Being present is a ministry

Jesus talks about signs and wonders in today's gospel.

When we read the text it is a lot to absorb, but one note to make and then connect is that those that believe will do wonders in His name.

The community of believers in the early church met in more intimate environments such as the homes of members and the conversation would have lasted much longer than our one hour mass on Sunday.

Driving out demons is one of the signs that Mark talks about.  We can help each other by the ministry of presence.

Be present for each other and know that this act of Love will drive out some of the darkest demons we have today such as depression, fear, anxiety and hopelessness.

Stay in the present moment and you will spread the gospel with joy.

Jesus is with you

The work of the Shepherd

Jesus uses the every day symbols that the people are familiar with so His message can be understood by His listeners. 

Today's gospel we will hear of that sheep gate and how that applies to our daily life.  

First, we need to understand that Jesus is talking to us.  He always talks to us in His lessons.

Jesus is the good shepherd that keeps us safe from the daily dangers that exist in the world.  

One may ask; "where is Jesus during all the evils that result in death, injury, and problems." The answer is in our responses. 

Jesus is teaching us to follow Him and trust Him in ALL things! 

Growing up on a farm I can tell you that the illustrations Jesus uses are spot on! 

Some animals are stronger than others, both physically and mentally, and as a young man I realized that I could use a stronger animal to help the weaker ones follow the way. 

By getting the stronger animals to do what was needed it was a lot easier to handle the less capable ones.

Jesus came as a man in a time when men were the cultural leaders.  He came as a man that we may follow His way easier because He wasn't a duck.

Think about that for a minute. 

The illustration in the gospel is rich with instructions on how to be just and loving.

We are all followers and leaders. 

A Heart to Heart

                                                           

What a bunch of non-sense to be heard.  The Jews think they might have to eat a finger or toe.

Jesus doesn’t let them on their own very long for this one; He drives the point home;

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.  Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him.

Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

The word communion in its proper sense means a joining of hearts.  The intimate joining of hearts requires both and all hearts to be open.

Someone might say, “Don't open your heart up to everyone/anyone, you’ll just get hurt or be disappointed”, that person may never experience the fullness of communion in their entire lifetime.

The heart of Jesus is always open for us to be in communion with Him, so be with Him.

A Stroll On The Water

Reflection April 10^th 2016

In today’s Gospel, we meet Jesus after he just fed the five thousand and His disciples saw Him walking on the sea.

For Jesus walking on water is a matter of traveling it’s not so much the issue of His divinity, He has already done that in expressing the “Bread of Life” discourse we heard about with the multiplication of the loaves and fish.

Here is the point Jesus makes very quickly

            “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.”

The people were just accused of freeloading a meal.  Most of the followers were not used to having so much food that it was left over, and to apply the Divine message to the miracle was a bit overwhelming so they ask Him;

“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”

There is no mention of the need to feed the hungry or help the poor, widowed, or orphans, that would be too limited, so He asks then to peer deeper; and there is a simple recipe that is required that accomplishes the works of God; and that is to believe in the one He sent.

Jesus was asking them to examine their movements and examine how they treat the people that are marginalized such as the lepers of the day.

How is it that we can stand together and give all glory and praise to a homeless man on Sunday and pass by one, hurriedly, any other time of the week and not see Jesus?  The way I treat my brothers and sisters is the way that I treat Jesus.

Be Jesus for all that you meet and may the gifts and fruits of His spirit be with us.

Jesus is Not Your Valet

I am the Bread of Life!

There is a real danger in miracles that stand-alone.  God may become a sort of valet to a self centered, self-made person that is able to use God to achieve a goal.  By that I mean if a person is only focused on the achievement or the outcome there is no real sense of Awe in the majesty and Love that God has for us.

In today’s gospel there are hungry people that have come to see Jesus and there is no McDonalds around to get food for the ride home.  Jesus takes a small amount of food and then we hear that there were 12 baskets left over, a universal number, that means there is enough of Him to feed the whole world.

We need to be aware of our prayer life.  We need to be aware of the times when things are going so swimmingly that we might forget how and why we have gotten to the place that we are at in life.

