Envision all the places where you go, what you do, what you don’t, and what you won’t, drawn up alongside thoughts and spoken words, that swim about, inside and all around. What paves your way? What picture do you paint?
Consider where and what you long to be, the goal—the object of your desire, with whom your heart is shared, or maybe spared, as you maneuver about, here and there. What drives you? In what do you find purpose?
Imagine all your living, broken down, bit by bit, into service and giving, drawn up alongside thoughts and spoken words, that swim about, inside and all around. Who paves your way? What picture do you paint?
Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips, and the world in your heart. – St. Ignatius of Antioch
Some things are born out of convenience, Some come at the hands of happenstance, Still others, by design or decree. Yet, of what rises to the surface, Only that which embodies promise, With painstaking care, love and grace, Turns honest labor into real strength.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27
To remember the Lord God across experiences, in the bliss of greatest highs, during the lulls and lows too, and all the places between, is but part of honest faith.
Giving praise and all glory involves so much more than that, a heart, mind, and soul willing and free, receiving great Love, breathing out in word and deed that same Love without distance.
Taking and giving what’s Good, sharing among the many, knowing Christ in body, blood, guiding light, for what is right, showing care to all, for all, with room to grow, not to shrink.
Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. – 1 Corinthians 10:17
If this, then that permeates across all spaces, Creating fear, stirring up all kinds of notions, Extracting excuses, and some hare-brained ideas, Running roughshod, shredding norms, raging all about. That mirror on the wall? It’s turning, twisting, And swiftly rotting away from the inside out. Say, who’s the Lear-est?, “What can you do for me-man”?
Stop running every which way, but right side up. Pause. Take a minute and step away. Make a change. Seek Grace. Take it in. Soak it up. Receive the gift. In a world traditionally conditional, Only unconditional love, honest and true, Steadies steps, bridges gaps, raises strength for the day, making whole whatever’s fractured, broken, or faux.
It is written: “The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” – Matthew 4:10
Throughout the night, shadows make their way, And by the light of day, they cast doubt. Sad, sorry, tragic! They think they know. They slink, they slide, they lie, steal, and cheat.
Snuffing out light and stomping on hope, Making little of all the deceit. They rely on breaking down goodness, Splitting up what once stood together.
They view resistance, a futile thing, Failing to recognize the power, The strength and speed, of Light that’s within. Feed the poor, care for the downtrodden.
Light travels and bends, it radiates, generously spreads out across time. Some wills have shadows that can’t stand truth. Only Thine will to be done through Christ.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life. – John 8:12
The Gospel for The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Luke 23:35-43) gives witness to how honesty, and owning up to the truth, leads to the path of healing and salvation. And, as the days in the week ahead lead to the First Sunday of Advent, it can also be seen as an invitation for personal reflection and contemplation on areas of growth as well as places or spots that could benefit from greater attention through prayer and other practices throughout the journey toward Christmas. While the Gospel for this week has us at the crucifixion, as always, the focus is ultimately on salvation—Resurrection.
Turning to the Gospel for this Sunday, of the men on either side of Jesus at the crucifixion, one cast shade at him, while the other set the record straight, and then said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The first man seems unable to look beyond himself, and only lashes out at Jesus, and doubts him. It is written:
“Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.”
The man on the opposite side of Jesus, responds differently. He seems better able to look at the situation he is in with greater clarity. He recognizes and accepts (or owns up to) the truth. Not only that, but he also speaks it. Furthermore, he expresses to Jesus, his desire to be remembered by Him. The second man’s response is, in effect, an act of repentance. It is written:
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Take some time to re-read and consider this Gospel passage more deeply.
What do you imagine is at the heart of each man’s response? How does your heart respond to them? Given your experience of Jesus, how do imagine his heart responds to each man?
During our lifetimes, there are various challenges of varying degrees that we all face. We all have ups and downs, and days that are better than others in terms of how we respond and react. However, our faith tells us we are not alone and encourages us to do our best, and to remember Jesus, and His example.
Think about honesty, healing, and salvation and what your experience has been. Bring whatever comes to mind and heart into conversation with Jesus, trusting that it will be received with sincerity, love, compassion, and mercy.
