Luke 14:1,7-11 Real Humility

Luke 14:1,7-11 Real Humility

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At the home of one of the leading Pharisees, Jesus told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table…When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor.  A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man’, and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place…For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

I was worried this Halloween.  I was worried that I would run out of candy.  So on Wednesday afternoon, I went to Albertsons to buy a few more bags of candies just to be safe.  While I was driving, I was thinking to myself, “Let’s see…there are approximately four thousand parishioners here.  We have nearly nine hundred kids in our school…They all know me…I’m gonna need a lot of candy.” 

I bought nearly one hundred dollars worth of candy.  I bought the good stuff:  Kitkats, Reeses, Hersey bars, Hersey kisses, etc…  

I ripped open a few bags and put the chocolates in a large container.  I sat down and waited for the storm to hit. 

6:00 pm:  All quiet.  I thought to myself, “Well, it’s still early.  The kids are having dinner.”  7:00 pm:  Nothing.  I reasoned with myself, “They must be getting ready.”  8:00 pm:  Not a living soul.  I questioned myself, “What is going on?”  I checked the outdoor lights.  9:00 pm:  What the…!!!

Not a single kid showed up at my door.  This coming Monday, I will throw all my candy at them!

I thought I was popular.  I thought I was the only one.  I thought I would get inundated with little hands.  I thought there would be a line at my door.  Instead, I got nothing, no one, not a soul, not even an emergency call!

The Lord said, “When you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’  Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.’”

What a practical tip.  What a helpful hint.  But is it really that?  Is the Lord writing a self-help book full of “techniques” to help his followers to “appear” more humble?  Theoretically (or theatrically) , is it not possible that a very arrogant man could intentionally sit in the back only to be told to come up to the front?  Isn’t seeking attention part of the problem with humility?

The Lord is not offering us some practical tips or helpful hints to be more humble.  The Lord is offering us a humble way of life.  Humility is based on the truth.  And the truth is:  We are nothing without the Lord.

Doesn’t St. Paul sound a bit arrogant in his letters?  In one of them, he writes: “Be imitators of ME for I imitate Christ” (Eph 5:1).  Wow!  Is it humility to equate oneself to Christ?  It is!  But only if you are a saint; that is, if Christ lives and breathes and works through you.  In today’s reading, St. Paul writes:  “That I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.”  Wow!  Imagine for a moment if I went to your house and told you, “You should feel blessed to have me in your presence!”

Any sane person would throw me out the door.

The secret to humility is not found in any self-improvement book.  Rather, it is found in the person of Jesus Christ. 

The secret to humility is found in TOTAL obedience to God’s Will. 

When a humble man acts on a good decision and it doesn’t work out, he will not resort to breaking all the commandments to get what he wants.  Instead, he will trust that the Lord has an alternate plan for him.  He knows (and accepts) that God’s plan is always the better plan.

It’s not so much what we say or do, but how we live.  That’s what made Saul, Paul and Paul St. Paul.

Luke 13:18-21 Young and Humble

Luke 13:18-21  Young and Humble

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Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?  To what can I compare it?  IT is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.  When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Yesterday, I received a card from a couple who have been trying hard and praying hard to have a baby for some time now.  It finally happened.  The card read:  “It’s a baby!”  At first it struck me as odd that it didn’t read “It’s a girl” or “It’s a boy.”  But after a while, I finally got it.  They could care less what sex their child was.  They were just happy to have a baby.

Babies are cute.  People love to be around them.  It doesn’t matter what they do in front of us or to us.  They can burp in our face.  They can poop in our arms.  They can throw up all over our shirt.  It doesn’t matter what they do.  Nothing they say or do could ever wipe away the joy in our heart or the smile from our face. 

But when babies grow up, they’re not so cute.  Why is that?  Why do kids become so ugly?  It has nothing to do with their physical size or physical appearance.  it has everything to do with their selfishness. 

