22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/090113.cfm

I'm afraid that this is going to be one of those multiple-post topics.  Sorry.  You've been warned.  There is just too much good stuff to squeeze it into just one post.

Quick (and sloppy) synopsis of the readings:
First Reading - Sirach:  this is a book of good advice, and this particular section focuses on humility (everyone's favorite topic . . . NOT!)
Psalm 68 - God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.  God's overflowing goodness ensures a place for everyone at the table.  It is freely given, we only need to accept the gift.
Second Reading - Hebrews:  run-on sentences that basically compare the Old Testament covenant with the New Testament covenant.  We grow in our understanding from the definite rules and strict laws of the OT to the knowledge of Jesus as The Way, Truth, and Life in the NT.
Gosep - Luke:  Don't give yourself the place of honor at a wedding banquet (aka be humble - connection to the first reading)

So now . . . where to start?  Wedding banquet rules, humility, first/last, covenant, God's goodness . . . so many choices!

Let's start with the wedding banquet.  I heard something new in the reflection from Living Liturgy 2013 that I didn't catch before.  But first, some context.  The verses from Luke are 14:1, 7-14.  A constant question at our bible study is, 'What are the missing verses, and why were they left out?'  Referring to another bible study book, we learned that in verses 2-6 Jesus heals a man who wasn't part of the wedding guests.  It went on to say that Jesus was telling the parable to make his point and remind the host and guests that they were too focused on the legalities of what should and shouldn't be done (since healing someone on the Sabbath was frowned upon), instead of actually helping/serving others (old covenant vs. new covenant understanding from 2nd reading).

Oops - I guess I can't exactly separate the topics - who knew they were so entwined :)  Lame, I know - Sorry, I'm tired.

Okay, back to the original thread.  So not only is the parable teaching us to not seek honor for the sake of recognition, but Jesus also suggests that we serve those who cannot repay us.  Thus our effort is even more selfless, since there would not be any reciprocation.  But here's what really caught my interest:  the parable can have another meaning, one in which Jesus is referring to the 'eternal wedding banquet' - Heaven.  To quote from Living Liturgy:

". . . in God's kingdom . . . human expectations are reversed:  the humble are exalted and the exalted are humbled.  [. . . ]  Acts of earthly humility and generosity are met with heavenly exaltation and God's generosity.  Humility is, in part, knowing one's strengths and weaknesses (see first reading) and one's place (gospel).  But it is more.  Humility is the virtue by which we acknowledge our status before God:  we are "the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind" who come to God's table because of God's invitation and generosity."  Living Liturgy 2013

Wow - read that last line again.  WE are the poor.  WE are the crippled.  WE are the lame.  WE are the blind.  Jesus' suggestion of inviting those who cannot repay is already fulfilled by God.  God invites us to the Heavenly Banquet, and there is nothing we can do to earn that invitation.  It is freely given, with love.  No amount of Christian acts or prayer can equate to a place at the table.  Lucky for us, God is a good host, and doesn't keep score on who brought what to the party.  We just have to show up.  The best part?  We can come as we are.  No dress code, no host gift, no perfection required.  We bring ourselves, brokenness and baggage (BYOB), and what a party it will be!

More to come . . .

Prayer - God, thank you for being such a gracious host.  Help me to remember and trust in your promise.  I can come as I am, right now, and You welcome me with open arms, baggage and all.  I don't always trust that promise.  I want to believe it with every fiber of my being:  You love me as I am.

Thankful Thursday 8-29

Life is very full right now.  There are so many things for which to be thankful.  Currently, I'm working on cultivating an awareness of the little things in life.  Getting an email from a friend, receiving a quick text that says 'hello', or sharing a smile with a co-worker.  It's too easy to only focus on the 'big events', that we miss the simple graces in life.

For what simple grace are you thankful?

Prayer - Lord, help me to appreciate the simple blessings in my life.  I keep myself busy and distracted, and I don't want to miss the moments of grace.  Open my mind, my heart, and my eyes to You.  

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082513.cfm

This is an exciting weekend for us at the Newman Center - we officially kick-off our school year tomorrow.  We anticipate lots of students and families joining us for our opening weekend liturgies.  I find it interesting how the readings really speak to this exciting time.

