Mk 10:17-30 Money and Happiness

Mk 10:17-30  Money and Happiness

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Peter began to say to [Jesus], “We have given up everything and followed you.”  Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age…”

 “Money does not make people happy.”   I agree.  But I know what you are thinking:  “Father, that’s easy for you to say since you don’t have much money.”  Okay.  I admit it.  But don’t take my word for it; take the word of those who had money and gave it all away. 

Millionaire gives away fortune that made him miserable.  That’s the newspaper title.  Mr. Rabeder, 49, an Austrian businessman, is more than just ready to give his money away.  He’s actually doing it, and doing it quickly.  What made him decide to do it; to give it all and rid himself of all his material wealth and luxuries?   

“For a long time I believed that more wealth and luxury automatically meant more happiness.  I came from a very poor family where the rules were to work more to achieve more material things, and I applied this for many years.  But more and more I heard the words:  ‘Stop what you are doing now – all this luxury and consumerism – and start your real life.’  I had the feeling that I was working as a slave for things that I did not wish for or need.” 

The tipping point came while he was on a three-week holiday with his wife to Hawaii.

“It was the biggest shock in my life, when I realized how horrible, soulless and without feeling the five star lifestyle is”, he said.  “In those three weeks, we spent all the money you could possibly spend.  But in all that time, we had the feeling we hadn’t met a single real person – that we were all just actors.  The staff played the role of being friendly and the guests played the role of being important and nobody was real.”

If you think he’s nuts, then I have another one for you.

“Kwik Save” tycoon gives up riches in “pact with God”.  Here’s another headline from a United Kingdom newspaper.  As a young boy, Albert Gubay, was a penniless orphan.  One day, he prayed to God saying, “Make me a millionaire and you can have half of my money.”  A devout Roman Catholic, Gubay became a multi-millionaire.  Just recently, he decided to fulfill his vow to God, but not exactly.  Instead of giving just half of it away, He has decided to give all his money to the Catholic Church.  In fact, he is only holding on to ten million dollars for him and his wife. 

Are they all nuts?  No.  They are not.  They are prudent.  They know a better deal when they see it.  They know the truth.  We should know it too by now.  Money does not make you happy.  Giving it away does!

How do I want people to remember me?  Do I want them to remember me for what I had or what I did?  Or do I want them to remember me for how I loved?  That is the million dollar question.  Actually, this is the rich young man’s question.  The Lord answers his question with an invitation:  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.”

Do you want people to treat you well because you have money?  Do you want people to love you because of what you have?  Or do you want to be loved for who you are and how you love?

Thank you very much!  Do you know the song, “Thank you very much!  Thank you very much!  That’s the nicest thing that anyone’s ever done for me.”  Do you remember what musical it comes from?  From Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”, and it is sung by a man who owed Ebenezer Scrooge a lot of money.  He was thanking poor Ebenezer…for dying!

Price of Privilege.  I recently finished a book entitled, “The Price of Privilege” by Dr. Madeleine Levine, PhD.  Although I disagree with her on some of her recommendations, I cannot disagree with her on the statistical data and the clinical facts related to the problems she has seen. 

Many of Dr. Madeleine’s patients are teenagers from affluent households with excellent grades in school, extracurricular involvement and an appearance of thriving in their environment.  But they are suffering from debilitating neuroses, such as anxiety, depression, drug addiction, anorexia and self-harm.  In many affluent communities, external accomplishments such as prestige, power, and money for adults, or grades, clothes and electronics for kids, become more important than happiness.  Children in such communities are more likely to suffer from psychological problems then those who do not.

But money is not the problem; it's the problems that it creates.  And the problem is achievement pressures and emotional isolation from parents. 

Dr. Levine reports that a mother’s own happiness is the key to raising healthy kids, and found that there is an unexpectedly high rate of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, loneliness, and overall unhappiness among mothers of affluent households!  This is damaging to the children as well as to the mother.

