Lambs Among Wolves

 Luke 10: 1-12

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. ² And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³ Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. ⁴ Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. ⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ ⁶ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. ⁷ And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. ⁸ Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. ⁹ Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town."

The longer I live, the more wisdom I see in this passage.  Jesus has sent us on a mission, and that should be our main focus. The apostles went out unencumbered by "things", which in our very materialistic world are so easy to acquire and bog us down.  He sent them out with the basic necessities, and nothing more, a mode of life that is very demanding and difficult, while at the same time, refreshingly freeing.  I am definitely "not there" yet.

He also warned that we would be lambs among wolves, which translates as targets of ridicule, victims of rejection or even violence. There would never be enough of us but he would be there with us to sustain us. If I'm not experiencing the wolves, perhaps I'm not carrying out my mission. Self-examination is the order of the day.

May we hear these injunctions and let them slip deep into our hearts, praying that we might be willing and fitting "laborers for the kingdom" and lambs among wolves.

Bro. Rene

God's Messengers

^{Luke 1: 47-51}  

^{Jesus Meets Nathaniel}

⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you  will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

We celebrate the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.who, except for Gabriel, do not appear in any Gospel, so this passage, because of the reference to "the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man", was chosen for today. Michael is called "the Prince of the Angels" because of his leadership in the battle against Satan and is always depicted as a warrior in armor.  Gabriel is best known for his role in the Annunciation and his name means "Strength of God".  Raphael, "God has healed" plays an essential role in the Book of Tobit. We honor them as God's messengers and pray that they might continue to guide us.as they did the others to whom they were assigned.

Bro. Rene

Focused on the Mission

 Luke 9: 51-56

A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus

 

⁵¹ When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ And they went on to another village.

The disciples display a common reaction to rejection, one with which we are all familiar: vengeance. Yet Jesus  does not fall for it, with his mind focused on his mission. He must move forward to Jerusalem, suffering, death and resurrection. At the time, the disciples did not understand, did not "get it", and we, although we know this pattern, when it happens to us,, we do not "get it" either. Our mission does not allow bitterness nor anger, and  certainly not vengeance.  It is a mission of peace and love, one which takes more "guts" than violence.  May we pray over this passage and learn to apply it to our lives today so that we may be true to our mission as disciples of Jesus, whose way is NOT the way  of the world.

Bro. Rene

Who Is the Greatest?

 Luke 9: 46-50

 

Who Is the Greatest?

 ⁴⁶ An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side ⁴⁸ and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

Anyone Not Against Us Is For Us

⁴⁹ John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”

A jealous streak is part of the legacy of Original Sin...Even the apostles were prone to it as illustrated in verse 46, and again in verse 49.  Jesus addresses it in the first case by using the example of a little child, innocent, welcoming, playful, living in the present moment, fearless (most of the time). receptive, and content. We as adults have drifted from these "virtues" and replaced them with competition, suspicion, jealousy and fear. " No, no", says Jesus, "nothing to fear, no one to fear."  The greatest is the one who has kept the attitudes of the child; adults, take notice!

Bro. Rene

For or Against

Mark 9: 38-43,  45. 47-48

 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” 39 Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire.  

45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. 

47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

Jesus speaks strongly  about tolerating others, scandalizing children and avoiding the occasions of sin, topics so relevant to our world today and yet so frequently swept under the rug.With phones in the hands of practically everyone, access to anything and everything is readily available. Time is wasted and minds are filled with images and values that harm a solid relationship with God and "the things that really matter."  Let us try to catch ourselves before we succumb to a tantalizing story on Yahoo and start becoming a "frequent flyer" on the Delete Key.  It's time to show by our actions in public and private if we are " for or against." Today, the Lord's day, would be a fitting day on which to start.  Happy Sunday!

Bro Rene

The Cross

 

⁴³ And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵ But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

Despite the healings and the joy they brought, the element of suffering and death continue to underscore the mission of Jesus.  He again predicts his death and will do so one more time.  We know from our own daily experience that our days are not always cookies and ice cream; we cannot be true disciples without some pain, sometimes physical, others, a spiritual pain, an inner soul-suffering, depression or disappointment. Jesus warned his flock (and us) and in answering his call to serve him today (or any day) we must know that suffering will be part of our life as it was for his. The Cross is as much a part of our lives as  is the empty tomb.

