Mt 20:1-16 Feeling Cheated?

Mt 20:1-16  Feeling Cheated?

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Jesus told his disciples this parable:  “The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.  After agreeing with them for the usual daily wages, he sent them into his vineyard…He went out again…at five o’clock…he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard’….When it was evening the owner of the vineyard gave them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’  When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage.  So when the first came, they thought they would receive more…”    

The Lord directed this parable to his disciples.  Interesting…  They must have been having a hard time with something…or maybe with some people. Maybe they were having a hard time dealing with those the Lord was dealing with.  Maybe they didn’t like the people the Lord was making friends with. 

Well, based on the audience the Lord addressed this parable to: his disciples, and based on the theme (envy and generosity) of this parable, I get the impression the disciples had forgotten what type of men they once were. 

Just a few days ago, we read how Peter spoke out about giving up everything to follow the Lord.  You can tell just by reading it how frustrated he must have been.  But with whom?  With what?  Was it the hard work?  Was it the long hours?  Was it the fast pace?  Was it the poverty, chastity and obedience?  Probably.  And most likely it was all of the above!  After all, it’s hard to be holy and to be surrounded by holiness!  It’s hard to put on a smile when you’re not happy!  It’s hard not to get mad when you are sad or when everybody is as happy as can be! 

The disciples passed through many towns and visited many families.  They must have seen towns that reminded them of home and families that reminded them of their own.  Every town, every family, every day was a reminder of a way of life that was gone for good.

Gone for good!  This phrase has more than one meaning.  Typically, we think of it as meaning something is lost forever.  But it can also mean that something is sacrificed for the sake of goodness (righteousness).  I have a feeling, a gut instinct from personal experience, that the Lord may have spoken this parable because His disciples had some deep seated jealousy issues.    When Peter asked the Lord what he and the others would get for following Him, I can’t believe he was not pleased with the Lord’s answer.  But then they must have gotten a little annoyed when they noticed sinners getting the same promises (and treatment) as well!  Hey, what’s going on?  We’ve slaved for you the entire day, and now you are telling sinners, who come to you - out of the blue - for a quick minute, that their sins are forgiven???  There’s way too much lovey-dovey going on here!!!   

At times, I have questioned myself with a very envious question.  “Must I always be good?  After all: if long-time sinners, who repent at the last moment of their life, will get what I will receive, then why must I always be good? 

I don’t think I am the only one who suffers from this type of envy.  Typically, you see it manifest itself in “holy” people who are kind of “mean” people.  They can’t stand the new parishioner (Who do they think they are?) being treated with just as much relevance as the longtime parishioner (We’ve been here since the parish began!).  Or the new pastor coming in and changing just about everything.

Anyways…the answer to my envy is found in my sinfulness and in my ridiculousness.  “Must I always be good?”  is a ridiculous question.  It’s like asking “Must I always be blessed?”  Oh my goodness!  Take it!  Take all that you can!  Don’t ask any questions!   

Sin is not worth the time spent.  In fact, it is a waste of time and of a life.  Ignore what the media says and listen to those who have lived in sin.  They are the first to admit this truth.  And this is my personal experience as well.  We are the first to realize that neither lust nor one night stands can compare to the thrill of love and marriage.  We are the first to regret the bad habits acquired so quickly and the life-time required battling them. 

Feeling cheated?  Don’t.  When it comes to Christ’s blessings, stop comparing yourself with others.  Stop valuing yourself by asking what others received.  We are all unworthy workers.  The question will never be if the Lord cheated me; the question really is why am I so blessed? 

I don’t question a teacher who questions me.  I question a teacher who never questions me.  If the Lord does not give me what I deserve, then it’s because He has given me much more than I deserve; starting with the last reasons to give to me (my sins) and ending with the first reasons to give to me(His grace).

Being upset and cross is really just about my sins and His Cross! 

The Lord’s giving outweighs our worth across the spectrum.  May we be the first to be content with His generous heart.  Let’s give Him the benefit of our doubts.  Let’s be the first to love Him and the last to sin against Him. 

Mt 15:21-28 Acknowledging and Apologizing

Mt 15:21-28  Acknowledging and Apologizing

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At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! ...He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”  She said, “Please Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”  Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.”  And her daughter was healed from that hour. 

I love this reading!  It highlights something long ago forgotten:  faith overcomes hurt feelings; truth trumps false compassion.  If someone spoke like the Lord today…they would be crucified!  Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!  If this incident had been videotaped…oh my goodness!  What would we say about Jesus?  “How dare you speak to a woman like that!  You called her a dog???  You are such a fake!  You are a phony baloney!  You hypocrite!  Now I know what you are really made of!  Now I have seen the real side of you!”

