Be a Witness

A reflection for the Third Sunday of Easter, April 19

By Judy Morss

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9

1 John 2:1-5A

Luke 24:35-48

The gospel this week finds the apostles back in the upper room. They were probably fearful and wondering what would happen next. Two of the disciples had reported back to the apostles that Jesus had made himself known to them in the "breaking of the bread."  Jesus appeared to the group gathered together.  It is not unexpected that they were startled and probably very frightened.  They thought they were seeing a ghost.

Jesus spoke to them asking why they were frightened.  Did they recognize Jesus? His wounds from

crucifixion were visible.  As he showed them his hands and feet, they probably began to realize that their Savior was indeed in their midst.  Jesus reminded them that he has already spoken to them about what would happen to him. He reminded them that everything would be fulfilled.

He opened up scripture to them so that they could better understand it.  Then he said that they are "the witnesses of these things." 

We are blessed to have heard the Word of God, even though we have not seen Him with our eyes.  We still believe. We, too, are called to give witness to what God has done for us and for the whole world.  Right now we are in that special place between Easter and Pentecost.  Our Savior has risen. What should we being doing?

 I think that we should spend more time being a witness. We are meant to be "witnesses of a great joy, witnesses that love is stronger than death, and witnesses of the resurrection." This is the role that the disciples will soon take on as their mission. This can be our mission as well.  Most of us will not be traveling throughout the world witnessing and evangelizing. However in our small circle of influence we can witness what God has done for us through his beloved Son. And who knows how we might be able to enlarge that circle.

I found Psalm 4 to be just beautiful. I plan to incorporate part of the Psalm into my nightly prayer.

"O Lord, let the light of our countenance shine upon us!  You put gladness in my heart.

  As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep, for you alone, O Lord, bring security to my dwelling. "

Peace and blessings,

Judy

(artwork Christ's appearance to the Apostles, by Andrey Mironov CC BY-SA 3.0 via wikimedia commons;  Jesus, I Trust in You, by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski  public domain via wikimedia commons)

Merciful and Just is our God

Sunday, March 15^th, The Fourth Sunday Of Lent
By:  Judy Morss

Today's readings are taken from:

Second Book of Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23  

Psalm 137

Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians 2:4-10 

Gospel according to John 3:14-21

This Sunday is Laetare Sunday; Laetare meaning rejoice.  Today is just past the halfway point of Lent.  As part of our rejoicing, the priest and deacon may be wearing rose colored vestments and flowers may adorn the altar in some parishes.

We rejoice because we are reminded of all the ways that God reaches out to us in mercy. Chronicles tells us that the people of Judah rejected God  and " added infidelity to infidelity." God became so angry with them that he withdrew His protection. Jerusalem was destroyed and those who lived were made captives in Babylonia.  Jeremiah foretold there would be seventy years of torment before there would be relief. Then God had compassion for His chosen people; they were offered a second chance through the mercy of the foreign king, Cyrus.  He allowed the people to return home and rebuild the temple.

St. Paul describes God as "rich in mercy, because of the great love He had for us." Even when we were dead in all our sins, God "brought us to life with Christ" -- by grace we have been saved, yet again.

John tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believed in him might not perish but might have eternal life."  God is so forgiving and compassionate, we rejoice in His love for us. But we must do more than rejoice. We must remember that Christ died on the cross for love of us.

As I kneel before the Lord in adoration and as I look upon the cross, contemplating the face of Christ, I know and understand more deeply what Christ has done for me and for all of us.  The question for me then becomes: What have I done for Christ, what am I doing for Christ and what should I be doing for Christ? As I continue my Lenten journey, I will search for answers to these questions and act upon those answers.

