Our Father

Gospel MT 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Father.  Your will - not mine.  Feed me daily.  Forgive me.  Help me to forgive.  Lead me.  Such a simple prayer that I've prayed thousands of times - it just rolls off my tongue.  It's all there.  All of the necessary ingredients for a relationship with Jesus.  In what situations can I better seek Your will instead of mine?  Who do I need to forgive today?  Am I open to being lead by You?

Pray to your Father in secret

Gospel MT 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Jesus never mentions the word in this reading, but the spirit of humility is woven all the way through it.  Jesus is calling me to be humble.  I think of Abel who has been helping out during our Tuesday retreats - he could very well be the pastor of his own church!  But on Tuesday nights, he's a servant - he makes fresh coffee for everyone to enjoy.  And he does this joyfully with the great humility.  In what ways can I be a humble servant?

pray for your enemies

Gospel MT 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

More from Jesus on how to love others - in fact he calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  I think this extends to those that frustrate, annoy, or just bug me!  Dear Jesus, help me to have more love, and compassion for those that I lose patience with.  I want to love them perfectly just as you love me perfectly.

Turn the other cheek

Gospel MT 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Jesus commands us to love our neighbor.  And what does that mean?  He answers that in today's reading.  I cringe at the high standards that Jesus has for me.  "Offer no resistance to one who is evil."  Turn the other cheek.  Give above and beyond.  Walk the extra mile.  Dear Jesus, help me to love others as you want me to, especially when I feel like I can't give any more.

God so loved the world

Gospel JN 3:16-18

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

How often have I seen this verse?  So often that it's easy for me to lose sight of what it really means.  If I put the verse in the first person, it would read:  God so loved me that he gave his only Son, so that I (who believes in him) might not perish but might have eternal life.  How can I live my life differently knowing how much God loves me?  Knowing that I'm promised eternal life? I can live without fear.  I can live boldly, courageously, passionately.  I can risk loving others as I have been loved.

be reconciled with your brother

Gospel MT 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

My brother past away when he was 40 - it was so sudden.  I was 36 at the time.  Sixteen years later, I still miss him dearly.  There were two of us and now it's just me - there's a persistent feeling of emptiness and what-if's.  I know Jesus is speaking figuratively when he says be reconciled with your brother, but today I am taking His words literally.  More than anything, I want my to sons, 3 years apart, to remain close to each other as they grow into adulthood and beyond.  My brother supported me, encouraged me, believed in me and then he was gone.  In order for my two sons to have the same relationship, they will have to follow Jesus advice - make amends, reconcile, don't sweat the small stuff.  Dear Lord, help my two sons appreciate each other and love each other.  Help them to resolve their differences quickly and take care of each other as only brothers can.

The Commandments

Gospel MT 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

I read today's gospel and just scrunch up my face.  I'm one of those people that see the necessity of having laws but at heart, I'm a free-spirited rule-breaker.  I'm the one to see just how far I can go without breaking the law, how far I can push the boundaries of a commandment.  How does this mentality play out in my spirituality?  Am I playing with fire?  Dear Lord, thank you for the reminder today that you are calling me to obey and teach your commandments, down to the smallest part of a letter.  It's not easy for me, I know.  Help me to keep your commandments joyfully!

I belong

Gospel JN 17:1-11A

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”

Being alone can be depressing.  We all have this inner longing to be a part of a greater good.  I've been working out at Clubsport for several years now but I didn't really feel like I belong until I started to teach spinning and even more now that I've experienced a season of coaching aspiring triathletes.  Both of these presented opportunities for me to connect with others at the club in a way that exercising on my own could never do.  It feels good.  In today's reading, Jesus reminds me that I belong to the Father.  The creature belongs to the Creator.  And as a member of God's family it is implied that we share the same origin, needs, desires, and inheritance.  Lord Jesus, whenever I feel alone or lonely, use the Holy Spirit to remind me that I belong to the Father.

I have conquered the world

Gospel JN 16:29-33

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.” 

As if we needed a reminder, Jesus tells us that "In the world you will have trouble..."  It's true.  Life isn't fair.  Life is full of suffering.  Bad things happen to good people.  People we love go home to be with the Lord - sometimes much earlier than we would hope.  A natural disaster can wipe out our home along with all of our belongings.  But that's not the end of the story is it.  Jesus goes on to say, "take courage, I have conquered the world."  And indeed he has.  What we see with our own eyes in this world is but a small portion of God's kingdom.  Our lives are like candles in the wind - but a small blip compared to eternity.  Lord Jesus, help me to go out into the world with courage - boldly proclaiming how much you love us, trusting that you've already conquered the world.