October 25, 2022
Mass Readings
Eph 5:21-33
Lk 13:18-21
Good morning loved one. Many people have thrown away Ephesians 5 because of that one little controversial verse we find in it. Verse 22 states “wives submit to your husbands” Yes Yes I will go there. Before you stone me, I beg of you to read the entire passage. It actually invites men to almost break themselves in half to love and provide. It invites men to love their wives as Christ loves the church. In a way invites us to sacrifice ourselves. This is an incredibly powerful passage for raising young men. We need strong, self sacrificing men who give their very lives to their families. I think that is good news. The submitting part is what lands not so well in our time and culture. It is about respect. Are you respectful? Do you undercut, undermine, publicly humiliate the other? This sounds ridiculous right? Walk a mile in the life of a police officer and you will hear and see how disrespect among couples has rotted our culture.
Just saying…. Read the whole passage!!! It has so much life.
October 24, 2022
Mass Readings
Eph4:32-5:8
Lk 13:10-17
Happy Monday to you and a happy Independence Day to my home country of Zambia. We have a lot to be thankful for as a country.
Can I ask you to do something? Pause the reflection and go read today’s gospel passage. A unbelievable scene happens in the life of Jesus. He is at synagogue and his eye catches the sight of a woman who is enfeebled. This woman is bent over and has been held captive by a terrible disease for 18 years. Well Jesus is moved with compassion and heals her. The gospel does not say that he was moved with compassion but those of us who know him know that he felt deeply. Anyways he heals her. The trouble is, he did it on the sabbath. Are you kidding me. They don’t rejoice that someone who was In pain is healed but they get into a tizzy because our Lord did it on the sabbath.
I once read a book written by an Anglican priest titled: A manifesto of how to become a bad Christian and a good human being. A funny title it is but this priest was saying if being a Christian makes you an intolerable human being well ditch Christianity then. Jesus was a bad, a very bad Jew. He healed on a sabbath, he touched lepers, he welcomed sinners he did all the wrong things that his religion forbids. Well and just see what a beautiful kingdom he brought about. Sometimes you gotta go outside the walls. Come and see how we do it at Rabbouni.
October 21, 2022
Readings Eph 4:1-6, Lk 12:54-59
Our reflection today will make you want to stone me. But it has to be said…. Jesus can’t stand stupid!!! Yup I said it. Seriously though he can’t stand stupid. Listen to his words in todays gospel: Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?
We all go through different stages in our lives but if you can’t read that as we reach our 40s it is time to stop acting like a teenager and get a grip on what is truly important then we gotta put the coffee mug down and smack you at the back of your head so you wake up. Get a grip man!!!
You know I preach to myself first before I ever preach to anyone right? The question goes to all of us, what time is it for you. Obviously Jesus is frustrated with people who cannot see the hand of God in his work but criticize him constantly. But this can be read in so many different ways. Do you see the hand of God in others? Get a grip man. Do you see the hand of God in your life? Duh!! Recognize that you are in the kingdom of God. That means for some of us, our behavior has to change with our age.
Smile
Jesus don’t like stupid.
October 20, 2022
Mass Readings: Eph 3:14-21, Lk 12:49-53
Todays Gospel invites us to reflect on the personal cost of discipleship. I used to think that being a Christian was about getting along with people. You know, not ruffling any feathers. Come to find out it is actually about taking a stand, a strong stand and that always ruffles feathers. Do you suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth? No!! I have come to start a fire and how I wish it was already blazing.
Here in America that fire is ablaze. If you don’t believe me, try to talk politics at your next family reunion and the police will be called to settle matters.
Well let’s talk about the right kind of fire. Passion for doing God’s work. Are you ablaze on it. Does it fire you up when you see someone burdened with guilt? Beating themselves up for being human? Does it fire you up and spring you into action and convert you to being the very mercy of God? That is the right kind of fire. Jesus wishes you and I were on fire with the blazing love of God. When we love the judged and condemned, trust me we will ruffle feathers.
So go ahead today and do some radical understanding of someone else, some radical giving of your time, go ahead and let Christ light a fire in you. From what I can tell, you are already on fire because you kept reading this.
October 19, 2022
Mass readings: Eph 3:2-12, Lk 12:38-49
Do you know what the big deal in the early church was? Well it is not such a big deal today but back then it was. Jesus brother, St. James the Just or rather our Lord’s cousin, who was bishop of Jerusalem had to call a council about this. It almost broke the church!! The big deal was …. What in the world do we do with these pagans who are claiming Christ. The leader of the pagan movement was a Jew (St. Paul) who seemed to think that anyone can be a member of the way if they but profess Christ. This blessing was a pain in the neck for the early church.
Well is there something in your life right now that is a great inconvenience? Do you think it has found it’s way in your life to bless you? Yes it has. You may not even reap the blessing but if you seek God in it, trust me there will be life. Having preached this I realize that I still feel the need to scratch someone’s face who hurt me. I gotta believe though that God will make all things new. Have a blessed day and don’t sweat it.
October 18, 2022
Tuesday October 18th reflection:
Today at daily mass we celebrate the feast of St. Luke the evangelist. My thoughts however are still with our Sunday readings. I was struck by Our Lord’s instruction that we are to pray continuously. I remember hearing that years ago and adopting the Jesus prayer. Some of you will remember it, Jesus Son of David have mercy on me. The message I got either directly or indirectly was that if I said this prayer I would automatically become holy and all my issues disappear.
Then I went to seminary at a Benedictine monastery and they told me something else. Work and Pray. I liked the praying part and not so much the work part. As you start your day I want you to have this thought at the back of your mind, and front of your mind. Whatever it is, work as if everything depended on you and pray as if everything depended on God.
You will go through ups and downs but I tell you if you work and pray without ceasing you will see the diamond that you are.
Love you.