Author: DeaconRodney

Husband, Father of 4, Catholic Deacon.

Confess Jesus

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” (NAB, ROM 10:9-10) This verse of Scripture is often misapplied by those trying to establish that salvation is secured by a single act on the part of a believer. “Just say it, and you’re saved.” I like to quote the great Scott Hahn, who sharply says, “A text taken out of context is a pretext.” In other words, you can’t simply quote the English translation of a biblical text without considering the greater context of the passage, book, and entire Bible itself. One who does so is exposed to great danger of misunderstanding what was meant and failing to see the Truth in God’s Word.

One consideration is that for a person at the time of Christ, to confess that Jesus is Lord, that person would be committing treason. The only person to be publicly proclaimed as lord was the Roman Emperor; to call Jesus “Lord” could very easily result in one’s torture and execution. To confess with the lips was a profound act of faith and trust in God, both of which result from the gift of God’s grace.

Secondly, there is no reason to believe that confessing Jesus as Lord is a one-time deal. Quite the contrary. The reality, substantiated by the full context of Scripture (cf., MT 10, 2TM 2, HEB 4, HEB 10, etc.), is that we are to continually confess Jesus as Lord, throughout our lives, until our physical death, and when we sin, we are to reconcile ourselves with those whom we’ve sinned against and with God, and “then bring your gift to the altar.” (MT 5:23-24) Thus, by God’s grace, we are all called to “work out [our] salvation in fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12), as we confess Jesus as our Lord by faith and through our works of love.

Jesus, I accept you as my Lord, and I thank you for the gift of grace given to me. Increase my faith so that my very life becomes my confession, that every word that goes forth from my mouth (nay, from my heart), gives you honor and glory through all that I do as your disciple. Amen.

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You are Invited

“Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” (NAB, RV 19:9) At the time of Jesus, the marriage supper was the highlight and pinnacle of the entire marriage rite for the Jews. There were many steps in the formal Jewish marriage ceremony. First there was betrothal. This involved the groom leaving his father’s house, going to the home of the bride, and paying the necessary “purchase price” for his bride. This publicly formalized and permanently established a covenant between the two. (This, of course, sounds remarkably familiar to Jesus leaving his Father’s house, coming to the home of his bride (us), and paying the necessary purchase price (his Passion), thereby establishing an new everlasting covenant with us, his Church, his Bride.) It is of interest that from the moment of betrothal, the bride and groom were legally married even though the rest of the marriage events had not yet occurred.

In the traditional Jewish ritual, after the covenant was established, the groom returned to his father’s house to prepare a place for his bride. Meanwhile, the bride, would diligently prepare herself, including a formal cleaning and ritual cleansing, as she awaited the return of the groom. Then, when things were ready, but at an exact time unknown to the bride, the groom would return for her and take his bride to her new home, according to the covenant that had been established.  Vows were then be exchanged, the marriage would be consummated, and the wedding supper would follow. These descriptions should sound remarkably familiar to how Jesus, the Lamb of God, describes his Kingdom and the New Covenant established between himself and us, the Bride of Christ.

The wedding supper lasted a full seven days, the sign of creation. For us followers of Christ, the supper itself is fulfilled as a Paschal meal, the one began with Jesus in a small upper room gathered with his disciples. The Passover Meal and the sacrifice of the altar were united where analogy and reality meet, where the wine and bread of a meal, where the blood that was shed and the flesh that was sacrificed on the altar, are forever changed into the very Blood and Body of Jesus Christ. The sacrificial meal of Passover was not complete until all ate the flesh of the sacrificed lamb. Jesus is that pure, unblemished Lamb of God, who takes away our sins. Truly blessed are we, who are called to his supper.

We praise you Lord, for you have become our Passover. We, who are your betrothed, long await your coming, as we anxiously prepare ourselves in anticipation for that unknown time when we will be called to dine with you at the Eternal Wedding Banquet of Heaven. Praise and glory to the Lamb of God, our Savior, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Persevere in Love

Luke’s Gospel presents what seems like some fairly bleak prophecy. Jesus says to his disciples, “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. … You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name….” (NAB, 21:12, 16-17)

Wow! I can’t imagine this being the first lesson we teach new Christians, yet it is so important for us to realize that the teachings of Jesus are so radical, counter to the culture, that followers will be persecuted. Jesus assures his disciples, however, that they need not prepare what to say, that he will give them the wisdom to respond to the hatred in the world. He adds, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” (21:19)