How do I want my children to remember me?  For my drinking and drug-related problems? For how I "entertained" them and guests? For what I accomplished or had?  For how flawless I appeared before others? Or for how I loved them?   

The Lord invited the rich young man to follow him and to be happy.  Instead, the poor man decided to walk away sad…“for he had many possessions.”

How many of you feel as though people like you just because of the influence you have or for what you have?  I am sure the rich young man was surrounded by people who were looking to get something out of him:  special favors, privileges, acknowledgments, positions, money, etc. But unlike the people surrounding him, the Lord was not looking to get something from him.  In fact, He didn't want anything from him.  He just wanted him.   

The same goes for us as well.

Luke 10:17-24 Lighting and Shining

Luke 10:17-24  Lighting and Shining

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The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”  Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  Behold, I have given you the power…

You can’t solve a problem by making it bigger.  You can’t solve the national debt by making it bigger.  You can’t solve unemployment by working hard to keep it steady.  You can’t solve the priest shortage by making it easier to be a priest. 

Job was not about to make a serious problem even bigger.  He was not about to turn his back on God when God turned his back on him.  Job was struggling, but he was not stupid.  He was not about to lose everything including God.  What he was about to do was to take him to court!  And he did (sort of) and won!  He got back what he lost (cf. Job 42:1-17).  Actually, he received more than what he had lost. 

But he only got it after he went through hell. 

So, how did Job get through hell?  Simple.  He remained faithful to God in all things and till the end. 

This is how satan falls from the sky.  This is how we send him packing and with his tail between his legs. 

Lord, let your face shine upon me!  The devil is like lightning; just a flash of light.  Pride is like lightning; just a narrow beam of light upon me.  Fame is like lightning; just a flashlight with a short battery life. 

Sin is spiritual “lightning”, my Andy Warhol moment of fame; my “fifteen minutes” of lights, camera and action.  Yes, lightning produces light, if only for an instant, and wildfires, that last for days if not weeks.  And then, it is back to darkness and devastation.

If the devil is like lightning, then God is like the sun.  He is the light that breaks the spell of darkness.  He is the light that illuminates all life, continually.  His light is not for an instant.  His life is not for a moment.  His light and life are eternal.  Of course, we take him for granted like we take the sun for granted.  But we can learn from our losses how losses can be gain, and devastation can lead to renewal. 

Lord, let you face shine upon me.  Help me to remain faithful to you even in the little things.

Let’s make the pledge together.  I, [your name], take you, Jesus, for better and for worse, regardless of my sicknesses and health.  I will love you and honor you till we are finally united forever and ever. 

Only after the Lord sent his disciples to nearby towns and villages did He see satan fall like lightning from the sky.  Yes, there’s a lot of punch in lightning, but it does not even begin to compare to the sun.  As powerful as satan is, and as much as he strikes fear in us, he does not have the staying power of the Son. 

Lightning can only strike when there are clouds.  Evil can only achieve a foothold when I am tired and weak.  But good can exist in any conditions, at every moment, even the most difficult moments of my life, for “when I am weak, then I am strong.”      

Good triumphs over evil.  The only way it fails is if good turns bad; that is, if good people turn into bad people.  But satan cannot compete with God, except in the movies.  Evil cannot compete with Holiness, except on the news.  Evil makes the news because it is rare and ever-so-noticeable.  Holiness never makes the news because it is often and easily recognizable.  Weird people make the talk shows all the time because they are a novelty.  God never makes the talk shows because he is my neighbor; he is all that I am most familiar with.

When the disciples cured the sick and healed the sinners, satan went out with a little bang.  Satan has only one skill:  he knows how to destroy.  God has multiple skills.  He not only knows how to create, he knows how to re-create.  God created the Big Bang.  Satan creates little bangs here and there.  The devil only knows how to kill.  God knows how to build and resurrect.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of your heart and love.            

Luke 10:1-12 Laborers

Luke 10:1-12  Laborers

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Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.  He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.  Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves…cure the sick…” 

He said, “I was tired of it.”  I couldn’t believe it.  I asked him how he could be tired of being a priest?  He said, “It no longer interests me…same old…same old thing.” 

