tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55486291518997965872024-03-06T02:30:19.071-06:00Journey to WisdomBiblical Insights From Ordinary CatholicsHeidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06780045546555850839noreply@blogger.comBlogger295125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-33723929429810312692020-10-05T11:15:00.000-05:002020-10-05T11:15:33.456-05:00 Where, O Death is Your Sting?<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOQjy9JHvIY/X3tEGKR14JI/AAAAAAAAAa0/JDrwotzuPr0EKv_3UNhw6hZ_nnTTXeUHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s268/2DA356A0-8546-495B-83C1-E355EF975C42_4_5005_c.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="268" height="125" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOQjy9JHvIY/X3tEGKR14JI/AAAAAAAAAa0/JDrwotzuPr0EKv_3UNhw6hZ_nnTTXeUHgCLcBGAsYHQ/w180-h125/2DA356A0-8546-495B-83C1-E355EF975C42_4_5005_c.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">By: Larry T. Smith</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Somewhere, lurking behind the curtain of the unknowable future, an empty casket or cremation urn patiently waits to be filled with our earthly remains. What is yet to be revealed is the time and manner of our passing. Will it be a good death or will it be a bad death?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">What is a good death we might wonder. Let it be painless, instantaneous, let it come in our sleep, may we never know what hit us, just a blinding flash and then let it be over, then comes eternal quiet. A friend said, “I want to be napping in my rocking chair with my cat in my lap when the time comes.” That sounds good!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In contrast, what is a bad death. Let us pray that it won’t be the seemingly endless agony of terminal cancer, the horror of burning to death in a car crash, or gasping for each life-giving breath as COVID-19 ravages our body. Can we even begin to image the white-hot mind-numbing pain that our Lord experienced as his tortured and broken body was nailed to the cross, an iron spike hammered first through one foot, then the other?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">So might our thoughts go as we mull over the physical side of our inevitable departure from this world, but what of the spiritual side? What of our consciousness after we take our last breath? Is there some sort of awareness? The atheist or agnostic will probably say there is no such thing as life after death, just oblivion, a solid wall with nothing beyond. Understandably, they cling tenaciously to their earthly existence, greedily gulping every last drop of whatever pleasure and comfort it has to offer. With this mind-set one might face imminent death with resignation, even horror, or just fear of losing all that is familiar and comforting.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">But wait, is pondering the manner of our departure from this world even worthwhile? Couldn’t we change the subject? Isn’t it the task of the world (Satan) to convince us that we shouldn’t be concerned about it? Of course, but reality screams at us from The Letter of James: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit”-you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow.You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears (James 4:13-14). In the popular language of today: It is what it is.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Our Christian hope is that death doesn’t place us squarely in front of a solid wall through which there is no passage. On the contrary, it places us in front of a gate that we can’t wait to get through, because on the other side we can see Jesus standing there with open arms. As we sprint towards the Lord that we have loved for so long, we realize that this is all we had hoped and prayed for! </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Is it possible to gain the kind of faith that allows us to regard death as a mere gate through which we must pass through to get to our Lord? Aren’t the saints from A to Z proof that it is indeed possible to have that much love for our Lord? They regarded the time of their earthly existence as a kind of exile, something to be endured as they waited to be with their God.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Still yet, the question hangs in the air: How is it possible to be so much in love with the Lord that death holds no fear for us? In the beginning, we must accept the gift of faith that Jesus, with mercy and love, offers to us. Then we have to get to know Him. Whereas the Apostles and early Church Fathers were privileged to know and speak with the Lord, our only recourse is to know Him is through the Scriptures and prayer; it is there that He speaks to us; it is there that we can establish a relationship with Him.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In 1 Corinthians 15:54-55, St. Paul writes,“Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Clearly, this is the pinnacle of faith that we so desperately seek. And the mission of every Christian Church is to assist us in attaining it. Sadly, the leaders of some churches have seemingly lost sight of this—the very reason for their existence.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">From Mark 9:24, we read: Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Moving from "l believe, help my unbelief" to "l believe” is a life long process, however long or short it might be. It follows that our life's spiritual journey revolves around making that transition and it is only possible with the Lord’s loving help. </p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-35547210792851844042020-06-07T09:20:00.000-05:002020-06-07T09:23:23.342-05:00Judgement Day(s)<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Sunday, June 7, 2020</div>
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A Reflection on the Gospel of John, Chapter 3, Verses 16-18, N.A.B.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">By: Larry T. Smith</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Scene from an adult Bible study class:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">A student seated in the front row raised her hand and said, “I’m going to buy a new Bible, which one do you recommend?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The instructor said, “Make sure that it is a Catholic Bible with footnotes and cross-references.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">She replied, “How many different Catholic Bibles are there?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Present day Catholic liturgy uses the New American Bible. But any Catholic Bible such as the Douai-Rheims, the Confraternity Edition, the Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition, the New American Bible Revised Edition, the New Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition, the Jerusalem Bible, and the New Jerusalem Bible are all acceptable for study.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">A student sitting in the middle row, put down his pen and asked, “Why are there so many different editions?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“The purpose of a new edition or version is to improve readability, to make Scripture language easier for us to understand, but sometimes a newer version can blur the meaning of the original written work. The Douai-Rheims and the Jerusalem Bible are closest to the original Greek text.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Can you give us an example of how the meaning might be blurred,” he asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Sure, the following reading is from the Gospel of John, Chapter 3, Verses 16-18, New American Bible.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>16</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>For 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. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>17</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>18</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>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.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“And the following reading is from the Douai-Rheims Bible.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>16</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that those who believe in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>17</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>For God did not send his Son into the world in order to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>18</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He who believes in him is not judged; but he who does not believe is already judged, because he does not believe in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“The New American Bible was published in 1970; the Douai-Rheims was published in 1955. What is one of the main differences in the two versions?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">An eager student in the middle of the back row blurted out, “The New American Bible says that Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world and the Douai-Rheims says that Jesus didn’t come to judge the world.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Correct! In fairness, the Greek word <i>κρίνείν</i> can mean either <i>condemnation</i> or <i>judgement</i>. So, both Bible versions are correct, but we probably don’t think of condemnation and judgement as having the same meaning.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Wide-eyed, the same student said, “Well, if Jesus isn’t going to judge us, who will?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Neither the Son nor the Father will act as our judge; we are our own judges. If we refuse to believe in the Son, we condemn ourselves.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“When will the judgement take place?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“The judgement time is now as we are faced with the revelation of the Father in the Son.” The instructor continued, “In his book, The Gospel of John, Francis J. Moloney, S.D.B. writes: ‘The association of realized eschatology with a theology of self-judgement is one of the Fourth Gospels contributions to Christian thought. One does not wait till the end of time (traditional eschatology) for the return of the Son of Man who will exercise a final judgment (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). One judges oneself by the acceptance or refusal or the revelation of God in and through Jesus Christ and by the good and bad deeds that flow from this decision.’”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The instructor went on, “Whereas the Gospel of Matthew puts judgment at the end of time, the Gospel of John emphasizes that we are judged on a daily basis by our response to Jesus Christ; the world will be judged at the end of time (traditional eschatology). That being so, the Gospel of John stresses the importance of the response of the believer, not the sovereign action of God.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“How can we know that we are responding to Jesus’ revelation of God in ways that will be pleasing to God?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Think of it this way: When God looks at us, he wants to see a reflection of himself.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Another students exclaimed, “How can we learn to be like God?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The instructor smiled, “He has given us two primary sets of guidelines for our spiritual journeys. First He gave us the Ten Commandments, then He gave us The Beatitudes:”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>3</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>4</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.</i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>5</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.</i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>6</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.</i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>7</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.</i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>9</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.</i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>10</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:3-10 N.A.B.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">“Jesus changes lives. The ultimate test is to ask ourselves how belief in Jesus and his revelations of the Father has changed our daily lives. The more we allow Him to change our lives, the more we will begin to resemble Him.”</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-36973323668008471922019-10-10T16:37:00.000-05:002019-10-10T16:37:16.052-05:00Their Faces Radiated Joy!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Thursday, October 10, 2019</div>
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A Reflection on Luke 17:5-10, N.A.B.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">By: Larry T. Smith</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Saying of Faith</i></b><i>. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>5</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>6</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>The L</i></span><i>ord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.</i></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Attitude of a Servant.</i></b><i> </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>7</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>8</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>9</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>10</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>-Luke 17:5-10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">If we pair this Scripture passage up with the story of the <i>Rich Man</i> in Mark 10:17-22 we might draw out some of its the meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>The Rich Man. </i></b></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>17</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>18</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>19</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>20</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>21</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>22</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">—Mark 10:17-22</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the story of the <i>Rich Man </i>(verse 21)<i>,</i> Jesus looked at the rich man and loved him because he had lived his entire life according to Mosaic Law as taught by the Pharisees and Scribes. And when he said, “Go, sell what you have, and give to the [poor] and you will have treasure in heaven, then come follow me” Jesus was, with great love, offering the rich man a gift of incalculable worth, the gift of faith, a life of contentment filled with love of the Father rather than mindless compliance with the legalism of Pharisaic Mosaic Law. And, for an instant the rich man probably considered Jesus’ offer. Should he remain a man of the Law, the Law given to his ancestors by Moses, or should he become a man of faith, give everything away, and follow this popular, charismatic teacher? It was too much to ask! People would think him insane! Why, he would not only lose his standing in the community but his identity as well! Crestfallen, he declined Jesus’ gift of faith and returned to living according to the Law of Moses. Even so, Jesus still loved him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Unlike the rich man, the apostles had left all of their possessions and families to follow Jesus; their old identities were left behind; they were on the path of faith. So, when they asked Jesus to increase their faith (Luke 17:5), he first explained the power of faith to them, then reminded them that settling into the monotony of compliance with Mosaic Law, as taught by the Pharisees and Scribes, does not please the Father, whereas love of the Father and faith in Him does. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">God’s displeasure at hollow ritual and sacrifice was strongly expressed in the prophetic writings of Isaiah (1:11-1), Jeremiah (6:20, 7:21-23), Amos (5:21-25), and Hosea (6:6, 8:4). And St. Paul expressed it well in the Letter to the Hebrews:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>8</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>9</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>10</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.</i>—Hebrews 10:8-10</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">How does all of this apply to us in our modern world? Is there a meaningful lesson here that I might put to use in my daily life? If we have open minds, we might learn a powerful lesson from Sufi mystics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sufism, is the mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God. The following Sufi tradition about Jesus might surprise many Christians:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>IMAM EL-GHAZALI relates a tradition from the life of Jesus, son of Mary. Jesus one day saw some people sitting miserably on a wall, by the roadside. He asked: “What is your affliction?’” They said: “We have become like this through our fear of hell.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He went on his way, and saw a number of people grouped disconsolately in various postures by the wayside. He said: “What is your affliction?” They said: “Desire for Paradise has made us like this.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He went on his way, until he came to a third group of people. They looked like people who had endured much, but their faces shone with joy. Jesus asked them: “What has made you like this?”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>They answered: “The Spirit of Truth. We have seen Reality, and this has made us oblivious of lesser goals.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Jesus said: “These are the people who attain. On the Day of Accounting these are they who will be in the Presence of God.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Muslim Sufi mystics used this tale about Jesus to make a powerful point. And while there isn’t a Scriptural basis for the story, it does contain a compelling message, especially with a Christian outlook.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Do we attend Sunday services just because our Church requires it and we don’t want to go to hell? Or is it because we want to go to heaven? If these are the only reasons we have for attending Sunday services, we have a lot in common with the rich man because we are merely habitually complying with the legalism of Church rules. And the Lord still loves us, as he did the rich man. On the other hand, if we attend Sunday services because we love the Lord, our faces, as described in the Sufi tale, will shine with joy. Some of our Saints loved the Lord so deeply that their faces radiated joy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There is a stage in spiritual development where we no longer care about hell or heaven but only long to be with our beloved Lord while we are on earth, and eventually in the afterlife. All Holy Scripture points us in this direction; this is what we should aspire to.</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-35874067040843618352019-09-01T09:46:00.000-05:002019-09-08T09:35:11.255-05:00Souls for Sale!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Sunday, September 1, 2019</div>
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A Reflection on Sirach, Chapter 3, Verses 17 and 18, N.A.B.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">By: Larry T. Smith</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>17</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>My son, conduct your affairs with humility,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.</i></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>18</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>and you will find mercy in the sight of God.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b00mNcgHUEA/XXUQ5ai-SII/AAAAAAAAAW0/CFPjHPP_8wo66Q74CHe4756qC3YIl33ggCLcBGAs/s1600/900_Espirit-Images_Matthew%2B11-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b00mNcgHUEA/XXUQ5ai-SII/AAAAAAAAAW0/CFPjHPP_8wo66Q74CHe4756qC3YIl33ggCLcBGAs/s200/900_Espirit-Images_Matthew%2B11-30.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">Ben Sira, the son of Eleazar, authored the book of Sirach in Jerusalem approximately 190-180 BC; his book is not found in Hebrew or Protestant bibles; in Catholic bibles it is considered one of the <i>wisdom</i> books. The wisdom of Ben Sira is timeless, and today it is just as applicable as it was in his time; in our modern world it may even be more relevant. What more can we add to the wisdom of Ben Sira? </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Unquestionably the greatest act of humility known to mankind is recounted for us by Saint Paul in Philippians 2:5-8:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>5</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>6</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>7</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>8</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Saint Paul says that Jesus, the Godly One, humbled himself and willingly became fully human. And in the Gospel of John: “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us . . .” (Jn 1:14). That Jesus retained his divinity while being fully human is a mystery that theologians label as the hypostatic union. As Christians, we see the Incarnation (God made man) as a free-will gift from the loving Father to his undeserving children and the supreme act of humility of His only begotten Son. What more is there to say about humility?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In Matthew 18:1-5 we read:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>1</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>2</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He called a child over, placed it in their midst, </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>3</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>4</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>5</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">But what is the Christian definition of humility? Father John Hardon’s <i>Modern Catholic Dictionary</i> defines humility as:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>The moral virtue that keeps a person from reaching beyond himself. It is the virtue that restrains the unruly desire for personal greatness and leads people to an orderly love of themselves based on a true appreciation of their position with respect to God and their neighbors. Religious humility recognizes one's total dependence on God; moral humility recognizes one's creaturely equality with others. Yet humility is not only opposed to pride; it is also opposed to immoderate self-abjection, which would fail to recognize God's gifts and use them according to his will.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jesus also said:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>29</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>30</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.—Matthew 11:29-30</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In his book <i>New Seeds of Contemplation</i> Thomas Merton writes: "Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love." Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden light” and Thomas Merton writes, “pride is the heaviest of all burdens.” What is it that makes Jesus’ yoke such a light burden for his followers? Accepting the priceless gift of faith that Jesus offers to us includes leaving pride behind and become humble like him. Is pride really the heaviest of all burdens? How often have our heads hurt, shoulders slumped and backs ached from the stress of pride? How many lies are told because we cannot admit to committing common mistakes?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Most Christians will agree that God created the world, but does pride prevent us from conceding that the country that we live in belongs to Him? Most Christians will similarly agree that the food on our tables is a gift from Him, but do we agree that we have a responsibility to share any overabundance that our country might have with those who are less fortunate? Does our pride push us so far as to prevent us from admitting that every breath we take is a gift from Him? Admittedly, true humility runs counter to our present culture and many will smirk and howl that it is a sign of weakness. How easily and cheaply it is for the evil one to purchase souls using the currency of pride!</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And we must ask ourselves two questions: how much peace has humility brought to our world, and how much destruction has pride caused? </span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-29669260744317853572019-07-06T13:13:00.000-05:002019-07-06T13:13:38.989-05:00Jesus, The Great Unifier<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Sunday, July 7, 2019</div>
