Sunday Reflection: 4th Sunday Advent - An Active Faith

An Active Faith

 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16;  Psalm: 89:2-3, 4-5, 27-29; Romans 16:25-27; Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Our faith is something special. It is not a faith of passivity but an active faith. It is a faith about things that have happened, things happening now, and things that will happen. It is active in the experienced of particular people, in places like Swartz or Monroe or Bethlehem of Judea, and at different times - December 2014 or the days of King Herod.

Our faith is so special because it’s part of God’s plan. God’s plan is a living plan, designed through our lives, his children. Our faith is active not because of what we do, but what God does with us.

King David wanted to do something for the Lord, he said "I will build a house for God."

God answered through Nathan, “No, I will build your house.” The Lord tells David, “I took you from the pasture; I was with you everywhere you went.”

David did not understand: it is God who does for us, not we who do for God. It is we who are needy. God has no needs. We cannot do God favors.

King David in all his greatness and majesty had the same fault we all have.  Whether it’s from arrogance or pride, we tend to think our generosity is doing God a favor.

In the purity of our faith, we all want to do things for God. Who remembers the bracelets and shirts with the letters WWJD (What would Jesus do)? In our small ways, we want to please God; we want to help God's kingdom to come; we want to do good. We think the little things we do are so great. But, no matter what we do, it is not us.

Since the beginning of time, God has promised one thing to those called. It is our greatest source of strength and encouragement and confidence. It is simple promise but unimaginably great: “I will be with you.”

It is the basis of all our faith.

The angel Gabriel said to Mary: “The Lord is with you.”

Many think that her answer was passive.  “May it be done to me according to your word.” She completely surrendered to God.

It was not passive.

It was active faith. It was an active faith where something happened to a particular person, in a particular place, and in a particular time. It was an active faith that surrendered all she was to become the Mother of God.

In us, our faith is active in the sacraments. Here, it is God that does for us, not we who do for God. A outward sign of our faith that answers the same way as Mary, “May it be done to me according to your word.”

Healing Prayer Service Reflection: The White Elephant

Jesus said - Let us go across to the other side – and they took him just as he was, and other boats were with him. (Mk 4:35-41)

Growing up there was one bar I would see as we drove down the highway – The White Elephant. It was fascinating to me as a young child, because of its peculiarities.  It had two front doors about 3 feet apart. Above one door painted on the white cinder block wall in black lettering was "White's" above the other door "Colored." As a 7 year old, I thought the doors were for elephants, if was The White Elephant after all. Sadly, even after segregation had ended, this bar was still segregated.

The owner of the bar saw no color in his customers, only the green of their money. So, The White Elephant had only one bar along the back wall; but it had two entrance doors and a flimsy veneer paneled wall down the center, to keep the customers from mixing and fighting.

But with crowds and drinking there are fights. Most of the fights weren’t racial. The people who went in the door marked “White’s” would drink, get drunk, cuss, fight, cut, and shoot each other. The people who went in the door marked “Colored” would drink, get drunk, cuss, fight, cut, and shoot each other.

On a Friday or Saturday night, when one group would get tired of fighting among themselves, someone mad at the world would wait outside the doors to catch someone leaving from the other side of the wall.  Maybe, they would just shoot through the flimsy paneled wall at people they couldn’t see, they didn’t know, and they didn’t care about. These were an “us and them” thing.

Very few people went to the “other side” of the wall at The White Elephant; mainly, the Sheriff's deputies and the priest. Being over 40 miles from the nearest hospital; the priest was the first call as a person lay dying. Then, they would call the Sheriff.

No matter what side of the wall they were on, all the people who frequented The White Elephant, lived the same lives: suffering in poverty, illiteracy, and dejection. They saw no hope, no joy, and no peace. They looked for relief in alcohol and fighting. Always thinking they were better than the people on the other side of the wall.

Peter stated that God made no distinction between “us and them.” Peter was talking about Gentiles and Jews (Acts 15:7-12); but, God sees no distinction no matter who the “us and them are”: No matter what the affliction, No matter how great the sin; no matter how much we are ashamed; no matter how lowly or poor; or no matter what our troubles.(Ps 72:12-13)

Faith in Jesus Christ purifies our heart. This is the faith that quiets the storm inside us. It is our lack of faith that puts God to the test and swamps our boat. Only Jesus can truly quiet the storms of illness and disease, or the storms of despair and hopelessness. Jesus brings joy and peace when we ask him, He only needs to speak to work wonders - Peace be still.

