Relationship not religion

Gospel MK 3:31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”

Did Jesus have brothers and sisters?  The bible is pretty clear on Jesus having half-brothers and less clear on Jesus having half-sisters.  These would be the children that Joseph and Mary had after Jesus was born.  How cool would it have been to have Jesus as a half-brother?  Hard to say.  He most certainly was not the typical older brother and even distances himself from his own family - "whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."  Jesus very clearly wants us to have a close, intimate relationship with me - as close to me  as our own flesh and blood.  The Good News of the gospel is not just about living up to high moral and standards and living what would be considered a good life.  It's about a relationship with the Divine.  And just like other relationships, my relationship with God needs to be nurtured and cultivated through prayer, participating in the sacraments, reading the word, attending mass, receiving communion.  I am at my best when, in word and deed, I am connected to the Living God.  This close, intimate relationship is also described when Jesus says "I am the vine and you are the branches."  

Depending on God

Gospel MK 3:22-30

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, 
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and
“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, 
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself, 
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, 
he cannot stand; 
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property 
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house. 
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies 
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit 
will never have forgiveness, 
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Not everyone embraced Jesus for who he was.  Some scribes thought that for Jesus to drive out demons, he must be the "prince of demons."  But Jesus puts them in their place and even goes on to identify the worst sin that we can commit: blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.  I had to look up the definition of blaspheme:  "to speak irreverently about God."  A more subtle example of blasphemy is not acknowledging God as God.  It's an act that separates ourselves from God - it's no wonder that Jesus calls this is an "everlasting sin."  I am at my best when I follow St. Ignatius advice to

Pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended on you.

Reminding myself how much I depend on God is the perfect way to acknowledge Him in my life.

Follow Me

Gospel MT 4:12-23

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death 
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.

Jesus defies comprehension - fully God and fully human, it's hard to imagine what this really means.  The bible tries to paint a picture of Jesus using analogies.  Jesus as "a great light," Jesus as "The Light of the World" is one of them and paints a pretty powerful picture.  When we think of darkness we think of hopelessness, overwhelming sadness, even shame, regret, and guilt.  The great light of Jesus overcomes all of those things and more.  Apparently, he also had a supremely magnetic quality about him - causing fisherman to leave their nets (and their father) to follow him.  Jesus wants all of me too.  He wants me to leave the nets of security that I've created for myself in this world and to follow him.  A simple enough idea, but far from easy.

Belief and baptism

Gospel MK 16:15-18

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

In today's reading Jesus commissions the Apostles with the monumental task of preaching the Gospel "to every creature."  He talks about the two requirements of salvation: belief (faith) and baptism.  The former is an inner "shift" and the latter is a public coming out party.  He describes believers as having super powers: driving out demons, speaking new languages, taming deadly serpents, being impervious to drinking deadly potions, healing the sick by the laying on of hands.  It all sounds like the stuff of super heroes.  And it all starts with faith.  Gandhi once said, "It is my own firm belief that the strength of the soul grows in proportion as you subdue the flesh."  Perhaps this is what Jesus is referring to in this reading.  Once I go beyond the fear of the flesh, the fear of physical harm, the fear of death, my soul is strengthened and am free to become all God wants me to be.

Choose carefully

Gospel MK 3:13-19

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted 
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach 
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter; 
James, son of Zebedee, 
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, 
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; 
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Jesus was thinking ahead.  He knew that his time as a man among men and women was limited - that at some point (did he know exactly when?) he would be offered up as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  He knew that he would need some help and appointed the 12 Apostles.  I think the word "appointed" is meaningful.  He didn't ask for volunteers, he chose the Apostles, flawed men just like you and me, who likely had no idea what they were getting themselves into.  He surrounded himself with trusted friends and spent just enough time with them to "coach them up" so that they could build the early Church.  I am grateful for the people in my life that support and believe in me.  Some were are family - Marie and the boys, my mom, my brother (rest in peace!).  Some were chosen:  Pat & Sharmila, Melanie and Russell at church, Steve Mullin.  I am at my best when I chose deliberately, carefully, the people in my life.

God's Will in God's Time

Gospel MK 3:7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing, 
a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, 
from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, 
and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, 
so that they would not crush him.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him 
and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
He warned them sternly not to make him known.