I don't want to sound harsh, but to me, that was the lamest excuse I had ever heard.   For sure, being a priest is not an easy thing.  The vows are not easy to live at all.  But to say “it was no longer interesting to me…same old...same old thing???”  I’m sorry, but no way!  “I was tired of it” is not believable.  Better to say, “It tired me out!”   

Every morning I look forward to spending one hour in meditation with the Lord.  I love it.  It has become a part of my daily life.  To share my meditation with others is just the icing on the cake.  Daily prayer is the most enriching moment of my day.  It is never the same old thing.  How can inching closer to the Lord ever be the same old thing?

To celebrate the morning Mass for the children is always a personal thrill for me.  I love to see their glowing faces, the wild look in their eyes, and, when asked a question, to see their little hands go up as fast as possible and as high as possible, and stay there as if they were holding the world up with their own hand.  And if that were not enough, then to see the confused and bewildered look on their eyes when they are called upon to answer and they respond, “Uh…I don’t know…” 

How can anyone be tired of this?

From there off to High School; to relive the drama and the issues that never seemed to change.   But this time, I know some of the answers and I can help.  I can share experiences and insight that maybe have not been shared before.  I can relate the Gospel to what they are living at this very moment.  And I know it makes a difference in their lives.  I know because I see it and hear it from them.  He was tired of this?

Then I sit to hear Confessions in a tiny corner in the Universe where the human heart can find plenty of comfort, peace and healing.  Where else can someone dare to open their most inner feelings and thoughts; the shameful acts of their past and present?  Must it be tucked away forever?  Can it not be released for good?  Yes.  And when the penitent feels such freedom, they can finally rejoice in tears.  Was he tired of this too?   

The visits to the hospital are, for me, the most challenging and the most rewarding.  I never thought I would be visiting the hospital so often.  It is not an easy thing to do.  The emergency call breaks up your day; catches you at an inconvenient moment.  But it is the one thing that the sick remember and most appreciate you for.  The sick no longer find solace with a doctor, or nurse, or even a family member.  They find solace with a priest praying over them, anointing them and holding their hand.  One visit is often not enough.  They want to see you more and more, which can be a big challenge.  A priest may go to the same hospital over and over again, but it is never the same thing over and over again. 

There is so much more I could say.  But in general, what Christians do must be what the disciples did.  The disciples visited the people that Jesus intended to visit.  He sent them to the poor, the sick, the sinners and the needy before He arrived.  This is the work of a priest and for every single Christian.  We are sent to prepare the way…before the Lord arrives. 

I’m not sure how anyone could ever be tired of this. 

Luke 9:57-62 The Would Be Followers

Luke 9:57-62  The Would Be Followers

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As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go?”  Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”

Amanda Clayton had it all.  Her life had become a rags-to-riches story.  The story of Cinderella had finally come true!  

For years Amanda collected welfare benefits.  But that all changed in September of last year when she won one million dollars in the Michigan state lottery.  But one year later, almost to the date, she was found dead of an apparent drug overdose.  Her former boyfriend told a reporter, “The Amanda I knew was a caring person….She went down the wrong path, she got the money, got the freedom and felt like she could do whatever she wanted.”   Let’s keep her in our prayers.

Poverty kills.  Wealth does too.  But money is not the root of all evil.  Sin is.  Sin separates our heart, our mind, our will, our worth and our dignity from our Creator.  And when that happens, evil happens.  And that evil can lead us to the worst possible separation ever, the worst divorce ever:  hell.

Job was a very special man.  He was found worthy of God’s graces.  Yes!  God’s graces!  Even though his possessions were put through fire, his servants put to the sword, and his children swept away, he never found it in his heart to curse God!    Job was a man of deep faith and not of deep understanding.  Even when his mental faculties were tested and his body afflicted, he refused to try to explain why God would do this to him.  Through it all, Job never lowered his dignity; never forgot his Creator.