Peace and Blessings -- Judy

Go Off to a Deserted Place and Pray

Sunday, February 8^th, The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Judy Morss

Today's readings are taken from:

Job 7:1-4,6-7  

Psalm 147

Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23 

Gospel according to Mark 1:29-39

Job is in torment; he is being tested by both God and Satan, as we are each day of our lives. Job cries out that his "days come to an end without hope...I shall not see happiness again."    Yet when I read further in this chapter (v 8-12), Job has turned to prayer and receives the gift of humility and trust in God.

In Psalm 147, we are reminded that the Lord "heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" and to "Praise the Lord, for he is good." This Psalm calls us to praise, to prayer.

As I reflected on the readings of today, my thoughts kept coming back to the gospel reading, Mark 1: 35. "Rising very early before dawn, He left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed."  The New Testament is filled with so many instances of Jesus going off to pray. Sometimes, Jesus needed to get away from the crowds, to find peace and a chance to gather His thoughts.  Other times, he needed to spend time with His Father.

 As I think about the solace found in going off to pray in a quiet place, I recognize that this is something I don't do nearly often enough. I get tangled up in the things of life.  I pray the rosary while I am driving somewhere to do something.  I pray while I wash the dishes, fold clothes, etc. Even when I am in adoration, I find my mind wandering. I am still looking for that quiet place where I can truly pray.  Finally, I have realized that until I quiet myself, my body, my thoughts, my heart, my soul, I can never find that deserted place where I can truly pray.

Lent is rapidly approaching.  I am not planning on a huge list of what I am going to GIVE UP during Lent. Instead, I am going to focus on finding that deserted place where I can pray. I do know that deserted place is already inside me.  I merely need to ask the Lord to open that door and help me step inside. As we enter the Lenten season, I pray that all of us can find that deserted place where we can truly encounter our blessed Lord and Saviour.

Peace and Blessings -- Judy

You Duped Me

Sunday, Aug 31: 22ndSunday in Ordinary Time

Today's readings are taken from:

Jeremiah  20:7-9

Psalm 63:2-9

Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans  12:1-2

Gospel according to Matthew 16: 21-27

Jeremiah cried out to the Lord, "You duped me and I let myself be duped. You were too strong for me, and you triumphed.  All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me."  Jeremiah continues on to tell us that he is determined not to talk about the Lord anymore.  Jeremiah will be silent, but then the name of the Lord burns within Jeremiah and he must speak.

I asked myself and I ask you, have we been duped by the Lord? In a way I hope the answer is yes. Have we been seduced by Jesus to take up the mission of proclaiming the Word?  Do we stand up against the worldliness that can turn us into uncaring people, looking only for our personal gain and comfort.  Are we brave enough to speak out when needed and then accept the derision we might receive when we testify to our mission?  In many ways, we too can be prophets and then be willing to suffer the mocking and laughter that can follow. But in our hearts we can hold tight to the name of the Lord that indeed burns within us knowing that the Lord is always with us and within us.

As I reflected on the Gospel reading, I wondered if Peter too, felt that he had been duped. In the previous passages of Matthew, Jesus told Peter that he was blessed and that Peter would be the rock upon which Jesus would build His Church. Peter must have felt both fear and delight in hearing that he would be a vital part of the kingdom on earth.  Through God the Father, Peter had been able to proclaim that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter was probably both humbled and proud.

This week, as Peter hears more and more about what Jesus will endure for our Salvation, he must be horrified.  Jesus is the Son of God; things should be easy for Him.  Instead, Jesus will walk the path of humiliation, great suffering and death.  Peter rejects the possibility of a suffering Jesus and is sharply rebuked by Jesus.  Peter is compared to Satan; an obstacle to Jesus; perhaps tempting Jesus to take an easier path.  Jesus tells us, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it." 

And so Peter learns, as did Jeremiah, that the prophetic message may not be received with joy and happiness, but rather may be received with derision and even hatred.  We need to be careful not to conform to this age. We need to point out when power is abused; when our worth is defined by our wealth; when many people around us are deep into poverty and homelessness.  I'm not sure it is enough to live our lives in virtue and piety; maybe we need to take some action, speak out, etc.  I don't know what my next step should be, but I do know that when Jesus didn't know what to do next, He spent the night in prayer, asking His father to show Him what He should do next.  Maybe that's a good place for me to start.