This reading makes me think of a modern-day rock star who is constantly in the public eye, hounded by the paparazzi, throngs of fans camped outside their hotel room just waiting for a glimpse a glance or a wave.  Even though social media didn't exist in Jesus' time, the crowds found out about him and came out to him.  Word was getting around that the Son of God was healing people just by his touch.  It all sounds overwhelming.  And in fact Jesus told the disciples NOT to make him known.  Why is that?  Why wouldn't the Son of God want to be known?  Because it wasn't his time yet - it just wasn't the right time for him to make himself fully known.  That's the thing with God's will - God's will happens in God's time and that's hard for us.  We've been conditioned to want things when we want them and that is usually right now.  I am at my best when I surrender to God's timing.

Putting My Guard Down

Gospel MK 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

What were they thinking?  The Pharisees and Herodians had such hard hearts and were so threatened by Jesus that they couldn't see the miracle for what it was - Jesus heals the man with the withered hand (and at the same time heals his soul).  They are so threatened that they plot to put him to death.  I wonder. ...Is my heart ever that hard (Yes)?  So hard that I can't see the miracle happening right before my eyes (Yes)?  Do I ever feel threatened by someone who could very well be doing miraculous things (Yes)?  I am at my best when I put my guard down so that I can see things as they really are.

The Law vs Love

Gospel MK 2:23-28

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,
his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them,
“Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

The Pharisees were all about about enforcing and interpreting the law.  Holiness for the Pharisees meant following the recipe for Holiness.  Follow all the rules better than the rest and you would be holier than the rest.  Unfortunately the Catholic church, of which I am a supporter, can act like the Pharisees.  Some Popes and some priests can act like the Pharisees - harsh judges and critical words for those who don't tow the line. It's why the topics of abortion and homosexuality are so divisive in the Catholic church - the Church has made doctrine more important than people.  That's why I really like Pope Francis.  He's more like Jesus.  He is more concerned about people and what is in their hearts than condemning people for missing the mark.  As a Dad, I've painfully made this transition.  When my boys were young, I was personally offended when they disobeyed and they paid the price by enduring my raging outbursts. A scar on Frankie's hand is a constant reminder of how harsh and short-sighted I was as a parent at one time. I'm a much better parent now that I have a better understanding of what it means to be a holy dad - to love my kids just the same, maybe even more, when they fall short.

The bridegroom and the bride

Gospel MK 2:18-22

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.
People came to Jesus and objected,
“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them,
“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.
No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.
If he does, its fullness pulls away,
the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,
and both the wine and the skins are ruined.
Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

Jesus often refers to himself as the bridegroom with The Church (us) as the bride.  It's an interesting and deliberate choice that implies a relationship that is both intimate and joyful.  He could have said husband and wife but by choosing bride and groom he is evoking the pure sense of joy and exhilaration that we associate with a wedding day - not a day to fast, but one to celebrate!  And that's what he expects firm us isn't it?  When I realize the full extent of my most intimate relationship with The Living God, my hearts sings in much the same way that it did on my wedding day.  It is cause for me to celebrate and be joyful.

The Son of God

Gospel JN 1:29-34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’
I did not know him,
but the reason why I came baptizing with water
was that he might be made known to Israel.”
John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven
and remain upon him.
I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

John the Baptist recognized Jesus for who he is - the Son of God.  No small thing.  Not everyone did.  Just to be clear, God sent the Holy Spirit to descend on Jesus like a dove.  John the Baptist saw it all and was convinced that Jesus was who he said he was.  He also talks about Jesus baptizing us with the Holy Spirit.  In much the same way, with our consent, the Holy Spirit descends on each of us like a dove anointing us as sons and daughters of God.  That's why baptism is such an important milestone in the life of a christian.  It is the sacrament where I am reminded that my sins are forgiven and I am a beloved son in God's family.

Follow me

Gospel MK 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea.
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

"Follow me."  Two simple words.   Like Levi, we are called to get up and follow Jesus.  But it's not easy.  Following Jesus means letting go of our old, comfortable, familiar life and embracing the life that Jesus has laid out for us.  Fortunately, if we are followers, then there must also be a leader and there isn't a leader that loves us more than Jesus.  I was running a road race in which there were runners who were blind - they could run for miles with the help of a short tether that connected them to their guide.  That's what Jesus wants for me.  To stay connected with Him, taking it one step at a time.  As long as I stay tethered to Jesus, I know that my next step will be in the right direction.  I can trust that Jesus is guiding me around obstacles to my ultimate destination.