I say that Job was a man found worthy of God’s blessings because he was.  When this beautiful story of faith and fidelity was circulating among the Jews, he was the closest imitation to the real, yet unknown, person of Jesus Christ. 

Job is the prototype, the forerunner, of Jesus Christ.  But where Job lost everything, Christ gave everything.  Why?  Because it was worth it. 

Scripture scholars continue to debate whether or not this story is true.  I don't know why!  Give me a break.  Don’t they know people who have gone through “hell”, who have lost everything they had and everyone they loved?  Who cares if Job is a fictitious or anonymous name.  The facts speak for themselves.  The name “Job” may have been created, but we don’t need to be very creative to come up with this narrative.  We have seen it for ourselves!  Maybe we have lived it ourselves!  I know plenty of people who have gone through very dark times.  What makes all the difference in the world is how they respond to it; how it can get much better or far worse! 

Lord, I will follow you wherever you go!  How immature!  What nonsense.  Someone came up to the Lord and said, “I will follow you wherever you go?”  Sure, the first day, the days of excitement, are the best and easiest days.  But when days become years…  This poor guy didn’t know what he was talking about.  Job lost all that he had because the Lord stripped it from him.  This would-be-disciple thought he could bring it all.  Little did he know the Lord would ask him to strip down (physically and pride-fully) to nothing!  Poverty, chastity and obedience have a way of doing that to people.  My oh my!!!  But don’t feel too sorry for priests.  All commitments, even marriage vows, have a way of doing that to people! 

Love is all about giving and receiving…and in that order, and not always receiving on time.

It is immature to think the Lord will do what we tell him to do if we pray to him.  It is highly irrational to think that God’s protection means I will not experience dark days.  It is pure fantasy to think with God on my side, I will be rich and healthy.  Sorry folks, I just don’t see that anywhere in Scripture.

God is not very much interested in helping us settle down on earth.  He is very much interested in uprooting us and making His home our dwelling place.  This isn’t a “pie-in-the-sky” faith.  This is mission impossible - Delta force and Navy SEALS - work on earth!  Why would anyone risk their lives like these people do?  Because they consider it worth it.  They have been called to serve. 

We've been called too.

Job reacted in a way that none of the “would-be-followers” of Christ did.  When he experienced the loss of family and friends, Job did not look back:  The Lord gives and the Lord takes, blessed be the Lord now and forever!  What a declaration of faith!

Our faith and prayer life are very important for our survival and holiness.  We may lose our treasure on earth, but we can never lose the treasure of our faith.  The glitter and confetti of life’s pleasures will eventually fall…fall flat on the ground, but our hearts and minds must remain firmly planted on that which never changes.  When autumn approaches, let us prepare for winter.  When our enthusiasm for God evaporates faster than our possessions, do not grind your teeth and cast the Lord aside. Instead, hold firm to the faith of our Fathers.

Luke 9:46-50 An Argument Arose

Luke 9:46-50  An Argument Arose

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An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.  Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side. 

An argument arose.  The truth can be very embarrassing.  Accepting the truth can be very humiliating.  But the sacred writers were neither embarrassed nor ashamed to hide from their readers their weaknesses; that is, those moments when they thought more like men do and less like God does. 

The disciples were arguing about which of them was “the greatest”.  Now, if they were arguing about such things, then for sure they were comparing themselves to each other.  That is, they were measuring each other up according to their own standards, persona, and imagination.  We all tend to do that a lot.  Even though we “hate” when it happens to us, we love to compare ourselves to others.  And when we do that, not only do arguments breakout, but resentment overwhelms us.    

Resentment is an awful thing.  I know because I have experienced it many times in my life.  I’ve gotten a lot better at it over the years.  It used to take me a year to get other a grudge.  Now, it only takes me ten months!!!