When the Lord describes the Kingdom of God as being the size of a mustard seed, what he is describing is not so much its physical dimensions but rather its spiritual conditions.  The reason why the Kingdom of God is so small and so great is because God makes himself small so as to be great.  It is the reason why the Lord said:  If you wish to be great, you must make yourself small. 

Babies get everything they need and want and even more.  Why?  Because they ask for nothing.   I keep telling our school kids that if they want to get more from their parents they need to stop asking for more.

I know some parents who are very "concerned" about their kids because they never ask for anything.  So what do they do?  They keep giving them more and more.  Their kids know the secret.  One student never asked for a car and got a car.  One student never demanded more freedom and got more freedom. 

Interested? 

The rule is simple:  If you want to be loved, then start loving.  If you want to be great, then start serving.   If you want to receive, then stop asking and start giving.

If you think about it, the Lord does not demand much from us, except to love Him and to love our neighbor.  Oh, I forgot.  He also asks us to give Him our sins so that He can give us His love.

Be subordinate.  In his letter to the Ephesians (Eph 5:21-33), St. Paul challenges Church leaders to be “subordinate to Christ”.  He goes one step further and challenges members of the Church to be “subordinate to one another”.  He then demands wives take a leap of faith by being “subordinate to their husbands in everything.”  But like everything St. Paul writes, he demands that we do what we do just like Christ did for us.  It is not enough to love.  We need to love as Christ loves us.

The Church is a “sacrament” of the Body of Christ.  Christians are a “sacrament” of Christ’s continual presence in the world.  Husbands are a sacrament of Christ’s unconditional love and sacrifice for His bride (the Church). 

There is no demanding in any of these relationships, only giving of oneself and dying to self.  These are the conditions that make all relationships possible, powerful, beautiful, amazing and ever young and new… like a new born baby.

Like a child, the Kingdom of God will grow from a small mustard seed to a burning bush, but only if it remains forever young and humble of heart.

Mk 10:35-45 Pride and Decline

Mk 10:35-45  Pride and Decline

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James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”  He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”  They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”  Jesus aid to them, “You do not know what you are asking…to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to you but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Most people love the underdog because most people hate their boss. 

It is truly a blessing to work for a boss who is both humble and effective.  Unfortunately, it is a rare thing.  Instead, most people work for someone who is either one or the other, or neither.  If your boss is neither, then chances are he/she is prideful and easily gets jealous. 

Pride is a horrible thing.  It’s debilitating.  It prevents growth.  It prohibits a person from being truly human, for if you have to be “perfect” all the time, then you can’t be human most of the time.  Pride is the source of many headaches.  It is the source of so much stress, of sleepless nights.  After all, if you have to be “right” all the time then it can keep you up all night long.

Jealousy is a horrible thing in the work force too.  It stunts individual growth.  It suffocates creativity in the work force.  It stifles growth for the company. If you do a better job than your boss then chances are you will suffer, and suffer greatly. 

Instead of receiving a pat on the back, you can expect a stab in the back. 

While I was a member of a religious community here in Dallas and worked for one of our schools, I would often seek permission to celebrate Mass at various parishes.  But I was often told that it wasn’t our “charism” to help parishes with Sunday masses.  I knew better.  I knew it would help build better relations with other (diocesan) priests.  I also knew I would meet a lot of wonderful families that might consider sending their kids to our fledgling school.  I was right.  It all came together and our school actually grew in numbers.

When Parkland Hospital asked me to be their chaplain, my religious superior recommended that I use my time in better ways.  I knew better.  I knew that I would meet highly motivated people (volunteers) in the most obvious but unlikeliest of places:  among the poor.  Again, it all worked out.  I met some incredible people and highly successful business men who were willing to help our school grow.  But in the end, jealousies got in the way of it all. In the end it all came to an end. 