First Reading - Isaiah:  gathering all the nations (or in our case, from all across the state/nation/globe to attend UNK)
Psalm 117 - Go out to all the world and tell the Good News (aka as we begin this new semester, we are to reach out to everyone we encounter with hope and conviction)
Second Reading - Hebrews:  Endure trials, they are meant to strengthen us (so homework may be painful but it is worth it, right?  Oh, and probably also good to consider the trials of being Christian)
Gospel - Luke:  Narrow gate - many will try to enter, but will not be strong enough.  (self-explanatory)

It's surprising to me, when you get the context and background on the readings, how much it can widen one's perspective.  On the surface, the Gospel sounds a little harsh.  One part refers to people, "stand[ing] outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door for us.'  He will say to you in reply.  'I do not know where you are from.'"  So, God's going to deny us?  Well, let's look that the reflection.  There is no guarantee to entering the narrow gate - it is a choice that we make.  We choose to follow Christ or not.  If we consistently participate in the Eucharist and fully partake of God's messianic Food, we can be strengthened.  As Living Liturgy 2013 says, "We must recline at the table with [Jesus], remain in his presence, and become transformed into his presence for others."  The Gospel is alluding to the reality that if all we can claim is a passing acquaintance with Jesus, it will not be our 'get out free" card.  So merely showing up, being on a first-name basis, and leaving Church at church is not enough!

At the beginning of a new semester, I witness a variety of behavior.  Usually we have a strong attendance the first few weekends, and then distractions take over and priorities change.  It seems to me that the overwhelming line of reasoning is this, "If I consider myself to be Christian, I'm in.  Everything else is just bonus material."  It's a good place to start, but the Gospel reminds us that we have to do more.  And sometimes that 'more' is the boring, everyday stuff that we don't consider to be crucial to our salvation.

"Part of discipleship is to be faithful to the everyday "plodding" of our paschal journey.  If we try and rush it, we will miss opportunities - graced moments which bring us closer to salvation.  Discipleship requires consistent and faithful decisions so that Jesus gets to "know us" on the way."  Living Liturgy 2013

I love the imagery that puts me on the road with Jesus.  If you are traveling a great distance with someone (without lots of gadgets to distract), you tend to get to know them.  So, if we don't take the time to know Jesus through the Eucharist, to study Him in Scripture, and to live as Christ in our world, we aren't going to make it through that gate.  It is when we purposefully journey with Jesus, even in the mundane and boring stuff of our every day lives, that we create a a bond which transforms us.  It is in that transformation that we are able to enter the narrow gate.

Prayer - Lord, I am not a fan of tight spaces, and I am even less of a fan of suffering and pain.  Help me release my human fears and trust completely in Your guidance.  I want to be where You are, and I know that salvation is through the cross.  Help me to carry my cross and follow You.

Blessings

Tonight I held my great-niece for the first time, and she was just barely 24 hours old.  She is so precious and amazing, I am in awe of her perfection.  She still has the Heaven smell, of innocence and purity.  I imagine God cradling her as she grew in her mother's womb, preparing her for this time and place.  As I was holding her, all I wanted to do was pray.  I held this tangible link to Heaven, and I couldn't get enough.  Maybe that's why we are drawn to babies; we know that they emanate God, and we just soak it up.  I'm not really sure when exactly we start hiding that love or when we sever that link to God (or at least try to).  Tonight, I was reminded of how much God loves us, no matter what.  Just as we look at a sweet baby with love, God constantly embraces us like that, even when we are yucky and hurtful and covered in human sins.  God's love is bigger than anything we can imagine.

Prayer - God of Love, help us to be open to Your love.  You came to earth so that we might relate to You, and You have a love so perfect, we cannot comprehend it.  Help me to accept this love and to trust in it.  My human knowledge of love is so limited when compared to You.  May I live my life secure in Your love.

Thankful Thursday 8-22

Today I want to be especially mindful of the relationships I have.  I have known so many people, and continue to meet new ones.  I have been influenced, changed, challenged, frustrated supported, and loved by my relationships.  I think how much colder and empty my life would be without the chaos that can be relationships.  I used to think solitary-ness was much better, and yes, I am an introvert who needs quiet time, but my life is so much richer with these people in my life.  I am reminded that we are 'companions on the journey', and this journey is not meant to be a solitary one.  At the very least, God is my constant companion, both as God and through those in my life.

Prayer - God - thank you for Your unfailing presence.  May I always see You in others, in Your creation, and in me.  I am grateful for the companions with whom You have blessed me; may I not take them or You for granted.