Resentment is awful.  It is a psychological autointoxication.  It is a poisoning that comes from within us; it eats away at our flesh, interior life and interior peace.  Resentment is not caused by anyone other than oneself; it is home grown.  It is a self-inflicted wound that we keep opening up time after time after time.

The word “resentment” says it all.  It is the “re-sending” or “re-living” over and over again of an aggression committed against us.  It is a horrible mind game.  The aggression could either be in the form of an action or omission or even circumstance.  We feel resentment when someone, either physically or verbally, insults us.  We feel it when others omit us or give us no recognition or credit.  Finally, we can feel a tremendous amount of resentment towards loved ones - God and friends - due to an illness, physical defect or family/economic situation.

The only way to handle these situations is to think clearly and objectively, and by not exaggerating or embellishing the situation or the incident.

Resentment is never positive.  It is always a negative reaction.  Therefore, it isn’t necessarily the offense that triggers resentment but rather my personal response to it.

It isn’t what others do to us or the mistakes that we make that hurt us, but rather our response to it.

Jesus realized the intention of their hearts. The Lord’s response to his disciples was eye opening.  He took a child, brought it next to him and said to his disciples: “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.  For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” 

If there is ever a time when I should feel “jealous” or “envious” or even “resentful” towards another is when they know how to love more, forgive more and give more than I do.  That’s when I should be jealous and work my bottom off to be more loving, more forgiving and more giving.  I should not be having a competition among my peers on who is the greatest.  I should be having a competition on who can be the smallest; the one who can serve the most, if not all.

I doubt the disciples changed overnight.  It takes hard work, faith, hope and love to change.  But by the looks of it and by the humble examples given to us in scripture, they obviously did change, and change for the better.  They became the apple of the Lord’s eye when they were able to finally unite their will to His STEEL will. 

A weak will or character will continue to play an offense even after a great length of time has passed.  Now is the time to stop the chain of feelings!  Give the Lord your heart and allow him to replace it with His simple heart.  Now is the time to “re-send” over and over again the fact that the Lord is more powerful than any of our weaknesses; more loving than anyone’s insults; more knowing than anyone’s omissions.

The Lord knows me.  He knows everything.  He knows me well.  He created me.   Do not let anyone twist you, break you or even confuse you.  Rather, allow the Lord to be the one that builds you and defines you.   

Mk 9:38-48 On a Limb

Mk 9:38-48  Out on a Limb

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Jesus said, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut if off.  It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna…And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna...  Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna.” 

If I had to lose a limb for every sin, then I am sure I would end up with just my earlobe! 

I am not kidding.  And I am not alone.

As we continue to believe that it takes little to no effort to get into heaven, the Lord, in a very dramatic way, reminds us that we do have “a part to give" in our salvation. 

As we continue to “lower the bar” in order to appease everyone, the Lord continues to raise His bar up, ever so forcefully, so that we never take our salvation or His sacrifices for granted.

When I was meditating again on today’s Gospel passage, I asked myself why the Lord exaggerated so much.  But then, I realized he wasn’t exaggerating.  He was being sarcastic.

I will do whatever it takes!  Christ knows us.  He knows us well.  He knows to what lengths we will go to get what we want.  Take for example the young football player who is more than willing to take steroids to get on the team.  “I will do whatever it takes to get on this team!”    And take the not-so-young football player who will take steroids to stay on the team.  “I will do whatever it takes to stay on the team!”    Why do you think the Olympic committee banned performance enhancing drugs?  Because athletes would do whatever it took to win the gold medal! 

We all know young teens will starve themselves to death to get the perfect body!  “I don’t care!  It’s worth it!”  We are just know learning that College students will take ADHD medication or even Alzheimer drugs to stay focused, get the competitive edge and get an A+.  “It’s all worth it…for my career.”  And there are parents (not doctors) who are doing it  for them.

We will do whatever it takes to be successful, competitive and comfortable.  Even a single mom may end her pregnancy to further her education, reputation and make life just a little less complicated.  "You murdered the one who offers you no resistance" (cf. James 5:6).