Perseverance is one of the forgotten virtues. It receives little attention in the pulpit, but is actually quite important in the spiritual life. Jesus is reminding us today that his teachings are radical, and to be Christian is to challenge the culture and the status quo whenever and wherever we see the love of Christ being violated. Much of what society does is dictated by good, but sin also has its hand in shaping our cultural norms and accepted behaviors. We, as Christians, are called to bring the Good News to all because of the inherent dignity of all. We are each created in the image and likeness of God, regardless of our social norms, family upbringing, political positions, or religious beliefs. Christ loves us all, and it takes true perseverance to proclaim that love to a world that seems to be constantly fighting against it.

Lord Jesus, you persevered to the end, where God’s glory was revealed through your Passion. Give me the gift of perseverance. When I feel like giving in or giving up, strengthen me with your grace to push forward in your love, so that you may be glorified by all. Amen.

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Do Not Fear the End

The Gospel of Luke (21:5-11) describes a scene when many people had gathered near the Jerusalem Temple, and were admiring its grand beauty.  Jesus uses the moment to prophesy about the future destruction of the temple, when “there will not be left a stone upon another stone….” (NAB, LK 21:5) He then goes on to describe what is to be expected before the end, when the final judgment comes. Revelation adds light to when this will happen and describes the occasion of that final gathering of the faithful as when “the time to reap has come, because the earth’s harvest is fully ripe.” (RV 14:15) Jesus provides an incredible and terrifying list of signaling events: wars, famines, destruction, plagues, insurrections, and a host of natural disasters.

Knowing all this is to come, however, Jesus lovingly reminds us, “Do not be terrified.” (21:9) It is a constant theme in Scripture: “Do not be afraid.” Various biblical translators indicate that the phrase “do not be afraid,” or some rendition or form of it, occurs about 365 times in the Bible! Perhaps God wanted to give us a daily reminder to not fear the things of this world, to remember that we belong to a family and a Kingdom that will never die and will never end. It seems reasonable for us to be fearful when the world is in such turmoil, with violence, injustice, and death at every corner, but we have a surpassing force in Jesus Christ that is greater than any power, principality, authority, or dominion on earth.

Father, strengthen my faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Give me the power and light of your Holy Spirit to see beyond the darkness of this world, to know that you are always here, that you are always in control, and that you always love me with an incomprehensible love, a love through which only an infinitely merciful and just God can overcome the evils of this world. Amen.

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The Widow’s Trust

When we hear the story of the Widow’s Mite, (cf., LK 21:1-4), we are called to reflect on stewardship and our “management” of what has been given to us by God. In the story, we are told of many Temple visitors putting large donations in the collection jars. Jesus calls his disciples to himself, however, and points out a particular widow who dropped only two small coins in the jar. Jesus then contrasts her giving to that of those who had preceded her: “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” (NAB, LK 21:3-4) While others had given from their excess, their desires, or even their wants, this widow gave from her need, in fact, as Jesus notes, “her whole livelihood.”

While her generosity is worthy or praise, there is another aspect of her faith in God that deserves note. Because she has given all that she has, she must now be totally dependent upon God to meet her needs. Widows had no sources of income and essentially relied upon the generosity of others or their adult children, if they had any. By giving up her entire livelihood, this woman exhibits heroic courage, faith, and trust in God to provide for her every need. From where will her next meal come? How will she pay her bills? If she has young children, how will she feed and care for them? She trusts in God, the God who loves her and the God who provides. Let us learn not only from the Widow’s Mite, but especially from the Widow’s Trust.

Lord, give me a generous heart, that I may share my talents, energy, and resources with others, and let me do so without holding back. Give me the faith, courage, and trust I need to see you as the God who will always provide what I need. Let my trust not be in the people, provisions, and powers of this world, but in you and you, alone. Amen.

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Jesus Christ, Lord & King

Roman execution by crucifixion was absolutely and grotesquely brutal. The executioners clearly wanted to make a public display of humiliation and torture for those convicted of various crimes. The hope was not only to punish the offenders, but to deter those who might consider certain criminal behaviors. To that end, next to those being crucified was displayed the charges for which the condemned had been convicted, and recall that for Jesus, Pilate had the tablet inscribed, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” (JN 19:19)

According to the Roman Procurator, Jesus was executed because he was a “king.” The crucifixion, perhaps the most well-known event of salvation history, established Jesus as King. Catholics and many Protestant communities celebrate today as the Feast Day of Christ the King. It is the day in which we recognize his supremacy over us and all of creation. It is the opportunity to celebrate as a community, that absolute and total dominion of God.