Reflection 3rd Sunday Advent: Fear Not - You Are Inadequate

Fear Not - You Are Inadequate (Jn 1:6-8,19-28)

Here's a little proverb that I think each of us should live by; “Fear not, you are inadequate.” Don’t get upset, take it as a complement; especially in the light of the reading.

John the Baptist was a great man. Jesus Christ said: "Of all of the men born of women, none was greater than John the Baptist."

And what did John the Baptist say about the Christ? "There is one who is coming after me whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” John the Baptist knew that in comparison to Christ, he was inadequate!

Think about our inadequacies. As a parent, a teacher, a nurse, an advocate for justice, or simply a friend, there are times when you face your own inadequacy. Times we are helpless in the face of all we should be doing.

At these times, it is important to remember that only God is adequate and none of us are God. God is a better parent, teacher, nurse, advocate, and friend than any of us could ever be. God alone is adequate. 

In the roles these titles give us, we are only God’s instruments and tools. Important tools because we bear His mark. But, unlike God, we are not adequate to do anything He asks us on our own.

John the Baptist gives us a clue about being a great instrument of God. Forget our selves and dedicate our lives to the One that transcends selfish interests and human pride. I am a voice crying in the wilderness; make straight the way of the Lord.

Inadequacy is a hard pill for a lot of us to swallow. Many strive for to receive the respect and esteem from others. And, it doesn’t matter really how high or low we may be on the ladder of social importance.

But, think of all the really great people we’ve known. Not the politicians, not the celebrities, but real people; think of the lives of the saints. If we really think about them, we find that they are people who could careless about their own importance.  They really never know they are important. They forget themselves in what is really important for them: continuing God’s work without cynicism or discouragement in difficult tasks.

If honors come to them, they appreciate them; but, they go on about their task. It doesn’t matter to them if they are recognized for what they do, and usually they're surprised when they are recognized.

Maybe, they feel they are inadequate.

Our lives are not an accident. Every one of our lives is given to us by God to accomplish His will. We are the instruments that bring His loving presence to a suffering world; making His kingdom real by how we live our lives and how we treat people.

We need to strive to be inadequate instruments like John the Baptist; crying out in actions and words to make the lives of others a little bit better; clearing the path that brings the hope, peace, joy, and love of Christ to those who have none. 

With Christ’s presence in our lives, we are God's instruments. Each day His Presence will reach and touch others through us. This is no small thing to have happened to any man or woman.

That pretty good those of us who live by the proverb “fear not, you are inadequate.”

Reflection from Advent Retreat: The Lights On Now

(Inspired by Fr. Richard Rohr)

1 Corinthians 4:5

Stop passing judgment before the time of the Lord’s return. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and manifest the intentions of hearts. At that time, everyone will receive his praise from God.

A young boy goes hunting in the woods behind his house. It was getting dark and he had got turned around.  He was afraid he was lost. He thought about where he had bee, and tried to go back; he got more lost. He thought about which way he should go and headed that way; he got even more lost.

 His mother would soon have dinner ready. His father would then come outside, flash the light on the porch and yell for him that it was time to come home. He wanted to hear the comfort of his father’s voice. Sitting down, he got quiet.

Then, a lot closer than he thought it would be, he heard his father’s voice. He followed it. There was the light, comforting, lighting the darkness. He saw his father in the light, concerned. He felt safe as he walked towards home and his father’s hugs.

This is a story about being quiet and listening. This is a story about contemplation.

Thomas Merton, a trappist monk, writer, and mystic, wrote about contemplation. Merton wrote about the virgin point; a place of pure poverty and nothingness in God’s presence; absent of past and the future. A point found in the NOW. A place found by emptying ourselves of past and future so that we can be open to His presence.

This can be hard because most of us live our lives thinking about the past or the future. We try to repeat success or avoid failure. We try to control the path of our future. It’s the way we’re wired. And, Jesus warns us against both.

We are to live in the ever-present, ever-coming Christ. Let’s get ourselves to the virgin point to the presence of the immediate Christ; NOW. That point of total quietness where we can listen for the hope, peace, joy and love of Christ in the right now.  

If we are not in NOW, we will not experience the immediate Christ and we can’t grow in Christ. We can’t grow unless we’re willing to live in the right now, in this moment. Be present to Christ that is always coming to us.

