of it when I read the line of the Psalmist. "To do your will, O my God, is my delight". The truth is, doing God's will is not always a delightful experience. In fact, it can sometimes be very difficult to follow and do God's will. Today is the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, a time when we reflect on the suffering that Mary went through during Jesus' crucifixion. As she was suffering, watching her only child tortured and killed, I'm sure that Mary was not enjoying God's plan for her, but it was oriented toward a greater good, to offer salvation to all the world.
Two of the most difficult questions we are asked as believers are, first, how do you know that God exists, and second, if He exists, why do people suffer? For me, the two answers are linked. I would first say, that most suffering does not come from God, it comes from the fact that we live in a fallen world. When I think of suffering in that context it is usually with regard to real suffering like severe illness or poverty, starvation, and any of the other horrible things that people have to endure. I have heard of and seen people going through this type of suffering offering it up in prayer for other people that they know are struggling. To offer up suffering, uniting it with Christ's suffering, makes it a very powerful prayer.
When I talk about my suffering, however, it is a completely different thing. I have had some difficult times; times when I wasn't sure if I could pull myself or my family out of the hole, but none of those measure up (in retrospect) to real suffering. Still, in all of those times, I have taken my struggles to God. On at least one occasion this involved a very loud conversation, out loud and with some very harsh language. I cried out asking him to please help me because I had lost sight of what his plan was and was wondering what I had to do in order to do His will, and He heard me. Now, as I look back on the suffering and the stresses and anxiety that I had at the time, they all turn out to be signposts toward where I am now. I had always hoped that my wife would be able (if she wanted) to stay at home with our kids and eventually, I hoped that we could home-school our kids. Today, we are in that position. We live very modestly and things get pretty tight sometimes, but God led us to a situation where those things are possible.
So just like Our Lady's sorrow led to something miraculous for all of the world, our minor sufferings may just be signposts along God's path for us, leading us on to where He wants us to be. And that may just be where we were looking to go if we are in line with what He calls us to; His law that is written on our hearts.
God bless,
P.D.O.
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!" -Ps. 40:8-9
09/15/2014 Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
"Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her." -Lk. 1:38
I've often wondered if Mary knew everything that she was agreeing to when she gave her 'yes' to the Angel Gabriel. If she didn't know at first, she definitely knew when they brought Jesus for his presentation at the temple, when Simeon told her that the rise and fall of many depended upon Jesus and that she too, would be pierced.
I think of it when I read the line of the Psalmist. "To do your will, O my God, is my delight". The truth is, doing God's will is not always a delightful experience. In fact, it can sometimes be very difficult to follow and do God's will. Today is the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, a time when we reflect on the suffering that Mary went through during Jesus' crucifixion. As she was suffering, watching her only child tortured and killed, I'm sure that Mary was not enjoying God's plan for her, but it was oriented toward a greater good, to offer salvation to all the world.
Two of the most difficult questions we are asked as believers are, first, how do you know that God exists, and second, if He exists, why do people suffer? For me, the two answers are linked. I would first say, that most suffering does not come from God, it comes from the fact that we live in a fallen world. When I think of suffering in that context it is usually with regard to real suffering like severe illness or poverty, starvation, and any of the other horrible things that people have to endure. I have heard of and seen people going through this type of suffering offering it up in prayer for other people that they know are struggling. To offer up suffering, uniting it with Christ's suffering, makes it a very powerful prayer.
When I talk about my suffering, however, it is a completely different thing. I have had some difficult times; times when I wasn't sure if I could pull myself or my family out of the hole, but none of those measure up (in retrospect) to real suffering. Still, in all of those times, I have taken my struggles to God. On at least one occasion this involved a very loud conversation, out loud and with some very harsh language. I cried out asking him to please help me because I had lost sight of what his plan was and was wondering what I had to do in order to do His will, and He heard me. Now, as I look back on the suffering and the stresses and anxiety that I had at the time, they all turn out to be signposts toward where I am now. I had always hoped that my wife would be able (if she wanted) to stay at home with our kids and eventually, I hoped that we could home-school our kids. Today, we are in that position. We live very modestly and things get pretty tight sometimes, but God led us to a situation where those things are possible.
