31 January 2014 - broken hallelujah
David, however, remained in Jerusalem.
This is where we first notice something is amiss. Before David looks on a woman in lust and before he has her husband killed in envy there are already warning signs that something is wrong in the heart of this king. This is after all the time of year "when kings go out on campaign".
As king, David is supposed to be a blessing to his people. In this sense he is supposed to serve more than to be served. He is supposed to be a figure around whom Israel can unite and rally. Why does he initially hang back? Is it sloth? Lack of fortitude? Fear? Yet any of these failings would indicate that David forgets who he is. He forgets that he is the LORD's anointed. He forgets the Holy Spirit who rushes upon him. He tries to twist the kingship to make it about himself rather than about the nation.
If David embraced the mission God had for him he would have avoided the temptations of idleness. Without God's power to give him purpose there is nothing to prevent sin from pulling David in all directions. God's power is meant to give David unity within himself so that he can manifest that sense of direction for Israel. They in turn can rally around it.
Trusting in God's purpose for us is what it means to have faith. And by the disasters that spring up in its absence we get some sense of just how important it is.
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
To stay behind from his army may seem like a small omission but it is not. David should be shade for his people but in this instance he fails. He exposes his people to the harsh noonday sun. Uriah and Bathsheba both pay a price for this as do "some officers of David's army". It is no small thing after all. It is what happens when the mustard seed is missing.
But David's failure can give us encouragement. David is a man after God's own heart and God does not abandon him. God is rich in mercy. All that he requires of David to wipe away this sin is acknowledgement of guilt, which David does in today's psalm. He writes it "when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba."
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
Ultimately God does let David "hear the sounds of joy and gladness" and the bones he crushed do rejoice again when God turns his face from the sins of David and blots out all his guilt.
The power of the kingdom seems small. It is in many ways the sprouting and growing of seeds that happens beyond the world we can see. But the absence of it can be profoundly felt as we can see. We should imagine, then, how great a difference its presence can make. If we have shunned the offer of this grace let us learn from David and repent sincerely that our bones too may rejoice.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
30 January 2014 - lightheaded
30 January 2014 - lightheaded
“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?
Jesus is the light of the world. We shouldn't try to keep any part of our lives from his healing light because "there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing secret except to come to light." The light can be initially unpleasant if our houses are in disorder. But in the light these messes can be cleaned. If we choose to ignore them we continue to trip over the wages of sin in our lives. We should also be willing to let this light shine from us to those around us. That is not to say we go around condemning others. The light doesn't come into the world for condemnation. But it is clear about what is sin. It is clear about what is keeping us from living abundant life. It reveals the things over which we trip. Paul regards the things he once counted as gain as garbage now that the light of Jesus shines in him (cf. Phi. 3:8).
We are reluctant to let this let expose our houses because it wounds our pride deeply. We are revealed as the bad housekeepers we are. The guest who brings the lamp into our house is so exulted. How can we subject him to our mess? Yet he is not shocked. This is the reason he is here.
“Who am I, Lord GOD, and who are the members of my house,
that you have brought me to this point?
Yet even this you see as too little, Lord GOD;
We need to accept the blessings which God wants to give us. We must not reject them out of pride and fear. When the king himself comes to our humble abodes to clean them we must accept this grace of abundance in humility. As our house as cleaned we become more free to move around. We become more free to come and go. We can bring others in and go out to them without fear. We can share the light Jesus shares with us.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
The LORD wants us to carry his light to others. When we have his light in our own house he gives us more to share with others. If we are relying on the light that filters in through the cracks in our boarded windows we need to know that this light will eventually go out. In the his light we see the LORD set people free and we come to trust him more and more completely:
And now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth;
you have made this generous promise to your servant.
Do, then, bless the house of your servant
that it may be before you forever;
for you, Lord GOD, have promised,
and by your blessing the house of your servant
shall be blessed forever.”
The LORD wants to dwell with us but he cannot dwell in darkness. God is "the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (cf. Jam. 1:17). After all, "what fellowship has light with darkness?" (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14). They simply can't coexist. So let us not hide the light! To do so is to reject his very presence. Let it blaze in our thoughts, in our words, and in our deeds. He himself is that light which shines on those living in darkness and the shadow of death (cf. Luk. 1:78). May his glory dwell in our land!
For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he prefers her for his dwelling:
“Zion is my resting place forever;
in her I will dwell, for I prefer her.”
“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?
Jesus is the light of the world. We shouldn't try to keep any part of our lives from his healing light because "there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing secret except to come to light." The light can be initially unpleasant if our houses are in disorder. But in the light these messes can be cleaned. If we choose to ignore them we continue to trip over the wages of sin in our lives. We should also be willing to let this light shine from us to those around us. That is not to say we go around condemning others. The light doesn't come into the world for condemnation. But it is clear about what is sin. It is clear about what is keeping us from living abundant life. It reveals the things over which we trip. Paul regards the things he once counted as gain as garbage now that the light of Jesus shines in him (cf. Phi. 3:8).
We are reluctant to let this let expose our houses because it wounds our pride deeply. We are revealed as the bad housekeepers we are. The guest who brings the lamp into our house is so exulted. How can we subject him to our mess? Yet he is not shocked. This is the reason he is here.
“Who am I, Lord GOD, and who are the members of my house,
that you have brought me to this point?
Yet even this you see as too little, Lord GOD;
We need to accept the blessings which God wants to give us. We must not reject them out of pride and fear. When the king himself comes to our humble abodes to clean them we must accept this grace of abundance in humility. As our house as cleaned we become more free to move around. We become more free to come and go. We can bring others in and go out to them without fear. We can share the light Jesus shares with us.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
The LORD wants us to carry his light to others. When we have his light in our own house he gives us more to share with others. If we are relying on the light that filters in through the cracks in our boarded windows we need to know that this light will eventually go out. In the his light we see the LORD set people free and we come to trust him more and more completely:
And now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth;
you have made this generous promise to your servant.
Do, then, bless the house of your servant
that it may be before you forever;
for you, Lord GOD, have promised,
and by your blessing the house of your servant
shall be blessed forever.”
The LORD wants to dwell with us but he cannot dwell in darkness. God is "the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (cf. Jam. 1:17). After all, "what fellowship has light with darkness?" (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14). They simply can't coexist. So let us not hide the light! To do so is to reject his very presence. Let it blaze in our thoughts, in our words, and in our deeds. He himself is that light which shines on those living in darkness and the shadow of death (cf. Luk. 1:78). May his glory dwell in our land!
For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he prefers her for his dwelling:
“Zion is my resting place forever;
in her I will dwell, for I prefer her.”
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
29 January 2014 - getting our hands dirty
29 January 2014 - getting our hands dirty
The sower sows the word.
'OK, moving on,' we think, 'I've received the word already.' But wait, is that it? After listening once do we then stop listening? "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."
We are sheep who know the voice of our shepherd (cf. Joh. 10:27). This is only a useful skill for sheep to have if the shepherd continues speaking. If the shepherd falls silent the sheep wander off on there own. But we follow the Good Shepherd (cf. Joh. 10:11). He is not distant. He is not only a voice in our past. Or at least, he doesn't want to be. "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (cf. Rom. 10:8).
And that means that this parable has relevance not just when we accept Jesus at first but every single time he speaks. This is one reason why this parable is so important to "understand any of the parables". We see the centrality of having good soil when he reveals to his Apostles his plans to suffer and die for the salvation of the world. Peter does not accept this right away. "Worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things". But hearing "Get behind me, Satan" (cf. Mat. 16:23) he does not abandon Jesus. The secret is that Peter has sufficiently deep roots. Because his roots are deep he doesn't abandon Jesus when Jesus when he tells the crowd that they must eat his body and blood and Peter doesn't understand. Even so, he is able to say, "You alone have the words of eternal life."
We need to get the word deep into the soil of our hearts. We need it to penetrate the surface. We need to give it more than a superficial hearing so that Satan can't just pick it off the top of the path. We need to break up the rocky ground that resists certain aspects of the word so that we can get it deeper down where the soil is rich. We need to allow the roots to grow so even in adversity we will have the depth we need to endure. Then we will be "the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
We try too hard to turn desert sands into good soil. We think that we are going to build God a house when he must first build one for us.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
He is preparing a dwelling place for his people that their king Jesus may find a rich dwelling in their hearts.
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
It is he who shall build a house for my name.
And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
How do we cooperate with God as he builds his kingdom? How do we do our part to prepare our soil for the word?
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [emphasis mine]
When this throne holds sway we have nothing to fear. No weather or enemy will disturb the "imperishable seed" (cf. 1 Pet. 1:23) planted within us.
“Forever I will maintain my love for him;
my covenant with him stands firm.
I will establish his dynasty forever,
his throne as the days of the heavens.”
The sower sows the word.
'OK, moving on,' we think, 'I've received the word already.' But wait, is that it? After listening once do we then stop listening? "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."
We are sheep who know the voice of our shepherd (cf. Joh. 10:27). This is only a useful skill for sheep to have if the shepherd continues speaking. If the shepherd falls silent the sheep wander off on there own. But we follow the Good Shepherd (cf. Joh. 10:11). He is not distant. He is not only a voice in our past. Or at least, he doesn't want to be. "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (cf. Rom. 10:8).
And that means that this parable has relevance not just when we accept Jesus at first but every single time he speaks. This is one reason why this parable is so important to "understand any of the parables". We see the centrality of having good soil when he reveals to his Apostles his plans to suffer and die for the salvation of the world. Peter does not accept this right away. "Worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things". But hearing "Get behind me, Satan" (cf. Mat. 16:23) he does not abandon Jesus. The secret is that Peter has sufficiently deep roots. Because his roots are deep he doesn't abandon Jesus when Jesus when he tells the crowd that they must eat his body and blood and Peter doesn't understand. Even so, he is able to say, "You alone have the words of eternal life."
We need to get the word deep into the soil of our hearts. We need it to penetrate the surface. We need to give it more than a superficial hearing so that Satan can't just pick it off the top of the path. We need to break up the rocky ground that resists certain aspects of the word so that we can get it deeper down where the soil is rich. We need to allow the roots to grow so even in adversity we will have the depth we need to endure. Then we will be "the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
We try too hard to turn desert sands into good soil. We think that we are going to build God a house when he must first build one for us.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
He is preparing a dwelling place for his people that their king Jesus may find a rich dwelling in their hearts.
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
It is he who shall build a house for my name.
And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
How do we cooperate with God as he builds his kingdom? How do we do our part to prepare our soil for the word?
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [emphasis mine]
When this throne holds sway we have nothing to fear. No weather or enemy will disturb the "imperishable seed" (cf. 1 Pet. 1:23) planted within us.
“Forever I will maintain my love for him;
my covenant with him stands firm.
I will establish his dynasty forever,
his throne as the days of the heavens.”
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
28 January 2014 - familiar sound
28 January 2014 - familiar sound
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”
The LORD looks at us as we gather round him. He looks into our eyes and tells us that we are his family. We are here with him to hear him say this because we want to do the will of God. Only in his presence can this become a reality for us. We can't do the will of God apart from him. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (cf. Rom 3:22). This world is marked by darkness and death. Honesty makes us concede that darkness and death mark our own hearts as well. They taint all we do in ways large and small. To really love as we are meant to love is supernatural. We cannot do it on our own. But we are never meant to do so.
From the beginning God intends us to rely on him for everything. The Trinity is love. It is in fact the only love. There is nothing in human flesh (cf. Rom 7:18) to bridge the gap of selfishness keeping us locked inside ourselves. But God is by definition selfless love for other that cannot be chained. That is why "everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God" (cf. 1 Joh. 4). Only in the Trinity is there a bridge to unite that which otherwise remains separate. This is the truth that sets us free (cf. Joh. 8:32).
David has some prophetic sense of what it means to be in God's presence in this way. We may imagine that as he is before the ark he sees a dim vision of Jesus saying that he "is my brother and sister and mother". We may imagine that the joy of the whole crowd is the joy that the communion of love, which God is, and which he bestows on his family.
Then David, girt with a linen apron,
came dancing before the LORD with abandon,
as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD
with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.
And since communion with God is what Israel celebrates it should not surprise us that they conclude the celebration with a sacred meal.
He then distributed among all the people,
to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel,
a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake.
With this, all the people left for their homes.
They go there separate ways but they are now united. Jesus has looked around "at those seated in the circle" and called them family.
Let us open our gates and reach up our lintels to make way for the king of glory. His strength is enough to reach down from heaven. He is mighty enough to unite our human nature to his divine nature.
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
It is he who calls us family. It is he who calls us friends. If we cannot spend every waking second before the ark we can nevertheless leave for our homes living an ever more profound communion with him and with our brothers and sisters.
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”
The LORD looks at us as we gather round him. He looks into our eyes and tells us that we are his family. We are here with him to hear him say this because we want to do the will of God. Only in his presence can this become a reality for us. We can't do the will of God apart from him. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (cf. Rom 3:22). This world is marked by darkness and death. Honesty makes us concede that darkness and death mark our own hearts as well. They taint all we do in ways large and small. To really love as we are meant to love is supernatural. We cannot do it on our own. But we are never meant to do so.