In the letter establishing this Holy Feast, we read, “If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth,” then Jesus should reign as King of our mind, our will, our heart, and our body. (cf., Quas primas, #33) We say that we are followers of Christ, that we believe in Jesus, but do we really submit to the one who was ruthlessly betrayed, viciously tortured, and horrifically executed for being our King? Hail, to our King!

Jesus, my Lord and my King, make me a faithful and obedient subject in mind, body, will, and heart. Help me to realize your dominion and supremacy over me and all of creation, and make me loyal in my service to you through my love of neighbor. Amen.

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Heaven’s Perfection of Love

Jesus teaches something interesting about the resurrected life by responding to a potential trap set by the Sadducees in the Gospel of Luke (20:27-40). The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, and so they crafted a question to Jesus: If a barren woman is widowed and remarried several times during her lifetime, who will be her husband in heaven? The Sadducees believed that it is impossible for Jesus to provide an adequate answer since it is impossible for him to select a particular husband, nor is it possible to say she would be married to all of them. Either choice would deny certain aspects and understandings of marriage itself. This argument and attempt to trap Jesus, however, merely demonstrates the depth of their ignorance and lack of comprehension regarding eternal life.

Jesus counters their question by teaching them that in heaven, there are no “goodbyes.” Relationships are perfect and unending. All of our relationships will exist within the context of our relationship with God, a relationship based on a perfection of love that is not realized during our lives on earth. Marriage is an imperfect reflection of the perfect love of God for us and of the Trinitarian love that will sustain us in the eternal life of the resurrection. Therefore, the limitations and restrictions on love that exist within the context of human relationships vanish in the presence of infinite, eternal love.

Father, help me to love. I desire to love others as myself. Give me the courage and strength I need to love as you love, and to forgive as you forgive. May my relationships with others reflect more boldly and brightly that eternal and infinite love with which you love me. Amen.

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Hanging On the Word

In Luke’s Gospel, we see a rare side of Jesus where he exhibits justified anger because merchants have defiled the temple area: “’My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’” (NAB, LK 19:46) Jesus’ outrageous behavior incensed and angered many. He was viewed by them as revolutionary and anti-establishment, and he was clearly unconcerned with people’s opinions and positions; rather, he who is Truth, taught that same Truth in love, even though it would ultimately lead to his execution. Scripture says, “The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.” (19:48)

People were hungry for Jesus’ teaching. They thirsted for the Truth that only his words could quench. Those words are eternal and everlasting, and the reality is that people today have the same needs. Jesus’ words are just as applicable and needed today as they were 500 years ago, 2000 years ago, or 5000 years ago. Today, however, we are the voice of Jesus, and we are called to proclaim his Good News to our world – our families, friends, coworkers, and society. The Word of God will continue to create controversy and division, and will cause some to persecute us, precisely because Christ’s teachings are based in love, not selfishness and self-centeredness. Regardless of our fallen nature, our conscience is attracted to goodness, and those who are open to love, truth, beauty, and goodness, will “hang on every word” that comes forth from the mouth of Christ. All people are created in the image and likeness of God, and as the great St. Augustine reminds us, everyone’s soul is restless until it rests in the Lord.

May I seek you everywhere and in all things. May I hear your word in truth and humility, so that I may proclaim it to the world, in what I say, but most especially in how I live my life. Give me courage in the face of controversy and persecution to continue to proclaim to the world, the Good News of truth, love, mercy, and forgiveness revealed through your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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Take Back Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful secular holiday in America, and absolutely worthy of celebration. We are fortunate to have it, but we are unfortunate that we now live in a time when, once Halloween ends, Christmas begins (at least in the marketplace). To get shoppers in the mood (and make more profits, I guess), many businesses begin selling Christmas items and start playing background “holiday” music on November 1st! “Black Friday,” that day that has always been a veritable orgy of shopping, has slowly creeped beyond itself, and has now taken over the entire week, spanning from the Monday before Thanksgiving, to the Wednesday after. Time to spend with family has all but vanished for those who work in the retail industry, with all the demands of extended shopping hours and significantly higher customer volume. We seem to be turning Thanksgiving, a holiday for celebrating our blessings, into a holiday that’s becoming all about greed and lust for the latest and greatest material things and the accumulation of whatever the advertisers can push on us.