So just like Our Lady's sorrow led to something miraculous for all of the world, our minor sufferings may just be signposts along God's path for us, leading us on to where He wants us to be. And that may just be where we were looking to go if we are in line with what He calls us to; His law that is written on our hearts.
God bless,
P.D.O.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Sunday Mass Readings 09/14/2014 or How to Find Jesus in the Bleacher Seats
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life." -Jn. 3:16
09/14/2014 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
There it is, the famous John 3:16. In the context of the rest of the readings for today, it makes sense. As you would expect, the readings today are about Jesus, his coming for us and the redemption that we have through his sacrifice on the cross. The Old Testament reading tells the story of the Israelites' dissatisfaction and the foretelling of Jesus' sacrifice, when Moses was told to make a serpent on a staff and raise it so that the people, when they look upon it, can be healed.
The reading from St. Paul tells of a God so loving that he would come to us and humble himself to die for our salvation. And of course, there is the familiar message of John 3:16. Most people, even if they haven't read it, would recognize the citation. This is because for many years people would bring signs to sporting events and hold them up to be on television. They may very well still do it and the TV networks don't show it, I don't go to enough sporting events in person anymore to tell. But the signs were everywhere, to the point that I would see them in Mad magazine satires on sports. People thought that the message was important to get out there and they took it upon themselves to do it however they were able. Who knows how many people were driven to curiosity enough to dig out their bible, brush the dust off and find it? And once they saw the message, maybe they decided to turn their lives over to Jesus all because some crazy Christian decided that when he was shown on television cheering on his beloved team, he would take the opportunity to lead people to a message of hope.
We can all learn from this type of evangelism, not only through the method, but also through which verse, out of all of scripture, they thought was most important to spread across the world. It was not a message of condemnation, but a message of hope. This is made even clearer in the verse that follows, the last line of this week's gospel reading:
God bless,
P.D.O.
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life." -Jn. 3:16
09/14/2014 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
There it is, the famous John 3:16. In the context of the rest of the readings for today, it makes sense. As you would expect, the readings today are about Jesus, his coming for us and the redemption that we have through his sacrifice on the cross. The Old Testament reading tells the story of the Israelites' dissatisfaction and the foretelling of Jesus' sacrifice, when Moses was told to make a serpent on a staff and raise it so that the people, when they look upon it, can be healed.
The reading from St. Paul tells of a God so loving that he would come to us and humble himself to die for our salvation. And of course, there is the familiar message of John 3:16. Most people, even if they haven't read it, would recognize the citation. This is because for many years people would bring signs to sporting events and hold them up to be on television. They may very well still do it and the TV networks don't show it, I don't go to enough sporting events in person anymore to tell. But the signs were everywhere, to the point that I would see them in Mad magazine satires on sports. People thought that the message was important to get out there and they took it upon themselves to do it however they were able. Who knows how many people were driven to curiosity enough to dig out their bible, brush the dust off and find it? And once they saw the message, maybe they decided to turn their lives over to Jesus all because some crazy Christian decided that when he was shown on television cheering on his beloved team, he would take the opportunity to lead people to a message of hope.
We can all learn from this type of evangelism, not only through the method, but also through which verse, out of all of scripture, they thought was most important to spread across the world. It was not a message of condemnation, but a message of hope. This is made even clearer in the verse that follows, the last line of this week's gospel reading:
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him." Jn. 3:17
Jesus did not come to condemn the world and neither should we. That's not to say that we aren't all subject to a final judgement. We are judged by the one who can search the depths of our heart, which, last I checked is way above my pay grade.
We are here as Jesus' hands and feet; as his disciples. We need to share a message of hope that no matter what has happened in your life up to now, you can turn away from sin, orient your life to living out the plan that God has for you, and be born into eternal life. Are you ashamed to tell others about your relationship with Christ? If you do tell others, do you convey Jesus' message of hope, or of condemnation? We are not responsible for converting people, nor are we capable of it. We just have to lead people to Jesus, then let him do the rest.
P.D.O.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/08/2014 or Which Highway are you Driving You Wife Down, AC/DC's or Michael Landon's?
"Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.” - MT 1: 20-23
09/08/2014 Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Joseph was a righteous man, and according to the law of Moses, when she was found with child, he had the right to not only divorce Mary, but 'expose her to shame'. Anyone familiar with the story of the woman caught in adultery knows what that would mean. Mary could have been stoned to death. But Joseph didn't want that for her and was going to divorce her quietly to spare her not only embarrassment, but quite likely her life as well. I guess you could say he was merciful like Jesus before it was cool to be merciful like Jesus.
Then Joseph has this dream and the angel tells him that everything is part of God's plan and he has an extremely important role to play. Most of us, if not convinced that the dream was the result of some goat's milk that was past the expiration, would probably have been pretty intimidated in that day and age to take Mary into our home as our wife. Without a doubt, Joseph knew they would be the talk of the ladies around the well in Nazareth. And who knows what kind of stigma would have followed their son? Yet he woke and did as the angel said, taking Mary into his home as his wife.
Since Mary was chosen by God, before her birth, as the vessel that would bring him to his people, it was also important that God chose a righteous man with compassion to protect and take care of her. Joseph was that guy. Not only was his faith strong enough to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit without hesitation, he protected and provided for Mary and Jesus everywhere they went and he supported her holiness and her calling.
This is a great model for all husbands not only with regard to our mission when it comes to our wives, but also with regard to how we see our wives. Some men see their wives as an obstacle to something or a burden, some see their wives as a means to and end, a tool to implement when they need satisfaction. But in following Joseph's example, we should our wives as women of God, as princesses; not like Disney princesses, but daughters of the King of Kings.
As men, can we honestly say we've treated them this way? If we want to know the answer, we just need to look at what our society tells women they need to be, it's a direct response to what they think men value. When I look at advertisements, movies, tv sitcoms, etc. I see a society telling women they need to be strong and smart, but not too strong and smart. They need to have a body like a stripper, a libido like a porn star and they need to fill themselves with chemicals to be sexually available to us at any time. Oh, and we have convinced them that if the chemicals don't work right, it's okay to 'choose' to destroy the life growing inside them.
We, as a society, are not seeing women as daughters of God or as spiritual sisters, we are looking at them as tools to our own satisfaction. We are falling miserably short of St. Joseph's model and damaging the value and self-esteem of our wives and our daughters.
Mary was chosen from the moment of her conception to be the one who delivered the Word made flesh to walk among us. Our wives and daughters have spiritual destinies as well. Are the things we do helping to direct them to those missions or are we a distraction, guiding them away from God's plan?
God bless,
P.D.O.
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.” - MT 1: 20-23
09/08/2014 Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Joseph was a righteous man, and according to the law of Moses, when she was found with child, he had the right to not only divorce Mary, but 'expose her to shame'. Anyone familiar with the story of the woman caught in adultery knows what that would mean. Mary could have been stoned to death. But Joseph didn't want that for her and was going to divorce her quietly to spare her not only embarrassment, but quite likely her life as well. I guess you could say he was merciful like Jesus before it was cool to be merciful like Jesus.
Then Joseph has this dream and the angel tells him that everything is part of God's plan and he has an extremely important role to play. Most of us, if not convinced that the dream was the result of some goat's milk that was past the expiration, would probably have been pretty intimidated in that day and age to take Mary into our home as our wife. Without a doubt, Joseph knew they would be the talk of the ladies around the well in Nazareth. And who knows what kind of stigma would have followed their son? Yet he woke and did as the angel said, taking Mary into his home as his wife.
Since Mary was chosen by God, before her birth, as the vessel that would bring him to his people, it was also important that God chose a righteous man with compassion to protect and take care of her. Joseph was that guy. Not only was his faith strong enough to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit without hesitation, he protected and provided for Mary and Jesus everywhere they went and he supported her holiness and her calling.
This is a great model for all husbands not only with regard to our mission when it comes to our wives, but also with regard to how we see our wives. Some men see their wives as an obstacle to something or a burden, some see their wives as a means to and end, a tool to implement when they need satisfaction. But in following Joseph's example, we should our wives as women of God, as princesses; not like Disney princesses, but daughters of the King of Kings.
As men, can we honestly say we've treated them this way? If we want to know the answer, we just need to look at what our society tells women they need to be, it's a direct response to what they think men value. When I look at advertisements, movies, tv sitcoms, etc. I see a society telling women they need to be strong and smart, but not too strong and smart. They need to have a body like a stripper, a libido like a porn star and they need to fill themselves with chemicals to be sexually available to us at any time. Oh, and we have convinced them that if the chemicals don't work right, it's okay to 'choose' to destroy the life growing inside them.