When times are tough we may run to church or plead with Jesus for a miracle, and that’s not a bad thing if we recognize that Jesus is with us in all moments in our life and deserves our praise at all times.

Take the worst moment in your life and see Jesus standing there with you, not as a bellboy, but as a friend and shepherd that will guide you through it and bring you out in a better place.

I am the Bread of Life means just that, He will sustain us on our journey.  I have found that when I am doing the best in my life it usually means the devil is right around the corner testing my love for God.

The most important thing I can tell you is this; in all moments give glory to the One that gave us life and will give us life forever!

Jesus, take my soul, my life and fashion it that there may be enough for the whole world.

Panis Angelicus 

Love is Vulnerable

Reflection April 7, 2016

The gospel of John points to the relationship that Jesus is the waiting groom who has come to the world for the love that God has for all peoples.

There is a relationship that requires the love and that’s not an easy thing to do in our world.  We have a difficult time attaching ourselves to love because the love of the world can be vulnerable and may hurt us.  We have this distance about love that makes it difficult to enter into an unconditional love relationship.

Marriages may not work, friends may betray our trust, but if we go deeper into the relationship that Jesus offers us we will never be disappointed.

“The Father has given the Son everything” is a statement of Love.  Jesus allows us access to all of that Love and all we have to do is trust and believe that He will do what’s best for us.

If we find ourselves in competition in regard to living the gospel we betray the Love of Jesus.

This isn’t about making sure we let everyone know we make cookies for the homeless or for the parish breakfast, it’s about making sure our actions are motivated by the Love that Jesus has for us and we do it for the groom of the Church.

If I wash dishes for the Love of Jesus than I have hit the mark, if I do it to show off or to hurt someone else, I have grossly mismanaged my responsibility and Love that Jesus gave me.

Relationships are vulnerable and Jesus will never betray or misuse that relationship.

Put Jesus at the center of all things and do all things for Him that came to the world to show us the face of God. 

Be Jesus for everyone we meet and we will never betray the Love Jesus has for our world.

"How Can This Be Possible?"

“How Can This Be Possible?”

How many times have we asked this question or stated, “It’s not possible.”

In today’s gospel, we are with Jesus and Nicodemus.  Jesus is tired after a long day and Nicodemus finds comfort in approaching Jesus at night so as not to be seen by the Jewish Pharisees. 

Jesus explains to Nicodemus that he needs to be born of water and spirit, a teaching the Pharisees were aware of by way of John the Baptizers message.

What does that mean to Nicodemus?  He’s a follower of Jesus and a teacher of the law and he isn’t clear in his understanding that the teaching of Moses and the serpent is one that is earthly and, even though it worked for the Israelites, the Son of God must also be gazed upon to be believed in by all.

Jesus’ death and resurrection mark the beginning of a new creation, a new way of belief, a new understanding that doesn’t abolish the law but clarifies the law. 

When Nicodemus asks the question “How can this be?” he is asking how is this going to fit into my plan and way of worship.  Jesus lets him know that this is going to require and deepening of his faith and not just a mere adjustment of some law.

An act of Faith in Jesus is what is being asked of Nicodemus and us. 

“Look upon the one that has be pierced for our offenses” and believe that “by His wounds we are healed” takes us past the serpent of Moses and places us in the Eternal salvation plan of Jesus.

            “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Have Faith that we may have Eternal Life!

Magnify the Lord

 Reflection for The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord 2016

Todays’ gospel brings us to the Annunciation of Jesus.  Mary, going about her daily activities and encounters the angel, Gabriel, who tells her that she, is now pregnant. 

I think of our spirituality like this annunciation from our baptism.  At baptism we are born with Christ and we die with Christ and within us resides this soul that has been consecrated to “image and likeness of God.” 

We are consecrated to bare this infant child, our infant spirituality, and fostering its growth.  We have to feed our soul and take care of it so that it remains pure as a virgin and “magnifies the Lord.”

That’s what confession is for and that’s how we return to that pure virgin soul that “magnifies the Lord.”  It’s our life with Christ, and it’s our life for Christ.

Let your soul magnify the Lord in your thoughts, words, and actions.