Mk 9:41-50 Fluff vs. Stuff

Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

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“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

Today I wished our graduating class all the best.  What an honor it was for me to know so many beautiful souls.  I'm truly blessed to be a part of their lives! 

At Mass, I gave them a brief reflection.  Today’s readings could not have been better for this occasion.

Rely not on yourself.  “Trust in yourself.”  That is what we are told to do.  But only someone who does not know ‘thyself’ would really believe this to be true.  Only someone who does not know human nature would even consider this to be a “virtue.”

“Rely not on your wealth; say not:  ‘I have the power.’  Rely not on your strength…  Say not:  ‘Who can prevail against me?’  Say not:  ‘I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?’  Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin.  Say not:  ‘Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive’” (Sir 5:1-8).

What virtue do I consider to be paramount to success?  Humility.  Those who are humble succeed.  They succeed in everything:  in friendships, in marriage, at work, in life.  Humble people avoid the many pitfalls of life:  depression, anxiety and stress.  They know how to distinguish between fluff and stuff.  They know the difference reality and fiction. 

Know the difference between reality and fiction.  God is real. Look at reality! People are not.  Don’t get fooled by fiction!  Know the difference between reality and fiction.  It’s important!  Unfortunately, many young people today don’t know the difference between reality and fiction, and so they get sucked into a world that isn’t real.  Don’t be fooled!  Even reality shows (and stars) are fictitious shows (and stars)!

Know if we cannot distinguish between the two, we will end up getting crushed by both of them.  For when fiction falls apart, reality begins to settle in.  This can be awful!  But it doesn’t have to be.  It doesn’t have to be depressing either.  It can actually be quite liberating!

When do teens get easily crushed?  When they choose to live in fiction: that is, when they give a boyfriend (or girlfriend) more than they should; when they rely on their friends more than they should; when they rely on themselves (and not on the people who love them the most) more than they should.   

When do teens fall back into reality?  Unfortunately, after the facts!  After they realize they never really had a “boyfriend” (or girlfriend) that “loved” them; after they find out that their “best” friend just stabbed them in the back; after they realize that all their fans or followers or friends have suddenly disappeared from their sight or website.

It doesn’t have to be this way!  Live life in reality.  God is real.  Stop living in fiction.

Distinguish between fluff and stuff.  So many teens think that life is full of funny faces, silly faces, funny sayings and silly things [Just look at their pictures on Facebook and Twitter if you don’t believe me].  They all look the same! I’m just waiting for the day when this is all “so five minutes ago!”

It’s all fluff.  Where’s the real stuff?  Fluff is empty.  Real stuff is chewy, meaty and filling! 

Where’s the sadness?  Where’s the bad news?  Where’s the reality of life?  Where is the death of a family member?  Where is the hard lesson learned?  Where is “my mistake?”  Where is my vulnerability?  All hidden away:  behind silly faces and stupid sayings; behind anonymous writers and fictitious names. 

We are breeding a generation of fluffy people; people who cannot look evil squarely in the eye or take ownership for something they write or say; people who cannot take what is  “negative” and see them as opportunities for learning and growth.

Personal tragedies can be made happy if a lesson is learned, for tragedies help us to grow up.  Deaths are timely (and sudden) reminders as to how amazing life is, and that we should never take anyone or anything for granted. 

Fluffy people are like chaffy people, “which the wind drives away.”  Real people are well rounded people.  They are not driven away by a little wind.  “They are like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade.  Whatever he does, prospers” (cf. Ps 1:3-4).   

Fluffy people live for the day (carpe diem). 

Well rounded people life forever.

Mark 9:38-40 Pi and Christ

Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

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John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

Teacher.  Taking a wild guess, I would say there are hundreds of millions of non-Catholics that love the Lord immensely.  They may not follow all the teachings of the Catholic faith, but I have no doubt they love the Lord with all their heart, with all their mind and with all their soul. 

Again, guessing, I would say there must be millions of non-Christians that love Jesus as well, either as a prophet or as someone who was exceptionally wise and loving.  They may not follow all the teachings of Christianity, but I have no doubt they love our God the best they know how.

Not too long ago I saw the movie “The Life of Pi”.  I was curious to know why this movie received so many Oscar nominations and great reviews.  So, I rented it, and to my delight, I found it quite interesting.   To my surprise, I found it quite religious.  The protagonist, Pi, grows up to become a Hindu, Christian and Muslim.  This was not a surprise given the fact that Hinduism claims that all other religions are yogas:  ways, deeds, paths.  Hence, Christianity is a form of bhakti yoga (yoga for emotional types and lovers).  There is also jnana yoga (yoga for intellectuals), karma yoga (yoga for workers, practical people), and various others.  For Hindus, religions are human roads up the divine mountain to enlightenment.  There is no one way, no objective truth just human need. 