We, as a society, are not seeing women as daughters of God or as spiritual sisters, we are looking at them as tools to our own satisfaction. We are falling miserably short of St. Joseph's model and damaging the value and self-esteem of our wives and our daughters.
Mary was chosen from the moment of her conception to be the one who delivered the Word made flesh to walk among us. Our wives and daughters have spiritual destinies as well. Are the things we do helping to direct them to those missions or are we a distraction, guiding them away from God's plan?
God bless,
P.D.O.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/05/2014 or Wait, There's a Splinter in your Eye, Let me Get my Ice Pick
"It does not concern me in the least
that I be judged by you or any human tribunal;
I do not even pass judgment on myself;
I am not conscious of anything against me,
but I do not thereby stand acquitted;
the one who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes," - 1 Cor. 4:1-5
09/05/2014 Friday of the Twenty-second Week of Ordinary Time
AHA! See, there it is again, we are being told not to judge others! See, you self-righteous Christians don't even follow your own book! HA!
That's right, you got us. Paul tells us not to judge, Jesus tells us not to judge, but wait, maybe there's a different meaning. You see, earlier in this passage, St. Paul writes that we should be "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" and just after Jesus tells his disciples to "Judge not, lest ye be judged", he calls them hypocrites and tells them that they must remove the beam from their own eyes before trying to remove the splinter from their brother's.
So how are we to be stewards of God's mysteries and followers of Christ if we can't judge which actions fall under those definitions? And how can we remove the beam from our eye and help our brother remove the splinter from his if we aren't able to determine what is a 'beam' or a 'splinter'? It would seem that we are expected to determine what is right and what is wrong somehow, but isn't that 'judging'?
The answer is yes. We are expected to be able to reason out what is right and what is wrong. Now there are a lot of people who will shout us down, because, let's face it, they don't want to think that there is a right or wrong. But we are expected to discern that using scripture and the teaching authority and hierarchy of the Church as our guide (remember, I'm Catholic we are blessed to have a teaching authority guided by the Holy Spirit on matters of faith and doctrine). Determining what acts are sinful and which aren't is well within our capabilities and we have a responsibility to let our brothers and sisters know when they are in the wrong. It is a spiritual act of mercy to admonish the sinner.
But what about the 'do not judge' thing? Well, as St. Paul says, he is not afraid of being judged by any human tribunal, he does not even judge himself. We cannot see and read somebody's heart the way that God can, therefore it is not up to us to place final judgement on them. The final judgement is, as they say, above our pay grade. However, if we see someone trapped in sin (a brother with a splinter in his eye) we are responsible for trying to help him to escape from it. That's where the 'stewards of God's mysteries' part comes in.
When we do find it is merciful to admonish the sinner, we are obligated to do so with love and compassion. That's where the 'servants of Christ' part comes in. After all, Jesus, even though he was trying to correct sinners, always treated others with caring and mercy. I would think he expects us to do the same.
I, for one, need to work on this.
God bless,
P.D.O.
that I be judged by you or any human tribunal;
I do not even pass judgment on myself;
I am not conscious of anything against me,
but I do not thereby stand acquitted;
the one who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes," - 1 Cor. 4:1-5
09/05/2014 Friday of the Twenty-second Week of Ordinary Time
AHA! See, there it is again, we are being told not to judge others! See, you self-righteous Christians don't even follow your own book! HA!
That's right, you got us. Paul tells us not to judge, Jesus tells us not to judge, but wait, maybe there's a different meaning. You see, earlier in this passage, St. Paul writes that we should be "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" and just after Jesus tells his disciples to "Judge not, lest ye be judged", he calls them hypocrites and tells them that they must remove the beam from their own eyes before trying to remove the splinter from their brother's.
So how are we to be stewards of God's mysteries and followers of Christ if we can't judge which actions fall under those definitions? And how can we remove the beam from our eye and help our brother remove the splinter from his if we aren't able to determine what is a 'beam' or a 'splinter'? It would seem that we are expected to determine what is right and what is wrong somehow, but isn't that 'judging'?
