Forgiveness

A tree and it's shadow, among many trees

What is Cast, Cascades…

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?

A tree and it's shadow, among many trees

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

Celtic Healing Cross

You, have redeemed the world…

“The Holy Scriptures were not given to us that we should enclose them in books, but that we should engrave them upon our hearts.” ― St. John Chrysostom

Praying with the scripture readings for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Numbers 21:4b-9; Psalm 78:1b-2, 34-38; Philippians 2:6-11; and John 3:3-17), contemplate what it means to engrave them upon your heart.

In the First Reading, we hear of the Israelites, at wit’s end, upset by their situation in the desert, and making it known to Moses. We also learn of the punishing arrival of saraph serpents, leading to the surmise of many, and the subsequent realization of sin and prayer for relief. Following this, Moses prays for the people to be spared from the serpents, and the Lord replies, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live.” (Numbers 21:8).

What do you make of the notion that to be cured, or to overcome the serpent’s bite, requires looking at the bronze serpent mounted on the pole?

Take some time to consider a situation or area in which your patience is worn thin, or where you have been bitten. What has your reaction or response been? And how might you ask for, and receive, God’s grace to move toward peace and healing—a better way?

The response for the Psalm (Psalm 78:1b-2, 34-38) is, “Do not forget the works of the Lord!” (Ps 78:7b). Like it was in the desert for the Israelites and Moses, it can be tempting for anyone to react or respond out of feelings of discontent or anger, when it feels like needs are not being met or answers are nowhere to be found. This psalm invites us to recall what is true. None of us are without mistakes and missteps along the way. Still though, God is merciful and forgiving. This psalm encourages us to recall and remember the ways that God has been, and is, steadfast toward us.

Think about your experience of God turning something bad into something good?

Throughout the week, in moments with or without concern or upset, pause to acknowledge and give praise to God for God’s faithfulness to you. Allow yourself the space and invite God into it, to help you to see the entire picture, and to remember what is true.

In the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (Philippians 2:6-11), it is written:

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Continuing to pray with the thoughts, feelings, and situations that have come to mind and heart thus far, where might the words emptied, humbled, exalted, and bestowed—the past tense verbs used by St. Paul to describe actions of Jesus and God—be applicable or come into play? Ask the Lord to help you to identify ways that these words operate in your life, and what purpose they might be serving.

Turning to the Gospel passage (John 3:13-17), Jesus is mid-conversation with Nicodemus, a Pharisee who has come to see Jesus in the darkness of night. Nicodemus is trying to understand what Jesus means by, “no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” (Jn 3:3).

What does being born from above mean to you?

For the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we are reminded of where, and who, we currently are—our place as well as our call—eternal life through Jesus.

In the Gospel passage, Jesus refers to Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the desert and says, “so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (Jn 3:14-15). He knows that Nicodemus will be familiar with and understand what has been written in Scripture. However, an earmark of Jesus is to elevate and help us along toward living Scripture. This is what he is trying to do, when he follows up with:

“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn 3:16-17).

Enter into conversation with Jesus about these two verses, inviting him to elevate and help you along in your journey toward living Scripture, or living it more fully. When your prayer time comes to a close, add the following:

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your Cross you have redeemed the world. – St. Francis of Assisi

Celtic Healing Cross

Lilypads

In the Image of its Creator…

Leaves upon leaves,
Earth, sky, and ground,
Different shapes,
Shades, and sizes,
Come together.

Growing along,
Getting along,
Going along,
Hosting along,
Stay together.

Like the lily
In that One pond,
Live in service,
Remain faithful
To creation.

Lilypads

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. – Colossians 3:12-14

Familiarity…

What is it that turns the less familiar or unknown into something to be wary of? What is it that stirs up friction, creates angst, and seeks to build fortresses around what is “known” and against what is new or different? While familiarity can be a good thing, it can also get in the way of better things.

At times, what is known can pull at strings, hoping to stretch nerves thin, to direct hearts and minds to narrow ends, and to fill wide, open space with falsehoods. Yes, what’s familiar and comfortable can and will, at times, masquerade around as one beneficial thing or another, while really playing on deep seated or hidden worries, and selling deception as truth.

In the Gospel passage for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Matthew 10:26-33), Jesus says, “Fear no one…,” “Do not be afraid…,” “Do not be afraid…” As you think about your day-to-day life, envision yourself looking around and listening. Take notice. What do you see and hear? What thoughts and feelings are evoked? And, more importantly, where, or to whom, does it lead you?

“God made Truth with many doors to welcome every believer who knocks on them.” – Khalil Gibran

This is why it’s so important to take time to pause for prayer and to reflect on not only the direction in which one is travelling, but also to notice who or what is prompting or leading one’s movement.

Throughout Scripture we see God engaging with creation in a way that shows flexibility, mercy, forgiveness, and a give and take that always leaves room for growth of heart and mind, and thus, greater understanding that includes reason, but also often extends beyond it. We also see free will, and the twists and turns and outcomes, often unexpected by the human mind, that flow from it. We see many examples of people acting, reacting, and responding out of fear that sells itself as die-hard commitment to tradition, or presents itself as self-preservation, pride, greed, jealousy, and more. There are also many examples of people rising above the circumstances, in ways alternative to the times in which they lived. And through it all, we see, time and again, God’s flexibility through unwavering love, patience, compassion, forgiveness, integrity, and understanding.

What’s an image from Scripture that comes to mind when you think about interactions between God and a person or group of people? Go to a passage that includes one of the interactions, read it, and then spend some time reflecting on it. What are you most drawn to in the passage? What qualities of God touch your heart most deeply? What is God revealing to you and wanting you to know at this moment?