Pi embraces all faiths.  What is left to our imagination is how he resolved the obvious contradictions among the three faiths?   Hollywood loves Hinduism and Buddhism (Oriental religions) not because they love to worship God but because they worship “Equality”.    

Now what I found most amusing about the movie was the director’s casting.  Not in the least surprising was the fact that an Indian played the role of a believer while a white man, a Canadian, played the role of a religious skeptic.  It is the encounter of our century:  First World Man meets Third World Man!  Or better yet:  the “Modern” man (the man of textbooks and the virtual world), interviews the “Cultured” man, the man of human (living) experience.  Did you notice how lost the Modern Man looked? 

Impressive to me was how ignorant the First World man is of culture, of faith, of family and of tradition.  Again, First World Man may have studied human interactions, family and religions in museums and prestigious universities, but the simple Pi lived and experienced them all.  How sad for the West!  But thank God for First World Man.  Pi spoke to him in English.

He does not follow us.  Pi is a pious Hindu.  There are millions of gods in the Hindu faith because there are millions of things on earth.  God is in everything and everywhere, good and bad.  There is no sin and no need of a Savior.  But as philosophy professor Peter Kreeft of Boston College put it:  “Hindus are hard to have a dialogue with for the opposite reason Muslims are:  Muslims are not very tolerant, Hindus are very tolerant.  Nothing is false; everything is true in a way.  Islam is like a cold iron spike; Hinduism is like a warm fog” (Fundamentals of the Faith, pg. 92). 

Whoever is not against us is for us.  As Christians we believe in sin and grace, heaven and hell, God and creation.  We believe in one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for us because He loves us and wants to save us in spite of ourselves! 

Is it possible for non-Christians and non-Catholics to make it to heaven?  Of course!  Absolutely!  But it will always be through Him.   "No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). 

Mark 9:30-37 Commit Yourself!

Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

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Jesus sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”  Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

A few days ago someone sent me a cute little story.  Once upon a time, there was a little boy who was having problems studying his addition and subtraction.  His teacher tried her best to get him to study his tables, but nothing seemed to work.  His parents promised him tons of gifts, but even that didn’t work.  So one day they decided to move him to a Catholic school.  Now, the little boy’s parents weren’t very religious at all, but they thought to themselves: “Maybe the nuns can get through to him.” 

Well, after his first day of school, the little boy’s parents were shocked to see their son go straight to his room and study.  They couldn’t believe it.  Now they were very happy with his change in attitude and resolve, but they became somewhat alarmed when right after dinner their son marched straight to his room to study.  The little boy’s mom couldn’t take it anymore and so she asked her son, “What did the nuns tell you?”  The little boy looked at his mom and responded, “Nothing” and went right back to studying.   “Well then why are you studying so hard?” she asked.  The little boy looked up and said, “I don’t want to get nailed to the plus sign like the man on the wall did.”          

Commit yourself!

Sacrifice pays off.  Hard work pays off.  Humility pays off.  Love pays off.  How does one get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice man, practice! 

If anyone wishes to be first…The Lord provides plenty of opportunities for us to be great, but it takes “practice man, practice.”  We must practice (and master) humility:  “My son, when you come to serve the Lord, stand in justice and fear, prepare yourself for trials.  Be…undisturbed in time of adversity.  Wait on God, with patience, cling to him, forsake him not; thus will you be wise in all your ways.  Accept whatever befalls you, when sorrowful, be steadfast, and in crushing misfortune be patient; for in fire gold and silver are tested, and worthy people in the crucible of humiliation.  Trust God and God will help you; trust in him, and he will direct your ways; keep his fear and grow old therein” (Sirach 2:1-6). 

But it doesn’t just take practice.  It takes a great leader (teacher) as well.  Christ is a great teacher.  He is the greatest teacher of the greatest profession:  holiness.  He knows the right connections:  salvation through humility.  He knows how to get us a break:  judge not and you shall not be judged.   The Lord truly knows how to get us to Heaven, and it isn’t at all what we would “naturally” think; it isn’t a matter of just being “connected with ‘oneself’” or “in tune with ‘oneself’” or “in love with ‘oneself.’”  It takes more than one person, hard work and perseverance:  “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be last of all and the servant of all.” This takes work, hard work, and it also means that someone must be ahead of you!