Can we blame the Lord for saying what he said?  If you are willing to do all these things for yourself, then why not cut off your hand and foot to get into heaven?  Why not?  Unless…it’s not worth it to you.

What is Heaven worth to you?  Is it worth more than a career, an education, extra playing time, your body? 

The Lord is not against sacrifice.  And He knows we are more than capable of making sacrifices.  His problem is not that we sacrifice; His problem is with why we sacrifice.  When I say “It’s worth it!”, am I not really saying: “I’m worth it?” 

Do I sacrifice out of selfishness or do I sacrifice out of selflessness?

Am I willing to sacrifice my morals, my values, my faith for titles, privileges, and greater fame and fortune?  If so, then the Lord tells us that it is better to lose your hands and feet!

After all, He did. 

Better to lose a hand…lose a foot.  The Lord was not only being sarcastic; He was being prophetic.  He chose His words very carefully.  This morning, when I looked at my crucifix, I noticed how the Lord lost his hands and feet.  On the cross, He is saying, “It’s worth it”, but what He's really saying to me is: “YOU are worth it!”

It’s time to cut ourselves away from our pride, vanity and sensuality.  It’s time to lose the chains of sin. 

If we are willing to do whatever it takes to extend our career; to get noticed; to be successful, then why not do whatever it takes to obtain eternal life?

Better to lose a limb, then to lose a soul.  Better to sacrifice your life than to take a life.  Better to love unconditionally than to live unconditionally.

Mt 9:9-13 Something’s Not Right Here!

Mt 9:9-13  Something’s Not Right Here! 

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As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.  He said to him, “Follow me.”  And he got up and followed him.  While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.  The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 

I said it yesterday and I will say it again today.  The Lord did not spend his entire life performing amazing miracles.  He spent most of his time talking to the brokenhearted.  His mission is our mission.  His advice should be taken seriously:  “They will know you belong to me by the way you love.”   

This morning I celebrated Mass for our Middle School kids.  I told them a story that I have been using (and modifying) for a while now.  I’ve changed some of the names to make it more relatable.  But the story is true in its essence. 

A few weeks ago, I went to breakfast with a couple of moms.  They asked me all sorts of questions about the faith, the Church and about Catholic schools.  They asked me what I thought about one particular Catholic school.  I told them the truth.  I told them that the school encouraged the kids to be the best that they could be; that it offered excellent academics and programs.  But then one mom asked me point blank:  “What do you think is not so good about the school?”  I thought long and hard about it, and I told them:  “Well, they are not as diverse as some of the other schools.”  Of course they were a little shocked to hear that.  But I clarified my point by saying, “They don’t have very many mean kids like the other schools do.”   

I wish you could have seen the look on their face!

Anyone who knows me or has heard me speak knows that I love to grab my audience’s attention by throwing some bait out there, have them nibble on it, then hook them good, reel them in nice and slow, and pound them over the head!  That’s how one religion teacher described my homilies to students.  I’m not sure if that is true, but I do try!

What makes Christ so amazing?  What makes Christ so loveable?  What makes Christ so relatable?  Is it the comfortable lie that he accepts us just the way we are?  No.  Is it the bull that he loves diversity?  No.  Then what is it?  It is the fact that He wants to love me and change me. 

The Lord called Matthew not because He deserved it or because He was worthy of it or because He needed some diversity among the Twelve.  He called Matthew because He wanted to change this young man’s life.  And He was willing to do whatever it took to do so.  He was not about to take no for an answer.  And by the looks of it, Matthew was more than ready to follow the Lord.

Something is not right with today’s Gospel.  The Lord came into the custom’s post.  He saw Matthew.  He pointed at Matthew.  He said to Matthew:  “Follow me.”  And Matthew got up, left everything and never turned back. 

Give me a break!  How unrealistic.  How could this happen!  This never happens!  Unless…unless… Matthew was not happy with his life.  Yes...this could never have happened unless Matthew was more than ready for a change in his life. 