From the beginning God intends us to rely on him for everything. The Trinity is love. It is in fact the only love. There is nothing in human flesh (cf. Rom 7:18) to bridge the gap of selfishness keeping us locked inside ourselves. But God is by definition selfless love for other that cannot be chained. That is why "everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God" (cf. 1 Joh. 4). Only in the Trinity is there a bridge to unite that which otherwise remains separate. This is the truth that sets us free (cf. Joh. 8:32).
David has some prophetic sense of what it means to be in God's presence in this way. We may imagine that as he is before the ark he sees a dim vision of Jesus saying that he "is my brother and sister and mother". We may imagine that the joy of the whole crowd is the joy that the communion of love, which God is, and which he bestows on his family.
Then David, girt with a linen apron,
came dancing before the LORD with abandon,
as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD
with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.
And since communion with God is what Israel celebrates it should not surprise us that they conclude the celebration with a sacred meal.
He then distributed among all the people,
to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel,
a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake.
With this, all the people left for their homes.
They go there separate ways but they are now united. Jesus has looked around "at those seated in the circle" and called them family.
Let us open our gates and reach up our lintels to make way for the king of glory. His strength is enough to reach down from heaven. He is mighty enough to unite our human nature to his divine nature.
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
It is he who calls us family. It is he who calls us friends. If we cannot spend every waking second before the ark we can nevertheless leave for our homes living an ever more profound communion with him and with our brothers and sisters.
Monday, January 27, 2014
27 January 2014 - long division
27 January 2014 - long division
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
In this sense "whoever is not against us is for us" (cf. Mar. 9:40). In this sense everyone "who loves has been born of God and knows God" (cf. 1 Joh. 4). This means that when our friends who have not yet given their lives to Jesus are still dividing Satan's house when they do choose to act in love. As we work together in charity with people who aren't followers of Jesus we are working to divide Satan's house. We are weakening his grasp on his possessions.
Yet we should not take for granted that the enemy is a "strong man." We can't "plunder his property" unless someone stronger still "first ties up the strong man." Jesus is the only one who is strong enough to bind Satan and plunder him of his possessions, leading captivity captive (cf. Eph. 4:8). Why is the enemy so strong? He is strong because of the power which he has over us because of sin. Sin, temptation, sickness, and death are his minions. If we are honest with ourselves great strength is indeed required to address these problems in a meaningful way. In fact, it might seem like there is nothing that can be done about "the blind and the lame." But they are not enough to keep David from taking his rightful place as the king of Jerusalem. If they can't drive David away, how much less can they stop Jesus from taking his rightful place as LORD of all.
The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them (cf. Mat 21:14).
Like sickness, sin is a problem which seems hopeless to us on a human level. Just when we think we make progress we find ourselves worse than before. We sometimes succeed through sheer force of will but it never seems sustainable. But just as Jesus says to the paralyzed man "Rise and walk," so too does he say to us, "Your sins are forgiven." The plan Jesus has for is a victorious life, free from serious sin. We need to trust in his grace. The only thing that can keep us within the enemy's grasp is our own unrepentant heart.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
Let us turn to Jesus. Let us rely on the "champion" whom god crowns to win the victory in our own lives. He wants us to live out of that victory. It is for this reason that the Father anoints him with his very Spirit.
“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
In this sense "whoever is not against us is for us" (cf. Mar. 9:40). In this sense everyone "who loves has been born of God and knows God" (cf. 1 Joh. 4). This means that when our friends who have not yet given their lives to Jesus are still dividing Satan's house when they do choose to act in love. As we work together in charity with people who aren't followers of Jesus we are working to divide Satan's house. We are weakening his grasp on his possessions.
Yet we should not take for granted that the enemy is a "strong man." We can't "plunder his property" unless someone stronger still "first ties up the strong man." Jesus is the only one who is strong enough to bind Satan and plunder him of his possessions, leading captivity captive (cf. Eph. 4:8). Why is the enemy so strong? He is strong because of the power which he has over us because of sin. Sin, temptation, sickness, and death are his minions. If we are honest with ourselves great strength is indeed required to address these problems in a meaningful way. In fact, it might seem like there is nothing that can be done about "the blind and the lame." But they are not enough to keep David from taking his rightful place as the king of Jerusalem. If they can't drive David away, how much less can they stop Jesus from taking his rightful place as LORD of all.
The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them (cf. Mat 21:14).
Like sickness, sin is a problem which seems hopeless to us on a human level. Just when we think we make progress we find ourselves worse than before. We sometimes succeed through sheer force of will but it never seems sustainable. But just as Jesus says to the paralyzed man "Rise and walk," so too does he say to us, "Your sins are forgiven." The plan Jesus has for is a victorious life, free from serious sin. We need to trust in his grace. The only thing that can keep us within the enemy's grasp is our own unrepentant heart.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
Let us turn to Jesus. Let us rely on the "champion" whom god crowns to win the victory in our own lives. He wants us to live out of that victory. It is for this reason that the Father anoints him with his very Spirit.
“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”
Sunday, January 26, 2014
26 January 2014 - eyes fixed on jesus
26 January 2014 - eyes fixed on jesus
that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
We are called to be united in the joy of Christ. We are called to be united in our desire. We should want above all else to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of our life, that we may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his glory. In other words we should desire to be with the LORD in heaven above all else. But what can we do about it? Do we really decide which desires we have and which we don't? Not as directly as that. But if we keep our eyes fixed on God he does become our desire more and more.
God himself is our light and our salvation. He promises to dispel the darkness of Zebulun and Naphtali. He promises a great light for his people not just in heaven but even now in this life. Jesus reveals that he himself is this light. He fulfills the ancient oracle that light will dawn when he "went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali".
This light is not an abstraction. It is not a construct of "the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning." It is not an abstraction. It is not human eloquence. But it is revealed by the preaching of the gospel. This is why light rising on Zebulun and Naphtali coincides with Jesus beginning to preach.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
When we read Scripture, when we receive the Sacraments, when we pray, when we worship, when we serve God in others, and in so many other ways we gaze upon the light of Jesus.
The longer form of today's gospel would remind us that Jesus extends this ministry through those he calls. He is the light of the world (cf. Joh. 8:12). But we are called to be the light of the world as well (cf. Mat. 5:14). Others should be able to gaze upon the light of Jesus in us. We hear the same call that Peter, Andrew, James, and John hear even if we don't express it in ordinained ministry.
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
From the readings today we should realize that it is not supposed to be burdensome to share the good news. It is more like inviting people to a really good party. We know that the party is good. We know that everyone will like it if they just give it a chance. The work of inviting others shouldn't be work at all. If we realize just what we are doing keeping silent is the harder thing and inviting others becomes a joy.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
Clearly, we don't always experience our efforts to evangelize in this way. Perhaps at such times we are trying to do things on our own. Perhaps we are trying to be the light apart from Jesus Christ. Let us come to him and take his yoke upon us. He is meek and humble of heart and we will find true rest even as we respond to his call.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
We are called to be united in the joy of Christ. We are called to be united in our desire. We should want above all else to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of our life, that we may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his glory. In other words we should desire to be with the LORD in heaven above all else. But what can we do about it? Do we really decide which desires we have and which we don't? Not as directly as that. But if we keep our eyes fixed on God he does become our desire more and more.
God himself is our light and our salvation. He promises to dispel the darkness of Zebulun and Naphtali. He promises a great light for his people not just in heaven but even now in this life. Jesus reveals that he himself is this light. He fulfills the ancient oracle that light will dawn when he "went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali".
This light is not an abstraction. It is not a construct of "the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning." It is not an abstraction. It is not human eloquence. But it is revealed by the preaching of the gospel. This is why light rising on Zebulun and Naphtali coincides with Jesus beginning to preach.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
When we read Scripture, when we receive the Sacraments, when we pray, when we worship, when we serve God in others, and in so many other ways we gaze upon the light of Jesus.
The longer form of today's gospel would remind us that Jesus extends this ministry through those he calls. He is the light of the world (cf. Joh. 8:12). But we are called to be the light of the world as well (cf. Mat. 5:14). Others should be able to gaze upon the light of Jesus in us. We hear the same call that Peter, Andrew, James, and John hear even if we don't express it in ordinained ministry.
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
From the readings today we should realize that it is not supposed to be burdensome to share the good news. It is more like inviting people to a really good party. We know that the party is good. We know that everyone will like it if they just give it a chance. The work of inviting others shouldn't be work at all. If we realize just what we are doing keeping silent is the harder thing and inviting others becomes a joy.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
Clearly, we don't always experience our efforts to evangelize in this way. Perhaps at such times we are trying to do things on our own. Perhaps we are trying to be the light apart from Jesus Christ. Let us come to him and take his yoke upon us. He is meek and humble of heart and we will find true rest even as we respond to his call.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
Friday, January 24, 2014
24 Friday 2014 - tunnel vision
24 Friday 2014 - tunnel vision
David’s servants said to him,
“This is the day of which the LORD said to you,
‘I will deliver your enemy into your grasp;
Although the LORD tells David that he will delivery Saul into his hands that doesn't mean David is free to do with him whatever he wants. Reading the phrase "into your grasp" might make us assume that that is precisely what the LORD intends, but David eventually realizes that it is not.
“The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master,
the LORD’s anointed, as to lay a hand on him,
for he is the LORD’s anointed.”
A lesson which we should draw from this is not to run ahead of the LORD's plan. We may experience great exhilaration and joy when the LORD acts in our lives. This is good. However, the temptation is to run off on our own, conflating the plans we form at such times with the consolations we receive from God. We then easily imagine our plans our his will. David stops himself before he hurts Saul. Because he does so Saul's heart is softened once more.
May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.
And now, I know that you shall surely be king
and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession.”
The main reason that David initially "had some thought of killing" Saul is fear. After all, Saul is pursuing him to kill him. But David is ultimately able to entrust his cause to the LORD.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,
till harm pass by.
He realizes that the "LORD will be judge" and he is able to take comfort in the fact the he will ultimately grant him justice beyond the reach of his enemy. We can all trust in the LORD in this way. If we trust in him he will eventually put us beyond the reach of our enemies as well.
Let us be attentive to the LORD as he directs us. That we conflate our plans with his is a problem not because our plans are too great for him but because they are not great enough. They are too narrow. He appoints us to drive out demons. He gives us the grace to soften even hardened hearts like that of Saul.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
Let us not run ahead of him. Even if it seems like a safer bet let us trust that the plans he has for us. They are greater than our own. They are greater, in fact, than anything we can ask or imagine (cf. Eph. 3:20).
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
David’s servants said to him,
“This is the day of which the LORD said to you,
‘I will deliver your enemy into your grasp;
Although the LORD tells David that he will delivery Saul into his hands that doesn't mean David is free to do with him whatever he wants. Reading the phrase "into your grasp" might make us assume that that is precisely what the LORD intends, but David eventually realizes that it is not.
“The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master,
the LORD’s anointed, as to lay a hand on him,
for he is the LORD’s anointed.”
A lesson which we should draw from this is not to run ahead of the LORD's plan. We may experience great exhilaration and joy when the LORD acts in our lives. This is good. However, the temptation is to run off on our own, conflating the plans we form at such times with the consolations we receive from God. We then easily imagine our plans our his will. David stops himself before he hurts Saul. Because he does so Saul's heart is softened once more.
May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.
And now, I know that you shall surely be king
and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession.”
The main reason that David initially "had some thought of killing" Saul is fear. After all, Saul is pursuing him to kill him. But David is ultimately able to entrust his cause to the LORD.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,
till harm pass by.
He realizes that the "LORD will be judge" and he is able to take comfort in the fact the he will ultimately grant him justice beyond the reach of his enemy. We can all trust in the LORD in this way. If we trust in him he will eventually put us beyond the reach of our enemies as well.
Let us be attentive to the LORD as he directs us. That we conflate our plans with his is a problem not because our plans are too great for him but because they are not great enough. They are too narrow. He appoints us to drive out demons. He gives us the grace to soften even hardened hearts like that of Saul.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
Let us not run ahead of him. Even if it seems like a safer bet let us trust that the plans he has for us. They are greater than our own. They are greater, in fact, than anything we can ask or imagine (cf. Eph. 3:20).
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
23 January 2014 - crushing defeated
23 January 2014 - crushing defeated
The LORD is the one who gives David victory. It makes Saul jealous, since the victory seems greater than his own. But Saul is being prideful. Is Saul interested in what the LORD is doing to build up his kingdom or is he interesting in the vanity of his own projects?
When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine,
and the LORD brought about a great victory
for all Israel through him,
you were glad to see it.
Jonathan helps Saul to realize that he is lost in his own pride. He comes to realize that "the LORD brought about a great victory for all Israel". It isn't about Saul and his efforts. It about God's love for his people. Learning this can help us to be free from fear.
Now I know that God is with me.
In God, in whose promise I glory,
in God I trust without fear;
what can flesh do against me?
