30 Sept 2017 - new life inside

Today's Readings

"Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men." 

The disciples didn't want to hear about this. Jesus shouldn't have to suffer. They believe he is there to solve their problems. He is the messiah, the anointed one, sent to deliver Israel from bondage. How can this be true if he himself is just another casualty? And who wouldn't prefer to skip past the sadness of Good Friday to the glory of Easter Sunday?

Jesusk after all, is God come to dwell among us.

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people and he will dwell among you.

Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.

And yet Jesus not only knows that he will suffer, he seems to be headed straight for it. His eyes are fixed on Jerusalem. The cross is not an accident, but an essential part of God's plan for our redemption. It is the new tree of life for those who wickedly stretch out there hand to a tree in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is the new Adam who obeys God where our first parents fail. In the Garden of Gethsemane he does not run and hide from the Father but rather runs to the Father.

Jesus isn't interested in sweeping the problem of sin and death under the rug or in just looking the other way. He is interested in fixing this problem at its source. He is not afraid because he knows that the cross is not the end. He knows the resurrection will follow. Yet he will not skip the cross. This is the way that the problem of our broken obedience is solved. This is the way our wills can genuinely be united to the will of God as Jesus remolds them by his own perfect obedience. Anything else would not be able to truly transform us from the core of our being.

The glory we see before the cross and resurrection is partial and fragmentary. Jesus is often hidden and concealed from us even as he walks among us. After the resurrection and after Pentecost Jesus not only dwells near us but, because sin is put to death in us, he is able to dwell in our hearts and souls.

Now that Jesus dwells inside of us we are more able to see and rely on him even in an imperfect world. Even though people many in the world are still captives in God our souls are safe. We are free to behold his presence no matter the circumstances.

People will live in Jerusalem as though in open country,
because of the multitude of men and beasts in her midst.
But I will be for her an encircling wall of fire, says the LORD,
and I will be the glory in her midst.

The LORD guards us a a shepherd. Let us hear his voice and run to him. Let us trust him more than our aversion to hardship. Let us come to him even if he seems to be walking on dangerous ground. Only with him do we find safety and peace.

29 September 2017 - the archangels

Today's Readings

Jesus himself is the one in whom heaven and earth are finally united and brought into harmony. He is the bridge upon which the angels ascend and descend.

And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Because we are united to Jesus when we sing God's praises we sing them in the presence of the angels who, together with us, worship the Father.

Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.

These are the ones with whom we join whenever we worship the Ancint One.

In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

The angels are not just there for aesthetic purposes. They carry out the will of God. He chooses to work through them in order to carry out the prayers of the saints. If we feel like our own lives lack victory over the devil maybe we need to avail ourselves of angelic help.

Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.
The dragon and its angels fought back,
but they did not prevail
and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

God loves when we give due honor to his angelic hosts by asking them for their protection and guidance. Neither he nor the angels have any need of us. But they nevertheless delight in the opportunity to show us love when we are in need.

We are reminded this morning that much of God's plan for victory comes about through angels. And we are also reminded that the angels are not far from us. That means that our own victory need not be far if we simply turn to them. In particular, the Church celebrates Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael today. Let us ask that they would each visit us with blessings. Michael, meaning "Who is like God?" can help us to realize that God is utterly unique and that no one else can stand alongside him. He helps us cast down the idols from our hearts. Gabriel, "God's strength", can bring us the strength we need to accept challenging words from God. Raphael, "God's remedy", can bring us the physical and spiritual healing we need.

All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD
when they hear the words of your mouth;
And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD
"Great is the glory of the LORD

28 Sept 2017 - what we dwell on

Today's Readings

We spend a lot of effort working at things which don't last.

You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it.

We ask spiritual questions but we aren't really interested in the full answers. John the Baptist sounds interesting until he has too much to say about our personal lives.

Even Jesus can just a curiosity to us rather than being LORD of our lives.

Who then is this about whom I hear such things?"
And he kept trying to see him.

Jesus must be more than a mere curiosity or interesting figure. He is meant to be the LORD of our lives. Spiritual questions are not supposed to simply entertain us or to sate our curiosity. Rather, they are supposed to draw us close to the one who is the answer to all questions. Questions yield to the one who is truth itself. We can ensure that we don't become distracted by the daily grind covered over with a thin mask of spiritual questions. We must make sure that our priorities are in the correct order. God's house should be our first priority.

