Luke 10:1-9 Clearing The Way

Luke 10:1-9  Clearing The Way

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The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two 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.”

He was driving home from a football game.  His team had lost (like always) and he was in a bad mood.  Instead of taking the normal (safe) route home, he decided to take a different route.  It was late at night when he noticed a woman on side of the road.  She was waiting.  She was a prostitute. 

This young man, a senior in high school, lived under very strict rules at home.  Although he never complained, he was a bit resentful of his life.  As he was speaking to me, he reminded me of the eldest son in the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Yes, he was a solid Christian man.  He went to church on Sunday.  He prayed before meals.  He was respectful to his elders.  He kept his virginity.  But he wasn’t happy.  He felt like his family was keeping him from the best things in life!

He decided to turn into an abandoned lot.  He stopped the car.  She walked up to it.  He rolled down the window.  He looked at her.  She looked at him.  But when she looked at him, he felt as though she looked right through him.  She smiled at him, shook her head and said to him, “No.  You shouldn’t be here.  This is not for you.  Go home.”

He took off, ashamed of himself and crying as he had never cried before.  A prostitute had saved his soul.

Maybe she was an undercover cop.  Maybe she was a real-life prostitute.  But no matter what, this young man will never forget what happened to him that night. 

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom (cf. Psalm 145:12).  Paradoxically, morals, values and principles are black and white.  People are not.  What is right or wrong is clear.  That people are good or bad is not. 

Of course, much of who we are is connected to what we do.  But instead of focusing on what we do, the Lord focused on who we are.  This is why the Lord was so successful in converting the sinner.  He was able to look beyond the sin and see the broken heart behind every “Sinner”.  By healing the heart, he eliminated the bleeding, the sinning. 

I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last.  No matter what state of life I am in, I can give glory to God.  No matter what I have done, I can give glory to God.  No matter what work I do, I can give glory to God.  No matter what I have or where I am, I can give glory to God.  No matter how sinful I am, I can give glory to God.  For God chose the weak to make the strong look weak. 

He chose us (the weak) to carry his work along.    

So what do you work for?  Who do you work for? Who’s your boss?  Do you work for heaven and earth or just for earth?  Do you work for God and man or just for man?  When was the last time you invited someone to go to Church with you?  Never??? 

“Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.”  Leave behind your pride (money = security), your vanity (sandals = image), and your sensuality (greetings = seeking approval).

What I must do is pretty clear.  Who I am is not so clear.  Let’s make it all a lot clearer by clearing the Way of the Lord. 

Mk 10:17-30 Sell What You Have, Come Follow Me

Mk 10:17-30  Sell What You Have, Come Follow Me

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As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  …Jesus answered him, “You know the commandments…”  He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”  Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing.  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”  At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Not too long ago, I was speaking to someone at Toys R’ Us.  They were telling me that board games are becoming a thing of the past.  Very few kids buy them or even ask for them these days.  Instead, electronic counsels and games are hot sellers and cool items. 

But afterwards I asked myself if kids really thought electronic games were better than board games, or if they thought they were a better substitute to an unfortunate reality:  that they only play by themselves; that they never get a chance (or have the time) to play - just play - with their friends or family.       

Today, I spent a lot of time at our Autumn Fair.  I didn’t see a single electronic game or a single sad face among the children.  Why?  Because they were having a ton of fun!

I admit, there was a truck that had every single conceivable electronic game available in it for them.  But I am glad to report to you that while there was light, there was hardly anyone playing.  And I am so glad!   Because our kids, young and old, were having a great time being with their friends and family. 

The activities and food that were at the Fair were pretty much the same games and food I had when I was a child.  A Fair is a Fair and kids are kids who love to be kids as long as they are allowed to be with other kids.  It’s not "what-you-have" that matters, but "who-you-are-with" that counts.

I suspect the rich young man had everything he ever wanted, except for the things that money could never buy.  I wonder if over the years, he had allowed himself to substitute healthy and holy relationships for hard work and possessions.  Maybe he had allowed himself to be defined by others for what he had and what he did, and never for who he was.  And as the rich young man could never imagine for a moment gaining heaven (happy) by having less, neither could he imagine following the Lord by giving up his very own priorities, paradigms, thoughts, work, dreams and aspirations. 

From today’s Gospel passage, it’s clear to see that our possessions have a tendency to keep us away from a real relationship with the Lord, as well as with others. 

