Mt 10:1-7 Some of the Luckiest People In The World

Mt 10:1-7  Some of the Luckiest People In The World

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Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness…He sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.  Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Their names are listed for all the world to see:  Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas Iscariot.    But what’s in a name, if it isn’t backed by another name?  What makes their names “special” if they are not backed by the only name in which there is salvation, Jesus Christ?  For this reason alone Peter is The Rock and Judas is The Betrayer.

Their names are forever remembered because they are forever associated with the Eternal One.

They came from nowhere.  Most of them lived in extreme poverty.  Almost all of them had no formal education.   And yet, we often think of the Twelve has having been privileged; as if they had received an additional Sacrament, a secret Sacrament, that no others had received.  But that is wishful thinking.  It’s convenient for me to think this way; it allows me to lower the bar; keep the expectations to a minimum.

  Who needs expectations?  After all, they can only disappoint. 

Sean Covey wrote the book, “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”  The book was highly effective…for him.  When we think of highly effective people, we think of successful people.  And when we think of successful people, we think of money.  What we should think of is holiness.  What we should think of are the “Seven Sacraments of Highly Effective People” by Jesus Christ.

What the Apostles received, I received.  Of course these men were blessed.  They walked with the Lord; they talked to him.  They actually saw miracles take place by Him.   But so did Judas. 

What the Apostles received, I received.  But what they did with it makes all the difference in the world.  They took it and ran with it!

Go to the lost sheep of Israel.    This was their first assignment.  They were asked to go rescue those caught up in the hurricane.  The Lord wanted to shock his Apostles and to shock his people.  They went for maximum exposure.  They went straight into action and right at the problem: the lost sheep of Israel; the Jews who were lost and needed to be found.  Today, we would call them fallen away Catholics who are lost and need to be found.

Often I am asked by hot headed yet well intended Catholics to pound hard and drive home in my homilies hot button issues to Sunday Catholics.  But if their heavy handed tactics don’t make much of an impression on me, it will definitely not impress many of them. 

My homilies are nothing like my blog.  Why?  Because they are not the place or the way to go about discussing hot button issues to fallen away Catholics.   Most people will think it is out of fear.  They insult me.  But what is there to fear?  That we are rejected?  We already are!  The reason why you won’t hear priests discuss contraceptives or gay-marriage directly from the pulpit is because it is not effective.  Since our Catholic schools failed to teach our children these issues; since CCD failed to teach them anything; since families failed to teach them the faith, then everyone thinks it’s the priest that must clean up the mess in Mass!  So now, after all this failure, well intended Catholics want us to discuss all the things that should have been taught at home, on the weekends and in our schools should now be taught in Mass, en masse!  No! 

There are some priests that try to do it.  It looks like it works.  But it does it from the pulpit?  Are they successful in filling the pews by attracting the faithful from all over?  Have they brought the unchurched to church?  Have they found the lost?  What we know that works is one-to-one relationships.  What we know is successful are Catholic families that teach the faith to their children; Catholic schools that teach the faith to their students; Catholic ministries that bring the faith to others. 

What must the priests do for the lost sheep of Rome?  They must have a child-like heart. 

Express hope in sadness.  Share a laugh with the truth.  Teach the truth and show mercy and forgiveness.  Write your thoughts down and share them with others.  Pope Benedict’s homilies are not the same as Pope Benedict’s encyclicals.  John Paul’s mega gatherings full of laughter and smiles were not the same as John Paul’s staff meetings full of agendas and concerns.  We must always be Christ-like to others.  Know where is the best place, when is the best time and best way to give Jesus Christ.  Know when to be Christ-like by being child-like.  Know when to be Christ-like by being martyr.  Know when to be Christ-like by being a leader!

Joy is essential in converting the hearts and minds of fallen away Catholics.  If I look sad, gloomy, cheerless and distressed over issues the Church faces, then I have given more power, more authority and more weight to the bad news than to the Good News; more ammunition to my enemies than to my best friend, Jesus Christ; more credibility to the devil than to our Savior.  No one in their right mind will ever be convinced of my faith by the gloom on my face!  Instead, look at Jesus:  determined in his distress; cool under duress; loving and forgiving when we transgress; joyful and peaceful in his success.    

“Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name.  I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears…Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and you faces may not blush with shame.  When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.”  (Ps. 34:2-7)

The luckiest people in the world are the holiest!  Let's show it.

Mt 9:32-38 When Much Is Given

Mt 9:32-38  When Much Is Given

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Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.  At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were…like sheep without a shepherd.

Sometimes I wish I wasn’t Catholic or a priest!  God can be so hard on me!

While reading today’s first reading, I noticed how God is constantly reminding the Jews to be loyal and faithful to Him.   He’s tough with them; all the time!  And it’s not just in today’s reading; it’s a constant theme in every reading!  Why doesn’t the Lord pick on the Assyrians?  Why doesn’t he harp on the Egyptians?  Why does he leave them alone and not his own?

The same is true of Jesus.  He is constantly criticizing the Pharisees, the scribes, the elders and the chief priests.  Why?  Why doesn’t he pick on someone His own size?  Why doesn’t He go after the Romans?  Why doesn’t he say something to them?  “Hey Caesar, did you ever try being gentler with your enemies?  Pilate, did you know there’s a better way to deal with criminals than to just crucify them?”  Nope.  The Lord remains quite silent with them.  In fact, he doesn’t like to deal with them, unless they need His help.  Instead, the Lord prefers to pounce on his own.  He is constantly going after his own.  Why is that?

