Reading the Signs

 

  

The Enduring Word

Lk 21:29-33

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.

As we look at our world, and our history, we might  wonder with good reason, "How much longer, O Lord?" Wars, ineffective attempts at peace, destruction of cities and nations, homelessness, people starving, the endless pursuit of money and things. shrinking church congregations, closings of churches, not a pretty nor encouraging picture. Yet Jesus assures us that his Word will endure and his kingdom will be established. It takes FAITH to accept this. As we consume our Thanksgiving leftovers, let us continue our prayers of gratitude and ask God for the grace to renew our faith and help in some small way to reverse the negative trends that are enveloping us.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, hear us, heal us and help us repair the daily damage and loss to our faith and values. Amen 

Gratitude

 

Lk 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.”

As a nation we set aside this day to thank God for the many blessings we have received during our lives and especially this past year. As we live day by day, we take much for granted.  Go, go, go.  But today we STOP, we break the routine, gather with family and friends to share a sumptuous meal and thank God for it all. The Samaritan leper, cleansed of his dreaded disease, came back to thank Jesus after he had shown himself to the priest as Jesus had commanded.  The other nine continued on their merry way, omitting to thank their Healer. Their ingratitude is a lesson to us, NOT to be just TAKERS, but grateful RECEIVERS. As we celebrate today,, let GRATITUDE be the hallmark and major theme of the day...HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Bro. Rene

Dear God, I can't thank you enough for all the blessings you have given me and offer you my best and most sincere THANK YOU for ALL.   AMEN

Not an Easy Road

 

Lk 21:12-19

Perseverance 

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.

These warnings are dire, clear, and frightening. Followers of Jesus do not have it easy, but Jesus also assures us that he is on our side, giving us even the words to stand up for the Gospel as well as bear with rejection and persecution. We have seen all this in the 2000 year history of the Church. Even today persecution goes on but God's grace and protection are with those who suffer.  May we offer our prayers, aches and pains, challenges and disappointments for them and not complain if we find life "too hard."

Bro. Rene

Dear God, I offer my trials for those who suffer more than I. Amen. 

Be Ready

 

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.

This graphic description of the end our world can be frightening or consoling.  'First of all, we do not know WHEN the end will come and over the centuries there have been many false leads, as when the calendar  turned to the year 2000.  A look at our current world might lead us to think that now is the time to "end it all" since things are so bad.  IF, indeed, this is the time, how can we ready ourselves for the major change-over? Prayer and efforts to be kind to others, to go out of our ways for them, are good beginnings.  Let us take a good look at how we are living, using our time, and making efforts to live as Jesus taught us. It's not too late to BE READY!

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to use this day  to prepare for your coming. Amen.

 

Note: It's good to be back after four days at Holy Family Hospital.

Lk 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.”

We saw this Gospel recently, but again it has a lesson for us. No matter how small the material gift is, the love with which it is given makes it priceless. We are not infinitely rich, but God is, and welcomes our attempts to give as much as we can. He sees the love in our hearts behind our "meagre" gift and that is what counts. Let us not hold back but continue to give from the depths of our loving hearts.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to give all that I can from a loving heart. Amen.  

Trust the Giver

 

Lk 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.’”

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

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

This parable is a strong reminder, yes, even warning, that we are called to use the gifts God has given to us, not to hide them or let them go inactive. Fear has no place in the kingdom of God, and if we hold back, we are doomed. Sometimes we look with envy at others, who in our eyes seem more gifted than we.  This leads us to dodge God's plan for us, and, as in the parable, incur his anger and punishment for the sin of omission. May we joyfully accept what gift of gifts God has given us, and put them to the use for which they were intended, trusting that this is what God wants and will help us to accomplish it.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to accept the gifts you have given me and use them to the best of my ability. Amen

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A Good Heart Rewarded

 

Lk 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.”

Zacchaeus gives us hope. He has made mistakes in the past, but his curiosity leads to a change of his ways and new and special relationship with Jesus: he will host Jesus at his house.  What an honor, so much better than the meagre glimpse he wanted from his perch in the tree. "Small beginnings, greater ends," as the song goes. His brief contact with Jesus led to a change of heart and ways. Might we find a similar enthusiasm not only to see Jesus, but to welcome him into our hearts and homes. With Zacchaeus we can learn humility and allow our enthusiasm to bring us to a new level of relationship with Jesus. What is holding us back?

Bro. Rene

 Dear Jesus, help me to find the enthusiasm even to climb tree to get closer to you. Amen. 

Indomitable Faith

Lk 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.