Acknowledge areas of improvement and growth and how that came about. How are your practices (words, actions, prayer, etc.) an example of honesty, healing, and salvation?
Invite Jesus to share insight on areas where you know you can do better and to reveal ones in which perhaps, you may not be aware.
When your prayer time is coming to its completion, envision yourself asking Jesus for whatever you feel you need at this moment, and then saying to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Close your eyes, take comfort, and trust that Jesus, who said to the criminal asking to be remembered, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”, remembers you always.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Corinthians 1:17
Trees straight ahead standing tall, Making way for what may come, What was, and what is beyond. So willing to share the scene With the bright and countless leaves.
Together in their welcome To fellow lives passing through, Trees and leaves hold each other, One another, as Love holds them too.
The Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. – Sirach 35:12
September 21 is the feast day of St. Matthew, the tax collector turned disciple. It is Matthew’s home at which Jesus and his disciples are having dinner, among, “many tax collectors and sinners” (Mt 9:10), when the following exchange occurs:
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” – Matthew 9:11-13
If you were Matthew or a dinner guest at his house and witnessed this exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees, how would you feel, and what would you make of Jesus’s words? How about if you were a Pharisee? A disciple? Envision yourself in the shoes of the different people present or groups represented.
While there can be a wide range of perspectives and experiences in earthly regards, looking beyond that, what do you see or sense as a common bond or thread between them all?
Next, take some time to remember and pray with some of your experiences of compassion, forgiveness, and kindness. What’s it like to reflect on instances in which you received mercy, as well as the ones where you exhibited mercy toward another, as originating from the heart of God, for whom nothing is impossible? Not only that, but also to consider that these instances involved your cooperation with God, through whom anything is possible?
Share with the Lord what’s on your mind and in your heart as you contemplate his words.
In the Gospel for the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, St. Luke writes:
Jesus said to his disciples: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant 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 both God and mammon.” – Luke 16:10-13
Continuing to pray with your experiences of mercy, reflect on God’s grace and the extent to which honesty, trust, and trustworthiness, have helped or aided you toward receiving and extending compassion, kindness, and the benefit of the doubt to yourself and others. Ask the Lord to help you to see clearly your areas of growth, and to gently acknowledge, and commit to cooperation with Grace in, areas in need of conversion.
What wisdom is waiting on you today?
Closing prayer: Hallelujah! Praise, you servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord both now and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the Lord be praised. High above all nations is the Lord; above the heavens his glory. Who is like the Lord our God, enthroned on high, looking down on heaven and earth? He raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap, Seats them with princes, the princes of the people, Gives the childless wife a home, the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah! – Psalm 113:1-9
In the Gospel passage for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus says to his disciples,
“Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” – Luke 12:51
It’s not that Jesus wants there to be division, but rather that he knows reality.
One cannot get to peace by holding fast to anything or anyone other than God. And peace, like love, when honest and true, flows through to us by the grace of God, continues with our cooperation, and connects one and all. There’s always an extension onto others.
However, when one looks to differentiate, judge, or draw hard lines, venturing or being led away from grace, the extension gets cut off. For the peace and love of God does not occur in strict isolation, or in a single caste. Similarly, it cannot be had where there is holding back, or where humility lacks.
Take some time to pray with and consider how you experience peace and love. Express to the Lord your thoughts and feelings about the experiences that come to mind.
Next, ask the Lord for guidance and insight as to the ways that what you say and do, and what you don’t say and don’t do, are or can be an extension of the peace and love that has been bestowed to you. Allow yourself time to reflect on this and to hold a conversation with Jesus.
Envision sitting together in a place of quiet solitude. Share with Jesus whatever it is that you need at this moment. Ask Jesus to reveal any blind spots that may be interfering or leading you away from cooperating with God’s grace. What holds you back?
When the conversation reaches its end, picture yourself looking into Jesus’s eyes and feeling his peace radiating throughout you. Your heart is on fire. Jesus smiles gently at you—living faith.
We are living faith, through the choices that we make.
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