The fact that man can be so intelligent, and yet so jealous and prideful, makes God ever more remarkable.  God is remarkable because He is so humble and efficient.  He gets the job done and he gives us all the benefits! 

I have never heard or seen a boss (or an atheist) say or do what God said and did:  “I did not come to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.”  I have only read these words from Jesus Christ and witnessed it lived out by those who followed Him. 

You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them.  Does the Lord “lord” over his people?  Does the Lord demand He be called “Master”?  He should…but he doesn’t.

I fear that most of us deep down believe that Christ was simply a dreamer; that His way of life is as beautiful as poetry and as impractical as living like a poet; that His way of thinking is great for classroom discussion but totally irrelevant on Wall Street.

 

I have been observing something for a while now.  Correct me if I am wrong.  I don’t want to sound racist, but I need to say something that I have observed for some time now.  I have noticed how Asian immigrants as a group tend to be more respectful towards others than others.  I have also noticed how African immigrants tend to be more cordial and joyful than others.  Finally, I have also noticed how many South Americans tend to work in harder places and in the most humble of places than others.  Now what do all three of these groups have in common?  They all tend to be more humble and capable than others; and as a result, they tend to be more religious than others.

I have noticed how pious Asians are, and it is beautiful.  I have noticed how Africans pray and sing, and it is beautiful.  I have also noticed how South Americans love their saints, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the crucifix. 

What I have also noticed is the opposite when it comes to Europeans and North Americans.  They tend to be less humble and much bossier.  I think it is because they are less faith-filled than others.  Do you see the connection? 

Our jealousy and pride is directly related to our faith life.  Our faith life is not dependent on God and what He does for us.  Rather, it is totally dependent on how we respond to God in our lives.  Faith is our humble response to God’s enormous gift of life, of redemption and of providence.  A strong prayer life is only possible (and logical) if we are not full of ourselves and can easily give credit where credit is due (share our successes with others).  If we have a hard time doing one or the other, then chances are we will not be able to be believers in Jesus Christ or even followers of His most humble teachings. 

History has shown that the mighty and powerful crumble and fall.  What historians typically write is that poor decisions led to their demise.  What they don’t write is that it was their pride that killed them and their empires. 

Pride in ourselves will be the cause of our decline.  Faith in Jesus Christ will be the cause of our resurrection. 

Mk 7:31-37 Be Open!

Mk  7:31-37  Be Open! 

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People brought to [Jesus] a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him.  He took him off by himself away from the crowd…He looked up to heaven and groaned, “Be open!” -- And immediately the man’s ears were opened.

The problem with the world today is that there are too many narrow-minded people!

I know what you are thinking…Now that’s an interesting statement, especially coming from a priest who writes an opinion on just about everything!  But I am not afraid to say it and, more importantly, defend it.  In fact, I will even say that I consider myself a very open-minded individual and for the best of reasons.

I have no problem conversing with “tolerant” people; even though they are the least tolerant of all the people I know.  I have no problem being in the presence of scientists, even though I am a priest.  And I have no problem making friends with the dead, even though I live well into the present.

I mention these three companions because there is much narrow-mindedness (or single-mindedness) when it comes to those who oppose science as art, dogma as honesty and our past as reoccurring.  Or, for the sake of clarity, let me say the following:  Far too many narrow-minded individuals can be found among scientists, relativists and progressivists.    

Scientists.  Now, there were many times in my life when I was “narrow-minded”.    For example, when I was an engineer I used to be very narrow-minded; that is, I would only read and breathe scientific journals.  But then one day, in fact, while I was studying the planets, I had an epiphany that has lasted to this day.  For the very first time in my life I realized that everything I was reading and studying was a human attempt at understanding all that already existed, and that we had no part in creating. What I was reading and studying was more like an art critic’s review of someone’s art, but the Artist was never mentioned.   

Now it’s easier to be a critic than it is to be an artist.  At least, that’s how it used to be.