So think of the Advent that is Christ immediate as God leaving the porch light on. In this light, we can be open to Christ who always comes to us and is calling us to his presence. In this light, we live in Christ who comes to us now. Maybe if we just sit quietly and listen, we can find our way. If we can do this, we will receive praise from God. 

Reflection: Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Your Permanent Record

GN 3:9-15, 20; EPH 1:3-6, 11-12; LK 1:26-38  (inspired by the poem Truant by Margaret Hasse)

How many of you remember the threat, “this is going to be on your permanent record.”  It was always hung over your head. If you skip school - "It’s going on your permanent record." If you misbehave – "It’s going on your permanent record." Bad grades are put "on your permanent record."

If you get in any trouble, no matter what you did, you would be threatened with, “It’s going on your permanent record.”

That’s what happened in the Garden. The man and the woman started running with the bad crowd. God finds out. He comes and gives them all a good lecture. God tells them, this sin, the original sin is going to be on their permanent record. It has been with humanity ever since. The snake got permanent detention.

But there was one person born who never had to worry about this permanent record of original sin.  It was Mary and it is the mystery of the Immaculate Conception. In the Immaculate Conception sin was taken off the blessed virgin’s permanent record.

Here we have a young woman, born without this original sin. She was so in tune with what God wanted because she didn't all that interference that comes from our faults. Probably everything that Mary, the daughter of Joachim and Anne, did was a prayer.

I think this is what Paul means in his letter to the Thessalonians, when he tells them to “pray always.”

There is nothing that says this is what the Blessed Virgin did.  But I believe that one born without original sin, without the temptation of human faults, like the first man and woman your life is a walk with God. A life of constant prayer.

She wasn't walking around saying the Jewish equivalent of the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary.” Her entire life was a prayer. Her life was open to God's presence. She lived the presence of God in a life present in the world. Her prayer was the way in which she was always present to His presence.  

Living in his presence when as a young teenage, she was asked to be the Mother of God, the arc of the new covenant. Living present in His presence as Jesus grew and she became his disciple. She was present to his presence, as a weeping mother, who watched her son suffer and be crucified.

That is something we need to be able to do. Learn to be present to the Divine Presence. When we are able to do this:

• The things that used to defeat us no longer defeat us.
• The things we thought we could never surrender to, we now can.
• Even to accept that we are not ready to accept

All these things are being present to Christ’s presence. Present to God’s presence, whose grace is always with us.

In our humanity, we do not have the immaculate conception.  We can live lives that are present in His presence. If we live this way, think how beautiful our permanent record records will be.

Homily - 2nd Sunday Advent - John the Baptist - Rock Star

(Inspired by Fr. J. Speekman)

Today, we are introduced to a rock star - John the Baptist; a privileged young man, the son a priest of God. He has a successful family business, he’s charismatic, he’s entertaining, he had it all; but, he left it to grow his hair long, dress like a "wild man", and live off the land. He became a rebel that quotes the great prophets and people come by the hundreds to hear him preach.

He is the herald of the Messiah, the precursor of the Advent. His many disciples follow his every word; He had a very promising disciple in young man from Nazareth named Jesus.

John the Baptist was one of the first to celebrate advent, when he jumped in his mother’s womb. Even as an unborn child, he was ready for the coming of the Lord.

That’s what advent is all about, we ask ourselves: “Will I be ready when he comes?”

We live for that future. Tomorrow I’m going to change. Next week, I’ll start studying the bible and the catechism. I'm making a New Year's resolution to go to confession more. Before I die, I start praying the Rosary daily.

That’s not a good question. What’s better is, “Am I ready NOW? – Christ comes to us NOW!!

We live for that future advent; but, that’s not what we should be doing. We all exist NOW, in the immediate time. NOW, the moment wedged between past and future. It is where we live our lives.  When the Lord returns, it will be precisely and only in the present moment.  He will not find us anywhere else.

This is the message of Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Peter.

We find John the Baptist in the waters of the river Jordan. On the banks stand God’s people, the Israelites. John calls them to repent for the forgiveness of their sins:  Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.

Some people, hear his words; hear God speak to their hearts and walk into the water to John. They are baptized and confess their sins.

John called ALL to repent; but only some did. Some stayed on the banks and said to themselves, “What’s all this talk about sin?”

• Some said – What sin? I have no sin!
• Some said  - I have too many sins! My sins are too great. God could never forgive me.
• Some said  - I only have little sins! They’re not worth worrying about.

Two thousand years later, the call to repent is still being heard. But instead of John, the message is given by priests, deacons, and God’s ministers. They call people to repent: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.

