Following Andrew

Matt 4: 18-22

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

We divert a bit from our Advent themes of preparation and spiritual renewal to honor the Apostle Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Always among those who closely accompanied Jesus during his public ministry, it is said that Andrew later preached to Gospel in Greece where he was martyred, and is the patron saint of the Greeks (as well s of the Scots and Russians).  His answer to the invitation of Jesus, "Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people," stands as an example for us to walk that same path, be it as lay people, religious or priests.  Anyone who takes Jesus seriously hears the call to follow him daily.  It's not an easy call to answer, for it entails a constant "giving up of self" be it in small or large matters.  It's odd how it's the small things that are the most difficult, while the large and dramatic are the easiest. Whatever today's call is in the circumstances of our families and work places, may the X-shaped cross of Andrew, which legend proposes as his instrument of death, inspire us to give generously and totally of ourselves as Andrew did.

Bro. Rene

 

Be On The Alert

 Mark 13: 33-37

Take Heed

³³ Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

As we begin the four Weeks of of Advent, the message is clear: "Be on guard", "Alert", "Keep watch", "Watch". We have to be drunk with complacency to miss the point, yet what are we going to do about heeding this very clear directive?  If out boss spoke to us this way, we'd certainly "shape up"  to avoid being "shipped out:"  So, we might take more quiet time than usual", ask for peace in our hearts, families, communities, country, world. We might clean out the clutter in our minds and hearts, our homes, closets. garages, basements, attics or offices. We might give our excess clothing or "stuff" to agencies that can distribute it to those in need. But what is it that we most need to do to make our hearts ready to welcome the Savior at Christmas?  Ponder and ask for guidance.

Bro. Rene   

Be Careful

Luke 21: 34-36

Be Watchful 

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Season of Advent begins with the Vigil Mass tonight, and the four following weeks will call us to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the Birth of Jesus.  It seems we have been in a period of penance and adjustment of our lives since March, an extra-long Advent, imposed on us by the Corona Virus.  Perhaps one of the blessings of the Pandemic is the readiness of our hearts because of our inactivity to be more open to the spirit of the season with its powerful readings from Isaiah, and it's call to review our lives and redirect them to the Messiah. We must be careful, we must be watchful for the temptations to push away the call to conversion, an on-going process, lest we be caught suddenly in a trap, such as self-pity, or selfish resistance, and miss the opportunity to deepen our relationship with others and with God. May we resolve now to "watch and pray" that we may be ready "to stand before the Son of Man.".

Bro. Rene

Watch For The Signs

Luke: 21: 29-33

 Learn From the Signs

²⁹ He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰ When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. ³¹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

³² “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The parable of the Fig Tree is clear and concise, but what are the signs we are to look for regarding of the Coming of the Kingdom?  Conjecture over these signs has continued from the time of Jesus to the present.  Indeed, some have thought they had the signs that clearly showed the "end was here," sold all but were greatly surprised and disappointed when "the end" did not come.  Hasn't "this generation" passed by now?  Several thousand times, and we are still here.. Perhaps it is best to focus on holding fast to the words of Jesus, living them, and not worrying about "the end" over which we have no control. The "signs" we see in our world today do not bode well for the future as more and more people drift from the active practice of their Faith or even a basic belief in God.  If nothing else, we can do something to put the word of God into our daily lives, so let's JUST DO IT!

Bro. Rene

Giving Thanks on Thanksgivng

 

 Luke 17: 11-19

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a] met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

We read this passage from Luke a few days ago, but it bears further reflection on Thanksgiving Day, since it highlights the need to thank God for his blessings and the joy it gives to him when we do so.  It is good that we as a nation set aside this one day to publicly offer thanks to God and do so from our churches and family tables, but there is the underlying message that saying "thank you", as we learned as children, is a habit that helps us keep things in perspective.  All is GIFT and God is the GIVER who never stops GIVING.

 These months since March have given us pause in our usual routines and have been the occasion for asking many questions, including, "when will this end?"  It is at a time like this when we can learn to thank God even for the "hard things" in life.  As St. Paul reminds us: “... affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Rm 5:3-5).