But how could he not be happy?  Didn’t he have all the money?  Didn’t he have the people shaking at their knees?  Yes.  He had power.  He had money.  So what was missing?  Nothing…except one thing; the most important thing:  the Lord.  And that’s why Matthew got up and left it all behind.  He was sick and tired of it all and was finally ready to give the Lord his life.

When will I learn?  When will I finally figure it out?  When will I realize that the Lord must be the cornerstone, the foundation, the columns, the roots and depth of my life?  If not, then I will continue to chase after wild dreams and succumb to horrible nightmares.

Today, if you know a mean person in your life, then call them and invite them to follow you so that you can lead them to Christ.  We need to know more mean people in our lives so that we never forget who we do not want to be, and never forget what we are supposed to do:  love the unlovable and convert the despicable.

“Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Mk 8:27-35 Crucifixes and Christians

Mk 8:27-35 Crucifixes and Christians

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Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”  They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”  And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ.”  Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him…He summoned the crowd and with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

A lesson learned is a lesson well taught.  If we have not learned our lessons well, then it’s because we have not been taught well. 

In the past three days, I’ve been meditating and reflecting on the cross.  As I mentioned before, the cross is only half a symbol of Christianity, for it is missing a very key component of Christianity:  Christ. 

It should be obvious to all that Christ is not the cross, for Christ was nailed to the Cross.  Rather, the cross is a symbol of the sinner; that is, it is a symbol of me.  Therefore, the real symbol of Christianity is not the cross; it is the crucifix.  This is the true symbol of Christianity for it is the fullness of Christ’s ministry.  Christ nailed himself to us, and He refuses to be separated from us.  He is forever near to me, next to me, nailed to me.  And that is very, very reassuring.  Christ will never depart from me.  He’s got my back FOREVER!

But with the loss in the meaning of the Cross, comes the loss in the meaning of the Christian.  Let us never forget what the Christian does best:  He follows the Lord, everywhere.  Where He goes I must go.  Where He leads I must lead.  “If you wish to follow me, then pick up your cross and follow me.”  Christ did not die for us so that we would have nothing to do for Him.  He died for us so that we could die like Him, for our neighbor.

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  …So also faith of itself, it is does not have works, is dead.  Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.”  Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.”  (James 2:14-18)

Many Christians have not learned their catechism well!  They think that an easy life is a blessed life.  If you are one of the many who think that, then I invite you to think again.  After all, there is no denying that the Lord lived a blessed life and a very difficult life almost all his life. 

Is being a millionaire a sign of being blessed?  Think again.  I do not know of a single Saint that became a millionaire.  I do, however, know of many Saints who were millionaires and gave their millions to enter a convent or a seminary.  So, why do we think that in order to be blessed, we have to be filled with cash? Or, in order to be blessed we have to have a lot of free time.

If I have nothing to do, then chances are I will do nothing in my life.  But if I have a ton of things to do, then chances are I will accomplish something in my life. 

Take a good look at your life.  Take a look at the decisions you’ve made.  Now, take a good look at Christ’s life.  Take a look at the decisions He made and the words He said.  Analyze Him alongside yourself.  Do you notice any differences in focus, interests, discipline, direction and decisions?  If so, then bridge the gap!  Bring yourself closer to Christ.  If you do so, I guarantee you an immediate improvement in the quality of your life. 

I think that most of us know by now that a life filled with pleasure often led to a life full of regrets and emptiness.  Whereas (and most surprising of all), a life filled with struggles, pain, difficulties, and trials often led to a more meaningful, more romantic, more grateful and more powerful and purpose-filled life. 

Tell me if you think I am wrong.  But I have seen both cases far too often to doubt it anymore.

Christ nailed to the Cross teaches us four important life lessons:  (1) there is no Christ without a Cross. (2) There is no Savior without a sinner.  (3)  There is no love without sacrifice.  (4)  There is no resurrection without crucifixion.  Therefore, let us do as the Lord would do.  Do not shrink from pain, difficulties or trials.  Face them!  Face them head on!  Nail yourself to your cross.  Or as St. Paul puts it:  “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.”    