Go up into the hill country;
bring timber, and build the house
That I may take pleasure in it
and receive my glory, says the LORD.

If we are willing to heed the LORD he will come to dwell with us and in us. His presence is the only thing that will fulfill, sustain, satisfy, warm our spirits, and even give us legitimate exhilaration. Let us stop seeking substitutes. Let us stop trying to distract ourselves from his absence by constantly shifting but ultimately vapid questions. God wants us to become a dwelling place for him. This is what we are meant to be.

Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

27 Sept 2017 - becoming disciples

Today's Readings

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.

The disciples of Jesus still go out with power and authority over all demons, to cure diseases, to proclaim the Kingdom, and to heal the sick, even to this very day. 

He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.

The disciples go with a radical trust in the LORD to provide for their needs. They still go with a radical willingness to be led. They go even though they know that they will sometimes be rejected.

We don't believe that we have that sort of authority. But we are filled with the same Holy Spirit as the disciples in the time of Jesus. If anything, his indwelling in us is even more profound following the death and resurrection of Jesus and following Pentecost.

We tend to think that radical trust in Jesus is only for the clergy and religious. We think of those special people who take vows of poverty and obedience and so rely on the LORD for everything. But we all must become poor in Spirit to inherit the kingdom. We all must be obedient to just earthly authority and especially to God. We obey God not just in a static way based on commands he has given. We obey him and respond to what he is telling us now at this moment in our lives.

One big reason the Church does not grow more is because believers want to outsource discipleship. It cannot be that way. Programs like Alpha and ChristLife are helping to bring the life of the disciple back to the center focus for everyone in the Church. Thank God for programs like these.

In the land of my exile I praise him
and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation.

Even though we often fall short of all Jesus wants to do in us and through us he never revokes the offer. He is always ready to use us to raise his temple ever higher and in ever greater beauty to show the world that God indeed dwells among his people.

Thus he has given us new life
to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins,
and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.

26 Sept 2017 - family matters

Today's Readings

He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers 
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

Jesus is inviting us to an intimate relationship with him. We can be as close to him as his own mother, if, like her, we her the word of God and act on it. How do we respond to God's call on our lives? Do we ask that God's will be done as Mary does? Or do we question, negotiate, and generally respond with less than all that we are? It's easy to take the Zechariah approach when we encounter new and unknown experiences and begin to doubt. It is harder to take the Mary approach and be honest enough to still ask our questions, but to ask them trusting that there is an answer.

They completed this house on the third day of the month Adar,
in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Jesus is one who is greater than the temple. All of the preparation and celebration that goes into the dedication of the house of God at the time of the prophets Haggi and (a different) Zechariah. And only the high priest could enter the holy of holies once a year with blood not his own for the sins of the people (see Hebrews 9:25). But Jesus is forever beyond the veil that kept the holy of holies separate from the world. And we are united with him there. Or we can be, if we accept him in faith as Mary does. Jesus lives forever as an offering to the Father on our behalf. That means that our union with him must share in this offering of all that we are to God for the sake of the word. It is easy to see this in the life of Mary who is doubly the mother of Jesus, both biologically, and in that no one has ever heard the word of God and acted on it as she has.

I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

25 Sept 2017 - house of light

Today's Readings

No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.

The point is not so much that the lamp exists as that it is lit. What the world doubts is not the lamp but the fire of love and the light of truth. These are things which do not come from ourselves but come rather from the one who gives light and life. We must not conceal them when they are given. Ultimately, the light of Christ will completely overwhelm the darkness. This means we don't need to broadcast our good deeds now. We just need to live in a way that is faithful to the grace we are given. The LORD will eventually show how his power has been at work all along.

God is building his house through his Church. We are called to be part of that great work as living stones. We do this by our fidelity to the gifts he has given us. We become temples of his praise by living for the praise of his glory.

Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.

Much of God's work is hidden now. But when his light shines in fullness it will all be revealed and the world will rejoice at the marvels he has done.

The Lord has done marvels for us.

24 September 2017 - living wage

Today's Readings

Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? 
Are you envious because I am generous?'

