A priest friend of mine told me a story about a stained glass window in his church that needed repair. It was old, and with age, was beginning to bow, loosening from the metal frame. As you might imagine, stained glass repairmen are hard to come by.
So my friend called around to find the best person in the Archdiocese. And when Father found him, he had him come over and check out the window. After about 15 minutes, the man went out to his truck to draw up the contract. In the contract, the repairman made it explicitly clear what he wasn't going to do, what he was going to do, when he was going to do it, and when Father had to pay him. Father even had to put down a nonrefundable deposit -- before seeing his work.
In relating this story, Father made it clear that the contract was written to protect the repairman and wasn't making any special effort to help him out. But Father needed that stained glass window fixed and he knew this was the only guy in Boston who could fix it. So Father took one look at this contract and asked, "Where do I sign?"
The readings this Sunday (http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/032909a.shtml) and last Sunday (http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/032209a.shtml) revolve around this concept of covenant and contract. Last Sunday we read that famous passage from John 3: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son." What's the point of these readings? To remind us that we don't write the contract. We don't determine the how, and what, and when of life. God writes the contract, and in so doing, offers us what we need: not to fix a broken window, but the offer of salvation and eternal life.
Not only is Jesus the one through whom the contract is offered, but Jesus is the example for us to follow, because Jesus' whole life (and death) was about one thing: perfect love and obedience to the Father. Jesus shows us how we fulfill the contract. And Easter Sunday shows us the reward. The Cross (and the cross we bear) is not the end of the story.
Moreover, Jesus' life shows us that the road ahead isn't easy. In fact, even for the Son of God, life was filled with constant surprises, challenges, disappointments, frustrations, and even occasional moments of doubt and despair. But Jesus remained faithful to God through it all, to the very end. Why? Because
God loves when we are always faithful to Him -- no matter what.
So as we continue through Lent, with just a few weeks left, let us not be distracted by temptation, let us not stray from our goal. Let us not worry about challenges or obstacles or difficulty. Let us remember the reward offered in this contract so that our only question is not why me? how come? what now? or is this worth it? but simply:
Where do I sign?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
More Food for Thought
More Food for Thought while you Fast:
[These are provided courtesy of Joshua Casteel, in his book "The City of God: Reflections for Lent 2009" (https://paxchristiusa.3dcartstores.com/The-City-of-God-Reflections-for-Lent-2009_p_210.html)]
To what am I enslaved? How can I become free?
What is the most important story of my life?
What forms of usury do I need to reject in my personal and communal life?
This week, how can I truly love God and my neighbor with all that I am?
For what hubris and hypocrisy do I need to ask God's forgiveness?
In what ways am I tempted to replicate the ways of the world rather than God's ways?
In what specific ways has God called me to create a special work that will demonstrate the love of God to the world?
Who have I subtly or not so subtly considered outside of the City of God?
How can I change my stance?
What am I willing to risk to build the City of God? Is there anything I am not willing to risk?
Am I willing to hear truth wherever, and from whomever, it is spoken?
Am I prepared to encounter God in whatever form God manifests?
How do I fail to live up to Jesus' words and teachings? How can I work to change that this Lent and Easter season?
What does it mean to me that Jesus, the Savior and Child of God, wept?
In what ways do I reject or fail to nurture intimacy with God?
As a peacemaker, how do I speak the language and works of Love?
What does being a citizen of the City of God require of me?
How might we take more and more steps toward living eternally in the City of God now through loving kindness, doing justice, and walking humbly with God?
[These are provided courtesy of Joshua Casteel, in his book "The City of God: Reflections for Lent 2009" (https://paxchristiusa.3dcartstores.com/The-City-of-God-Reflections-for-Lent-2009_p_210.html)]
To what am I enslaved? How can I become free?
What is the most important story of my life?
What forms of usury do I need to reject in my personal and communal life?
This week, how can I truly love God and my neighbor with all that I am?
For what hubris and hypocrisy do I need to ask God's forgiveness?
In what ways am I tempted to replicate the ways of the world rather than God's ways?
In what specific ways has God called me to create a special work that will demonstrate the love of God to the world?
Who have I subtly or not so subtly considered outside of the City of God?
How can I change my stance?
What am I willing to risk to build the City of God? Is there anything I am not willing to risk?
Am I willing to hear truth wherever, and from whomever, it is spoken?
Am I prepared to encounter God in whatever form God manifests?
How do I fail to live up to Jesus' words and teachings? How can I work to change that this Lent and Easter season?
What does it mean to me that Jesus, the Savior and Child of God, wept?
In what ways do I reject or fail to nurture intimacy with God?
As a peacemaker, how do I speak the language and works of Love?
What does being a citizen of the City of God require of me?