Where much is given, much is expected!  I would never expect an elderly man to help me carry boxes.  I would expect a young man to carry an elderly man’s boxes.  I would never expect a crippled man to help me move things into my home.  I would expect a healthy man to help a crippled man move his things into his home.  To whom much is given, much is expected.  I would not expect a young man to have all the right answers.  I would expect an older man to ask all the right questions. 

We are Catholics.  Much is expected.  Very much is expected.  It’s not an easy life.  It’s a lot of work!  It’s not as easy to lead as it is to be led.  It’s not as fun to be the Shepherd as it is to be the sheep (unless it’s being led to the slaughter; and even in that case, we, the Shepherds, would have to go first!!!).  We just don't seem to ever get a break! 

Just once, wouldn’t it be nice to lie like the rest and let your conscience get away with it?  I’m not talking about a little lie…Nooooo!  I’m talking about a BIG TIME LIE! Just once, wouldn’t you like to think of yourself first?  Wouldn’t it be great to serve just yourself, just once?  Wouldn’t it be great to abandon all your responsibilities, justify all your crimes and punch out an eye or a tooth? Oh, how wonderful it would be to kill your enemy, destroy their reputation, and knock out the lights!  Wouldn’t it be great to get away with murder?     

But this is not for us.  Our God talks…and hears and sees.  “Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does.  Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men.  They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; they have ears but hear not…”

Well then, what about God?  Shouldn’t we expect more from Him???  Shouldn’t we expect peace on earth?  Why not?  After all, to whom much is given, much is expected!   What does the Lord have to say about that?  Like I said before, our God speaks…loud and clear:  If you desire peace then forgive those who offend you; love those who hurt you.  If you offer a drink of water, you offer it to me.  If you do this, then good will triumph over evil. 

But you need to do this first, if you want to see what happens next.

Idols don’t speak, but their makers do.   And what they say is hardly new.  In fact, they keep refurbishing the same old arguments that keep repeating the same old conflicts.  You would think by now we would have learned our lessons.  You would think by now we would change our allegiance.  You would think by now we would all look for a new and unique leader!

Plenty of sheep, few shepherds to follow.  The Lord has given us plenty:  plenty of opportunities, plenty of graces, plenty of sheep.  Let’s break from the crowd and start leading today.

Mt 9:9-13 Smiles and Mercy

Mt 9:9-13  Smiles and Mercy

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The Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.  Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice.  I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” 

While I was in Hawaii, I saw a man standing at the corner preaching Hell and the end of the world.  Near to him was a little girl singing "Soul Sister".  The man had a crowd of two listening to him.  The little girl had a crowd of nearly a thousand listening to her.  The difference did not go unnoticed to me.  I was standing next to the little girl who was singing to me.

There is no mention in scripture of the Lord ever laughing.  And there is hardly any mention of him ever smiling.  Since we tend to write what we remember (and what we most remember is what we find most unique and shocking), this tells me that the Lord did an awful lot of laughing and smiling. 

Scripture does not retell the obvious; it shares with us the unique and mysterious.  For example, it does not remind us that the Lord breathed, that’s obvious.  Rather, it reminds us of the time when the Lord stopped breathing.  The Evangelists did not wish to share with us that people were dying to see the Lord.  Instead, they recount to us those who were raised from the dead.  We know, for instance, that the Apostles often traveled without food.   They often point this out and in detail. 

I suspect that the Lord did not speak often.  Why?  Because the Apostles recorded every single parable he said; every single encounter he had; and every single point he made.  This is something we do not do easily, especially with those who lecture us.  What is obvious is who often went missing.  The Lord valued solitude.

I believe the Lord smiled and laughed very often; which means he cried very little.  No wonder, the Apostles were shocked to see the Lord cry at the death of his close friend.  No wonder why it was a memorable moment.  The Lord’s laughter was seen by all, but not his crying.  It must have gotten to the point that his smile and laughter was so common that it was taken for granted.  His crying must have  been shocking.

Many of us can remember the day our father cried.  Not many of us can remember the day he laughed or smiled. 

Mother Teresa laughed and smiled so much that we could hardly tell that she worked with the poorest of the poor.  But when she did cry, it did not go unnoticed.  In fact, it sent shockwaves throughout the faithful.  Why?  Because she didn’t do it often.   

Holy people know how to smile and laugh.  This is important.  And the reason why they know how to smile and laugh is because they do it often.  It becomes such a habit that it hardly gets noticed…like their habit!  The Saints know how to laugh because they know how to love.  And to love means to know how to sacrifice. 

I desire mercy, not sacrifice.  Doesn’t the Lord ask us to make sacrifices?  But now he's telling us that he doesn’t want our sacrifices!  I’m so confused!!!  Which one is it??? 

To show mercy is to show love.  To love requires sacrifice.  It isn’t a question of either or, it is a question of which comes first.  Love always comes first in everything we do.  Mercy is required before an honest-to-God sacrifice can be made!  There is no other way.  If we follow the commandments out of fear of the Lord, then we will never convince a living soul to follow the Lord.  But if we follow the commandments out of love for the Lord, then we will convince all the souls around us.  How will they really know the difference?  By the smile on your face!   

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul…and my lips!