The LORD is generous with his blessings. Let us avail ourselves of his generosity. It isn't about what we earn when we work on in the vineyard of the master. The master offers us work because the work itself is good. If we have been in the field all day rather than idle we may be tempted to hold it against those called in the last hour. But it is a privilege to work in the vineyard. Unless we realize that the work itself is a great grace we will tend to envy others and be chained to comparison and competition. The wage paid is paid to all who are willing to work for the master. It is not based on how much work we do. He gives a usual wage to all workers because he knows what we need.  

Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.

It is not too late. The LORD is still calling. If we get used to idling in the marketplace we might assume that we will end the day without a job, without a purpose, and without a way to receive blessings from the LORD. But we need only listen. If we are idle we can be sure that the LORD has words to speak. He has an invitation to offer. He has a vineyard for us to tend. This will look different for each individual. But for each of us there is a call.

Paul is completely willing to listen to the call of the LORD. He has a strong desire to be with the LORD now. He wants to end his day and receive his payment. What could be better?

For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. 
If I go on living in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me. 

He is willing to go on living in the flesh if the master of the vineyard tells him there is more to be done. He is willing to keep at it for the sake of his flock. And therein do we see the meaning of the value of work in the vineyard. It is the value of love of others. It is something so wonderful that it leads to an ability to forget ourselves and the blessings which we are promised. They are not lost. They are multiplied as the vineyard produces more and more fruit.

The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.

23 Sept 2017 - a highly competent gardener

Today's Readings

What do we need to grow? First, we need the seed. This is a gift from the sower.

you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God (see First Peter 1:23)

But the seed is given freely. Yet it does not always and everywhere grow with the same vitality.  What else is needed?

We are all called to let the seed take root, to care about it more than the things of the world, to plant it deeply in ourselves in order to have a generous heart and good heart. The parable of the sower describes both the inner landscape of spirit that allows the gospel to grow and bear fruit in us and also the relationship to the community around us that is most conducive to growth.

The seed needs good soil. It needs to be part of an ecosystem. It needs the protection the soil provides. Within the soil it needs space to grow. Thorns may be seen as agents of force trying to bring about change unwanted by the seed. They pursue their owns plans at the expense of the seed's growth. The seed needs room to grow, not at his own pace, not at a pace set by thorns, but at God's pace. What the seed needs to ensure the correct pace of growth is the right amount of room. In good soil, with enough room, the seed still needs to be watered. The Holy Spirit waters the soil of his Church with grace. He does this in many ways, but especially through the Sacraments. He also does so through us. If we see seeds that seem to be languishing we can pray for them or speak a word of encouragement to them. This maintenance of the ecosystem is a project not just for the priests but for all who hope to share in the fruit.

The sower is the King of kings and Lord of lords, immortal, dwelling in unapproachable light. He is also a highly competent gardener. Let us invite him to place us where he wants us and to tend us according to his wisdom and pleasure. Then we become able to actually keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.

22 Sept 2017 - realize rather than real lies

Today's Readings

Whoever teaches something different
and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the religious teaching
is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.

We occasionally fall into the trap of arguing for the sake of arguing. This is unhelpful and we know it, so why do we do it? Maybe we have something to prove. And maybe we have something to prove because we don't have what Paul calls "religion with contentment" which is a great gain. Do we always trust in God for our peace and security, without fail? Or do we not rather sometimes seek to build up our own security and even to build our own sense of self-worth? This is a trap as much as the desire to be rich.

Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.

Our problem is a lack of contentedness with what we have in Jesus. It is a lack of realization, even, perhaps, while he is in our house, that he is in fact the one thing necessary. When we find disquiet in our spirits and give in to the temptation to pursue fruitless arguing let us turn back to this one thing that can, if we let it, be more than enough for all of our wants and desires.

But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses.

Let us follow Jesus as he proclaims the good news of the Kingdom of God. Let us not try to usurp that proclamation with our own cleverness as if to prove that we have value. Instead let us be thankful that Jesus invites us on this journey with him. Then he will be able to use us as he desires.

Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

We cannot earn our relationship with Jesus. Neither cleverness nor wealth nor any other thing can purchase it.

Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;

Fortunately, we don't need to. We do pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. We compete well for the faith. We lay hold of eternal life. But we pursue because we are first pursued. We compete because Jesus won the victory for us. We lay hold of eternal life only because he first lays hold of us.

21 Sept 2017 - follow me

Today's Readings

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."