Tenth Avenue North

I recently had the privilege to attend a Tenth Avenue North Concert.  I've been a fan of their music for several years, after a good friend introduced me to it.  I've mentioned one of my favorite songs by them, Hold My Heart (read the post here) on this blog.  I love the music, the lyrics, the message, all of it!  But at the concert I got to hear some of their newest music, from the album Struggle.  I was especially drawn to the song "Worn".  Check it out:

Worn (Mike Donehey, Jeff Owen, Jason Ingram)
I'm tired, I'm worn My heart is heavy From the work it takes To keep on breathing I've made mistakes I've let my hope fail My soul feels crushed By the weight of this world And I know that You can give me rest So I cry out with all that I have left Let me see redemption win Let me know the struggle ends That You can mend a heart that's frail and torn	I wanna know a song can rise From the ashes of a broken life And all that's dead inside can be reborn ‘Cause I'm worn I know I need To lift my eyes up But I'm too weak Life just won't let up And I know that You can give me rest So I cry out with all that I have left	My prayers are wearing thin I'm worn Even before the day begins I'm worn I've lost my will to fight I'm worn So Heaven come and flood my eyes Yes, all that's dead inside will be reborn Though, I'm worn I'm worn
© 2012 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, West Main Music, Formerly Music, Prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse, and Open Hands Music. All rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, West Main Music, Formerly Music, Prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse and Open Hands Music administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville TN 37203. Wow.  The lyrics speak to me, reminding me that even in my challenges, my human-ness, there is hope.  I love the imagery of new life, and the message is so honest.  "I'm worn."  How often do we try to present a different picture?  Show others only our good stuff because, gasp, we don't want them to figure out that we aren't perfect!  Who exactly are we fooling?  It's okay to be worn.  It's okay to be tired and empty.  These are all seasons of life.  But we need to remember that the sun (and the Son) will come again, and it will be a new day.  There is hope and redemption - not just if we feel like, but especially when we don't.   This next clip is a video journal of Mike Donehey sharing a bit of his story and how this song came to be.  He has been on an amazing journey, and this clip doesn't do it justice, but check it out.

Prayer - God, I'm struggling with myself.  I am tired and weary.  Grant me the grace to see that You are always present, offering hope and redemption.  I only need to say yes.

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - part 3

Continuation of reflections on Sunday readings (part 1 is here, part 2 is here).

I know - enough already.  But there was such a powerful commentary in our Living Liturgy book about liturgy and division that really struck a chord with me, I had to share it.

So . . . a brief summary of the commentary - in the Gospel we heard about division in a household, specifically within a family.  We all know that family is not the only place to experience division.  I don't want to paraphrase the rest - it's just too good, so here it is:

"There are probably few things in parish life which cause divisions the way the decisions about the celebration of liturgy can.  Is it not ironic that the very celebration whereby we express our unity in the Body of Christ can be the cause for so much anger, anguish, and divisiveness?  Sometimes a parish can be radically split about how to celebrate liturgy because "good" liturgy is judged in terms of what individuals or groups want, desire, or find satisfying.  Ideally, everyone would come to Sunday Mass each Sunday and go home satisfied, filled and spiritually and emotionally fed.  In reality, this does not happen to everyone in the same way and at the same time.  One way to deal with this issue is to remember that the purpose of liturgy is not primarily our own satisfaction; rather, the purpose of liturgy is to give God praise and thanksgiving by offering ourselves with Christ on the altar."  (Living Liturgy 2013, emphasis mine).

Wow.  I couldn't say it better myself.  The purpose of liturgy is not primarily our own satisfaction.  Spend some time with that phrase.  I mean, really mull it over.  Does that shake your expectations of church at least a little?  Is it a wake-up call?  Or at least, maybe a poke in the ribs?  I challenge you to honestly and truthfully consider why you show up for liturgy.  I purposefully said 'show up' because I want us to consider if we simply 'show up' instead of participate.  Are we there to be entertained?  So we will feel good when we leave?  Liturgy is more than emotions and bigger than feelings.  

Lots to consider, so I'll pause for now.

Prayer - Lord, I want to know You more deeply, but it's hard to prioritize with so many distractions in my life.  Help me use the Sunday liturgy as a time to truly be present, to look beyond the emotions and busyness and focus on the opportunity to join with my church family, Your living Body on earth, and offer myself.  I want to offer all of me, the weaknesses and failings, the joys and achievements, so that my gifts may join with Your ultimate gift to become perfect in God's eyes.      