Bro. Rene

Who Do I Say Jesus Is?

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

¹⁸ Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” ¹⁹ They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” ²⁰ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.”

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

²¹ He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, ²² saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” 

"Who do you say I am?" a question we might ask ourselves daily.  Is he a friend, God, our help, our healer, our challenger, our savior,  a real person or simply a figure on the pages of the Four Gospels?  Each new day is an opportunity to come to know Jesus though reflective prayer, through our interaction with others, through the Scriptures.  We do not see him physically, but he is with us all the time; it is we who are blind and deaf to him.  We might begin our day with this scene, placing ourselves in the shoes of Peter, hearing the question and giving an honest response.  It certainly would be a sign of a good relationship if we gave the same answser as he and meant it!

Bro. Rene

 

Seeking Jesus

(Note:  This is our 4000th slice of Bro. Rene's Daily Bread!)

 Luke: 9: 7-9

Herod Is Perplexed by Jesus

⁷ Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸ by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. ⁹ Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

We can imagine the "curiosity" of Herod, who was, no doubt, haunted by guilt for his order to behead John.the Baptist. Curiosity, or better, fear, provoked his imagination and desire to meet this "wonder worker", Jesus. The desire was later fulfilled in an unproductive meeting before Jesus was crucified.  No, Herod was not ready to meet the real Jesus.

Are we?  We might often find that the Jesus of our imagination is not the real Jesus, and be disappointed as Herod was, that he did not meet our expectations....or is it that we as yet do not meet his expectations? Lots of purification of intention is needed in our spiritual journey.  May our prayer and reflection help us rid ourselves of what we imagine and and replace is with what is real.

Bro. Rene

Model Missonaries

 Luke 9: 1-6

Take Nothing With You.

¹When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³He told them: "Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." ⁶So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

In this short but powerful passage, Jesus sets the tone for missionaries and any disciple who is serious about following him: rely  on him alone, steady the course, keep eyes fixed on the mission, waste no time on those who refuse to accept the good news, go, teach and heal everywhere.  A "Mission Impossible" if ever there was one, yet it worked then and can work now if we take it seriously and bare our lives and our focus to the basic essentials. How easily we can allow our purpose to be muddles by non-essentials that clutter our thinking and distract us from our call.  Our mission to help others turn their lives over to Jesus begins with ourselves. We need to re-evaluate, unclutter and reform our own lives first before asking others to change theirs.

Bro. Rene

Jesus Calls Levi

 Note:  I wasn't feeling well earlier...and suddenly snapped back to normal, but too late for a full slice of bread.

   

 Matthew 9: 9-13

The Calling of Matthew

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

We know not what God has in store for us as we begin each day.  Little did Levi suspect that Jesus would call him to leave behind his tax collector's table and follow him, an invitation that continues to impact readers of his Gospel to this day.

What is God inviting me to do today?

Bro. Rene

Letting Our Light Shine

Note:  A longer than anticipated oil change kept me from my computer on the 20th. A double slice for you on the 21st, the last day of summer.

Luke 8: 16-18

A Lamp on a Stand

¹⁶ “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. ¹⁷ For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. ¹⁸ Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

We might think that we have much light to shine on others, but even a little light can help us see a bit more clearly.  Who are we to hold back when we are so blessed?  What we have received is not just for ourselves, but to help the communities in which we live. The more light that comes through our actions and words, the brighter the world around us.  Let us be channels of light to cast away the powers of darkness. 

Bro. Rene

 

 

Be As Open As a Child

 Mark 9: 30-37

Jesus Again Foretells His Death and Resurrection

³⁰ They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; ³¹ for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” ³² But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest?

³³ Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” ³⁴ But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. ³⁵ He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

I took awhile before the apostles understood that Jesus was serious about his predicted suffering and death, as it took time to realize that humility was one of the key virtues he expected of his followers.  Using the example of welcoming a child wholeheartedly and lovingly is the kind of humble welcoming he expects of his followers: a genuine, loving, unselfish acceptance untainted by suspicion, or restraint. It's not easy to be so open in a culture dominated by selfish, "what's-in-it-for-me" attitudes. Children are usually not wired that way, but are genuinely innocent, happy and open to everyone and everything.  May we learn from them.