We all hear this call in one form or another. Matthew exemplifies the response we must all give. It is a unreserved, complete, with nothing held back. We don't usually succeed at this as immediately as does Matthew. But Jesus continues to call us, "Follow me." Matthew calls to us, telling us it is possible, possible even for sinners and tax collectors.

While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.

It isn't something about Matthew that makes him so good at responding to the call of Jesus. It is rather the Divine Physician who calls him who enables him to make this response. Matthew walks to him freely. But he does so because the invitation itself gives him the power to move forward. So too with us. Jesus calls us to follow him. To leave aside aspects of our old life can be difficult. We are all called to become more than what we were. We must all leave certain aspects, even dearly held aspects, of ourselves behind us. They are so tightly knit into our identity that this is basically impossible without also receiving a new identity in Christ.

Thanks be to God, we do receive a new identity in Jesus that enables us to make a profound break with our old sinful selves and live in a manner worthy of the call we have received.

I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace

When we first think of our old selves we think about how we were never drug dealers or murderers. But we do remember times when we were all too willing to let pride, impatience, and meanness dominate our actions. We know we have not always been willing to bear with one another through love. The bond of peace has sometimes been the furthest thing from our minds. But the new identity we have in Christ changes this. It includes the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit that make it possible for us to live as followers of Jesus each according to our unique calling.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ. 

And yes, it is something we grow into, until we attain the full stature of Christ. Let us ask Matthew for his prayers that we ourselves would experience that kind of extreme transformation. He assures us it is possible.

Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.

20 Sept 2017 - pillar and foundation

Today's Readings

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, 'He is possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'

Aren't we like this? We're too ready to make assumptions based on what we see. We see one person and assume we see excess and gluttony. We see another and assume we see a false devotion that is over the top and forced. Anyone that doesn't hit our sweet spot makes us uncomfortable. People who can indulge a bit more make us jealous. People who are more pious make us guilty. We only readily accept those with the same level of lukewarmness as us. But this lukewarmness isn't really a good place to be.

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth (see Revelation 3:16).

This is why it is so important that we not be the final arbiters of truth for ourselves, let alone anyone else. We are too ready to let our preconceived notions distort what we see. We are too ready to accept that which requires the least from us. In place of ourselves we are given a reliable and solid standard in the Church of the living God.

But if I should be delayed,
you should know how to behave in the household of God,
which is the Church of the living God,
the pillar and foundation of truth.

The world thinks of truth as restrictive, oppressive, and possibly even aggressive and violent. Perhaps we even see it that way at times. But where are we without pillars and a foundation? Without truth we have nowhere to stand. We collapse and are completely ruined. Truth is not a combative sport. It is a safe place where we can grow and abide. When we discern the truth about truth from the fictions the world circulates about it we come to realize what a blessing it is. We realize it is something for which we deeply long. Truth is in fact, among our highest desires. Along with beauty and goodness, truth is one of the three transcendentals, which we find in perfection in God.

Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.

19 Sept 2017 - reflexive behavior

Today's Readings

He should not be a recent convert,
so that he may not become conceited
and thus incur the Devil's punishment.
He must also have a good reputation among outsiders,
so that he may not fall into disgrace, the Devil's trap.

It is important that, so far as possible, our behavior reflects well on Jesus and his Church. Bishops are a more extreme case. But none of us can afford to be conceited or to fall into legitimate disgrace. We see this play out in the world. People judge Jesus based on his followers. We wish they wouldn't. But Jesus himself says "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (See John 13:35). Even if we aren't so good that we make others believe in Jesus because of our goodness let us at least not be so bad that we convince them otherwise because of our own failings.

I will walk with blameless heart.

Yet we cannot do this on our own. If we rely on our own strength and attempt to achieve this standard through hard work we cannot succeed. Somehow it will only accentuate our failures and our lack of success. We can love one another because Jesus lives in us and loves through us. We can be one with others because Jesus and the Father are one and they allow us to share that bond with them. When this is working correctly we won't even experience it as something we ourselves do. It is the power of God in us.

Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
"A great prophet has arisen in our midst,"
and "God has visited his people."

Rather than becoming conceited or falling into disgrace our hearts need to become more outward focused, more able to be moved with pity for the suffering we see. Jesus looks upon this widow and he probably sees the suffering his own mother will undergo during his Passion. He is able to feel pity for her as he would for his own mother. He is able to respond from the depths of his heart with immense love.