Peace and Blessings,

Judy

The Keys to the Kingdom

Sunday, Aug 24: 21stSunday in Ordinary Time

Today's readings are taken from:

Isaiah 22: 19-23

Psalm 138: 1-2a,2b-3, 6-8

Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans  11: 33-36

Gospel according to Matthew 16: 13-20

I remember the first time I was given my own set of house keys. As a teenager, I needed to be able to unlock our front door for my younger brother and I on those days when my Mom was helping a neighbor in need. My Mom was a nurse and she often spent time helping an elderly neighbor who didn't have family nearby to care for them. I was really excited about those keys; I knew I was responsible for being sure not to lose them. Those keys meant that I was responsible for getting my brother and I safely into the house when Mom was helping elsewhere.

Receiving the keys is a theme for this Sunday's readings. The reading from Isaiah tells us of the removal of King David's steward Shebnah and the transfer of authority to Eliakim as master of David's palace. "I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.” With the giving and receiving of the keys, great responsibility is given.

Then we "fast forward" to the Gospel of Matthew. Again we read about the giving of keys, this time to Peter. Jesus is giving authority to Peter, the rock. Peter has responded to Jesus' question: Who do YOU say I am, by answering, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter will become the leader of the New Covenant. "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." And so our Catholic, Apostolic Church was being born and Jesus says to Peter (and to us) "I will build my Church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Did you know that of all four gospels, only Matthew used the word CHURCH.

As I have been thinking about the authority given to Peter, I am drawn into the authority of our Church. Peter's successors will endure as long as the kingdom; through them we have teaching authority, forgiveness, the Church hierarchy, the Magisterium, etc. The earthly authority of the Church, comes directly from Jesus, the Christ. Sometimes, I get a bit frustrated with the institution, but I know that the authority of God works through our human frailty.

Therefore these words from the Our Father prayer are a beautiful reminder to me. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." As Fr. Hamm said, "entering that kingdom on earth does eventually lead to entering the divine realm we call Heaven, but the authority given to Peter is a power that he exercises on earth."

And so together lets pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Peace and Blessings,Judy

The Kingdom of Heaven is Like....

Sunday, July 27: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's readings are taken from:

Book of Kings  3:5, 7-12

Psalm 119

Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans  8:28-30

Gospel according to Matthew 13:44-52

The Gospel for this Sunday is a continuation of the teaching Jesus shared with his disciples with regard to the Kingdom of Heaven.  Again Jesus speaks in parables.  This week Jesus shares three analogies which help the disciples, and us, gain a better understanding of the Kingdom.  Jesus describes the kingdom as a treasure, as a merchant and a net. Both the parable of the hidden treasure and that of the pearl of great price tell us that we cannot fully understand the value of the Kingdom of Heaven and that in order to obtain the
Kingdom we must be willing to give up our attachment to earthly things.  That is not always an easy thing to do; too often earthly things can become our idols. St. Gregory Nazianzen (died in 390 AD) described his Pearl of Great Price as being the Word.  He said that he "would never willingly neglect this possession, but on the contrary honor it and embrace it and take more pleasure in it than in all other things combined that delight the multitude --he made it the partner of his whole life and his guide. Would that I too, can continue to treasure the Word and avoid falling into the pattern of embracing the idols of our world.