It gradually dawned on me that most everything we do is a cheap imitation of everything He did.  Take, for example, the incredible descent of the Mars Rover, Curiosity.  Wasn’t it spectacular?  I stayed up all night watching it.  But the next morning I saw something even more amazing:  a single leaf gracefully falling to the ground.  Actually, it was zigzagging towards the ground.  What Curiosity will do on the surface of Mars does not even begin to compare with what that leaf will do on the surface of the earth.

Or let’s analyze for a brief moment a simple apple falling to the ground.  Not only will that apple land on the ground, but it will roll next to its “mother”, whose shade will ensure its chances of survival.  And like a placenta, the fruit surrounding the seed will fertilize the ground in which it lies.  Now, to think all this as less remarkable than a Rover Landing on Mars is to think narrow-mindedly.  But as a priest and engineer, I have learned to appreciate both.  That’s not narrow-mindedness.  That’s open-mindedness!

Relativists.  So many people pride themselves in being Darwinists.  But in all honesty, they have never read a single page of Charles Darwin or Ernst Haeckel.  The same goes for atheists.  Most have never read an entire book by Friedrich Nietzsche or Jean Paul Sartre.  Instead, most have pleased themselves with newspaper headlines and comical acts produced and directed by Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens.  

These professors, and their adherents, are not the product of the Dark Ages.  Ironically, these morbid writers consider themselves the grandchildren of the Enlightenment.  What they really are, are the grandfathers of the Establishment. Recently, it was revealed that a vast majority of college professors will reject tenure to a colleague if they are deemed to be too conservative.  Most academics, like most colleges today, consider themselves open-minded.  But in reality, they have never been anything but very closed-minded. 

Let’s cut to the chase.  The real difference between open-minded and narrow-minded individuals should be obvious by now.  It’s the difference between intellectual honesty and ideology.  Relativists tend to study little and speak wildly.  Dogmatists tend to study a great deal and speak reservedly.  In essence, narrow-minded individuals tend to study little and only pretend to accept everything; whereas open-minded individuals tend to study greatly and only cautiously accept anything.

Progressivists.  There exists in today’s culture a very narrow-mindedness with regards to the past.  It begins with a great deal of angst with the possibility of history repeating itself.  It should not, declare the progressivists, for there is nothing good to learn from our ancestors or our past.  But when we consider what’s new in today’s subculture, we begin to see that it is actually quite old from long ago days.  For example: The three-generational home.   The only sector of housing construction that appears to be booming is the three-generational home.  Wow!  How exciting!  How avant garde!  But is this something new?  Not really.  In fact, it is something very old.  And millions of Americans are returning to it in order to save their lives, their families and their livelihood.  But you would never know it by the limited news it is receiving.  After all, it is a dramatic push back to modernity’s push towards the “New Normal” family.     Only a courageous few dare to mention this modest return to the wisdom of our ancestors.  How narrow-minded!  And once again, the reason for this negligence is not ignorance but rather ideology.  Out with the old, in with the new is an important ideological tweet in our free-market economy and culture.  But it isn’t a reliable fact in a flesh and bone humanity or a safe bet in a free-falling economy.  To think what is new is always better is not narrow-mindedness, but plain and simple foolishness. 

What is new isn’t always better.  But being better will always be something new! 

This is something worth repeating to our kids, from one generation to another.  Was the Occupy Wall Street movement something new and exciting?  Or was it a failed attempt to repeat the performance of July 14^th, 1789 (Bastille Day)?  Is the European Union something new?  Or is it a union as old as the Holy Roman Empire?  You tell me. 

I consider myself very open-minded every time I connect the past with the present, and predict the future based on the past and present.            

Conclusion:  Here are just a few of the areas of life in which I find people to be very narrow-minded.  There are many more.  But unlike space, a blogspot is very limited.  In conclusion, a narrow-minded individual tends to see the past as a thing of the past; religion as something that should be swept under the carpet; and creation as an accident rather than a God-given model.   