You can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps and Jesus was no exception.  Instead of hanging out with the rabbis and Pharisees, he sat with the marginalized: tax collectors, prostitutes, the poor, the needy, the outcasts.  And his reasoning makes perfect sense: the well do not need a physician, but the sick do.  What happens is that we deny that we are sick and in so doing miss out on the saving graces of Jesus.  I am at my best when I truly understand that I am just as needy as the neediest among us - it is this awareness that opens my heart to the grace, mercy, and compassion of Jesus.

Thy will be done

Gospel MK 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
Jesus immediately knew in his mind what 
they were thinking to themselves, 
so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
–he said to the paralytic,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once, 
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

It's interesting how things unfold in this story.  First of all, I admire the faith of the people that were bold enough to lower the paralytic through the roof to present him to Jesus.  What great faith they must have had to go so such great lengths.  And then Jesus says a most surprising thing: "Child, your sins are forgiven."  It is exactly like Jesus to give us what we need (in this case forgiveness) instead of what we want (in this case legs that work).  Of course, staying true to his compassionate nature, he went on to restore the legs of the paralytic.  Lesson learned.  I am at my best when I focus on God's will for my life which can be very different from what I think I need.

Joy spreading like a wildfire

Gospel MK 1:40-45

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched the leper, and said to him, 
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Jesus heals the leper and gives him clear instructions not to tell anyone except the priest.  And what does the leper do?  He goes on to tell everyone, everywhere!  When Jesus touches our lives and heals us, it's not something we can keep inside.  The joy of a life touched by Jesus is not something that can be contained -  like a wildfire,  it can only burst out for all to see.  I am at my best when I let the joy of the Son of God himself explode from my soul for all to see.

Purpose

Gospel MK 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, 
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons 
throughout the whole of Galilee.

Here we read about Jesus caught up in what seems like the whirlwind of his ministry.  Healing.  Preaching.  Everyone looking for him.  He is on a very clear mission and states emphatically: "for this purpose have I come."  It sounds exhausting.  So exhausting that once again he goes off to pray in solitude.  Even the Son of God needs downtime to recharge!  But he did not let fatigue get in the way of his calling: healing bodies and healing souls, making a difference in a person, one at a time.  And we know how the story unfolds when Jesus heals the body and soul of all humanity.  The deeper meaning for me?  Of course, I don't have the supernatural healing power of Jesus, but I am at my best when I am making a difference in the life of another, one person at a time.

Walking the Walk

Gospel MK 1:21-28

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, 
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” 
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Here we read about Jesus in his public ministry teaching in synagogues.  This must have been a sight to behold in that the young, precocious Jesus was teaching, not as a scribe, but as one having authority - more like a rabbi or priest, but since he was the "Holy One of God" even with MORE authority than a rabbi or priest.  Jesus was a disrupter.  He didn't just talk the talk, he walked the walk even casting out an unclean spirit from someone in the crowd.  Was it really someone who was possessed by an evil spirit like in The Exorcist or was it someone with a mental illness (perhaps schizophrenia) - who knows for sure but Jesus healed the man.  Lesson learned.  I am at my best when my words and actions are congruent, otherwise my words are like puffs of smoke floating away with the breeze.

Gospel LK 5:12-16

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.” 
And the leprosy left him immediately. 
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Here we read about one of Jesus miracles - curing a man with leprosy who wants to be "clean" again.  Of course now we understand leprosy to be an infectious disease, but back in Jesus time, they probably thought that lepers were cursed.  The deeper meaning is that Jesus has the capacity to make all of us "clean."  Part of the human condition is that we sometimes (often?) fall short of what is good, noble, and true.  Jesus gives me a higher standard to shoot for - not only that, he heals my deeper wounds and removes all other obstacles so that I can live a holy life.

Wedding Joy

GospelJN 3:22-30

Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea,
where he spent some time with them baptizing. 
John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was an abundance of water there,
and people came to be baptized,
for John had not yet been imprisoned. 
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings. 
So they came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”
John answered and said,
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. 
You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,
but that I was sent before him. 
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. 
So this joy of mine has been made complete. 
He must increase; I must decrease.”

In this reading John the Baptist is paving the way for Jesus and we can learn from him.  He uses the analogy of the bride, bridegroom, and best man.  It's an interesting comparison.  Jesus is the bridegroom, the Church is the bride and John is the best man.  I like how John rejoices "greatly" just at the sound of Jesus voice!  After all, this is a wedding isn't it?  And weddings are joyful.  John wants us to translate the overwhelming joy that we associate with a wedding into Jesus relationship to the Church.  John is very clear on his role: Jesus must increase and he must decrease.  Jesus is very clearly at the center of John's life and I am at my best when he is at the center of mine.