As I thought more and more about the net, a dragnet, I thought about the Final Judgment.  The righteous  will be separated from the evil ones.  We women and men will be gathered up and we will be judged by our faith and our works.  As I think of all of us as various species of fish, I pray that I will be judged as a fish worth keeping and not a fish to be thrown back into the abyss "where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

In these past weeks, we have been reading about the Kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus has told us parable after parable in order to help us better understand the Kingdom.  Beginning to know more about the Kingdom is truly a gift from God.  Those mysteries are beyond us, but Jesus in His love for us gives us a glimpse of the Kingdom.  Just as in our first reading of today, Solomon asked God to give him an understanding heart, we too are being given a gift of understanding.

Jesus described the Kingdom to us in such ordinary things like seeds, light, salt, yeast, farming, fishing, and baking.  New life comes with the Kingdom of Heaven and Jesus helped His followers understand this. As I mediated upon the Gospels of these past three weeks, I wondered what ordinary things I might use to help increase my understanding of the Kingdom and how Jesus might use those things.   For example, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like my computer.  It can connect me to people all over the world and help me share my thoughts and love for our Savior no matter where I am or where others are."

How could you complete this sentence?

 The Kingdom of Heaven is like ----------

Peace and Blessings,

Judy

I Will Open My Mouth in Parable

A Reflection on the readings from July 20:Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Judy Morss

Book of Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 86
Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 8:26-27
Gospel according to Matthew 13:24-43

The Gospels read last Sunday, this Sunday and next Sunday are focused on the parables that Jesus told to the crowds.  The stories are drawn from everyday life, but the deeper truths are not really evident until Jesus speaks to His disciples and shares secrets of the Kingdom of God. What a beautiful example of the private instruction we sometimes receive from Jesus, from God the Father and from the Holy Spirit.  Jesus' disciples were the first to receive special grace and understanding from our Savior.

Last week we heard about the Sower and all the lackadaisical responses to the sowing of seed.  We are often distracted by things of the world and our responses are not fruitful.  However, when we are responsive to the kingdom, we bear good fruit, good works and faithfulness through God's grace.

This week we hear three parables that Jesus told the crowds.  First, a farmer sows good seed in his field, but the enemy sows weed in the field. Instead of trying to pull up the weeds and risking the uprooting of the good wheat as well, the farmer says that the crops should be allowed to grow together.  At harvest time, the weeds can be distinguished from the wheat and will be burned.  This parable helps me better understand the relationship between good and evil.  How many situations have you seen where good and evil seem to coexist?  It gives me comfort to know that although good and evil may be side by side, eventually the evil will be gathered up and destroyed and the good will be redeemed.   As I reflected more on the reading from the book of Wisdom, it struck me that justice should be restorative. "And you taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are just must be kind; and you gave your children good grounds for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins."

The second parable for this Sunday is the Mustard Seed.  I love this one; it reminds me that Jesus sowed the Kingdom into His small group of disciples and knew it would grow into a worldwide Church.  When I get discouraged about my small efforts and whether or not they can possibly have any impact, I think of the mustard seed and know that everything is possible through God.  I may never see the results of my efforts, but there will be results.

The third parable describes the kingdom of heaven as being like yeast, or leaven.  As I am a baker and love to bake breads, rolls, etc., I know the power of yeast, but I also understand the delicate nature of yeast.  If it is too hot, too cold, or too old, my breads will not rise as I had hoped.  I need to nurture that leaven in order for it to perform as it should.  A small amount of leaven can bring about dramatic results. As I read this parable, I was reminded that we are called to be leaven for the world.  We need to help bring about the Kingdom of God.

Next Sunday, we continue with the Gospel accounting to Matthew and will encounter additional parables.    I did a little research on parables; they are defined as a spoken or literary "comparison" between two things for illustration.  The word 'parable' is found 48 times in the Gospels of Mathew, Mark and Luke.  Jesus uses parables for a couple of reasons; He reveals and/or conceals divine mysteries. Parables also appear to be spoken as a means of judgments against the faithless.  For example, in Matthew, after Jesus is rejected by the Pharisees he shifts from His straightforward teaching to parables. "I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world."