What’s it like to think that maybe everything you’ve ever known is just a fraction of every good thing that awaits you on the other side of resistance to the unfamiliar?

The Next Chapter…

So what happened to Jonah? What did he do after delivering the message to “shape up” to the Ninevites?

First, he witnessed them take heed and repent. Next, he witnessed God shower them with mercy (Jonah 3:1-10). And then, in the next chapter, chapter 4, Jonah walked away, angry at God’s forgiveness and understanding of those “wicked” people of Nineveh. Why?

Jonah’s mind had already been made up about the Ninevites. That’s why he initially tried to run away from the mission God gave him (Jonah, chapter 2). Unsuccessful, though, and after being spewed from the belly of the fish, he ended up going to Nineveh to deliver God’s message to the people. And, exactly as Jonah expects, God ends up forgiving the Ninevites.

It’s interesting how God accepts the actions of the people of Nineveh as acknowledgement of their wrong doing, while Jonah, who had already determined the Ninevites did not deserve another chance, hardened his heart toward them and could not see or receive the spirit of their actions as a desire to make amends. That’s okay though, because as the story continues, we see more about God’s ways. Despite his lack of understanding or missing desire for mercy to extend to the Ninevites, God does not abandon Jonah either. Rather, God continues the conversation and keeps seeking to reach Jonah and his heart, the same as with the Ninevites.

The Book of Jonah reveals the story of a prophet whose name means “dove” in Hebrew. In a time when a desire for peace seems so great, for so many, it is important to remember that God’s embrace, and longing for ongoing, personal relationship with all creation, extends to all.  Yes, all!

God accepts those who accept and receive God, even when human beings can’t or won’t. Thank God! There are no exceptions, and only God can ever truly know what is in someone else’s heart.

But this greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry.

He prayed to the Lord, “O Lord, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I fled at first toward Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, repenting of punishment.

So now, Lord, please take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.”

But the Lord asked, “Are you right to be angry?”

Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it, where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade, to see what would happen to the city.

Then the Lord God provided a gourd plant. And when it grew up over Jonah’s head, giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort, Jonah was greatly delighted with the plant.

But the next morning at dawn God provided a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.

And when the sun arose, God provided a scorching east wind; and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head till he became faint. Then he wished for death, saying, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

But God said to Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry over the gourd plant?” Jonah answered, “I have a right to be angry—angry enough to die.”

Then the Lord said, “You are concerned over the gourd plant which cost you no effort and which you did not grow; it came up in one night and in one night it perished.

And should I not be concerned over the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot know their right hand from their left, not to mention all the animals?”

– Jonah 4:1-11

Wag This Way…

A couple of summers ago, while visiting family, we decided to go out for ice cream. As we opened the back door of the mini-van, immediately, and with great enthusiasm, the dog jumped in, and was ready to go. Unfortunately, the dog could not come with us, and needed to be escorted back out of the vehicle. As disappointed as he seemed though, when we got back to the house, his excitement upon our reuniting was as if his disappointment or hopes dashed prior to our departure, had never occurred.   

It is interesting how dogs, act and react, especially when they are excited. Perhaps, jumping and bouncing, running back and forth, and/or wagging their tails furiously at the approach of a favorite treat or as a loved one returns home. Then there are the other times, when they might plant their paws and growl, preparing to resist, attack, or defend against something non-preferred, or a threat perceived. Regardless of the situation though, what is often most striking is the capacity of dogs to love without abandon.

Moving from wagging tails to wagging fingers, there is the human frailty that causes hearts to bruise, egos to rouse, and hurt to linger. This, all the while, the silent plea, “Come now. Come down off your high horse,” echoes deep within. But, which will win?

Sometimes, it’s time to stop stopping. Stop standing still. When stubborn, yet again, the wagging, it begins. There it is. Getting in the way, determined to carry on, refusing to give in.

At what cost?

So many things, taking up space, too tightly held. How can the space between us do anything, but swell? Wider it becomes… bigger… stronger… bolder it grows. Drifting… fading… falling, tell me, what is so appalling?

One can’t help but wonder, when will this nonsense stop? When will we heed the warning that echoes deep within, “Come now. Come down off your high horse.”?

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you. – John 13:34  

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
                        — Mary Oliver, Wild Geese

The Hospitality of Love…

Without question, the story of the Prodigal Son shows the mercy of God and the challenge of forgiving trespasses, both our own and those of others. In addition, this parable also offers insight into the importance of a hospitable heart—a heart that is welcoming and gracious to all. This is what caused all those who drew near or reached out to Jesus, to do so. Likewise, this is what led the son who was lost to come back home.

“Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat…” (Luke 15:17). Having lost everything that he thought was going to make him happy and experiencing a very inhospitable environment, the lost son recalls the truth of what the environment was like at his father’s house. He humbles himself and sets out to return home, owning the ways in which he has failed and letting go of all that might lead him to stay away.

When he does so, he encounters neither judgment nor criticism. In addition, his status as son and birthright as heir await him. He encounters open arms running to embrace and welcome him home—a heart overjoyed by his presence. Once again, he experiences true hospitality, which draws him right back into the fold.

Whether there is one or one million and one… or more, God is all in, and for all, always. Cause for rejoicing! What a great example!

May love be the gardener of your years
bringing forth from your grounding in God
a harvest of wholeness and peace,
a bounty of courage and compassion.

May your soul tower with the strength of cedars;
your heart pound with the power of the sea.
May joy rise in you like the mountains
and may it be a blessing you share with those you love,
who this day make merry
then in you, the great love of God
has found a home on earth.

– A Lebanese Blessing by Jeannette Abi-Bader, HM

ProdigalSon_Field

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable:
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’

So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’” – Luke 15:1-3, 11-32