How might we take more and more steps toward living eternally in the City of God now through loving kindness, doing justice, and walking humbly with God?
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Staying on Mission
Today's Gospel (Mark 9:2-10) relates the Transfiguration of Jesus. I wrote about the Transfiguration previously (see the post from 02/17/08), so I thought I would touch on a point from the passage which immediately follows in the Gospel of Mark.
When Jesus comes down the mountain with Peter, James, and John, he finds a large, disquieted crowd of people waiting for him. There is a man waiting for Jesus to heal his son possessed by a spirit. The man says that he asked Jesus' disciples (the ones who did not ascend the mountain with Peter, James, and John) to heal his son, but that they could not.
Jesus isn't happy about this. He laments, "O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?" (9:19). Why is Jesus upset? Because his disciples couldn't heal this man's son. Why couldn't they heal this man's son? That's not exactly clear. But it is surprising. And for Jesus, it's disappointing.
That's because, since Jesus missioned his disciples (cf. Mk 6:7-13), they had been going out into the neighboring towns and were driving out demons, anointing the sick, and curing them. Why couldn't they heal this man's son?
I don't pretend to know any insider information, but I can't help but wonder if the disciples couldn't heal this man's son because they were too busy feeling left behind. Maybe they were wondering why Peter, James, and John were summoned up the mountain with Jesus and the other nine had to stay back? Maybe they were busy speculating about what was going on up on the mountain? Maybe they debated about going up there to see for themselves?
For whatever reason, the disciples who stayed behind forgot their mission (Mk. 6:7-13). They didn't see staying behind as an opportunity to continue Jesus' mission without him. Instead, Mark's gospel says that when Jesus came down from the mountain, he found a large crowd in the midst of a great argument. No wonder Jesus got upset. He leaves for a day or two and the disciples get nothing accomplished; instead, they're only in the midst of some brewing controversy.
I think this passage offers us great value, especially in this Lenten Season. It is always easy for us -- like those disciples who did not ascend the mountain with Peter, James, and John -- to feel left out, like we got the short end of the stick, or a raw deal. It's easy to look at other people and wish that we had their gifts, their talents, or their opportunities in life. As we sit and stew and grow ever more envious, aggravated, disappointed, or even desperate, we lose sight of what we have to offer, what we are called to do.
This can happen very easily in Lent, when we watch others enjoy what we have given up for this period of prayer, fasting, and service. We can watch someone else enjoy every bite of chocolate, savor a cup of coffee or a cold beer, or wonder what we're missing on Facebook and start to feel a little dejected about what we have given up, a little envious of others who aren't making this sacrifice, or even a little disgruntled with the church or with God for requiring this of us.
But then we, like those disciples who missed out on the Transfiguration, miss the whole point. Sure, the Transfiguration is a climactic event in the Synoptic Gospels; but Jesus didn't just call Peter, James, and John. He called 12 men to go into the world to spread the good news and heal the sick.
In the same way, giving something up for Lent isn't supposed to feel like a heavy obligation or that we're missing out on something good; it's supposed to give us the freedom to be more open to what God provides, more available to God's grace at work in the world, and more committed to working with God's grace in the lives of others.
As we celebrate this Second Sunday of Lent, as we start to really miss what we gave up 12 days ago, let us stay on mission.
How will you make the most of this time of prayer, fasting, and service?
When Jesus comes down the mountain with Peter, James, and John, he finds a large, disquieted crowd of people waiting for him. There is a man waiting for Jesus to heal his son possessed by a spirit. The man says that he asked Jesus' disciples (the ones who did not ascend the mountain with Peter, James, and John) to heal his son, but that they could not.
Jesus isn't happy about this. He laments, "O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?" (9:19). Why is Jesus upset? Because his disciples couldn't heal this man's son. Why couldn't they heal this man's son? That's not exactly clear. But it is surprising. And for Jesus, it's disappointing.
That's because, since Jesus missioned his disciples (cf. Mk 6:7-13), they had been going out into the neighboring towns and were driving out demons, anointing the sick, and curing them. Why couldn't they heal this man's son?
I don't pretend to know any insider information, but I can't help but wonder if the disciples couldn't heal this man's son because they were too busy feeling left behind. Maybe they were wondering why Peter, James, and John were summoned up the mountain with Jesus and the other nine had to stay back? Maybe they were busy speculating about what was going on up on the mountain? Maybe they debated about going up there to see for themselves?
For whatever reason, the disciples who stayed behind forgot their mission (Mk. 6:7-13). They didn't see staying behind as an opportunity to continue Jesus' mission without him. Instead, Mark's gospel says that when Jesus came down from the mountain, he found a large crowd in the midst of a great argument. No wonder Jesus got upset. He leaves for a day or two and the disciples get nothing accomplished; instead, they're only in the midst of some brewing controversy.