“You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall.  You who fear the Lord, trust him, and your reward will not be lost.  You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.  You who fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts will be enlightened.  Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed?  Has anyone persevered in his commandments and been forsaken?  Has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?  Compassionate and merciful is the Lord; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble and he is a protector to all who seek him in truth” (Sirach 2:7-11).   

Amen!

Mark 9:14-29 I Do Believe, Help My Unbelief

Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

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Someone from the crowd came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.  Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.  I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so…But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  …Jesus said to him, “’If you can!’  Everything is possible to one who has faith.”  Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief.”

There are two types of people in this world:  those who say, “I do believe, help my unbelief,” and those who say “I don’t believe, help my belief.” 

I do believe.  Help my unbelief.   I find this statement refreshingly honest.  Here we have a father whose son has been ill for far too long and with a sickness that would easily challenge the faith of any parent.  But this father hasn’t given up.  On the contrary, he sought the help of Christ’s disciples; and although they were unable to help him, he continued to seek God’s help.  This man never gave up!  In fact, when He approaches the Lord, he doesn’t bombard Him with a billion questions as to why He is so bad!   Instead, he throws himself at the mercy of the Lord:  “Have compassion on us and help us.”

I don’t know about you, but I wonder:  Does this man have a little faith or a lot of faith?  And if he claims to lack faith, then how would my faith compare to his?  Well, I guess it is best not to compare.  But there is a lot to learn here.

Who can help?  A few days ago, a high-powered executive woman told me about a family that’s been struggling with a very sick child and tons of medical bills.  The man in the house has been unemployed for a while now and doesn’t know what to do.  He asked this woman, a dear friend, if she could help.  “Can you help me?” he asked.  “Yes, of course!” she said, even though she didn’t have a clue where to begin.  So she began to pray.    That’s a great way to begin anything that is impossible. 

Everything is possible to one who has faith.  Later that day, as she watched her son play in a soccer tournament, she spotted a man she barely knew.  His child played soccer as well.  With her promise weighing heavily down on her, she wondered if this man could help her friend.  She said a prayer.  She wondered.  She said another prayer.  She hesitated.  She barely knew him.  But for some strange reason she was convinced that he was the one to ask.  She struck up a conversation.  After a few minutes, she came right out and told him what was going on with her friend:  his son, his bills.  The man reached into his back pocket and gave her an envelope.  She thanked him.  In the car, she opened it up and there were four thousand dollars.  FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS!  Who carries four thousand dollars?      

I don’t believe, help my belief.  As I mentioned before, there are some people in this world who will shut the door on belief; and not only shut it, but seal it, lock it and cement it in.  They argue that bad things prove that God does not exist.  Hardly!  And if it “proved” anything it wouldn’t be that God did not exist but that He was not good.  C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), a Cambridge professor and convert from atheism, wrote many wonderful books that disentangle all sorts of knotty issues regarding belief in God and in the Christian faith.  In his book “The Problem of Pain”, Lewis argues that Christians created “the problem of pain” by insisting that God is good.  In a New York Times book review, they wrote, “C.S. Lewis is the ideal persuader for the half-convinced, for the good man who would like to be a Christian but finds his intellect getting in the way.”

I agree, except for the part about the intellect getting in the way.  It’s not our intellect; it’s our experiences and pride.  It’s the shutting of our doors:  the closing of our eyes, the plugging of our ears and the cementing of our hearts and minds.

John 21:20-25 Hanging Out With The Lord

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved.  When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”  Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?  What concern is it of yours?  You follow me.”

When I was very young, my cousin and I agreed that we should marry someone who was better than us.  Back then, that meant someone who had more money than us.  When I was a teenager, my cousin and I agreed that we should marry someone who was better looking than us.  But when I saw an Abbott and Costello movie I changed my mind.  In it, Abbott convinced Costello to marry an ugly woman “because if she leaves you, you won’t care so much!”

Well, our ideas changed over time.  Thank God!  But now I realize that we were on to something good back then, for there is nothing wrong in thinking others are better than you, or that it’s not bad to hang out with people that are better than you.    Our problem wasn’t that we didn’t know enough people. Our problem was that we didn’t know what “better people” meant.  We both learned that many years later.

To “hang out with the Lord” means to hang out with someone who is much better than you are.  You don’t have to be a believer to realize this.  You just have to be intellectually honest to admit it. 