The answer is yes. We are expected to be able to reason out what is right and what is wrong. Now there are a lot of people who will shout us down, because, let's face it, they don't want to think that there is a right or wrong. But we are expected to discern that using scripture and the teaching authority and hierarchy of the Church as our guide (remember, I'm Catholic we are blessed to have a teaching authority guided by the Holy Spirit on matters of faith and doctrine). Determining what acts are sinful and which aren't is well within our capabilities and we have a responsibility to let our brothers and sisters know when they are in the wrong. It is a spiritual act of mercy to admonish the sinner.
But what about the 'do not judge' thing? Well, as St. Paul says, he is not afraid of being judged by any human tribunal, he does not even judge himself. We cannot see and read somebody's heart the way that God can, therefore it is not up to us to place final judgement on them. The final judgement is, as they say, above our pay grade. However, if we see someone trapped in sin (a brother with a splinter in his eye) we are responsible for trying to help him to escape from it. That's where the 'stewards of God's mysteries' part comes in.
When we do find it is merciful to admonish the sinner, we are obligated to do so with love and compassion. That's where the 'servants of Christ' part comes in. After all, Jesus, even though he was trying to correct sinners, always treated others with caring and mercy. I would think he expects us to do the same.
I, for one, need to work on this.
God bless,
P.D.O.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Mass Readings 09/04/2014 or Wow! For a Carpenter, You Sure Turned Out to be a Pretty Good Fisherman!
"When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him." -Lk. 5:8-11
09/04/2014 Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
The call of Simon is great on so many levels. First off, there is the idea that Simon was done for the day. He had pulled his boat into shore and was cleaning out his nets. Not only that, but he was cleaning them out after a night of unsuccessful fishing. I know how I feel when I don't catch fish and I don't rely on it for a living! Yet even though he's tired, Simon agrees to take this stranger out far enough so that he can teach the crowd. In that act, Simon shows that he is willing to go the extra mile for his fellow man. Jesus then tells him to head out to deep water and drop his nets. Simon registers a slight resistance, but then is willing to trust this new teacher because by now, he has heard the power of Jesus' words. He is paid back with BOUNTY! BEYOND! BELIEF! (Read my original post on BOUNTY! BEYOND! BELIEF! here) Showing that when we trust God, even though it might not make sense to us at the time, he will not be outdone in generosity.
Simon then tells Jesus to leave him because he is a sinful man. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I know that there are many times that I do not feel worthy of God's love, mercy (and bounty). But Jesus does not leave, showing that His love is not contingent in the least on our perfection, but on our will to trust in Him. He then tells Simon not to be afraid and that he will now be catching men. This is the ultimate example that God has a plan for us and He will meet us where we are to start the journey.
What do you think about the way that Simon and the other fishermen respond? When they get to the shore, they leave everything and follow him. Would you have the courage to do that? We are still asked to do that. Oh, we are not asked to leave our boats, equipment and livelihood behind, which may tempt us to think the request is different. However, what Simon and the others left behind, were the things that held them back from following Jesus physically and getting to know him and learn from him. The only difference for us is that we, most likely, don't have to leave behind our livelihood to follow Jesus, because for us it is a spiritual concept. We do need to leave behind anything that keeps us from following Jesus spiritually, or keeps us from getting to know him or learn from him. But, like Jesus himself says, be not afraid, because as we can see from Simon's story, Jesus isn't trying to trick or deceive us, he is just trying to lead us to God's plan for our lives and the bounty that awaits.
God bless,
P.D.O.
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him." -Lk. 5:8-11
09/04/2014 Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
The call of Simon is great on so many levels. First off, there is the idea that Simon was done for the day. He had pulled his boat into shore and was cleaning out his nets. Not only that, but he was cleaning them out after a night of unsuccessful fishing. I know how I feel when I don't catch fish and I don't rely on it for a living! Yet even though he's tired, Simon agrees to take this stranger out far enough so that he can teach the crowd. In that act, Simon shows that he is willing to go the extra mile for his fellow man. Jesus then tells him to head out to deep water and drop his nets. Simon registers a slight resistance, but then is willing to trust this new teacher because by now, he has heard the power of Jesus' words. He is paid back with BOUNTY! BEYOND! BELIEF! (Read my original post on BOUNTY! BEYOND! BELIEF! here) Showing that when we trust God, even though it might not make sense to us at the time, he will not be outdone in generosity.
