"This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."
Mark 7:6
In today's Gospel we have another classic confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees are upset because Jesus' disciples don't keep their tradition. Jesus is upset because the Pharisees have replaced God's Word with their tradition.
Tradition is big in Catholic circles; bigger than in most non-Catholic ones. But to us, there is a big difference between the Apostolic Tradition (spelled with an upper case T) and various traditions (spelled with the lower case t). It is the latter that are our focus today.
Sometimes we allow our various customs to become our doctrines. We have canonized things like styles of music, dress codes, where we sit in church, and what the church should look like. Any number of these things may be good, but they are simply our traditions, not necessarily God's. They can be changed. In some cases they should be changed. If we're not careful our religion devolves into who agrees with us on these issues. This was what happened to the Pharisees and its how we become Pharisees in our modern context.
This raises a question: just what is it that is at the heart of our religion anyway? Why do we do what we do? To borrow a line from Matt Redman: "It's all about You (Jesus)". We are called Christians because we follow Christ. We seek to imitate Him. We have come to know Him, and so we have a relationship with Him. It's really all about this. The other stuff has varying degrees of importance, but this is at the heart of the issue. Before we can deal with the rest, we need to know that our heart is right with our Lord.
Too many of us make it all about the rules. It's not. It's about the relationship. The Gospel is the divine love story. It is that God created us for Himself, but we were lost to Him through sin. Because of His great love He has redeemed us. We are a mess when He finds us, but He loves us so much that He was truly willing to die rather than live without us. When we begin to grasp some of this love and respond in kind, then we are beginning the road to eternal life. There's more, of course, but it starts here.
The tendency can easily be that the longer we go on, we drift from this core. Now we're caught up in rules and traditions and before we know it, the life has been sucked out of us and we're asking, "What's it all about?" This is why so many have been burned by religion. They either never understood this concept, or they forgot it.
Today, hear Jesus' words afresh. What traditions are keeping us from realizing the intimacy He longs to bring us? Leave the traditions of men, even if they're your own. Renew the first love you had for Him. Then let Him lead you the rest of the way!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Power of a Praying Mother
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.
Luke 7:12
Today is the Memorial for St. Monica, who was the mother of St. Augustine. She is best known for her persevering prayer for his conversion. She is known as the patron saint of all mothers.
In his early days, St. Augustine was a very sinful man. It grieved the heart of his devout mother and she stormed heaven with her prayers continually. After many years her prayers were answered. Augustine finally repented of his evil ways and submitted to baptism. St. Monica died content that her son was in the hands of God.
In today's Gospel a widow receives her son back to life. It is a literal rendering of what St. Monica experienced in the spiritual. Her son who was dead was now alive. How can we who have children gone astray experience the same?
First of all, we must acknowledge that each person has his/her own free will. God will not force Himself on anyone regardless of how hard we plead. But He does continue to pour out His Spirit upon these wayward souls, urging them to come to Him. There really is something to be said for such prayer. St. John tells us if any one sees his brother committing what is not a deadly sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not deadly, (1 Jn. 5:16). St. James tells us the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects, (Jms. 5:16). Our Lord promised us that if we continue to ask, seek, and knock, we will receive the thing we are asking for.
If you've been praying for a son or daughter who has been straying from the Lord, don't give up. With St. Monica as your example, continue to pray. You may even ask St. Monica to intercede on your behalf since we know she has such power in prayer. As we continue in prayer, let us trust that we, too, will see the glory of God!
Luke 7:12
Today is the Memorial for St. Monica, who was the mother of St. Augustine. She is best known for her persevering prayer for his conversion. She is known as the patron saint of all mothers.
In his early days, St. Augustine was a very sinful man. It grieved the heart of his devout mother and she stormed heaven with her prayers continually. After many years her prayers were answered. Augustine finally repented of his evil ways and submitted to baptism. St. Monica died content that her son was in the hands of God.
In today's Gospel a widow receives her son back to life. It is a literal rendering of what St. Monica experienced in the spiritual. Her son who was dead was now alive. How can we who have children gone astray experience the same?
First of all, we must acknowledge that each person has his/her own free will. God will not force Himself on anyone regardless of how hard we plead. But He does continue to pour out His Spirit upon these wayward souls, urging them to come to Him. There really is something to be said for such prayer. St. John tells us if any one sees his brother committing what is not a deadly sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not deadly, (1 Jn. 5:16). St. James tells us the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects, (Jms. 5:16). Our Lord promised us that if we continue to ask, seek, and knock, we will receive the thing we are asking for.