The day after

I recently witnessed the wedding of some good friends, and it was a lovely day (read about it here).  But I had some interesting thoughts the next morning as I re-lived the morning of July 4, 2012.  That was the day my niece was killed in a single-car accident.  It also happened to be the day after her brother's wedding.

I've played for, attended, and helped plan lots of weddings in the time since then, but I guess I didn't have one that tied so closely to my experience.  My friend who got married has been like a sister to me, and I just tried to imagine if the day after her beautiful wedding, she found out one of her sisters was dead.  When I first had that thought, I immediately wanted to banish it.  Who thinks such sad things after a day as wonderful as the one we experienced?  But life does not have any guarantees.  Our lives are but a breath, and we are not in control.  I have felt this first-hand with the death of my beautiful niece.

One of my favorite songs that speaks to me when I am hurting is Tenth Avenue North - Hold My Heart.  Give it a listen, or read the lyrics below.  There are going to be bad days and bad moments.  Times when you struggle and feel lost.  It may last for a while, or be gone before you have time to think.  These feelings are real, and I encourage you to turn it over to God.  For God, the Creator of everything, can hold your heart as no one in this world can.

Prayer - God, you know when I am at my breaking point and I can no longer be without You.  Help me to give You my heart, to let You support me and guide me.  With your strength, I can be whole.

Hold My Heart Mike Donehey / Jason Ingram / Phillip LaRue
How long must I pray Must I pray to You? How long must I wait Must I wait for You? How long till I see Your face See You shining through I'm on my knees Begging You to notice me I'm on my knees Father, will You turn to me One tear in the driving rain One voice in a sea of pain Could the maker of the stars	Hear the sound of my breaking heart One life, that's all I am Right now I can barely stand If You're everything You say You are Would You come close and hold my heart I've been so afraid, afraid to close my eyes So much can slip away before I say goodbye But if there's no other way I'm done asking why	So many questions without answers Your promises remain I can't see but I'll take my chances To hear you call my name To hear you call my name

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - part 2

Continuation of reflections on Sunday readings (part 1 is here).

So, with the knowledge that living as a disciple of Christ may cause division, we are reminded that we must judge ourselves according to God's commands.  Now, before you get all excited about the word 'judge', keep this in mind - you are not to be judgmental.  Rather, we are commanded to spend time with God so that we may know how to act, and how to judge OUR actions.  Again - it's not about finger-pointing or holier-than-thou stuff.  Ultimately we must judge if our discipleship is faithful to God's will.

How do we do that?  Well, I'm afraid I'm going to quote my mother and say, "Pray about it."  I know, I know.  You're rolling your eyes.  Yes, that's the 'right' thing to say.  We are always told to pray about a situation.  But I encourage you to stop for a moment and think about it.  Be honest.  When you had an important decision to make, did you actually take time to prayerfully consider if it would make you a better disciple of Jesus?  I can only speak for myself, but I'm going to guess that most of us would say no.  No we didn't use that context to judge our actions.  That's where the judgment piece comes in.  We should constantly be judging the choices we make and how they will impact ourselves and others.  If you want, pull out "WWJD".  What would Jesus do?  But remember - it's not "what-do-I-want-which-means-that-it-would-make-me-happy-so-if-Jesus-wants-me-to-be-happy-than-Jesus-would-want-me-to-do-this' justification.  It is a discernment process.  The definition of discernment:  The ability to judge well.  There's that pesky 'judge' word again.  For me, to judge well (discern), means that I am open to God's guidance in my life, in every choice and decision I make.  That doesn't automatically mean that I actually do this every time I have a big decision, but I recognize that I should, and I want to do this.  It takes practice.

Prayer - God, please nudge me when I am faced with a big decision.  Remind me that I want, and need, Your guidance to choose well.  Help me practice this in all choices, so that when I am faced with a difficult situation, I have the courage and the ability to discern Your will.  

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - part 1

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081813.cfm

Lots of good stuff for the weekend liturgy.

Quick synopsis:
1st Reading - Jeremiah - Basically the prophet Jeremiah preaches the truth to Israel, and they don't like what he has to say, so they throw him in a cistern.
Psalm - Lord, come to my aid!  Even when we are feeling utterly lost or abandoned, our God is present.
2nd Reading - Hebrews - Jesus Christ took the ultimate shame of dying on a cross and redeemed it and us!
Gospel - Luke - Household will be divided upon itself.  Basic message - God comes first.

