Fear of God's Power

Matthew 8:28-34

Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons

²⁸ And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” ³⁰ Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. ³¹ And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” ³² And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. ³³ The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. ³⁴ And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

While we marvel at the authority Jesus had over the demons, we might also wonder why the people begged Jesus to leave their region. Surely, the loss of the herd was an economic issue, but wouldn't the release of the two men from satanic bondage justify the action of Jesus?  Men are men and pigs are pigs. Are not the men worth more than they:? Granted the herdsmen never witnessed such power and no doubt wondered what would come next, for they had never experienced God's power so vividly at work.  Theirs was a natural reaction, no doubt, based on fear of the unknown.  We might find ourselves reacting similarly when we face the power of God at work in our lives. May we learn again and again to acknowledge God's power and not run away  from it.

Bro. Rene

Who Do You Say I Am?

 

Matthew 16: 13-19

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

What would I say if Jesus asked me, "Who do you say I am?"? I might declare as quickly as Peter, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God," for that's what I have been taught since I was young; now it comes automatically to my  lips, thank God.  But what if it didn't?  What if I had to search, study, think out my answer?  Perhaps such an exercise would deepen my faith and appreciate the Presence of the Son of God as one of us. I  might reflect further and ask myself how the Presence of Jesus is affecting not only my beliefs, but my actions, my relationships with others, my thoughts and behaviors.  I might find the incentive to spend more time in gratitude and in asking how I can put our belief into action.

Bro. Rene

Follow Me

 

The Cost of Following Jesus

¹⁸ When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. ¹⁹ Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

²⁰ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

²¹ Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Who would not like to be in the circle of Jesus's disciples?  To be close to him, learning from his words and actions, sharing his joys, fatigue and the warmth of his friendship...But such "bliss" comes with a price, and not many can pay it. There is no comfort, there is no family priority that comes before loyalty to him. As we see above, it's not for everyone.  What is Jesus challenging me to do, to be in my family or job where the demands or commands of others seemingly impinge on my "freedom'?  As always I  need to reflect on what I hear God calling me to do to be a sincere and true follower. 

Bro. Rene

Cure My Unbelief

  

 

Mark 5: 21-43

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus's Daughter

²¹ And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. ²² Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet ²³ and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” ²⁴ And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. ²⁵ And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. ²⁷ She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” ²⁹ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰ And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ³¹ And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” ³² And he looked around to see who had done it. ³³ But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. ³⁴ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

³⁵ While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” ³⁶ But overhearing^[a] what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” ³⁷ And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. ³⁸ They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus^[b] saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹ And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” ⁴⁰ And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴² And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. ⁴³ And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Today's Gospel blesses us with two miracles, although some celebrants might eliminate the healing of the hemorrhaging woman in deference to the heat. Both, however, illustrate the compassion of Jesus who does not withhold his healing powers from those who believe. He's never too tired nor too busy to come to our aid. Would that we prayed with such faith; we could eliminate endless words and plaguing anxiety or worry if we prayed with such faith-filled confidence. Rather than focus on ourselves when praying, why not pay more attention to Jesus and his documented compassion?   Let us join the crowds in this Gospel, and be healed of our unadmitted disbelief.

Bro. Rene

Faith And Healing

 

The Faith of a Centurion

⁵ When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” ¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel^[ have I found such faith. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Jesus Heals Many

¹⁴ And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. ¹⁵ He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. ¹⁶ That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

How many prayers have we offered and received no response (apparently)?  Did we pray with the faith of the centurion, Peter's mother-in-law or the crowds that came to him later that evening?  We might be thinking, "he cured them or heard their prayer, what about me?"  Just asking the question shows a lack of faith, for, indeed, he does hear every prayer, but the answer might not be exactly what we want a the time.  Jesus wants to stretch our faith so that it grows stronger and is able to move mountains. Since they are not moving, our faith must still be lacking or weak.May we keep at it and not give up no matter how much time it takes for the answer to come. It will come when God sees that we are ready.

Bro. Rene

Be Healed

 

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

8 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. ² Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

The succinct Latin translation of "I am willing.  Be healed,"  "Volo. Mundare!" has remained with me since I learned it 60 years ago, when one of my fellow companions, Br. Joseph Frederick, a Latin Major, brought it to my attention. So terse, so direct.  Jesus does not need to multiply words, and yet remains faithful to the prescriptions of the Law.