Now instead of hundreds on the banks of the river, billions of people all over the world hear the call to repent.

Some begin to move. Prostitutes and tax collectors, rich and poor, come forward, confess their sins and are forgiven.

ALL are called to repent. But, some remain standing on the bank and say, “What’s all this talk about sin?”

• Some say –What sin? I have no sin.
• Some say - I have too many sins. My sins are too great. God will never forgive me.
• Some say - I only have little sins. They’re not worth worrying about.

We Catholics say the same things in a different way. “I don’t need to confess my sins to a priest!” It' s like throwing the sacrament of Reconciliation back into the face of Jesus.

The message to repent does not stop. And all of our hearts hear that call, because:

• Hearts are ready to listen; but our heads talk us out of it.
• Hearts don’t make excuses; but inside our minds we can find plenty.
• Hearts see the need, but our minds tell us we have none.

Peter writes:  

"…  people will be scornful, living according to their own desire, saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? From the time when our ancestors fell asleep, everything has remained as it was from the beginning of creation.”  ...The Lord is not slow to carry out his promises, as others might be called slow; but he is patient with you,, wanting nobody to be lost …The Day of the Lord will come like a thief … you should be living holy and saintly lives while you wait and long for the Day of God to come… What we are waiting for is what he promised…"

Are we ready for Advent? Are we ready for Christ who comes to us NOW. We don’t know when He will come. No matter when the promise of Christ’s return is fulfilled; He will find us as we are in our immediate moment. Hopefully, we are not standing on the bank.

Are we preparing the way for the Lord in our lives?

Reflection Advent Candles: From Darkness to Light

(Allegory of Cave taken from sermon - Pastor Don Getty)

You need light. Without light there is nothing but darkness. With Jesus as your light, you will never be in darkness.

Let me tell a story that shows how true this is:

A long time ago, there was a cave that lived under the ground, where most caves live and like most caves had spent its entire lifetime in darkness. One day the cave heard a voice coming from the opening and the voice said, come up into the light, and the cave said, I don't know what you mean. What is light? There isn't anything but darkness. 

Finally, the cave being overly curious went towards the opening and the voice. The cave was surprised to see light everywhere because it did not know anything at all about light. Looking up at the sun, Cave was astounded and said, come with me to see the darkness. The sun answered, what is darkness?  The cave said, come and see, I will show you. So the sun entered the cave and said, now show me your darkness; but there was none. 

Light is stronger than darkness. In fact, darkness is just the absence of light. (Turn out the lights & Light Advent Candles)

“I have come as light to the world so that those who believe in Me may not remain in darkness.” (Jn 12:46)

How many people do you know that is living in the darkness of that cave? Sadly, many like living in the dark. They feel safe. It’s all they know. It’s where they grew up.

They don’t know about the light. They’re may be too afraid or too proud to believe there is a better place; a place in the light of Christ’s love that is warmer, healthier, brighter and more wonderful.

Some have escaped the darkness. They dance in the light with hope, peace, joy and love. (Turn lights back on)

What about those still back in the darkness of the cave? Maybe they would like to know what it like to be in the light. Perhaps they would like to quit being scared and proud. 

They will know what it’s like in the light of Christ if those of us who have escaped the cave to bring the light of Christ to them.

With our lives and our works we need to bring a candle into the darkness and tell them:  "It's okay to leave the darkness of the cave. The Light of Christ is so good.”  (Light the Christ Candle)

Reflection 1st Sunday Advent: Patience

 Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7; Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:33-37

This is the first Sunday of Advent. The readings are about waiting with the emphasis: patience. That's a hard thing to have, patience.

Before we start, I’d like to give you my unofficial definition of what patience is: “deliberate humble kindness.” 

• The word, deliberate, because patience is something you have to work at having.  
• The word humble because with patience we must put ourselves in the shoes of others. 
• The word, kindness, because kindness is truly what having patience is all about.

Have you ever been stuck in a line at a store? The person in front of you watches the cashier like a hawk. They argue over every price. The cashier makes a little mistake. The manager is called and you can see the manager just over there and they're just chewing the fat, or talking on their phone. The manager is not in a hurry. .

Finally, the manager shows up, clears the mistake, and leaves. Then the customer decides they don’t want something and asks that it be taken off their total. The manager is called again and now the manager is helping someone else or paged from another part of the store. When it is time to pay, they pull out their debit card and don't remember their pin number. 