To be united to the Lord means to marry up.  Every time someone goes to confession, they are lifted up, not knocked down; they are loved, not judged.  They are treated better than they deserve; better than they could ever imagine; more than they could ever fathom.

To “hang out with the Lord” teaches us to value everyone regardless of their wealth; regardless of their status; regardless of their citizenship (or non-citizenship); regardless of their faith; and most importantly, regardless of their sins.   

Let’s be honest:  the Lord is not only high above the heavens, He is high above me!   In so many ways He is better than me:  in love, in forgiveness, in mercy and compassion, in understanding and patience, in wisdom and in teaching.  Hanging out with Him is the best thing that could have ever happened to me, for not only did I marry up, but He also shares all that He has with me.  He shares His wealth, His position, His authority, His Father. 

No wonder why the Lord prayed that we are one with Him as He is with the Father.      

You in me and I in you.  Could anyone ask for anything more?  What could be better than the best?  What could be better than to be loved?  Only one thing:  to love and be loved.  What could be better than to be united with another in mind, body and soul?  Only one thing:  to be united with God in mind, body and soul.  Again, to marry up!  To be one with Him means to allow my heart to be His heart; my mind to be His mind; my arms and legs to become His arms and legs.   

It’s a blessing to have a friend; someone to go out with, spend time with, and share some good laughs and tears with.  Friends understand me well.  They know perfectly well what I’m about to say before I say it and what I want to say even when I’m unable to say it.  They know me and can regurgitate me.  But it’s hard to find a friend that will tell me what I need to hear and not what I want to hear.

The Lord is my friend.  He even calls me friend “if you follow my Commandments.”  Ah, yea.  I know what you’re thinking:  No independence!  But what “independence” is there if you are a slave to sin? 

The Lord knows me better than I know myself, and He knows He’s better than I am.  Do I know that too?  If so, then He will give me His inheritance, for humility is worth more than gold in heaven. 

Christ knows all my fears and all my insecurities; especially those I have never revealed to anyone.  Do I give them to Him?  If so, then He gives me His strength:  “Though I am weak, I am strong.”  

That they may be one.     Peter was comparing himself to John, the beloved disciple.  He should have been comparing Himself to the Lord.  That’s where his peace, security, love and dignity will be found.   Boston Strong!  Seek God Strong!  Live Strong!  Seek God Strong! Peter Strong!  Seek God Strong! 

John 21:15-19 A Firsthand Experience

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”  Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

He ate breakfast with them.  God is so down to earth, literally and figuratively.  It’s almost scary.  “After he had eaten breakfast with them…”    

It appears as though the Apostles make little to no attempt to hide Christ’s humanity – frailty - from the world.  What a welcomed difference from mythical and power-seeking gods!  But why is that?  I think it is because the Lord did not hide it from them.  But why the honesty?  Because there is strength and beauty in weakness and humility.   At first, I suspect the Apostles were a bit taken aback by the fact that God got tired, thirsty and hungry, but then they got over it when he began to walk on water, touch lepers, and multiply bread.  Even back then, these things were unheard of and hardly believable. But the combination of humility and strength, compassion and commandments, made it possible to believe He could experience hunger and thirst and still multiply loaves…for others.

Through careful reading of the Old Testament one begins to notice something interesting:  an overwhelming amount of Scripture is history, not stories; historical accounts of a people (the Jewish people) in an intimate relationship with their God.  The Jews are truly a unique people in the sense that they did not write their own story; rather, they first lived it first and wrote it later, after great reflection and prayer.  In their history they did not attempt to portray a perfect race, a royal people, a deserving people.  They did not try to hide failures among their leaders, failures among the people and failures in their unique relationship with God.  Instead, they openly admitted to them and discussed them and worked hard to avoid them.  The history of the Jewish people is the history of mankind with and without God. 

The New Testament is not a story written by story tellers.  It is history being recorded.  In fact, the “Acts of the Apostles” is a daily, a live up-to-date account of what the Holy Spirit is doing through an ex-fisherman, or ex-Pharisee and tentmaker! 

In today’s first reading, we read how Paul insists on being brought to Rome for trial.  He wants an audience with the Emperor (cf. Acts 25:13-21).  He wants to present his case of the King of the World before the Ruler of this world.   Who does the Lord want you to present His case to?  To your family and friends?  To your school and/or sorority or fraternity?  Your mission may be just as impossible as St. Paul’s!  But we know with God, “nothing is impossible.” 