As often as we say, "Happy Thanksgiving" to one and all today, let us remember to offer our gratitude to God.

Bro. Rene

Persecution Promised

 Luke 21: 12-19

Stand Firm

 ¹² “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³ And so you will bear testimony to me. ¹⁴ But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵ For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ Everyone will hate you because of me. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ Stand firm, and you will win life.

Jesus continues to lay out the path of suffering and persecution for his disciples.  As it proved true for them, the early Christians, and Christians through the centuries,  so it does to our own day. A grim thought on the cusp of Thanksgiving, but there is a happy note:  "Stand firm, and you will win life." We may lose our lives in this world, but if for his sake, then we will win eternal life in the next. May we find hope, strength and courage as we meditate on this passage, and even be able to muster up a prayer of thanksgiving for All that is going on in our world and in our lives.  Hidden beneath it is a blessing.  We need to learn to trust more in order to find it.

Bro. Rene

Signs Of The End

 Luke 21: 5-11

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

⁵ Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ⁶ “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

⁸ He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. ⁹ When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

¹⁰ Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

Imagine hearing that the beautiful Temple of Jerusalem would be destroyed so completely that not one stone would be left on top of the other. It would be the same if someone said that about the Capitol in Washington.  We've already seen the obliteration of the Twin Towers in New York, so we already have knowledge that such complete destruction is possible.

We also know of our propensity to want to know the ending as soon as possible, be it of a book, a movie or even our own lives. As we wind down this liturgical year and prepare for the new one beginning on Sunday, we want to jump ahead and know what's coming, especially this year, with the Pandemic increasing in intensity spurring our longing for it to end to fever pitch. Jesus gave the people a list of signs, all of which have recurred over and over again, but here we are, still walking the planet, still receiving chance after chance to "get it", but we don't.  Perhaps this year will be different, for we have been rocked out of our complacency to what could and must be major changes in our lives.  It's time for us to take the warnings of Jesus seriously, lest we become a pile of rubble like the Temple.

Bro. Rene

Offering All

Luke 21: 1-4

The Widow’s Offering

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ² He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴ All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

When we reflect on the challenge presented in these four short verses,  we cannot but be struck by its enormous magnitude and repercussions: to give ALL, leaving nothing behind for security.  It is such trust that makes life in the Kingdom of Jesus different from a life of caution, fear or half-measures.  We shun the uncomfortable, or the constant cry of the needy or of ourselves who never seem to be satisfied and continually ask for more.  Even when we are able to give what they ask, or receive what we ask, our demands continue, forcing us into the bottom of our resources and prodding us to call on God, the ever faithful provider whose pantry is never emptied. When we have given our ALL, as this widow has done, then we know we have the blessing of Jesus which out measures anything we have given.

Bro. Rene

 

Christ The King

Mt 25: 31-46

The Final Judgment

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

This vivid description of the Final Judgement does not dwell on the crown or magnificent robes of the Greatest King that ever was, but, although it mentions his glory, the angels with him, and his glorious throne, the emphasis is on his judgement of those who identified with and helped the poor and those who did not. Jesus even identifies himself with the poor, hungry, homeless, naked, sick and imprisoned. What a reverse image of a King, but what an extraordinary and motivating scenario that invites us all to sit on the throne as the King's companions!  We don't need wealth, fine clothes or a palace, but simply service  to the outcasts, or in Marist terminology, :" the least favored,"  those whose circumstances put them in need of help, be it food, clothing, or the education too enable them obtain these basics of life on their own.  And, among these "basics" is the opportunity to learn about this King of Kings and come to love and serve him through our word and example. May we be inspired and graced to accept this "kingship of service to the poor" and carry it out.

Bro. Rene 

 

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin

Luke 20: 27-40

The Resurrection and Marriage

²⁷ Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. ²⁸ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁹ Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. ³⁰ The second ³¹ and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. ³² Finally, the woman died too. ³³ Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. ³⁵ But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, ³⁶ and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. ³⁷ But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’^{[a] 38} He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

³⁹ Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” ⁴⁰ And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

This Gospel Passage has nothing to do with the Memorial of the Presentation of Blessed Virgin, but I include it here for those who want to continue reflecting on these chapters from Luke which we have been following each day. 