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A Reflection on Galatians 6:15-16<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">By: Larry T. Smith</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-toV0PSS22Pc/XSDkHezcgBI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/5IL-lwGI6xsynW2TnHmY1dFJsknd96JigCLcBGAs/s1600/Lord-Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="112" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-toV0PSS22Pc/XSDkHezcgBI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/5IL-lwGI6xsynW2TnHmY1dFJsknd96JigCLcBGAs/s200/Lord-Jesus.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">In Galatians 6:15-16, the second reading for this Sunday, St. Paul writes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>15</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>16</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">With respect to the “new creation” of 6:15, in <i>Galatians</i> of the Jesuit <i>Sacra Pagina</i> series, Professor Frank J. Matera writes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Here, in Galatians, the new creation refers to what God has done in Christ by tearing down the barriers of race, class and </i></span><i>sexuality that formerly separated people. The new creation results from being in Christ.</i></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The age-old barriers that separated Jews from Gentiles, that divided the Pharisees and the Sadducees, that made Jews superior to Samaritans collapsed into nothingness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our faith, Christianity, is founded on the principles of love of God and love of neighbor. From 1 John 4:20 we read: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen </i></span><i>cannot love God whom he has not seen.</i> </div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">All four Gospel writers were similarly inspired by the Holy Spirit to quote Jesus’ words on this subject:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the Gospel of Mark:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>29</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>30</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>31</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” - Mk. 12:29-31</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In the Gospel of Matthew:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>37</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>38</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>This is the greatest and the first commandment. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>39</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. - Mt. 22:37-39</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>In the Gospel of Luke:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>27</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>28</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” - Lk. 10:27-28</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And finally, in the Gospel of John: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>34</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>35</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - Jn 13:34-35</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There is no room for separatism in the Kingdom of God on earth inaugurated by Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Whereas inanimate physical barriers, such as a walls, are in and of themselves incapable of inflicting physical damage, barriers conjured up in the minds of men can be more destructive than weapons of mass destruction, sometimes they become weapons of mass destruction. The mental wall that Adolph Hitler conjured up in the minds of good German people resulted in the extermination of approximately six-million Jewish people. Is it the physical wall separating Palestine from Israel or the ideology that gave rise to the construction of the wall that is the most damaging to Christian, Jewish and Muslim relations? What gave root to the barrier that caused, avowed white supremacist, 21-year old Dylann Roof to enter Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on 17 June 2015 and subsequently murder nine African American worshipers during a prayer service?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The fruit of love of neighbor is unity, and unity leads to something that we all hunger for: peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">History teaches us that the fruit of separatism or segregation is discontent, hatred, racism, discord, violence and sometimes wars. Inevitably violence rains down on hapless innocent bystanders caught between opposing parties. And if we tolerate or ignore those in our world who are being vicious to God’s innocent men, women and children, aren’t we, also, are being vicious to the innocent?</span></div>
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Since there is no room for separatism in Jesus’ Kingdom on earth, might we add <b>Great Unifier</b> to Jesus’ many other titles? And if we call Jesus the <b>Great Unifier</b>, what name shall we give to those among us who, for one reason or another, thrive on separatism, who routinely spread division and hatred?<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-21372876820353449072019-06-01T12:31:00.000-05:002019-06-05T13:01:38.492-05:00Where is Heaven?Sunday, June 2, 2019<br />
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A Reflection on Acts of the Apostles 1:6-11<br />
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By: Larry T. Smith<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YsAgfSdphU4/XPK0nlw4CfI/AAAAAAAAAVo/gHYKjyopyO8IxsTuB0pLn6RasoDacDR-gCLcBGAs/s1600/ascension.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YsAgfSdphU4/XPK0nlw4CfI/AAAAAAAAAVo/gHYKjyopyO8IxsTuB0pLn6RasoDacDR-gCLcBGAs/s320/ascension.jpg" width="240" /></a>In most dioceses in the United States, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is observed this Sunday. The first reading is from the Acts of the Apostles:<br />
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<i><b>The Ascension of Jesus. </b></i></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px;"><sup>6 </sup></i><i>When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” </i><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px;"><sup>7 </sup></i><i>He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. </i><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px;"><sup>8</sup></i><i> But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” </i><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px;"><sup>9</sup></i><i> When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. </i><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px;"><sup>10</sup></i><i> While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. </i><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px;"><sup>11</sup></i><i> They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” </i><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px;"><sup>12</sup></i><i> Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.</i></div>
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The entire Ascension event is summarized in verse 9: <i>“When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.”</i> Then comes the promise of verse 11: <i>“This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” </i> So, Jesus ascended into heaven on a cloud, and someday he will return to us on a cloud. Is that the sum of our Catholic belief concerning the Ascension expressed in a nutshell? Or is there more to it? No, there is much more to it than that! <br />
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As faithful followers of Jesus we have a deep-rooted need to know him better; we instinctively hunger for more spirituality. And we have an opportunity to feed that hunger by carefully studying the rich spiritual meaning of the Ascension event.<br />
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For example, the disciples watched the physical body of the resurrected Jesus being lifted up on a cloud until he disappeared from their view. How do we know that the risen Jesus had a physical body?<br />
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In Matthew 28:9-10 the author writes: <i><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">9</span> And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. <span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">10</span> Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” </i></div>
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And in John 20:16-17 we read: <i><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">16</span> Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. <span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">17</span> Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”</i></div>
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These Gospel passages affirm that Jesus’ risen and glorified body indeed had a type of physical presence. John 20:19 and Luke 24:13-16 also speak of the risen Jesus appearing through locked doors, disappearing again, sometimes being recognized, and sometimes not. The transformed and glorified body of Jesus appears to be equally at home on earth and in heaven and can move quickly and quietly back and forth through the thin curtain that separates the two dimensions, <br />
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Distinguished theologian and philosopher N.T. Wright says in <i>Surprised by Hope</i>: <br />
<i>“The mystery of the ascension is of course just that, a mystery. It demands that we think what is, to many today, almost unthinkable: that when the Bible speaks of heaven and earth it is not talking about two locations related to each other within the same spacetime continuum or about a nonphysical world contrasted with a physical one but about two different kinds of what we call space, two different kinds of what we call matter, and also quite possibly (though this does not necessarily follow from the other two) two different kinds of what we call time.<br /><br />What we are encouraged to grasp precisely through the ascension itself is that God's space and ours—heaven and earth, in other words—are, though very different, not far away from one another. Nor is talk about heaven simply a metaphorical way of talking about our own spiritual lives. God's space and ours interlock and intersect in a whole variety of ways even while they retain, for the moment at least, their separate and distinct identities and roles, One day, they will be joined in a quite new way, open and visible to one another, married forever.” </i></div>
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The mystery of the Ascension invites us to consider that the Lord Jesus, in his human and divine presence is in heaven, in a dimension which we are at present unable to see in its entirety. We can use an ordinary radio as an analogy. If we want to listen to our favorite station we have to turn the dial until we find it. In our present state we are unable to tune the radio to the dimension of Heaven. But, at the time of our death God gently turns the dial so that his faithful can tune in to the full dimension of heaven.<br />
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We might also mull over the possibility that Jesus is not far from us because Heaven and Earth are separated only by a thin curtain. Are there times when the curtain separating the dimension of Earth from the dimension of Heaven grows almost semitransparent? According to some traditions the answer is yes. One such tradition is <i>thin places</i>.<br />
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<i>Thin places</i>, according to Celtic spirituality, are places in Ireland and Scotland where the human and the divine seem closer together, where matter merges, where God’s presence is unmistakable, where the veil between Heaven and Earth is lifted. Another tradition is the Sursum Corda (Lift up your hearts) that we hear at every mass.<br />
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Monsignor Charles Pope writes: <i>“Let us turn our attention to a short, often-overlooked summons to Heaven that takes place in every Mass. It takes place in a short dialogue just after the prayer over the gifts and before the singing of the Sanctus. It is called the ‘preface dialogue’ and it is really quite remarkable in its sweeping vision and heavenly call.<br /><br />The Lord be with you.<br /><b>And with your spirit.</b><br />Lift up your hearts.<br /><b>We lift them up to the Lord.</b><br />Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.<br /><b>It is right and just.</b><br /><br />A fairly familiar dialogue to be sure. But to some extent, it fails to take wing because of the rather earthbound notion most moderns have of the Mass. Very few attending Mass today think much of the heavenly liturgy. Rather, most are focused on their parish Church, the priest in front of them, and the people around them. But this is NOT an adequate vision for the Mass. In the end, there is only one liturgy: the one in Heaven. There is only one altar: the one in Heaven. There is only one High Priest: Jesus in Heaven. In the Mass, we are swept up into the heavenly liturgy. There, with myriads of angels and saints beyond number, we worship the Father through Jesus, with Jesus, and in Jesus. In the Mass, we are swept up into Heaven!”</i></div>
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When we gather at mass and accept the invitation to “Lift up our hearts” we are mystically joined with the heavenly chorus. We might even sense that we are being mystically ushered out of the dimension of earth into the dimension of heaven, into the very audience hall of God most high. And there we are joined by the other faithful, throughout the world, who are at that very moment, Lifting up their hearts at mass, being divinized.<br />
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Since Jesus was born into our humanity, our humanity is allowed to share in His divinity.<br />
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We could recall the Ascension of the Lord and say, “Jesus went up to heaven and someday he will return,” and that is all there is to it. We could also accept Jesus’ invitation to explore the rich spiritual meaning of his Ascension and if we do that, we might find ourselves growing in divinity.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-38730255442210125492019-05-04T12:48:00.000-05:002019-05-04T12:48:55.834-05:00Do You Love Me?<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Sunday, May 5, 2019</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">A Reflection on John 21:15-17</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">By: Larry T. Smith</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This Sunday we are presented with a familiar scene from John 21:15-17:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BzvQe-rX3jQ/XM3PZmMilgI/AAAAAAAAAVA/pQsWJUMb2B8O27XYvhhJAnv0jAzr-AM5ACLcBGAs/s1600/Lord-Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BzvQe-rX3jQ/XM3PZmMilgI/AAAAAAAAAVA/pQsWJUMb2B8O27XYvhhJAnv0jAzr-AM5ACLcBGAs/s320/Lord-Jesus.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>15 </sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”* He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>16</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” <br />
</i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>17</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Three times in rapid succession Jesus asked Peter: “Do you love me?” Why did He ask Peter the same question three times? Most Christians will smile and answer that it was because Peter denied Jesus three times. And it is true that Peter vehemently denied Jesus three times, once even with a curse. But, if we let this bible passage go at that, we are in danger of missing out on an important insight into how God interacts with us individually, with all of his children, and that is the very essence of theology. But first, we need to explore the nuances of the ancient Greek language.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Modern Christianity defines <i>agape</i> as the <i>love</i> originating from God or Christ for humankind. In the New Testament, it refers to the covenant <i>love</i> of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal <i>love</i> for God; the term necessarily extends to the <i>love</i> of one's fellow man. The word <i>agape</i> comes to us from the ancient Greek language.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The New Testament was originally written in ancient Greek (Koine Greek), which was translated into Latin, and then finally translated into English. In ancient Greek, as well as all other languages, different words can mean roughly the same thing. For example, the ancient Greek word <i>φιλῶ or philos</i> means love. Philadelphia is known to be the city of brotherly love; its name was derived from the ancient Greek word <i>philos</i> (beloved, dear). So, <i>philos</i> means love. The ancient Greek word ἀγαπᾷς or <i>agapas</i> also means love; <i>philos</i> is a very nice word, but <i>agapas</i> is a better word—a higher, more refined level of love. In this bible passage our modern bibles use the English word <i>love</i> in place of both <i>philos</i> and <i>agapas</i>, and sadly, we can easily miss out on one of the deeper meanings embedded in the dialogue between Jesus and Peter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As it was originally written in Koine Greek: “ Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, “Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ, ἀγαπᾷς με. Which is translated: “<i>Jesus said, Simon Peter Son of Jonah do you love me (ἀγαπᾷς με)?</i>” In other words, “Do you love me at the <i>agapas</i> level?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Peter said, “Ναί, Κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε.” Which is translated: <i>“Yes, Lord you know that I love you (φιλῶ σε).”</i> In other words, “You know that I love you as a brother” (at the <i>philos</i> level).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jesus asked three times, “<i>Simon Peter Son of Jonah do you love me (ἀγαπᾷς με)?</i>” And three times Peter would respond, <i>“Yes, Lord you know that I love you” (φιλῶ σε, as a brother)”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Peter had been with Jesus from the very beginning, he watched Jesus heal Jairus’s daughter, he was with Jesus at the Transfiguration, accompanied Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane, he had seen Jesus’ resurrected body, shared a meal with Him in His resurrected state; he knew that Jesus was not just a ghost or spirit, yet, all Peter could muster was, “Yes, Lord you know that I love you like a brother.” Jesus might have thought, “All right Peter, if that’s the best that you can do for now, I can work with that.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Did Peter ever reach the <i>agapas</i> degree of love for the Lord? His willing martyrdom at the hands of the Romans is undeniable proof that he did! Peter probably rose to that level of love for Jesus at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the assembled disciples in the Upper Room.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">At the end of the day, </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">ἀγαπᾷς με, agapas, agape, φιλῶ σε, or philos, </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">what does it all have to do with us? Does it really matter? We could read this bible passage and be content with the idea that Jesus asked Peter “</span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">do you love me”</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> three times because Peter denied Jesus three times. Still yet, we are left to wonder why the author of John’s Gospel wrote </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">ἀγαπᾷς με </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">for Jesus’ question to Peter and </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">φιλῶ σε </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">for Peter’s answer. Why not just write </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">ἀγαπᾷς με (do you love me) </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">for Jesus’ question, and </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">ἀγαπᾷς</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">σε (I love you) </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">for Peter’s answer? Or, we can dive into the rich theology of John’s Gospel and discern a deeper meaning. And, if we do that we might come to the conclusion that regardless of where we are in our individual spiritual journey, Jesus will happily meet us there. Our state of sinfulness, disbelief, half-belief, complacency, sinfulness, or wretchedness doesn’t matter to Jesus; just for the asking He will meet us there, and He will say to us, “If that’s the best that you can do for now, I can work with that.”</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">And just as He guided Peter to </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">agape</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, He will do the same with us. This how God works with his children individually—with all humanity. </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-78549014131712866162018-10-06T11:55:00.000-05:002018-10-06T11:55:51.838-05:00Who is in Heaven?<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;">Sunday, October 7, 2018</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;">A Reflection on Mark 10:15-16, N.A.B.