In the Lord’s case we would be wrong in condemning him, just like we were wrong two thousand years ago.  In her case we would be right in justifying her, just like He did, two thousand years ago, in recognizing her tremendous faith. 

I have heard some theologians explain this passage away by saying the Lord had a bad day, or that he was only human.  Or that the Lord did not understand that He needed to save non-Jews.  How horribly ridiculous!  Why can’t we admit the truth? That is, sometimes the truth is painful because our pride gets hurt; and our pride hurts because it is skin deep. 

If someone today spoke like Jesus yesterday they would be crucified, as He was two thousand years ago.  But if someone today spoke like the Canaanite woman of long ago, then they would be glorified, as she was two thousand years ago.  And that’s the problem:  no one speaks like her today!  The problem isn’t with people speaking like the Lord.  The problem is with people responding like the woman.  In other words, very few people have that (her) kind of faith!

This woman’s faith was the size of a mustard seed.  And for a mustard seed to grow, it needs to be fertilized.  And we know what fertilizer is made from:   poop that is thrown at us! 

The Lord grew in stature every time his enemies swung mud at him.  Faith grows in adversity, like it or not.  And most of us don’t like it!  But it’s true:  faith overcomes hurt feelings and truth trumps false compassion.  We love the Lord because, while his foes swung at him, he didn’t swing back.  He didn’t act like those we know.

The man at the window of Chic-Fil-A, and at the center of a growing storm, acknowledges he made a mistake.  Just recently, he apologized for his actions.  The problem with his apology is that it wasn’t immediate.  It was done long after he left the restaurant, posted his video, received a ton of negative press and lost his job.  There is nothing wrong with apologizing.  But do it quickly!  Accept your mistakes.  The sincere of heart do it quickly, immediately.  They react before others can. 

The problem with “Rachael”, the young lady working at Chic-Fil-A, is that she didn’t want to meet with her bully immediately.  I read that she needed some time.  That’s unfortunate.  Like I said before, only she could turn her story into a Gospel passage.

What makes Christ’s acknowledgement (of the Canaanite woman’s response) so beautiful is that it was done immediately, before any reactions, before any commentators, before anyone had a chance to run with the story.  This is what made his comments sincere.  This is how we know he was not insulting this woman; rather, He was putting her to the test. This is why Saint Matthew kept the story alive.  And what makes the Canaanite woman’s faith so beautiful is her immediate, unwavering response of faith.  Her faith, in the Lord, would not be shaken, regardless of what He called her.

How strong is your faith?  What gets in the way of our faith?  Answer:  our feelings.  We place feelings over faith; sentimentalisms over facts.  The Lord never told a sinner, like we do: “Don’t worry about it”, or “So what?”, or “Who cares”.  He told them the truth; He told them “Sin no more” and then immediately forgave them.  He didn’t accept everyone; He loved everyone - sincerely, not superficially - by the skin off his back. 

As a young man, I once felt offended by what a priest told me.  I would not feel insulted by what a priest told me today, unless it was contrary to the teachings of the Church!  If a priest tells me that I am a sinner, do I need to remind him that he is one too?  If he tells me that what I did was awful, do I need to remind him of the awful things that priests have done?  It’s all pride and very little faith.

Christ challenges each and every one of us.  Priestly vows are just as difficult to live as spousal vows.  But as hard as they are, they make us who we are.  And we know what Christ wants for us is exactly what he was looking for from the Canaanite woman:  an increase in unconditional faith and love.

Mt 14:22-36 Walking On Water

Mt 14:22-36  Walking On Water
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When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea they were terrified.  “It is a ghost”, they said, and they cried out in fear.  At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”  Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.”

These past few days I’ve been on vacation in New York and have had the opportunity to watch some of the Olympics.  I love the sportsmanship, competition and of course, the victories.  What I don’t enjoy are the commentators.  They can be very annoying, especially when they give their opinions.  I’ve noticed a pattern in their comments:  that if a team is winning it’s because they are very confident in themselves, and if they are losing it’s because they’ve lost all their confidence.  God forbid they are losing because they didn’t work as hard as the other team.  God forbid it’s because they never expected a challenge. 

I don’t know about you, but I remember busting my behind in College to get good grades.  I didn’t bust it because I was confident in myself; I busted it because I lacked confidence in myself.  Thank God!    I also remember some students waiting till the last minute to study for a test because they thought it would be easy.  I began to see a pattern:  those who thought the test would be easy scored low; those who thought it would be difficult, scored high.

Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on water.  His problems began when he had far more confidence in the power of the storms (and wind) than in the power of the Son of God.  There are two correct ways to read this Gospel:  either Peter sank because he had more confidence in himself than in God or because he had more confidence in what others were saying and doing and less confidence in what God says and does.