The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin in the temple by her parents Anne and Joachim as a tangible act of gratitude for becoming parents in their advanced years seems out of place in the sequence of passages we have been reading these past weeks, but it serves as a stimulus for the upcoming Solemnity Christ the King, tomorrow and the week of readings on the Last Judgement before we begin Advent. Although there is no scriptural basis for this feast, it stems from the Apocryphal Scriptures, which appeared along side the formally approved Inspired Scriptures, adding flesh to the sketchy accounts we have of the family of Jesus.We see the preparation for the birth of Mary which falls in line with the births of other GREATS in the Scriptures:  the barren couple, praying for and being promised a child, and offering that child to God, as with Samuel and John the Baptist, for example.  Anne and Joachim, mother and father of Mary, do the same, and formally present her in the temple at an early age.  There she learns how to pray and reflect on the Scriptures, a gift which made it easier to accept the "marvels" proposed to her by the angel Gabriel, and to walk with Jesus through his life and do the same with us today.  Her openness to Gabriel's message serves as a lasting model for us when we are asked to do something we think is far beyond our capacity or power to accomplish. May we take sometime today to put ourselves in Mary's shoes, and ask her for the help we need to "present ourselves unconditionally" to the God who never seems to stop calling us to what we might think is beyond our ability to achieve.  If Mary did it, so can we.

Bro. Rene

 

Hung On His Words

 Luke 19: 45-48

Jesus at the Temple

⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer' but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.^]”

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. ⁴⁸ Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

 Can we imagine the pressure and stress on Jesus as he comes to the end of his public ministry and sees his Father's House so desecrated?  No wonder the money tables were flying; yet he continued teaching when he knew that his days were limited.  A marvelous example for us as we work our way to a bare-bones Thanksgiving, so out of step with our normal family celebrations....May we hang on his words as did the people, and hear him encourage us to trust, to have patience, and the accept "what we cannot change, and change the things we can."

Bro. Rene

Our Foolish Refusal

 Luke 19: 41-44

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Would that Jesus is not weeping over me as he did over Jerusalem's refusal to accept him.  How painful that must have been...the people chosen centuries before to carry the truth of the oneness of God, who benefited from his saving power over and over and who were privileged to have the Son of God take on their flesh and blood.  I might cringe at their blindness and thick-pigheadedness until I look at myself and find further reason to cringe, for what was true of them is true of me! How blind I can be as I put my own agenda ahead of God's or ignore his invitations (multiple invitations) to put my  will and self-centered ways aside, and be open to the promptings of HIS Spirit!  Like the man who received one mina in yesterday's Gospel, I duck from the opportunity to grow, causing pain to Jesus and destruction to myself.  God, please give me a willing, discerning, generous heart that is not afraid to take risks for you.  Help me to bring joy to you instead of tears.

Bro. Rene

Bro. Rene

 Luke 19: 11-28

The Parable of the Ten Minas

¹¹ While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. ¹² He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.^[a] ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

¹⁴ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

¹⁵ “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

¹⁶ “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’

¹⁷ “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

¹⁸ “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

¹⁹ “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. ²¹ I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’

²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? ²³ Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

²⁵ “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

²⁶ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ²⁷ But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

We recently reflected on a similar passage...A phone call just prevented a timely post.  Tune in tomorrow..

Bro Rene

Saving The Lost

Luke 19: 1-10

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

The story of Zacchaeus gives us hope.  Who among us is not without sin, flaw, in need of renewal, a remake, or even a "rebirth"? Traces of this tax collector course through our veins to some degree, buried by a lukewarm, complacent, self-satisfied  opinion of ourselves.  Zacchaeus, for all his misdoings, had enough curiosity, desire, energy to climb a tree simply for a view of Jesus. His enthusiastic willingness to change his ways simply because Jesus asked to dine with him, shows a seeking and willing heart, so much on the verge of conversion that it took only a brief sentence to push him "over the top."  Can we imagine the conversation at the meal, and perhaps many afterwards?  Can we imagine meeting Zacchaeus when, through God's grace we get to heaven? Following his willingness to change will get us there too.  What do I have to do today to be "a new me"? Jesus came to save the "lost," so we have no excuse.  Let's think well on it.