A desperate man with ironclad faith challenges our own faith.  Are we so convinced in our prayer that we would allow nothing to stop us until we received an answer? Jesus was impressed with this man's faith, insistence and persistence and granted his request.  May we learn from these few verses what it means to pray with faith. It's evidently a lot simpler than we make it to be. 

Bro. Rene

Lord, increase my faith and help me to keep my prayer simple and direct. Amen.

Be Prepared

 

Mk 13:24-32

The Last Days

24 “But in those days, following that distress,

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The Day and Hour Unknown

32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

It's that time of year again. These somber verses reflect what we see in Nature: the trees are losing their leaves, the nights are chillier, perhaps frost has already killed off the summer flowers, daylight hours are shorter, all reminders of the shortness of this life and the need to prepare for the great transition. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."  Yes, we are assured that this moment is coming, but we know not the day nor the hour. It is best to be ready, as if these things will take place within the hour.  Next week we will celebrate Christ the King, and the week after, Advent will begin. So now is the time to take these words of Jesus to heart and try as best we can to mold our lives to them, not out of fear but out of love: to be ready to receive our Lord and Savior wearing the garments of good works over a heart of loving service to our neighbor.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me to prepare for your coming by making a special effort to love all who come into my life. Amen. 

Don't Stop Asking

 

Lk 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?”

Our tendency is to ask once, or at most a few times more, and if we don't receive an answer, to give up and stop asking.  But this is not what Jesus recommends.  He wants us to grow in faith even in the asking.  Like the widow, we don't give up. It's a test of faith and endurance as well as of trust that in God's good time, he will grant our request. It's a hard lesson, but an essential one.  Let us renew our faith and begin again to ask for the things we think have been refused or ignored. God will eventually come through for us in ways better than we anticipated.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, please grant me the grace to persist in prayer, even when it seems to us you are ignoring our requests.

A Stark Warning

 

Luke 17: 26-37

Stay Alert

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. "Where the dead body is, there also the vultures will gather.”

These sobering sayings set the tone for the closing of the liturgical year. Little by little we are facing the "end times" and the consequent adjustments we need to make in our lives. There is an urgency and a seriousness that impel us to cast away the frivolous and focus on the serious, to hold on to what nourishes our spiritual lives and free ourselves from what holds us back from a deeper union with Jesus. As Shakespeare put it, "the readiness is all." Even in these "pre-Advent days, let us start cleaning  up the obvious messes we have allowed to accumulate and shake the unnecessary clutter from our lives.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me "clean my house" from all that separates me from you. Amen.

  

Not What We Think

 

Lk 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 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 not your ordinary kingdom. It is elusive, it is present, but "not something that can be observed". It seems contradictory; it promises glory but demands suffering and rejection. Purification of purpose, focusing on Jesus, his example and teaching, and "doing whatever he tells us" are the components we need to add to our spiritual diet daily. That's why our time for prayer and reflection are so essential.   What is God giving me today and what is he asking of me? It's not always what we think.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, guide me today on your mysterious and often elusive path to your kingdom. Amen.

Gratitude

 

Lk 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 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.”

How many times do we beg Jesus for a favor, and when it comes, we in our joy, unfortunately forget to say a simple thank you.  The Samaritan, one of those people looked down upon, recognized the need to express his gratitude for his cure, came back to Jesus and offered his thanks.  Simple. Done.. No fanfare, but a model for us centuries later. May we take  some time as we pray today to say thank you for the many gifts we have received and taken for granted, and may we make the prayer of gratitude a regular part of our daily prayer.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for hearing and answering my prayers. Forgive me for the times I've neglected to say THANK YOU. Amen.

We Are Unworthy Servants

 

Lk 17:7-10

Only Our Duty

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.’”

Our Gospel today is intended to keep us from getting big heads. We have a job to do, as does everyone else, so JUST DO IT.   No hoopla, no fanfare. We need to remain humble and faithful to our state in life, carrying out what is expected of us. This is a  good sobering passage which helps us keep things in perspective. Let us be good and faithful servants.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to remain your humble, faithful servant. Amen 

Increase Our Faith

 

Lk 17:1-6

Sin, Faith, Duty

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.'"

Faith is not only a state of the mind but a living behavior which not only affects our own life, but has huge implications on how we deal with one another. It sets us on the path of giving good example,  of forgiveness and of doing wonders beyond our greatest expectations.  We remember St. Martin of Tours on this Veterans Day, himself a soldier and later a bishop who lived simply, cared immensely for the poor, and gives us an example of putting others before ourselves. As we honor our Veterans today, let us be inspired by their willingness to sacrifice their lives and wounded bodies and spirits for our nation, for us, and do what we can to serve our country and one another. 

Dear God, St Martin's life demonstrates that we best serve you by serving one another. Help us follow in his footsteps. Amen.