</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">By: Larry T. Smith</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Who is in heaven, or who do we hope is in heaven, and how can we get there? A friend of mine still grieves deeply over the death of her son, her only child, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident a few years ago. In a dream she saw her son and Jesus in heaven riding magnificent rainbow-colored horses laughing and smiling having a great time. So, she is convinced that her son is in heaven. But, is he in heaven? Maybe, I don’t know. And how often have we heard someone speaking from the depths of their grief and misery at the loss of a loved one, proclaim: I know that he / she is in a better place. When one of our loved ones dies, it gives us comfort to believe that they are in heaven waiting for the final bodily resurrection. But, are they? Maybe, we hope so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Still yet, the question remains: who is in heaven? We might focus our attention on verses 15 and 16 of Mark’s Gospel reading for this Sunday for the answer:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Blessing of the Children. </i></b></span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 8px;"><sup>13 </sup></i><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"><i>And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>14</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"><i> When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>15</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"><i> Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>16</sup></i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12px;"><i> Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Do any of the other Gospels repeat this theme? Yes, the author of Matthew’s Gospel writes: </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Matthew 18:2-3:</b> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>2</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> He called a child over, placed it in their midst, </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>3</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Similarly, the author of Luke’s Gospel writes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Luke 18:16-17:</b> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>16</sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. </i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 8px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><sup>17 </sup></i></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In all three gospels Jesus tells us who is in heaven: it is those of us who accept God’s loving gift of salvation as a grace, a free-will gift from God, and who trust Him implicitly. Jesus tells us to use little children as our model because of a child’s complete dependence on and trust in its parents. But, what did He mean by that?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Last year I watched my two-year old granddaughter taste chocolate ice cream for the very first time. As the very first half-spoon of the dark brown frozen concoction settled on her tongue there was a look of wonder on her little face; then the look of wonder changed smoothly into wide-eyed amazement as her taste buds enveloped it, finally her shiny little face broke into a wide open smile and her arms flew open in greedy, yet joyful anticipation of the next spoonful. Her loving mother patiently fed her one spoonful after another. When the ice-cream was finally gone my granddaughter flashed her mother an unforgettable look of love and gratitude.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">First, Jesus tells us that heaven is inhabited by those who accept God’s gift of salvation with amazement and joy. Then, He tells us to have complete trust in God the Father who will lovingly nourish us with spoonful by spoonful of that which is necessary for our salvation; it is a gift that we didn’t earn or merit. My granddaughter was completely dependent on the love of her mother for the next spoonful of chocolate ice-cream; there was nothing that she could have done to earn or merit it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Who is in heaven? It has always been those among all of humanity who have had the same loving, trustful dependence on God that little children have for their parents, and who follow His path to salvation. </span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-10744181964106788782018-09-01T10:13:00.000-05:002018-09-01T10:15:39.766-05:00Christianity—Judaism—IslamSunday, September 2, 2018<br />
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A Reflection on <i>The Letter of James</i> 1:17, 27 N.A.B.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>By: Larry T. Smith</i></span><br />
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In his book on the Letter of James, Catholic theologian Father Patrick J. Hartin <br />
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writes: <br />
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<i>Of all the writings of the New Testament the Letter of James provides the closest link to Judaism and is an eternal reminder to Christians of their origins and roots within that heritage. This letter is a remarkable testimony to what Christians and Jews hold in common.</i><br />
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In the very next paragraph Father Hartin surprises some of us with: <br />
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<i>The Letter of James also provides a bridge to the world of Islam. Everything in this letter resonates with Islam’s religious worldview and beliefs. Its focus on God as the one from whom all good comes and on whom all rely is central to Islam’s monotheistic vision.</i><br />
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The Letter of James Chapter 1, Verse 17 supports Father Hartin’s position:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i> </i></span><i>all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. </i><br />
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<i>- James 1:17 N.A.B.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i>Have we forgotten that all good things come from God; have we forgotten that they are not products of our own contrivances? <br />
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The Letter of James continues:<br />
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<i>Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.</i></div>
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<i>James 1:27 N.A.B.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i>If we acknowledge that all good things are gifts from God, we must also admit that they are meant to be shared with the poor and vulnerable. <br />
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Last winter the leader of a Scripture study class stated that this is not only our personal responsibility, but all countries share the same responsibility. The ten most developed countries in the world are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States; they have a mandate from God to share their good gifts with less fortunate countries wherever possible—with no strings attached. When that was said, a very Catholic and spiritual woman immediately jumped up and angrily grunted through clenched teeth, “But it’s ours! We shouldn’t just give it away!” <br />
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While it may seem counter to our present culture, we must never forget that the kingdom of God on earth, inaugurated by Jesus Christ, is universal—there are no national or international boundaries—all peoples are God’s children. <br />
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The kingdom of God on earth, about which we speak, came through the death and resurrection of His Son, not through barbarous force or undisguised displays of wealth which established the kingdoms of the world. Many of us, in our own day, are witnesses to the power of the kingdom of the risen Jesus to overthrow proud and oppressive regimes and to give hope to the humble and poor, and to do so with remarkable restraint, dignity, justice, and peace.<br />
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The seventh of the Themes of Catholic Social Teaching is the Option for the Poor and Vulnerable:<br />
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“A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgement in Matthew 25:31-46, and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.”<br />
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We can and should rejoice that organizations such as Cross Catholic Outreach, Save the Children, Knights of Columbus, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and a myriad of other charitable organizations reach out to the poor and vulnerable whenever conditions permit. Even so, there are still plenty of otherwise good Christians in our midst who insist, But it’s ours! We shouldn’t just give it away!<br />
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Dare we imagine a world in which a developed country like the United States would go to the leaders of a country whose people are suffering from drought and starvation and say, It is our duty to share the good gifts that we have received from God with you. We offer you, from our surplus, this stockpile of grain because your people are our brothers. How many loyal allies would such a country have? In reality, could that ever happen? Probably not, but individually we must remember that all people in the world are God’s children. Because, if we do not carry around love for our brothers, we might as well be carrying around a corpse.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-89558257888043212192018-08-04T13:16:00.000-05:002018-08-04T13:16:00.805-05:00The Wisdom of Proverbs 13:20 for Our ChildrenSunday, August 5th, 2018<br /><div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2zXwSD-3Oj4/W2Xsz2iHn3I/AAAAAAAAASo/hx0YvO6VSZ0LkeR3pKBNbyHX-SS9jYglQCLcBGAs/s1600/fullsizeoutput_287.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2zXwSD-3Oj4/W2Xsz2iHn3I/AAAAAAAAASo/hx0YvO6VSZ0LkeR3pKBNbyHX-SS9jYglQCLcBGAs/s200/fullsizeoutput_287.jpeg" width="166" /></a><br />A Reflection on The Letter to the Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 N.A.B. <br /><br />By: Larry T <br /><br />One of the most important life lessons we can teach our children is the ageless wisdom of Proverbs 13:20: <br /><br /><i>Walk with the wise and you will become wise, <br />but the companion of fools fares <br />badly</i> - Proverbs 13:20 N.A.B. <br /><br />And, because it emphasizes using care in choosing the friends and people they associate with, we should repeat it to them often. <br /><br />Understandably, this subject was weighing heavily on St. Paul’s mind as he composed his letter to the Ephesians and made this bold statement: <br /><br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">17 </span>So I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">18</span> darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance, because of their hardness of heart, <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8px; vertical-align: super;">19</span> they have become callous and have handed themselves over to licentiousness for the practice of every kind of impurity to excess. - Ephesians 4:17-19 N.A.B. </div>
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<br />If we are going to fully comprehend, “you must no longer live as the Gentiles do” we have to familiarize ourselves with the lifestyle of Ephesus at time of Paul’s writing. In the New Testament era Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the world, behind Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch. And it was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the great temple of the Greek goddess Artemis (or Diana, according to her Roman name). Whereas Diana was worshiped in most Greek cities as a secondary deity, in Ephesus Diana was a prominent deity and worshipped as a fertility goddess. The Ephesians proudly and jealously claimed her as their own goddess. For over a thousand years Diana and her temple provided the focal point for the rich religious, economic, and cultural life of Ephesus. Part of the cult of Diana was the use of ritual prostitution whereby the devotee became joined with the goddess through her priestesses, thereby ensuring her favor throughout the year. So it was that educated prostitutes affiliated with Diana worship controlled the city. Beyond that, Ephesus was a hotbed of wizards, sorcerers, witches, astrologers, diviners of the entrails of animals and people who could read one's fortune by looking at the palm of one’s hand. <br /><br />Such was the society from which Paul’s recently formed community of Jesus-followers emerged. Paul worried over the possibility that his converts might give in to the temptation of reverting back to the old ways of the Diana-followers, who by his description had given themselves over to “every kind of impurity to excess”. Doesn’t every parent worry that their child might get in with the wrong crowd? Therefore, even though his flock of believers had to remain physically integrated with the broader community which included nonbelievers and Diana-followers, they were to behave as true followers of Jesus. Does his concern echo Proverbs 13:20, Walk with the wise . . .? <br /><br />In some respects, the modern society, that our children are thrust into is similar to Ephesus of St. Paul’s time, so parents need to equip them to cope with it, and the wisdom of Proverbs 13:20 can help. <br /><br />What about adults? What value does the wisdom of Proverbs 13:20 have for an adult living in our modern society? Just last week the following headline appeared on the front page of our local newspaper: “Mom’s Boyfriend Arrested After 2-Year Old Suffers Skull Fracture”. Sadly, events like it seem to be commonplace in our society; when the initial shock of it fades away we can’t help but wonder, what was that Mom thinking. <br /><br />“Walk with the wise and you will become wise, but the companion of fools fares badly.” We should repeat it and think it often, even bore our children with it. <br /><br />And, for those of us wishing to advance in our own prayer life, Saint Theresa of Avila goes so far as to offer this bit of advice concerning companionship: “the soul should avoid a close association with evil and mediocre people and make it a point to mix with the good, . . .” </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-14934253816700044422018-06-30T09:46:00.000-05:002018-06-30T14:28:30.366-05:00Riches Beyond Our Wildest Dreams<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sunday, July 1st, 2018<br /><br />A Reflection on 2 Corinthians 8:9 N.A.B.<br /><br />By: Larry T. Smith<br /><br />This Sunday we might focus our attention on 2 Corinthians, Chapter 8, Verse 9. Saint Paul writes:<br /><br /><i>For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>Because of God’s grace and the redeeming work of our Lord Jesus Christ we have riches beyond our wildest imaginations, But, we must proceed cautiously through life because the earthly world that we live in will make every effort to strip us of those riches and leave us penniless. This very old, Middle Eastern story illustrates the point:<br /><br /><i>In the very olden days there was a bankrupt merchant who resorted to swindling his customers and neighbors out of their hard earned money to pay his debts. This natural-born thief even managed to cheat many of the villagers out of their lifetime savings. Eventually he was found out and arrested and ordered to be imprisoned by the local judge. Even so, this thief didn’t change his ways. He immediately went to work on his fellow prisoners and managed to cheat them out of every cent in their pockets and their other meager possessions as well. </i><br /><br /><i>By and by the other prisoners appealed to the judge for protection from the scoundrel.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>After some deliberation the judge decided to release the thief from prison to protect the other prisoners. Instead of being joyful, the thief objected and said, “This prison is my bread and butter. If you let me out, how will I live?” <br /><br />The judge not only released him, but also hired town criers speaking ten different languages to make sure that every man in every town was aware of this man’s dishonesty and thievery. <br /><br />According to the custom of that era the man was sat on a camel and walked around the village all day long. The cameleer, the owner of the camel, was already dreaming of the hay money he would earn. Town criers were screaming in ten different languages about how dishonest and thieving a man the merchant was. When night came and the cameleer said, “Enough! Give me my hay money,” the man said, “you fool, they are announcing in ten different languages that I am a dishonest man and a thief. What hay money? Are you not hearing what everyone else is?” </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>Interesting story, but a bankrupt merchant, town criers, camels and cameleers? Is there a moral to this ages-old Middle Eastern story? What can we learn from it? <br /><br />The thieving merchant is the worldly culture that we live in; it is a thief whose purpose is to strip us of the spiritual riches earned for us by the redeeming work of our Lord Jesus Christ and send us off penniless. The town criers announcing that the world is a thief in ten different languages are the prophets. Their messages are passed down to us through Holy Scripture—the Holy Bible—that has been translated into six hundred seventy languages. The New Testament alone has been translated into one thousand five hundred twenty languages and Bible portions or stories into one thousand one hundred twenty other languages. Thus, the prophets and evangelists continue to warn most of the civilized world about the thief. The cameleer represents those people who are fascinated by the positions, status and fortunes offered by the world. <br /><br />The cameleers in our modern world are people who choose to ignore their spiritual wealth or were just never properly taught about it. But the price paid for it, as Saint Paul tells us, was high: as each fist pummeled Jesus’ face, as the skin on His innocent bare back was ripped open as He was being scourged, as the crown of thorns was jammed viciously down on top of His head, as His wrists and feet were nailed to the cross, His precious Blood was being spilled and He sank deeper and deeper into poverty so that we will be spiritually rich. This might be a good time to pause for a few minutes and give thought to just how much of our spiritual wealth was contained in even one single red drop of His priceless Blood. <br /><br />Perhaps this is also a good time to reflect on the possibility that many of the horrific crimes being committed in our country and the world in general are by people who have fallen prey to the message being preached by the worldly culture that we live in. They have been taken in by the bankrupt merchant and become spiritually penniless, living out an empty and hollow existence.<br /><br />If we choose to ignore the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament evangelists, the agony of Jesus’ Passion and poverty will have been for nothing; we, too, will then sink into spiritual destitution and hopelessness. </span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-4680141631287410702018-01-11T13:05:00.002-06:002018-01-11T13:05:52.902-06:00The Power of the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"> </span> On this icy cold, blustery day, as I spent the morning hour contemplating our mass readings and praying the rosary, the thought came to me how powerful is the Word of God. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">In Mark 1:40-45, we see how our Lord immediately grants a begging leper healing with a word and touch.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Jesus warns the healed leper not to tell anyone and to go to the priests, and make an offering as Moses prescribed.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Chapter 14 of Leviticus details the elaborate ritual for purification; after reading through it, a modern day reader might understand any reluctance the leper had in performing the detailed ritual. In the end, we don’t really know what motivated the leper to begin talking about the healing instead of following the advice of Jesus.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I can only imagine the joy the person felt at being made clean, free of leprosy and all the social isolation it invoked.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Yet by spreading the good news of his healing, the man made it quite difficult for Jesus to continue his own healing ministry, inadvertently increasing our Lord’s isolation from the towns.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> This gave me to ponder how we can lose sight of the Lord when we don’t follow his teachings; how we push him out of the very public places of our life when we don’t follow his teachings and precepts. He becomes a peripheral entity, as we place priority on our own thoughts, desires and actions, and so bringing less and less of the Lord into the world. Then, when we are suddenly overcome with our own leperous condition, we end up seeking Him again for the healing only he can give. Often our search can be a look outside of ourselves for the healing that really can take place within. We forget that the Lord is Emanuel, God with us! So how do we keep this "God with us", with us?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Today’s Luminous mysteries give us a way to the Lord….and it begins with listening to the Lord. Isn’t it amazing the luminous mysteries all involve a progressive call to listen to the Lord. In the first mystery as Jesus is baptized, God the Father calls out: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased!” Yes, we would want to listen to the One most pleasing and closest to God! In the next mystery, Wedding of Cana (John 2:1-12), Mary encourages the servants (and us!) to listen to the Son, the One most pleasing to God the Father. Then in the third mystery, Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7), we hear from the Son all that He teaches as the new Moses and law giver of God. In a grand theophany of God, the fourth mystery confirms that God wants us to listen to his Son, during the Transfiguration mystery. (Mark 9:2-8). The last mystery involves the institution of the Eucharist (Matthew 26: 20-18), the ultimate listening post where we meet and listen to God’s still small voice, as we silently adore Him in the veiled but real presence in the Host. We can find Him in adoration or within the Mass… either way He is there to heal and cleanse us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> As we start back to Ordinary time, we get these little lessons in living the faith: </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial;">recognize the Lord Jesus as our Savior and healer, listen to His words and heed His commands, which you find in the Holy Scriptures, knowing that God the Father fully approves!</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Continue to<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> seek Him in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our catholic faith, where that still, small voice speaks words of life, love and healing for our broken world! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Ps 43:3-4, 5b</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Send your light and fidelity,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>that they may be my guide</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Let them bring me to your holy mountain,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>to the place of your dwelling,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>that I may come to the altar of God,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> to God, my joy, my delight.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Then I will praise you with the harp,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>O God, my God…</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Wait for God, for I shall praise again,</i></span></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">my savior and my God.</i></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"> Janet</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-52277168562805715382017-07-11T17:52:00.000-05:002017-07-11T17:52:46.377-05:00Grief <div id="contentsContainer" style="-webkit-box-flex: 1; padding-left: 72pt; padding-right: 72pt;">