We might look at our own prayers, are they a leprosy of words, or are we confident enough to be "terse and direct" with him?  Is our life in conformity with out beliefs?  Does our practice of the faith conform to our beliefs?  We might learn "the secret" of effective prayer as we reflect on the interaction between Jesus and the leper and receive the healing we really need.

Bro. Rene

The Promise Fulfilled

 

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

 ⁸⁰And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

 The Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist joins the Birth of Mary and the Birth of Jesus as the only "births" celebrated in the Liturgical Calendar. These three play a major role in the history of our Salvation; John's being that of the herald, the announcer of the Good News and the person chosen "to prepare the way" for the Messiah, his cousin, born six months after him.  Interestingly enough, John's birth comes after the summer solstice when the days begin to grow shorter and darkness encroaches upon us slowly but inevitably. Jesus is born after the Winter solstice, when light begins to replace the darkness.  Hence, John's exclamation, "I must decrease, he must increase."   John sets the stage for us, who must also decrease so that Jesus will increase through our example, our words, deeds and lives.  We too are Baptists, preparing the way of Jesus. making him known and loved..

Bro. Rene

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Be On The Honest Alert

 Matthew 7: 15-20

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Even in the days of Jesus, (and perhaps from time immemorial) there have been con-men, charlatans, and fast-talkers on the prowl to take advantage of the unsuspecting, be it from pots and pans to land in Alaska. Jesus, so aware of this, advises us, especially in matters of behavior and morals, to look at the fruit of these vendors, for that's where the truth resides.  We might begin by looking in the mirror or looking at the fruits of our own words, actions or "salesmanship."  It's easy to blame "the other guy" and miss the real culprit, ourselves. How do MY actions measure up to my words?  Am I genuine, or just a slick salesman?  God calls us to be genuine, a life-time task, but one which begins with a good, honest evaluation of ourselves.  The day has already begun, but it's not too late to take that honest look at ourselves

Bro, Rene

Short But Not Easy

 

Matthew 7:12-14

¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Three short verses, but a lifetime challenge.No wonder Jesus described it as a small gate and narrow road, that escapes most of us. Even if we just concentrated on verse 12, how much better would our family, community, and world be?  If three people, or even two, could see eye to eye, and treat each other as they would treat themselves, imagine what life would be like: the media filled with stories of good deeds, of neighbor helping neighbor, of people gladly giving of themselves and of their means to help the less fortunate  The list goes on and on. Yes, the "golden road" is the one less traveled, but the one that leads to life. Why don't we all resolve to start or keep walking it today?

Bro. Rene

Why Are We Terrified?

Mark 4: 36-41

Jesus Stills a Storm

³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” ³⁶ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. ³⁷ A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” ⁴¹ And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

No matter when or how many times we read this Gospel, it seems perfectly timed to meet us in the midst of our latest storm. Sometimes it seems that life consists of one storm after another and we need to be consistently schooled in how to deal with them.Why are we so terrified?  Haven't we been through enough storms to know that Jesus will calm them,even this latest one that might seem to us the worst f them all? 

As we honor our Fathers today, we might remember the stories they told us about the storms that once plagued them and how God rescued them, or we might ask them to repeat the old ones or tell us of the latest one. We might take time to thank our Fathers for sharing their experience with us, and if we are Fathers ourselves, we might make it a point to share some stories with our offspring.

Happy Father's Day!

Bro. Rene

 

Seek First the Kingdom

(Note. I have no explanation why yesterday's slice of bread appeared at 10: 34 pm. I composed it at the usual time...)

 Mt 6: 24-34

²⁴ “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.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

After pointing out the uselessness of worrying, Jesus gives us a simple formula to follow:  "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.: (Mt 6: 33). So often we become victims of our own imagination, the "what if's?" , the conversations that play over and over again in our minds, and the always :worst scenarios.  When the time actually comes for what we've been dreading, the reality is nothing like we imagined.  But we never seem to learn that and find ourselves worrying needlessly when the next situation arises. If we keep our attention focused on Jesus, and the work of building up his kingdom and living out the values and standards he has laid out for us; and if we look around us and see the beauty with which he has surrounded us, we can more easily ask, "Why worry?" 