If it is all about us and what we can do we have good reason to be afraid. We don't know what the future will hold. We don't know if our human strength is enough or if it will last. But if we trust in God what can flesh do against us? This what it means to "walk before God in the light of the living."
When we are lost in our own plans, when we have a fixed and static way in which we imagine God to work, we risk crowding out God's initiative. If we are too insistent that he continue to work in these old ways he may have to put distance between us and him. Yes, he feeds the crowds with bread. Yes, he cures many. But there is something greater on the horizon. There is something less glamorous in store. There is a baptism with which he must be baptized (cf. Luk. 12:50). And it is so awesome and terrible that even Peter says, "This shall never happen to you" (cf. Mat. 16:22).
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
We should get as close to Jesus as we can. We should try to touch him. This is how the hemorrhaging woman is healed when she reaches out to touch Jesus (cf. Mar. 5:29). But we need to be careful not to crush him. This is vitally import for us to get. As we progress in our walk with Jesus we experience his victory in certain areas of life. We experience victory over sin in specific ways. Let's pause to remember how the LORD has been victorious in us. Yet after these victories there are always new adventures and new struggles. We can't cling to the comfort of old victories and healings so much that we refuse to embark on these new paths to which we are doubtlessly being called.
The LORD ultimately wants relationship with us. He wants us humble and pure so that we can really know who he is. The demons won't confuse us with their half-truths. They tell us that he is only the LORD if he does this or that. Death is the ultimate barrier that prevents us from seeing God as he really is. This is why he is ultimately revealed as LORD by his resurrection from the dead (cf. Rom. 1:4). Sharing that victory is the ultimate priority which gives meaning to all other triumphs and healings we experience.
For you have rescued me from death,
my feet, too, from stumbling;
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
The LORD is the one who gives David victory. It makes Saul jealous, since the victory seems greater than his own. But Saul is being prideful. Is Saul interested in what the LORD is doing to build up his kingdom or is he interesting in the vanity of his own projects?
When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine,
and the LORD brought about a great victory
for all Israel through him,
you were glad to see it.
Jonathan helps Saul to realize that he is lost in his own pride. He comes to realize that "the LORD brought about a great victory for all Israel". It isn't about Saul and his efforts. It about God's love for his people. Learning this can help us to be free from fear.
Now I know that God is with me.
In God, in whose promise I glory,
in God I trust without fear;
what can flesh do against me?
If it is all about us and what we can do we have good reason to be afraid. We don't know what the future will hold. We don't know if our human strength is enough or if it will last. But if we trust in God what can flesh do against us? This what it means to "walk before God in the light of the living."
When we are lost in our own plans, when we have a fixed and static way in which we imagine God to work, we risk crowding out God's initiative. If we are too insistent that he continue to work in these old ways he may have to put distance between us and him. Yes, he feeds the crowds with bread. Yes, he cures many. But there is something greater on the horizon. There is something less glamorous in store. There is a baptism with which he must be baptized (cf. Luk. 12:50). And it is so awesome and terrible that even Peter says, "This shall never happen to you" (cf. Mat. 16:22).
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
We should get as close to Jesus as we can. We should try to touch him. This is how the hemorrhaging woman is healed when she reaches out to touch Jesus (cf. Mar. 5:29). But we need to be careful not to crush him. This is vitally import for us to get. As we progress in our walk with Jesus we experience his victory in certain areas of life. We experience victory over sin in specific ways. Let's pause to remember how the LORD has been victorious in us. Yet after these victories there are always new adventures and new struggles. We can't cling to the comfort of old victories and healings so much that we refuse to embark on these new paths to which we are doubtlessly being called.
The LORD ultimately wants relationship with us. He wants us humble and pure so that we can really know who he is. The demons won't confuse us with their half-truths. They tell us that he is only the LORD if he does this or that. Death is the ultimate barrier that prevents us from seeing God as he really is. This is why he is ultimately revealed as LORD by his resurrection from the dead (cf. Rom. 1:4). Sharing that victory is the ultimate priority which gives meaning to all other triumphs and healings we experience.
For you have rescued me from death,
my feet, too, from stumbling;
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
22 January 2014 - battle school
22 January 2014 - battle school
The world tries to paralyze us with fear.
“You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him,
for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
There are many good works which God has prepared for us to do. But the world is all to willing to provide reasons we should be afraid to undertake them. It shows us a cost balance analysis that always comes out in favor of staying in our comfort zones. They reasons usually aren't as dramatic as the risk of death. We are often afraid to speak up, afraid that we we look ignorant or bigoted. Let the courage of David inspire us. It isn't about his youth. It isn't about the weapons it his disposal. It is all about the fact that the LORD is with him.
David answered him:
“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar,
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.
The LORD often works this way. He doesn't want his might to be confused with our strength. He wants to show the world that he is the God who saves.
All this multitude, too,
shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves.
For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
The LORD is preparing us for battle. It is not a battle with flesh and blood. It is against the principalities, the powers, and the world rulers of this present darkness (cf. Eph. 6:12). We must come to him for training. We must empty our cups so that he can fill us. We must learn in his battle school to rely on his strength and not our own. He will teach us this in small ways first so that when we enter into larger battles we can be steadfast in trust.
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
We can't let the pressures of the world prevent us from bringing the healing which God desires to unleash. We see the resistance to the kingdom and our resolve is strengthened, not challenged, as is our compassion for those whose hearts are still hardened:
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
No longer moved by fear and self doubt God uses us to bring his healing touch into the world.
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
Let the courage of David by our model in going forth on this day to challenge the destruction of unborn life. Let his courage inspire us to step outside of our comfort zones in this week of Christian unity to pursue the oneness which God desires us to have. And may we glory in the victory which comes from him alone.
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
The world tries to paralyze us with fear.
“You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him,
for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
There are many good works which God has prepared for us to do. But the world is all to willing to provide reasons we should be afraid to undertake them. It shows us a cost balance analysis that always comes out in favor of staying in our comfort zones. They reasons usually aren't as dramatic as the risk of death. We are often afraid to speak up, afraid that we we look ignorant or bigoted. Let the courage of David inspire us. It isn't about his youth. It isn't about the weapons it his disposal. It is all about the fact that the LORD is with him.
David answered him:
“You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar,
but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.
The LORD often works this way. He doesn't want his might to be confused with our strength. He wants to show the world that he is the God who saves.
All this multitude, too,
shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves.
For the battle is the LORD’s and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
The LORD is preparing us for battle. It is not a battle with flesh and blood. It is against the principalities, the powers, and the world rulers of this present darkness (cf. Eph. 6:12). We must come to him for training. We must empty our cups so that he can fill us. We must learn in his battle school to rely on his strength and not our own. He will teach us this in small ways first so that when we enter into larger battles we can be steadfast in trust.
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
We can't let the pressures of the world prevent us from bringing the healing which God desires to unleash. We see the resistance to the kingdom and our resolve is strengthened, not challenged, as is our compassion for those whose hearts are still hardened:
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
No longer moved by fear and self doubt God uses us to bring his healing touch into the world.
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
Let the courage of David by our model in going forth on this day to challenge the destruction of unborn life. Let his courage inspire us to step outside of our comfort zones in this week of Christian unity to pursue the oneness which God desires us to have. And may we glory in the victory which comes from him alone.
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
21 January 2014 - not by appearances
21 January 2014 - not by appearances
God does not ask us to become humble because he is selfish. He doesn't need us to debase ourselves out of his pride. He asks humility of us because it is the only way that he can bless us with all of the life and joy which he wants to pour out. We are sometimes surprised to hear this. We imagine that man is made for the sabbath.
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
But man cannot add anything to God. God has no need to create us. He has no need to offer us the profound rest we can know on the sabbath. He does it all out of love for us. We imagine that by subjecting ourselves to some abstracted rules we are putting God first. But we are actually being prideful, imagining that by our striving and precision we are offering God something which he would otherwise lack.
Not as man sees does God see,
because he sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart.”
We need to try to learn to see as God sees. We need to try to have empathy which looks into the heart and unites us with those around us. Appearances can make us imagine holiness where in fact there is none. They can make us miss holiness where it does exist. If we judge by appearances we may miss the bonds and relationships into which the LORD wants us to enter. When we are stuck on appearances we should look to the Son of Man as our reference and see what he does. Is it shocking? This is a sign that we are too attached to appearances. He is LORD even of the sabbath and can show us when we are getting hung up on external things. He will let us know if we are "whitewashed tombs", beautiful on the outside, but unclean within (cf. Mat. 23:27).
Even someone as great as David is not anointed just for his own sake. He is anointed because all of the people of Israel need someone in their midst upon whom the Spirit of the LORD rushes.
Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
anointed him in the midst of his brothers;
and from that day on, the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.
It is not just Israel who needs this. Which is why David points the way to one who is even greater than he. The Holy Spirit rushing on David prefigures the way in which he rushes on Jesus when he is baptized by John in the Jordan. The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us. We see Jesus anointed with the Holy Spirit and realize that he is indeed the Son of God, LORD of the sabbath, LORD of all. We realize that he is here out of love for us. We are now open to let go of our imagined control and surrender our lives to Jesus. And then as we surrender we in turn receive the Holy Spirit from Jesus. We are changed from within and our eyes are open to look into the heart. We gain the purity which clears our vision of planks. We gain the purity of heart with which we see God.
God then says of us what he says of David.
“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”
We even hear him say:
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
And I will make him the first-born,
highest of the kings of the earth.”
Only in Jesus can we truly say to God, "You are my father". Even David could only say this in a partial and prophetic way. But the Spirit who rushes upon us changes us even more profoundly than it does David. From whitewashed tombs the stones are rolled back and we awaken to new life.
God does not ask us to become humble because he is selfish. He doesn't need us to debase ourselves out of his pride. He asks humility of us because it is the only way that he can bless us with all of the life and joy which he wants to pour out. We are sometimes surprised to hear this. We imagine that man is made for the sabbath.
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
But man cannot add anything to God. God has no need to create us. He has no need to offer us the profound rest we can know on the sabbath. He does it all out of love for us. We imagine that by subjecting ourselves to some abstracted rules we are putting God first. But we are actually being prideful, imagining that by our striving and precision we are offering God something which he would otherwise lack.
Not as man sees does God see,
because he sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart.”
We need to try to learn to see as God sees. We need to try to have empathy which looks into the heart and unites us with those around us. Appearances can make us imagine holiness where in fact there is none. They can make us miss holiness where it does exist. If we judge by appearances we may miss the bonds and relationships into which the LORD wants us to enter. When we are stuck on appearances we should look to the Son of Man as our reference and see what he does. Is it shocking? This is a sign that we are too attached to appearances. He is LORD even of the sabbath and can show us when we are getting hung up on external things. He will let us know if we are "whitewashed tombs", beautiful on the outside, but unclean within (cf. Mat. 23:27).
Even someone as great as David is not anointed just for his own sake. He is anointed because all of the people of Israel need someone in their midst upon whom the Spirit of the LORD rushes.
Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
anointed him in the midst of his brothers;
and from that day on, the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.
It is not just Israel who needs this. Which is why David points the way to one who is even greater than he. The Holy Spirit rushing on David prefigures the way in which he rushes on Jesus when he is baptized by John in the Jordan. The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us. We see Jesus anointed with the Holy Spirit and realize that he is indeed the Son of God, LORD of the sabbath, LORD of all. We realize that he is here out of love for us. We are now open to let go of our imagined control and surrender our lives to Jesus. And then as we surrender we in turn receive the Holy Spirit from Jesus. We are changed from within and our eyes are open to look into the heart. We gain the purity which clears our vision of planks. We gain the purity of heart with which we see God.
God then says of us what he says of David.
“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”
We even hear him say:
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
And I will make him the first-born,
highest of the kings of the earth.”
Only in Jesus can we truly say to God, "You are my father". Even David could only say this in a partial and prophetic way. But the Spirit who rushes upon us changes us even more profoundly than it does David. From whitewashed tombs the stones are rolled back and we awaken to new life.
Monday, January 20, 2014
20 January 2014 - all in
20 January 2014 - all in
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
We can't be half-way Christians. We need to be all in. It isn't enough to talk the talk. We have to live it. It isn't enough to pick and choose. We need to accept the entire truth wholeheartedly.
We can't be like Saul who says “I did indeed obey the LORD", and proceeds to qualify that statement with how he did no such thing:
But from the spoil the men took sheep and oxen,
the best of what had been banned,
to sacrifice to the LORD their God in Gilgal.”
He glosses over his disobedience with some spiritual rationale. But it is not God's rationale. Obedience needs to come before sacrifice. Obedience is the only valid framework for spiritual acts.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
People ask why the disciples of Jesus do not fast. The sacrifice of fasting can be good, but only when it issues from obedience. Sometimes it is not appropriate. When the bridegroom is with us we cannot fast. Sacrifice can be twisted to our own ends if we do it for other reasons than obedience. It can become something which builds pride rather than destroying it.