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<qowt-section id="E79" named-flow="FLOW-2" qowt-eid="E79" style="column-count: 1; display: block; position: relative; tab-size: 0.5in; z-index: 2;"><h3 style="display: block; font-family: Calibri, Carlito, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E81" style="display: inline; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Anne Harsh</span></i></h3>
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<i><span id="E81" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E81" style="display: inline; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">7</span><span id="E82" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E82" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Jesus then said </span><span id="E83" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E83" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to the Twelve, “</span><span id="E84" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E84" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do</span><span id="E85" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E85" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E86" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E86" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you also want to leave?” </span><span id="E87" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E87" style="display: inline; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">68 </span><span id="E88" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E88" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.</span><span id="E89" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E89" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/El_Greco%2C_The_Repentant_Peter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="634" height="200" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/El_Greco%2C_The_Repentant_Peter.JPG" title="El Greco [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
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<span id="E91" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E91" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peter?!? Why do you do this!? Once again you show a flash of brilliance just to disappoint me in the next breath? </span><span id="E92" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E92" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you only stay with Jesus because </span><span id="E93" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E93" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you want eternal life? Why can’t it be</span><span id="E94" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E94" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> just because you love Him? Is it for Him or what He can give you?</span><span id="E95" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E95" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But I turn my finger and point it away from Peter and at myself. Isn’t that what I do? Don’t we all?</span></div>
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<span id="E97" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E97" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since my youngest daughter’</span><span id="E98" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E98" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s birth and multiple diagnoses,</span><span id="E99" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E99" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I have spent</span><span id="E100" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E100" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the past three and a half years in the denial and bargaining stages of the grief process. Denial because there has always been </span><span id="E101" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E101" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span id="E102" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E102" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one other treatment we can try</span><span id="E103" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E103" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Bargaining because with each treatment that doesn’t work I</span><span id="E104" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E104" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ve</span><span id="E105" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E105" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> just lower</span><span id="E106" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E106" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ed</span><span id="E107" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E107" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the</span><span id="E108" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E108" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> bar of what I’m asking for. “O</span><span id="E109" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E109" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">k, I’ll </span><span id="E110" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E110" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">give up on wanting </span><span id="E111" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E111" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our daughter to walk</span><span id="E112" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E112" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Alright </span><span id="E113" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E113" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so may</span><span id="E114" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E114" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">be</span><span id="E115" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E115" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> not talking</span><span id="E116" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E116" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> either</span><span id="E117" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E117" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span id="E118" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E118" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so now </span><span id="E119" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E119" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I guess </span><span id="E120" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E120" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’</span><span id="E121" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E121" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ll give up </span><span id="E122" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E122" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the hope </span><span id="E123" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E123" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span id="E124" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E124" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">her </span><span id="E125" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E125" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eating food orally. But please, please, please </span><span id="E127" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E127" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Je</span><span id="E128" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E128" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sus,</span><span id="E130" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E130" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> don’t let us lose the joy of </span><span id="E131" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E131" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our child </span><span id="E132" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E132" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">showing us she knows us. Don’t let us lose</span><span id="E133" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E133" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> her laugh and her smile when we give her love and the feeling of her hands reaching around our neck</span><span id="E134" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E134" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s</span><span id="E135" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E135" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when she</span><span id="E136" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E136" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> reciprocates that love and</span><span id="E137" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E137" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> hugs us. </span><span id="E138" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E138" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’</span><span id="E139" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E139" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s all I</span><span id="E140" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E140" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ask now. Let us keep that.</span><span id="E141" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E141" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” </span><span id="E142" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E142" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E143" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E143" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no promise we will even keep that</span><span id="E144" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E144" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span id="E145" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E145" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A</span><span id="E146" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E146" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nd I’m not sure what it might take for Je</span><span id="E147" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E147" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sus to gently pry THIS</span><span id="E148" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E148" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> prayer out of my clenched fists</span><span id="E149" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E149" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span id="E150" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E150" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I’m terrified of finding out.</span><span id="E151" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E151" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span id="E153" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E153" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After </span><span id="E154" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E154" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hiding in the relative comforts of denial and bargaining the</span><span id="E155" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E155" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> past several years, I’m</span><span id="E156" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E156" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> moving further into the </span><span id="E157" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E157" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">grief process and </span><span id="E158" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E158" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">toward </span><span id="E159" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E159" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the stage of anger. Today it started </span><span id="E160" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E160" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with a cheerful Christian radio personality</span><span id="E161" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E161" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> announcing in her bubbly voice that “God answers prayers, just ask 21 year old [so and so] who lost his job and then lost everything else………”</span><span id="E162" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E162" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> With </span><span id="E163" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E163" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">knee jerk </span><span id="E164" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E164" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">speed I turned that station </span><span id="E165" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E165" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">off</span><span id="E166" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E166" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span id="E167" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E167" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E168" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E168" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">choking on the bitter pill I didn</span><span id="E169" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E169" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’t want to swallow. </span><span id="E170" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E170" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E171" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E171" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He doesn’t answer MY prayers. </span><span id="E172" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E172" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Those tears building up behind that dam I built in 2013 pressed harder and threatened the stability of my flood gates. It hel</span><span id="E173" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E173" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">d…but I felt </span><span id="E174" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E174" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the compromise in</span><span id="E175" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E175" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> protection. I’m another day closer </span><span id="E176" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E176" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span id="E177" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E177" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the day it</span><span id="E178" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E178" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s</span><span id="E179" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E179" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> going to burst.</span><span id="E180" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E180" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span id="E182" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E182" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span id="E183" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E183" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">W</span><span id="E184" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E184" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hy do I even believe in you?” I yelled out.</span><span id="E185" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E185" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> There. There it is. And as usual my favorite verse </span><span id="E186" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E186" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from John 6 </span><span id="E187" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E187" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">came to my heart. Because where else would I go? My love/hate relationship with this verse is because I want it to s</span><span id="E188" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E188" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">top there. Peter’s next words reveal the weakness of the love we hum</span><span id="E189" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E189" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ans do have for Jesus. He says, </span><span id="E190" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E190" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You have the words of eternal life”. </span><span id="E192" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E192" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A.K.A.</span><span id="E194" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E194" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “</span><span id="E196" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E196" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span id="E198" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E198" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have som</span><span id="E199" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E199" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ething that I want. A reward, eternal life, </span><span id="E201" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E201" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the</span><span id="E203" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E203" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> answer I want to my prayers.</span><span id="E204" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E204" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span><span id="E205" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E205" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E206" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E206" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It takes something away from the brilliance of Peter’</span><span id="E207" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E207" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s answer. But it is the truth. </span><span id="E208" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E208" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I </span><span id="E209" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E209" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">love Jesus because of what He can give me. I </span><span id="E210" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E210" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stay with Jesus </span><span id="E211" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E211" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for a reward. Gradually</span><span id="E212" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E212" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the hope of that reward being a healing for my daughter is slipping away. But </span><span id="E213" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E213" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as I let go little by little of hopes for that reward I gain</span><span id="E214" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E214" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the reward of comfort that I can find nowhere else. </span></div>
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<span id="E216" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E216" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span><span id="E217" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E217" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stay with Jesus because not</span><span id="E218" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E218" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hing else can comfort me here</span><span id="E219" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E219" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in this non eternal life. Trust </span><span id="E221" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E221" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">me,</span><span id="E223" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E223" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I’ve tried other sources of comfort. </span><span id="E224" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E224" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m here to tell you that comfort is not at the bottom of a</span><span id="E225" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E225" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">n empty</span><span id="E226" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E226" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wine bottle. I’ve checked there….more than once. And while a to-do </span><span id="E227" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E227" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">list </span><span id="E228" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E228" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can make for great diversions from dealing with grief, meaning is not found in the </span><span id="E229" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E229" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">c</span><span id="E230" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E230" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ompletion of tasks written on it</span><span id="E231" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E231" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. There i</span><span id="E232" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E232" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s no peace</span><span id="E233" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E233" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the likes of a </span><span id="E235" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E235" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F</span><span id="E236" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E236" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">acebook</span><span id="E238" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E238" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> page or the “you’re so strong” comments from </span><span id="E239" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E239" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">family and</span><span id="E240" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E240" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> fri</span><span id="E241" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E241" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ends. </span><span id="E242" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E242" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no comfort in this world. There isn’t. </span><span id="E244" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E244" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Except for the companionship of the Trini</span><span id="E245" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E245" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ty.</span><span id="E247" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E247" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It’s the only true peace</span><span id="E248" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E248" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span id="E249" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E249" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So like</span><span id="E251" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E251" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Peter says…”To whom shall we go?”</span><span id="E252" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E252" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> T</span><span id="E253" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E253" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ruly, there is nowhere else. And I’ll be the first to</span><span id="E254" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E254" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> admit that on many days t</span><span id="E255" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E255" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hat is the only rea</span><span id="E256" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E256" style="display: inline; white-space: pre-wrap;">son I trust. </span></div>
