Take Nothing for the Journey

When we hear Jesus instruct His disciples not to take anything with them when they go on a journey they may have been slightly concerned.  Can you imagine if this were asked of us?  Don’t take a thing with you on vacation, business trip, or when you move to a new town!

There is strength in detachment from material items and that same strength in the poverty of spirit.  We are less concerned with the toys of the world and can focus on the people in our life and be present to the working of the Holy Spirit.

What Jesus is getting at here is that there is no room for distractions from what is important. If people hear the message and don’t listen; don’t waste your time trying to fill a cup that is full.  They won’t  hear it. It won’t sink in.

In the same way, if our cup is full of unnecessary things we won’t be able to allow the moment to take over.  We won’t hear the message.

There are messages for us at every moment.  Trust in the Divine Presence. Empty our vessels from unnecessary clutter so that we may hear the moment.

“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

Thrursday Fifth Week of Lent

John 8: 51-59 

There are many people that can't accept that the man Jesus was the Christ.  It seems unlikely that a Spirit that creates the world and all the contents and laws therein would care so much to be involved in my life.  Who really cares what my day is like? 

Jesus came into the world to be part of the human experience.  Jesus came that we may have hope in an eternal life. 

One of our virtues is hope and when hope keeps us going we can see on a foggy day.  Hope finds its root in Love and Love springs from the eternal well of the living spirit of God.  People that lose hope lose sight of God, and the days and nights are too troublesome to be in a position to see hope and so some fall into depression and despair.

If we can trust in the word of God and hold on to hope we will soon experience the flow of Love.  Hope will bring us joy and peace. 

I often repeat this mantra throughout the day "We wait in joyful hope!" and the rest of that will do away with depression "for the coming of our savior Jesus Christ" 

Hope in God and you will be free!  Find your identity in Christ, not an institution or a person, and Hope will show us Love.

Tuesday Fourth Week of Lent

John 5:1-16

Today we face misery and hopelessness. The economy, healthcare, employment, no chance at parole, lack of "white privilege", and a batch of other things come to us in life and there seems to be no hope for the situation to get better.  

Jesus finds the same today.  We have a man that is not able to do something that would better his quality of life. There are a host of people and they walk by too busy about their own problems to help the man to the water. 

Lent is a time to challenge the "norms", to disrupt the usual responses with a new and transformative mind. 

How many times we have heard "No, you can't do that" "It's not possible" at every turn there is an obstacle.  The obstacle may be the Holy Spirit moving us to a new direction, a transformed mind, a more workable situation.  Paul tells us not to boast of our own doing, but to boast of God! 

The man in today's gospel has been ill for 38 years.  Jesus never rebukes the man "Why didn't you ask for help?" There is no blame or question, just a response.  It is the emptying of the Love that flows to respond with compassion and healing.

If our lenten season has been met with defeat, there is today!  "Rise, take up your mat and walk!"

Mercy and Hope come from God, ask or wait 38 years, it's up to you!

Humility

Today's gospel takes a moment to call attention to the taxes that were required for payment.  

Jesus is the King of Heaven and Earth and requires no monetary tax.  

Jesus requires love as the payment.  There is a series of letters written by a monk, Carlos Caretto, and these letters speak volumes about God's love and how solitude reveals His Love most. 

Jesus looks to Peter and tells him to take a coin out of a fishes mouth to pay the tax so there is no offense offered. 

Getting close to the Holy Spirit requires stillness and a willingness to be open. Jesus knew who He was and didn't find it necessary to fight about it.  For that matter, His whole life was spent in love.  

Parable after parable we hear Jesus teaching, but, it is always done with Love, not pride and arrogance. 

The lesson we need to take from this gospel: Humility. 

When we are teaching love, we must first love, to be an example of the one that loved us first.

Love is the key to the kingdom 

We can do NOTHING without Jesus. 

In Him, Rob Lopez, BSD.