As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
"Do not weep."
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"

We may or may not be called to raise the dead. Let's not write it off, but even if not, we are called to respond from the same place of availability, with the same compassion, and the same love that Jesus himself shows.  The people are amazed to see the dead raised. But they it is the love underlying the miracle that really matters. If we allow his love to manifest in our own lives the people in the world will respond.

Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
"A great prophet has arisen in our midst,"
and "God has visited his people."

18 Sept 2017 - say the word

Today's Readings

Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.

We tend to think that the authority of earthly rulers is of one sort and that of Jesus of another. We think the earthly rulers impact our day to day physical lives whereas Jesus impacts our spiritual life. Or we tend to think of the authority of Jesus as limited. We tend to think that in order for Jesus to do something to help that setup is first necessary. For instance, the centurion might easily think that he needs Jesus to come to his house and do certain things once there in order to help his slave. But the centurion sees through all of this. He is able to see through it all because of his humility. He places no requirements on Jesus to meet his expectations. He sees that the power of Jesus is an even more unlimited type of authority than his own. The  word of Jesus itself is enough. How our lives can change if we truly know and understand this! How our world can change if we learn it!

First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity. 

The authority of Jesus transcends that of kings and everyone in authority. We seem to mostly complain about those in authority rather than pray for them. But what if we reversed that? The authority of Jesus really is such that our world can change based on his word alone. We don't have to lead up to it by getting the world into a spot where it deserves his response. That isn't going to happen. It doesn't need to.

This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.

Jesus really has the power to solve our problems. When we are able to approach him with humility we are open to receive the blessings he wants to give us. We no longer place limitations on him or what he can do.

Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.

17 Sept 2017 - letting go

Today's Readings

Wrath and anger are hateful things,
yet the sinner hugs them tight.

Why does the sinner hold on tight to things which are obviously hateful? Why does even Peter seek to find limits on how much forgiveness is required of him?

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
"Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive?
As many as seven times?" 

It is because to one degree or another we still live and die for ourselves rather than the LORD. We are still trying to exercise control and authority over our lives. We want to ensure that justice is done. A part of us believes this means we must do it.

The solution is to be merciful. We can do this when we remember that we are not are own.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (see First Corinthians 6:19:20)

Now we no longer have those instincts of self-preservation that insist on our own rights over those of others. When people come to us for mercy we are able to set aside our own pride and our own egos and offer them forgiveness whether or not they deserve it. After all, we receive forgiveness with out deserving it from the LORD.

We might worry about what will become of us if we don't insist on our rights and hold others accountable for their wrongs. But what we should really worry about is what will become of us if we don't. Unforgiveness is a trap. It is allowing someone to live rent free in our souls. It does them no harm but it does much harm to us. If we are holding onto any unforgiveness or grudges this morning let's let go and forgive. Let's forgive just as fully and completely as the LORD forgives us.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.

16 Sept 2017 - hope grown

Today's Readings

We need to be good trees bearing good fruit from the goodness of our hearts. How do we respond when we find within ourselves thornbushes and brambles? What do we do when we see evil within our own hearts? We don't simply cut the tree down. Instead we transplant it into better soil where it can grow. We place it in the care of the gardener who can ensure it will be good fruit.

Many trees that bear beautiful and delicious fruit do not begin that way. Often there is a question of whether or not there is evne any hope at all.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Of these I am the foremost.

Paul offers us his own life as an example. The Church is replete with examples of repentant sinners from Paul and Augustine to our own time. There are none too lost to be saved. No one is too far gone for hope.

But for that reason I was mercifully treated,
so that in me, as the foremost,
Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example
for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life.

So let's be reassured. In our own times of darkness or when we look at people in the media who seem so far beyond redemption we realize that there is hope for all of us. Even if the fruit is rotten now it may one day be good in the hands of the gardener. Even if it feels like everything is built on flimsy foundations and ready to be washed away in the storm it is not too late to start building on the rock.

That one is like a man building a house,
who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;
when the flood came, the river burst against that house
but could not shake it because it had been well built.

Whether it is soil we need for planting, rock we need on which to build, Jesus offers us the mercy we need.

From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.

15 Sept 2017 - heart of the matter

Today's Readings

Mary's response of sorrow to the crucifixion of her son is the most pure response possible. Only her uncorrupted human nature could make it. It is a sorry so right, honest, and sincere as to be beautiful. And so we honor her by the title Our Lady of Sorrows.