Bro. Rene

 

Storing The Real Treasures

 Mt 6: 19-23

Teaching about Money and Possessions

¹⁹ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

²² “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. ²³ But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

We are brought up to think of "saving for a rainy day", retirement plans, CD's and Money Markets.  We want to make sure our future is secure.  Not bad ideas or practices, but they are not the entire answer, as Jesus points out. The real treasures are the little acts of kindness, for the most part,unseen; the time spent listening to another; silent prayer for the suffering; sharing our experiences with younger people to encourage them to use their gifts to help others.  The list is endless. Above all, making Jesus and his teachings as the focus of our energy and love. Such a treasure cannot be stolen.

 Being light for others is another treasure that can't be measured.  Helping others to see their gifts or God's ways, or his plans.  Keeping our eyes on Jesus keeps us healthy and able to give of ourselves even when we think we have nothing left to give.  It's not just ourselves that we give, but Jesus living and working in and through us.

Bro. Rene

Avoid Babbling

 

 Mt 6: 7-15

The Lord's Prayer

⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Frequently enough,we are at a loss for words when we pray.  Rather than babble on, we can fall back on "the old standard" taught to us by Jesus himself, succinct and covering all the bases: The Lord's Prayer.  When we pray it slowly, as if it were our own words, it helps us re-focus on what really matters and gives us a peaceful connection to our Father.  We have become so accustomed to it, that we rattle it off with such speed that it becomes the meaningless babble Jesus was referring.

Do Good Quietly

Matthew 6:16-18

Giving to the Needy

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

How would Mary, the mother of Jesus understand this passage?  Thinking of her at Cana, with her quiet suggestion to Jesus and leaving the solution in his hands, we see these words in action.   Perhaps he learned this "method" from her!  It comes with his blessing and it works.  May we follow suit in our actions today.

Bro. Rene

Go Beyond

Matthew 5: 38-42

Eye for Eye

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Are these just suggestions or do they carry the weight of a command?  The latter is correct.  Not easy, for they go against the "what's-in-it-for-me" grain.  We are the ones who have to stretch...go beyond what comes naturally, but when we do, we see amazing results. People's disbelief, gratitude, and inclination to adopt such behavior themselves, to pass on our kindness by being kind to others themselves. With the news filled with shootings, threats and expanding tales of selfishness, it's time to start putting self behind and others first.  We might feel like door mats, but actually we are giants walking in the footsteps of Jesus, who lived this way and gave us the assuring example that it is both possible and necessary.

Bro Rene

It's The Small Things That Count

 

 

 

 

Mark 4:26-34

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

³³ With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. ³⁴ He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

If you ever have planted seed, you know the wonder of the tiny sprouts that appear after a few days of heat and moisture.  In the case of the mustard seed, a very tiny seed, the variety that grew in Palestine at the time of Jesus, "the black mustard", reached the height of 9 feet, truly a noteworthy phenomenon!

So too with our small,apparently insignificant acts of kindness, such as listening to a family elder or friend repeat stories over and over, or giving the proverbial cup of water.  There are so many little things we do but which, overall, bring joy to others and help us take on to some extent the role that God plays in our lives with his countless gifts of grace and support that help us over hurdles large and small.

Bro  Rene.

 

Lost and Found

^{Luke  2: 41-51} 

^{Mary Kept All These Things in Her Heart}

⁴¹ Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.

⁴² And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

⁴³ And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

⁴⁴ But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

⁴⁵ And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

⁴⁶ And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

⁴⁷ And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

⁴⁸ And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

⁴⁹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

⁵⁰ And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

⁵¹ And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

We can imagine Mary's heart pounding as she and Joseph discovered that Jesus was missing. Turning around and searching for three days might be some indication of their state of mind.  What relief when they found him, and yet his answer must have seemed as strange to them as his disappearance. Nevertheless he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.  All this was much food for thought and Mary kept these things all in her heart, :"pondering them" as we read in other translations. 

Reflecting on this in our own lives, how many times do unexpected, even painful things happen in our own lives leaving us to walk in the darkness for awhile until they fully unfold and we see them as part of God's plan to test us or strengthen us or to prepare us for the next step he has in mind  for us. In the end we have to admit that being "lost" for awhile was necessary to experience the need to ponder, trust, and experience the joy of being found.