Saul risks tainting the nation by not destroying the Amalekites completely. It is precisely what Jesus warns about when he tells us that new wine must be kept in new wineskins. We not only count on Jesus for the substance of new life but also for the entire framework into which it fits. His paradigm is new. It will not fit into older externalities. Only the paradigm of the life he of obedience which he lives can give shape to the grace he pours out.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
This is how obedience and sacrifice come together in Jesus. He is completely given over to the Father's will. He doesn't hold on to anything for his own sake. He humbles himself taking human form and obediently accepts even death on the cross (cr. Phi. 2). Because he does this his name is exulted above every name. Therefore in his name we are allowed to share both his obedience and his unreserved offering of himself. As we read in Hebrews chapter 13:
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
This gives context to our attempts to hold on to things from our lives before we become Christians. It gives context to the apparent goods which the secular world can supply. It gives context to ecumenism. The context it gives doesn't mean there is nothing useful in these sources. It does mean that the framework for judging must be obedience and prior commitment to the truth of revelation.
If we are obedient, if we are upright, we will see God show his "saving power". This is the deepest desire of our hearts.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
We can't be half-way Christians. We need to be all in. It isn't enough to talk the talk. We have to live it. It isn't enough to pick and choose. We need to accept the entire truth wholeheartedly.
We can't be like Saul who says “I did indeed obey the LORD", and proceeds to qualify that statement with how he did no such thing:
But from the spoil the men took sheep and oxen,
the best of what had been banned,
to sacrifice to the LORD their God in Gilgal.”
He glosses over his disobedience with some spiritual rationale. But it is not God's rationale. Obedience needs to come before sacrifice. Obedience is the only valid framework for spiritual acts.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
People ask why the disciples of Jesus do not fast. The sacrifice of fasting can be good, but only when it issues from obedience. Sometimes it is not appropriate. When the bridegroom is with us we cannot fast. Sacrifice can be twisted to our own ends if we do it for other reasons than obedience. It can become something which builds pride rather than destroying it.
Saul risks tainting the nation by not destroying the Amalekites completely. It is precisely what Jesus warns about when he tells us that new wine must be kept in new wineskins. We not only count on Jesus for the substance of new life but also for the entire framework into which it fits. His paradigm is new. It will not fit into older externalities. Only the paradigm of the life he of obedience which he lives can give shape to the grace he pours out.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
This is how obedience and sacrifice come together in Jesus. He is completely given over to the Father's will. He doesn't hold on to anything for his own sake. He humbles himself taking human form and obediently accepts even death on the cross (cr. Phi. 2). Because he does this his name is exulted above every name. Therefore in his name we are allowed to share both his obedience and his unreserved offering of himself. As we read in Hebrews chapter 13:
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
This gives context to our attempts to hold on to things from our lives before we become Christians. It gives context to the apparent goods which the secular world can supply. It gives context to ecumenism. The context it gives doesn't mean there is nothing useful in these sources. It does mean that the framework for judging must be obedience and prior commitment to the truth of revelation.
If we are obedient, if we are upright, we will see God show his "saving power". This is the deepest desire of our hearts.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
19 January 2014 - light up the darkness
19 January 2014 - light up the darkness
It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
God wants to brighten our lives. He wants to put a new life inside us that we can't hide. He wants to put a new song into our mouth, a hymn to our God.
Everyone who has "been sanctified in Christ Jesus" is "called to be holy". John the Baptist is a model for us in this. He realizes that the light of nations does not originate from within himself. Yet he plays a pivotal role in revealing that light.
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
So how do we make this light manifest so that the tribes of Jacob may be raised up and the survivors of Israel restored? How do we show forth this light so that God's salvation may reach to the ends of the earth? Let us say with the psalmist, "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will." Let us be like "all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours."
We cannot do his will on our own strength. But doing his will is how we make shine the light of the kingdom. So we must call upon his name. In other words we must rely on him for everything. He is good and answers us. We are all the servants through whom the LORD reveals his glory. He has formed us from the womb for this purpose. Let us never restrain our lips from his praise. May his light ever shine!
It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
God wants to brighten our lives. He wants to put a new life inside us that we can't hide. He wants to put a new song into our mouth, a hymn to our God.
Everyone who has "been sanctified in Christ Jesus" is "called to be holy". John the Baptist is a model for us in this. He realizes that the light of nations does not originate from within himself. Yet he plays a pivotal role in revealing that light.
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
So how do we make this light manifest so that the tribes of Jacob may be raised up and the survivors of Israel restored? How do we show forth this light so that God's salvation may reach to the ends of the earth? Let us say with the psalmist, "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will." Let us be like "all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours."
We cannot do his will on our own strength. But doing his will is how we make shine the light of the kingdom. So we must call upon his name. In other words we must rely on him for everything. He is good and answers us. We are all the servants through whom the LORD reveals his glory. He has formed us from the womb for this purpose. Let us never restrain our lips from his praise. May his light ever shine!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
18 January 2014 - divine physician
18 January 2014 - divine physician
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Let's not take this for granted. It is as if the Pharisees say, 'This guy spends all his time in dive bars. The people with whom he surrounds himself are hedonistic, violent, and don't give a thought to others. How can he be the Messiah?' OK, point taken, or at least better understood.
Jesus is different from us. Without him, we have to wall ourselves off from sin. We have to separate from it as much as possible. We don't have the strength to be victorious over it within our flesh. But Jesus is not made unclean by the things around him. Instead, healing and purity flows from him.
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
This is good news. No matter how much we try to wall ourselves off from the sinners of the world we find sin nevertheless alive in our hearts. We need Jesus to heal us as much as anyone else needs it. We do not have the holiness without which no one can see God (cf. Heb. 12:14). Only Jesus has this holiness. Only the Divine Physician can make it present in us. Only he can sustain it in us. It isn't even that he does something once (e.g., baptism) and we are strong enough to get up and running. We need him moment to moment to sustain this grace within us and let us share in his own holiness.
Jesus is the one who will ultimately "save them from the grasp of their enemies roundabout." But Saul's ultimate enemy is not "roundabout" it is within his own heart. This victory over our flesh is what Jesus ultimately comes to bring.
O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.
He changes our hearts to desire what he desires. He gives us strength to do his will. He has taken captive sin and death. The principalities and the powers subjected to him. He invites us to let him reign over the forces of darkness within our own hearts. He invites us to rejoice in his victory.
Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
For you made him a blessing forever;
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
When Jesus reigns in us we too will be able to go to sinners without fear of contamination. We too will go before the sick and the poor and the lame and transform them instead of being transformed. We hear his call, "Follow me", and we will run after him, rejoicing that even the demons are subject to us.
Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Let's not take this for granted. It is as if the Pharisees say, 'This guy spends all his time in dive bars. The people with whom he surrounds himself are hedonistic, violent, and don't give a thought to others. How can he be the Messiah?' OK, point taken, or at least better understood.
Jesus is different from us. Without him, we have to wall ourselves off from sin. We have to separate from it as much as possible. We don't have the strength to be victorious over it within our flesh. But Jesus is not made unclean by the things around him. Instead, healing and purity flows from him.
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
This is good news. No matter how much we try to wall ourselves off from the sinners of the world we find sin nevertheless alive in our hearts. We need Jesus to heal us as much as anyone else needs it. We do not have the holiness without which no one can see God (cf. Heb. 12:14). Only Jesus has this holiness. Only the Divine Physician can make it present in us. Only he can sustain it in us. It isn't even that he does something once (e.g., baptism) and we are strong enough to get up and running. We need him moment to moment to sustain this grace within us and let us share in his own holiness.
Jesus is the one who will ultimately "save them from the grasp of their enemies roundabout." But Saul's ultimate enemy is not "roundabout" it is within his own heart. This victory over our flesh is what Jesus ultimately comes to bring.
O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.
He changes our hearts to desire what he desires. He gives us strength to do his will. He has taken captive sin and death. The principalities and the powers subjected to him. He invites us to let him reign over the forces of darkness within our own hearts. He invites us to rejoice in his victory.
Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
For you made him a blessing forever;
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
When Jesus reigns in us we too will be able to go to sinners without fear of contamination. We too will go before the sick and the poor and the lame and transform them instead of being transformed. We hear his call, "Follow me", and we will run after him, rejoicing that even the demons are subject to us.
Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
Friday, January 17, 2014
17 January 2014 - come to jesus
17 January 2014 - come to jesus
What do we really need? Do we know?
We are quick to say, "appoint a king over us," but is a king really what we need?
Maybe a king represents a human intermediary when we are unwilling to trust God to act directly. If we make a choice like this we may find ourselves suffering the consequences of allowing a man with flawed human nature to take a role which should be God's. Will he take our sons and daughters for his work, take our fields, vineyards and olive groves for his officials, take even our best oxen and asses for his purposes?
He will tithe your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves.
When this takes place,
you will complain against the king whom you have chosen,
but on that day the LORD will not answer you.”
We want to "be like other nations" but of what are we really envious? We want something that is direct and easy. We want the power of a king but not the responsibility of a God. And it is true that God is less direct. We have to be still to hear his voice speaking in our souls. God is a gentleman. He always approaches us in a way that respects our free will. The enemy, on the other hand, is loud, oppressive, and immediate. We see quickly that he doesn't regard our free will, only his own malevolent designs.
In today's Gospel reading the friends of the paralytic are wise enough to bring their friend directly to Jesus. They know what this direct access to Jesus can mean and are willing to go to extremes to achieve it. Yet even here we see that God knows our needs better than we ourselves know them. True, being healed of paralysis is a good. When he is cured his body may be likened to a earthly kingdom in good order. An earthly king may accomplish the analogous work in good conditions. Food may be plenteous and the kingdom may be at peace. But this good is still transitory. It is passing. Given enough time any kingdom will experience war and famine and eventual dissolution. Our hope must rise above these earthly goods to the eternal. And for this no earthly king can suffice. For the individual no mere physical healing can suffice.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus is not concerned with just one dimension of our lives. He is concerned with the whole person. We need to come to him directly and give him the stillness that he needs to speak to us. Let us hear him tell us to "rise" from our paralysis, from all that holds us captive in this life. And even more than this we need to here him say, "your sins are forgiven" that he may one day welcome us into his kingdom.
If we give him enough stillness we will learn to hear his voice better and better. What was once a whisper may become "the joyful shout".
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
What do we really need? Do we know?
We are quick to say, "appoint a king over us," but is a king really what we need?
Maybe a king represents a human intermediary when we are unwilling to trust God to act directly. If we make a choice like this we may find ourselves suffering the consequences of allowing a man with flawed human nature to take a role which should be God's. Will he take our sons and daughters for his work, take our fields, vineyards and olive groves for his officials, take even our best oxen and asses for his purposes?
He will tithe your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves.
When this takes place,
you will complain against the king whom you have chosen,
but on that day the LORD will not answer you.”
We want to "be like other nations" but of what are we really envious? We want something that is direct and easy. We want the power of a king but not the responsibility of a God. And it is true that God is less direct. We have to be still to hear his voice speaking in our souls. God is a gentleman. He always approaches us in a way that respects our free will. The enemy, on the other hand, is loud, oppressive, and immediate. We see quickly that he doesn't regard our free will, only his own malevolent designs.
In today's Gospel reading the friends of the paralytic are wise enough to bring their friend directly to Jesus. They know what this direct access to Jesus can mean and are willing to go to extremes to achieve it. Yet even here we see that God knows our needs better than we ourselves know them. True, being healed of paralysis is a good. When he is cured his body may be likened to a earthly kingdom in good order. An earthly king may accomplish the analogous work in good conditions. Food may be plenteous and the kingdom may be at peace. But this good is still transitory. It is passing. Given enough time any kingdom will experience war and famine and eventual dissolution. Our hope must rise above these earthly goods to the eternal. And for this no earthly king can suffice. For the individual no mere physical healing can suffice.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus is not concerned with just one dimension of our lives. He is concerned with the whole person. We need to come to him directly and give him the stillness that he needs to speak to us. Let us hear him tell us to "rise" from our paralysis, from all that holds us captive in this life. And even more than this we need to here him say, "your sins are forgiven" that he may one day welcome us into his kingdom.
If we give him enough stillness we will learn to hear his voice better and better. What was once a whisper may become "the joyful shout".
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
16 January 2013 - ennobled
16 January 2013 - ennobled
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”
This is so moving to hear. The leper does not doubt the power to heal him exists. He questions the love. He asks if the LORD wishes to heal him. He knows that if he has even that wish he has the power to make it happen. But he nevertheless finds himself as yet unhealed. He is still in pain. He stands before Jesus not at all convinced. It isn't that he is worried that there is no God. He worries that God is aloof and indifferent. After all he is still in pain. Why is the world this way if God wishes it otherwise. Yet all is waiting for him to ask Jesus for this healing.
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched the leper, and said to him,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
"Ask and you will receive," Jesus tells us. But why does he insist we ask? If the Father knows what we need before we ask (cf. Mat 6:8), if he knows how to give good gifts to his children (cf. Mat 7:11), why does he wait on our request?