We rightly shy away from emotionalism. We shun that which is designed to excite a response in us. That sort of thing is mere manipulation. But some things deserve a reaction from our whole person.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."
Then he said to the disciple,
"Behold, your mother."

We ourselves don't have the correct emotional responses to things. The cross doesn't move us as we know it ought to. We rejoice when we ought to weep and weep when we ought to rejoice.

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ (see Luke 7:32)

Mary invites us to behold the cross through her eyes and through the prism of her love for her son. When we do our own sorrow becomes rightly ordered. We begin to feel sorrow as it is meant to be felt. It is no longer something which merely traps us in an inwardly focused self-criticism. Instead we see the power of sorrow to draw us to healing, and eventually, to joy.

I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Mary may have experienced the most profound sorrow of any human being ever. But so too does she now know joy beyond any other. She invites us to enter into her sorrow, not so that we might stay in that place, but rather, so that we can be transformed.  Then we can let sorrow take its proper course in this veil of tears. We can eventually know the fullness of joy.

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

14 Sept 2017 - lifted high

Today's Readings

"Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live."

This can't have been easy. They must Look on the very death which sin brings upon them. Yet in that acknowledgement they are able to find freedom and life. There is no way to look without acknowledging their guilt. There is no way to receive healing without first coming to terms with the problem. They acknowledge God's judgment and receive life in exchange.

The specific problem of the disobediance of Israel in the desert is symptomatic of the larger problems of sin and death which plague humanity from Adam until today. We must wait for God to hold up the new sign for us to look upon. We can't just look at the serpents. They are just symptoms. We must wait for the action of God.

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

On our own we never fully come to terms with the problem. We never see it in the depths of depravity that truly define it. This is why the Son of Man is lifted up. He is innocent and offered out of love for mankind. We now see our own sin and selfishness in the stark relief of the purity and innocence of the Lamb of God. And this would certainly be too much for us to bear were it not an invitation of love, forgiveness, and life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.

Because the cross is lifted up we are able to trust and believe in the God who loves us so much. We can see beyond the results of our own failures and hope in his salvation. We celebrate the wonderful humility that makes this possible.

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.

We lift high the cross. We gaze upon him whom we have pierced. We join with every tongue in heaven, on earth, and under the earth to proclaim:

Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

13 Sept 2017 - hidden life

Today's Readings

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and the greed that is idolatry.

We need to put these things to death because they prevent us from seeking what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. They distract us from thinking of what is above, drawing our minds to what is of earth instead. Our life is hidden with Christ since we have been buried with him in baptism. This life is marked by the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, peace, joy, and the rest.

If we allow it, the devil is all too willing to throw us distractions that prevent us from being centered in and living this truth. He wants to concern us with becoming rich now, with becoming filled now, with being entertained now, and with being well-liked. He wants us to forget that we already have what we need and instead push us toward seeking excess. There can be a sense in which we weep and hunger now. But our life is nevertheless hidden with Jesus. If we fix our eyes on that and seek what is above we can live with all of the certainty and peace that only the indestructible life of Jesus can offer. We can live it even in the event of earthly want and hardship. In fact, earthly want, properly considered, only helps point our minds toward Jesus. It shows what is the only true and lasting certainty.

Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.

Poor who seek worldly riches constantly do not experience this blessing. But poor who realize that they are able to rely on God and God alone truly receive the Kingdom even amidst their poverty.

Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.

12 Sept 2017 - one foundation

Today's Readings

As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
rooted in him and built upon him

Our growth needs to come from Jesus. Other religions may contain seeds of the word, as Vatican II says. They contain things which point toward the truth fully revealed in Christ. Yet now that the tree is fully grown and the fruit made available to the world we need not hunt after seeds. The world offers plenty of substitutes and supplements which are meant to distract us from the truth of the gospel in the guise of adding to it. Look, the world tells us, at this exoteric path or technique, to find what is missing in your walk with Jesus. But we can build on no other foundation than the one laid in Jesus Christ (see First Corinthians 3:11).

After all, listen to what we have in Jesus:

A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people 
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon
came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.
Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him
because power came forth from him and healed them all.

There is no one else like this One. No one else can heal us at any level that we need healing. Only he can heal us in the depths of our souls where we need him so badly. Only his triumph over death can triumph over the death we all carry in our souls.

You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.