Peace and Blessings,

Judy

Image By Andrey Mironov (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Reflections for The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Sunday, June 15

By:  Judy Morss

The Entrance Antiphon for this Sunday is:

"Blessed be God the Father, and the Only Begotten Son of God, and also the Holy Spirit, for he has shown us his merciful love,"

Reading I:  Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9

Responsorial Psalm:  Daniel 3:52,53,53,55,56a

Reading II:  2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Gospel:  John 3:16-18

Pope Frances said this last year, on Trinity Sunday:

"Today is the Sunday of the Most Holy Trinity. The light of Eastertide and of Pentecost renews in us every year the joy and amazement of faith: let us recognize that God is not something vague ..... He is tangible; He is not abstract but has a name: 'God is love.'  His is not a sentimental, emotional kind of love but the love of the Father who is the origin of life, the love of the Son who dies on the Cross and is raised, the love of the Spirit who renews human beings and the world."

In Exodus, God the Father came down to Moses in a cloud; He passed by Moses and cried out: 

"The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."

In the Psalms, we acknowledge God as being blessed and respond:  

"Glory and praise forever."

2nd Corinthians tells us again of the three persons in one God with a beautiful blessing. 

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you."

In John's Gospel, we are reminded again that: 

"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."

If you think about it, we are always encircled by the Holy Trinity.  We begin our prayers with the sign of the Cross, saying: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  As I have been reflecting on the wondrous mystery of the Holy Trinity, I have been thinking about the relationship I have, or could have with each of the Persons of the Trinity.

God the Father is our Creator and He is our Father in every sense of the word. Because of Him, I have my being and have been given a purpose in life. When I think of how my earthly father cared for me, protected me, consoled me, counseled me, I come to a deeper understanding of how my Heavenly Father does all these things for me.  He is in love with me and I am in love with Him.

Jesus, God's Son became one with me and walks with me on this earth. He has a special understanding of my humanity, my strengths, my weaknesses. When I cry out to Him, he understands me and as I long to know Him even better, He comes closer to me and is my brother and my Savior.  When I stumble, He picks me up and carries me until I can walk again on His path.  When I receive the Eucharist, He not only inhabits my soul, but my body as well. He is in love with me and I am in love with Him.

The third person, the Holy Spirit, gathers us into the Trinity of  God's love. Jesus promised us that we would not be left as orphans. The gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit help us to heal our wounds and bring peace to our existence in this amoral world.  The freely given gift of wisdom is something I so cherish.  When I sit down to read the Bible, I ask for insight and to receive whatever should come to me as I read and ponder the Word of God.  When I am asked to speak or write to a group or blog like this, I always begin by "talking to the Holy Spirit." He never fails.  He is in love with me and I am in love with Him. "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love."

When I meditate on the Trinity, I sometimes see myself in the center of a beautiful, warm circle of love. I am transformed from the mundane life I often lead into a life filled with hope, love for others (especially those in need) and a burning fire to draw closer and closer to the perfect union of Three Persons in our One God.

With love, blessings and a hope that you will also be drawn into this circle of God's everlasting love.

Judy

I Thirst

Reflection for Sunday, March 23 --  The Third Sunday in Lent

Gospel JN 4:5-42

By:   Judy Morss

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink.”
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him,
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—  Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”  The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?”  Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.  The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him,
“I do not have a husband.”  Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband.  What you have said is true.”The woman said to him, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.  Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”  Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth.”  The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one speaking with you.”  

At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?”The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?”  They went out of the town and came to him.   

Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.  Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.  The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.  For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”   

Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified,   “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

****

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again." At His crucifixion, Jesus said, "I thirst." They offered Him gall, but He did not drink. We thirst for God; our souls always thirst for God. We have a longing deep within us to be with God, always. The readings of today are full of references to water and thirst. What do I thirst for? Do I thirst for the comforts of life, for money, success, recognition? Or do I thirst for the things of God? What do each of us thirst for? When we get those things are we satisfied? Is our thirst slaked, or do we continue to thirst, thirst, thirst for the things of this world. My thirst will only be satisfied when I achieve oneness with my Savior. Then I will truly become a " a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

May we all be infused with the living water poured out for us from our loving and merciful Father.