This can try your patience. It can get on your nerves and real easy you can lose your patience. You find it kind of hard to love that person and you get agitated with even the cashier. You don't love as a Christian should love. 

It's a shame but we are just poor humans. We are born in time and space and it tries our patience when some one is taking away from our limited time and space. The problem with our lack of patience is that it applies to everything even our faith.  . 

The parable states that the master has left  and we are to watch. In reality what are we left to watch? Watch for his coming. but, we are also left to watch our selves. We are to watch how we act and how we treat others and how we live our lives as Christians. We are to be patient.

The chosen people described in Isaiah. The got tired of waiting and started to wander away from God. Even though the prophet says the people know the true God who created them, they worship other gods, carved idols, and take on the customs of other peoples. You see what happened - they lost their watch. They lost their patience waiting for God.

Paul tells the Corinthians that only with faith in Christ can we stand firm. This is how we keep our watch. This is why we don’t wander. This is the source of our patience.

So here we are standing in the checkout line. We  finally get to the register, do we sulk, do we explode, or do we greet the person with a smile, hello, and I hope your have a good day. The question is do we wander from the love of Christ? Do we lose our watch that Jesus gave us to be true to him?

We are asked to have patience and patience is a "deliberate humble kindness." God gives us this in his lovingkindness; the lovingkindness made man in Jesus Christ. Given to us in Jesus birth, given to us in our immediate intimate relationship with Christ Jesus, and will be given to us when Christ comes again in glory. All that is asked of us is that we are to keep watch, do not wander, and have patience.  

Remain true to Jesus, who is the way we learn deliberate humble kindness. 

Jesus calls it love. 

Reflection - Christ the King Sunday

All in All - King of the Universe

Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17 Psalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 Matthew 25:31-46

I originally wrote this by hand while at a Jesuit retreat so maybe I’ll sound smart. I also read some Thomas Merton, Trappist Monk, mystic and theologian whom I'll quote:

“Our true self has been concealed under the ‘disguise’ of a false self, the ego, whom we tend to worship in place of God.”

The readings tend to point to the problems of our ego.

• The sleek and the strong ...,
• The sheep from the goats...,
• Death comes through man.

Sadly, humanity tends to make God into an idol of our own ego. Yet, Paul tells us God is all in all.  

Several years ago, I travel to my company’s regional office. As I sat waiting for the meeting to start, I fingered my rosary. One of the ladies who worked in the office said, “What are those?  Isn’t that the way you Catholics pray to Mary?”

It’s a rosary. It is for prayers that contemplate the Christian faith and the life of Christ.

You start with the “Sign of the Cross, The Apostle’s Creed and then the Hail Mary…” I didn’t get to finish.

So, l you are worshiping Mary. I said “No, It is a meditation on the life of Christ; let me tell you the prayers.”

I explained the sign of the cross. She had no problem with that prayer.  But, when I began the creed and said, “… crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.” 

“Jesus did not go to hell!  I can’t believe you said that.”

I tried to explain that “hell” was simply the place of the dead.  Until Jesus Christ was resurrected, there was no “heaven and hell” as we know it. Before Christ, no person went to heaven or eternal damnation. Everyone who died went to the place of the dead.

She couldn't hear me. She wouldn't hear me.   

A year later, I sat in Deacon Formation and our instructor asked us this question. “Is God in Hell?”

It was a question that one of his instructors in seminary had asked his class many years before. We didn’t know how to answer that question. The instructor said his class didn’t know the answer either. 

The instructor explained that the wise old priest and theology professor answered his own question. – “Of course He is - God’s everywhere! But, what's God doing in hell?”

Another hard question, but his answer, “God is there loving all the poor souls lost there.”

God the Father is all in all. Jesus Christ is the fullness of the universe and the all in all. Jesus Christ is the manifestation of the love that God has for all creation. 

Even though that good Christian lady who didn't want to hear that Jesus descended into hell, she was not trying to make God into an idol in her own image. Maybe she could not comprehend what it means that God is all in all, the universe and its fullness.

If we are to see God in the poor, the naked, the sick, the hungry, and the prisoner and love them would God not love them as well? Why then would God not love the poor souls in hell?  

God forgives us and loves us unconditionally, even those who are lost and even those who do not love him.

Now, we are back at the beginning. Rethinking Merton’s quote it seems we live our life in denial of our true self. We see our own ego, denying the reality that God created us. Humanity sees the self it creates. Our true reality of self is found in the image of God in which we are created.