So when people try to seduce us with empty philosophy let us remember, even if they seem clever, that we have and know all we need in knowing Jesus Christ. Rather than wandering from his gaze and risk becoming lost we should draw near to him. We should allow ourselves to be gathered by him.

When day came, he called his disciples to himself

Let us hear the call. Let us come to him and be nourished and healed by the One to whom all true signs point.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.

11 Sept 2017 - unlimited offer

Today's Readings

I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his Body, which is the Church

What is lacking in the sufferings of Christ? Nothing! So what does this mean? It means we participate with our sufferings in the sufferings of Christ. But this is deep. We do not just suffer, and then, through a transaction, deposit those in an account, have them relabeled as Christ's sufferings, and therefore given value. No! This is a mystery of union!

it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.

In our suffering we are united to Jesus! It is because of this union, which may or may not include experience, but which nevertheless happens, our sufferings have immense value. We are free to offer them for the Church and the world! When we do we experience the fruits of union with Jesus. This is true even though suffering is offered in what are often very dark times where we experience dryness and little sense of consolation from God. The offering is still approved. The fruit is still borne.

Interestingly, we don't always have to keep this as a secret where our left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. We don't necessarily lose our reward. What matters is our motivation when we tell others about it.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you
and for those in Laodicea

Paul has a good reason to share this. He is not doing it for sympathy or to make them feel guilty.

that their hearts may be encouraged
as they are brought together in love,
to have all the richness of assured understanding,
for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

It helps other people to know that they are loved. It helps other people by way of example. It points the way to the union with Christ to which all of us are called.

We must always be most concerned with doing good deeds prepared for us by God. This should be our interpretative framework for all the rules we know.

"I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"

Let us not hold back healing when we are able to give it. Let us not hold back love when the world withers without it.

Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
"Stretch out your hand."
He did so and his hand was restored.

Nothing can separate us from this love once it takes hold of us. So let us share it!

Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.

8 Sept 2017 - you are faithful

Today's Readings 

When bad things happen we tend to forget that God has a plan. Subconsciously we assume that he is taken by surprise or is indifferent to the pain in the world. We end up with the vague sense that he doesn't really care. But from the very first bad thing God has a plan.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel (see Genesis 3:15).

The sin and sorry that is part of the story of the world just seems so strong. By contrast, God's plan seems weak and unlikely to succeed. But he knows what he is doing. We celebrate today the beginning of the culmination of that plan, weak and unlikely though it is.

Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.

All the flawed history of Israel is not enough to prevent God from raising up Mary as the mother of the messiah. She is humble and ready to accept whatever plan God has for her even if it is completely unexpected and hard to understand. She stands in contrast to the world, the flesh, and the devil which bring forth bad fruit by force. Mary brings forth the fruit or her womb by humility, patience, obedience, and love.

Mary reveals that God is faithful to his promises. He has plans for us as well.

And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.

Perhaps they will be fulfilled in unexpected and unguessed ways. But if we just persevere with him we will know the same victory that God brings forth through Mary.

We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose. 

So even if victory seems unlikely, let us put our trust in the LORD. He is faithful to all his promises.

But I trust in your mercy.
Grant my heart joy in your salvation,
I will sing to the LORD,
for he has dealt bountifully with me!

7 Sept 2017 - net gain

Today's Readings

From the day we heard about you, we do not cease praying for you
and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will
through all spiritual wisdom and understanding
to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord

We need to be filled with the knowledge of God's will. It is something which we can know because we have the mind of Christ (see First Corinthians 2:16). There is such a big difference between doing what seems best to us according to our own judgment and doing what God wants us to do.

"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."
Simon said in reply,
"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets."

We need to learn to prioritize God's voice over our own internal voices. It isn't so much a problem that we don't hear God as it is that we are all to ready to listen to other voices that say things like 'You already tried that and it didn't work. We do use our human judgment when appropriate. But we need to be willing to lower our nets when and where Jesus asks.

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them. 
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.

We can seek the will of the King precisely because we are part of the Kingdom and no longer in the power of darkness. We have been redeemed. Our sins are forgiven. The next step is the step God asks us to take. It is something which we must each seek. It is necessary in order to "be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God". But think of it. To be fully pleasing and perfect to God the one and only thing we need is to seek and follow his will. All the rest will take care of itself.

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.