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<span id="E258" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E258" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">So </span><span id="E259" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E259" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I know why I believe in you Jesus. </span><span id="E261" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E261" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because without you there is not</span><span id="E262" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E262" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">hing and no</span><span id="E263" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E263" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E264" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E264" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">one</span><span id="E265" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E265" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that can comfort me.</span><span id="E267" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E267" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E268" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E268" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I trust you in this darkness</span><span id="E269" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E269" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> not</span><span id="E270" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E270" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> because I’</span><span id="E271" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E271" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">m afraid I won’t go to heaven if I don’t…..</span><span id="E272" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E272" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I trust you in this darkness because when I get there, and I look you in the eyes, I don’t want to see refl</span><span id="E273" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E273" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">ected in them the sorrow</span><span id="E274" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E274" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you fe</span><span id="E275" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E275" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">l</span><span id="E276" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E276" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">t when I stopped trusting you. </span><span id="E278" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E278" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I stopped allowing you to comfort me.</span><span id="E280" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E280" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When I ceased letting you be in charge of the outcome of my prayers.</span></div>
<div id="E215" is="qowt-word-para" qowt-eid="E215" qowt-entry="undefined" qowt-lvl="undefined" style="display: block; font-family: Calibri, Carlito, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.38; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10pt;">
<span is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E280" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="E282" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E282" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">I have found Jesus’ heart touching mine through a song lately. It’s called </span><span id="E283" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E283" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">Even If You Don’t</span><span id="E284" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E284" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> by Mercy Me. One of the lines in this song says “I know you</span><span id="E285" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E285" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">’re</span><span id="E286" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E286" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> able and I know you can, save through this fire with your mighty hand, but even if you don’t my hope is you alone.” </span><span id="E287" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E287" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> I am moved by the words because t</span><span id="E288" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E288" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">hey don’t say “my hope is IN you.” Rather it</span><span id="E289" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E289" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> says “my hope IS you</span><span id="E290" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E290" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">” There is a big difference there. Three and a half years ago my hope was IN Jesus. Hope for a miraculous healing, hope for a moderate healing, hope for a minimum healing. But through this dark valley my hope has changed. My </span><span id="E291" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E291" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">hope</span><span id="E292" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E292" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> isn’t so much IN Jesus as it IS Jesus. </span><span id="E293" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E293" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">Not because I’m special or holy, but because it is my only choice. </span><span id="E294" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E294" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span id="E296" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E296" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">Just like it was Peter’s only choice.</span><span id="E298" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E298" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> It’s Jesus or nothing because there is nothing else. </span><span id="E299" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E299" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">Once Pete</span><span id="E300" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E300" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">r </span><span id="E301" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E301" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">knew Jesus, when things got dicey he couldn’t walk away from the comfort he had found. Or better </span><span id="E303" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E303" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;">stated,</span><span id="E305" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E305" style="display: inline; font-size: 11pt;"> the comfort that had found Him</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11_15jJXmPmPKg59ulBVs01XKTbritpuRnJCCUo7_qhsiVPSgu_Z66jfZTajNLHNYP5w04DjNC0X45gtGLIvzFlZqaG5toXa5bAHy6FFAlC2kth8uYHZ0VfwqwaT1WTcFgHkXhBrLnCI/s1600/Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Repentant_Mary_Magdalene_%2528Madeleine_r%25C3%25A9pentante%2529_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11_15jJXmPmPKg59ulBVs01XKTbritpuRnJCCUo7_qhsiVPSgu_Z66jfZTajNLHNYP5w04DjNC0X45gtGLIvzFlZqaG5toXa5bAHy6FFAlC2kth8uYHZ0VfwqwaT1WTcFgHkXhBrLnCI/s320/Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Repentant_Mary_Magdalene_%2528Madeleine_r%25C3%25A9pentante%2529_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg" title="James Tissot [No restrictions or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons" width="152" /></a><span id="E307" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E307" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E308" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E308" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> That weakening dam</span><span id="E309" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E309" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> inside of me is inevitably going to burst one of these days.</span><span id="E310" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E310" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I don’t know </span><span id="E311" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E311" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">exactly when, but I feel it coming. </span><span id="E312" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E312" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">W</span><span id="E313" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E313" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">hen it does it isn’</span><span id="E314" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E314" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">t going to be pretty.</span><span id="E315" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E315" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E316" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E316" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span id="E317" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E317" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But </span><span id="E318" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E318" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I tr</span><span id="E319" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E319" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ust Jesus will be there with me in that big mess. </span><span id="E320" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E320" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Being what He IS</span><span id="E322" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E322" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">..</span><span id="E324" is="qowt-word-run" qowt-eid="E324" style="display: inline; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> my only comfort. That is my hope. </span></div>
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06780045546555850839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-31581359243201117922017-02-04T15:13:00.000-06:002017-02-04T15:13:54.317-06:00Negotiating the Swirling Sea of Chaos<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sunday
February 5</span><sup style="font-family: Arial;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">, 2017</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">A
Reflection on Matthew 5:13-16 N.A.B.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">By:
Larry T</span><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NnofZd_qn8Y/WJZDuEvGmiI/AAAAAAAAAQI/I1QUrA8b-M8vev7cEnldXe6JlNmvV4G5ACLcB/s1600/Jesus%2BTeaching%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NnofZd_qn8Y/WJZDuEvGmiI/AAAAAAAAAQI/I1QUrA8b-M8vev7cEnldXe6JlNmvV4G5ACLcB/s200/Jesus%2BTeaching%2B2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In
verse 16 of the Gospel reading for this Sunday Jesus told his disciples, “Just
so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and
glorify your heavenly Father.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus
said to his disciples:<br />
<sup>13 </sup>"You are the salt of the earth.<br />
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?<br />
It is no longer good for anything<br />
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.<br />
<sup>14 </sup>You are the light of the world.<br />
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.<br />
<sup>15 </sup>Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;<br />
it is set on a lampstand,<br />
where it gives light to all in the house.<br />
<sup>16 </sup>Just so, your light must shine before others,<br />
that they may see your good deeds<br />
and glorify your heavenly Father."<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">-Matthew
5:13-16 N.A.B.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">What
does “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">glorify your heavenly Father”</i>
mean? And how should we go about it<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">?</i> Are
we to stand, gaze skyward with arms raised, and recite the Lord’s Prayer fifty
times a day? Or should we kneel eight hours a day and piously pray one rosary
after another? Perhaps we could sit motionless hour after hour lost in the
peaceful abyss of deep contemplative prayer. These venerable activities would
certainly glorify God, but is this kind of endless adoration all that He wants
from us, the subjects of His Kingdom, the Kingdom inaugurated on earth by His
Son? No doubt, there are those among us, who would declare, rather disdainfully,
that a God who simply wants people to adore him all the time is not a figure
they can respect, much less worship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Since
the reading for this Sunday is at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount
(the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-10), the meaning of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">glorify your heavenly Father</i> has to be understood in the Beatitude context,
the code of conduct for the subjects of God’s kingdom on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">6</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
will be satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">7</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">8</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">9</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">10</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">How
does God see me? When He looks at me who does He see? In a manner of speaking
we present three images to the world: there is the image we have of ourselves,
the way others see us, and the way God sees us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Every
morning I see a reflection of myself in the bathroom mirror; that’s how I see
myself. I like that reflected image because the light fixture over the mirror uses
old fashioned incandescent light bulbs and under that kind of light I look as
though I have a nice tan. What’s more, if I turn and tilt my head just so - my
grey hair looks darker and a little thicker; it makes me look a few years
younger and I really like that! Who wouldn’t?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">On
the other hand, one day last week, while accompanying my wife on a shopping trip
in a department store, I caught a glimpse of myself reflected from a full-length
mirror. Whoa! I looked at least ten pounds heavier! And my hair was almost
white and a lot thinner; I was much older looking than the man I had seen in
the bathroom mirror that very morning. Hmmm, I guess that’s how other people
see me, older and heavier - looking my age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">But
then, how does God see me? In his book, True Self, Thomas Merton, the Trappist
Monk, writes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">"What we are-our
identity-is only truly known to God-not to ourselves, not to other men. The
greatest terror of the particular judgement is that, the moment after our death
we instantly appear before the face of God and learn our identity-truly; we
finally see ourselves as we really are! The measure of our identity, of our
being (the two are the same) is the amount of our love for God"<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We are all called to be holy and
being holy means trying to be like Jesus; since the Beatitudes are a
self-portrait of Jesus, they are our instructions on how to be like Him, and
they are rules on how to conduct ourselves in God’s earthly kingdom, rules that
when followed evaporate the swirling sea of chaos, which if unchecked could
once again cover the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">At the final judgement, the
amount of love which we have for God will be measured against how well we
followed His commandments and lived the Beatitudes; it is how the obedient and
willing subjects of His kingdom bring glory to Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-46718073363587365912016-12-31T10:55:00.000-06:002016-12-31T11:00:24.421-06:00Humble Handmaid<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sunday January 1</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">A Reflection on the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">By: Larry T</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In his book <i>Jesus Christ:
Fundamentals of Christology</i>, Fr. Roch A. Kereszty O. Cist. writes: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-87AmY3-yddM/WGfh8BEIAGI/AAAAAAAAAPo/0-H8TtPvuOULb56FVVikx7avCHmQnwrmACLcB/s1600/Annunciation%2BGreco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-87AmY3-yddM/WGfh8BEIAGI/AAAAAAAAAPo/0-H8TtPvuOULb56FVVikx7avCHmQnwrmACLcB/s200/Annunciation%2BGreco.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Besides
stressing that Mary and Joseph were truly husband and wife and that the son of
Mary truly became the son of Joseph,
the Gospels also give some hints about their relationship to one another and to Jesus. It seems likely that the
reason Matthew (or at least the Aramaic
tradition behind the present Greek
text) gives why Joseph wanted to dismiss Mary was not a suspicion of Mary’s unfaithfulness but rather the fear of getting
involved with a divine mystery, the presence of which Joseph sensed in his fiancée. He needed God’s assurance and
command to overcome his awe. In Krämer’s
reconstruction, the Aramaic text underlying Matthew 1:20 should be translated
in this way<i>: “Joseph, son of David, do
not fear to take Mary as your wife just because the child was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit.”</i> In other
words, <i>“Do not let the fact that Mary is bearing a child conceived by the Holy Spirit frighten you from taking her as your wife.” </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">This Aramaic interpretation is startling, but makes sense: Joseph
sensed a divine energy radiating from Mary which both awed and frightened him. Did
the baby in Elizabeth’s womb also sense divine energy radiating from Mary? Is
that what caused the baby to leap in Elizabeth’s womb? When Elizabeth was
overcome by the Holy Spirit, cried out “Blessed art thou among women and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb!” was that, too, a spontaneous response to the
divine aura surrounding Mary? It’s a possibility worth considering.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Most modern Catholics accept that Jesus was both divine and human, and
that Mary gave birth to Him; therefore logically, she is the “Mother of God”, and
<i>that’s the way it always was</i>. But, the increasingly nonspiritual culture which we live in intentionally labels our traditional values as being unfounded
and insists that clinging to them is senseless and useless; therein, is
the stumbling block of accepting <i>that’s the way it always was</i>. Unless we
are thoroughly versed in the history and tradition of our Catholic faith we
face the same danger as a shallowly rooted tree which can be easily blown over
by a strong gust of wind. This is what makes reviewing some of the landmark
events in our Holy Mother’s life worthwhile.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">At the most opportune time for mankind’</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">s salvation, God</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> instructed the angel Gabriel to take on human
form so that he would be visible to Mary. When he appeared to Mary he saluted
her with: <i>“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou
among women.” </i></span><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Ignoring her bewildered silence, he continued, <i>“Do not be afraid,
Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive a son;
and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the
Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of David, his
father, and he shall be king over the house of Jacob forever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.” (Lk 1:28-33, Holy Angels Edition) </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">What did the angel Gabriel mean when he said <i>“Hail, full of Grace”</i></span><i><span lang="RU" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: RU; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">? </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Through the centuries our Church has become
increasingly aware that this divine announcement meant that God preserved Mary
from original sin at the very moment of her conception (C.C.C. 491). God then continued
to shower graces upon her, </span><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: NL; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">preparing</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> her to be
the earthly mother of the Son of God, (God Bearer, in Greek: Theotokos).</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Beginning with Jesus’ death and resurrection, how many years passed
before his mother was officially proclaimed Theotokos? Nearly four-hundred
years. Before Mary could receive the title of “Mother of God”, her Son had to
be recognized as “Son of God” - for the early Church just getting to that
threshold of understanding and acceptance was extraordinarily difficult. The
First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. declared that Jesus was <i>“begotten, not made, of the same substance
as the Father”.</i> Then, in 381 A.D., the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople
was forced to reaffirm that Jesus was <i>“the
only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, light from light,
true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father.”</i>,
and proclaimed that the text of the Nicene Creed was complete and forbade any
change (addition or deletion) to it. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">However, Nestorius, the Archbishop of Constantinople, didn't agree. Nestorius
and his following of sixteen other bishops denied Christ’s full humanity,
arguing that Jesus had two separate persons, the divine Logos and the human
Jesus. He opposed the title of Theotokos (God Bearer or Mother of God) for
Mary, insisting that she should instead be called Christotokos (Bearer of
Christ). He taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus gave birth to the human
Christ, not the divine Logos who existed before Mary and indeed before time
itself. Nestorius’ opponents found his teaching too close to the heresy of
adoptionism – the idea that Christ had been born a man who had later been “</span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">adopted</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">” </span><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">as God</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">’s son.