It’s bad enough if we only listen to ourselves.  It’s worse when we only listen to what others have to say.  What we need is balance and order:  first God and everything else will fall into place.  We need to place much more confidence in God, our Creator and redeemer; the One who has proven, time and time again, the love He has for us.

I love myself because the Lord first loved me.  I believe in myself, because I believe in God.  I trust in myself, because I first trust in the Lord.  If I can do some good, it’s because the Lord taught me what is good. 

In 2007, over 90,000 young girls and boys underwent plastic surgery.  They did it not to correct any life threatening problem or an objective defect.  They did it because they were being bullied by classmates.  Just recently, one young lady has been appearing on TV over and over again, giving free advertisement to an organization that does such deeds.  Her mother defended her daughter’s decision because she was being bullied in school.  Kids would often make fun of her ears, calling her “Dumbo”.  When a reporter asked the young girl how she looked (after her surgery), she said she had no regrets:  “I look beautiful, this is exactly what I wanted, I love it.”   

I thought she wanted the bullying to stop. 

Hm…I have a feeling this young girl will learn a very hard lesson.  In our world full of sinners (bullies), the only way to stop a sinner is not by believing them, appeasing them or seeking their approval, but by converting them by showing them who you will believe. 

I fear for this young girl.  Her classmates may stop calling her “Dumbo”, but what will stop them from calling her “Plastic face”?  And then…what will she do?  What will her mother do?

In my opinion, this was a great victory for the bullies; and a tremendous defeat for common sense.

My fear is that this is the beginning of a new market.  Already so many of our elementary school kids get their teeth whitened, false nails fastened, and hair colored.  Why?  Because someone in their class did it first.  Actually, some parent, in their class, allowed it first.   Slowly, but gradually, these common procedures will expand to different areas of the body and become less expensive, more attractive and a nightmare for good parents and children and a victory for business and overly confident parents that see what bullies see:  “imagined defects” in their children. 

The day will come when a child is bullied for not having had plastic surgery!   Children will demand to have the “perfect” ears, “perfect” nose, “perfect” skin tone, “perfect” chin, “perfect” chest, etc…

I am not exaggerating; this is our pagan history.  A new emerging market is just waiting to win acceptance and it will.  A new business, based on a false sense of compassion, will emerge from all this publicity, forcing younger and young girls and boys to submit to the driving winds of false “perfection” and a false sense of confidence.

The “cover girl” for this organization has another thing coming if she thought that the bullying would come to an end.  Bullies will come to an end, when we come to our senses and faith.

I could wear contacts.  I refuse to do so.  I consider wearing glasses as a great way to showcase something no one likes to show:  my weaknesses and failings.

This is what we need to see.  This is what the Lord wants us to see.  This is the beginning step towards walking on water. 

John 6:24-35 Believing and Agreeing

John 6:24-35  Believing and Agreeing

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When the crowd found Jesus across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”  Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” 

Many of us tend to listen to those who agree with us or believe those who agree with us, and we are satisfied with this because we can survive with this.  But it would be worth our effort to learn how to agree with those who listen to us, or agree with those who believe in us. 

The Lord believes in us much more than we believe in him.  Why?  Because it is much more to the Lord that He believes in us than that He agrees with us.      

The Lord loves people.  And love does not flow from agreement; it precedes it.  Love does not look for compromise; it looks out for another’s good.  Christ did not compromise with others.  Rather, He called for their conversion.  He did not call sinners to follow Him.  He called sinners to imitate Him.  He invited twelve sinners to become Twelve Saints.  The Lord invites us to turn from our former way of life and “be renewed in the spirit and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth” (Eph 4:24).  Christ did not give up on the sinner and call it a draw.  He drew the sinner towards him and called it love.  

For this reason the Lord loved the sinner; for this reason the Lord died for the sinner:  so that they could believe in Him before they agreed with Him. 

“One does not live on bread alone.”    We need food.  Let’s not fool ourselves.  But we need food just as much as we need love.  The Lord was not naïve.  We need our bread, we need sustenance.  And we should never forget that man needs to eat in order to survive.  But what we tend to forget is what the Lord reminds us of:  One does not live on bread alone.  Like so many of Christ’s teachings, this saying means much more than just the obvious.  It means one does not live on money alone, sex alone, pleasure alone, happiness alone, material things alone or acceptance alone.  To live we need more than just to survive; we need to thrive.  To live life to the full, we need God; his divine life and his divine words.  In order to live we need to be able to forgive.

One reader of my blog commented yesterday that the individual that verbally abused a Chic-fil-A employee was summarily fired from his job.  I really consider this a shame.  That should never have happened.  Why?  Because our society taught this man the art of hate rather than the art of debate.  He was so proud of himself, he videotaped himself.  How many of us on the road have been caught in a moment of anger, of a raging fit???  Thank God we did not videotape ourselves; thank God we were not videotaped!

Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone will come to his rescue…too risky.  This is precisely were a Christian needs to come in.  This is precisely where the young lady who was verbally abused can help.  She can help him…and only she can do it.  She can tell the world that she did not want this to happen; that this man deserves a chance to redeem himself.  But redemption requires someone dying; someone coming to the rescue; someone taking him by the hand and helping him back up.  The human reaction was obvious:  make him suffer as much as he made her suffer.  This is the human reaction.  The Christian position is not so obvious:  love him before he can understand us.

Far too often we believe in those who agree with us and reject those who disagree with us.  But from afar, someone believed in us before we believed in Him; someone believed in us before we agreed with Him; someone saved for us before we believed in Him. 

The Lord loved us before we loved Him and so taught us how to live and love like He did: believing before seeing; believing before agreeing; by giving and then receiving.

Mt 13:47-53 Good and Bad Fish

Mt 13:47-53  Good and Bad Fish

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Jesus said to the disciples:  “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.  When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets.  What is bad they throw away.  Thus it will be at the end of the age.” 

I don’t think anyone would disagree with me if I said that there are all kinds of people in the world.  But what if I were to say that there were good and bad people in the world?  Would you still agree with me?  And, to make things a little more complicated, what if I were to tell you that quite a few bad people think they are actually good and very few good people who think they are bad (These people are generally dead and known to us as canonized Saints)? 

Now, in order for any of this to make sense, we have to define what it means to be bad.  So, who is up to the task?  Who would like to do it?  Should we submit ourselves to God and His Word or should we act like our ancestors and decide for ourselves?  Will we submit or will we vote?

Is the President of Chic-fil-A a bad person (or citizen) or is he a good person when he said, “I THINK we are opening up God’s judgment on our nation”?  Is the President of the United States a very bad person or a very good person when he voted, as a Senator, in favor of partial birth abortions?  Do we still need to figure this out or has God already decided?  Can we know what God thinks or is it still an uncracked (and very convenient) mystery? 

We are all sinners; there’s no doubt about that….I think.  Actually, there is…if you speak to an atheist.  Since they deny the existence of heaven and hell then it means they deny the existence of sin and grace.  You can’t have hell if you cannot sin.  You can’t have heaven if you can’t receive grace.  Although they deny the existence of sin, they don’t deny the existence of criminals.  Although they deny the existence of hell, they don’t deny the prisoner in solitary confinement.  Although they, along with Nietzsche, have moved beyond good and evil [N.B.  That’s the title of a book written by Nietzsche], society has not.  That’s good.  Even if we write about going beyond good and evil, we still seem to be able to give concrete examples of good and evil.  Funny!

As for Christians, I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say that we are all sinners.  But although it may be safe to say we are all sinners, it is not very safe to point it out to anyone.  And so, in a very silent way, we inadvertently perpetuate sinners to continue to sin and to be blind to sin. Yesterday, I watched on OWN a program regarding the work that nuns do in the United States.  One order works very hard at taking good care of male and transgender prostitutes.  They feed them, cloth them and make sure they get proper health care.  But, I didn’t notice any of the good sisters speaking to them about how bad it was for them.  Maybe, I just missed that part, but I thought for sure I saw the entire program.  

We have come up with our own Commandments and we respect them much more than we do God’s Commandments.  For example, the first and greatest “Civil” Commandment is this:  Don’t ever talk about religion.  We are very, very good at that.  Unfortunately, only Christians are very good at that.  While we say nothing, others are saying something and making a difference in the world.  The fastest growing religion in the United States is Islam.  It has grown by 66% in the past ten years.  America isn’t less religious; America is less Christian.

I’ve only seen small portions of the Olympics.  I watched the opening games that presented a very concise and elaborate history of England.  It seemed like they got everything except the important part; that is, the Christian part; the tremendous influence that Christianity had on its survival and history.

Yesterday, NBC (CNBC, MSNBC, etc…) did their very best at hiding one athlete’s faith.  They presented a short documentary on the life of gymnast John Orozco.  I have to admit, they did an awesome job at keeping this young man’s faith a secret.  Throughout the entire interview, John was wearing a rosary around his neck.  NBC went to great lengths at never showing the rosary cross in front of his chest.  How deceitful they were in their camera angles and image lengths to keep the cross hidden from viewers.  You would almost think it wasn’t there.  But it was, and what it did was convince me more than ever at how hard this news station works at giving the impression of how unimportant faith in America is. 

When did a rosary or a cross become a bad thing?  When did abortion, gay marriage and euthanasia become a good thing?  Answer:  Roughly the same time.