Simon then tells Jesus to leave him because he is a sinful man. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I know that there are many times that I do not feel worthy of God's love, mercy (and bounty). But Jesus does not leave, showing that His love is not contingent in the least on our perfection, but on our will to trust in Him. He then tells Simon not to be afraid and that he will now be catching men. This is the ultimate example that God has a plan for us and He will meet us where we are to start the journey.
What do you think about the way that Simon and the other fishermen respond? When they get to the shore, they leave everything and follow him. Would you have the courage to do that? We are still asked to do that. Oh, we are not asked to leave our boats, equipment and livelihood behind, which may tempt us to think the request is different. However, what Simon and the others left behind, were the things that held them back from following Jesus physically and getting to know him and learn from him. The only difference for us is that we, most likely, don't have to leave behind our livelihood to follow Jesus, because for us it is a spiritual concept. We do need to leave behind anything that keeps us from following Jesus spiritually, or keeps us from getting to know him or learn from him. But, like Jesus himself says, be not afraid, because as we can see from Simon's story, Jesus isn't trying to trick or deceive us, he is just trying to lead us to God's plan for our lives and the bounty that awaits.
God bless,
P.D.O.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/03/2014 or A Brief Catholic Gardening Lesson
"Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,
but only God, who causes the growth.
He who plants and he who waters are one,
and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor.
For we are God’s co-workers;
you are God’s field, God’s building." -1 Cor. 3:7-9
09/03/2014 Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
Paul is telling the members of the church at Corinth not to dedicate themselves to him or any other teacher for that matter. He knows that he is just a messenger, an instrument that God uses to proclaim the good news, and that he will pass away and hand that duty down to someone else. It's interesting that this reading falls on the Memorial of a Pope and Doctor of the Church. For even the Pope is just a temporal leader of Christ's church. He too will pass on and hand the reins over (and on extremely rare occasion hand over the reins while he is still with us).
Not only does this message apply for the Pope, but for the people of the church. There are many times we will see a parish change pastors and people will choose up sides. There are also times when a group of people will grow attached to a building and stage vigils in churches that are meant to be shut down. But no matter how attached you may be to your church building, your pastor or even the Pope, they are nothing without the glory of God and the miracle of Christ resurrected.
This message could be taken as an admonition, but it also can be a beacon of hope to those in ministry. Surely there are days when a Pastor feels like he is not reaching the congregation. Even the Popes words fall on deaf ears. And if the Pope can't reach them, then what about people who act as catechists and facilitators at their parishes? This spring, my wife and I will return to teaching Theology of the Body for Teens to the confirmation classes at our church. There is no crowd that could be any more enthusiastic, excited and engaged than a group of teenagers forced to sit in a room in a church basement and learn about Catholic teaching on God's plan for human sexuality. But we have said many times that it's not the reaction and response we get in the room during class time that makes us want to do this. It's knowing that maybe one of these kids, someday maybe not even until they're in college, will find themselves in a situation where they are questioning what to do and they will remember what they learned and realize that it's okay to strive toward chastity. It may not be until they are married and one of them makes a better husband or wife because they maintain a pure vision of their spouse. Essentially, we are planting the seeds.
We can plant and we can water, but it's up to God to make it all grow. It relieves the anxiousness a bit when we realize that our job is just to do the best we can. We can witness to our story in our Coming Home to Catholicism group and we can share the beauty of Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body with the kids, but that's all we can do. Then God does the rest.
God bless,
P.D.O.
but only God, who causes the growth.
He who plants and he who waters are one,
and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor.
For we are God’s co-workers;
you are God’s field, God’s building." -1 Cor. 3:7-9
09/03/2014 Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
Paul is telling the members of the church at Corinth not to dedicate themselves to him or any other teacher for that matter. He knows that he is just a messenger, an instrument that God uses to proclaim the good news, and that he will pass away and hand that duty down to someone else. It's interesting that this reading falls on the Memorial of a Pope and Doctor of the Church. For even the Pope is just a temporal leader of Christ's church. He too will pass on and hand the reins over (and on extremely rare occasion hand over the reins while he is still with us).