God is all in all and in the saints in heaven. God is all in all; even in those lost souls that exist in the self they created. This self pushes God away. The self that separates self from God and being separated from God’s love is the definition of hell. Creation can become separated from God but God never stops loving it.

Christ the King, God who is all in all and in all of us. 

Friday Flash Fiction: Best Friends - A Parable

Prompt: Photo and use puppy

It began when he was just a puppy. He would do normal puppy things; chase his tail, scratch, or get a special treat from the man.

The man was so nice but kind of peculiar.

He listened to a box that howled in the strangest way. It hurt puppy's ears so he howled as well.  The man laughed, tried to play chase, or would give treats.

The puppy liked to make the man happy. It was like getting his belly rubbed.

 

Pretty soon, he had the man spoiled.  Every time he would sit and listen to the howling box, he expected puppy to howl. Puppy would get some kind of treat.

Then the day came when Puppy’s teeth hurt.  He chewed, it helped the pain.

***

"Drats," the legs of his phonograph had been chewed. 

In frustration, the man locked that dog out of the conservatory. It was always howling when he tried to listen to Caruso.

(Moral: Even the best of friends can sometimes have a disagreement)

Reflections from Healing Prayer Service November 2014

Luke 19:10 tells us that Jesus came to seek and to save. He does this by bringing healing in ways that are alike yet different.

Paul says to imitate him and those that came with him. Follow his example so that Christ can changie our lowly bodies to be like his glorified body. (PHIL 3:17-4:1) In the gospel, Jesus heals the lepers’ bodies which are ravaged by disease. They are the outcast of society, but, Jesus tells them to go back. They could do this if they were clean and without disease. Jesus made them new. (LK 17:11-19)

In both of these readings, we find healings that are alike yet different. In the gospel, the body is healed. Jesus gave the lepers new bodies. In Paul’s letter, we are promised spiritual healing. Christ makes for us a glorified body.

These are healings and the source of salvation, alike yet different. They both require the same things: faith and fidelity to Jesus; fortitude (don’t give up); don’t forget Christ; imitate those who have these traits; and praise Jesus.

Let’s focus on one, imitation. Have you ever thought imitation was an act of faith?

Cardinal Timothy Dolan in his book, “Priests for the Third Millennium” tells this story:  As a teenager he would go with his pastor on visits. This monsignor was respected and had a great responsibility; but he was always faithful in the smallest of things.

One day, they visited an elderly parishioner in a nursing home and found her lying on the floor in pool of her own urine. The priest never said a word; he took off his coat, grabbed a mop to cleaned up, helped her get dressed in clean clothes, kissed her on the head, and gave her a bottle of lotion as a Christmas present.

Cardinal Dolan says that was a true witness of humble love he tries to imitate that pastors example. Two men of faith alike yet different, one imitated Christ and influenced another to do the same.

We need to imitate true faith, fidelity, fortitude, and gratitude of those that Jesus healed. They lived lives with faith, fidelity, fortitude, and gratitude as an essential part of their daily lives; small acts important to the Lord. These are imitations of Christ, the saints, and all the holy; alike yet different in each of us. They are signs of our healing.

We’re here today for true healing which only comes for God. As believers, we witness our healing every day. We are healed when we surrender all that we are to Jesus and the will of God. Paul, the Leper, even Cardinal Dolan surrendered completely. It healed them and made them new. Imitate the faith, fidelity, and gratitude of those who have been healed. Turn to Christ and give him thanks.

It doesn’t matter if that healing is in body or in the spirit; alike yet different, both make us new. People of faith are healed and in true faith they know it. Praise God and claim the healings Christ has bestowed upon us, alike yet different in each of us according to the will of the Father.

For the Son has come to seek and to save what was lost. Thank Him for all He has done for us.

Christian Flash Fiction: Situations Can Change a Man

Prompt: Exodus 15:21 - Miriam sang to them, 'Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.'

Situations Can Change a Man

 “Dokie” Joe Carnahan sat uneasy. His horse was old. The gelding was giving out beneath him with every step. It was so worn and old, even its whinny was broken. It sounded like a wheezing old man. He needed a new horse

By trade, he considered himself a semi-outlaw. He had done things that would shame his maw. Thanks to all her praying and preaching when she was alive, he had never killed anyone or robbed a church.

He had studied it though. Situations can change a man; especially, when an opportune situation presents itself.   

He had heard rumors about priests. They ate off gold plates and collected riches to send to someone called Pope.