His teaching was ruled heretical by the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. This led
to the so-called Nestorian Schism where churches supportive of Nestorius
separated from the rest of the Christian Church. The Council of Ephesus
declared that the text of the Nicene Creed, previously decreed at the First Council
of Nicaea in 325 A.D., and the revisions of the Ecumenical Council of
Constantinople in 381 A.D. were accurate and complete; Jesus was truly the Son
of God and Mary was indeed the Mother of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In what way can
these events bolster our faith?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Mary had free will; she could have simply said, <i>No thank you</i>, but her “Behold the
handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to thy word.” signaled her
willingness to participate in God’s plan. God created the earth and we live on
it, in this we have no choice. God’s Kingdom on earth arrived with the birth of
Jesus. We have two options: choose to be a subject in God's Kingdom on earth <i>or</i> live out a simplistic existence on
God's earth. We, the willing subjects of God's Kingdom on earth, that is, those
of us who accept His gift of faith, are tasked with collaborating with Him in
the expansion of His Kingdom; this is how we signal our willingness to
participate in His plan. How do we go about that?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Just as Joseph and Elizabeth sensed a divine presence radiating from
Mary as she carried our Lord, so should those who we come in contact with sense
the divine spirit of Jesus dwelling in us, and that can be as simple as a smile
in His name, our demeanor and more importantly, our actions. <i>“We ought to walk just as He walked.” </i>(1
John 2:6 R.S.V.)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-38101895076118158142016-12-03T13:10:00.000-06:002016-12-03T13:10:41.099-06:00The Sword of Hatred<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sunday, December
4</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A Reflection
on Romans 15:4-9, N.A.B.</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By: Larry T</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The second
reading for this Sunday is from Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans. Since Paul
wrote this letter to a Christian community that he neither founded nor as yet
had visited, it is unique among his writings. Even so, Paul’s Letter to the
Romans is widely acknowledged as the single most influential document in
Christian history because of its profound theology.</span></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></sup></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> For whatever was
written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by
the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.</span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> May the God of
endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in
keeping with Christ Jesus,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Qh2mFC15_4/WEMX-bAwxTI/AAAAAAAAAPM/1MnXQY60roAVQu4Mm1WSUpgob_cIjlyHACLcB/s1600/Paul%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Qh2mFC15_4/WEMX-bAwxTI/AAAAAAAAAPM/1MnXQY60roAVQu4Mm1WSUpgob_cIjlyHACLcB/s200/Paul%2B3.jpg" width="200" /></a><i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> that with one accord
you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Welcome one another,
then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">8</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> For I say that Christ
became a minister of the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, to confirm the
promises to the patriarchs,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> but so that the
Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Therefore, I will praise you among
the Gentiles <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">and sing praises to your name.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">- Romans 15:4-9
N.A.B.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
substance of all Holy Scripture might well be summed up in verses 5 and 6:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> May the God of
endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in
keeping with Christ Jesus,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> that with one accord
you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When a scribe
asked Jesus </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Which commandment is the
first of all?”</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Jesus answered</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, “The
first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with
all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” </i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Mark
12:28-31 N.A.B.). Does being in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">keeping
with Christ Jesus</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> include loving our neighbor as ourselves?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Has there
ever been a time when we have been </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">in
harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus </i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">so that with</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> one voice </i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">we could glorify God the
Father and the Lord Jesus? Biblical scholars and Church historians will answer:
probably not even from the beginning. Saint Paul’s First Letter to the
Corinthians and 1 John both express utter dismay at the disharmony that arose
in the early Church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thomas
Merton, the Trappist monk, in the Seven Storey Mountain writes:</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="Body">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“It was St. Augustine’s argument, that
envy and hatred try to pierce our neighbor with a sword, when the blade cannot
reach him unless it first passes through our own body.”</span></i></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Merton
went on to write:</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="Body">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“In so far as men are prepared to
prefer their own will to God’s will, they can be said to hate God: for of
course they cannot hate Him in Himself. But they hate Him in the Commandments
which they violate. But God is our life: God’s will is our food, our meat, our life’s
bread.”</span></i></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">One
of the elements of wisdom is recognizing that which is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">unchangeable</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> in the face of a culture which insists that it is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">changeable</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. This will </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">never change</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: true followers of Jesus
cannot be hate driven; it is God’s will that we should love our neighbor as
ourselves. This, too, will </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">never change:</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
the sword of hatred aimed at our neighbor will damage our personal relationship
with our God. Saint Paul’s prayer/plea (v. 7) is that we welcome one another as
Christ welcomed us, for the glory of God.</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Christians,
Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and even atheists, however imperfect in their
faith or belief, who follow the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Second
Greatest Commandment</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> can accomplish what no president, congress, army, or
police force can: they can heal the rifts which are tearing our nation and
world apart. </span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-89837373801384796672016-11-06T13:50:00.000-06:002016-11-06T13:54:19.243-06:00Jesus, Remember Me When<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sunday, November
6</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, 2016</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">A Reflection
on Luke 20:27-40, N.A.B. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>By: Larry T</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2LtTe-fHBx8/WB-ImeoFKoI/AAAAAAAAAOs/_FfqKubXClIZTjRvFsJhZlQPOJNW_zM-gCLcB/s1600/Jesus%2Band%2Bthe%2BSadducees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2LtTe-fHBx8/WB-ImeoFKoI/AAAAAAAAAOs/_FfqKubXClIZTjRvFsJhZlQPOJNW_zM-gCLcB/s200/Jesus%2Band%2Bthe%2BSadducees.jpg" width="200" /></a><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Riddle me</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> is a figure of speech that means: Go
ahead and try to explain that to me. It’s easy for us to shake our heads and
smile at the Sadducees’ foolishness at approaching Jesus, the Author of Life, with
a riddle, a brainteaser which they had used to stump the Pharisees for years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In Judaism of
Jesus’ time, a childless widow would marry the brother of her late husband,
according to the custom known as levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5). The law
was designed to perpetuate the name of a man who died childless. The hapless
woman in the Sadducees’ made-up story suffered through seven childless
marriages and finally died. At the resurrection, whose wife would she be? The haughty
Sadducees had cooked up this riddle to show that resurrection would lead to
ridiculous results; it suited their purpose perfectly because they didn’t
believe in a resurrection whereas the Pharisees did. The riddle had never been satisfactorily
explained, that is, until the high and mighty Sadducees decided to challenge
Jesus with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">27</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and
put this question to him,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">28</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife
but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his
brother.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">29</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">30</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Then the second<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">31</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">32</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Finally the woman also died.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">33</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been
married to her.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">34</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry;<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">35</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the
resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">36</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of
God because they are the ones who will rise. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">37</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob;<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">38</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">39</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">40</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
And they no longer dared to ask him anything.</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">– Luke 20:27-40 N.A.B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The
eavesdropping scribes might have been clapping and high-fiving when Jesus solved
the riddle by contrasting life in the current age with life in the <i>age to come</i> where marriage will not be a
part of the <i>age to come</i> because one
of them approached him and said, “Teacher, you have answered well.” Not only
had the arrogant Sadducees, along with their gloomy doctrine of no life after
death, been put in their place, but the scribes and Pharisees could look joyfully
forward to life after death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">At this
confrontation Jesus not only upheld the doctrine of resurrection, but he also
spoke of the <i>age to come</i> noting that
“<i>only those who are deemed worthy” </i>would
have life in the coming age. Since worthiness to enter the <i>age to come</i> cannot be grasped or assumed because it comes from
God’s judgement, and is therefore a grace, Jesus’ words bring endless joy to
those souls God calls to himself, to those who hear and obey. Are these words
of dread or discomfort to those souls who hear and fail to respond or
understand? If they aren’t, they should be. Do those graceless souls hate God?
Probably not, it’s His commandments that they dislike and choose to ignore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What can we
learn from this Gospel story that has meaning in our modern world? Our earthly
transformation, the path to worthiness, begins when we start to model ourselves
after Jesus by following his example and his teachings. This is how He is
spiritually resurrected millions of times a day, even by the slightest act of
kindness performed in His name; it is how He continues to live through us. In following
Jesus’ teaching we announce His resurrection to the rest of the world.</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-11652847562520879452016-10-11T09:52:00.000-05:002016-10-11T09:52:40.517-05:00Do You Trust in Something Greater?<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>A Reflection on Luke 11: 29-32</b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Heidi Knofczynski</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Brooklyn_Museum_-_Jesus_Preaches_in_a_Ship_(J%C3%A9sus_pr%C3%A8che_dans_une_barque)_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="244" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Brooklyn_Museum_-_Jesus_Preaches_in_a_Ship_(J%C3%A9sus_pr%C3%A8che_dans_une_barque)_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg" title="James Tissot [No restrictions or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus’ words fall with such portentous
weight that something inside me trembles a bit. Truly, the Christ-haunted areas
in our souls quake in fear as His reality penetrates through all the vanities
and reveals what you hold back from Him. Something greater is coming to bring true life, but only through death. Can you let go of weak hopes for something
greater?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Ecclesiastes Solomon pondered how we “<i>chase the wind</i> “in search of something
greater. Riches, pleasure and even
wisdom only give the illusion that our life “<i>under the sun</i>” will go on. But even wise Solomon cannot see beyond
death. Solomon tells us to “<i>cast our bread upon the waters”, </i>since there
is no reason to hoard up our treasures.
Enjoy what you have until you are gone.
Death will absorb you into its darkness eventually. Vanity of Vanities! Yet Jesus tells us:<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #bf9000;"><b>But</b> </span><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">there is something greater than Solomon
here.</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jonah goes into the belly of a fish -- which should have
been a tomb -- in order for God to bring an urgent warning to the notorious
city of Nineveh. They listened and cast
off their evil identity. They placed
their hope in a power that overcame a tomb.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #bf9000;">And there is
something greater than Jonah here.</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Pieter_Lastman_-_Jonah_and_the_Whale_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="135" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Pieter_Lastman_-_Jonah_and_the_Whale_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" title="Pieter Lastman [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons" width="200" /></a>Do you feel the same stirring in your spirit that I do when
I read those words? There is awesomeness
to the reality of Jesus that is a quite unsettling. The closer we allow Him to draw to us the
more it illuminates what Solomon saw, but had no answer to: The futility of our mortal lives. The sign of Jonah, however frightening it must have been to the Ninevites, reveals a hope beyond this world and a mercy that seeks out those who are in need, and they could not
refuse it. They cast off their futile and
evil identity, they cast off their fear of letting go of vain hopes and they took hold of an eternal identity, and an eternal hope. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What are you afraid to <i>cast
upon the waters? </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Savior, you have delivered us and You continue to create us
in your image. I enter into your mighty
presence asking for the courage to continue yield my whole self you to you, whom
death cannot overcome. </div>
Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06780045546555850839noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-38885620729607121052016-10-02T10:24:00.000-05:002016-10-02T10:24:57.894-05:00The Priceless Gift of Faith<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sunday,
October 2</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, 2016</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A Reflection
on Luke 17:3-10, N.A.B. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>By: Larry T</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryVVpmqTTqM/V_EmN0kIlJI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/0GMMpWvcziYRjj96DyBGufLDAm-yrMZ7gCLcB/s1600/Harden%2BNot%2BYour%2BHearts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryVVpmqTTqM/V_EmN0kIlJI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/0GMMpWvcziYRjj96DyBGufLDAm-yrMZ7gCLcB/s320/Harden%2BNot%2BYour%2BHearts.jpg" width="154" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jesus’
instruction to forgive the contrite transgressor as many as “seven times in one
day” was raising forgiveness to a new height. So, the apostles’ natural
reaction was to ask for an increase in faith so that they could forgive as
Jesus had just instructed them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Be on your guard! If
your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> And if he wrongs you
seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you
should forgive him.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> And the apostles said
to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> The Lord replied, “If
you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry
tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> “Who among you would
say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the
field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">8</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Would he not rather say
to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me
while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Is he grateful to that
servant because he did what was commanded?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">10</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’” –
Luke 17:3-10 N.A.B.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">However, their
demand for an increase in faith tells us that they didn’t understand that faith
is a gift from God – a free will gift – a grace. Then, what is faith, and how can
we obtain it? And once we have it, how can it grow? From the Catechism of the
Catholic Church we read: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Faith is an entirely free gift that
God makes to man. We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St.
Timothy: “Wage the good warfare, holding faith and good conscience. By
rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith.” To
live, grow, and persevere in the faith, it must be “working through charity,”
abounding in hope, and rooted in the faith of the Church. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">– C.C.C. 162, and:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Faith is a personal adherence of the <u>whole
man</u> to God who reveals himself. It involves an assent of the i<u>ntellect</u>
and <u>will</u> to the self-revelation God has made through his deeds and
words.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> - C.C.C. 176<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So then, is
it true faith when a life-long Catholic rationalizes, <i>my grandparents were Catholic, my parents were Catholic, I was raised
Catholic; they were all good people. So I’m going to believe in God and follow
in their footsteps</i>? Is the intellectual decision, alone, to believe in God,
albeit for a good reason enough? Probably not. Faith is more than an
intellectual belief in God. Still yet, it could be a good beginning, but
knowing that we should do something doesn’t mean that we will do it.
