welp. sorry

back to it then.....

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 66:18-21

Ps: 117:1,2

Heb 12:5-7, 11-13

Lk 13: 22-30

In my childhood, i was mister third prize :)

At birthday parties, i would win the last place prize (like when we went bowling, i'd get an envelope with a nickel in it, ha ha), where the winner would get 10 bucks. 

I got 3rd place in public speaking in the 3rd grade ( and with a chipped front tooth to boot)

All the sports teams i was on never made it to "the finals"

This somewhat bothered me in my middle school years, but i eventually resigned to it, and was completely okay with it :) 

Then i heard Jesus say that the last would be first some times....and it made me smile :)

I'm not sure how that works; didn't Paul say that God shows no partiality? So how can you be last one minute and first the next? Maybe the point isn't what place you're in. Maybe the point is that you are counted. 

We live in an age of unbridled information that is alot of opion and not always alot of fact. You can learn alot "about" someone, but you may never truly know them. In fact, i sometimes wonder if our "accessibility" has made us more inaccessible to each other. I think this is what Jesus is talking about. People are "doing" alot of things. Some of it is actually good. But does it amount in an increased intimacy with Him and those we share life with? Is it really of any good then? 

There were two "gates" in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus - the East entrance, which was the popular way of getting in (and the way the Messiah was going to enter to save the Israelites from their oppressors); and the "sheep" gate, or the gate for the Temple animal sacrifices. Like so many other times, He uses His surroundings to illustrate a priciple; that the call is to sacrificial love, not popular opinion. Inside the Church, we tend to talk about how difficult holiness is, and how easy sin is. This is true. But part of the reason Jesus talks about this was because many of the Israelites thought that only they were worth saving - that salvation was not for all, but only them. In other words, one group of people thought they were better than anyone else. Yes, holiness is difficult, but if that's all we talk about, we miss the greater call. That is - to call people to love outside themselves. It's a difference - one focuses on the sacrifice, the other focuses on, well, the other. That is truly countercultural - that is a "narrow gate". Otherwise, you run the risk of being an "acquaintance"  of God, and not one who knows Him. 

It is precisely when i am most weak that i look at the reality of loving God and others above myself as a giant mountain at which i am at the bottom of, that i should stop and realize that i am loved in my weakness; and because i am loved, i can love. 

Yes, holiness is difficult. Jesus seems to admit that many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. The question is, does your strength come from you? Or does it only come from God. Virtue is not something generated solely from within, but only with divine help. 

I think as insane as it sounds, that many of us (myself included) actually attempt holiness apart from God, outside of His embrace; as if His embrace only comes if we're good. But it's BECAUSE of His embrace that would even be good. 

Know Him. Be known. Be loved. Be Holy. 

Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23
Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17
Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Luke 12:13-21

I grew up always getting high B's and things like 3rd place In public speaking; my teachers would always say on my report card, "he doesn't apply himself" - I knew this as well, and therefore never felt I was entitled to an A, as I was extremely self aware of my own capacity for slackery.  But because I got A's when I worked really hard, I understood the value in working for something. I also knew my own limits - for example, what I was good at and not good at. Therefore, the things I wasn't really good at I didn’t spend time working on, because it was fruitless.

I took piano lessons for two and a half years, and then stopped. I kept playing by ear through middle school, and even though I could play almost every single theme show from TV (including MacGyver, Hill Street Blues, and Alf) I never really became 'technically' good because I didn't practice enough; I didn't train. I relied on the talent I had.  I never really worked hard at anything until I got into college and heard one of my professors say "Music Is 90% brains, and 10% talent."

Up until that point, I had heard a lot of people say "You have talent," but because of my own lack of work, I hadn't heard a lot of "You have a lot of brains." Things changed for me when I realized that if I really wanted to make music for a living, I had to work hard at it. A lot of people want to make music for a living (or at least, they like the thought of it) - but they're not willing to truly work at it. When you ask most kids these days what they want to do, most say, "Make a lot of money," or "Be really famous." Those aren't occupations. 

When you really press them, they eventually say, "I don't know what I want to do" - many have tried or contemplated a lot of things, but gave up. Typically the first reason we give up at anything is because we realize how terrible we are at it - and in that moment, we either press on, or we walk away. I think the biggest reason we walk away is not because of lack of talent - it's because of lack of character. In other words, we lack the self-worth and self-discipline to keep going. 

This is really what the readings are hitting at today. The only place that self-worth and self-discipline can really come from inside of a person is from God. Parents are the closest things to God that a child can comprehend; and parents can instill in their children a strong sense of self.  However, parents are only human, and eventually will disappoint in some way. This is where God steps in and closes the gap and children know that their parents and God love them unconditionally.        

Technology has made so much visible, that without self-worth or discipline, we think it is easily attainable. This is really the heart of temptation, and where the notion of entitlement comes from in our society. 

While In the desert for 40 days, Jesus was tempted with all the things of the world; some physical, exterior things; some were much greater Interior things - like a sense of power, or security found In wealth (and not God). The first reading is a wonderful wake up call to remember that this life (without God) is in vain. All our human accomplishments are nothing to the one who has created everything. Paul reminds us that "If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above.” In other words, keep your eyes on Heaven and the things that are eternal. 

What things are eternal?

Love.
Joy.
Kindness
Peace.
Patience.
Meekness.
Goodness.
Gentleness.
Self-control.