In peace and love,
Judy

Whose Kingdom Are You Seeking?

Reflection for Sunday, March 2 -- The Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

By: Judy Morss

Gospel of Matthew 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’
or ‘What are we to drink? or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.

Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”


Ash Wednesday is this week, and so we enter into the Lenten season. As I enter into the Lenten desert, I hope to draw closer and closer to our Savior, Jesus the Christ. The readings for this Sunday seem to have a common focus seeking the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. There we will find the love of God and His care for us. Isaiah 49:14-15 tells us that even if it were possible for a Mother to forget her child, "I will never forget you."

Our response to Psalm 62 is "Rest in God alone, my soul" and we are told that "Only in God is my soul at rest; from Him comes my salvation."  In Matthew 6:24-34 Jesus tells his disciples: "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other." He further tells us that we should not worry about our life or the day to day issues in our lives. All that we need will be given to us. Our focus must be on the kingdom of God.

We are not to worry about tomorrow; "tomorrow will take care of itself."  To stop worrying about tomorrow is not an easy thing. Jesus invites me to trust Him and know that He will give me what I need, according to His plan for me. Now comes the hard part. His plan for me; not my plan for me. I need to hear and receive this invitation to trust in a more personal, deep way. I need to feel the comfort that Jesus offers and accept and feel the bond, the special connection and the tenderness that God has for me.

God has a plan for me; He created me to achieve that plan. As I reflect on these readings, it becomes more and more obvious to me that I MUST decide who I will serve. When I focus too much on my wants and needs (security issues) then I am serving a false god. There is freedom in the decision not to worry about all of the external things, but to trust that God will provide for my needs. When I release myself from serving my own needs, I free myself to serve others. And that change in my focus, opens me up to all that the kingdom of God provides.

With peace and love,
Judy

Be the Light

Reflection for Sunday, February 9 --  The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

  Judy Morss

Gospel of Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”
The readings for this Sunday seem to have a common focus on light. Isaiah 58:7-10 tells us "If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday."

Our response to Psalm 112 is "The just man is a light in darkness to the upright" and we are told that ""Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just."
In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus tells his disciples: "You are the light of the world.... Just so your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

Sometimes when I look around me, I see a lot of darkness. When I listen to the news, I often see and hear even more darkness. But then I will notice a person whose light shines brightly. Like the teenager next door who shovels the sidewalk for his elderly neighbor and takes no pay. Then there is a woman from church who brings a couple of elderly ladies to Mass every Sunday morning. I see our people at Eucharistic Adoration 24 hours a day, seven days a week and the light shines brighter and brighter.

There certainly is a lot of darkness in the world, but when I begin to feel some despair, I look to those people who do not "light their lamp and then put it under a bushel basket." And that makes me refocus on being the light. Our readings for this day tell us what we need to do. We need to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, cloth the naked, encourage and support those who are afflicted.

I have lots questions I need to ask myself. Am I gracious and merciful and just? Do I reach out to those in need? Am I a just person; can my soul be part of the heavenly light? I am commanded by my Savior to become light; to be light. If we all persevere and become the light, we can help put out the darkness. From darkness to light, that's my goal.

With peace and love,
Judy

I did not know Him

Reflection for Sunday, January 16 --  The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Judy Morss

The gospel reading for this Sunday is taken from John 1:29-34:

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

As I read and prayed over this gospel, I was struck by the words, "I did not know Him." John says this twice! How can John not have know Jesus? Jesus was his cousin; when Mary and Elizabeth met one another when they were both pregnant with these special little boys, John leaped in Elizabeth's womb. How could he not know Jesus? Then it struck me that John was saying that he did know exactly who Jesus was; the Lamb of God, the Messiah we all wait for. But John proclaimed who Jesus was, not because of familial relationships, but because of the inspiration John received from God the Father. John saw the dove, the Holy Spirit come down upon Jesus and he believed.