Have we gone beyond good and bad?  No.  We’ve just done a much better job at handling the bad and hiding the good.  But yesterday, there were tons of cars in the drive-thru windows of a Christian restaurant.  And all the politicians and all their bullies, could not stop the good Christian families nor drive them away. 

Mt 13:31-35 A Seed of A Different Kind

Mt 13:31-35  A Seed of A Different Kind

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Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.  “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.  It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.  It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”

I believe it is an American proverb:  “When it rains, it pours.”  It’s not always a bad thing, especially when half the nation is in a terrible drought. 

Yesterday evening I returned home after having spent the weekend in Mexico City.  It was a long day of travel that only got longer.  Of course I was thrilled to be there.  It was the first wedding I ever performed in Mexico.  It was the first wedding I ever performed in which the bride and groom were former students of mine.   Although it was an honor and a privilege to be with them and their families, I was ready to get back home. 

American Airlines flies non-stop from Dallas to Mexico City.  They have four or five flights a day every day.  But yesterday, my flight (and only my flight) got cancelled.  I couldn’t believe it!  I had beat Montezuma’s revenge; I had beat the traffic; I had survived the roads; I had beat getting mugged or robbed.  Like Spirit Airlines, American Airlines could offer me nothing except an early morning flight the following day.  I was furious!  I left the airport bitter and got the first cab I could find.  

As I was heading back to the Hotel (the one I had just checked out of) the traffic became unbearable.  Bicyclists appeared in every direction.  Since the driver couldn’t get near the Hotel, he asked me to get out and walk ten blocks from the Hotel.  I couldn’t believe it.  With a bag in my hand, I began the walk.  I still left him a tip. 

When I got to the Hotel, I sought out a friend of mine.  He is a Platinum member with American Airlines.  He got on the phone and Viola! …I had a ticket in my name for one of the evening flights out of Mexico City.  Let’s not fool ourselves:  money talks.  I’m sure some poor guy is scratching his head wondering how “he” made a mistake that cost him his seat.

I went back to the airport, and without thinking twice, I checked in my bag.  Afterwards, I realized that I had left my prescription sunglasses in one of the outer compartments.  I thought to myself, “Oh no, I hope they don’t get crushed.”

I (along with my bag) made it back to Dallas. Better late than never.  While I was driving home, I noticed an object in the middle of the road.  I couldn't avoid it and ended up hitting a piece of an 18-wheeler’s tire.  I heard a horrible noise as I drove away.  It turns out the front bottom of my car is damaged.  I will need to get that fixed.

When I made it back to my house, I opened up my luggage to check and see if my sunglasses had survived the journey.  I opened the case and discovered that the glasses were gone.  I couldn’t believe it.  Actually, I could…and I did.  I began to do what most people would do.  I began to think horrible thoughts about people; generalize an entire nation; think of ways to get back at them; imagine what I would do the next time, etc.

To top it all off, I think I got Montezuma's revenge.

If we were to take today’s Gospel and turn it upside down we would get a very good description of the Kingdom of hell.  Yes, the Kingdom of hell is like a very small seed that a person took and planted in your field.  It is the smallest, yet when full-blown it can quickly grow and spread into the greatest of plants.  It consumes everything around it and leaves shade to hide. 

Those who are possessed by hatred, resentment and bitterness can quickly consume the good people that are around them.  Not a single living creature would dare come near or even think of dwelling or resting  upon them.    

Hell has a tendency of spreading like a wild fire in the midst of a drought.  Hell begins for plenty of good reasons.

Christ entered where no man dared come near to.

But as there are many good reasons to hate, there are plenty of good reasons to love and be loved.  “It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (cf. Jn 15:16).

The Lord had plenty of good reasons to hate.  That reality is what makes him so much more remarkable.  A weak man knows how to hate.  It takes a very strong man to know how to love.  We have the model in Jesus Christ.  “Do not forget God who gave you birth.” (Dt 32)

Moments like the one I had above are moments that test our patience and our faith.  It's good to have moments like these.  It helps us to see just how much spiritual progress has been made.

Christians are called to be seeds of a different kind: of Christ’s kind and of Christ’s kindness. 

We grow were least expected. 

Mt 7:1-5 Parable of The Sick Man

Mt 7:1-5  Parable of The Sick Man

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.  For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.”

On July 4^th, 2050, the American Medical Association came together for the last time.  A few months before, all hospitals and clinics were ordered shut for good.  After all, it had been years since anyone had been sick.  Yes, people continued to die, but they died for natural reasons. 

But a few years later, out of nowhere, came a young man who believed he was sick.  And since there were no longer any hospitals or clinics to go to, he would often wait outside the home of an elderly man who was once a doctor. 

“Doctor, I need to see you!” cried the young man standing in front of the shut door.  The elderly gentleman opened it and gently said to the poor fellow:  “Go home my dear child, go home.  You are not sick.  You are simply dying.” 