My translation:
It's always interesting to see how the scripture unfolds and what message may emerge.  Tonight we discussed the idea of division.  One of the reflections in Living Liturgy says, ". . . that neither Jesus nor we choose division and strife; we choose to speak God's word and preach the values consistent with God's reign.  Division occur simply by being faithful to God's message."  In the first reading, Jeremiah was preaching God's Word, and his audience didn't like what he had to say.  Their solution was to silence the truth-teller by throwing him in a well.  When Jesus preached, many didn't like His ideas, and they crucified Him.  Jeremiah and Jesus didn't seek to 'stir things up' and create division, but division is certainly a potential side-effect of following Christ.

One part of our conversation was about the household divided.  On the surface it seems so anti-love (aka anti-Jesus' message).  But when you read the context and understanding the meaning behind it, you get a different picture.  Our call to discipleship is so complete that we cannot have distractions, attachments, or anything between us and God.  It is a steep price, but the reward is beyond all knowledge.  Two Sundays ago (see post here), we were encouraged to let go of earthly things - possessions, stuff, materialistic pursuits, etc.  I think today's message is urging us to go even deeper than 'stuff'.  There is no dulling the bluntness of a truth which we try to avoid:  God is first.  No ifs, ands, or buts about it.  It is only when we completely embrace the cross of Jesus and become a disciple that we live the Gospel.

Prayer - God, you know my heart and You know when I avoid speaking up because it's hard, or when I intentionally stir up chaos even if I know I shouldn't.  Help me to accept division as a by-product of Gospel living, not a weapon to be wielded against others.  May my actions speak loud enough for others to recognize my devotion to You.

Part 2 coming soon!

Thankful Thursday

Of the types of prayer (adoration, thanksgiving, petition, intercession) - thanksgiving seems to be the least used.  I admit, I am used to asking for what I want  (petition) A LOT!  I do okay with praying for others' or for their requests (intercession), and I even manage a few  "God is Great!" (adoration) prayers now and then.  But how often are we thankful for what we have?  I don't express this nearly as much as I should; I take many things for granted.  And how often are we thankful for the obstacles, difficulties, and frustrations in life?   Ummmm - no thank you!?  Express gratefulness for the things that drive me crazy?  Well - yes.  Because it is in the challenges (even the small ones) where we grow closer to God.

Today I am thankful for a good night's sleep, the anticipation of a new school year, and the desire to write.

Prayer - Lord, I talk to you a lot, but it's usually to demand this or change that.  There are many ways to pray, and I tend to forget to use prayers of adoration, intercession, and thanksgiving.  Help my stumbling, and grant me the words to express my gratefulness for the abundant blessings in my life.  

With patience, anything is possible

I was recently reading my book titled, "The Spiritual Combat and a Treastise on Peace of Soul" by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli.  Excellent book.  A little bit difficult to read from both the use of obscure language and the depth of theology, but well worth the effort.  One of the chapters was expressing the importance of constant effort to obtaining virtues, and it suggested finding bible verses that relate to the virtue in question.  Naturally, the virtue that was sampled in the chapter was patience.  Gosh, I'm really getting lots of messages about patience.  I think I'd better pay attention!  Here is a sampling of the verses from the chapter:

"The patience of the poor shall not perish, or be deprived of its reward."  Psalm 9:19

"The patient man is better than the valiant; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh cities."  Proverbs 16:32

"By your patience you will win your souls."  Luke 21:19

That last verse caught my attention immediately.  It sounds so simple, but it's harder than you'd think.  It is hard to be patient, even when you have a very good reason for doing so.  I guess I'm going to have to ask God for some extra help on that, since I value my soul over anything.

Prayer - Deep breath.  Lord, when I struggle to be patient, grant me the grace to release the distracting emotions and focus on the greater goal.  For by practicing patience, I become more open to Your divine plan.  I do want to please You, even if I can be incredibly slow in practicing what I know is right.  I trust You.  I want to win my soul for You.

Patience

Some days I want to say, "Lord, give me patience, and give it to me right now!"  Why is patience so hard?  I can think of a few possible reasons:

1.  We are a society of instant gratification.  We don't have to wait for food (fast food), movies (on-demand video & DVR), music (iTunes), so why should we have to wait for God?
2.  It is culturally acceptable to be "me" focused.  When we focus on ourselves and our wants instead of other people we become even more demanding and less patient.
3.  We are relationship-deprived.  Our communication methods focus less on building a relationship and more on superficial interactions.
4.  We are a sideline society.  We expect to be entertained rather than be engaged.