Do my thoughts and actions say that "I did not know Him?" Do I see and recognize Christ in others around me, in my daily life, in events that happen? Or do I forget that Christ is part of everyone and everything? I need to be aware of Christ's presence in everything I say and do; every moment of my life. As in our second reading of today, Paul tells us we are "called to be holy." We cannot be holy unless we truly KNOW Jesus.

With peace and love,
Judy

Setting the World on Fire with His Eternal Love

A reflection on the Gospel for the Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time,  

August 18, 2013

By Judy Morss

What is the outcome of our faith decision to walk in the way of Jesus?

The Gospel reading for this day is taken from Luke 12:49-53.  This reading is the continuation of the Gospel chapter we have been reading for the past few weeks.  Jesus has already told his followers about the dangers of greed and how we must always be alert and responsive as servants of Jesus.  We don't know when He will be returning, but we MUST be ready.

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

A quick reading of this passage froze my heart and my senses!!! Jesus is here to be a source of division??  What can this possibly mean and how should I react to this teaching?  Then I carefully reread what Jesus said and prayed over it.  As usual, I called on the Holy Spirit for guidance.  I remembered that often Fire is a symbol of God's presence and His love.  So that led me to think that Jesus is wishing that the earth was ablaze with His love.  What a beautiful thought.  Then the question becomes, how can that happen?

As His followers we must help to make it happen. Jesus invites us to open ourselves to faith in Him.  It is not enough to follow Him from a safe place with minimal commitment.  Instead, Jesus must become first in our lives. Loyalty to Jesus is of greatest importance. If we have complete faith in Him and in His plan for us, then our life in the "real world" becomes not only bearable, but blessed. Faith is not easy. As Father Gillick, S.J. said, “It is hard to move outside the city-walls of our senses and the security of those walls; trusting, walking into the dark, going without knowing are tremendous violations of our present-day culture."

When we are outside of those walls and behave and move in ways that are not in sync with our highly secular world, we will surely encounter that division Jesus talks about. In spite of what is going on around us, even within our families and friends, we are called to embrace Jesus in faith. The faith-decision to walk in the ways of Jesus will help set the earth on fire with Jesus' love.  I long to see the world blazing with His eternal love.

May we each be a blessing to one another.

Judy

A Reflection on the Holy Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

By Judy Morss

We are so blessed by the gift of the Rosary given to us through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Praying the rosary takes us into a contemplative prayer, which requires tranquility of rhythm or even a mental lingering which leads us to meditation on the mysteries of our Lord.  When I pray the rosary, I begin each decade by first thinking about the specific mystery associated with that decade.  Those five mysteries, the Joyful Mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries take me through the Gospels in such a meaningful way.  The Joyful Mysteries begin with the mystery of the Annunciation; what a blessing for all of us that Mary said YES!  We have a Savior and she bore that Holy Child.  The Glorious Mysteries begin with the Resurrection of our Savior and close with the Crowning of the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven.

As I have been thinking about the Holy Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I find it so perfect that the mysteries of the rosary begin and end with her.  The first of all the mysteries remind us of the humility, obedience and faith that Mary held in the depths of her soul.  In spite of all her questions and perhaps fears, she said yes and bore our Savior.  The last of all of the mysteries is also about Mary.  We are reminded that after her death on earth, she was not only assumed into Heaven, but was also crowned as Queen of Heaven.  We can surely trust in Mary's intervention.

On a more personal level, I find that especially when I pray the rosary alone in an atmosphere of quiet, my mind, my heart and my soul make a journey that is difficult for me to describe.  I am in the world, but not really in the world.  I am in a very special place; one that I rarely find in our crazy world of rushing, doing and worrying. 