6 Sept 2017 - movin

Today's Readings

There is much darkness in this world. In Jesus we have the power to rebuke it, just as he does. There is power in the name of Jesus. When we pray in his name he manifests that same power that triumphs over sin and death truly is in us as well.

He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.

Because there is much darkness and much need for the kingdom we must not confine or pigeonhole our mission.  The kingdom is meant to bear fruit in the whole world, not just in our little areas of focus.

Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing,
so also among you

We often get overly involved in one project, one ministry, at the expense of all others. Our vision narrows. Our laser focus obscures other places we may be called to spread the love of God and neighbor and the hope of heaven.

But he said to them, "To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent."

There is more to the story than just who clamors for our help the most vehemently. It is about the calling. Everyone has a right to hear the good news. Simon's mother in law has a right to hear it. Those in the village sick with various diseases and possessed with demons have a right to hear it. The problems there seem sufficient to keep Jesus occupied for his entirely earthly ministry. And they might be if he let them. But it is necessary to keep moving if that is what God is telling us to do. The secret is to trust in God rather than ourselves. On our own a single problem can be insurmountable. With God we do not need to fear when our own strength comes up short.

I, like a green olive tree
in the house of God,
Trust in the mercy of God
forever and ever.

5 Sept 2017 - ready for anything

Today's Readings

We are given to worry in this age in which we live. Indeed, there is much to worry about. We can even worry that we won't worry about the right things. We fear that if we do not we will not be ready to face them when they come. It is a fear of being unprepared. There is some sense to due precaution. But at a fundamental level we are exempt from this existential unease. We are actually ready for anything we may face.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light 
and children of the day.

Unless we turn aside from the path of grace and righteousness there is literally nothing that can overtake us for which we are not prepared. Our destiny is salvation. God has done what is necessary to prepare us for that salvation. It doesn't even matter "whether we are awake or asleep." Jesus died to make us children of the light so that we can live with him forever. So rather than encouraging fear let us build one another up.

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up,
as indeed you do.

We can have due concern for this present age only when our hope is secure and our faith is firm. Due concern for this age means entrusting the temporal problems we see into the hands of Jesus. We need to surrender our control over transient and temporary things to Jesus. We shouldn't try to play the role of gods ourselves. We aren't up to that challenge and aren't meant to be. That is a risk when we don't see that we already rest secure in the arms of God. When we do see that we realize that we can trust that the words of Jesus will  ensure that all things work together for the good of those who love him. 

"What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out."

We know that he works in all things for one goal: salvation.

 I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

4 Sept 2017 - not yet already

Today's Readings

He said to them,
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

The crowd has heard glad tidings. They have heard Jesus proclaiming liberty to those who are captive to sin. They have heard of his miracles. They have been told that the blind recover their sight. Those enslaved by demons have gone free. This Scripture passage is truly fulfilled in their day. Yet this is hard for them to accept. In Nazareth there are probably still blind people, still prisoners, still those oppressed either by demons or at least by Romans. How can this passage be fulfilled in their hearing will pain and suffering remains. Jesus seems to be claiming that he is the promised messiah. How can this be true when not everyone is free?

This is a tension we all experience when not every pain is healed right away. Some seem to be. Others are not. What is Jesus waiting for? He is giving us time to accept him, time to deepen our faith, in which he does not overwhelm us with irrefutable proofs. He wants invites us to put our faith in him. We can see the now just fine on our own. But our faith connects us directly to the not yet where all is fulfilled. Faith allows us to live beyond our direct experience. It connects us directly to the promised fulfillment in heaven. Our eyes are not blinded by the world. Our hearts are not captive to sin. We see the saints worshiping around the throne in heaven, all of them, the full number of the chosen. If earth was heaven now we wouldn't be able to live in faith. It wouldn't be an invitation, it would simply be a matter of fact. Jesus wants us to come to him freely. So let us come. 

Let us not be like the crowd who think they know who Jesus is. They think the now they see around them is all there will ever be. By faith we see the not yet already here. We see the words of Scripture fulfilled. It is the sight of heaven that draws us onward. It makes us faithful until the "Lord comes to judge the earth".

Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore, console one another with these words.

These words console us because we can see this vision by our faith. In fact, our faith speeds the arrival of this day when the words of Scripture are fulfilled in fullness. That is why we cry maranatha, come LORD Jesus (see Revelation 22:20)!

Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.