There is a certain disposition he wants us to have. The Israelites in today's first reading are an example of the wrong disposition. They want the LORD to give them victory over the Philistines. Without consulting the LORD they bring the ark of his presence to the battlefield. They make a big noise which is purported for the glory of the LORD but which actually is for their own glory. This is a temptation we all face. We have our own plans. We want the LORD to concede to these plans of ours. We want him to serve us. This doesn't usually work.
The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated;
every man fled to his own tent.
It was a disastrous defeat,
in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
James tells us that when we ask for something we "must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord."
We must ask in faith. But what does this really mean? In Mark, Jesus tells us that whatever we ask for in prayer, if we believe we have it, it will be ours. We misinterpret this. We think it means we just imagine ourselves possessing our desires and then God will acquiesce to them. This is the mistake of the Israelites.
The key is faith. The key is belief. We must ask with complete trust in God. We must ask from a disposition which is surrendered to God as the LORD of our lives. This disposition does not try to bend God to our will but happily bends to his. This is why John tells us that we receive from God whatever we ask, "because we keep his commandments". In other words, we receive because his will comes first in our lives.
God ennobles us with agency in bringing his will to pass. He helps us, his children, to grow toward the full stature of Christ (cf. Eph. 4:3). He can make all things new without involving us if he chooses. But he loves us too much to leave us out.
If aren't putting the LORD first we are probably "bowed down to the dust". But even if he isn't going "forth with our armies" let us not give up. If we are "driven back by our foes" we are not yet defeated. All we need to do is repent.
Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”
This is so moving to hear. The leper does not doubt the power to heal him exists. He questions the love. He asks if the LORD wishes to heal him. He knows that if he has even that wish he has the power to make it happen. But he nevertheless finds himself as yet unhealed. He is still in pain. He stands before Jesus not at all convinced. It isn't that he is worried that there is no God. He worries that God is aloof and indifferent. After all he is still in pain. Why is the world this way if God wishes it otherwise. Yet all is waiting for him to ask Jesus for this healing.
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched the leper, and said to him,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
"Ask and you will receive," Jesus tells us. But why does he insist we ask? If the Father knows what we need before we ask (cf. Mat 6:8), if he knows how to give good gifts to his children (cf. Mat 7:11), why does he wait on our request?
There is a certain disposition he wants us to have. The Israelites in today's first reading are an example of the wrong disposition. They want the LORD to give them victory over the Philistines. Without consulting the LORD they bring the ark of his presence to the battlefield. They make a big noise which is purported for the glory of the LORD but which actually is for their own glory. This is a temptation we all face. We have our own plans. We want the LORD to concede to these plans of ours. We want him to serve us. This doesn't usually work.
The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated;
every man fled to his own tent.
It was a disastrous defeat,
in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
James tells us that when we ask for something we "must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord."
We must ask in faith. But what does this really mean? In Mark, Jesus tells us that whatever we ask for in prayer, if we believe we have it, it will be ours. We misinterpret this. We think it means we just imagine ourselves possessing our desires and then God will acquiesce to them. This is the mistake of the Israelites.
The key is faith. The key is belief. We must ask with complete trust in God. We must ask from a disposition which is surrendered to God as the LORD of our lives. This disposition does not try to bend God to our will but happily bends to his. This is why John tells us that we receive from God whatever we ask, "because we keep his commandments". In other words, we receive because his will comes first in our lives.
God ennobles us with agency in bringing his will to pass. He helps us, his children, to grow toward the full stature of Christ (cf. Eph. 4:3). He can make all things new without involving us if he chooses. But he loves us too much to leave us out.
If aren't putting the LORD first we are probably "bowed down to the dust". But even if he isn't going "forth with our armies" let us not give up. If we are "driven back by our foes" we are not yet defeated. All we need to do is repent.
Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
15 January 2015 - voicing concerns
15 January 2015 - voicing concerns
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
Jesus drives out demons, cure diseases, and preaches. For this purpose he comes. In another place we hear that he comes to seek and save the lost (cf. Luk. 19:10). In another place we read that he comes to "destroy the works of the devil" (cf 1 Joh. 3:8).
He comes to do the will of the Father. His every action says, "Here am I; I come to do your will." He won't allow himself to be confined even by the admiration and awe of the people. Even if the "whole town" is "gathered at the door" he continues on to where he is the most needed.
We need to learn to do the Father's will, too. If only we could say, "To do your will O my God, is my delight, and your law is witin my heart!" It is therefore no good to us to hear confessions from demons about who Jesus is. It is to our good that he does not permit them to speak. They know who he is and tremble (cf Jam. 2:19) but such knowledge can't touch the heart. It can in fact lead us to become callous. It can lead to misunderstanding. If we hear that Jesus is LORD while we still sit on the throne of our own life we try to use his power to accomplish our own plans. Instead we must learn to hear his voice over time as Samuel does.
“Here I am,” he said. “You called me.”
But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”
Like Samuel we benefit from the help of our elders who have familiarity with the voice of the LORD.
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So Eli said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’”
We see in the story of Samuel that the LORD speaking is not always as obvious as we'd expect. We may mistake it for a more mundane source. Learning to distinguish the voice of the LORD from all else which echoes within our Spirit is a gradual task. Jesus tells us that his sheep know his voice. But sheep aren't born knowing his voice. They don't even really know because they can authenticate the content as from him. They know because they hear it so much that they are used to it. Other voices are not similar and the sheep do not listen to them.
If we continue to be open to the LORD speaking to us he will be able to use us powerfully as he does Samuel.
Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
So let's be patient with this process, knowing that it is all part of God's plan.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
Jesus drives out demons, cure diseases, and preaches. For this purpose he comes. In another place we hear that he comes to seek and save the lost (cf. Luk. 19:10). In another place we read that he comes to "destroy the works of the devil" (cf 1 Joh. 3:8).
He comes to do the will of the Father. His every action says, "Here am I; I come to do your will." He won't allow himself to be confined even by the admiration and awe of the people. Even if the "whole town" is "gathered at the door" he continues on to where he is the most needed.
We need to learn to do the Father's will, too. If only we could say, "To do your will O my God, is my delight, and your law is witin my heart!" It is therefore no good to us to hear confessions from demons about who Jesus is. It is to our good that he does not permit them to speak. They know who he is and tremble (cf Jam. 2:19) but such knowledge can't touch the heart. It can in fact lead us to become callous. It can lead to misunderstanding. If we hear that Jesus is LORD while we still sit on the throne of our own life we try to use his power to accomplish our own plans. Instead we must learn to hear his voice over time as Samuel does.
“Here I am,” he said. “You called me.”
But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”
Like Samuel we benefit from the help of our elders who have familiarity with the voice of the LORD.
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So Eli said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’”
We see in the story of Samuel that the LORD speaking is not always as obvious as we'd expect. We may mistake it for a more mundane source. Learning to distinguish the voice of the LORD from all else which echoes within our Spirit is a gradual task. Jesus tells us that his sheep know his voice. But sheep aren't born knowing his voice. They don't even really know because they can authenticate the content as from him. They know because they hear it so much that they are used to it. Other voices are not similar and the sheep do not listen to them.
If we continue to be open to the LORD speaking to us he will be able to use us powerfully as he does Samuel.
Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
So let's be patient with this process, knowing that it is all part of God's plan.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
14 January 2014 - behind the scenes
14 January 2014 - behind the scenes
We all suffer. Hannah knows this. The man tormented by the unclear spirit knows this. And even if our pain is less dramatic we know it as well. We are constantly confronted with the fact that God allows sin, suffering, and sorrow to exist in this world he creates and sustains. And every single moment we have the opportunity to choose to trust him in spite of this. He says that all things work together for our good if we love him and are called according to his purpose. Do we believe him? Do we trust that behind what we can see and feel something is happening which gives meaning to all of the suffering?
God's grace allows Hannah to realize that her blessings are not really hers. They are the LORD's. She is therefore made able to offer back to the LORD the blessings which he eventually bestows upon her.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: “O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
In addition to the transformation which God can bring about in us through suffering it is also a way in which he reveals his power to the world.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
So many people talk about suffering. They philosophize about it. They posit solutions which are at best partial. Suffering literally flees from the voice of Jesus. His voice is the only voice which can even command unclean spirits. But this brings us full circle. If he has this authority why does suffering continue to exist in the world? We only begin to grasp this mystery as we watch him go to the cross. If he cries out the angels will come and deliver him. He lays down his life, no one takes it from him. But he chooses this way of love for our sakes. And we, as servants, are no greater than our master.
“The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he humbles, he also exalts.”
On the third day we hear his voice again, full of authority even over death itself. Somehow going through this has allowed him to make a deeper and more meaningful change. Those who, through fear of death were slaves their whole life long, are now free (cf. Heb. 2:15). Simply avoiding this death would ultimately be a failure, something much less than what he actually does. It is only through the cross that his victory is won.
“My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
This is how "Death is swallowed up in victory" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:54). Let us learn to trust Jesus even when times are tough. If we trust in him we can be assured that we too will rejoice in his victory.
We all suffer. Hannah knows this. The man tormented by the unclear spirit knows this. And even if our pain is less dramatic we know it as well. We are constantly confronted with the fact that God allows sin, suffering, and sorrow to exist in this world he creates and sustains. And every single moment we have the opportunity to choose to trust him in spite of this. He says that all things work together for our good if we love him and are called according to his purpose. Do we believe him? Do we trust that behind what we can see and feel something is happening which gives meaning to all of the suffering?
God's grace allows Hannah to realize that her blessings are not really hers. They are the LORD's. She is therefore made able to offer back to the LORD the blessings which he eventually bestows upon her.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: “O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
In addition to the transformation which God can bring about in us through suffering it is also a way in which he reveals his power to the world.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
So many people talk about suffering. They philosophize about it. They posit solutions which are at best partial. Suffering literally flees from the voice of Jesus. His voice is the only voice which can even command unclean spirits. But this brings us full circle. If he has this authority why does suffering continue to exist in the world? We only begin to grasp this mystery as we watch him go to the cross. If he cries out the angels will come and deliver him. He lays down his life, no one takes it from him. But he chooses this way of love for our sakes. And we, as servants, are no greater than our master.
“The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he humbles, he also exalts.”
On the third day we hear his voice again, full of authority even over death itself. Somehow going through this has allowed him to make a deeper and more meaningful change. Those who, through fear of death were slaves their whole life long, are now free (cf. Heb. 2:15). Simply avoiding this death would ultimately be a failure, something much less than what he actually does. It is only through the cross that his victory is won.
“My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
This is how "Death is swallowed up in victory" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:54). Let us learn to trust Jesus even when times are tough. If we trust in him we can be assured that we too will rejoice in his victory.
Monday, January 13, 2014
13 January 2014 - return on investment
13 January 2014 - return on investment
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they left their nets and followed him.
Jesus is passing by. He is revealing his divinity. We recall God passing by Elijah on Mount Carmel in the Old Testament. His presence then is surrounded by special effects. Powerful wind, earthquake, and fire. But his presence is not those things. It is the still small voice. Jesus too passes by with special effects of healing and mighty deeds. But these are secondary to his presence and his voice. Simon and Andrew hear his voice and the recognize who he is. It is a theophany which changes their lives forever. But is still a process. They second guess the choice they have made to stake everything on this vision of who Jesus is.
Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Jesus is willing to reassure Simon and Andrew and us as well. Even though there will be periods without special effects he still wants us to trust his voice. Even though experiences of theophany are interspersed with periods of darkness he wants our hope in him to be constant. The LORD sometimes permits trials and dark nights. He allows Hannah to experience barrenness. But all trials the LORD allows are meant for our good.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Even in the midst of dark nights the LORD wants us to trust in his voice. He never ceases to reassure us about the hope that lies in store, the hope that does not disappoint. The Holy Spirit abides in our hearts even in dark times. If anything he is even more present at such times. Provided we aren't fixated on the wind, the earthquakes, and the fire we are still able to find him.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
Jesus is calling us as well. He wants us to be ready to step out from the lives we are used to so that we can be his witnesses. Let us watch for him as he passes by in our own lives. His presence is never incidental. It is always meant to give us the encouragement and edification we need. Let us be ready to respond to this generosity of his. He does great things for us. We can only offer him back the gift he gives us to offer. That gift is letting him use us to bring others closer to him.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they left their nets and followed him.
Jesus is passing by. He is revealing his divinity. We recall God passing by Elijah on Mount Carmel in the Old Testament. His presence then is surrounded by special effects. Powerful wind, earthquake, and fire. But his presence is not those things. It is the still small voice. Jesus too passes by with special effects of healing and mighty deeds. But these are secondary to his presence and his voice. Simon and Andrew hear his voice and the recognize who he is. It is a theophany which changes their lives forever. But is still a process. They second guess the choice they have made to stake everything on this vision of who Jesus is.
Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Jesus is willing to reassure Simon and Andrew and us as well. Even though there will be periods without special effects he still wants us to trust his voice. Even though experiences of theophany are interspersed with periods of darkness he wants our hope in him to be constant. The LORD sometimes permits trials and dark nights. He allows Hannah to experience barrenness. But all trials the LORD allows are meant for our good.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Even in the midst of dark nights the LORD wants us to trust in his voice. He never ceases to reassure us about the hope that lies in store, the hope that does not disappoint. The Holy Spirit abides in our hearts even in dark times. If anything he is even more present at such times. Provided we aren't fixated on the wind, the earthquakes, and the fire we are still able to find him.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
Jesus is calling us as well. He wants us to be ready to step out from the lives we are used to so that we can be his witnesses. Let us watch for him as he passes by in our own lives. His presence is never incidental. It is always meant to give us the encouragement and edification we need. Let us be ready to respond to this generosity of his. He does great things for us. We can only offer him back the gift he gives us to offer. That gift is letting him use us to bring others closer to him.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
12 January 2014 - immersed
12 January 2014 - immersed
In the waters of baptism our sinful old self is put to death. "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" (cf. Rom. 6:3). Creation itself is thrust back into the chaotic abyss from which it is brought forth just as it is in the time of Noah. And only in the ark of the body of Christ do we survive this flood. Only on this ark does the Spirit who hovered over the waters of creation in the beginning now descend like a dove. Only here do we see the sign that the flood is at an end. The recreation that takes place in the time of Noah is partial and external. These waters of baptism which Christ makes holy heal us in a way which internal, complete, and indelible. We believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus has no need to descend into these waters. He does so for the same reason that he brings dry land forth in the beginning. He does so for the same reason he shows Noah how to build an ark. He is baptized out of love for us. But to become the ark himself, to become our solid ground, is an even greater humility and love than any we have seen henceforth.
As Paul tells us, "whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away behold new things have come." The baptism of Jesus is the dawn of the new creation. We see the waters of sin and death receding. It is therefore connected to his birth. In his birth the first spec of dry land appears in the womb of Mary. At his birth too the Holy Spirit hovers. It presages the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and therefore the birthday of the Church. If we have eyes to see it Jesus is making all things new right now at this very moment (cf. Rev. 21:5).
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
Jesus is the firstborn of this new creation (cf. Col. 1). We see now how the Holy Spirit is always present when God is creating. The anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power marks him as more connected to the new creation than to the old. That is why in his presence the sickness of the old creation is reversed.
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
We share in this same anointing. In our baptism we enter into the ark of the Church in the body of Christ. We share in the baptism of Jesus which empowers him to heal "all those oppressed by the devil". To be baptized "with the Holy Spirit and power" are not separate things. We share both.
Let us therefore sing praise to him who makes all things new.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
In the waters of baptism our sinful old self is put to death. "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" (cf. Rom. 6:3). Creation itself is thrust back into the chaotic abyss from which it is brought forth just as it is in the time of Noah. And only in the ark of the body of Christ do we survive this flood. Only on this ark does the Spirit who hovered over the waters of creation in the beginning now descend like a dove. Only here do we see the sign that the flood is at an end. The recreation that takes place in the time of Noah is partial and external. These waters of baptism which Christ makes holy heal us in a way which internal, complete, and indelible. We believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus has no need to descend into these waters. He does so for the same reason that he brings dry land forth in the beginning. He does so for the same reason he shows Noah how to build an ark. He is baptized out of love for us. But to become the ark himself, to become our solid ground, is an even greater humility and love than any we have seen henceforth.
As Paul tells us, "whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away behold new things have come." The baptism of Jesus is the dawn of the new creation. We see the waters of sin and death receding. It is therefore connected to his birth. In his birth the first spec of dry land appears in the womb of Mary. At his birth too the Holy Spirit hovers. It presages the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and therefore the birthday of the Church. If we have eyes to see it Jesus is making all things new right now at this very moment (cf. Rev. 21:5).
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
Jesus is the firstborn of this new creation (cf. Col. 1). We see now how the Holy Spirit is always present when God is creating. The anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power marks him as more connected to the new creation than to the old. That is why in his presence the sickness of the old creation is reversed.
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
We share in this same anointing. In our baptism we enter into the ark of the Church in the body of Christ. We share in the baptism of Jesus which empowers him to heal "all those oppressed by the devil". To be baptized "with the Holy Spirit and power" are not separate things. We share both.
Let us therefore sing praise to him who makes all things new.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
11 January 2014 - according to his will
11 January 2014 - according to his will
We have this confidence in him
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
we know that what we have asked him for is ours.
We read this and our first instinct is to try to figure out how to make the thing which is actually our will out to be God's will so that we can demand it of him. But that isn't how this works.
He must increase; I must decrease.
We must be like John the Baptist who rejoices at the bridegroom's voice. It isn't all about John and his ministry. When he begins to fade into the background as Jesus becomes more prominent he says, "this joy of mine has been made complete." John's project is nearing completion and he is willing to let it go. We have projects too. Often they are good. But do we insist on the centrality and priority of our plans when they are meant to give way to something larger for the kingdom? Do we pursue a ministry over and beyond the life God intends for it? We have to be on guard that even the good things we do don't become all about us. We will then be flexible when God has other plans. We will be ready to decrease so that he can increase.
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
When we choose to pursue our own plans our own way we may find that we are trying to dig wells in the desert. Even if the wells once contained water they may be dry now. It may be time to move forward. There simply is not blessing to find apart from that which comes from God.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
Jesus is ready to guide us. He doesn't want us wasting our efforts fruitlessly on our own projects. We "are in the one who is true" and if we are on guard against idols he shows us the plans he has for us. And the plans he has for us are more than we can ask or imagine.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
We have this confidence in him
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
we know that what we have asked him for is ours.
We read this and our first instinct is to try to figure out how to make the thing which is actually our will out to be God's will so that we can demand it of him. But that isn't how this works.
He must increase; I must decrease.
We must be like John the Baptist who rejoices at the bridegroom's voice. It isn't all about John and his ministry. When he begins to fade into the background as Jesus becomes more prominent he says, "this joy of mine has been made complete." John's project is nearing completion and he is willing to let it go. We have projects too. Often they are good. But do we insist on the centrality and priority of our plans when they are meant to give way to something larger for the kingdom? Do we pursue a ministry over and beyond the life God intends for it? We have to be on guard that even the good things we do don't become all about us. We will then be flexible when God has other plans. We will be ready to decrease so that he can increase.
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
When we choose to pursue our own plans our own way we may find that we are trying to dig wells in the desert. Even if the wells once contained water they may be dry now. It may be time to move forward. There simply is not blessing to find apart from that which comes from God.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
Jesus is ready to guide us. He doesn't want us wasting our efforts fruitlessly on our own projects. We "are in the one who is true" and if we are on guard against idols he shows us the plans he has for us. And the plans he has for us are more than we can ask or imagine.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
Friday, January 10, 2014
10 January 2014 - born into a battle
10 January 2014 - born into a battle
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Do we even have a sense that we are in a battle? The word 'world' here is not referring to the world which God creates, loves, and for which he sends his only son. The world here is the systemic evil that infects that creation. It is composed of the structures of society which are hostile to the kingdom. It is "the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens" against which we struggle. Or at least against which we need to struggle. Momentum is certainly on their side. As we can see all about us, if we do nothing they increase their dominance.
Clearly though, the enemy is out of our league. The only way to win is by the victory of the only one who is strong enough to bind the enemy and plunder his house (cf. Mar. 3:27). Only the victory of Jesus can destroy sin and death and the structures of the world which serve them. We share in this victory by believing in Jesus as the Son of God.
Why is belief the condition of our victory? By belief we surrender our claim to fight by our own strength. By it we rely on God. Even the very thing we believe is at the testimony of the Spirit, not because we figure it out on our own. God "has testified on behalf of his Son" and we "have this testimony within" ourselves. Nothing is done on our own strength. Everything comes from God, revealed by "the Spirit, the water and the blood", from Jesus, human and divine and the life he offers the Father for our sakes. John points out that the Precious Blood is essential here. We don't just believe in the divine one who walks among us, revealed by the Father in his baptism. We believe this, yes, but not apart from the Cross which gives meaning to his coming. The Spirit holds these two seemingly opposed poles together within our hearts.
The leper knows that Jesus is this victory of God enfleshed. But he is not confident that it has anything to do with him. He gets the water, but doubts what the blood implies. He is not yet convinced of the love which God has for him.
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
The leper must let the Spirit testify in his heart that God does indeed love him. He hears this testimony spoken aloud by the Savior:
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Jesus cares even about the physical well being of outcasts whom the world, the flesh, and the devil oppress. His Precious Blood is the ultimate revelation of this love. The leper is privileged to taste it in advance.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Do we even have a sense that we are in a battle? The word 'world' here is not referring to the world which God creates, loves, and for which he sends his only son. The world here is the systemic evil that infects that creation. It is composed of the structures of society which are hostile to the kingdom. It is "the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens" against which we struggle. Or at least against which we need to struggle. Momentum is certainly on their side. As we can see all about us, if we do nothing they increase their dominance.
Clearly though, the enemy is out of our league. The only way to win is by the victory of the only one who is strong enough to bind the enemy and plunder his house (cf. Mar. 3:27). Only the victory of Jesus can destroy sin and death and the structures of the world which serve them. We share in this victory by believing in Jesus as the Son of God.
Why is belief the condition of our victory? By belief we surrender our claim to fight by our own strength. By it we rely on God. Even the very thing we believe is at the testimony of the Spirit, not because we figure it out on our own. God "has testified on behalf of his Son" and we "have this testimony within" ourselves. Nothing is done on our own strength. Everything comes from God, revealed by "the Spirit, the water and the blood", from Jesus, human and divine and the life he offers the Father for our sakes. John points out that the Precious Blood is essential here. We don't just believe in the divine one who walks among us, revealed by the Father in his baptism. We believe this, yes, but not apart from the Cross which gives meaning to his coming. The Spirit holds these two seemingly opposed poles together within our hearts.
The leper knows that Jesus is this victory of God enfleshed. But he is not confident that it has anything to do with him. He gets the water, but doubts what the blood implies. He is not yet convinced of the love which God has for him.
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
The leper must let the Spirit testify in his heart that God does indeed love him. He hears this testimony spoken aloud by the Savior:
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Jesus cares even about the physical well being of outcasts whom the world, the flesh, and the devil oppress. His Precious Blood is the ultimate revelation of this love. The leper is privileged to taste it in advance.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
9 January 2014 - because he first loved us
9 January 2014 - because he first loved us
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
Love of God is more than a feeling. It is a whole life lived in a certain way and in accordance with a certain standard. We worry that commandments are "burdensome", restrictive, designed without our best interests at heart. But "his commandments are not burdensome" and in fact are the blueprint for a victorious life. Living the commandments is "the victory that conquers the world" because they are the sine qua non for living the love of God. When we live this love we are begotten by him. The commandments are not burdensome for those with this life in them. The commandments are not burdensome for those set free from the fear of sin and death. They are all about love, love for God, and love for our brother. This means that when we make even small acts of love toward our brother we are living the victory that conquers the world.
And possible the best part? We don't have to do this on our own. We don't have to stir it up within ourselves. We don't have to rely on our own strength:
Beloved, we love God because
he first loved us.
Just as Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit in his baptism we too are filled with him in baptism and this before we can do anything to deserve it.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
The Holy Spirit empowers us to live this love of God and brother and all its profound implications and miraculous consequences:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
We long to see this year that is acceptable to the LORD when all of the oppressed go free and live in the victory that conquers the world. We long for that time when "every nation on earth will adore" Jesus Christ and live out of love for him. It starts with Jesus and the grace he gives. It is marked by love throughout. It ends in worship and adoration. With the psalmist we pray:
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
Love of God is more than a feeling. It is a whole life lived in a certain way and in accordance with a certain standard. We worry that commandments are "burdensome", restrictive, designed without our best interests at heart. But "his commandments are not burdensome" and in fact are the blueprint for a victorious life. Living the commandments is "the victory that conquers the world" because they are the sine qua non for living the love of God. When we live this love we are begotten by him. The commandments are not burdensome for those with this life in them. The commandments are not burdensome for those set free from the fear of sin and death. They are all about love, love for God, and love for our brother. This means that when we make even small acts of love toward our brother we are living the victory that conquers the world.
And possible the best part? We don't have to do this on our own. We don't have to stir it up within ourselves. We don't have to rely on our own strength:
Beloved, we love God because
he first loved us.
Just as Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit in his baptism we too are filled with him in baptism and this before we can do anything to deserve it.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
The Holy Spirit empowers us to live this love of God and brother and all its profound implications and miraculous consequences:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
We long to see this year that is acceptable to the LORD when all of the oppressed go free and live in the victory that conquers the world. We long for that time when "every nation on earth will adore" Jesus Christ and live out of love for him. It starts with Jesus and the grace he gives. It is marked by love throughout. It ends in worship and adoration. With the psalmist we pray:
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
8 January 2014 - storming off
8 January 2014 - storming off
Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him but he never takes his eyes off of them.
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
They go ahead but not without his care. He does not leave them alone and tossed about with the wind against them. This should encourage those of us who feel that we are, as it were, in the same boat.
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
He meant to pass by them.