I have had medical problems for several months now and have had to undergo many tests.  Some of which have been painful or very confining in nature.  In order to stay calm, I have been reciting the rosary during these tests.  I have had doctors and nurses comment on the regularity of my breathing, my low blood pressure, etc.  It would seem that the calming effect of the rosary has its physical ramifications.  It's a blessing to have ten fingers!!!  I can use them to keep track of my prayers, when I am not able to physically have my rosary in my hands.

 

The Rosary is such a powerful sacramental.  On this Holy Day, I am especially grateful for the gift of the Rosary and the places it can take me.

With peace and gratitude,

Judy 

The Wedding Feast

I have been thinking about the “wedding feast” that God prepares for us. This Sunday’s readings have me wondering about the gift of free will that God has given us. Is free will really a gift or is it a curse? God invites us to the wedding and we can choose to accept or reject the invitation. So many times we chose to ignore the invitation and just continue on with our daily lives. We are distracted by the earthly things around us and refuse to see the beauty that God sets before us every day. His gift of His Son is always before us and available to us.

Isaiah 25:6-10 describes the beautiful gift that God will provide us as a feast of indescribable richness; perfect food and pure wine. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face; the reproach of his people He will remove from the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to safe us!” I have to ask myself, why do I find it so difficult to accept the invitation and so tempting to just stay closed to all that is offered and to keep walking through my daily life without accepting the fullness of the gift.

Psalm 23 expands upon the strength and gifts that God give us. As I mediate on this Psalm, I am reminded of all the unbidden things God does for me if I just open the door to Him and accept His invitation. Through Him, I want for nothing. In the dark days, He is with me, strengthening me and allowing me to accomplish all things in his name. Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage.” As I make my way toward the “wedding feast”, the kingdom of heaven, God not only provides for me but he also guides me on the trip. Again, the key is to be open to the invitation and to accept what God offers. The second reading, Philippians 12-14, 19-20 reminds us yet again that God will supply whatever we need. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.” God has prepared everything for His faithful servants, but we must freely choose to accept what he offers and to prepare ourselves to enter the kingdom of God.

The parable of the Wedding Feast in the Gospel of Matthew reminds us to accept God’s invitation and to be prepared to wear the wedding garment that God will provide.

Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the peoplein parables, saying,"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a kingwho gave a wedding feast for his son.He dispatched his servantsto summon the invited guests to the feast,but they refused to come.A second time he sent other servants, saying,'Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,my calves and fattened cattle are killed,and everything is ready; come to the feast."'Some ignored the invitation and went away,one to his farm, another to his business.The rest laid hold of his servants,mistreated them, and killed them.The king was enraged and sent his troops,destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,but those who were invited were not worthy to come.Go out, therefore, into the main roadsand invite to the feast whomever you find.'The servants went out into the streetsand gathered all they found, bad and good alike,and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.The king said to him, 'My friend, how is itthat you came in here without a wedding garment?'But he was reduced to silence.Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,and cast him into the darkness outside,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'Many are invited, but few are chosen."

St. Catherine of Siena describes that garment as “clothing ourselves in the fire of blazing charity, which adornments of sweet solid virtue, with true holy patience. He does not want [us seeking our] personal honor, but God’s honor and our neighbors’ salvation.” God is inviting all of us to enter into His kingdom; the invitation is freely given. The question becomes, “Why is the invitation not freely accepted?” Why are we so easily distracted? Again and again the invitation is proffered and again and again we reject it. We are mired in our desires, our feelings of independence – that I can do it all, I don’t need anyone. I want the glamorous things of this world, money, status, power. Yet God continues inviting us. He continues to provide the wedding feast for all of us; but we must accept the invitation and then put on the garment of seeking God’s honor, not ours. These thoughts take me back to my beginning question – “Is my free will a gift or a curse?”
Peace to you all, Judy