Of course miracles help reveal who Jesus is.  But if you examine Scripture carefully, you notice almost immediately that miraculous events are told in the same fashion as non-miraculous events: as a matter of fact.  For even non-miraculous events are necessary in order to paint a more complete portrait of the Son of God.  For example:  We are told that Jesus once changed water into wine (for a bride and a groom).  But we are also told He once abstained from any drink for forty days.  Again, we are told He once walked on water.  But we are also told He got into a boat multiple times to cross to the other side.   We are told He multiplied bread.  But we are also told His Apostles got so hungry that they picked the heads of grain from an unknown field.   Only once did a virgin conceive and bear a son; the rest having been intimate with their husband.  Only Christ rose from the dead. None of His Apostles did.

Again, these ex-fishermen and ex-Pharisees are not storytellers.  They are re-telling the story of Jesus Christ and they are reliving their experiences with the Lord.  The Apostles are not writing from the inside out.  They are writing from the outside looking in.  They are witnesses to what they have seen and heard.  They are not creating a love story.  They are getting a firsthand experience of living Love.  They are living it, now and forever. 

Simon Peter, do you love me?   If there is one thing the Lord repeated over and over again, and is covered throughout the Scriptures, it is this absolute necessity to love and to allow God to love you.  For this reason God asked Peter a very pointed question: “Simon Peter, do you love me?” 

What do you think God is asking you?  Based on all these firsthand accounts, I guarantee you it's the same exact thing.   

John 17:20-26 You’re A Gift To Me

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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Father, they are your gift to me.  I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

A gift to me.  I’m not a very sentimental guy, but the Lord is; and may we never forget that sentiments are a part - a big part - of who we are.  Sentiments sell in the form of poetry, music and art.  Mathematical formulas sell as well, in the form of gadgets.  They are useful, but music is a must!

The Father has given us over to His Son.  We belong to Him.  He is not our slave master.  We are His friends:  “You are my friends.”  He calls us by name.

I wish that where I am they also may be with me.  What any favored Son wishes for, He usually gets.  But it’s different this time.  The Son must earn our trust, and so He goes after it.  He keeps His word, even if it kills Him.  He keeps His promises, even while others break their own.  The Son must earn our love, and so He loves first.  He forgives us, even while we were not in the mood to be forgiven.  He loves us, even while we were not accustomed to being loved, and loved for no reason!

Jesus wants us to be with Him.  He wants us to experience what He experiences.  Not too long ago I mentioned a flight I took from Chicago to Dallas, and all the pain and difficulties I experienced along the way.  I always knew my plane would land in Dallas.  But with my Christian faith, I never quite know where I’m going to land! And so, when I fought against my natural instincts to throw a fit and to complain loudly (and obnoxiously), and forced myself to place myself in God’s hands; that is, in His Commandments, in His rules, in His Way of doing things - to be tied down, to have my hands bound, and my lips shut - I ended up utterly surprised.  I ended up being loved.

“Surprised” is where the Lord wishes us to be.  Heaven is a surprise.  It is where the Lord is, and wherever the Lord is, it is a surprise to find Him there; at least it is for me. 

I’m surprised to find Him in Golgotha and nailed to a Cross.  I’m surprised to find Him in Bethlehem and in a stable.  I’m surprised to find Him among the sick, the lepers, the crippled and the losers.  I’m surprised to find Him in the company of Romans and assisting them.  I’m surprised to find Him forgiving His enemies and persecutors.  God’s don’t do that.  They strike them dead! 

And last but not least, as John Newton put it “I hope to find three types of people in Heaven:  those who I expect to see, those who I never expected to see and myself.”

Because you loved me.  Love is honest.  People who love do not go around telling people what they want to hear; rather, they tell them what they need to hear.  St. Augustine, in his “Confessions”, wrote:  “I was preparing to make an address for praise of the Emperor.  In it I would tell many lies and for my lies men who knew that I was lying would applaud me.”  This is our world, the world of the “public face”; the world of the “public lies”.  We are experiencing this today with a new emperor and those around him.

Why do I believe in Jesus Christ?  Because He knows how to love and to love me.  He captured me.  He rescued me.  I would not be where I am today if it were not for His persistent love.  I would not have left my high paying job, my engineering career, my easy life if it were not for Him. 

The Lord knows how to love us better than we know how to love ourselves.  He does a better job of it than we do, and better than anyone else we know.  He loves others better than we do.  He sheds His skin to prove it. 

It’s obvious:  those who love “the best” simply imitate Him “the most.”