I'm sure there are a great deal more items that could be listed.  It all ads up to a whole lot of people who haven't had the opportunity (or maybe, more accurately, haven't wanted the opportunity) to learn patience.  Patience has a different appearance.

1.  Patience asks us to wait.  We may not like waiting, but we are able to slow down the chaotic pace of our lives when we realize that waiting is natural.  Who doesn't like to get out of the frenzy of the demands in our life?
2.  Patience means sometimes putting others first.  It's not that we are never first, or always last, but that we see others' needs as well as our own.  We learn the gratification that comes from fulfilling another person's desires.  Which ties directly into . . .
3.  Patience needs others to work best.  When we involve others in our lives, we begin to learn and care about them.  This makes it a little easier to be patient and may even increase our desire to put someone else first.
4.  Patience, while it can be experienced/struggled with alone, grows even more when we share our challenges with someone else.  It can be God, a friend, confidant, or the person stuck in the elevator with you.  If we participate in life, involving others, it makes the waiting easier to bear.

Yes, this is a narrow view of patience.  Waiting on important news or medical test results may make it much harder to connect with the virtues of patience.  But we are not meant to journey alone, so every time we are asked to wait, whether it is in our control or not, our journey is made easier when we share our burdens and our joys.

Mah-waige (aka marriage)

I just returned from festivities celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage yesterday.  My good friend married a great guy, and it was an absolutely beautiful day, in so many ways.  I knew I wanted to come back and reflect on the event some more, and I started thinking how I wanted my post to go.  How could I possibly do justice to such a beautiful sacramental celebration?

I admit, I gave it a lot of thought, and borrowed some inspiration from other blogs, such as this one.  For while we all know lots of great wedding movies or wedding scenes from movies, nothing can top the Princess Bride:



Of course, the video really has nothing to do with the celebration in which I participated as far as characters, accents, or backstory, but I couldn't resist a reference to the classic line, "Mah-waige is what brings us together."

Marriage is what brought all of us together yesterday; friends and family, neighbors, co-workers, extended family, young and old.  We came together to witness the beginning of a new family.  I was privileged to be a lector for the ceremony, and I proclaimed the first reading, which was from Genesis.  The words took on a whole new meaning, as I directed them to my friends.  ". . . and the two shall become one flesh."  They have become a new creation in the eyes of God and the witnesses present.  They are no longer separate.  She was glowing the entire day, and he was beaming as much as I've seen any guy beam!

In my attendance at many, many wedding ceremonies, I am amazed at how my perspective of love is deepened.  I remember one particular homily that was given at a wedding, and the priest recommended that the people who were present at the liturgy should stay close to the couple because the couple was overflowing with God's grace, especially today (the day of their wedding).  He said when the sacrament of marriage is celebrated, God's grace is even more abundant, and that it would be spilling over the couple.  Thus, the recommendation to stick close and experience some of the overflowing grace!  I love that imagery; God pouring a pitcher of never-ending graces on the couple as they administer the Sacrament of Marriage to each other.  How amazing is that?  Sign me up, please!

So, along with the funny clip above, I have one other piece I wish to share - the lyrics to another song by Francesca Battistelli - A Hundred More Years.  I wish this as a prayer to my friends, that the joy, grace, and love they experienced on their wedding day may last for a hundred more years.

Hundred More Years

Album: Hundred More Years
Artist: Francesca Battistelli

Diamond ring and 12 red roses
Everything she ever wanted
All those dreams and now they’re finally here

She’s so young and he’s so perfect
They waited for love and it was worth it
She wants to feel like this for a hundred years
All of this life still yet to live and they can hardly wait

(Chorus)
They can laugh
They can cry
The future looks so beautiful and bright
They can dance
Under the moonlight
‘Cause God is smiling down on them tonight
And she wants to stay right here
Make it last for a hundred more years

She’s got blue eyes just like her mother
Three years old, he’s crazy for her
He wants to freeze this day before it disappears

She’s spinning like a little princess
Making sure he’s gonna notice
He could watch her twirl for a hundred years
She’ll grow up and she’ll leave home but until that day

(Chorus)
They can laugh
They can cry
The future looks so beautiful and bright
They can dance
Under the moonlight
‘Cause God is smiling down on them tonight
And he wants to stay right here
Make it last for a hundred more years