Let’s be what the Lord said this day to be:  “Be Open!” 

The Lord had a tremendous ability to interact with just about anyone.  But he didn’t live like everyone. 

Authentically open-minded people tend to become authentically narrow-minded people.  They are open-minded to learning, and narrow-minded in accepting only the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 

Mk 7:1-23 Neat and Freakish!

Mk 7:1-23  Neat and Freakish!

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When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands… Jesus responded, “You disregard God’s commandments but cling to human tradition…From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.  All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Does this sound familiar?  Is this not happening today?

Every year, I taught a bunch of high school boys a very long course on etiquette.  It was mandatory, just like religion, but it never replaced religion.  God forbid that etiquette would ever replace God’s commandments!

Soon, however, I began to realize that I needed to teach them at an earlier age.  Bad habits, once fully grown, are hard to break.  And these kids were fully immersed in all sorts of bad habits.  They had either been told that it didn’t really matter or the silence had taught them that it really didn’t matter.  What mattered was always something “greater” or something “else” or something “obvious”. 

So, I decided to teach the same course to my middle school students.  They were shocked to hear when and how you should take a drink of water and how you should walk across a row (to get to your seat) in a movie theatre.  But what really shocked them was how you should speak to a woman and greet a woman. 

But why is any of this important?  Answer:  In order to be a saint, you must first be a human being.  There is an old saying in seminary:  “First the man, then the saint.” 

Most people would be shocked at how much “human formation” is taught in a seminary; that is, instruction on how to cut your finger and toe nails; how to polish your shoes; how to sew; how to iron; how to wash and fold your clothes; how to shave and groom yourself; how to make your bed; how often you should shower and change your clothes; how to comb your hair; shake someone’s hand; etc…

It’s obvious why these things need to be taught.  Just look around!

Recently, I met a woman who was shocked that on her first date with her boyfriend he was flossing his teeth right in front of her, at the dinner table, in the restaurant!  How neat and freakish!

Over the years, all forms of etiquette have deteriorated, except the one’s that keep us “physically” healthy.  Americans use more hand sanitizer than any other nation in the world.  Yet, we continue to be a nation that uses more medication than any other nation in the world.  We strive to be the premier advocate for women’s rights around the world, yet we continue to lead the world in the production of hardcore and violent pornography.  We are a peace loving nation, giving billions of dollars in aid, but we continue to fight more wars than any other nation in the world.

We are not neat-freaks.  We are very neat and very freakish.  It is not unheard of to hear of a very polite and courteous teen who is sexting.  Or of a young gentleman who insists on using a condom with his girlfriend while insisting on his right to not let her know that he has HIV.  How neat and freakish!

Over the past 40 years, the social engineers (the real freaks of society) have worked hard to dismantle every single “barrier” with regards to female and male relationships; student and teacher relationships; adult and child relationships; etc.  But what they have really been highly successful in doing is removing any form of respect among females and males; students and teachers, adults and children.

And while they have worked hard in dismantling all barriers (respect) among people, they have kept building a higher wall with regards to God and man; the body and the soul; faith and culture; morals and civility.

We thought we had outgrown the need our ancestors had in drawing lines.  Now and again, we are reminded of why they were so wise!  We know why.  We just hate giving any sort of credit to the dead.  We hate admitting that a blurry or erased line leads to all sorts of harm, confusion, neglect, abuse, criminal behavior, liability and lawsuits.  Or, as the Lord would so succinctly say:  sin and death.

In order to point out something, sometimes you need to let it stand out.  The Lord was not telling his disciples that they should not bathe or cleanse before meals, or that these types of human traditions are not important.  He was teaching his opponents that they should not replace God’s Commandments with human traditions.  Exterior beauty should not replace interior beauty.  Exterior cleanliness should not replace interior cleanliness.  Looking good should not replace being good.  It's not that the exterior is not important; it's that the exterior should mirror the interior.  We should be just as good as we appear to be.

