A Restless Life

The set of readings for this Sunday represent a good reminder of our need for humility.  We must approach life with the knowledge that God has made everything in our lives possible.  We are the poor, and Jesus is our benefactor.  Without the gifts bestowed to us by God, we cannot begin to fathom the mysteries, the wisdom, the love that has been left on this earth (and beyond) for us.  We must take our place, the lowest place at the table, and wait for our turn to be elevated.  In humbling ourselves by accepting that place, we allow ourselves to re-built and shaped by our Creator, the One who Loves each of us more than we can possibly ever know. Disclaimer: This will be at the bottom of all reflections, but I’m not intending to put out any sort of professional critique, attempt at a homily, or investigation into the historicity of the readings, but will “let the Spirit move me” as some say, to share what has spoken to me in my reading and reflection on the set of...

The delay of gratification.  That can be an accurate summary for the Christian Life.  At all times, we are called to balance the needs of our basic, primal nature as creatures of the earth with the higher, spiritual needs that await us beyond.  And as Christians, we are called to skew that balance, to take less than we need and give more than is comfortable.  But do we always do that?  I know that I cannot claim to do so.  And yet throughout of history as laid out in God's Word, we see the rewards to those who have been able to master themselves.   This weekend, we hear a line from Jesus's parable in Luke's Gospel that is so impactful and meaningful to me that I have the verse written on a post-it note and placed on my dresser.  The notion that Jesus tells all of us that, and I'll paraphrase a little here, to those of us who have been given much, much will be expected.  We all have gifts given to us from God, and we are all called to use...

This week, we begin with in Joshua marking a critical point in the flight from Egypt.  The passage begins with God removing the reproach of Egypt, transitioning the Israelites from wanderers subsisting on manna provided from above to settlers who are able to celebrate the Passover from cultivating the land.  And it is easy to hear the Psalm sang out by these Israelites, as they are able to tangibly taste and see the realization of God's promise to Moses.  Those who are still with them have been faithful and trusting of the Lord, and they have been rewarded. The second reading provides a great transition linking the first reading to the Gospel.  St. Paul reminds us that we must allow ourselves to be made anew by God.  Through this Lenten season, we should be focusing on this message, ridding ourselves of our sinful habits and to be reconciled in the new life that Jesus and God have prepared for us.  We must be like the Israelites who found themselves marking...

In listening to Jeremiah's words in the First Reading, he reiterates God's importance in our life, which is reiterated in the Psalm.  To paraphrase these: God is our salvation, the source of our strength, the backbone that keeps us upright.  God is our refuge and our protector, and will provide solace in times of need.  This rings true especially to me, as I am reminded of my need to place more importance to be mindful of God's influence and more gracious of the gifts provided to me.  I find myself too often distracted by the problems of the day and feel like I must tackle them all alone.  Jeremiah words reassure me that God is here and will provide aid, whether directly through those gifts given or indirectly through those sent into my life. I'm sure we're all familiar with the Second Reading, or at least the latter part of it, due to its popularity in use at wedding ceremonies.  The first part of the reading is bracketed* this week, and provides a great i...

Following last week's post on the readings, I found myself weirdly excited in Mass this past weekend with anticipation of what was to come.  I felt like I was well prepared for some exam that was to come.  Now this week, I contrast that feeling with the first reading where, according to the context provided next to my set of readings, the people of Nehemiah and Ezra's time were hearing the Word proclaimed for the first time following their return and they wept for joy at this experience.  Their actions are echoed in the Psalm's response that God's Words are spirit and life, expressing the tangible and intangible strength He has.  At the culmination of the First Reading, Ezra's proclamation to enjoy life, share with others, and celebrate the holiness of the day, is a good reminder to celebrate the important and sacred events in life. While I know that I won't do any justice to St. Paul in delving into the theological insights he provides in the Second Reading, I ...

What a great set of readings to begin this journey.  Not just in the Gospel, with Jesus performing his first public miracle, which echoes my beginning here with this project, albeit with mine beginning on a much smaller scale and in a more insignificant way...  But in starting with the first line of the First Reading, I feel like it is my own soul crying out that it will “not be quiet”.  In continuing to the Psalm, I (we) must “proclaim His marvelous deeds”, which are loving and miraculous, pointing towards what is to be read in the Second Reading and the Gospel.  This week, I’ll focus on the latter two readings mainly, as they resonated most with me. In the Second Reading, Paul is writing to the Corinthians around two thousand years ago, and yet the words seemingly could be spoken to any of us.  The Lord, through the Holy Spirit, provides gifts to us all, and it is part of our journey to find the proper outlets and use of those gifts.  We may be skilled ...