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.