God's beloved Son

Gospel MT 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying, 
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him, 
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Even Jesus was baptized!  It must be an important ritual - and it is.  I was reading a description of baptism from our parish life director who stated that for us baptism is BOTH a public welcoming into the faith community and it also demonstrates the forgiveness of our sins.  That's a nice spiritual one-two punch!  For Jesus it was the beginning of his public ministry.  For me, it means that I'm not alone - not only is God on my side, but my family goes beyond blood and includes the vast community of saints all through the generations.  I guess with everything I've seen in movies these days, it's easy to imagine the voice from the heavens saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."  That is also a message that God says to me and what a comforting message it is.

Freedom

GospelLK 4:14-22

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region. 
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day. 
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

It sounds like Jesus is on a real roll here.  He was teaching in synagogues, was praised by all, they spoke highly of him and were amazed.  Are we seeing Jesus at the height of his ministry?  Perhaps.  And what a remarkable ministry it has been.  Scholars think that his ministry lasted about 3 yrs.  Imagine that!  The actions of one man (who at the same time was the Son of God) over a period of 3 yrs about 2000 yrs ago has literally changed the hearts and minds and souls of billions of people - and continues to do so.  He has fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah bringing glad tidings, healing the sick, and freeing the oppressed.  The gospel is a message of freedom.  Freedom from what?  Ourselves.  Just as the sun overwhelms the darkness of night, Jesus is the light of our true nature that drives away the darkest part of ourselves.

God is Who He says He is

Gospel MK 6:45-52

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd. 
And when he had taken leave of them,
he went off to the mountain to pray. 
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. 
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them. 
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea. 
He meant to pass by them. 
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out. 
They had all seen him and were terrified. 
But at once he spoke with them,
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” 
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. 
They were completely astounded. 
They had not understood the incident of the loaves. 
On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Even Jesus, the Son of God himself, went off  "to the mountain" to pray.  How essential is it for all of us to detach from the distractions of the day for prayer and reaffirming God's will for us?  It's interesting, that the disciples, had not completely understood the incident of the loaves - reading into this, they were not completely convinced of Jesus' divinity.  In today's reading, they see Jesus walking on water of all things and  their initial reaction is fear.  Often for us (for me anyway) the initial reaction to a "stormy sea" is fear.  One way past the fear is to surrender power and control to the Living God - to live in the truth that God is who He says He is.

Abundance

GospelMK 6:34-44

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. 
By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late. 
Dismiss them so that they can go 
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.” 
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.” 
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?” 
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” 
And when they had found out they said,
“Five loaves and two fish.” 
So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. 
The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. 
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, 
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all. 
They all ate and were satisfied. 
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish. 
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

In today's reading, Jesus turns 5 loaves of bread and two fish into enough food for hundreds - it ended up being more than enough with twelve baskets of leftovers!  What a demonstration of abundance!  And this really hits home for me because in so many ways, I come from a place of lack a place of "not enough" and dare I say a place of  "not good enough."  I am at my best when I know the truth of having more than enough and being good enough.

Helping the helpless

GospelMT 4:12-17, 23-25

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

In today's reading Jesus is helping the helpless, the outcasts - people with incurable diseases, people with what probably had some kind of mental illness, the paralyzed and marginalized.  He showed compassion and cured them and in so doing demonstrated that he was indeed the Son of God.  This is why Pope Francis in such a short time has become so beloved - he embraces the mission of the church to reach out to those that are helpless, oppressed, and alienated in this day and age.  And this spirit of compassion is one that I am trying to cultivate in our boys.  It's why we volunteered at the Food Bank over the Thanksgiving break; it's why we volunteered at MedShare.  We have so much and there are so many who have so little.  I am at my best when I seek out the helpless and find a way to make a difference. 

Fear or Faith?

Gospel MT 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod, 
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled, 
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, 
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, 
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly 
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word, 
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, 
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures 
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, 
they departed for their country by another way.

In today's reading we have two examples of how to live our lives.  Herod's actions are driven by fear - he felt threatened by Jesus and was hell bent on destroying him.  This is in sharp contrast to the actions of the magi, the three wise men, who traveled in faith to pay homage to Jesus.  Can life be that simple?  From moment to moment, we often have two vantage points to make decisions: Fear or Faith.  I am at my best when I act in Faith.