Nobody would soon miss this wandering preacher; then, they’d blame the desert.

“Preecher, war u headin?”

“God’s mission for me is los niño Jose, my son,” answered Fr. Maria Francis.

He didn’t know that place, “Fokes call me Dokie not Sun. Thet’s a fur walk, sum pretty dange-rus country. Ifins ya git a hoarse ya kin rides wit me.”

“The Lord has given me two feet. I believe that God would rather I walk than to burden one of His creatures.”

“Rid-ns alot quiker den walkin, an toos saf-r den wone, yoar call.”

Dokie changed his plan. He would catch the preacher in the desert, rob and abandon him. Sell them gold plates, buy a new horse and supplies. He needed food, bullets, and things to be in the semi-outlaw trade. If he had enough, maybe he would spend a night or two in a fancy hotel.

***

Fr. Maria Francis walked for three days. As his water ran out, he found a small creek. He knelt and prayed, thanking God for his providence.

Hiding was Dokie. He eased his horse towards the bank. He drew is pistol. He didn’t have bullets but he’d worry about that later.

He could hear the priest praying. It was something Dokie remembered his mother reciting. She called it Miriam’s Song. He knew this would hurt his maw.

Prayers continued. “The flood waters covered them over and they sank like a stone.”

Underneath the horse, the bank collapsed. The horse and rider fell into the stream. The horse faltered and screamed in its broken voice; it could not get up. Struggling, it pinned the rider. Water rushed into the semi-outlaws lungs.

***

Dokie saw a figure outlined by light. Like a man standing in the sun, just like church people described the walk to judgment.

“Is this dead?”

He saw his semi-outlaw life. There was his maw kneeling before the one in the light. Weeping and praying for her little Joe.

“Don’t let me be dead, Lord, I can change!”

Then, a familiar broken whinny busted his stare into the light. Kneeling above him, praising God was Fr. Maria Francis.

 “Blessed be God. May the Lord reign forever, Amen.” 

Smiling the priest looks down, “Niño, I thank God, He has blessed us to meet again.”

Sunday Reflection

Sorry Fr. Pat: 
A Reflection on Should Of, Would Of, & Could Of

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30

Father Pat Madden told us in homiletics two phrases never to use when preaching: Should and Let Us. He liked to say you don’t “should on” the congregation or feed them “Let Us” (lettuce).

But I think I'm going to break those rules, sort of.  

Has anyone ever second guessed themselves? When something bad happens or doesn’t turn-out in our  favor - Our conscious questions our choice: Maybe I should of done this; If only I would of done; or Instead, I could of done that.

Why do we second guess? Maybe the answer’s in today’s Gospel. (Matthew 25:14-30)

The 3^rd servant says '... I was afraid ...'

This servant is unfortunate and that can make us uncomfortable; because, the servant can remind us of ourselves. No matter how much bravado we have most mistakes are made because we are afraid.

We see the servant in ourselves. If we look at the servant, maybe we can understand how we end up where we do.

“I knew you were a demanding person"

The first thing the servant shows us is fear and misunderstanding of obligation. The servant thought he had the master figured out; but, he was wrong. He judged his master on what the world thought. 

That is why so many of our problems exist. Following God is hard, following the world is easy. We misunderstand the obligation of being a Catholic and a Christian. Doing the right thing is hard so we follow the easy path. The world’s easy to understand. So we live our life by what the world tells us. The world  is made up of everybody else's opinion telling us the way we ought to be.

"Out of fear I went off and buried your talent"

The second thing the servant has is a fear that prevents him from accepting and using the talent he was given by the master. The servants is scared of using it. 'It yours - you have it back; in other words - I don't want it.

We do the same things. We don’t use what God gave us to honor God. We keep them hidden then give them back unused. It’s not the amount that God gives us; it’s closer to we don’t want it at all. 

I’m old; I can't do anything, the only thing I can do is come to Mass. I’m young and I can’t do anything. We can all pray. These are the small things we invest for God so they grow.

"You wicked, lazy servant!"

Thirdly, this may be the thing that we have most in common with the servant. The servant doesn’t trust what the master says. He didn’t obey and basically refused to be his servant.

Put that into our lives, we have a hard time being obedient to God. It encroaches on what we identify as our freedom, our choices, or our lifestyle. It cramps our style.

The things that we share with the servant is what direct us to all of those should of(s), would of(s), and could of(s). We live a life fighting against the will of God.