The Lord asked this “poor” man a conscience building or conscience busting question:  Do you want your possessions to define your relationship with me?  Do you want your thoughts, dreams and aspirations to define your will over me?  Or do you prefer to have a real relationship with me, based strictly on who I am and who you are?

We all need fellowship.  We were made for it as well as for the Lord.  A few nights ago, I watched a movie with a family.  It was called, “Pirates:  A Band of Misfits”.  I loved the movie for just one scene.  It was the scene in which Charles Darwin was describing his latest scientific discovery and writing it in his journal.  Suddenly, he stopped writing.  He looked up, looked sad, and proceeded to write, “I will never kiss a woman.”  I laughed!!!  Finally!  A movie screen writer wrote honestly about the very human Charles Darwin.

Man was created for fellowship.  He was not created to hold on to things or to study many things.  He was created to love and be loved.  And although the rich young man knew that something was missing in his life; unfortunately, he couldn’t remember exactly what it was.  He knew his possessions were not enough for eternal life (for God), but he was too afraid to lose them in order to find himself and God. 

Sell what you have, and come follow me.  Why must I sell what I have to follow the Lord?  What’s the connection?  It’s our fellowship in Christ’s life.

The Lord did not want this young man to follow Him and then be “known” or “defined” for his great wealth and possessions.  After all, that's not how the Lord is remembered at all.  Instead, the Lord wanted this young man to be known and defined for his great generosity towards the Father…just like Him; and for tremendous sacrifice for the Father…just like Him; and for giving everything away for heaven’s sake…just like Him. 

The Lord wanted the rich young man to become poor so as to become rich…just like Him.  He wanted him to be defined not by what he had or by what he did, but by how he loved.

So do not allow your possessions to define who you are! 

Summary:  May I never allow my possessions - whether material, psychological or sinful - to define who I am.  I will not allow my possessions to possess me!  I refuse to sell myself to follow others.  Instead, I will sell what I have to follow the Lord and love others. 

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 8: 4-15 Fuming All Over!

Luke 8: 4-15  Fuming All Over!

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When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. “A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up…And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundred-fold…”

There still exists some bitter arguing among Protestants and Catholics regarding Martin Luther’s theological “dogma” known as Sola fides (faith alone).  But there is a new “dogma” out there which is far more dangerous and worse in scope and has failed to catch the attention of most Christian pastors and priests.  It is a doctrine that is very seductive and can suck the life out of any Christian at any given moment.  This dogma is spreading like wildfire and has become prevalent in nearly every single Christian denomination.  It is the dogma I affectionately call:  Affectus solum.  That is, “Feelings alone”. 

A person whose faith rests almost entirely on feelings is a faith that is dead, or soon to be dead.  Like faith without works is dead, so to faith with just feelings is dead!  People who have succumbed to this dogma (or deadly virus) tend towards hallucinations and say: “I am not religious.  I am spiritual.”

There was a man who threw some seed on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture.  Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 

These poor seeds never had a chance to survive because they never had fertile ground to take root in.  They died the moment they hit the rocky or bumpy or thorny ground.  And just like a seed cannot survive without water and fertile ground; faith in God cannot survive without prayer and knowledge of God.

If Christ’s love for us was based solely on feelings, He would have thrown in the towel long before He ever picked up His Cross.  If Christ’s love for His father was based solely on feelings, He would have thrown the Cup of Sacrifice smack in His father’s face!

Don’t we know that by now?  Haven’t we had enough of the rollercoaster rides?  Haven’t we had enough of feeling great about God one moment and then accusing Him of not caring the next?  Haven’t we seen the sad results of wishy-washy sentimental love?  It plays out all the time among our most fervent yet superficial converts.  It plays out among our dearest charismatic friends and families.  It plays out among our retreatants and Medjugorje pilgrims.  It plays out among our dearest stars (Kristen Stewart comes to mind). 

Does a bride merry her spouse out of feelings of love or out of a deep knowledge of her spouse?  If it is out of feelings, then we know how long that will last; as long as a feeling lasts.  Not long at all.

Why do we place so much of our trust, hope and love in feelings rather than in real and concrete faith? 

The headline read:  “From Bible-Belt Pastor to Atheist Leader”.    I read the New York Times article with some interest.  It appears as though there are a growing number of atheists coming out from under their Protestant robes.  The man featured in the article is the former Reverend Jerry DeWitt.  I took some notes while I read the incredibly long article dedicated to religion.  What I found were few surprises.  I added some of my own notes while I read.