Let’s take back Thanksgiving. On behalf of the Continental Congress of 1777, Samuel Adams wrote, “That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please God through the Merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance… and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth “in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.” (text from the “Frist National Proclamation of Thanksgiving, 1777) Twelve years later, President George Washington would make the First Presidential Declaration of Thanksgiving, also giving thanks to and acknowledging God for the many blessings received by his people. Thanksigivng was about acknowledging our sinfulness, seeking forgiveness, consecrating oneself to service, and being thankful to God for our countless blessings.

Let us take time to reflect on the incredible and innumerable blessings we have received from God. Let us reflect on those blessings in others, where God becomes manifestly present in our relationships founded in love. Father, give me a grateful heart. Make me sensitive to all I have received, the countless blessings of your love. Forgive me of my sins and shortcomings, and renew my life in you. Thank you for giving me, me, and may my life become a blessing for others. Amen.

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Steward of My Life

We live in an age that is overflowing with material goods and wealth. Compared to generations past, we have the greatest technology, health care, information, food, life expectancy, and quality of life based on so many different factors. Everything we have in our world, and even our very lives, however, are not because of us, but are for us. We didn’t give birth to ourselves and our world; we received them as an inheritance from those who preceded us and from God.

“Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be.” (NAB, RV 4:11) What will we do with the wonderful gifts we’ve received? What will the next generation receive from us? How will we utilize our God-given talents and gifts to make the world a better place and to bring about God’s Kingdom?

Stewardship far too often focuses on finances and how we manage the money in our lives, particularly related to tithing and charitable donations. But stewardship is about managing ALL that we possess, all that has been given us, most especially our talents and gifts. We are responsible for investing the necessary time, energy, and commitment to develop our skills and talents for the betterment of others and the common good in our community and society. We are the only ones who are held accountable for this responsibility. Our gifts are meant to be shared, and this is precisely how they are multiplied through our love and the love of others. Jesus reminds us that, “to everyone that has, more will be given.” (LK 19:26)

Lord, help me to recognize my gifts and talents, and give me the courage and determination to develop them and use them for love of my neighbor and for the common good. Make me a worthy steward of everything good in my life. May I never take credit for what you have given me, but may I always seek to glorify you in all that I do. Amen.

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Am I Lukewarm?

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (NAB, RV 3:20) Jesus wants to be with us. He wants to share in our lives. He desires to be intimate, and he expresses that longing into this reading from the Book of Revelation.

These familiar verses have appeared in artwork as paintings and even more recently, as versus in contemporary Christian songs. Its’ important, however, to understand the context of these words attributed to Jesus. He is speaking to a “lukewarm” church, a church that is “rich and affluent,” having all it needs, but failing to recognize that it is actually “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (c.f., RV 3:17)

Jesus is knocking on the door of us Christians who have grown lukewarm in living out our faith, who are just trying to get by, who are no longer motivated to transform society with the love of Christ, or who have fallen prey to society’s attitudes and celebration of mediocrity and disinterest. Jesus is waiting to be invited in as he knocks on the doors of the hearts of apathetic and disinterested Christians. If we have the courage and wisdom to invite him in, he will enter and dine (i.e., commune) with us. Jesus wants encounter. He desires relationship. He seeks communion.

Heavenly Father, let me hear the voice of Jesus and open the door to my life, so that he may enter and enliven my spirit. May I encounter him and draw closer to him in communion and love. May my eyes be opened to the true riches of this world and seek only your glory. Amen.

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Believing is Seeing

Bartimaeus, the Blind Beggar, is sitting in his usual spot alongside the roadway when he hears that Jesus is walking by. Bartimaeus cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” at which time some of the followers of Christ rebuke him, telling him to keep quiet so as not to bother Jesus. This doesn’t stop him: Bartimaeus again, loudly cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” Jesus has Bartimaeus brought to him and asks what he wants. Bartimaeus responds, “Lord, please let me see.” In his mercy and compassion, Jesus gives him his sight, saying, “Your faith has saved you.” Bartimaeus received his sight and immediately began to follow Jesus, “giving glory to God.” (NAB, cf. LK 18:35-43) We can learn a few life principles from this interaction proclaimed in today’s Gospel.