Bro Rene

 

Physical And Spiritual Blindness

 Luke 18: 35-43

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight

³⁵ As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ³⁷ They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

³⁸ He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

³⁹ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

⁴² Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” ⁴³ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

No one wants to be plagued with physical blindness but we all admire how those so impaired manage to lead full and effective lives though their own determination and the aid of others.  Spiritual blindness might not be as apparent, but nevertheless, it impairs personal spiritual growth and effective relationships with others.  The spiritually blind do not see how focused they are on themselves, often eliminating God entirely from their lives and alienating others with their self-centeredness.  Everything revolves around them; others do not matter. The cure for this blindness, as with the blind beggar, lies in calling out for help from Jesus.  Calling out to Jesus sets the stage for healing, for it is an admission of both the blindness itself and the need for Another, Jesus, to cure it. May we make the blind man's plea our prayer: :Lord, I want to see", or in another translation, Lord, that I may see."

Bro. Rene

 

God Asks For Fidelity

 Mt. 25: 14-30

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.^[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The word. faithful, appears four times in this parable, and seems to override the amount of talents involved.  It's not the gifts nor the profit that matters, but the being faithful to whatever gifts we have been given. We need not fret nor compare ourselves with others, but try to be use our gifts to the maximum of our ability.  This requires confidence, boldness and courage and merits commendation and reward, but burying our gifts out of fear shows a lack of confidence in ourselves as well as a lack of confidence in the God who bestowed them upon us. 

On this Sunday before the Feast of Christ the King, we might take some time to look at our own talents and ask God for the grace to be faithful to him and to ourselves, and to use them as he intends.

Bro. Rene

 

Just Keep Praying

Luke 18: 1-8

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

 We always seem to be asking God for favors, help, guidance, or whatever is beyond our reach.  We certainly resemble the persistent widow and God often grants our requests simply to shut down our nagging, if we might call it that. Would that we could or would take some of that begging energy and time, simply to be present to God, to thank him or to be silent with him, as with someone we love deeply and don't need words to express that love.  Simply BEING there is enough..  Then prayer takes on a different flavor.  It helps us develop that Faith he hopes to find when he returns.  So, let us keep praying, not always asking, but simply BEING with God,

Bro Rene

 

A Timely Paradox

 ^{Luke 17: 26-37}

 ^{Seeking To Save And Losing}

²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷ People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

²⁸ “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

³⁰ “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” ^[36] 

³⁷ “Where, Lord?” they asked.

He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”"

"Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it." (Lk 17: 33).  A  paradox we find verified the longer we live as we become more and more aware that we have no control of our lives, of our futures. All the money in the bank, all the life insurance we invest in, all the vitamins and supplements we buy, cannot guarantee freedom from illness nor a long, carefree life.  But those who discipline themselves, yes, even deny themselves, are the ones who find their hearts flooded with peace and security of such a nature that it must come from God, for nothing nor no one on earth can provide such gifts.  May we not hold back from the urging to do more for God and others and less for self, and discover how God lavishes his grace upon us far beyond our wildest dreams. And in this Pandemic, isn't this a timely consolation!

Bro. Rene

 

The Kingdom of God Is Among You

 Luke 17: 20-25

The Coming of the Kingdom of God

²⁰ Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, ²¹ nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

²² Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. ²³ People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. ²⁴ For the Son of Man in his day^[b] will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. ²⁵ But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

"The Kingdom of God is in  your midst", "among you", "already in your midst." It seems there are a variety of ways to describe this wonderful Kingdom, a combination of God's presence and our efforts.The quest for the Kingdom also requires suffering and rejection, something we think of as only for the martyrs persecuted by the Roman Emperors, or under the Communist regimes past and present, without realizing that current prejudices and intimations reveal that the sufferings and rejections continue everywhere to this day. And how do WE reject those who disagree with us, or whose behavior tests us to the core?  If we want the Kingdom of God to flourish, it must begin in our hearts, and allow us to recognize it in the hearts and lives of all.  A big order.  God help us!