“I know I am dying”, said the young man.  “But I am too young to die.” 

The good humored man, full of wisdom and years, chuckled and said: “What is age? ...It is a human invention.  Besides, were we not born to die?” 

Saddened, the young man responded, “Yes doctor, but the aches and pains are becoming unbearable.  I can’t take it anymore.” 

With scientific love and a hand gently placed upon the frightened man’s shoulder, the former doctor replied:  “Aches and pains are a very natural thing my dear child.  They are becoming worse simply because the cancer is finally spreading, that’s all.” 

“But can it not be stopped???  I am too young to die!” 

“You are not too young to die…You are dying at the right moment.  You are being who you are.  You are living the way you were meant to live.  You see, you were born with a predisposition for cancer.  That’s all.  It’s not an illness, unless you consider old age or even life as an illness.  It’s who we are.  It’s who you are.  Accept it!  Embrace it!  This was our great discovery long ago.  The APA (American Psychological Association) got it right before we did, and just like them, we ended all illness by accepting it and, most importantly, by embracing it.  We are no longer weighed down by the enormous pressure to cure and to be cured.  Family and friends no longer have to be burdened by another’s illness.  We are free from insurance, mandates, bills and fees and pre-existing conditions.  Do you realize how good this is?  Your death will mean the end of all your aches and pains and all feelings of guilt and remorse.  In fact, it will be the end to all your feelings.  Come now…Just be who you are and bear with the days you have left.  You are not sick, my dear child, you are human.  Now go and rest in peace.”

The young men turned around and slowly walked away.  All along he kept saying to himself, “But something isn’t right here.  Something inside of me keeps telling me the opposite.”

As the young man turned back one last time, the doctor said aloud, “You’re fine…You don’t need a doctor.  You need a change in attitude.  Attitude can make everything right.  Accept this dear child.  Accept this for your own good.”     

Stop judging.   The Lord demands that we stop judging.  The reasons for it are obvious:  (1) we tend to judge harshly and incorrectly and (2) we tend to judge according to our standard rather than His. 

The problem with our standard is that it keeps changing with time.  And, given enough time (and the wrong people in a position of authority), what was once judged wrong can easily become right.  And what was once considered good can quickly become bad.  

The Lord is not asking us to stop judging.  He is not demanding that teachers stop grading papers or giving out report cards.  He is not asking judges to stop handing down sentences or giving out awards.   What He is asking is that we judge correctly, according to His standard; that is, His law, His word, Christ’s Love; that we judge honestly, mercifully and lovingly.  And to do so, we must see things clearly. 

The moral of my parable is simple.  The worst thing that could ever happen to us is not that we are denied treatment, but rather, we are told we are not sick.  We are sick!  We are sinners!  We all need a doctor, a Savior, Jesus Christ.  The means to our salvation is the forgiveness of our sins.  But if we are told that we are not sinners, then we will surely die in our sins.  All hell will break loose! 

Teachers that accept bribes will grade unfairly.  Corrupt judges will let the innocent man die.  Sinners will insist all sins are nonsense.  If we do not see clearly, we will never judge wisely. 

All hell would have broken loose if Christ did not pull the wooden beam from our own eye and carry it for our salvation.

We know how God judges:  with a lot of patience and with the patient in mind.  We know how we must judge:  through self-examination and with the Greatest Doctor in mind. 

Mt 5: 20-26 You Have Heard That It Was Said

Mt 5: 20-26  You Have Heard That It Was Said

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.”   

We have heard many things said about us and much of it we internalize.  Unfortunately, much of what is said about us is somewhat negative.  We all have a strong tendency to pick up the negative before we find the positive.  Today, the Lord has something to say to us:  “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.”   

What the Lord is saying is shocking!  Unless you become better than those who consider themselves “the best”, you cannot enter heaven.  How in the world can I become better than those who dedicated hours and hours of their time in serving the Lord?  Or were so careful as to not come into contact with those who were defiled?  How can I be better than those who knew Sacred Scripture like the palm of their hand?  How can I surpass the scribes, Pharisees, chief priests, elders and Herodians?   Answer:  By noticing the plank in your own eye before calling attention to the splinter in someone else’s eye. 

What exactly does that mean?  Does it mean I have to stay quiet all the time?  No.  Does it mean I have to accept the splinter in everybody’s eyes until I pull the plank from my own eye?  No.  It means I need to admit to myself and to others that I am not God; and admit to myself and to others that there is someone better than I and something better than what I have been living.  “Go, and make disciples!” 

The tax collectors, prostitutes, adulterers, criminals, rejects of society recognized who Christ was before most of the established religious authorities did.  Converts to the faith will always have a much deeper appreciation for the faith because they had a deeper wound (splinter) in their heart.  The blind will always cherish their sight more than those who could see because they went from darkness to light. 

“Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.”  Was it not the religious authorities that were judgmental and (of course) angry with Christ?  Was it not the rejects of society that came to John for baptism and Christ for salvation?  Those who should have condemned him accepted him, and those who should have accepted him condemned him.   

Am I close to the Lord?  Do I follow His Commandments?  Have I made a good confession lately?  Have I turned my life around?  Or am I stuck in the sins of my youth?  Have I grown to accept everything in order to be loved by everyone?  How easy it would be to love everyone by just accepting everything.  Why don’t we do it?

Judging people on earth is the surest way to be judged in heaven.  But helping someone by correcting them on earth is the surest way to get to heaven.  St. James writes:  “Remember this:  Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).

Do it!  Go for it!  Go, and make disciples for the Lord.

Remember:  the first step to love is to not judge.  The second step is to forgive.  Christ never judged anyone.  But one day He will.  To be judged is part of our journey.   To be in heaven is the end of our story.

Mk 12:38-44 Two Cents

Mk 12:38-44  Two Cents

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A poor widow came and put two small coins worth a few cents.  Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury.   For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

When something is very precious we say it is of great value.  When we say something weighs a ton we mean to say it has tremendous weight.  But for God, something “of great value” or “of tremendous weight” can actually refer to two small coins. 

I have no sense of direction.  I always get lost.  Thank God for GPS!  Believe me.  Some people are really bad at remembering directions.  I am horrible!  I not only get lost getting to someone’s house, I get lost leaving their house.  I am doomed if I don’t pay attention to where I am going and damned if I do!   I get lost everywhere, even in parking lots.   One day I was convinced that someone had stolen my car.  I was absolutely convinced of it.  But before I called the police, I decided to press the panic button on my keychain.  Although my internal GPS might not be good, my hearing is.  Over time I learned a trick:  to do the opposite of what I am thinking.  When I think I need to turn right, I will turn left.  When I am convinced I need to go north, I will go south.  If I do the opposite of what I think, I typically end up on the right side of the neighborhood.

Since the world thinks its standing right side up, I need to think upside down.  When the world thinks its heading in the right direction, I know it’s heading in the wrong direction. 

“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.”

Wow!  That’s me.  That’s my natural idea of success.  Maybe it’s yours too.  Every day I yank out my internal yard stick and measure how I’m doing.  Let’s see…how many dinner invitations did I get this week?  How many people recognized me at the Pancake House this week?  How many people congratulated me after Mass?  Let’s see how I’m doing on the road to success!  Did I hear the roar of the crowd today?  Was it more or less than yesterday?

What does the Lord have to say about this?  BEWARE!

What do you consider to be success?  What’s your internal yard stick measure?  Is it the number of glances or winks you got in a single day?  Or the number of people who came up to you and said, “You look so beautiful!”  Do you keep track of how many dates you went on?  Or how many friends called you this weekend?  Do you keep count on the number of friends you have on Facebook or the number of high school or college graduation parties you were invited to?  Is it the number of pounds you lost?  We all know your list is long so keep going… 

St . Paul tells his young disciples, Timothy, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power:  proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching…“Be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry…I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.  From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.”  (2Tim 4:1-8)

Wow!  Do I think like this?  Do I even pretend to live like this?

The key understanding St. Paul is to understand Jesus Christ.  What does the Lord consider to be success?  What’s important to Him and how does He measure it?  The answer is found in the greatest commandment:  Love God and your neighbor as yourself.  How does the Lord measure this Love?  Not in inches or in pounds but in sacrifices. 

Let’s start measuring ourselves according to Christ’s specifications.  In this way, two cents will be much more than its weight in gold!

Mk 12:35-37 Jesus Is Lord

Mk 12:35-37  Jesus Is Lord

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As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said, “How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David?  David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said:  The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.’  David himself calls him ‘lord’; so how is he his son?”  The great crowd heard this with delight.

Throughout the entire week, we have read how the Pharisees, scribes, chief priests, elders and Herodians were attempting to trip Jesus up.  They never succeeded.  They never arrested his ideas.  They only succeeded in arresting him, and only temporarily. 

Christ taught the crowd and the crowd was delighted.  Finally, they thought, someone who speaks to us from the heart.  Someone who not only believes but witnesses to the truth they preach. 

But what is even more impressive, more impressive than a heart-filled preacher or a person who lives what they preach, is a person who can relate the truth of the Word of God and the Word made flesh with the confusing words coming from the crowd.   That is an achievement!

I recently read from the Public Research Institute that 62% of millennial Catholics (born between 1988 and 1994) say “present-day Christianity is judgmental”.  I have a few problems with this.  It is one thing to say to someone “You’re so judgmental”, but it’s actually a much smarter thing to be able to recognize how judgmental that statement you made is. 

