Thoughts on children

 

Mark 10:13–16

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus declares that the kingdom of God belongs to children: “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  How so? Well, children are like stars or flowers or animals, things that are what they are, unambiguously, uncomplicatedly. They are in accord with God’s deepest intentions for them. The challenge of the spiritual life is to realize what God wants us to be and thereby come to the same simplicity and directness in our existence. To find out what is in line with the deepest grain of our being. Let me put this another way: children haven’t yet learned how to look at themselves. Why can a child immerse himself so eagerly and thoroughly in what he is doing? Because he can lose himself; because he is not looking at himself, conscious of the reactions, expectations, and approval of those around him. The best moments in life are when we lose the ego, lose ourselves in the world and just are as God wants us to be. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on honesty

 

Honesty in Speech

In Sunday's Gospel Jesus calls his disciples to do as he does and speak to one another from the love in their hearts.

Don't try to dominate, to prove wrong, to gain advantage, to show superiority. Jesus' message is always that of humility. He is the Son of God but chooses to be the Servant of All and he calls us to imitate him. He teaches us that we are all brothers and sisters and should speak to one another out of that truth. Be honest about who I am and who you are.

   Twelve Step groups recognize and value honesty as an absolute necessity in serene, peaceful living. They promote the practice of asking myself three questions before speaking to another: does this need to be said? do I need to say it? and does it need to be said now? If the answer to any is No; don't say it. Let us ask the Lord for his grace and help to be honest with ourselves and each other.

Fr. Ralph Huse, S.J.

Thoughts on grace

 

Mark 9:38–40

Friends, today in the Gospel, John complains to Jesus that someone not of their group was driving out demons in Jesus’ name. Jesus responds, “Do not prevent him. . . . Whoever is not against us is for us.” What a wonderful, generous attitude!  John was undoubtedly angry that someone outside of their little circle was going to get credit. If you think that this sort of thing only happened in biblical times, you haven’t spent too much time around the Church! I’m a proud churchman, and I love and admire all of the great people who do so much for Christ’s kingdom, and for very little compensation. But I’ve also been around long enough to see this problem on parish staffs, in diocesan offices, within rectories, and among parish communities. We get so tied up in our little games and protecting our turf and making sure things go according to the bureaucratic structures that we have established that we forget what the mission is about. What Jesus saw was that the mission is what matters. Bringing God’s love to the world, being a conduit of grace: that’s what matters. All of our personal glory, position, privilege—all of that is finally a matter of indifference. Bishop Robert Barron

Thoughts on the Holy Spirit

 

Intimate Communion

The intimate relationship between the Father and the Son has a name. It is Spirit. Holy Spirit. “I want you to have my Spirit.” “Spirit” means “breath.” It comes from the ancient Greek word pneuma. “I want you to have my breathing. I want you to have that most intimate part of me so that the relationship that is between you and God is the same as between me and God, which is a divine relationship.” What you need to hear with your heart is that you are invited to dwell in the family of God. You are invited to be part of that intimate communion right now.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”   - Acts 1: 8

Thoughts on Prayer

 

Prayer, Our First Concern

Prayer requires that we stand in God's presence with open hands, naked and vulnerable, proclaiming to ourselves and to others that without God we can do nothing. This is difficult in a climate where the predominant counsel is “Do your best and God will do the rest.” When life is divided into “our best” and “God's rest,” we have turned prayer into a last resort to be used only when all our resources are depleted. Then even the Lord has become the victim of our impatience. Discipleship does not mean to use God when we can no longer function ourselves. On the contrary, it means to recognize that we can do nothing at all, but that God can do everything through us. As disciples, we find not some but all of our strength, hope, courage, and confidence in God. Therefore, prayer must be our first concern.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”   - Proverbs 3: 5 – 6

Thoughts on Lent

7^th Sunday of Ordinary Time (C)

                                                                                                           

Luke 6: 27-38

Lent begins in only ten days. Most of us are probably not planning what we will do for Lent, the Serious Season of our Church’s year. In fact, some us may even be in the midst of “carnival season,” looking forward to how we will soon celebrate Mardi Gras, the opposite of seriousness.

     What will we do to live our Catholic Faith more seriously during Lent? 

• Repent? We know we must turn to the Lord.
• Pray? We know that Lent should be a time of greater prayer.
• Penance? Sorrow for our sins and acts of self-denial are essential for Lent.
• Charity? We know that we always need to grow more charitable in thought, word, and deed.

     Upon reflection we know how far short we fall from what we should be. We know we need to follow Christ more closely. But how do we do it? How can we change? How can we become more Christ-like?

           Today’s Gospel is taken from the Sermon on the Plain, Luke’s version of Matthew’s Sermon

on the Mount. As I read this Gospel, I see a very specific (and very difficult) plan for Lent. Here are

“Ten Commandments” for repentance and spiritual renewal. We might call them the “Lenten Ten Commandments.”

The Lenten Ten Commandments or The Call to a Higher Standard

1       Love your enemies (Practice a love that is not only an emotion, but willing, wanting, working for the good of the other.)

2       Do good to those who hate you (This is really the way to “love enemies.”)

3       Bless those who curse you (Ask God to look favorably on those who have not been favorable to you.)

4       Pray for those who treat you badly (Learn to pray sincerely for those who mistreat you.)

5       Give to those in need (Give whatever someone may need, even something very simple such as a kind word or encouragement, not expecting any repayment.)

6       Treat others as you would like them to treat you (Try to make the Golden Rule a habit of your behavior.)

7       Be compassionate (Remember that your Heavenly Father is always compassionate.)

8       Do not judge (Then you will not be judged.)

9       Do not condemn (Then you will not be condemned.)

10   Grant pardon (You will then be pardoned.)

What will be the result of following these Lenten Ten Commandments? We will become more and more like Jesus Himself, whom we are meant to imitate.

           These Lenten Ten Commandments are very difficult, much more difficult than the Ten Commandments

of the Old Testament covenant. It is difficult to live these Commandments because we must not simply change our actions, we must try to change our attitudes.

• We must try to be less egotistic, less selfish, less vengeful, less vindictive, less severe. 
• We must try to become less, so that God can become more in our lives.
• We must try to see others as God sees them.
• We must try to treat others as Jesus would treat them.

           

           If you really want a Lenten plan that can draw you closer to Christ, try – with the help of God – these Lenten Ten Commandments. And a practical way to try them is to read today’s Gospel each day this Lent.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Fr. Don Saunders, S.J. 

More thoughts on patience

 

Stay Fully Where You Are

There is this wonderful word in the Gospel and it is “patience.” In the Gospel to have patience means to stay fully where you are, to live the moment to the full, to trust that all you need is where you are.

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” - Ecclesiastes 7: 8