DeWitt is a descendent of a long line of preachers on both sides of the family [Thank God for chastity!].  His grandfather established 16 churches by himself [Church making is considered an excellent franchise in the Bible-belt].  At the age of 17 he was “saved” [Uh oh, I thought it was ‘once saved, always saved] by Jimmy Swaggart [That might explains it!].  Weeks later he was speaking in tongues [Now wait a minute…it would be interesting if he claims that was real and it would be revealing if he claims it was a hoax.  If it was real, then how could he be an atheist today?].

One day, while sitting in church, he heard his pastor call on him to deliver a homily [I should try that one day, but this sounds as real as a ‘reality’ show].  He says he spoke and the “crowd” loved it! [Yep!  Sounds fake to me].  He said, “I knew right then that preaching was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.”  [Wow!  One sermon and he found his vocation.  That’s an easy way of convincing someone they can be a motivational speaker.  But chastity, poverty and obedience are the ways to find out if someone is being authentically called by God!  After all, where does one find their cross to carry?  Among your fan club?  Within the crowd worshipping you?].

DeWitt preached across the South, although he never received a college degree [What???].  In 2004, he became a full-time pastor at a church near DeRitter [Are you kidding me?]. 

After reading this nine-page article, I was no longer interested in knowing why DeWitt became an atheist.  Rather, I was much more interested in knowing how he survived being a Christian pastor for so long.  After all, it sounds like everything he did; he did it on his own!  Maybe he did it more for himself than for anyone else. 

A Pastor who runs on feelings for so long will eventually end up fuming mad!  And that’s exactly what happened. 

But how can someone, who never went to college and never got a degree (which really means he never received a deep appreciation for the faith of our fathers or a systematic understanding of Christianity).  What did he spend half his life giving to others?  No wonder why a good hearted and sentimental man now claims to be a recovering Christian. 

May our faith in you, O Lord, take root in our hearts, minds and bodies, so that the knowledge of your Son, and not our own desires, may always prevail in us.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Mt 19:16-22 Come Follow Me

Mt 19:16-22  Come Follow Me

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A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” 

“What do you have to do to get to heaven?”    I know…it’s kind of a trick question. But I would often ask it to my students when I taught theology, and undoubtedly they would answer:  Be good.  I would then remind them that if that were the case, then why did Jesus have to die for us?  Couldn’t he have just preached to us?

Keep the commandments.  The young man’s question is not initially answered by the Lord.  He tells the young man, “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”  Notice the Lord did not tell him, “If you wish to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments?”  He went on to say: Do not kill; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your mother and father; love your neighbor as yourself.    

But wait…isn’t something missing?  Aren’t the first three commandments missing? 

No!  Not if you want to be “good”.

If you ask people what they must do to be “good”, then most will tell you:  be kind, be nice, be considerate, be tolerant, be respectful, be honest, be yourself.    

But being good is not enough. If you wish to enter into heaven, then you must believe in the one the Father sent.  Remember:  “No one comes to the Father except through the Son” (cf. Jn 14:6).  “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we are saved” (Acts 4:12).    

Being good is good, but being better than good is the best.

If you wish to be perfect, go, give to the poor what you have and follow me.  To believe in the Lord means to follow the Lord…with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and with all my strength.  To follow the Lord leaves hardly any room to follow anything or anyone else, including myself.  To love the Lord above all things is the greatest commandment.  It means to sell what is most precious to me in order to inherit something that is priceless. 

What does the Lord want me to give away?  Well, what possession do I possess is most precious to me?  Maybe my most precious possessions are not something physical, but rather something immaterial, like opinions, my opinions. 

Opinions are not hard to come by.  They readily flow from our mouths.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with an opinion as long as it corresponds to God’s Will.  But if it doesn’t, then maybe that is something worth forfeiting to inherit the faith of priceless value.

We, Americans, are very good at being philanthropic.  We are good at giving our money.  We are also very good at attaching our opinions to our giving.  The Gates comes to mind.  They are very generous with their excess money, but only when it comes to causes they believe in.  This sounds reasonable unless one’s beliefs are unreasonable.

What are my opinions if they are not attached to the Will of God?  Simply put:  they are a tear in God’s (and humanity’s) eyes.  What are my opinions and my giving if they are not attached to the Will of God?  Simply put:  they are an extension of my possessions and the illusion of generosity. 

Follow me means exactly what is says; in every imaginable way; in every sense of the word.