Bro. Rene

 

Veteran's Day 2020

 

  Luke 17: 11-19

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a] met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

May this glorious sunrise fill you with awe, and gratitude as we reflect on this wonder of nature and the loving, generous heart of Jesus, the Healer.  May we not ever be among the nine, but always with the one who returned to acknowledge  the great gift he received and give thanks for it.  This is not Thanksgiving Day, but Veterans Day...somehow linked by gratitude.  As we remember our deceased warriors, may we also give thanks to God for their beautiful lives and the beauty of Nature which embraces us every day.

Bro. Rene

Veterans Day- Day of Remembrance and Gratitude

Sunrise

Goosefare Brook

OOB, ME

 

^{Luke 17: 7-10}

 ^{The Unprofitable Servant}

⁷ “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? ⁸ Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? ⁹ Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

A very sobering and direct message to us, not to puff ourselves up beyond who we are or to expect special treatment simply for doing what is expected of us.  We can fall into the trap of thinking we are the only ones doing our share of the work, or a "woe is me", "poor me" attitude of "no one works harder than I and deserves more than I." The reality is that we all have our place and our tasks in this life. May we learn to be content with that, and not look for anything more. Chances are we'll be less stressed and happier.

Bro. Rene. 

A Needed Cleansing

 John 2: 13-22

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

¹³ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. ¹⁵ So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

¹⁸ The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

²⁰ They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” ²¹ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

We see Jesus in a fit of justifiable anger, as he drives out the people using the temple for commerce and reminding them what these sacred precincts were meant to be, a place of worship, not business. As we look about us do we also see the sacred, or intended to be sacred, degraded into something commercial or even profane? Do we feel the same fire that moved Jesus to take drastic action?  It's hard to discern the truth these days, so blurred have we gradually become.  It's even harder to stand up for the sacred and the holy in our current milieu, but if we don't, who will?

Bro. Rene

 

Wating

• Intro
• Study
• Notes

Matthew 25:1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Our Gospel passage addresses a sensitive issue for all of us, I would say. Who likes to wait, especially when we are fed with more and more "fast options," such as high speed internet (though I have yet to experience it), overnight mailing, (usually for a price), texting, ("Now why didn't he answer me right away?), and so on?...What is our impatience going to do to make things happen faster? Our reigned-in running around due to the Corona Virus is either teaching how to wait, or making us more impatient, but nevertheless gives us a  concrete and maybe painful experience of waiting.

What was going through the minds of those virgins awaiting the bridegroom's arrival?  Some prudently replenished their supply of lamp oil, while others did nothing and lost a golden opportunity to participate in the wedding feast.  Their fault, and it could be ours if we fail to use rhese pe-Advent weeks to prepare for the formal four weeks of waiting prior to Christmas.  Christmas will definitely be different this year, how can we best prepare for it?  Perhaps fewer Christmas parties and much less frenzied Christmas shopping will give us the experience of patient, prayerful waiting for the birth of Jesus, perhaps in a new and better way in our hearts. May we begin  today, Sunday, a day of rest and worship, to ease our hearts and minds into a slower, more prayerful pace so that we may be better prepared for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Managing Wealth Wisely

  ^{Note:  Hooray!  Two slices posted yesterday.  Am well inside the time line today too.  Digest with delight!}

^{Luke 16: 9-15}

 ^{No One Can Serve Two Masters}

⁹ I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

¹⁰ “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹ So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ¹² And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. ¹⁵ He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

Each one of us has to face the age-old battle between love of money and love of God. We may not be "filthy rich" but keeping a proper perspective on the use of our wealth, our goods, our time, our talents will keep us busy till we breathe our last. Isn't it amazing how we grow attached to clothes, our "own space", books, keepsakes and other forms of "wealth" besides money itself?  All can be managed well if we remember that, as the play goes, "You (we) Can't Take It With You" (us). As good stewards of these material gifts, we need not be controlled or saddled by them, but, on the contrary, can use them for the betterment of our families, neighbors, and communities. Praying often for wisdom, and balance in managing our gifts, seeking how best to use them to build up God's kingdom as well as keeping our eyes and heart open to the needs of others will make us truer disciples of Jesus.

