Jesus

Holy, Holy, Holy…

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts;
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. – Col 3:15a, 16a

The verses above are used for the Gospel acclamation for the Feast of the Holy Family (usually celebrated the Sunday after Christmas). Oftentimes, the nativity of Jesus and the spirit of Christmas can be accompanied by thoughts of serenity and peace as well as images of idyllic creches and decorations. In such a setting, it can be rather easy to allow the peace of Christ and the word of Christ to flourish within when riding the joy of Christmas or any other anticipated or celebratory day or event. Yet, reality is such that life is a mixed bag and the unexpected, sometimes the dreaded, can come along at any moment, making it more challenging to be open to or inspired by the peace and word of Christ.

Imagine the joy and astonishment of Mary and Joseph at the birth of Jesus and what they initially encountered in the aftermath of his birth as people paid homage. Are there times in your life that come to mind and to which you can relate this experience? Times that have given rise to great joy, overwhelming peace, and/or the feeling of being so amazed.  

Now, here we are, a week later, and in our liturgical celebration, we hear about Simeon and Anna paying homage to Christ and at the same time foretelling what’s to come (Lk 2:2-40).

“and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed’.” (v.34-35)  

And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. (v. 38)

What’s it like to reflect on the fact that even though Jesus is the Christ, the reality is that it’s not going to be all roses and sunshine for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph either? It can be tempting to forget or to overlook reality, and to see the Holy Family as not only holy, but also as untouched. Take some time now to invite the Holy Family into whatever is happening at this time in your life. In what ways can you draw strength and inspiration from Jesus, Mary, and Joseph? What’s it like to consider that your experiences, your life, your family, and that of all those around you, are holy too?

Envision the peace and the word of Christ entering into the conversation and dwelling with, within, and all around you, drawing you, and all, closer to God.

Put on, 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.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.  – Col 3:12-17

Leftovers…

Whenever one of my children asks, “What’s for dinner?,” if I reply, “We’re having leftovers,” the reaction is likely to be one of great disappointment. Initially, I pretty much always find myself surprised by this response, particularly since it seems like we rarely have leftovers for dinner. While the “Leftover” experience is likely typical especially when dealing with certain age groups, it resonates beyond the dinner table. Oftentimes, what is available can be seen as not being good enough.

In the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 9 verses 11-17, we learn that Jesus fed the crowd (all 5,000 people) with five loaves of bread and two fish. It is also written that, “They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.” What did they do with the leftovers? And did anyone take issue with whatever was done with them? What was the reaction? What kind of effect did the fact that the baskets contained fragments rather than whole pieces have?

There is no sure fire way to know the answers to these questions for back then. However, they are worth considering in terms of every day life. We all have moments where we either do not appreciate what is in front of us or have trouble accepting and making use of it. Moments where perhaps our response is lackluster or less than gracious. Moments where we can see what we want or what we would prefer to the exclusion of seeing value in what is present or available to us.

Throughout life though, it is not so much about what is on the plate, who is serving, and who is being served as it is about the source of all that. The story of the feeding of the 5,000 is in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-14). In each passage, Jesus is at the center, providing nourishment for all.

It is important to receive the message that when Jesus is central, not only are the needs of all satisfied, but also there is always more than enough.

Leftovers

Hope Restored… Bridges Rebuilt… No Thing Impossible…

These days there is much that can cause one to say, “I see it, but I don’t believe it!” The unbelievable and unreal seem so common place. It is so much so that the far out or absurd is no longer shocking, but rather quietly, silently absorbed into what seems like the disintegrating fabric of society. However, amidst the clouds of confusion and within the fragments of sense and sensibility, there is faith. Sometimes waiting to be discovered or rekindled, sometimes on the verge of becoming more broad or deepened.

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own
but they had everything in common.
With great power the apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need. – Acts 4:32-35

Unbelievable! Not only a community of believers, but one of the same heart and mind working and living side-by-side. Unity… accepting differences, learning from each other, and using the ways in which we are unique (our God-given gifts and talents) to strengthen us as we strive toward a common goal (to love God, and to love one another). Unity! So wonderful, but seemingly impossible in our times. One might say, “I won’t believe it, until I see it.”

The disciple Thomas essentially said, “I won’t believe it, until I see it” (John 20:19-31). Perhaps all that he had experienced and witnessed in his life along with his knowledge of Jesus and the crucifixion, coupled with dashed hopes and shattered expectations, led Thomas to the conclusion that things were broken beyond repair. Perhaps, “I won’t believe it, until I see it,” was, “My hopes have been crushed…my trust broken. My heart cannot take any more… I need to see it (proof) for myself.” And what is Jesus’ response? He gives Thomas what he needs, and then reminds him, as well as us, to keep the faith—believe. Despite what you may or may not see, believe.

With God, there is always hope and, where there is an open heart and mind, there is nothing… absolutely nothing beyond some kind of repair.

Our life is full of brokenness – broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God’s faithful presence in our lives.

– Henri Nouwen

Bridge

Just Like That…

Ready to pack up and go, the automatic start button was pressed, the lights came on, but the engine did not. I thought, oh no! Not now! But now it was.

The events that unfolded from a number of failed attempts to start the car, the roadside technician whose heart led him to look and work where the company’s book says not to look and work, and through the remaining tasks of the day were all unexpected. However, the initial sting and set back on time, gave way to a number of experiences of the kindness of strangers, of both those helping and those in need of help, and the gift of joy waiting to be recognized as the hand of God, providing a lift for each and every one of us.

So often, things happen just like that.

Just like that, Jesus breathed his last breath and it was over (Mark 15:37). One can only imagine what it was like for those who believed. Certainly, they did not expect what had happened to occur.

Despite Jesus’ words and the foretelling of his death and resurrection, clearly, it seemed more than they could understand. Prior to his last breath, Jesus said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) What did those closest to Jesus think, and how did they feel about what was happening? We all experience moments of feeling surprised, shocked, blind-sided, or abandoned. After some time to absorb what has transpired, though, there is the important question of “What now?”

It is in looking to, “What now?” that those among the closest to Jesus discovered that what may have seemed like the end was rather the beginning of something new. Not only that, but they were also reminded of the truth. To talk the talk is important, but to also walk it is difficult, impossible without sacrifice, and at times, may also seem like it is not worthwhile.

As you approach each day, remember:

While there may be lots of big, bad, bloated wolves in the world, their power is far outweighed by those who are kind, honest, caring, and wise;

Seeking to truly put God’s will first in both word and deed enables faith, hope and love to achieve all that otherwise may seem less than worthwhile, useless, or even impossible;

Light always conquers darkness, often in ways that we could not imagine, understand, or design on our own;

When being truthful with oneself, it is clear that the ends does not justify the means;

Every breath that any one of us takes is precious; and

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118).

Praise God!

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