If you've been praying for a son or daughter who has been straying from the Lord, don't give up. With St. Monica as your example, continue to pray. You may even ask St. Monica to intercede on your behalf since we know she has such power in prayer. As we continue in prayer, let us trust that we, too, will see the glory of God!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
From The Inside Out
Walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his Kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:12
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
Matthew 23:27,28
St. Paul tells us in our first reading that we are called to walk worthy of our God. The distinctive mark of a Christian is our lifestyle. We are to imitate Jesus. We are to reflect His love. Our faith is not merely theoretical, but practical. We practice what we preach. But lest someone think it's all about how we appear, we also have our Lord's exhortation in Matthew's Gospel. It's not sufficient to look good on the outside. Our inside must look just as good to God. The two are related.
We are inwardly pure when we maintain a constant vigilance over our own hearts. We guard ourselves against sin. We fill our hearts and minds with praise and thanksgiving to God. We are continually in prayer. We meditate on God's Word and we receive of the Sacraments. In this way we are made into the image of Christ. We truly have fellowship with God. This inward purity then spills over into a life of outward purity as well. If we are truly pure in heart, then it will inevitably show to others around us. However, the reverse is not necessarily true. People can look good on the outside but be a mess inside. This was the situation our Lord was addressing.
The problem is that if we look good on the outside it is easy to be deceived. We have others fooled and we may even be fooling ourselves. Outward obedience alone is never sufficient. It must be the overflow of a vibrant relationship with God. Only then does it carry the power necessary to be life-changing for us and others around us.
Where do we stand today? Are we even maintaining an outward appearance of holiness? If so, is that the result of inward holiness? The readings call us to carefully examine our state, inside and out. Let us be diligent to do so. Let us be pure in heart and walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls us!
1 Thessalonians 2:12
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
Matthew 23:27,28
St. Paul tells us in our first reading that we are called to walk worthy of our God. The distinctive mark of a Christian is our lifestyle. We are to imitate Jesus. We are to reflect His love. Our faith is not merely theoretical, but practical. We practice what we preach. But lest someone think it's all about how we appear, we also have our Lord's exhortation in Matthew's Gospel. It's not sufficient to look good on the outside. Our inside must look just as good to God. The two are related.
We are inwardly pure when we maintain a constant vigilance over our own hearts. We guard ourselves against sin. We fill our hearts and minds with praise and thanksgiving to God. We are continually in prayer. We meditate on God's Word and we receive of the Sacraments. In this way we are made into the image of Christ. We truly have fellowship with God. This inward purity then spills over into a life of outward purity as well. If we are truly pure in heart, then it will inevitably show to others around us. However, the reverse is not necessarily true. People can look good on the outside but be a mess inside. This was the situation our Lord was addressing.
The problem is that if we look good on the outside it is easy to be deceived. We have others fooled and we may even be fooling ourselves. Outward obedience alone is never sufficient. It must be the overflow of a vibrant relationship with God. Only then does it carry the power necessary to be life-changing for us and others around us.
Where do we stand today? Are we even maintaining an outward appearance of holiness? If so, is that the result of inward holiness? The readings call us to carefully examine our state, inside and out. Let us be diligent to do so. Let us be pure in heart and walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls us!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Hard Sayings
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
John 6:60
This is the response of many who have listened to Jesus as He explained that He Himself is the bread of life and that if we would have life we must eat His flesh and drink His blood. They didn't understand what He was saying. It wasn't time for Him to reveal all that He meant by it. He expected them to trust Him and to continue to follow Him. Many did not. But when asked if they also would leave, Peter, speaking for the twelve said, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God" (vv. 68, 69).
We don't always understand what Jesus is teaching. It's not always clear what it is He is trying to accomplish in our lives. But we need to continue with Him in faith. Because there really is nowhere else to go.
Why does Jesus give us hard sayings? As the priest who said Mass in our parish this morning said in his homily, it is for our good. All of us, as a result of our baptism, are called to be saints. This is a process. Our Lord's hard sayings are opportunities for us to be challenged and to grow. That growth is intended to make us more holy- more like our Lord.
So what was Jesus saying? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life, (v. 63). Jesus did not intend His words to be understood in a natural way; that is, as cannibalism. Rather, they were to be understood in a spiritual way. However, this is not to say that He meant them merely in a symbolic way. Spiritual is still real. In fact, spiritual reality may be said to be even more real than the physical reality we see around us. These words would not be fully understood until our Lord revealed to His disciples the full teaching about the Eucharist.