These are disciplines that don't just come from one moment of feeling convicted, or from reading the latest devotional self-help-type book on your trusty iPad for 5 minutes at a time In Starbucks before you get three text messages, 2 words with friends responses, and 5 tweets. These are side effects, or ‘fruits’ of Intimately knowing love, Himself, and Intentionally living life In consideration of Him and with Him daily, If not hourly.           

In short, it takes ‘work.’ The work isn’t so much Inwardly focused though. The work is more so surrender, as you let Him work in you. But once again, that only comes through giving time for God to do these things, through a spirit of continual and consensual prayer. 

Most of us have busy lives, and maybe we need to look at that. But we also just need to be doing what we're doing in a spirit of prayer, asking God to reveal Himself In the midst of the every day. I think when we do that, we can be more focused on the Kingdom of God, and less Inclined to feel ‘entitled’ to anything.          

Last week we heard Jesus talking about prayer, and the Importance of praying for the Kingdom to come. It makes sense that someone (who Isn't' really listening) who comes up, and says, "Hey, healer/magic dude - make my brother give me his Inheritance,” that Jesus’ response, while redirecting, was very firm. You can't be about the Kingdom and be overly concerned with the affairs of worldly things. 

God, grant me the grace to love you, my family and friends, and all peoples with a greater spirit of detachment from need of want and desire. 

Amen. 

July 25th - 17th sunday in ordinary time

readings are 

Gn18:20-32

Psalm 138: 1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8

Col 2:12-14

Lk 11:1-13

"Praying with persistence"

In such a time as what we live in, many people will hear the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (in the first reading), and focus on the wrath of God, when in fact, they should be focusing on His mercy. 

"mercy?!? How can you say what he did was mercy!?!"

The translation of the message puts it differently:

God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."

It says in the beginning of the reading; "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me.

The translation of the message puts it differently:

God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."

Let's focus on "the cries of the victims".  Who's a victim? Well, anyone who's victimized. Anyone who isn't treated with the dignity that's due to them. A lot of people focus on the preported sexual promiscuity of the city, but some theological scholars say that it was also a lack of hospitality (which Abraham show generously showed in last weeks reading) that was the greater sin. 

Noted author Henri Nouwen once said, "the greatest sign of a Christian was their sense of hospitality" Well, of course it would be extremely inhospitable to "force" an agenda on someone, without their willing permission. This is the "grave" sin that God speaks of - when one knowingly and willingly compromises the sanctity and dignity of another human person for personal gain (of any kind). The opposite of love isn't hate, as Pope John Paul 2 spoke in the Theology of the Body, it's use. To use someone for personal gain (whether it be emotional, psychological or physical) is a terrible sin against God. 

Abraham tries to bargain for the city, saying, "if there's 50 good people, would you destroy it?" This of course, isn't about whether or not there's 50, or 40, or 30, or 20, or even 10 people (which btw would have been about the number of Abrahamam's nephew's family (Lot) - the point is there aren't enough righteous people. There's not enough good deeds in the world to make up for all that we have transgressed - against the human family, against the planet, against ourselves. The only one who can stand in the gap is God Himself, in Christ. This is what Paul refers to in Col 2:12-14, when he says, "and even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He brought you to life along with Him, having forgive us all our transgressions, obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims….."

Does your heart beat faster when you read that? Dang. He obliterated the bond against us. The bond against you that tells you you're not good enough; that you're not worth anything; that you are weak and a sinner and wont amount to anything. 

Have you ever watched a real trial? The prosecution's job is to prove that you are guilty - and they make a case for you. Satan stands from Hell and yells to God continually all the sins of mankind, trying to accuse us of our guilt; and it is only by humbly admitting, "you are right", that we can turn to him and say

"BUT. HE obliterated it; and He has forgiven me"

I am realizing more and more every day that the good news is so good, it becomes harder to believe in a world that is more and more full of bad news. It seems so unbelievable. But it's true. 

It's when you walk in this reality, that you come to understand this is why Jesus in the Gospel teaches about God as a Father who answers the cries of His children - who are His children? Everyone - regardless of race, color, or creed - everyone is made in the image and likeness of God. But it is through Jesus that we have the potential to come to realize the fullness of our inheritance as that child; that we have a Father who promises us His Spirit, His Holy Spirit - to be given to us freely. It is then that we walk in sight of Him, hearing the outcry against injustice and poverty.

God bless - have a great week

iTunes
Both Alive Again and Empty and Beautiful are on sale for $6.99 + lots of other albums from Matt's buddies like Tenth Avenue North, Leeland, Third Day, and Casting Crowns. Click here to check out the sale

Family Christian Stores
If you prefer to buy an actual CD, Family Christian has Alive Again available now for $6.97. It's hard to beat a price like that!

Happy buying!
-Goose

let's keep praying for people in the gulf, and for God to intervene in that spill, ok? Also remember the people of Haiti who are only 6 months out from that horrible tragedy.....always much to pray for, huh........

Well, i've decided to try and "blog" every week on the scripture readings for the coming Sunday. In Catholicism, we use a "lectionary" to disseminate the scriptures throughout the liturgical year, (for lectionary - see here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lectionary)

for "liturgucal year, see here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgical_year)

So, i thought i could use those readings as an opportunity to reflect on the word of God that is coming up every Sunday. So, if you read this every week, you can think about what is coming to prepare your heart......or, if you look at it, you could read this after, and keep thinking about it throughout the week......just whatever side of the coin you're on, i guess :)

So here we go - this coming Sunday, the readings will be as follows:

Gn 18:1-10a
Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5
Col 1:24-28
Lk 10:38-42