Bro. Rene

 

 

We Too Are Guilty

 Note:  Not sure why there was no slice of bread yesterday, but I'm submitting this early, in case it is a timing problem... I hope you receive two slices today.

Luke 16: 1-8

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. ² So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

³ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴ I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

⁵ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶ “‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

⁷ “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

Jesus commends the manager for his shrewdness, in what appears to be (and is) a dishonest deal. We might be among the first to call the manager to task, but looking at our own dealings with others might cause us to pause, for there's a little bit of him in us as well.  How honest are we in our dealings with others?  Can we admit our faults and limitations and redirect our efforts to the "straight and narrow"? Do we want to or do we want to try to get away with as much as we can?  Such is our wounded human nature; such as our need for a Redeemer.  We have one; let's let him have HIS way with us and help us clean up our dealings with others.

Bro. Rene

Joy Beyond Expression

 Note:  Yesterday's double slice put us back on track, at last...May we stay there!

Luke 15: 1-10

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins^[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

These two brief parables on the theme of repentance demonstrate its importance. Leaving the 99 for the sake of the one lost sheep and the ensuing joy at its being found gives us a clear picture of God's quest for us.  Same with finding the money we knew we had but can't remember where we put it...Sound familiar?

Years ago on the Pine Ridge Reservation, we had a few sheep, and one day discovered that three of them had disappeared. Days later, a neighbor informed us that he had spotted one near his house,  Just back from my daily run, and thus dressed for the chase, I caught up to the wayward animal, who then bolted with fear and youthful energy over the rolling hills with me in pursuit.  Several hours went by until the sheep could run no more and I was able to corner it, pick it up and begin the trek back to our homestead...When one of the Brothers driving by saw us, he stopped to pick us up and bring us safely home.  At that moment I experienced the joy described in the parable. A great feeling of family reunion, even after expending a huge amount of time and energy.  It was an experience I treasure and it continues to inspire me when the  latest "Lost Sheep" needs my attention.  I look upon this as a gift to help me even today in my ministry at home and at Central Catholic. 

Bro. Rene

Relinquishment

Note: We still seem to be a day behind.  Let's see what happens today.

 Luke 14: 25-33

The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

Jesus is very clear about the cost of discipleship.  It means giving up, relinquishing our "treasures", even our families in order to be a faithful follower of Jesus.  There is pain in giving up our wills, our "own way" in order to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, yet if we don't, we cannot be his disciple.  Is there a choice, my comfort, "my way" or discipleship, friendship with Jesus?

We remember St. Charles Borromeo today, a great reformer of the Catholic Church after the "Protestant Reformation" who as bishop of Milan with his pastoral skills helped bring people back to the practice of the Faith. "Have great confidence in the Lord, who will always be everything for your greatest good.  Have your eyes continually on the providence of God thinking that nothing comes about without his will and good is drawn out of everything." Written in the sixteenth century, but still applicable today.

May we then take up our cross, dispose of what hinders us from true discipleship, and walk forward with confidence with our loving God who wants nothing but what is best for us.

Bro. Rene 

 

Excuses, Excuses

 Note:  We still seem to be a day behind.  I hope all the right slices appear today.  

Luke 14: 15-24

The Parable of the Great Banquet

¹⁵ When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. ¹⁷ At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

¹⁸ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

²⁰ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

²¹ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

²² “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

²³ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

One can feel the anger of the man whose generous banquet invitation was almost flippantly ignored by the invitees. Just reading the parable evokes exasperation if not similar anger a la "How dare they?  Don't they know what an honor this is?"  And yet, how often do WE respond the same way?  Each day, God invites us to "banquets" of all sorts...even to the banquet of serving others, and we so often turn our backs to them, sidelined by our own selfish or petty interests.  How small and limited we can be!  And yet, God keeps reaching out to us, and, in view of our refusals or indifference, reaches out to others, so lavish and unbounded is his love.  Wouldn't even just shame cause us to pause and humbly accept the invitations?  It's  time for us to evaluate our reactions and move positively on them.

Bro. Rene