Bro Rene

 

 

His Infinte Love

 John 19: 31-37

Jesus' Side Is Pierced

³¹ Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. ³⁵ He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. ³⁶ For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

On this Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we focus on the infinite love of Jesus for us. The image of the pierced heart with the drainage of blood and water gives us a visual of Jesus's complete emptying of his life in order to bring life to us. Early Church writers saw the blood as a figure of the Holy Eucharist, and the water as a symbol of the waters of Baptism which give us new life in Christ. Those waters continue to flow to this day to each newly baptized person and serve as a reminder of the waters that continue to sustain all the baptized.  "There is no greater love, than that of one who lays down his life for his friends (others)."  (Jn 15:13). In Jesus we see that love  and are reminded that we are called to share that love with others. Jesus, I don't think of your love or thank you enough for it. Help me to find time to reflect on it, cherish it and extend it to others, particularly "the least favored."

Bro. Rene 

Be Reconciled

^{Mt 5: 20-26}

²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

A brief thought, one made brief by an unexpected interruption:  How many of us have not offended another by our tongues or our thoughts, which often surface in the heat of anger?  Jesus is very clear and direct on this: Be reconciled before continuing on with not only your "offering", but with your day's work or whatever. Be up front and honest before God, who sees and knows our hearts.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Keep, Do and Teach

 Mathew 5: 17-19

Christ Fulfills the Law

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹ Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 Jesus calls us to remain faithful to him by keeping the Law, living it, and teaching others to do the same.The "Sermon on  the Mount", (Mt 5-7) outlines the "rules" if you wish, or template for what we should be keeping, living, and teaching.  How much better would our "light shine" if we did!  We are looking at this "roadmap" in small daily doses, but it still a lot to grasp, and even more, to put into practice.  Yet we can't let fatigue or discouragement stop us. As St. Marcellin reminded us, "Life is short, but eternity never ends."  Let's not lose sight of that and continue the life-long challenge of sticking to the roadmap, for we know from any road trip into unknown territory, without our map or GPS, we are lost!

Bro. Rene

Let It Shine

 Mt 5: 13-16

Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others,        so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Yesterday we reflected on how we might incorporate the beatitudes, even one at a time, into our lives; today Jesus reminds us that we are salt and light, beatitude  people in action, enhancing the quality of our lives and enlightening the path of those who need light to see their way. A huge challenge again, but one that is possible, as we have seen in the lives of others who have taken the words of Jesus seriously. Let us not whimper nor grow weak, but find our strength in the Lord to live up to his expectations and let our light shine!

Bro. Rene 

THE Template

 Mt 5: 1-12

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Now that we are well into "Ordinary Time", the Beatitudes give us the template for living a Christ-like life. We've heard them thousands of times, yet each meditation on them yields something new. Jesus himself is the ideal model of a "Beatitude Man", but what's to hold us back from following in his footsteps?  We might break them down to one a day, and concentrate on that one.  When we feel confident, we might move on to the next, and the next, and the next. God bless you and your  (our) efforts to be "Beatitude People."

Bro. Rene

"Take It"

 

 

 

 

Mark 14:12-16

The Last Supper

¹² On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹³ So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴ Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

¹⁶ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

²² While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

²³ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

²⁴ “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. ²⁵ “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

 

Our Gospel takes us back to Holy Week and the institution of the Eucharist, which makes the Body and Blood of Jesus present under the appearances of bread and wine.  In his great love for us and knowing that we would constantly be in need of his Presence among us as strength and nourishment for life's journey so filled with challenges and obstacles, he remains with us as the Bread of Life, this Holy Bread, this life-giving Bread.  Because of the penitential nature of Lent, we cannot adequately celebrate our joy over this great gift; hence this Solemnity, which allows for a fitting expression of gratitude and celebration via music and processions. May we enter fully into this day with gratitude and delight.

      For Marists, this is also the celebration of the Memorial of St. Marcellin Champagnat, the Founder of the Marist Brothers who died on this day in 1840,  The Marist World will mark this day with gratitude for the life and vision of St. Marcellin and for the expansion of that vision to include Lay Marists, many of whom will be making their commitment to live the Marist charism alongside the Brothers.  This is truly a day to rejoice and give thanks.

!

Bro. Rene