Jesus intends to pass them by but not to leave them on their own. He intends to pass by like God in the Old Testament passes Moses: "When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by." He intends to reveal himself to them and save them. But when he enters into their circumstances they misunderstand and think they are seeing a ghost. The multiplication of the loaves is supposed to help them to trust his love for them but instead their hearts are hardened. It is a process, to be sure. Jesus does not leave them in unbelief. Instead he says, "Take courage, it is I", using the Divine Name to identify himself. He casts out fear with the truth of who he is. The disciples do finally come to trust him. Eventually John is able to say: "We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us." Jesus wants us to be able to say this as well.
To say it sincerely we need to know that "he has given us of his Spirit." His Spirit in us confirms in our hearts the truth of who Jesus is and what he does for our sakes. By the Holy Spirit we can say with John:
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
His Spirit allows us to remain in love so that the fear of the wind and the waves is cast out. Fear of judgment is driven out. We begin to believe in the love God has for us. We know he is working all things for our good. We are even empowered to love one another as the God who is love remains in us. As his we experience his love for us and through us we come to believe just how good he is. We come to trust the heart he has for all mankind.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him but he never takes his eyes off of them.
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
They go ahead but not without his care. He does not leave them alone and tossed about with the wind against them. This should encourage those of us who feel that we are, as it were, in the same boat.
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
He meant to pass by them.
Jesus intends to pass them by but not to leave them on their own. He intends to pass by like God in the Old Testament passes Moses: "When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by." He intends to reveal himself to them and save them. But when he enters into their circumstances they misunderstand and think they are seeing a ghost. The multiplication of the loaves is supposed to help them to trust his love for them but instead their hearts are hardened. It is a process, to be sure. Jesus does not leave them in unbelief. Instead he says, "Take courage, it is I", using the Divine Name to identify himself. He casts out fear with the truth of who he is. The disciples do finally come to trust him. Eventually John is able to say: "We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us." Jesus wants us to be able to say this as well.
To say it sincerely we need to know that "he has given us of his Spirit." His Spirit in us confirms in our hearts the truth of who Jesus is and what he does for our sakes. By the Holy Spirit we can say with John:
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
His Spirit allows us to remain in love so that the fear of the wind and the waves is cast out. Fear of judgment is driven out. We begin to believe in the love God has for us. We know he is working all things for our good. We are even empowered to love one another as the God who is love remains in us. As his we experience his love for us and through us we come to believe just how good he is. We come to trust the heart he has for all mankind.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
7 January 2014 - found nation
7 January 2014 - found nation
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
We have life through Jesus. Without him we therefore do not have life. Without him we are like sheep without a shepherd. We have all but fallen prey to the wolf already. But Jesus sees us and has mercy. His heart is moved with pity for us. We have no guidance, no direction without him. We wander in darkness without he who is the light of the world. He sees us lost and wandering. He sees us and is moved with pity. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (cf. Joh 19:10) and so "he began to teach them many things."
This is how the lost get found. We feel alone and lost because we are sheep. We are meant to have a shepherd. With his voice guiding us we are no longer alone and no longer lost.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
Jesus wants us to stay near him. His disciples suggest dismissing us to the surrounding farms and villages so that we can meet our material needs apart from him. Jesus wants his disciples to learn to rely on him for everything. He tells them to meet these needs in his presence as well. He doesn't want life divided into the material and the spiritual. He doesn't want one realm over which he reigns and another to which he has no connection.
We don't have to go back to wandering and being alone just because we hunger. Jesus wants to be LORD over all parts of our lives. The disciples must learn to rely on Jesus. Asked to provide what they know they cannot, to provide what they do not have, they despair of their own abilities.
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
But Jesus wants us to learn that we "receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him." We often have difficulty discerning what is his will and for what what ought to ask. This situation with the disciples is instructional. The disciples do know that he doesn't want the people sent away. They do know that they can't feed the people themselves. Jesus wants them to turn to him. He wants to to ask, and so to "receive from him".
Let us trust in our shepherd. He knows that we need food and clothing. We don't have to chase them like the pagans (cf. Mat 6:32). We are free to seek first the kingdom. Let us trust in the successors of his disciples the feed us. His Church, headed by the successor of Peter, feeds his sheep (cf. Joh 21:17). For our part, we will only be fed if we are with clergy who seek our food from Jesus and not from their own strength. This is a model for how we are to live as well. May we find the face of the Good Shepherd in our clergy. May we trust in Jesus to meet all of our needs. When others are entrusted to our care may we in turn entrust them to Jesus so that "every nation on earth will adore" him. The kingdom comes first but there is no aspect of our lives beyond his care. Only when we entrust all aspects of life to him will we see his promise for the world fulfilled.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
We have life through Jesus. Without him we therefore do not have life. Without him we are like sheep without a shepherd. We have all but fallen prey to the wolf already. But Jesus sees us and has mercy. His heart is moved with pity for us. We have no guidance, no direction without him. We wander in darkness without he who is the light of the world. He sees us lost and wandering. He sees us and is moved with pity. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (cf. Joh 19:10) and so "he began to teach them many things."
This is how the lost get found. We feel alone and lost because we are sheep. We are meant to have a shepherd. With his voice guiding us we are no longer alone and no longer lost.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
Jesus wants us to stay near him. His disciples suggest dismissing us to the surrounding farms and villages so that we can meet our material needs apart from him. Jesus wants his disciples to learn to rely on him for everything. He tells them to meet these needs in his presence as well. He doesn't want life divided into the material and the spiritual. He doesn't want one realm over which he reigns and another to which he has no connection.
We don't have to go back to wandering and being alone just because we hunger. Jesus wants to be LORD over all parts of our lives. The disciples must learn to rely on Jesus. Asked to provide what they know they cannot, to provide what they do not have, they despair of their own abilities.
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
But Jesus wants us to learn that we "receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him." We often have difficulty discerning what is his will and for what what ought to ask. This situation with the disciples is instructional. The disciples do know that he doesn't want the people sent away. They do know that they can't feed the people themselves. Jesus wants them to turn to him. He wants to to ask, and so to "receive from him".
Let us trust in our shepherd. He knows that we need food and clothing. We don't have to chase them like the pagans (cf. Mat 6:32). We are free to seek first the kingdom. Let us trust in the successors of his disciples the feed us. His Church, headed by the successor of Peter, feeds his sheep (cf. Joh 21:17). For our part, we will only be fed if we are with clergy who seek our food from Jesus and not from their own strength. This is a model for how we are to live as well. May we find the face of the Good Shepherd in our clergy. May we trust in Jesus to meet all of our needs. When others are entrusted to our care may we in turn entrust them to Jesus so that "every nation on earth will adore" him. The kingdom comes first but there is no aspect of our lives beyond his care. Only when we entrust all aspects of life to him will we see his promise for the world fulfilled.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
Monday, January 6, 2014
6 January 2014 - from that time on
6 January 2014 - from that time on
Light rises in darkness. The shadow of death is broken. Jesus is in our midst "teaching" and "proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people."
We see in how Jesus carries out his mission that we do "receive from him whatever we ask" from him. All who are "sick with various diseases and racked with pain," the "possessed, lunatics, and paralytics" are all cured. But we get the sense that even the most impressive healings are a secondary priority for Jesus, ordered toward the proclamation of the kingdom.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
We do not read that we receive whatever we ask from Jesus without qualification. We read that we receive "because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." There are no gifts which Jesus holds back if they are for the building of the kingdom. To truly be open to these gifts we have seek his kingdom first. We have to ask for blessings according to his priorities. This is why there is the proximity between this verse about receiving in the next section on discerning spirits.
Not all spirits come from God. Not all of them suggest us to ask things according to his will. We need to learn to listen to the spirits which acknowledge "Jesus Christ come in the flesh". If we make our requests to God in accordance with these spirits then we do "receive from him whatever we ask".
This is the built in mechanism that ensures that the kingdom is never subjugated to priorities which should be secondary. Its power only operates according to the will of its king. After all, what good is a healed body and a lost soul? What good to gain the whole world but to lose one's soul? Jesus embodies the priorities of the kingdom. It isn't that he asks anything from us which he himself does not exemplify. Hence Jesus does not turn back from now on. Not the definitiveness of the passage: "From that time on", we read. From now on he is moving inexorably toward Jerusalem. He knows what awaits him, as Isaiah prophesied:
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
But nevertheless his preaching is from now on without hesitation. He knows from where his help comes:
Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
Let us also live for the kingdom from now on. Let us never turn back. Let nothing frighten us. Let nothing silence our proclamation of the Gospel. After all, the evil spirits which are trying to thwart us are already defeated.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,
for the one who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.
We need to claim this truth as our own. We read that the one in us is greater than the one who is in the world. But do we internalize it? Do we truly believe. Let us make this verse our prayer. Let us realize God's victory is not just 'out there' but, first and foremost, within us. This is how we receive "all the nations for an inheritance." We live his victory when we seek first his kingdom. We seek it in the way his Spirit tells us. His victory is only through the Cross. But it is also the victory of the resurrection. When we seek his kingdom according to his will we receive everything else as well.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
Light rises in darkness. The shadow of death is broken. Jesus is in our midst "teaching" and "proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people."
We see in how Jesus carries out his mission that we do "receive from him whatever we ask" from him. All who are "sick with various diseases and racked with pain," the "possessed, lunatics, and paralytics" are all cured. But we get the sense that even the most impressive healings are a secondary priority for Jesus, ordered toward the proclamation of the kingdom.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
We do not read that we receive whatever we ask from Jesus without qualification. We read that we receive "because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him." There are no gifts which Jesus holds back if they are for the building of the kingdom. To truly be open to these gifts we have seek his kingdom first. We have to ask for blessings according to his priorities. This is why there is the proximity between this verse about receiving in the next section on discerning spirits.
Not all spirits come from God. Not all of them suggest us to ask things according to his will. We need to learn to listen to the spirits which acknowledge "Jesus Christ come in the flesh". If we make our requests to God in accordance with these spirits then we do "receive from him whatever we ask".
This is the built in mechanism that ensures that the kingdom is never subjugated to priorities which should be secondary. Its power only operates according to the will of its king. After all, what good is a healed body and a lost soul? What good to gain the whole world but to lose one's soul? Jesus embodies the priorities of the kingdom. It isn't that he asks anything from us which he himself does not exemplify. Hence Jesus does not turn back from now on. Not the definitiveness of the passage: "From that time on", we read. From now on he is moving inexorably toward Jerusalem. He knows what awaits him, as Isaiah prophesied:
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
But nevertheless his preaching is from now on without hesitation. He knows from where his help comes:
Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
Let us also live for the kingdom from now on. Let us never turn back. Let nothing frighten us. Let nothing silence our proclamation of the Gospel. After all, the evil spirits which are trying to thwart us are already defeated.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,
for the one who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.
We need to claim this truth as our own. We read that the one in us is greater than the one who is in the world. But do we internalize it? Do we truly believe. Let us make this verse our prayer. Let us realize God's victory is not just 'out there' but, first and foremost, within us. This is how we receive "all the nations for an inheritance." We live his victory when we seek first his kingdom. We seek it in the way his Spirit tells us. His victory is only through the Cross. But it is also the victory of the resurrection. When we seek his kingdom according to his will we receive everything else as well.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
5 January 2014 - seeing stars
5 January 2014 - seeing stars
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
Let us journey with the Magi to find this newborn king. He is a ruler who will shepherd his people Israel. But he is also the promise in which we, Gentiles, "are coheirs, members of the same body".
As the Magi follow the star the promise of the psalm finds it first fulfillment: "every nation on earth will adore" the LORD. Let us follow the star as well. We are meant to walk by its light and its shining radiance. This star is the light that pierces the darkness that covers the earth. It is our hope in the valley of the shadow of death. Without the light of this star we stumble. We cannot find the path beneath our feet or discern the direction of our next steps. But upon us the LORD shines and over us his glory appears.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
We no longer sit in in darkened world. The light of Christ draws us on to the purpose which God has for each person. His purpose in coming is to be God with us, Emmanuel. His purpose for us is that we should be in his presence together with the Magi and "every nation". We too should be "overjoyed at seeing the star" and the revelation is signifies. We should prostrate ourselves at the feet of this king and open all of our treasures before him. He comes to offer salvation, signified even now in that myrrh is burial ointment. He is guiding us and freeing us to respond to him. He is loosening our grasp on the treasures of this earth as we fix our gaze on the things of heaven.
What is the proper response to this light that keeps us from stumbling and gives us direction and purpose?
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
We have a royal dignity which we can only see in this light. We need to raise our eyes and look about to see the full splendor of God's kingdom in our midst. It is veiled until now by darkness. But in this light we see it and rejoice.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
Let us journey with the Magi to find this newborn king. He is a ruler who will shepherd his people Israel. But he is also the promise in which we, Gentiles, "are coheirs, members of the same body".
