Reflection 2/27/2017

"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"This question sounds through the ages.  Still, we struggle to respond "You are lacking in one thing.  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." What do I have? Who are the poor? What is the treasure?  We are preparing for a season of sacrifice and suffering and a good way to start is to reflect on the gospel today.  When we sacrifice, (ie fast) when we are hungry, it is a time to think of those in the world that have no food. We experience their physical pain, we experience their emotional state "Where will my food come from?"  When we pray; we remember those that have lost their way in this troubled world, and we remember our own weaknesses and shortcomings, "What can I do?"  When we give; give with a pure heart, not expecting any return.  (From God or man)This Lent; make it a goal to see with the eyes of Christ; non dual thinking and all inclusive.  It is rarely black and white in Gods' eyes.  Lord, help me see you in others and may they always see You in me.

Reflection 2/12/17

Show me a sign.  Show me a sign that you are this person that you say that you are.  Prove that you are a king.  Prove to us that you are the Christ.  All of His earthly life Jesus was continually poked and prodded to reassure the righteous that He is who He says He is.

Jesus just fed a multitude of countrymen that heard he was healing people and they came to test Him further.  The Pharisees ask Jesus to reveal a sign that will undoubtedly prove that He is the Son of God.

Jesus healed many people and walked on water and that wasn't enough.  The people missed the mark, terribly, in thinking that Jesus came to heal the body or feed it, the reason was; that they may believe in the God that is father of the Son, born of a virgin woman.   Can we see the arrogance of thinking we know it all.  The same arrogance that we take from the tree of knowledge.  The devil played with words, twisted and manipulated the true meaning of the reason Eve wasn't to eat from the tree of knowledge.  Knowledge isn't bad, but, the danger is in the thinking we know it all.

The pharisees think they have all the answers and try to trap Jesus or get an "ah Ha" moment to prove to themselves they are right.  During the life of the Christ people were so focused on the physical healing that they miss the spiritual healing.

Jesus isn't impressed with their agenda and pays them little mind.  He lets them know that their generation will find no sign.  No sign will be found because no sign will be searched for, they know it all.  Arrogance is not capable of seeing beyond the mirror, the focus is closed, internal and exclusive.  Love is open, external, and inclusive

"He sighed from the depth of His Spirit"  as Jesus would in His last act of Love- open, external, and inclusive.

Reflection 2/6/17

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Today we have Jesus healing people that just touched his cloak, but the verse right before this we read "They had not yet understood the incident of the loaves.  On the contrary, their hearts were hardened." So, the apostles totally miss that they just saw Jesus walking on water and creating a feast out of minuscule amounts of food, and their hearts were hardened.

Hardness of heart is a complex problem that is solved by a very simple recipe.  Trust Him.  Believe in Him.  Have faith of a child.

When the waters are rough we can become anxious and fearful, when we look past the tree to see the forest we can miss the beauty of the sapling just poking through the ground reaching high to the sky to touch the cloak of God. 

Miracles are around us at each moment, indeed every breath is a prayer and a miracle.  Keep reaching to the sky no matter how rough the water or how hopeless we may feel.  We can be the cloak that someone needs to touch come to Jesus.

Be open to the movement of the Spirit, "for it moves as it wills."

Stay with me, Lord, for I doubt.  Stay with me, Lord, for I am scared.  Stay with me, Lord, for I trust and believe in your presence.

Peace be with you!