Out of respect for others, it is important, when taking your seat in a movie theater, to walk across the row with the front of your body facing the people; it is a sign of respect for your neighbor as well as for yourself.  It is important to wash your hands before meals.  But it is just as important to pray before meals.  In this way, not only will the meal be more beneficial, it will also be less superficial. 

And this is the point:  We can either continue to live life solely in a highly superficial way or we can decide to live it in a highly interior and radical way as well.  Anyone can say, “Who cares about all this formality?” when they haven’t learned any of this formality.  But if they were humble, they would say, “Will you teach me?”  Then, not only will they know that someone cared, they will also know some wisdom as well. 

If we always find an easy excuse for our kids by saying, “They are only kids!”, then why do we find it so hard to come up with an easy excuse when they grow up and ask, “Why didn’t you help me?”

Eating a meal with unclean hands is bad; just as bad as using your clean hands with an unclean heart.  As a society today, we suffer just as much from the former, as we do from the later.  The later, however, makes most of the news.  The solution is not to ignore one or the other, but to work on both and join them together.  First the man, then the saint.    Let's put the same time, effort and dedication in being good as we do in looking good.

The Lord loves us just the way we are, but He would love to raise us higher than where we are.  He would love to lift up our body, blood, soul and divinity, to where He is.  That’s when we will no longer be neat and freakish, but both neat and holy.

Mt 23:13-22 Woe to you, you hypocrites! Wow!

Mt 23:13-22  Woe to you, you hypocrites!  Wow!

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Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites…You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.”

Woe to you…you hypocrites…you blind guides!  Can you believe that Jesus said this???  Wow!!!

I’ve said it before and I will say it again.  We, as Christians, tend to think that the closer we are to God - the more blessed we are - the less we will suffer. This is total nonsense!  Christ is not in heaven because he is on vacation!  He is in Heaven because He leads us.  He does not rest in heaven; he coordinates precise tactical strikes on the hearts and minds of men.   Christ is no pacifist.  He did not go AWOL.  He did not earn his purple heart long ago; He earns it every single day.  What you did to the least of my brothers, you did it to me.

God is sacred; Christianity is sacred.  But it’s not just about Him.  It’s also about us!  Life is sacred; marriage is sacred; family is sacred.  All other definitions are fiction.  All other definitions are an appeasement; an affront to Christ’s sacrifice and death.  Did the Lord die in vain?  God forbid!  Did He die and shake hands and agree to disagree?  Never!  Then why do we do this to Him?  Why do we make pretend that there are far more important matters than life, marriage and family?  Are we to believe that Christ’s death was an exaggeration?  He didn’t have to go that far.

Those who attack the sacredness of life, marriage and family do not have any difficulty in ridiculing, insulting and degrading those who think differently.  Oh well, aren’t you guys suppose to forgive us?  It’s amazing how selective is their memory and knowledge of Christianity.  Yes!  We are!  But we will not roll over and play dead.  We forgive you… for you know not what you are doing.  Let us not forget that it was Christ who forgave His enemies.  Let us not forget that His enemies never asked to be forgiven.  We know that by what they did next. 

Let’s not be hypocrites or blind guides.  Where did we ever get the idea of hiding in our Churches; preaching only to the choir; of playing dead; of not speaking out; of negotiating with sin?   

Christ was not a diplomat.  He died because he would not negotiate or surrender.  The Lord was not a weak man.  He conquered death!  All of us put him to death and He rose from the dead.  When we learned of what He did, some of us switched sides; some continued along party lines.  Once upon a time, you could tell a Christian from a non-Christian by what they were willing and not willing to do.  Those who were willing to sacrifice everything but their faith, honor, principles, morals and values were the Christians.  Now, you have Christians who are willing to sacrifice their faith, honor, principles, morals and values but not their homes, careers, income and/or status. 