Intellectually, I accept that for health reasons I should walk at least thirty
minutes a day, but knowing it doesn’t mean that I will do it. Why not? Because
my <i>will</i> dominates my <i>intellect</i>; unless my <i>intellect</i> and <i>will</i> are in agreement I probably won’t regularly walk thirty
minutes a day. So, the intellectual decision to believe in God can be a good
beginning, but unless the will is in full agreement, faith remains shaky at
best. Then, in this matter of faith, at what point does our intellect and will
(the whole person) come to believe in God? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We will have
true, saving faith when we accept the <i>gift
of faith</i> when it is offered to us by God. When that happens will there be angels
playing harps, will there be thunder and lightning or will the earth tremble? No,
it could be a subtle as the urge to learn more about God. More often than not,
we won’t even remember the day - suddenly faith was just there. In our rear
view mirrors we might look back and recall a certain period in our lives when
we received it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Then, is
faith alone enough to get to heaven? Not if that means simply clinging to an
intellectual belief in God, routinely attending Sunday services, and nothing
more. If it doesn’t lead us to a holy life of righteousness and mercy, it is
not a saving faith. The Letter of James tell us that faith without works is no
better than words without deeds, that faith can be neither seen nor verified
unless it shows itself in works, and even the demons have an intellectual
belief in God, but it does not lead to their salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">14</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have
works? Can that faith save him?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">15</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">16</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do
not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">17</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">18</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your
faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my
works.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">19</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and
tremble.<br />
– James 2:14-19 N.A.B.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What The
Letter of James doesn’t tell us is that works which stem from true faith nurture
and increase faith; without works faith is destined to wither and
die like an olive tree which is never watered; it will never bear fruit.</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-48380255545992140742016-09-03T15:08:00.000-05:002016-09-07T14:43:40.781-05:00God, Family, Work, Then Play<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sunday September 4, 2016</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">A Reflection
on Luke 14:25-33, N.A.B. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">By: Larry T<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PzsLeZVDHPM/V9Bta5Muz1I/AAAAAAAAAN0/pkCpx2wid_s0LDDP_M1dmW0Jvok8B469ACLcB/s1600/Jesus%2Bcalls%2Bpeter%2Bandrew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PzsLeZVDHPM/V9Bta5Muz1I/AAAAAAAAAN0/pkCpx2wid_s0LDDP_M1dmW0Jvok8B469ACLcB/s200/Jesus%2Bcalls%2Bpeter%2Bandrew.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">A
bathrobe-clad sleep-eyed husband balefully watches his wife prepare to leave
for Sunday morning church services; finally he mutters, “Isn’t all of this
praying at church just a waste of time?” A defiant teen age boy whispers to his
younger sister, “Boy, have things changed around here since Dad got religion!”
A bright young woman, a college student majoring in microbiology, returns home
for the summer and announces, “I’m sorry Mom and Dad but science just doesn’t
support religion, so I’m not going to go to church with you this morning, and in
the future I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t talk about God in front of me!”
And, so it goes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Jesus was,
and still is, the supreme master of capturing an audience’s attention with
thought-provoking concepts. In this Gospel reading Jesus’ rhetorical statement
about <i>hating family</i> would have
astonished many of those in his audience; no doubt some of his listeners immediately
turned their backs on him and stomped away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">25</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">26</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
“If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and
children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my
disciple.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">27</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">28</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate
the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">29</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the
work the onlookers should laugh at him<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">30</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">31</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether
with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon
him with twenty thousand troops?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">32</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for
peace terms.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">33</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple. – Luke 14:25-33 N.A.B.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In our
present day, as in Jesus’ day, when we answer the call <i>to go to him</i> we should be prepared for some negative consequences: estrangement
from family and friends, and yes, sometimes even persecution. Tragically, those
who suffer the disapproval or ridicule of family or friends are sometimes
persuaded to ignore God’s call to discipleship; some even lose their faith.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In our modern
chaotic world God has to come first, then family, then work, and lastly play.
True disciples put God before everything else in their lives, including family.
A wife reading this might respond with, “Wait a minute! Family has to come
first!” Really? What is the probability of a man who puts God first in his life
abandoning his family or becoming a spouse abuser? A husband reading this might
think, “The kids and I had better come first!” Really? What is the likelihood
of a wife who puts God first in her life being unfaithful to her husband? What
the odds of a marriage ending in divorce when both the husband and wife put
Jesus first in their lives? Can a true disciple neglect her children?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Putting God
first in our lives doesn’t mean spending all of our waking hours in prayer; it
can mean choosing to attend Sunday church services instead of going on a Sunday
morning fishing trip with friends; it can mean shopping at the mall on Saturday
instead of Sunday, it can mean being habitually polite instead of being customarily
rude, it can mean driving safely instead of cutting another car off in traffic;
it can mean spending fifteen minutes reading Scripture instead of watching
television, it can mean refusing to use profanity when everyone else in the
group does; the list is endless.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The urge to
worship God (discipleship) is a deep-rooted and powerful and supernatural force
which is ingrained in our souls. True disciples are at peace with God, themselves,
their family, and their neighbors. Those who refuse to accept God’s call are predictably
angry, hostile, and resentful because of the Godless existence they live. But
there is always hope because God never abandons his people – even when they
reject him!</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-17347201430433901722016-08-06T12:17:00.000-05:002016-08-07T13:48:16.973-05:00Scales from My Eyes<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Sunday August
7, 2016</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">A Reflection
on Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19, N.A.B. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">By: Larry T<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9yN2t4yR3bs/V6Ya7EwRkyI/AAAAAAAAAM4/5O0tnA7AOpAW3Gh8nWPBSzRxSp3P3MNywCLcB/s1600/Scales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9yN2t4yR3bs/V6Ya7EwRkyI/AAAAAAAAAM4/5O0tnA7AOpAW3Gh8nWPBSzRxSp3P3MNywCLcB/s320/Scales.jpg" width="245" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Imagine
waking up tomorrow morning in a foreign country, China for example. Most of us
would be forced to use lively gestures and animated facial expressions as a means
of communicating with the Chinese people. How useful would wide eyes and
flailing arms be in getting directions to the American Embassy? Also, spoken
Chinese is a tonal language with lots of upward and downward sounds often
described as very <i>bouncy</i> or <i>lively, </i>and<i> </i>to us it would sound like nonsensical gibberish. On the whole, this
would be an unpleasant experience!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Then, imagine
stumbling onto a group of English speaking Italians. What a break! Admittedly
their heavily accented English would be hard for us to understand, but at least
we could communicate with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In this Scripture reading Abraham and Sarah traveled to the Promised Land in faith and
became aliens in a foreign country, an uneasy situation to be in, and one that
we can relate to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">1</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> Faith is the
realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">2</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> Because of it the
ancients were well attested.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">8</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> By faith Abraham obeyed
when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an
inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">9</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> By faith he sojourned
in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and
Jacob, heirs of the same promise;<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">10</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and
maker is God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">11</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal
age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the
promise was trustworthy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">12</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands
on the seashore.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">13</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it
and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens
on earth,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">14</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">15</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have
had opportunity to return.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">16</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">17</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had
received the promises was ready to offer his only son,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">18</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">19</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received
Isaac back as a symbol.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">What do Catholics
have in common with Abraham and Sarah? Like them, we are aliens in an
unfamiliar land. Christians, especially Catholics, should always have a disquieting
sense of discomfort, the uneasiness of being strangers in a foreign land
because, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah, this world is not our homeland;
we are strangers here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Our Catholic
faith and community identity sets us apart from the Christian non-Catholic and
non-Christian society which surrounds us. Some of the words and ideas uttered
by that society should sound like Chinese to us, like nonsensical gibberish. On
the other side of the coin, our Christian non-Catholic brothers and sisters do
not understand some of our customs and beliefs, and when they speak out against
us our sense of alienation is usually amplified. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">What are we
to think when some of our fellow Catholics and Christian non-Catholics endorse abortion,
euthanasia, religious discrimination, or immoral behavior? In this regard they
are like that group of English speaking Italians that we bumped into on our
imaginary visit to China: because of their accent we can make out some of their
words, but we clearly don’t speak the same language. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The author of
1 Peter wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">11</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires
that wage war against the soul. – 1 Peter 2:11 N.A.B.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">This author’s
message is clear: this earth is not our native soil. We are aliens; we don’t
belong here; we are journeying to our eternal home. It’s worth repeating over
and over: we are aliens on this earth; we don’t belong here; we are journeying
to our eternal home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">There was a
common belief among some of the Old Testament Hebrews that they should figuratively
chew on and absorb the Law of Moses daily, like food, so that it would become part
of their nature. Similarly, if we can chew on and absorb the concept that we
are aliens on this earth, such things as pride, materialism, greed, wrath, and
even fear of death will fall away from our eyes like scales, like the scales
which fell from St. Paul’s eyes, and we will be blessed with true vision.</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-67443369399716668472016-07-02T14:40:00.000-05:002016-07-02T14:40:46.877-05:00Dust on His Feet<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sunday July 3,
2016</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOoBdrelj28/V3gYKYGmklI/AAAAAAAAAMg/6SbP_4gmEE8DkAGFzXaHnFt_nkCjkGHaACLcB/s1600/Sending%2B12.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOoBdrelj28/V3gYKYGmklI/AAAAAAAAAMg/6SbP_4gmEE8DkAGFzXaHnFt_nkCjkGHaACLcB/s200/Sending%2B12.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A Reflection
on Luke 10:1-12, 17-20, N.A.B. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i>By: Larry T</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jesus
instructed his disciples to deliver this message to the people: <i>“The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.”</i>
Did Jesus send seventy or seventy-two disciples to proclaim the arrival of the
Kingdom? Since the only four complete ancient manuscripts in existence are
evenly divided between seventy and seventy-two disciples, most bible editions put
the [-two] in brackets, as does the New American Bible. However a good argument
can be made for seventy disciples because that was the number of nations in the
world at the time. Following this line of thinking, the reign of the <i>Kingdom of God</i> on earth commenced with
the arrival of Jesus; this is the news that his disciples were to announce to
the entire world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> After this the Lord
appointed seventy [-two] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every
town and place he intended to visit.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> He said to them, “The
harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Go on your way; behold,
I am sending you like lambs among wolves.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Carry no money bag, no
sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Into whatever house you
enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> If a peaceful person
lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Stay in the same house
and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">8</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Whatever town you enter
and they welcome you, eat what is set before you,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> cure the sick in it and
say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">10</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets
and say,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">11</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against
you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">12</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">17</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
The seventy [-two] returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are
subject to us because of your name.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">18</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">19</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and
upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">20</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but
rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jesus also told
them, <i>“Whatever town you enter and they
do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town
that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In biblical
times, the Jews regarded Gentiles as idolaters or pagans, and when leaving Gentile
lands and cities, pious Jews often ceremoniously shook the dust from their feet
to show their separation from Gentile practices. In this Gospel reading Jesus ordered
his disciples to shake off the dust of any Jewish town whose occupants rejected
his message from their feet. Symbolically this act was meant to show the people
that they were making a wrong choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Was Jesus telling
his disciples to treat those Jews who rejected the news of the arrival of the
Kingdom of God through him as pagans? It would seem so. In other words: take it
or leave it. Was Jesus turning his back on disbelieving Jews? No. We know that God
never abandons his people. Still yet, this seems uncharacteristically harsh, not
something that Jesus would order his disciples to do, or at least not something
some of us think Jesus would order his disciples to do. Furthermore, how would disbelieving
Jews react to being treated as pagans by the disciples, fellow Jews? Wouldn’t
they be offended? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Merriam-Webster’s
Dictionary defines being politically correct as: <i>agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use
language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people.</i>
When was Jesus ever concerned with being <i>politically
correct</i>? Wasn’t announcing the arrival of the Kingdom of God inherently <i>politically incorrect</i>? One of the
greatest stumbling blocks of our time is our culture’s ongoing effort to make
Jesus <i>politically correct</i> – to put
words in His mouth - to make God more palatable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In our role
as disciples of Jesus when should we ever be concerned about being<i> politically correct</i>? As we discuss Holy
Scripture and religion with our spouses, children, grand-children, friends, or
associates do we strive to make a <i>politically
incorrect</i> Jesus <i>politically correct</i>,
and in doing so water down our faith? If a friend says, “I really don’t like
what Jesus said in verse 12 about Sodom and Gomorrah.” Is my immediate reaction,
let me try to explain that verse to you in a way that what Jesus said won’t offend
you? I hope that I don’t actually do it, because if I do the Lord might well look
at me and shake the dust from his feet. As we gather at a restaurant table for
a meal and pray over our food before eating are we worried that our expression
of faith might offend other restaurant patrons? Do our spines tingle in anticipation
that someone might rush over to our table and bellow, “You people shouldn’t
pray in public places.”? How many Christians, in our modern world, avoid
reading the Old Testament because they are offended by some of God’s actions
and laws? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Finally, nearly
two-thousand years later what difference has the reign of God’s Kingdom on
earth inaugurated by Jesus made? In what way has it influenced the way I live my
life? Is it obvious to those around me that I am a disciple of the Lord? I hope
so. And I hope this makes me <i>politically
incorrect</i> because the very nature of being a follower of Jesus is to be <i>politically incorrect</i> – someone or some
group is sure to be offended. Maybe this reflection is <i>politically incorrect</i>; I hope so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-59660138160541645182016-06-04T13:22:00.000-05:002016-06-04T13:22:35.216-05:00Evil's Defeat<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sunday June 5,
2016</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A Reflection
on Luke 7:11-17, N.A.B. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">By: Larry T</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C3jDwWtA58k/V1MbyVKifGI/AAAAAAAAAMI/AOY0lMEQ3w018HTIgLE9g_IsSWBHPyOXgCLcB/s1600/Resurrection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C3jDwWtA58k/V1MbyVKifGI/AAAAAAAAAMI/AOY0lMEQ3w018HTIgLE9g_IsSWBHPyOXgCLcB/s320/Resurrection.jpg" width="229" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Airline pilot
Chesley Sullenberger III was immediately hailed as a national hero when he
successfully performed the emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on
the Hudson River off Manhattan in New York City, after the aircraft was disabled
by striking a flock of Canadian geese during its initial climb out of LaGuardia
Airport on January 15, 2009. All one-hundred fifty-five passengers and crew
aboard the aircraft survived. Many people were quick to declare it a miracle.