We have come to believe that this passage, written near the close of the first century, was intended to teach the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Jesus is truly and fully present in the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine. This is a precious gift. We are richly blessed through receiving Him in this way. This is a mystery. We cannot fully grasp its meaning. Yet, there is something deep and beyond us here.
Hard sayings are not reasons to turn away from God, or refuse to learn what it is He is saying. They are times to draw near to God. Let us then draw near to hear our Lord's hard sayings and commit to following Him because He alone is the way to eternal life. He will show us what we need to know in time or eternity. We can trust Him. And we must!
John 6:60
This is the response of many who have listened to Jesus as He explained that He Himself is the bread of life and that if we would have life we must eat His flesh and drink His blood. They didn't understand what He was saying. It wasn't time for Him to reveal all that He meant by it. He expected them to trust Him and to continue to follow Him. Many did not. But when asked if they also would leave, Peter, speaking for the twelve said, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God" (vv. 68, 69).
We don't always understand what Jesus is teaching. It's not always clear what it is He is trying to accomplish in our lives. But we need to continue with Him in faith. Because there really is nowhere else to go.
Why does Jesus give us hard sayings? As the priest who said Mass in our parish this morning said in his homily, it is for our good. All of us, as a result of our baptism, are called to be saints. This is a process. Our Lord's hard sayings are opportunities for us to be challenged and to grow. That growth is intended to make us more holy- more like our Lord.
So what was Jesus saying? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life, (v. 63). Jesus did not intend His words to be understood in a natural way; that is, as cannibalism. Rather, they were to be understood in a spiritual way. However, this is not to say that He meant them merely in a symbolic way. Spiritual is still real. In fact, spiritual reality may be said to be even more real than the physical reality we see around us. These words would not be fully understood until our Lord revealed to His disciples the full teaching about the Eucharist.
We have come to believe that this passage, written near the close of the first century, was intended to teach the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Jesus is truly and fully present in the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine. This is a precious gift. We are richly blessed through receiving Him in this way. This is a mystery. We cannot fully grasp its meaning. Yet, there is something deep and beyond us here.
Hard sayings are not reasons to turn away from God, or refuse to learn what it is He is saying. They are times to draw near to God. Let us then draw near to hear our Lord's hard sayings and commit to following Him because He alone is the way to eternal life. He will show us what we need to know in time or eternity. We can trust Him. And we must!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Priority of Practice
"They preach but they do not practice."
Matthew 23:3
We are fond of using the word, "hypocrite," about others. We are not so fond of using it for ourselves.
In today's Gospel our Lord confronts the Pharisees over a number of their hypocritical practices. Hypocrisy is like cancer. It spreads throughout the whole body if not checked. Hypocrisy is the arrogant choice to teach one thing, but then to do something different. It is not the same thing as making this mistake in ignorance. It is a chosen path. It is born out of pride. It's continued practice hardens the heart against God. In the end it breeds hatred and death. The uncomfortable truth is that all of us, at one time or another, have been hypocrites. Some of us still are.
The essence of hypocrisy is captured in our Lord's words in our text. Hypocrites preach but they do not practice. As I said, this is a chosen behavior. Yet, many of us in our ignorance behave like hypocrites. The heart is not the same, but the results often are. People still come to either believe that they don't have to practice what they preach, or they are so offended at it all that they leave it altogether. I guess this is what people mean when they say they don't go to church because it's full of hypocrites. They're sick of it all. But they really need to take a sober look at the fingers pointing back at them and not just the one they're pointing at others. We all have a lot of work to do in this area.
Most of us know more than we practice. We know we're supposed to share with the less fortunate. We don't always do it. We know we're supposed to turn the other cheek and love our enemies. We don't always do it. We know we must be self-controlled in our eating and pleasures. We don't always practice that. Whether intentional or not, this gives a hypocritical example. What should we do?
We need to begin with a humble confession to God. This should be followed by an equally humble confession to anyone we have hurt or offended. Then we should prayerfully begin to review the teaching of our Lord and ask ourselves, point by point, are we practicing these things? If not, stop and begin to take steps to put this aspect of the Faith into practice.
We cannot help that we have been hypocrites in the past. But we can change how we behave in the future. To choose to abandon hypocrisy and truly practice what we preach is to choose the road of humility. It is to live a life that is truly righteous. By the grace of God, let us not be afraid to journey on this road!