The Lord never told his Apostles to mingle and mix with the latest trends; to go unnoticed; to not stand out.  Not even when all appeared lost did He call for a truce, or an evolving of ideas.  On the contrary, the Lord put his enemies on notice.  He declared all out war for the salvation of souls.  He declared it in the upper room on the night he was betrayed.  He declared it as He was nailed to the Cross.  He declared it when He said, “Do not be afraid.  Go throughout the world…”

He is looking for a few good men.  As soon as he can find a special operator that is willing to fight and die for Him, He will send Him.  This is the truth.  All other ideas of the ideal Christian are simply nonsense!  Or better yet, from the devil’s headquarters.  The devil would love for us to call off the attacks on abortion.  He would love for us to retreat on marriage and family.  “Let’s have a little respect here for people’s privacy, shall we?”  “You shouldn’t be protesting in front of our clinic doors.  Where are your manners?” 

In today’s first reading, we read of how proud St. Paul is with the Christians in Thessalonica.  Their faith is flourishing; the love they have for each other keeps growing; their endurance in the face of persecution and affliction is a model for others.  He considers their suffering as evidence of the just judgment of God.

Do you still believe that your trials and tribulations are proof that God does not exist or is absent?  Give me a break!  We know the apple does not fall far from the tree.  If they persecuted me, then they will persecute you!

St. Paul traveled to the ends of the earth to make one convert.  St. Monica traveled across the sea to convert her son.  Why did they do it?  For love of God and neighbor.  How did they do it?  By imitating Jesus Christ.  And both were very successful in accomplishing their mission.  And both paid a heavy price for it.

Let’s not make the Lord’s death (or St. Paul’s and St. Monica’s) in vain.  His death was meant to inspire us all.

Jn 6:60-69 Turning the World Upright

Jn 6:60-69  Turning the World Upright

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Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” 

An atheist believes the world is what it is.  A Christian, on the other hand, knows the world isn’t what it is; it’s upside down.  I think this helps explain why the world finds Christ’s sayings so hard to accept.  After all, when you are upside down, it’s hard to follow someone so upright!

You would think it would be easier to believe someone who loves you than someone who wants to love you.  Think again.  Most parents of teenagers know just how hard it is for their teens to believe them.  Although teens may have a hard time listening to and obeying their parents, they don’t seem to have a hard time listening to their friends, especially their boyfriend or girlfriend.  When a high school boy tells a high school girl that he loves her and wants her, she has a tendency to believe him.  But when her mother tells her that this boy’s hormones are out of control and that he is a smooth talker, well, she has a tendency to dismiss her mother.  You would think by now this lesson would have been learned.  Think again.

You would think that if we sell diamonds for millions of dollars and cars for thousands of dollars, that no one would ever sell their body for twenty dollars or their soul for ten.  Think again… 

Of course the atheist is correct in saying this world “is what it is”, but it is not the same as saying it is what it was always meant to be. 

Sin has turned everything, especially us, upside down.  And since God is love and sin is inversely proportional to love (the more we sin, the less we love), it's no wonder we have a difficulty understanding God.  It's no wonder God’s sayings seem to be difficult sayings that are hard to accept.

I find it amazing how I can believe every word someone says to me, but I cannot believe in God’s word.  Or how I can repeatedly place all my trust in another human being, and repeatedly be disappointed, but I can’t seem to place my trust in God who unconditionally loves me. 

Wives should be subordinate to their husbands.  Today’s first reading is not easy to accept.  I happen to love it and for a shocking reason:  it's very pro-wife!  St. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, tells the community, “Brother and sisters:  Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church…Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her…”  (Eph 5:21-32)

This is a hard saying…what wife can accept this?  Answer:  Only those who have been unconditionally loved (served) by their husbands. 