Bro. Rene

Perverance, Please

Luke 8: 4-15 

The Parable of the Sower 

 4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The Purpose of the Parables 9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Patience and perseverance, yes, two very essential virtues in the growth of Jesus's followers. We live on contaminated soil surrounded by brambles and thorns that can choke the life out of us, yet there is good soil that can foster the harvest we hope for. We strive daily to find that soil, sink our roots in it and beg for the grace to water us and enable us to take root and grow.  As with wheat or any other crop, time and patience are of the essence. Our current culture emphasizes speed  and instant results, but that's not the way of spiritual growth. No, slow, deliberate effort, cultivating and pruning are necessary for a successful spiritual life. May we learn to persevere in patience and to allow God to work in his time, in his way.  Ours is to keep an open, patient and persevering heart.

Bro. Rene

--

Luke 8: 1-3

The Parable of the Sower

8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, ² and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; ³ Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

We highlight the key women of varied backgrounds who aided Jesus in his ministry and not that their contribution came from the love they had for Jesus and for a way of "paying forward" what they had received from him.  The same needs, tbe same mission is available to all of us in our time.  If we recall the blessings we have received, we might find similar motivation to assist Jesus as best we can in our own circles.  It's not as complicated as we might think...with open eyes and open hearts we can become part of the band of followers of Jesus and servers of those in need. 

Bro. Rene

Endless Re-starts

Luke 7: 36-50

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. ³⁷ And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. ³⁸ She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” ⁴¹ “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Day in and day out we repeat the same behaviors,  tread the same path of self-centeredness, discouragement, doubt, fear and sinfulness, yet Jesus is always there to forgive and give us another chance, as was the case with this sinful woman.  How encouraging for us to be reminded of this and to accept this reality into our lives over and over again.  God knows us, wants us as his ally and gives us infinite opportunities to start over and "get it right" at last. See how he defends this woman, treats her with loving kindness and gives her new hope, a new chance to live a good life!  May we put ourselves in her shoes and receive his forgiveness, a chance to start again and his gift of inner peace. 

Bro. Rene

 

Our Lady of Sorrows

Note: This is our 4,000th  post!

 Luke 2: 33-35

A Sword of Sorrow

Jesus' father and mother were amazed  at was said about him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Without going into detail, these two verses foretell the sorrows of Mary and serve as the basis of this Memorial and popular devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows.  God knows our lives are filled with sorrow, some more intense than others, some experienced personally, or in union with a family member, a friend, or the world in general. Sorrow is part of the human condition and Mary was not exempt from it, rather she experienced it more keenly and accepted it in union with the suffering of her Son for our salvation.  We have the saying,  that greater love has no one except that they lay down their life for another...and that goes for suffering as well. Mary did not die on the cross, but seeing her Son die was like her own death.  She can identify with our sorrows, is the Mother of Sorrows, and our Hope that these sorrows will not have been experienced in vain. . There is joy beyond sorrow.

Bro. Rene.

Mary's Sorrows

The Triuph of the Cross

Note: I could not get into my daily bread post yesterday on the school computer...brought my laptop and here we are:  two slices today

John 3: 13-17

Faith Necessary for Eternal Life

¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

As painful and humiliating as it was, the cross became the instrument not only of torture and death, but of life!  Who would think that the electric chair could bring us salvation?  The same with the cross, yet Jesus chose it, the worst of deaths, to bring about the possibility of the greatest life: eternal life with him. God loves paradox and this is the greatest.  May we not be discouraged by our suffering,disappointments and trials; let us rather with faith, think beyond them to the blessings that abound in spite of them.

Bro. Rene

Jesus Heals

 Note:  again a tech challenge...Sorry for the brief reflection.

 Luke 7: 1-10

Faith

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant[a] who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion[b] heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set 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.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

How frequently we need the intervention of Jesus in our everyday life...as this morning...