As the Magi follow the star the promise of the psalm finds it first fulfillment: "every nation on earth will adore" the LORD. Let us follow the star as well. We are meant to walk by its light and its shining radiance. This star is the light that pierces the darkness that covers the earth. It is our hope in the valley of the shadow of death. Without the light of this star we stumble. We cannot find the path beneath our feet or discern the direction of our next steps. But upon us the LORD shines and over us his glory appears.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
We no longer sit in in darkened world. The light of Christ draws us on to the purpose which God has for each person. His purpose in coming is to be God with us, Emmanuel. His purpose for us is that we should be in his presence together with the Magi and "every nation". We too should be "overjoyed at seeing the star" and the revelation is signifies. We should prostrate ourselves at the feet of this king and open all of our treasures before him. He comes to offer salvation, signified even now in that myrrh is burial ointment. He is guiding us and freeing us to respond to him. He is loosening our grasp on the treasures of this earth as we fix our gaze on the things of heaven.
What is the proper response to this light that keeps us from stumbling and gives us direction and purpose?
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
We have a royal dignity which we can only see in this light. We need to raise our eyes and look about to see the full splendor of God's kingdom in our midst. It is veiled until now by darkness. But in this light we see it and rejoice.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
4 January 2014 - redefined
4 January 2014 - redefined
No one who is begotten by God commits sin,
because God’s seed remains in him;
he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.
Well shoot. That's kind of harsh. We certainly commit sin. Does that mean we aren't begotten by God?
no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God,
nor anyone who does not love his brother.
We certainly fail to act in righteousness at times. We don't always love our brother as we should. But don't we belong to God?
We do belong to God, in life and death. It is true that we do sin. We don't always love our brother or act in righteousness. But these acts no longer define us. They are our old self trying to rear his ugly head. Paul admonishes us many times that, although we have been made a new creation in Christ, we need to live from that truth and lay aside the old self (cf. Eph. 4:22).
This old self was crucified with Christ so that we might not be a slave to sin (cf. Rom. 6:6). Sometimes the old self surfaces but it no longer defines us. We no longer belong to the devil. We aren't slaves to sin anymore. God's seed remains in us. Yet we remain free to submit to the devil again. We remain free to commit mortal sin and become slaves to sin once more.
Let us continue to live out of the power of the resurrection. Let us continue to live in the victory of Jesus over sin and death. We must continue to live the death to our old self. We must continue to live from the vitality of the resurrected life of Jesus Christ poured out in the Holy Spirit.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
"We have found the Messiah," so let us share him with others. Let us bring as many people as we can to Jesus. They too need the saving power of God to deliver them from slavery to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Sharing him isn't as hard as we imagine. We don't have to be intellectual or spiritual giants. We don't have to know the right thing to say. All we need to do is extend the invitation.
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
No one who is begotten by God commits sin,
because God’s seed remains in him;
he cannot sin because he is begotten by God.
Well shoot. That's kind of harsh. We certainly commit sin. Does that mean we aren't begotten by God?
no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God,
nor anyone who does not love his brother.
We certainly fail to act in righteousness at times. We don't always love our brother as we should. But don't we belong to God?
We do belong to God, in life and death. It is true that we do sin. We don't always love our brother or act in righteousness. But these acts no longer define us. They are our old self trying to rear his ugly head. Paul admonishes us many times that, although we have been made a new creation in Christ, we need to live from that truth and lay aside the old self (cf. Eph. 4:22).
This old self was crucified with Christ so that we might not be a slave to sin (cf. Rom. 6:6). Sometimes the old self surfaces but it no longer defines us. We no longer belong to the devil. We aren't slaves to sin anymore. God's seed remains in us. Yet we remain free to submit to the devil again. We remain free to commit mortal sin and become slaves to sin once more.
Let us continue to live out of the power of the resurrection. Let us continue to live in the victory of Jesus over sin and death. We must continue to live the death to our old self. We must continue to live from the vitality of the resurrected life of Jesus Christ poured out in the Holy Spirit.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
"We have found the Messiah," so let us share him with others. Let us bring as many people as we can to Jesus. They too need the saving power of God to deliver them from slavery to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Sharing him isn't as hard as we imagine. We don't have to be intellectual or spiritual giants. We don't have to know the right thing to say. All we need to do is extend the invitation.
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
Friday, January 3, 2014
3 January 2014 - your name is like honey on my lips
3 January 2014 - your name is like honey on my lips
she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Look! Even in the manager the shadow of the Cross is seen. Even in the manager we can glimpse the glory of the resurrection. We hear the name given by the angel, Jesus, Savior. And we know in what this salvation consists. He is "obedient unto death, even death on a cross." Savior is not just what Jesus does it is who he is. Jesus is God but "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped". Humility marks the very essence of who Jesus is. He is love itself.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name
The name Jesus is lifted above every other name. The Son of God himself bears the name Savior and fully earns it in a way that no one else can. Others have borne the name previously and others have borne it since. But only in Jesus is this name raised above every other name. Only Jesus is so full of selfless and humble love as to truly be savior to his people. The words of a song capture it well:
So let us learn how we out to treat so great a name. This name is exulted above every other name but not to subjugate us. The highest name is not simply LORD. Out of love for us the highest name is now also Savior.
Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD!
Jesus is the name of the LORD. This name heals cripples (cf. Act. 3.6). It grants salvation (cf. Act. 2:38). It makes Jesus present to us whenever we think or speak it. It therefore gives rest as it allows us to come to him when we are weary and heavily laiden (cf. Mat. 11:28). His pure sacrifice of love is offered from the rising of the sun to its setting (cf. Mal. 1:11). Therefore:
From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised!
she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Look! Even in the manager the shadow of the Cross is seen. Even in the manager we can glimpse the glory of the resurrection. We hear the name given by the angel, Jesus, Savior. And we know in what this salvation consists. He is "obedient unto death, even death on a cross." Savior is not just what Jesus does it is who he is. Jesus is God but "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped". Humility marks the very essence of who Jesus is. He is love itself.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name
The name Jesus is lifted above every other name. The Son of God himself bears the name Savior and fully earns it in a way that no one else can. Others have borne the name previously and others have borne it since. But only in Jesus is this name raised above every other name. Only Jesus is so full of selfless and humble love as to truly be savior to his people. The words of a song capture it well:
Humbled for a season, to receive a nameOnly Jesus loves enough to empty himself so completely for us. Because of this "there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved" (cf. Acts 4:12). This is the love which brings God from his throne in heaven to "be called Emmanuel", to be "God with us". No one else loves enough to step down from the throne of their own life for the sake of others in a way that is completely selfless.
From the lips of sinners unto whom He came,
Faithfully He bore it, spotless to the last,
Brought it back victorious when from death He passed.
Bore it up triumphant with its human light,
Through all ranks of creatures, to the central height,
To the throne of Godhead, to the Father’s breast;
Filled it with the glory of that perfect rest.
So let us learn how we out to treat so great a name. This name is exulted above every other name but not to subjugate us. The highest name is not simply LORD. Out of love for us the highest name is now also Savior.
Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD!
Jesus is the name of the LORD. This name heals cripples (cf. Act. 3.6). It grants salvation (cf. Act. 2:38). It makes Jesus present to us whenever we think or speak it. It therefore gives rest as it allows us to come to him when we are weary and heavily laiden (cf. Mat. 11:28). His pure sacrifice of love is offered from the rising of the sun to its setting (cf. Mal. 1:11). Therefore:
From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
2 January 2014 - abide in him
2 January 2014 - abide in him
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
Everything relies on recognizing this one about whom John the Baptist speaks. Everything rests on accepting the truth about who he is.
Who is the liar?
Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.
Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father,
but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.
So we need to get grounded in the truth of who Jesus is. We need to do this even if we imagine ourselves to be devote and already know his identity. The people to whom John the Evangelist speaks have "heard from the beginning" who he is. But they still need to be reminded to let it "remain" in them in order that they can continue to live out of that truth.
History leading up to Jesus points toward him. John the Baptist is the foremost example. History afterward points back to him again just as does John the Evangelist. As Blessed John Paul the Great writes in his first encyclical: "THE REDEEMER OF MAN, Jesus Christ, is the centre of the universe and of history."
This is the central truth of history. The two John's are just examples. But there is nothing which is unaffected by or exists without reference to the central truth of Jesus the Christ.
As Christians we aren't looking to hear something new because "in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son". Jesus is the Word of the Father aside from whom he has nothing else to say, no other word to speak. He is the fullness of revelation. Therefore as long as "the anointing ... received from him remains" in us we will not need anyone to teach us about anything. This anointing is the baptism of Jesus. Unlike John's baptism of water this is with the Holy Spirit and fire. His anointing has power and "teaches ... about everything and is true and not false." The Word in fullness is spoken and the anointing is given to us in baptism. We need not seek novelty. Instead we must abide in the anointing from the Word. We must fan it into flame if it grows dim.
The anointing comes from the Word of God. Let us abide in the Word so that we may be confirmed in this anointing. When we abide in his word we confess the Son (in our hearts and before others). As John the Evangelist reminds us we have the Father as well when we confess the Son. And since the anointing to which he refers is the Holy Spirit we see that we have the entire Holy Trinity dwelling within our hearts.
Let us rejoice in the mighty victory of God in the birth of our savior. As we rejoice in his deeds may the truth of who he is permeate our hearts more and more so that "we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming."
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
Everything relies on recognizing this one about whom John the Baptist speaks. Everything rests on accepting the truth about who he is.
Who is the liar?
Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.
Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father,
but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.
So we need to get grounded in the truth of who Jesus is. We need to do this even if we imagine ourselves to be devote and already know his identity. The people to whom John the Evangelist speaks have "heard from the beginning" who he is. But they still need to be reminded to let it "remain" in them in order that they can continue to live out of that truth.
History leading up to Jesus points toward him. John the Baptist is the foremost example. History afterward points back to him again just as does John the Evangelist. As Blessed John Paul the Great writes in his first encyclical: "THE REDEEMER OF MAN, Jesus Christ, is the centre of the universe and of history."
This is the central truth of history. The two John's are just examples. But there is nothing which is unaffected by or exists without reference to the central truth of Jesus the Christ.
As Christians we aren't looking to hear something new because "in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son". Jesus is the Word of the Father aside from whom he has nothing else to say, no other word to speak. He is the fullness of revelation. Therefore as long as "the anointing ... received from him remains" in us we will not need anyone to teach us about anything. This anointing is the baptism of Jesus. Unlike John's baptism of water this is with the Holy Spirit and fire. His anointing has power and "teaches ... about everything and is true and not false." The Word in fullness is spoken and the anointing is given to us in baptism. We need not seek novelty. Instead we must abide in the anointing from the Word. We must fan it into flame if it grows dim.
The anointing comes from the Word of God. Let us abide in the Word so that we may be confirmed in this anointing. When we abide in his word we confess the Son (in our hearts and before others). As John the Evangelist reminds us we have the Father as well when we confess the Son. And since the anointing to which he refers is the Holy Spirit we see that we have the entire Holy Trinity dwelling within our hearts.
Let us rejoice in the mighty victory of God in the birth of our savior. As we rejoice in his deeds may the truth of who he is permeate our hearts more and more so that "we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming."
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
1 January 2014 - eye to eye
1 January 2014 - eye to eye
To be blessed means that the face of God shines upon us.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
He teaches us to desire the light of his face long before he takes flesh. We can imagine the joy of the shepherds as they discover that this is no longer mere metaphor, seeing his face before their eyes.
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
This is such a powerful experience for them that they can't help but make "known the message that had been told them about this child" which brings amazement to all who hear it. As they return they can't help but glorify and praise God "for all they had heard and seen."
It would seem reasonable for God to stop there. He does not stop there. He goes several steps further. He ransoms "those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
Through his whole life Jesus reveals the face of the Father. The more we walk with him the more we should realize who the Father is. He asks us as well as Philip, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?" He reminds us that since we have seen him we have seen the Father as well. The life of Jesus is the revelation of the Father's heart. He unveils God's face for us so that we "with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18). While we gaze on him we are transformed! The agent of this transformation is the Holy Spirit:
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
The LORD really does have a plan no matter how the world seems at times. Let us gaze upon Jesus so that we can cry out with him, "Abba!" Let us rejoice in the love he shows us.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
To be blessed means that the face of God shines upon us.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
He teaches us to desire the light of his face long before he takes flesh. We can imagine the joy of the shepherds as they discover that this is no longer mere metaphor, seeing his face before their eyes.
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
This is such a powerful experience for them that they can't help but make "known the message that had been told them about this child" which brings amazement to all who hear it. As they return they can't help but glorify and praise God "for all they had heard and seen."
It would seem reasonable for God to stop there. He does not stop there. He goes several steps further. He ransoms "those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
Through his whole life Jesus reveals the face of the Father. The more we walk with him the more we should realize who the Father is. He asks us as well as Philip, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?" He reminds us that since we have seen him we have seen the Father as well. The life of Jesus is the revelation of the Father's heart. He unveils God's face for us so that we "with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18). While we gaze on him we are transformed! The agent of this transformation is the Holy Spirit:
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
The LORD really does have a plan no matter how the world seems at times. Let us gaze upon Jesus so that we can cry out with him, "Abba!" Let us rejoice in the love he shows us.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
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