(1) Bartimaeus knew what was keeping him from being united with the worshiping community. He was willing to recognize his needs and bring them to Jesus. We too, should reflect on our lives and admit our needs, “failures,” and shortcomings, and then bring them to Jesus.

(2) Bartimaeus didn’t let anyone or anything stand in his way. Oftentimes, we encounter obstacles to encountering Jesus. These obstacles come in many forms (e.g., certain personal relationships, insufficient desire or motivation to change, or lack of developed conscience to make good decisions). We must not be discouraged nor allow these to keep us from pursuing our Savior; rather, we must persist in calling out to him and trusting completely in his infinite love, mercy, and forgiveness.

(3) Bartimaeus didn’t base his faith on seeing. His faith was solidly rooted in hearing the words of Jesus and believing in the Gospel. Oftentimes, we are unable to see the workings of God in our lives, but by listening to God through reading the Holy Bible and hearing his Word proclaimed in his Church, by receiving the grace he offers in the Sacraments, and by believing his promises, teachings, and truths even in the midst of doubt, we establish and fortify our faith. We have all heard the saying, “Seeing is believing.” As Christians, perhaps we should rephrase it to, “Believing is seeing.” It is when we exercise our faith and believe, that we see the Hand of God at work. Our faith gives us sight.

Father, help me to acknowledge my needs and give me the courage I to overcome any obstacles that prevent me from bringing them to you. Strengthen my faith and belief so that I may see your hand at work in my life and follow you without reservation, for your glory. Amen.

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An Unknown Time

Some in society have become very concerned about the end of the world. There are many late-night televangelists whose preaching is nearly completely focused on this topic. There are even entire book series dedicated to analyzing and making predictions about the “rapture” and “end times,” including who will be taken and who will be “left behind.” These fictionalized accounts and gross mis-interpretations of scripture are well written, widely preached, and entertaining, but are wholly lacking in fundamental Biblical and Apostolic Truth as taught by Jesus himself.

The Truth is that the end of the world will eventually come, and those who are with God will live forever in Heaven, while those who choose otherwise in their lives, will endlessly suffer in Hell. What we can be most assured of, if history is any lesson at all, is that each one of us will die and make an individual account for our lives. We trust in the God who has no beginning and no end, the one who created everything out of nothing, the one who will preside at the final judgment in infinite love, mercy, justice, and forgiveness.

As Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But of that day or hour, no one knows.” (NAB, MK 13:31-32) So, let us keep working out our salvation in our daily commitment to our Lord. The end of the world has not yet come, but we frequently encounter “ends” in our daily life. Each of these ends is accompanied by a new beginning, a new opportunity to love, a new invitation to grow, and a new call to draw closer to Jesus. Let us take advantage of these moments in our lives while time is still on our side.

Father, I know not when my life will end, nor do I know when your judgment will come. Give me your grace to end my current life of self-centeredness, pride, selfishness, foolishness, and egoism, so that I may begin to live for you alone, by loving you and loving my neighbor. Then, when I am confronted with my life’s choices on that unknown day, I may rest in the assurance that I chose you. Amen.

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Persistent Prayer

People oftentimes miss a small detail about the Parable of the Persistent Widow from St. Luke’s Gospel. The story is of a widow who chases after a local judge, and keeps pestering him and bothering him, requesting that he “render a just decision for [her] against [her] adversary.” The judge, who scripture says had no fear of God and no respect for people, eventually relents and issues a just decision for her because of her persistence and tenacity.

The point of this parable isn’t strictly the comparison between the widow and us. It is true that we, as disciples, must be persistent in prayer, relying on the infinite love of God to provide all that we need. However, more to the point, is the idea that if an unjust judge would give a just decision because of the petitioner’s persistence, how much more readily will a loving judge, our Lord, answer our just requests.

The widow isn’t asking for something she merely desires or some other extraordinary benefit – she seeks justice. Frequently, believers are mistakenly drawn in to think that God will give them anything at all, whatever they ask, if they just keep asking for it over and over again. Realize that the widow in this parable was asking for what was right, true, and just, and that is the ideal content of our prayer as well. Our God, who is infinitely more caring and loving than the unjust judges of this world, will ensure that we have all we need and all that is just.

Father, you are all-loving and infinitely just. Help me to relinquish my desires and seek only your will. May I remain persistent in my prayer, trusting that you will always lead me on right paths to you for your glory. Amen.

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