Every time I nail my triumph with Christ, I nail my future with His glory.  Every time I nail my sin into Christ, I nail my faith, hope and love in His mercy and compassion.  Every time I give God the last word, I turn my tragedy into triumph.  Every time I die to myself, I rise with the Lord. 

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”   

Luke 6:20-26 Is There Ever A Dull Moment?

Luke 6:20-26  Is There Ever A Dull Moment?

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Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours…Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 

Life is amazing!  It is full of surprises.  But we often forget that the same surprise can be both good and bad; a blessing and a curse; sweet and bitter. 

Beauty is a gift.  But it is also a curse.  Wealth brings people together.  It can also keep them apart.  Love is joyful.  But it is also painful.  Poverty can be a blessing just as much as plenty can be a curse!  Friends can keep me all together.  But they can also tear me apart.  Being much talked about can quickly turn into being much gossiped about!

Is there ever a dull moment?

Sometimes it just feels like you can’t win!  I went to a birthday party and was surprised by the reaction of a seven-year-old when his uncle handed him a five dollar bill.  The child looked at it and then turned to him and said, “But I already have one!!!”   I thought to myself, “Boy, at that age, I may not have been able to add apples together, but I definitely knew how to add money together!”

It seems like there’s no winning, ever. 

How quickly peace can elude us.  How quickly a dark thought can invade us.   

Today’s Gospel paints an even bleaker picture of life.  If you are poor, then you are blessed.  If you are rich, then beware!  What is going on?  Is there ever a peaceful moment? 

There is.  But it takes faith.  It takes realism.  It takes preparation.  It takes vision.

The world took billions of years to establish itself.  And now that it has, it is gradually dying a slow and decaying death.  It took years for us to grow up. And now that we have, we are gradually dying a slow and decaying death.

Poverty is not an illness.  Misery is an illness.  And the miserable (Les Miserable) can be anyone:  King and peasant; young and old; rich and poor; beautiful and ugly; employed and unemployed. 

But no faithful are miserable.  A faithful person may be a poor person, rich person, young person, elderly person, beautiful person, ugly person, employed person, unemployed person.  But they are not a miserable person.   In fact, they are a loving person.

The reason why poverty is with us and is here to stay is the same reason why death is with us and is here to stay.  It is a part of the plan:  part creation, part sin, part life and part human.  It is a part of our falling down and growing up.  Think about it.  Why does the world give us a sense of beauty?  To watch it fade away?  Why is strength and health a thing to marvel at?  To experience weakness and illness?  Why does man begin to walk? To crawl again?  Why climb up a mountain if tomorrow I will be crawling out of bed!  Why does my body insist on being taken care of,  while at the same time making the necessary preparations to put itself to an end?  

Our world was created with both ends tying a knot and settling a score.  We are born into this world with nothing.  We die to this world empty handed.  We are placed in a womb.  We die and are placed in a hole. 

Yes, all things pass away, but not out of tragedy; rather, for an entirely different reason.  It is not to give birth to tragedy; it is to give birth to life and love.

Why is it that “We don’t know what we have until it is gone?”  Why must this be the prelude, the necessary opening act, to living and loving?  It doesn’t have to be!   But if I do not ever give myself, then I will never find myself.  Only if I give myself, will I find myself.  Only if I give myself, will I experience love.  Only when all “things” pass, will I witness heavenly things. 

When the music stops, why do we stop singing?  When the music stops, why do we stop dancing?  The lover does not wait for the beloved to love.  He does not wait for words of love before he gives a kiss.  The lover loves before the other.  Why give so much importance to what is given when I can give what must be given?  I do not need to have money to loved or loving.  I do not need to have music in order to sing a lullaby.  I do not need to be beautiful to be wonderful.   I do not need to be loved in order to love. 

The Lord came into the world to remind us of many things.  One being… that there is never a dull moment in life and love.