Men often tell me, “Father, my wife ignores me.  She never does anything for me.”  If that is your case, then maybe the problem is not so much with your wife as it is with you!  What does it take for a wife to do whatever her husband asks her to do?  St. Paul tells them:  Men, if you wish to be the head of the household, then you must be the first to love; the best in loving; and the foremost teacher in love.  Remember:  the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church.

Why would I ever do anything for Christ?  Because I know He would do anything for me.  [Actually, he already did everything for me].  I would gladly be a slave for Christ because I know he would serve me before I had the slightest chance to serve Him.

Would I ever be a slave for someone?  Only if I knew they loved me.  Only if I knew they would die for me.  Christ is the head of his bride, the Church, because He earned it.  He died for her.  Here lies the true inspiration for Romeo and Juliet.

The same holds true for Christ’s body and blood.  Why did Simon Peter believe Christ?  Because Simon Peter knew he was loved by Christ.  That’s all it took. 

I’m a simple fisherman, Lord.  I don’t understand a thing you said today.  But I do know something.  I know that you love me.  And if you love me, then that’s all I need to know.  That’s all I need to know to believe in you. 

It is Christ’s love that turns our world upright.

Mt 23: 1-12 Heavy Burdens To Carry

Mt 23: 1-12  Heavy Burdens To Carry

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Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.  Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.  For they preach but they do not practice.  They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry…”

Do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.   Some months ago, the Italian media began publishing hundreds of personal memos and letters by high ranking prelates working in the Vatican.  This scandal, known as “Vati-leaks”, is the stuff of soap operas.  It paints a horrible picture of some the personalities working closely with the Holy Father.  Not a few of these Cardinals and Bishops appear to be solely interested in advancing their careers.  Of course, these individuals (and documents) have become a source embarrassment and distraction for the Church, the Holy Father and the entire people of God.  Recently, the Holy Father called the entire Roman Curia together to blast them for their selfish ambitions and personal desires for personal gain.  In a nutshell, the Pope told them:  When you were invited to work at the Vatican, you were not invited to be served by others, but to serve others.  You are not here because you earned it.  You are here because you were called.  Get to work!

We really shouldn’t be scandalized by what is very human.  It’s very human to blame others for my failures.  It’s very human to point the finger at others.  It’s perfectly normal to make excuses for one’s incompetence. What’s remarkable - rather stunning - is that the Lord did not tell his disciples that the Pharisees were evil men; or that they preached evil things.  In fact, He told them that they preached what they were supposed to teach (the truth).  But they didn’t practice what they preached; or better yet, they didn’t preach what they practiced.  There’s a novelty for you! 

And by not doing so, they added extra burdens on sinners!  They isolated the open sinners from the hidden sinners.

They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry.  I have noticed that kids always love it when I tell them personal stories about myself, especially of my past mistakes.  They love it because they never ever expected it.  Actually, they love it because they can relate to it.  My hope and prayer for doing so is that they can relate to it in confession!  That is one of my goals during a retreat:  to get to confession and to get others to go to confession as well.

I don’t know about you, but I have noticed how the lines for communion are always much longer than the lines for confession.  I think it’s because we are far more inclined to let others see our good side than our bad side.  And this is the problem.  It’s not always a good thing.  According to today’s Gospel, the Lord’s problem with the Pharisees is not that they not perfect, it’s that they cannot relate to sinners, even though they are sinners themselves.  They tie up heavy burdens hard for others to carry because they tie their burdens upon the shoulders of others.  In other words, what makes it harder for me to carry my burden is if I think I am the only one carrying any burden at all!  If I pick up at how everyone around me is receiving communion, chances are I WILL TOO!  If I notice someone crossing their arms and receiving a blessing, I will be more inclined to do the same.

We can make ourselves more accessible (and more relatable) by making ourselves more transparent.  It’s not easy.  It’s no fun.  It’s not without its risks.  But it will end up being a bit relaxing for others.  What happens when someone opens up their heart to another?  The others follow.  And even more will eventually follow.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

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.