Matthew 23:3
We are fond of using the word, "hypocrite," about others. We are not so fond of using it for ourselves.
In today's Gospel our Lord confronts the Pharisees over a number of their hypocritical practices. Hypocrisy is like cancer. It spreads throughout the whole body if not checked. Hypocrisy is the arrogant choice to teach one thing, but then to do something different. It is not the same thing as making this mistake in ignorance. It is a chosen path. It is born out of pride. It's continued practice hardens the heart against God. In the end it breeds hatred and death. The uncomfortable truth is that all of us, at one time or another, have been hypocrites. Some of us still are.
The essence of hypocrisy is captured in our Lord's words in our text. Hypocrites preach but they do not practice. As I said, this is a chosen behavior. Yet, many of us in our ignorance behave like hypocrites. The heart is not the same, but the results often are. People still come to either believe that they don't have to practice what they preach, or they are so offended at it all that they leave it altogether. I guess this is what people mean when they say they don't go to church because it's full of hypocrites. They're sick of it all. But they really need to take a sober look at the fingers pointing back at them and not just the one they're pointing at others. We all have a lot of work to do in this area.
Most of us know more than we practice. We know we're supposed to share with the less fortunate. We don't always do it. We know we're supposed to turn the other cheek and love our enemies. We don't always do it. We know we must be self-controlled in our eating and pleasures. We don't always practice that. Whether intentional or not, this gives a hypocritical example. What should we do?
We need to begin with a humble confession to God. This should be followed by an equally humble confession to anyone we have hurt or offended. Then we should prayerfully begin to review the teaching of our Lord and ask ourselves, point by point, are we practicing these things? If not, stop and begin to take steps to put this aspect of the Faith into practice.
We cannot help that we have been hypocrites in the past. But we can change how we behave in the future. To choose to abandon hypocrisy and truly practice what we preach is to choose the road of humility. It is to live a life that is truly righteous. By the grace of God, let us not be afraid to journey on this road!
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Pledge
"Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God."
Ruth 1:16
This text sounds like something for a wedding. In many ways it is. Ruth is promising to leave her own people in Moab to follow her mother in law, Naomi, after the death of Ruth's husband. She has no promise of any kind of a life in Judah. Ruth was a Gentile, an outcast, beyond the pale of the covenant of God. At least that's how she would be viewed in Judah. Yet, in spite of all of this, she vows to follow Naomi and begin life amidst her people in Judah.
This story is about conversion. It is a wedding, but it is that wedding between God and His people; between Christ and His Church. It is a woman responding to the wooing of her Lord and consenting to a marriage covenant with Him. God calls to us in a similar manner and yearns that we will respond to His invitation.
"Wherever you go I will go." This is the first act of discipleship; to abandon our past, leave our homeland, and follow Jesus. We may not do this physically, but we must do it spiritually. Only when we have let go of our old sinful ways can we embrace our Lord and His ways of the kingdom.
"Wherever you lodge I will lodge." We find ourselves now in the house of God. Again, this is not just physical, but spiritual. It does not refer to a life devoted to a particular church building. It means that, having become part of God's family, we now reside in His House, the Church. The customs are different here. The surroundings are different. But this is our new family. This is where we will live. This will now be our home.
"Your people shall be my people." The people of God can be a little difficult to deal with sometimes. Sure, it shouldn't be that way. But it is! Just like any new family, there will be some people we won't quite feel at home with. Nevertheless, we are all family now. We must learn to love one another and live together in unity. It's a tough call, but God's grace gives us the ability to live it out.
"Your God will by my God." This is the crux of the matter. It's about worshiping God. We all have gods. We may not recognize them all. We may worship money, fame, possessions, people, or even ourselves. We leave these gods behind as we embrace the one true God. From now on, we will only worship Him.
It's important, from time to time, to re-evaluate our lives to be sure we are continuing in the right direction. Today, this simple pledge from a young pagan woman determined to begin again is a compass for us. May we find ourselves following through on our committment to follow faithfully, dwell in the Lord's House, and worship Him fervently always!
Ruth 1:16
This text sounds like something for a wedding. In many ways it is. Ruth is promising to leave her own people in Moab to follow her mother in law, Naomi, after the death of Ruth's husband. She has no promise of any kind of a life in Judah. Ruth was a Gentile, an outcast, beyond the pale of the covenant of God. At least that's how she would be viewed in Judah. Yet, in spite of all of this, she vows to follow Naomi and begin life amidst her people in Judah.