I don’t have a problem calling some of our youth very judgmental because I’m judgmental too.  It takes one to know one.  And I know plenty of them.  I know how quick they are to judge their mom or their dad or their teacher or their friends.  So, I don’t find it surprising in the least that they would be so judgmental to their Church?  It’s who they are!  So let them!  Let them learn from their mistakes, unless it kills them.

I know enough to know they love their parents when they let them get what they want.  I know enough of them to know they hate their parents when they don’t get what they want.  Why would the Church, Holy Mother Church, not suffer the same growing pains parents suffer from?  

I know our youth are happy with their Church when the Church judges something to be good and right that they think it’s good and right.  I think the problem begins when their Church declares something to be bad or wrong when they think it’s good for them and it’s their right.  That’s when the Church becomes “judgmental”!  But it’s actually the moment the Body of Christ (or Holy Mother Church), invites them to be meek and humble of heart rather than scornful, threatening or insulting.  Only you Lord have the words of eternal life!   

But my biggest concern with this survey is the very low percentage (62%) of Catholics who think Christianity is judgmental.  I would have hoped and prayed that 100% of our youth would have agreed that Present day Christianity is judgmental.  [Notice, they don’t say that “Christians” are judgmental; they say “Christianity” is judgmental].  That’s important because we judge issues, not people!  We tell it the way it is, just like Christ.  If anything, Christians are far nicer than our “present-day” youth who judge issues poorly and people harshly!  Did you ever hear the Holy Father call someone a jerk or stupid?  Did the Holy Father ever use an expletive before the word “gay” or “atheist” or “socialist” or “communist”?   Did the Holy Father ever speak directly or harshly about a President or Dictator or Puppet?

We are only judge issues and forgive the mistakes that people make.  Unlike many of our present day youth, we do not insult or use vulgarities or throw punches or stones or bricks or even pies at our elderly, our parents or friends or teachers or politicians or “enemies” because they take a stand that we oppose. 

To never pass judgment on anything would be like never saying anything is right or wrong.  It’s like saying to our ancestors: “We have nothing to learn from you!  Go back to your dead!”  It’s like saying to our history professors, “Who cares if we repeat history!”  It’s like saying to our professional Shrink, “I ain’t got nottin to learn from my past mistakes!”  God forbid we would be so naïve to think this way. 

How funny it is that 38% of our Catholic youth say that Present-day Christianity is not judgmental?  How sad it is that more than 25% of our Catholic youth leave the Church by the age of 24.  Do they think it is different from ‘Ancient-day’ Christianity? 

Here it is!  Here is the biggest problem facing our youth:  no one dares teach them right from wrong, good from evil, holy from unholy.  Today it’s all about diversity!  It’s the key word!  A local Catholic school prides itself by saying, “We are a ‘diverse’ school.”  We are proud of our “diversity”.  That’s right!  Actually…that’s neither right nor wrong.  No one is wrong.  No one is right.  Nothing is bad.  Nothing is good.  If we were only talking about a child’s height or race I wouldn’t have a problem with it.  I wouldn’t have a problem with it because it isn’t a problem.  But that’s not the problem.  It’s not a child’s height or race we are discussing.  It’s a Catholic child’s faith.  And a child’s faith will determine the important decisions they make and the serious consequences they take.  Their faith will determine how well they live the rest of their life:  for better, for worse, in sickness or health, death or eternal life.

Our present-day Catholic youth that come from our Catholic Universities appear to never get more than a scratch from the sword that is the Word.  Although many of our youth participate in “Social Justice” missions almost none participate in Gospel missions:  Go throughout the whole world and preach the Good News.   As a result, our Social Justice has become their Peace Corp.  It’s all about doing some good and feeling some good about oneself without ever experiencing the pain that Christ experienced:  rejection.  It’s become a safe way to win the approval of the crowds while never getting the opportunity to have stones thrown at you for preaching the Good News.  There is nothing wrong with the Peace Corp.  But there is something even greater to offer in His Corp while in His Church and School. 

To bring clean water to poor areas is great.  To bring people to baptism is even greater.  There is nothing wrong with sharing some of our bread and wine.  But our Lord would love to share his Body and Blood.  There is nothing wrong with fundraising to remove a sadistic leader as the head of a child army.  But don’t we have kids with guns here?  Don’t we have kids here with all the clean water in the world but no clear idea of who Jesus Christ is? 

Jesus is not a social worker.  He is much more.  Jesus is not a revolutionary.  He is much, much more.  Jesus is not a protest marcher or a liberal or a conservative.  He is much, much more.  JESUS is LORD.  He is the same, yesterday, present-day, forever.  Our Catholic youth need to know that NOW.