Tuesday Third Week of Lent

Matthew 18:21-35

What is it we can't forgive?  Our sin or others? both?  

Lent is an invitation to experience the forgiveness of God in a very deep and uplifting way.  When Jesus stretches out His arms it is an act of Love, it is an act of forgiving us our debts.  We, too, must forgive ourselves and others.  

Forgiveness is the soil that is fertile and waiting to have seeds planted in it.  

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.  We are invited to take part in a celebration, holding on to no grudges, releasing all anxiety and doubt to the caring hands of our dear Lord.

Forgive. 

 

Monday Third Week of Lent (St. Joseph)

Feast of St. Joseph

With simplicity comes holiness.  When we focus on the necessities of life we find our life becomes less stressful and much more rewarding.  We see the Divine in all things and all people.  We hold the entire universe in our hands and yet hold nothing.  

Joseph saw the simple plan God commissioned him for.  He knew that the road was going to be difficult because of the righteous and the critiques of the time.

Still, Joseph, kept his word and served Mary and Jesus faithfully.  We don't have to hear from Joseph to know that he was a holy and trusting man.  His actions speak for themselves.  

We are asked to help Jesus with His plan for salvation.  We are asked to live a simple and prayerful life, not with bended knee and folded hands, but, with a heart that bows to the Divine in all things and hands that work for Christ.

Today we remember the work and life of St. Joseph. 

Friday Second Week of Lent

Matthew 21:33-43 45-46

The gospel message is very clear today.  The death of an innocent, the violent beating of servants, and a plot, foretold, to arrest Jesus.  It is also the mind of dual thinking, stinking thinking.  Being able to be at peace with circumstances and people leads us to the kingdom of God.  We are told that for those that are jealous and envious of others, they will lose that peace.  There is turmoil and anxiety about how to be better or do better than someone else.  We are number one.  That's a tough place to start.  

The closer we come to being in union with the Divine, the less important things of this world are.  The things that can lead us to a dark and dangerous place, such as power, money, and honor among men are no longer what motivates our actions.  We come from a place of poverty.  We no longer look for praise and honor among men and being recognized for our accomplishments becomes of little importance.  We are serving Christ in the people in our life.  We see the Divine in all things and people and we are aware of the importance of safe guarding that treasure.

Meet people and circumstances as they are. Be present.  

Thursday Second Week of Lent

Luke 16:19-31

If someone comes back from the dead, surely we will listen, right?  Jesus says no we will not even listen to the one that returns to warn us of the suffering that will be our eternity if we deny Christ.   It is true.  Look at the news.  Watch the way we treat people around us that are not in our tribe.  We have the means, as a human family, to provide for the needs of all people and nations. 

"He's a drunk" "He's a thief" "She is promiscuous" "S/He is a . . . "  These statements are not what we need to be focused on. S/He is a part of our human family.  We don't want to look in the eyes of people that are poor or outcast.  

We learn the name of God, who knocks at the door today.  Lazarus is poverty's name. 

If we profess the Divine dwells in each of us, and we deny the gift of Love to our brother and sisters, then we deny God.  Jesus stands at the door and knocks and we shove him away or ignore His presence completely, shuffling pass so as not to make eye contact or so as not to be seen with "Those people"  But what if by some twist that person is God in disguise?  What do we do? 

We do the same thing, we walk by with a guilty conscious and pretend we don't see them.  The Holy spirit convicts us and we know it. 

Today, look for Him in all the people that we meet.  Look Him in the eyes and greet Him with Love.  Don't pass by the gate one day more without an encounter with the Divine in each person that we meet.

Wednesday Second Week of Lent

Matthew 20:17-28

There is a bold request that is tied to the culture of power.  When Jesus hears the mother of James and Johns' request that her boys be second and third in the power line of succession he stops her in her tracks.  Jesus lets her know that the request to be on his right and left are not an appointment that he is in charge of, but they WILL drink of the cup that he drinks from.  

How many times have we betrayed Jesus by putting power and money at the head of our list of "to do's"  We won't let anything get in our way because we don't serve God.  Money is not, in itself, bad, the misuse or abuse of power and money in our life is what gets us tied up. 

Jesus lets us know that if we want to be great, we need to serve God with humility, and love of our neighbor. It's not fancy and there are no horn blasts in the heart, though others may place you up on some higher level, it is our duty to remind ourselves that Jesus is in control and we serve Him. 

The attitude of the mother is one of exclusion, group, and tribal thinking that has stifled our growth as a church and the human family. The attitude of letting the flow of the Spirit work in and through us is not understood.  

Everything matters and everything is connected. 

Follow your thoughts and keep the light on Christ! 

Tuesday Week Two of Lent

Matthew 23:1-12

Week Two can be a time of purging and a time when the Holy spirit begins to reveal the real message of Lent and the false piety begins to fade.  Week two in the gospel is highlighted by the words of Jesus; "Do what they tell you to do, but don't follow their example."

Jesus knows that the religious leaders of the time placed harsher than necessary restrictions on the people, but their piety of instruction is to be followed.

"I fast and keep all of the Lenten observances"  but how do I treat my brother? Am I holding a grudge or remembering some bit of information that keeps me from a relationship with a brother or family member?  Do I forgive the faults of my life?  Am I keeping the Lenten observances and being mean and uncharitable toward the stranger and person of a different belief?  

Being a Christian requires an real emptying of oneself so we can be filled with Love.  God is Love.  We are created in the image of God.  We are created to Love. 

Week two of Lent and today's' gospel is a time to discover those sins and offenses, those habits and lack of charity we have deep within.  The beginning of Lent is Gods' way to say "What do you think keeps you from me?"  Week two is the time when God says "Here is what is keeping you from me."  Short temper, lying, not really keeping the fast etc.  

Dig in and root it out.  Be determined to empty the old vessel so that the Christ may fill us with the abundance of Love that He promised.

Lent is about being transformed into this wonderful person, we call human.  to Love those unlovable by society, to feed the hungry (not just chips and fish), clothe the naked (not with just a coat or hat) Visit those in hospitals and prison (not just behind physical bars and walls) 

Be still and let the movement of His Love fill our soul and rid us of the cancers of hate, fear, anxiety, control, and the lack of reverence of the Divine in humanity.

Monday, Second Week of Lent

Luke 6:36-38

If we can just stop judging each other, and not just about what a person did or didn't do, about the way they look, talk, comb their hair or don't, facial expressions, there is a whole batch of reason we start judging each other.  

We need to focus on the Divine in them and work around the rest, because after some time we will discover that when we start at "Yes" or an attitude of acceptance and remove the barriers that keep us divided we will find peace and spread peace.  That is the importance of mediation.  Shed the ego.  Lose the elite attitude. become one with our neighbors and thus with the Divine nature. Speak and act from a place of poverty and humility and not arrogance and pride.  We certainly can find the right words to justify our own sinful actions or faults, why then is it so hard for us to do the same for others?  

Today, when you find your thoughts going down that old worn out brain path, pick a new attitude, thoughtfully take another way.  Take His Way.