God bless you all!

Bro Rene

Turn To Jesus

courtesy of Marc Pelletier 

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, ⁴⁴ for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. ⁴⁵ The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Build Your House on the Rock

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: ⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.⁴⁹ But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

On this day when we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the national tragedy we have dubbed as "9/11", we witness a country divided and unhappy.  We have not found peace; the national unity we experienced  at that time has dissipated as have the morals and values of our decaying, materialistic culture.  Yet, there is always hope as this sunrise photo reminds us.  It is a new day; it could be a new time for us as a nation, as a Church, as a people to put God, the Creator of all beauty, value and life back into our lives. Our Rock is Jesus, our Foundation, our Salvation.  Why is he in the back seat, when he needs to be the driver, the one who brings us safely home?  As we take time to remember those who lost their lives on September 11, may we look at our own lives and see where they need attention before we lose them and ultimately the way of living Jesus came to show us, one based on the simple rule:  "Love one another as I have loved you.".

Bro .Rene

Remove the Beam

 It's not surprising that we are blind to our own defects but see them so clearly in others. If we put ourselves in THEIR shoes and saw ourselves through THEIR eyes, what would we see? Most likely we'd be the first to say we need to do some cleaning up. No matter what age we are, there's always something that's not right, and happily, with God's grace and a large tablespoon of humility, we can do something about it.  Let's open our mouths wide, as our mothers used to say, take a big swallow and make the necessary changes.  We can't lose.

Bro. Rene

Imitate The Father

Luke 6: 27-38

Love for Enemies

²⁷ “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹ If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. ³⁰ Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸ give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Jesus   packs the job of a life-time in these powerful verses, so easy to read, so challenging and difficult to do. Yet, as always, he is right...What would our world be like if we all lived this way?  What would MY life be like, if I lived these "rules'? We might break them down and try one at a time. "Small beginnings, greater ends; heart felt dreams grow slowly" (Donovan) Where do I begin?  What do I need to adopt most at this time in my life?  Let us pray for guidance, let us pray for one another as we take serious steps to imitate our Father and share our love with all.

Bro. Rene

 

The Birth of Mary

 

Matthew 1: 16-21 

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Little, if anything, is known about the birth of Mary. Nothing about it appears in the Gospels, but we know she did exist from passages such as the one above, so we are not celebrating the birth of a make-believe person. In typical fashion, the spotlight is on Jesus, not on her, but we do take the opportunity to honor her birth and all the implications that flow from it. If there were no Mary, there would be no Jesus, and then where would we be? And over the centuries her motherly presence has evoked widespread devotion as she continues to bring forth her Son through her many apparitions and calls to turn our hearts over to him. If she turns the spotlight away from herself to him, so rightly should we. We love her as our Mother and model of devotion and service to her Son.  Today's Feast is more than just "Happy birthday to you" but more of a thank you for cooperating with God's plan to bring us salvation through and in Jesus,

Bro, Rene

 

Call and Mission

 Luke 6: 12-19

The Twelve Apostles

¹² One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: ¹⁴ Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings 

¹⁷ He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸ who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, ¹⁹ and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Before making his selection of his apostles, Jesus spent the night in prayer.  We can imagine how he asked for guidance so that he might select the right people to carry on his mission.  Interestingly enough, Judas was among those selected!  All part of the plan, although a treacherous but necessary part.

Their work began right away as Jesus modeled his healing powers and cured all who came to him.  Later on they would be doing the same.

We might, as Jesus did, spend time in prayer to see what God's mission for us is each day, and ask for the grace and energy to carry it out as best we can.  Some days we are filled with enthusiasm while others find us sluggish and dragging our tails. We need God's grace all the time, so those hours or minutes of prayer are essential.  Let us renew our commitment to daily prayer so that we might faithfully answer his call and be faithful to our mission.

Bro. Rene

Working On The Sabbath

Luke 6: 6-11

 To Do Good or Evil?