Not only does this message apply for the Pope, but for the people of the church. There are many times we will see a parish change pastors and people will choose up sides. There are also times when a group of people will grow attached to a building and stage vigils in churches that are meant to be shut down. But no matter how attached you may be to your church building, your pastor or even the Pope, they are nothing without the glory of God and the miracle of Christ resurrected.
This message could be taken as an admonition, but it also can be a beacon of hope to those in ministry. Surely there are days when a Pastor feels like he is not reaching the congregation. Even the Popes words fall on deaf ears. And if the Pope can't reach them, then what about people who act as catechists and facilitators at their parishes? This spring, my wife and I will return to teaching Theology of the Body for Teens to the confirmation classes at our church. There is no crowd that could be any more enthusiastic, excited and engaged than a group of teenagers forced to sit in a room in a church basement and learn about Catholic teaching on God's plan for human sexuality. But we have said many times that it's not the reaction and response we get in the room during class time that makes us want to do this. It's knowing that maybe one of these kids, someday maybe not even until they're in college, will find themselves in a situation where they are questioning what to do and they will remember what they learned and realize that it's okay to strive toward chastity. It may not be until they are married and one of them makes a better husband or wife because they maintain a pure vision of their spouse. Essentially, we are planting the seeds.
We can plant and we can water, but it's up to God to make it all grow. It relieves the anxiousness a bit when we realize that our job is just to do the best we can. We can witness to our story in our Coming Home to Catholicism group and we can share the beauty of Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body with the kids, but that's all we can do. Then God does the rest.
God bless,
P.D.O.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Daily Mass Readings 09/02/2014 or If I Speak With Authority, Will You Still Respect Me Tomorrow?
"Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” -Lk. 4:31-34
09/02/2014 Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week of Ordinary Time
The people of Capernaum were impressed by the way that Jesus spoke with authority. If Jesus were to come and speak with authority now, what do you think the reaction would be? If he were to be speaking publicly now, on television, in the media and speaking with authority and certainty of the truth I'm pretty sure that, like anyone doing so now, he would be shouted down and attacked as bigoted, judgmental and (most horrifically) closed-minded.
Jesus preached about sin and freedom from sin through God's mercy, redemption and turning your back on sin. Today we're not allowed to suggest that anything is sinful. As long as it matches up with my personal measure of what is good and evil, it's all good. It seems today that the worst sin you can commit is grasping onto the truth and 'closing' your mind on it. And, God forbid you have the nerve to speak about it at all, let alone do so with authority and certainty.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” -Lk. 4:31-34
09/02/2014 Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week of Ordinary Time
The people of Capernaum were impressed by the way that Jesus spoke with authority. If Jesus were to come and speak with authority now, what do you think the reaction would be? If he were to be speaking publicly now, on television, in the media and speaking with authority and certainty of the truth I'm pretty sure that, like anyone doing so now, he would be shouted down and attacked as bigoted, judgmental and (most horrifically) closed-minded.
Jesus preached about sin and freedom from sin through God's mercy, redemption and turning your back on sin. Today we're not allowed to suggest that anything is sinful. As long as it matches up with my personal measure of what is good and evil, it's all good. It seems today that the worst sin you can commit is grasping onto the truth and 'closing' your mind on it. And, God forbid you have the nerve to speak about it at all, let alone do so with authority and certainty.
Yes, I fear that were Jesus to be teaching the fullness of His truth nowadays he would not be very popular. There would not be the opportunity to take small passages of His words out of context for cute little memes because He would be able to expand on his points and reveal their full context. On second thought, they would still get away with it. They would just quote Jesus selectively and ignore the context, kind of like they do with Pope Francis.
Let's not forget, however, that later in this passage, and in other gospel readings, Jesus speaks with authority to drive out demons. He speaks with authority about things that are socially acceptable now, like how we should forgive our brother not seven times, but seven times seventy (biblical speak for an infinite number of times), or that we should take care of the least among us, and about how we are not to judge. He also teaches with authority about things that don't give people the warm fuzzies, like what sin is, God's plan for marriage and about God's judgement and how we all will be subject to it.
As followers of Jesus should we only take with authority the things that are acceptable to today's worldly standards, when it is easy to do so? Or should we trust Jesus' authority in all things, even when it may make things uncomfortable for us?
God bless,
P.D.O.
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