And it’s only time
But it flies right by
And today is sweeter than we know

And so they dance
Under the moonlight
‘Cause God is smiling down on them tonight
And they want to stay right here
For a hundred more years

Words & Music By: Francesca Battistelli / Ben Glover

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081113.cfm

Wow - there are some great readings for Sunday's liturgy.  Hope you get a chance to give them a gander and spend some time reveling in the awesomeness within :)

First Reading is from Wisdom - simplistic take - Trust in God
Psalm 33 - We are God's chosen people - woo-hoo!
Second Reading is from Hebrews (which always makes me think Old Testament, but it isn't) - Faith in God, using examples of Abraham's faith
Gospel is from Matthew - Being ready (trust and faith) and "where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."

The reflections we read are taken from Living Liturgy 2013.  Lots of great commentary with food for thought.  Our discussion covered lots of angles.  We talked about treasure - the reflections reminded us that treasure could refer to a person.  Sometimes we find it easy to view others as treasure, and sometimes it's really hard.  The reflection also referred to Jesus as the ultimate treasure.  I've always appreciated the verse from Matthew that I copied above:  "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."  It fits with my experience, especially as I've been working on a healthier lifestyle.  My coaches would always say something along the lines of, 'there is always time to do what is important to you.'  'You make time for your priorities; if you want to change your life, change your priorities.'  I think that's exactly what the Gospel is reminding us.  What we love, where we spend our time and our money - that is our passion.  Sometimes, however, we make poor choices in selecting our priorities.  It's easy to get into a habit, or to become so encompassed by a particular 'priority' (hobby, diversion, bad habit, addiction, frivolous behavior or whatever), that we fail to see how much of our life is consumed by this supposed 'priority'.  We also read about how the things we typically treasure in this life (family, home, community, friendship) are exhaustible, but Jesus in not.  Not matter how circumstances may change or if people disappoint us, we can trust that God will never change and will never fail.

Ultimately, how we live tells others what we consider to be our treasure.  If we 'punch the clock' 1 hour each week at church or if we live our lives knowing that the our treasure is Jesus - people will see and know.

Prayer - What an amazing gift of treasure we have in Jesus Christ.  May we not take Him for granted.  Help us to live with the knowledge that as God's chosen people, we are the treasure of God.  May our gratefulness for this gift never end.

This is the stuff

I recently had the pleasure to attend a concert which include Francesca Battistelli.  I was previously introduced to her music by a good friend, and it speaks to me.  "I'm Letting Go" has been a favorite for a while, but it was recently supplanted by "This is the Stuff".  The video is a little cheesy, but listen to the music and read the lyrics.  Worth remembering - God can use our frustrations for good!

Prayer - God, help meremember that you care about all of it - the big stuff, the little stuff, the frustrating stuff.  It can all be used for good.  So whether I'm looking for my keys or running behind, help me keep You in mind.

I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'cause I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

45 in a 35 sirens and fines
While I'm running behind
Whoa ho ho

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess,
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Whoa ho ho ho

Oooooh This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

Whoa whoa ho ho
This is the stuff You use.

Could you be convicted?

I'm sure you're familiar with the saying - "If you were accused of being Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"  My experience with this saying is it may pop up during bible study conversations, faith sharing groups, or among a gathering of people who all smile and nod because WE know the answer to that question.  I mean, isn't it obvious?  We're in ___________(fill in the blank with the appropriate church activity or function occurring right now).  Of course we are Christian.

Consider the following questions, and rate them on a scale of 1-5 (1 being never - 5 being always):

1.  When I am angry/frustrated/hurt, everyone knows it through my words/actions?  (don't forget about sighs, banging things on your desk, being rude because you're upset, frowning, negative body language, etc.)

2.  When I am impatient at home, do my words to my family become hurtful and terse?  (any toddler parents out there?  any teenager parents out there?  anyone with a preconceived notion of how a certain action MUST be completed or it isn't done right????)

3.  When I am in church, am I aware of precisely how long it took to do any of the following - sing the opening song, listen to a homily, length of the announcements, and how much time before I can 'continue on with my schedule'?

You get the idea . . . so add up your score.  But first, go back and note the honest answer to those questions.  Go ahead - I won't tell.  If your honest score is 3-6, I would like to meet you and learn from you.  For the rest of us, whether you scored 7-15, it's okay - we're human!  We're going to have challenges and bad days.  But, we can limit the collateral damage and make sure we can be convicted of being Christians.  Part of that is having a God-focus rather than a me-focus.