Many of the should of(s), would of(s), and could of(s) that we experience n our life is not because we listed to God’s voice. Like the servant, those choices come from our self. We make emotional decisions. These can often conflict with God and our moral conscience.

"Come and share your master's joy."

There is a great irony between life in the world and a life with God. It’s a hard paradox to accept. In God, to find true joy lies in accepting duty and obligation, to find true maturity lies in our complete surrender, and to find true freedom lies in obedience.

This is the paradox we find in Jesus. This, he taught and embodied. He was the freest human to ever walk this planet, yet he said that he did nothing on his own; everything he did was in obedience to his Father.

We need to stop obeying the false voices inside of us. Don’t mistake the confusion of the world with conscience.

So what did we learned from the servant:

• Don’t listen to the voice of the world; Joy is accepting duty and obligation;
• Even if it is only a small amount, completely surrender all you gifts to glorify God; and 
• Be obedient to the voice of God, this is where you find true freedom

By following the example of Christ, we come to know the Father’s will. In this, we’ll not have to second guess or question ourselves.

I’m sorry Father Pat but maybe there is some “shoulds” we need to share and there is some “Let us” we need to feed to others. Learning these help us get rid of the should of (s); the would of(s); and the could of(s).

But, those are for another reflection.

Flash Fiction Friday: More

Flash Friday Fiction: 

150 words +/- 10 words, Challenge to use a famous author w/inspiration of picture

 “More”

Two hands come together urgently making the sign, “More.”

“His name is E-R-B or Erb,” the director said. “He was Tarzan. He’s smart. Learned to sign by watching us teach others; that’s when he became E-R-B.”

In the background, repeatedly, finger tips come together, “More, more.”

“I get it, Extra Rare Brain, E-R-B!” the assistant giggled.

“Nope, an English major cleaning his cage called him E-R-B for Edgar Rice Burroughs. Said Burroughs wrote “Tarzan of the Apes” and was better than his peers. The name became Erb during the marijuana experiments.” 

Erb beats on the door. “More, more?”

The director continues, “Erb has addiction problems: drinking, smoking, drugs, sugar. He’s better at bad habits than we are. He’s smart and that made him important to our breeding program. Now, he needs that too.”

“Couldn’t that be done artificially?”

“More! More! More,” Erb’s hands scream!

The old man answers with remorse, “My old friend would still scream . . . .”

Christian Flash Literature: A Gift of Innocence

 Prompt: 2 Cor 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift”

It started with a simple announcement during intercessory prayers. ”Mr. Leon has passed away; let us pray for him and his family.”

Although I didn’t see her at the time, a little girl around seven years old sat next to her grandmother softly sobbing. Her grandmother pulled her close to comfort her.

The two approached Father and I after mass, but they wanted to talk to me.  

“Deacon, this is Iris. She gets upset at mass when they mention people that have died. Earlier this year, her twin baby brothers died at five months. You have children could you speak with her.”

I saw her tears and had no idea what to say. I just opened my mouth and the Holy Spirit took over.  I think, this is what I said.

“Iris, I’m sorry you’re sad about your brothers. It hurts when we no longer have those we love around us. But sometimes, babies and other people get so weak Jesus calls them to be with him.

Jesus loves babies and little children so much. Instead of letting your baby brothers hurt, he asked them to come to him, so he could make them well. I know that made everybody sad.

See Jesus on the cross with his arms outstretch, looks like someone ready to give a hug and hold you tight. Doesn’t you grandmother do that when she wants a hug? Don’t you like to get hugs from your mamma?

Jesus wants to love and hug all of us. Jesus’ hugs are so big and wonderful that if you take all the mommas, daddies, mammas and papaws hugs and put them together, Jesus’ hug would be better.

Jesus is hugging and loving your baby brothers with his whole heart. Another thing about Jesus’ love is when you love Jesus; you let your baby brothers know you love them. When you pray and ask Jesus to hold you and hug you, his hugs are so big and full of love that he is hugging you and your brothers at the same time.

Even though you can’t see Jesus or your brothers, they are in your heart. You know they are being taken care of by Jesus and will feel it in your heart, every time you feel love for them. .

Say your prayers and ask Jesus to hug you tight and protect you. Always love your brothers and you’ll always be close to them because Jesus is holding them and loving them at the same time he’s loving and hugging you.”

Iris smiled through teary eyes. Her grandmother smiled and thanked me. I cried; because, in this child' s smile, I saw Jesus, who died for us, loving and pulling all of us near.

This is a true story; even a small child can minister to us.