I think this passage offers us great value, especially in this Lenten Season. It is always easy for us -- like those disciples who did not ascend the mountain with Peter, James, and John -- to feel left out, like we got the short end of the stick, or a raw deal. It's easy to look at other people and wish that we had their gifts, their talents, or their opportunities in life. As we sit and stew and grow ever more envious, aggravated, disappointed, or even desperate, we lose sight of what we have to offer, what we are called to do.
This can happen very easily in Lent, when we watch others enjoy what we have given up for this period of prayer, fasting, and service. We can watch someone else enjoy every bite of chocolate, savor a cup of coffee or a cold beer, or wonder what we're missing on Facebook and start to feel a little dejected about what we have given up, a little envious of others who aren't making this sacrifice, or even a little disgruntled with the church or with God for requiring this of us.
But then we, like those disciples who missed out on the Transfiguration, miss the whole point. Sure, the Transfiguration is a climactic event in the Synoptic Gospels; but Jesus didn't just call Peter, James, and John. He called 12 men to go into the world to spread the good news and heal the sick.
In the same way, giving something up for Lent isn't supposed to feel like a heavy obligation or that we're missing out on something good; it's supposed to give us the freedom to be more open to what God provides, more available to God's grace at work in the world, and more committed to working with God's grace in the lives of others.
As we celebrate this Second Sunday of Lent, as we start to really miss what we gave up 12 days ago, let us stay on mission.
How will you make the most of this time of prayer, fasting, and service?
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Food for Thought While You Fast
It's easy to sound preachy when you write about religion. I hope I avoid that temptation.
One thing I've always found useful for making more time for God is questions. They spur reflection in a way that makes me consider my life in a new light. And ordinarily, they come across way less preachy than sharing a story or commenting on a Gospel parable or theological explanation.
Pax Christi has provided some excellent questions for the first two weeks of Lent. I am providing them here in case you were looking for some food for thought during this time of fasting, prayer, and service to others.
How do I reject the violence and injustice of earthly rule and power?
How do I incarnate the belief that God is Love in the mundaneness of every day?
Have I made anything other than God into an idol, an Ideal with a capital letter?
How can I better be Word, the manifestation of God's being, to the world?
What might it mean if I live as if I have no enemies: not people from different countries, ideologies, politics, beliefs?
In what ways do I seek to be assimilated to the world's power, culture, and seduction, rather than first being a citizen of God's community?
What appeal to my heart is Christ making this week?
How am I called to communal and personal transformation?
What relationships in my life need healing?
Have I lost my sense of self, my knowledge that I belong first to God?
These are provided courtesy of Joshua Casteel, in his book "The City of God: Reflections for Lent 2009" (https://paxchristiusa.3dcartstores.com/The-City-of-God-Reflections-for-Lent-2009_p_210.html). I will post more questions for reflection in future weeks.
Feel free to share your own, as well.
Let's pray for each other!
One thing I've always found useful for making more time for God is questions. They spur reflection in a way that makes me consider my life in a new light. And ordinarily, they come across way less preachy than sharing a story or commenting on a Gospel parable or theological explanation.
Pax Christi has provided some excellent questions for the first two weeks of Lent. I am providing them here in case you were looking for some food for thought during this time of fasting, prayer, and service to others.
How do I reject the violence and injustice of earthly rule and power?
How do I incarnate the belief that God is Love in the mundaneness of every day?
Have I made anything other than God into an idol, an Ideal with a capital letter?
How can I better be Word, the manifestation of God's being, to the world?
What might it mean if I live as if I have no enemies: not people from different countries, ideologies, politics, beliefs?
In what ways do I seek to be assimilated to the world's power, culture, and seduction, rather than first being a citizen of God's community?
What appeal to my heart is Christ making this week?
How am I called to communal and personal transformation?
What relationships in my life need healing?
Have I lost my sense of self, my knowledge that I belong first to God?
These are provided courtesy of Joshua Casteel, in his book "The City of God: Reflections for Lent 2009" (https://paxchristiusa.3dcartstores.com/The-City-of-God-Reflections-for-Lent-2009_p_210.html). I will post more questions for reflection in future weeks.
Feel free to share your own, as well.
Let's pray for each other!
Sunday, March 01, 2009
What Do You Make Time For?
Earlier today, Boston Archbishop Cardinal O'Malley opened his homily with a saying he'd recently heard:
When a couple is dating, the man talks and the woman listens.
When a couple gets married, the woman talks and the man listens.
A few years into marriage, the couple talks and the neighbors listen.
Not long after, the couple stops talking. Worse still, they stop listening.