So consider one area where you can re-align your focus.  Pick something that may challenge you, but not so big that it overwhelms you.  And work on it.  It may be slow going, but it will be worth it.

Prayer - Lord, help me to live a Christian life through and through.  I want my words and deeds to proclaim that I am Christian.  It will be hard, so I ask for your grace and guidance, for with You, nothing is impossible (see Matthew 17:20, Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27, Luke 18:27).

Haste

Excerpt from an article by Father Ron Rolheiser:

"Haste is our enemy.  It puts us under stress, raises our blood pressure, makes us impatient, renders us more vulnerable to accidents and, most seriously of all, blinds us to the needs of others.  Haste is normally not a virtue, irrespective of the goodness of the thing towards which we are hurrying.

In 1970, Princeton University did some research to determine whether being committed to helping others in fact made a real difference in a practical situation.  They set up this scenario:  They would interview a seminarian in an office and, as the interview was ending, ask that seminarian to immediately walk over to a designated classroom across the campus to give a talk.  But they always put a tight timeline between when the interview ended and when the seminarian was supposed to appear in the classroom, forcing the seminarian to hurry.  On the way to the talk, each seminarian encountered an actor playing a distressed person (akin to the Good Samaritan scene in the Gospels).  The test was to see whether or not the seminarian would stop and help.  What was the result?

One would guess that, being seminarians committed to service, these individuals might be more likely to stop than most other people.  But that wasn't the case.  Being seminarians seemed to have no effect on their behavior in this situation.  Only one thing did:  They were prone to stop and help or to not stop and help mostly on the basis of whether they were in a hurry or not.  If they were pressured for time, they didn't stop; if they were not pressured for time, they were more likely to stop.

From this experiment its authors drew several conclusions:  First, that morality becomes a luxury as the speed of our daily lives increases; and, second, that because of time pressures we tend not to see a given situation as a moral one.  In essence, the more in a hurry we are, the less likely we are to stop and help someone else in need.  Haste and hurry, perhaps more than anything else, prevent us from being good Samaritans."



I am a person who is busy, and I cringed when I read this.  While our society values multi-tasking and doing more with less time, resources, and people as the norm, we need to stop and assess.  Why are we in such a hurry?  Who required us to stretch our families so thin that we don't have time for a sit-down meal?  How did one letter texts take the place of a phone call, visit, or hand-written notes?  Stop, take a moment, consider your environment and the people who need you.

Prayer - Lord, you know how we like to keep busy and feel needed.  While we may be doing things that are good, help us to remember that we are human beings, and we occasionally need to just be.  Guide our eyes so we see the needs of those around, our hands so we serve them, and our ears to be attentive to your call like the Good Samaritan.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/080413.cfm

Good readings today.  We are reminded that things of this world are fleeting.  I had this crazy urge to go home and purge.  What is all of this 'stuff' in our life?  Why do we keep it?  It could be physical possessions, emotional baggage, negative thoughts, etc.  What can you de-clutter in your life?  When I think of trying to control my 'stuff', it seems overwhelming.  Today's readings remind us that we have priorities, and stuff isn't first!  Take a moment to think - what can I decrease?  By removing some 'stuff', you add peace to your life.  Less things to dust, less to obsess about, less to control your life.

Prayer - Today, help me to let go of my stuff.  Help me see one thing that I need to remove from my life, and give me the courage to just do it!  Your grace is enough.

Today

I've been neglecting my journal, so I wanted to share an event from my week.  I had a yucky day - wasn't feeling great, lots to do, not enough time, stress, etc. etc. etc.  We've all been there.  Usually, when I'm at that point, I tend to shut down.  I'll either withdraw or get really grumpy.  But this time was different.  I recognized that I was struggling in a big way, and I asked God to get me through the next thing.  It could have been the next meeting or the next 5 minutes or the next to-do on my list, but I knew I couldn't do it alone.  This was how I spent most of my day.

The next day I felt better, had more energy, got things accomplished and made a dent in the to-do list.  But even with those accomplishments, I realized that my 'yucky' day was the better of the two.  Why?  Because it was God-focused.  When I struggle, I turn to God, but when things are 'fine', I tell God that I've got things covered!  Yikes - that's pretty self-involved.  Something to work on.

My prayer - God, you know my limits and my weaknesses.  Help me to see them as opportunities for You to shine through me.  Help me get out of my own way and trust You.