Was it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We
wouldn’t for a moment say that God was not involved in that whole process. But
the reason the plane landed safely was that Chesley Sullenberger III had been
flying planes and gliders, and teaching others to do so, for thirty years. His instincts
were so well honed that all the lightning quick complex thoughts and actions necessary
for a safe landing were second nature to him. The danger in using the word <i>miracle </i>to describe events such as this is
in insisting that it was either/or. Either God did it <i>or</i> the pilot did it. What then, is a miracle?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In the Dictionary
of the Bible, John L. McKenzie, S.J. writes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Modern theology defines miracle as a
phenomenon in nature which transcends the capacity of natural causes to such a
degree that it must be attributed to the direct intervention of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">How many
miracles (acts of power) did Jesus perform? There are thirty-seven recorded
miracles in the Gospels; twenty-eight involved healing of the sick, casting out
demons, and resuscitation of the dead; nine miracles had to do with the natural
world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Why did Jesus
perform these works of power? The people of Jesus’ time believed that all
physical and mental disorders were caused by sin (evil). In their view,
contrary to our modern perspective, whenever Jesus healed the sick, performed
exorcisms, and restored life to the dead he was showing his supremacy over evil.
At times the Lord insisted that their faith was essential for Him to exercise
His healing powers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Nonetheless Jesus
was skeptical about the effects of his acts of power on the people, as is
evidenced in Luke 16:31: <i>Then Abraham
said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’</i> And whenever the devil,
Herod, the Pharisees, or the people asked Jesus to perform a miracle he
refused. Even though His acts of power caused the people to pause, admire, and
wonder, they weren’t the primary means by which Jesus announced the arrival of
the Kingdom of God through Him – they were just one of the means. In this
Gospel story we see Jesus once again exhibiting his supremacy over satanic
power which, in the minds of the people of his time, showed itself through
illness and death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">11</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Soon afterward he journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a
large crowd accompanied him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">12</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried
out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the
city was with her.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">13</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not
weep.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">14</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he
said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">15</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">16</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has
arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">17</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the
surrounding region.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What are we
to make of the miracle at Nain? What are we to make of the emergency water
landing of US Airways Flight 1549? How many witnesses to Jesus’ resuscitation
of the dead man in the city of Nain were instantly converted? How many of those
who believed that Jesus somehow took over the controls of US Airways Flight
1549 and guided it to a safe landing dropped to their knees in thanksgiving and
praise of the Lord? Undoubtedly some of the crew and passengers did, but what
about those of us who watched replay after replay of the event on the six
o’clock news? Did we simply pause, wonder and go about our normal business?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What if we make
the effort to view Jesus’ works of power through first century A.D. eyes and try
to understand that he was using miracles to display his power over evil? We
might ask ourselves where His supremacy over evil was when He was tortured and
crucified. In those events the raging forces of evil were given complete
freedom to run amok, to create total pandemonium. Rome, represented by Pontius
Pilate, and Herod were in the mix, as was Caiaphas and his corrupt Jerusalem
regime, so were the close-minded Pharisees and Sadducees, as were those
Israelites who declared that they had no king but Caesar. Shrieking demons danced
in the streets and mocking crowds roared their approval of the proceedings. Judas’s
betrayal and Peter’s denials were but final blows in the reign of evil and
terror. It was as if all of these forces were poured into a cauldron, brought
to a boil and poured on Jesus’ innocent head as he was being nailed to the
cross. And Jesus took it all; unchecked evil took its best shot at him, and he
was victoriously resurrected in three days. On that day evil was sent packing
like a cur dog with its tail between its legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Then why is
there so much evil in our world today? We are all infected with the virus of
evil. We cannot be so naïve as to believe that we are not infected, because in
certain circumstances; we are all capable of committing evil acts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In the Sermon
on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-10) Jesus preached:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> “Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Blessed are they who
mourn, for they will be comforted.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Blessed are the meek, for
they will inherit the land.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Blessed are they who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Blessed are the
merciful, for they will be shown mercy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">8</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Blessed are the clean
of heart, for they will see God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">10</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">These
principles tamp down the virus of evil that resides within all of us. And Christians,
Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and even atheists, whether they acknowledge
Jesus as the Son of God or not, who in some form or another adhere to these
principles, would find it difficult if not impossible to commit the kind of notorious
evil acts that dominate today’s news. Those acts of pure evil, which the news
media loves to assail our senses with, are committed by a relatively small
percentage of the world’s population. The people who do commit those acts, like
the shrieking demons that danced in the streets at Jesus’ crucifixion, dance
with joy at the fame bestowed on them by the obliging news media. Thankfully, the
majority of the world’s population prefers to live in peace. </span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-50199795465931371732016-04-30T14:20:00.001-05:002016-05-02T13:44:04.128-05:00Man-Made Laws-Not God's Laws?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>Sunday May 1,
2016</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>A Reflection
on John 14:23-29, N.A.B.</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By: Larry T</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">At a recent
Scripture study class an older woman, a convert to Catholicism, frowned throughout
the discussion of infant baptism, and finally snorted, “Man-made laws – not
God’s laws!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">At yet
another meeting my cradle-Catholic friends said they had never been accused of
following <i>man-made</i> laws. But another
friend in the discussion group, also a convert, said, “I went to a Lutheran college
for four years and I know all about that!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">This
highlights the very different way in which Catholics and Protestants view the
Bible. Most Protestants believe the Bible contains all you need to know; it
doesn’t need to be supplemented with doctrines. Our Catholic perspective is the
Bible <i>plus</i> Tradition (as is expressed
in the Catechism of the Catholic Church). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Father Ronald
D. Witherup, S.S., Ph.D., writes in Biblical Fundamentalism, What Every
Catholic Should Know: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“From a Catholic perspective, as
important as the Bible is, it cannot serve alone as the sole source of
revelation. We should note, however, that the word ‘Tradition’, (note the
capital T) does not mean ‘traditions’ we remember as we grew up. Rather it refers
to the Church’s magisterial teaching through the ages as it has interpreted the
Scriptures, interacted with them, and formulated doctrines that expound God’s
revelation as humans can know it.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Catholic <i>Tradition</i> is what some Protestants disdainfully
call <i>man-made</i> laws. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">That is all
well and good, but how do we respond to a Protestant friend who asks, “Why do
you follow <i>man-made</i> laws instead of
God’s laws?” Is it enough to shrug our shoulders and reply, “Because I have
faith in the Church.”? Along that same line of thinking how much confidence can
Catholics have in the Church’s formulated doctrines and teaching? A good
starting point is in verse 26 of this Sunday’s Gospel reading: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">23</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my
Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">24</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not
mine but that of the Father who sent me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">25</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
“I have told you this while I am with you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">26</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name-he will
teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">27</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I
give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">28</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you
loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is
greater than I.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">29</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may
believe.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">- John 14:23-29, N.A.B.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">In this Last
Supper Discourse Jesus introduced the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to his
disciples to assure them of God’s continued presence on earth after his return
to the Father. At that time the meaning of <i>“he
will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you.”</i> was probably
beyond the disciple’s comprehension.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Father Roch
A. Kereszty O.Cist., writes in Jesus Christ: Fundamentals of Christology: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">“God would have been a poor
communicator or rather no communicator at all, had he left the interpretation
of the inspired biblical witness to his Son to the ever-changing and mutually
contradictory whims of human interpreters. Working in different way through the
liturgy, the Magesterium, the theologians, and the Christian faithful, Christ
himself has guided the Church through his spirit on the often-torturous path of
understanding his own mystery.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">What evidence
is there that the Holy Spirit has piloted the Catholic Church from its very
beginning? Protestants and Catholics will agree that the four Gospel authors were
inspired by the Holy Spirit to write what was necessary for the salvation of
the souls of their individual church communities and ultimately the Universal
Church. By 375 A.D. eighty heresies, many of which dealt with the divinity of
Jesus, had arisen; it took the sure hand of the Holy Spirit to guide the Church
through them. Our Protestant friends would have to agree that the Holy Spirit was
present at the Synod of Hippo in 393 A.D. when the council of bishops listed
and approved the books to be included in the Bible. Nor can we forget that many
of the Church’s so called <i>man-made</i>
laws were in direct response to a dispute or crisis of some sort. For example,
it was the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. that settled the question of the
nature of Jesus in his relationship to the Father and gave us the Nicene Creed.
The most significant event in the modern era of our Church was the Second
Vatican Council (1962-1965); who will deny the influence of the Holy Spirit
over it? The more we study our Church’s history the more convinced we will be
that the Holy Spirit has been at the helm all along. And we can take comfort in
the knowledge that He will continue to lead our Church through the challenges
that are yet to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">So then, is
the Protestant way of viewing the Bible wrong? Not necessarily! After all, Protestants
are Christians too, and we’re all in the same boat. There is the Protestant way
and there is the Catholic way. When we’re asked why we believe in <i>man-made</i> laws the proper response is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Just as we accept the Holy Spirit’s
role in the inspiration of the Bible, so we believe the Holy Spirit guides the
Church in its teaching and prevents it from falling into errors on matters of
doctrine and morality.</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5548629151899796587.post-46807701611413810062016-04-02T11:16:00.000-05:002016-04-02T11:16:48.150-05:00"My Lord and My God!"<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sunday April
3, 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A Reflection
on John 20:19-31, N.A.B.</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">By: Larry T</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As far as I
am concerned the only reason to eat cake is for the frosting. I always maneuver
for the corner piece of a rectangular or square cake; I don’t have to explain the
reason for this to my fellow icing lovers. On the other hand, my wife doesn’t
share my love for frosting and will carefully scrape it off when it’s too thick
for her taste. Including the icing most 3-layer round cakes are about 8-inches
in diameter and 6 to 7-inches tall. A generous layer of icing is usually
covering the top of cupcakes, so we don’t want to overlook them. They are
usually 3-inches in diameter and 2-inches tall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Does Thomas’s
faith resemble a 3-layer cake or is it more like a cupcake in this Gospel
reading?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">19</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where
the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">20</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples
rejoiced when they saw the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">21</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
[Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I
send you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">22</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the
holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">23</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are
retained.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">24</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">25</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to
them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into
the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">26</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said,
“Peace be with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">27</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your
hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">28</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">29</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed
are those who have not seen and have believed.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">30</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of [his] disciples that are not
written in this book.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">31</span></sup></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
But these are written that you may [come to] believe that Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">- John 20:19-31, N.A.B. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Prior to
Jesus’ crucifixion and death Thomas’s faith was no doubt the size of a 3-layer
cake, but after Jesus’ death Thomas’s faith must have been crushed. We
can easily imagine Thomas shaking his head in wide-eyed disbelief as he
listened to reliable eyewitness descriptions of Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Why
couldn’t Jesus have saved himself? After all, it was because of His many
healings, miracles, and teachings that Thomas had come to believe in Him. But,
witnesses saw a Roman centurion thrust his spear directly into Jesus’ heart, so
there was no denying His death. In the end was Jesus just another in a long
line of Jewish prophets to be put to death by his own people? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Upon discovering
Jesus’ empty tomb Mary of Magdala tearfully reported, “They have taken the Lord
from the tomb, and we don‘t know where they put him.” Had grave robbers stolen His
body, or had the Jewish authorities taken it away? What was Thomas to make of the
empty tomb?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Thomas had
probably been wandering the streets aimlessly, carefully avoiding Roman and
Jewish authorities, while trying to sort out the roller coaster chain of
events. And now his friends were telling him that Jesus had been raised from
the dead? Well, that was too much to accept! That is, until he spoke with the
raised Jesus and touched His physical body; his “My Lord and my God!” was a public
profession of faith in the Divinity of Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What are we
to make of it all? We’ve seen that on its own Jesus’ crucifixion and death would
have been just another ghastly execution at the hands of the Romans. Likewise
the empty tomb on its own would have meant nothing. Take away Jesus’ crucifixion
and death and the empty tomb, and there would have been nothing unusual about
his sharing a meal with his disciples. But when we combine Jesus’ crucifixion
and death with the empty tomb and with His bodily resurrection, we have the
three pillars that support Christianity. Take away any one of these three Easter
events and we might as well take away all twenty-seven books of the New
Testament!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As Christians
these three events are the main ingredients of our faith cake. How long does it
take a faith cake to rise to its full potential? It takes a lifetime to reach
3-layer cake dimensions. But, what goes into the icing? Having a good priest as
a spiritual guide, studying Holy Scripture, enjoying Christian music, and associating
with the right kind of friends are some of the elements that go into the icing,
but in the end they only make up the icing. If we try to heap enough frosting
on a cupcake to make it pass for a 3-layer cake we wind up with a shapeless
blob. Sadly, too many of us try to cover our lifeless, stagnant faith with
layer upon layer of frosting. God charges each of us with the responsibility to
grow in our faith. Happy cooking!</span></div>
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