I think the reason Cardinal O'Malley began his homily like this is to remind us how easy it is for us to take our loved ones for granted. It happens to the best of us. It even happens with our soul mates. We say "I do" to "'til death do us part" and think the hard work is over. But the truth is, it's only just begun. Moreover, the hard work never ends.
In the same way that it's easy for us to take our relationships for granted, it's easy for us to take our relationship with God for granted. We know God loves us and is always there for us. We know that will never change. So it's easy to push that relationship to the back burner and move on to more pressing matters.
This is precisely why we need the Season of Lent. This "baptismal retreat" is the season in the liturgical year which encourages us to shake things up, break out of the rut we're in, and take stock in our relationship with God. The point of prayer, fasting, and service to others is to stop taking God for granted.
Lent asks us: "What do you make time for?"
In his Lenten address, Pope Benedict XVI (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/lent/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20081211_lent-2009_en.html), tells us that prayer, fasting, and service gives us the focus and discipline to "allow Him to come and satisfy the deepest hunger that we can experience in the depths of our being: the hunger and thirst for God."
It might seem silly to give something up for Lent, to cut out time spent playing video games, watching ESPN, reading gossip magazines, or checking what our friends have been up to on Facebook. But time is money, meaning it has great value. What do you make time for? What is important to you?
It makes sense to say that your friends are important and to make time for them. But where does God fit in amid family, friends, school, work, and everything else?
What do you make time for?
We spend a whole lot of time being restless, anxious, insecure, doubting, afraid, and even feeling alone. And I think this has a lot to do with how we spend our time. As St. Augustine wrote, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord."
How do couples avoid taking each other for granted? They make time for each other. They are intentional about finding ways to connect, to communicate, and to be open and honest together.
In precisely the same way, we can re-connect with God and stop taking Him for granted. All it takes is making time for God. What does that mean? Well, it begins with taking a few minutes of our day to stop, to be mindful of ALL we have to be grateful for, and ask God to give us the comfort and strength to be the person He knows we can be.
Especially during Lent, one way to make time for God is to spend a bit of time each day with the readings of the day. I'd recommend the meditations provided by the Word Among Us:
http://wau.org/meditations/current/
This is the perfect way to re-connect with God, to stop taking Him for granted, and to satisfy that hunger in the very depth of our being.
And it's a great answer to that question about what you make time for.
When a couple is dating, the man talks and the woman listens.
When a couple gets married, the woman talks and the man listens.
A few years into marriage, the couple talks and the neighbors listen.
Not long after, the couple stops talking. Worse still, they stop listening.
I think the reason Cardinal O'Malley began his homily like this is to remind us how easy it is for us to take our loved ones for granted. It happens to the best of us. It even happens with our soul mates. We say "I do" to "'til death do us part" and think the hard work is over. But the truth is, it's only just begun. Moreover, the hard work never ends.
In the same way that it's easy for us to take our relationships for granted, it's easy for us to take our relationship with God for granted. We know God loves us and is always there for us. We know that will never change. So it's easy to push that relationship to the back burner and move on to more pressing matters.
This is precisely why we need the Season of Lent. This "baptismal retreat" is the season in the liturgical year which encourages us to shake things up, break out of the rut we're in, and take stock in our relationship with God. The point of prayer, fasting, and service to others is to stop taking God for granted.
Lent asks us: "What do you make time for?"
In his Lenten address, Pope Benedict XVI (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/lent/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20081211_lent-2009_en.html), tells us that prayer, fasting, and service gives us the focus and discipline to "allow Him to come and satisfy the deepest hunger that we can experience in the depths of our being: the hunger and thirst for God."
It might seem silly to give something up for Lent, to cut out time spent playing video games, watching ESPN, reading gossip magazines, or checking what our friends have been up to on Facebook. But time is money, meaning it has great value. What do you make time for? What is important to you?
It makes sense to say that your friends are important and to make time for them. But where does God fit in amid family, friends, school, work, and everything else?
What do you make time for?
We spend a whole lot of time being restless, anxious, insecure, doubting, afraid, and even feeling alone. And I think this has a lot to do with how we spend our time. As St. Augustine wrote, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord."
How do couples avoid taking each other for granted? They make time for each other. They are intentional about finding ways to connect, to communicate, and to be open and honest together.
In precisely the same way, we can re-connect with God and stop taking Him for granted. All it takes is making time for God. What does that mean? Well, it begins with taking a few minutes of our day to stop, to be mindful of ALL we have to be grateful for, and ask God to give us the comfort and strength to be the person He knows we can be.
Especially during Lent, one way to make time for God is to spend a bit of time each day with the readings of the day. I'd recommend the meditations provided by the Word Among Us:
http://wau.org/meditations/current/
This is the perfect way to re-connect with God, to stop taking Him for granted, and to satisfy that hunger in the very depth of our being.
And it's a great answer to that question about what you make time for.
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