This story is about conversion. It is a wedding, but it is that wedding between God and His people; between Christ and His Church. It is a woman responding to the wooing of her Lord and consenting to a marriage covenant with Him. God calls to us in a similar manner and yearns that we will respond to His invitation.
"Wherever you go I will go." This is the first act of discipleship; to abandon our past, leave our homeland, and follow Jesus. We may not do this physically, but we must do it spiritually. Only when we have let go of our old sinful ways can we embrace our Lord and His ways of the kingdom.
"Wherever you lodge I will lodge." We find ourselves now in the house of God. Again, this is not just physical, but spiritual. It does not refer to a life devoted to a particular church building. It means that, having become part of God's family, we now reside in His House, the Church. The customs are different here. The surroundings are different. But this is our new family. This is where we will live. This will now be our home.
"Your people shall be my people." The people of God can be a little difficult to deal with sometimes. Sure, it shouldn't be that way. But it is! Just like any new family, there will be some people we won't quite feel at home with. Nevertheless, we are all family now. We must learn to love one another and live together in unity. It's a tough call, but God's grace gives us the ability to live it out.
"Your God will by my God." This is the crux of the matter. It's about worshiping God. We all have gods. We may not recognize them all. We may worship money, fame, possessions, people, or even ourselves. We leave these gods behind as we embrace the one true God. From now on, we will only worship Him.
It's important, from time to time, to re-evaluate our lives to be sure we are continuing in the right direction. Today, this simple pledge from a young pagan woman determined to begin again is a compass for us. May we find ourselves following through on our committment to follow faithfully, dwell in the Lord's House, and worship Him fervently always!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Surrender
“Father, you have made a vow to the LORD. Do with me as you have vowed, because the LORD has wrought vengeance for you on your enemies the Ammonites.”
Judges 11:36
The Old Testament has a lot of strange stories in it. This is one of them.
Jephthah has been chosen by God to be a judge of Israel and a deliverer for them from their enemies, the Ammonites. He is seen as a man with a zeal for God, but tainted with the pagan practice of human sacrifice. He foolishly offers God "whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites," (v. 31).
He wins, of course, and who is the first to greet him on his return but his only child, his daughter. Her name is not even given to us in this passage, but she exemplifies the spirit of the saints in her demeanor. Her response is the text above.
It sounds familiar. It is the language of humble surrender. It was the spirit of our Blessed Mother when she offered herself to become the mother of our Lord: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word," (Lu. 1:38).
We are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God. The invitation to discipleship is a call to surrender. This is something we must continually choose. Yesterday's vow will not do. We must embrace it today and hold on to it perpetually.
Surrender is not easy. That is a great understatement. It is close to impossible. It goes against everything that is naturally in us. But it must be so. We must completely die in order for the life of Christ to live in us and through us. As our Lord offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins and rose again, so we must die to all that is sinful and allow the Lord to raise us up in His image.
What is God calling for today? What are we holding onto so tightly? May we abandon all and surrender ourselves completely to Him. Like Jephthah's daughter, the world may not know our names, but it will benefit from the life of Christ lived through us as we offer ourselves to Him in complete surrender.
Judges 11:36
The Old Testament has a lot of strange stories in it. This is one of them.
Jephthah has been chosen by God to be a judge of Israel and a deliverer for them from their enemies, the Ammonites. He is seen as a man with a zeal for God, but tainted with the pagan practice of human sacrifice. He foolishly offers God "whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites," (v. 31).
He wins, of course, and who is the first to greet him on his return but his only child, his daughter. Her name is not even given to us in this passage, but she exemplifies the spirit of the saints in her demeanor. Her response is the text above.
It sounds familiar. It is the language of humble surrender. It was the spirit of our Blessed Mother when she offered herself to become the mother of our Lord: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word," (Lu. 1:38).
We are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God. The invitation to discipleship is a call to surrender. This is something we must continually choose. Yesterday's vow will not do. We must embrace it today and hold on to it perpetually.
Surrender is not easy. That is a great understatement. It is close to impossible. It goes against everything that is naturally in us. But it must be so. We must completely die in order for the life of Christ to live in us and through us. As our Lord offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins and rose again, so we must die to all that is sinful and allow the Lord to raise us up in His image.
What is God calling for today? What are we holding onto so tightly? May we abandon all and surrender ourselves completely to Him. Like Jephthah's daughter, the world may not know our names, but it will benefit from the life of Christ lived through us as we offer ourselves to Him in complete surrender.
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