Category: Daily Reflection

The Father’s Will

One of the most common and well-known prayers in Christianity is the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven….” When we pray this prayer, we ask that God’s Will be effected, realized, and manifested in our lives, “on earth,” as it were. Our prayer is that we, our entire lives, including all of our actions, be united with the Divine Will of our Heavenly Father. The mark of true and righteous Christians is not merely that they call upon the Lord and speak of him, but rather, that the divine is revealed in and through their very lives; the presence of Jesus himself is exposed through this cooperative work of one’s will and that of God’s as it is lived out in humility and love.

Jesus says in Matthew’s Gospel, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (NAB, MT 7:21) Works don’t get us into heaven, but works certainly demonstrate our faith, and faith without works becomes mere words. True Christian discipleship is expressed in both faith and works, as the wings of our soul soaring toward heavenly heights.

Heavenly Father, increase my faith and increase my desire, fortitude, and courage to do your will. Give me the grace I need, so that I may live my Christian life to its fullest in both faith and works. All that I have comes from you, and I can do nothing without you. In my humility, may my life give you glory, honor, and praise. Amen.

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Eyes of Faith

We know that Jesus performed many signs, wonders, and miracles of healing throughout his three years of teaching and ministry. We hear in St. Matthew’s Gospel, “Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel.” (NAB, 15:29-31) But Jesus didn’t humble himself and become one of us merely to be the greatest physician or miracle worker of all time; Jesus came for our eternal salvation, body and soul.

So, why did Jesus perform so many miracles? Authentic miracles reveal the divine presence and action, precisely because they defy our normal, human reason. Miracles act as external indications associated with the internal assistance and actions of the Holy Spirit regarding the revelation of God himself. Because they are “impossible” according to human reason, miracles open the door of faith, helping us to realize that our knowledge and understanding are limited, and pale in the presence of an infinite God.

Earlier in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asked those who refused to believe in his power over the spiritual realm: “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk [to a crippled person]?’” (MT 9:5) His point is that anyone can say anything, but to demonstrate that his words are effective in the spiritual world, especially when he forgives sins, Jesus performed signs, wonders, and miracles in the physical world, which were “impossible” according to human reason.

Heavenly Father, give me eyes that see, eyes that see your presence in the ordinary and in the miraculous. Strengthen my faith in your power over this world, so that I may more deeply trust in your power over the world hereafter. Amen.

 

See with Blessed Eyes

“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.” (NAB, LK 10:23) Oftentimes, we think it must have been easier for the original disciples of Jesus to believe in him. After all, they witnessed his healings, heard his teachings directly from him, had a better understanding and comprehension of Hebrew scripture and Jewish life, and saw, first-hand, his many miracles. Yet, we also know that all of the Twelve, except for John, abandoned Jesus throughout his Passion. It was only upon receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, which opened the spiritual eyes of the Apostles, that they became disposed to receive the blessings of what they had witnessed. With their eyes, they saw God at work through Jesus, they saw the promised Messiah who would unite God’s people, and they saw the power of Salvation in love, mercy, and sacrifice.

Jesus is still at work today. Jesus gives Salvation to our lost world, even now. His power is ever present in his love, mercy, and sacrifice that endure for all time. Just as was necessary for the First Disciples, however, we must see with the eyes of faith, a gift that is only possible by God’s grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit. But when we recalibrate our vision to be not limited by the world, but rather, enlightened by the light of Christ, we are then capable of seeing Jesus present in each other and in all of creation. It is then, when we see the manifestation of God around us, that our eyes will be truly blessed by what we see.

Holy Spirit, come! Give me the wisdom I need to see with the eyes of faith, that I may witness Christ’s real presence in the world, that my eyes may be blessed to see the reality of Jesus in my loved ones, in the needy and hurting, in the marginalized and neglected, and in those who persecute you. May my eyes see your glory as I witness your love and mercy at work in the world. Amen.

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Lord, I am not Worthy

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.” (NAB, MT 8:8) These are the words of a Roman Centurion who had made the request for Jesus to come and heal the Centurion’s servant.  When Jesus agrees to visit his home, we hear an astonishing confession of faith by this Roman: “I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (MT 8:9) Jesus remarks that nowhere in Israel has he found such faith as revealed in this Roman soldier.

The Centurion understands human authority and obedience, but moreover, he clearly recognizes the supreme authority of Jesus’ words; whatever Jesus says is Truth realized. When Jesus says, “Your sins are healed,” your sins are absolutely healed because Jesus says they are. Jesus is, in fact, the Word of God made flesh. God’s Word is reality! “Let there be light;” there is light. When Jesus speaks, he speaks reality into existence and truth, so when he tells the Centurion that his servant has been healed, it is so, precisely because Jesus says it is.

Do we trust the words of God? Do we believe, as the Roman soldier, that God’s Word is Truth itself, that all of creation is obedient to the sound of his voice? The Good News has been proclaimed to us! Will we receive it? Jesus is the Word of God made flesh! Will we receive him?

Father, you are infinite truth, love, mercy, and healing, revealed through your Word, your Son, Jesus Christ. Your word is truly power. You have the words of everlasting life. Allow me to hear you speak in the depths of my heart. ‘Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.’ Amen.

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Be Vigilant

We look forward to the coming of our Lord. We will soon celebrate Christmas, when God himself came into the world, emptying himself, and becoming one like us. That time was met with longing and anticipation, but many were not prepared. Luke’s Gospel tells of another coming of Jesus, our Lord: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy … and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times….” (NAB, LK 21:34-36)

Our faith, our Christian walk, cannot become lazy and weak. Like any relationship, it requires investment of our time and energy. Our reward is great, but the journey itself is also an experience of God as we live in his love to bring about his Kingdom. We stay prepared through our daily commitment to living the Truth of the Gospel, reconciling ourselves to our Lord when we sin, receiving his grace in the Sacraments, and loving Christ in and through our neighbor.

Heavenly Father, do not let me be caught off guard. Help me to be vigilant in my Christian walk, that I always see you and your will. Let me not get discouraged and fatigued by the difficulties and disappointments in life, but let me see your love and bring your joy to the world. May you be all I desire. Amen.

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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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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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