⁶ On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. ⁸ But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰ He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. ¹¹ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus makes the point:  Doing good, saving a life on the Sabbath are not evil actions meant to disregard the Law, but to enhance it by lifting it to a higher level, the level of charity or love of neighbor.  It's not a wanton flaunting of the Law that Jesus advocates, but the enactment of a higher law,   He has no qualms curing the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, for he is releasing him from a life-long burden and opening the door to a normal life. Is not this better than a slavish addiction to the "letter of the law"?  Let us pray for a clarity of vision and purity of heart that will enable us to do the same.

Bro, Rene

Be Opened

 

 

Mark 7: 31-37

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

³¹ Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. ³² And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³ And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. ³⁴ And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” ³⁵ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. ³⁶ And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ³⁷ And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

In the graphic rendering of this healing,  we see the sensitivity of Jesus, as he moves the man away from the noisy crowd and step by step heals his ears and tongue. Jesus takes his time and makes sure by these gestures that the man learns how Jesus works: through ordinary elements and actions.

We are surrounded by the deaf and speech-impaired, literally and figuratively, ourselves being in need of healing as well. We might wish for an instant cure or "fast, fast fast relief". but it seems that most healings happen as the result of much prayer, and patient hope and faith. May we remember that "God is in charge" and in "his good time" the answer we seek, or the answer that is best for us, he will give us.  As he said to this man, "Be opened", he says to us, "Be open".  That is, receive what I deem best for you and trust that at the right time, I will give it to you.

Bro. Rene

 

The Law of Charity and Common Sense

 Luke 6: 1-5

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

6 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. ² But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” ³ And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: ⁴ how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” ⁵ And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

We've often heard that "the letter of the law kills, but the spirit of the law gives life.  Certainly, if we are hungry, we know we need to eat, and Jesus demonstrates that this basic need over-rides the law of not working on the sabbath. (Plucking grain would have been considered work).  When we obey the law of charity and common sense, we give precedence to a higher law, the law of charity. We need to free ourselves up from slavery to the letter of the law and be open to the needs of others and the "law" of love..  We might ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" and let him guide us.

Bro. Rene

we

The Old Is Good Too

 Luke 5: 33-39

The Question about Fasting

³³ Then they said to him, “John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.” ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “You cannot make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? ³⁵ The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” ³⁶ He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, ‘The old is good.’”

Not everything "new" is necessarily better than the old, and as Jesus also points out, to mingle the old with the new doesn't always work. How interesting it is to see that the new wine in the new wineskins doesn't make it better, and that the old, time-tasted and aged with with experience is preferable.  Careful "tasting" must go on, lest we fall prey to every new fad or fashion. If we look at the results of "relaxed" or, in some cases, "non" standards we see that often enough the "old" standards make more sense for stability and continuity than the new. Prayerful discernment is necessary lest we fall into the error that "anything goes".  Let us not be too hasty in patching the old with the new, nor mingling new standards with those that have survived the test of time. We might discover that the "old" are refreshingly new and make more sense than the untested new.

Bro. Rene

Call and Response

 Note:  Two slices today because I've moved and was not yet able to connect with the internet in my new community until now.

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

5 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, ² he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. ⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” ⁶ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. ⁷ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” ¹¹ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

It took a boat full of fish to convince Peter, James and John to leave all and follow Jesus.  Notice how Jesus worked and how Peter responded:  Tired after a long, fish-less night, Peter allows Jesus to use his boat as a pulpit for his preaching and then even further beyond "the call of friendship or duty", Peter listens to Jesus about pulling into the deep for a catch.  We can imagine what Pete was thinking.  However, the power of Jesus was something he underestimated, enough to convince him to leave all and follow him. 

We might be saying, "Yes, I'd leave all if I saw such a miracle." Well, let's just open our eyes to the many miracles we receive each day...

Bro. Rene

 

 

The Healer

Luke 4: 38-44

Jesus Heals Many

³⁸ And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. ³⁹ And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. ⁴¹ And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Jesus Preaches in Synagogues

⁴² And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, ⁴³ but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Whether or not it's fevers or demons, Jesus is the curer. Oddly enough, the demons recognized Jesus and obeyed him,whereas frequently we don't.  Sounds strange, but we might follow the  example of these evil ones to "get our act together." 

Bro. Rene