The Key To The Kingdom

I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mt.18:3,4

Simplicity, innocence and littleness meld to form a key to the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus isn't just giving advice, he's giving a warning. Unless I change... I will never enter the kingdom. Change from what? Sophistication, impurity and aggrandisement. 

There's work to be done but the God who forgives, who heals who redeems and who crowns me with love (Ps.102:3,4)  is on my side.

Saint John Bosco, please pray for me.

An Open Hand

With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.
Mk.4:24

Jesus defines God's heart as a generous heart. 

The more I give, the more I receive. Generosity is a strange thing. Not only does it bless the receiver, it folds back and blesses the giver. 

Was it Winston Churchill who said, 'We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."? 

Jesus warns the reverse is also true. Miserliness shrinks a life. 

My wife is naturally generous. She will happily stuff $20 notes into a needy family's letterbox. Knowing that I struggle with this, she gets me to do the stuffing. 

Also, I've noticed that generous people tend to be joyful people. They are life-giving. Their hand is an open palm, not a grasping fist. They are the sort of people I like to hang around.

Lord, open my hand. Give me a generous heart like yours.

Simple is Best

Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.
Mt.23:10

The desire for honorific titles is a common enough human weakness for Jesus to see the need to address it. 

It's intriguing that the Church chooses this scripture for the memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the Church's greatest of teachers. Maybe a key is the word "allow". This infers a fostering and encouragement of the title. 

For me this is a temptation from the world, a desire to become a mini-god in place of Jesus. The world exalts the rich, the powerful, the beautiful and the brainy while turning sharply from the poor, the weak, the plain and the simple. Scripture records Jesus being drawn more to the later group. 

So, the message from scripture for me this morning? A warning. There is a road to Hell and it is paved with self-exaltation. 

Saint Thomas Aquinas, please pray for me.

Anyone Welcome!

Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.
Mk.3:35

Jesus identifies who can be included in his family. Anyone!

"Anyone" emphasises that it doesn't matter who. All are welcome into the family of God. "God wants all to be saved." (1Tim.2:4). 

I've heard it said that if our congregation doesn't include people who look different, sound different, act different... then we're in danger of becoming a club and there are clubs out there that do it better. 

Does my parish project a wide open door of invitation to the oddballs, deadbeats and reprobates? Do I? 

"So go into the highways and byways, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.’ And those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all they found, both bad and good; and the wedding was filled with guests." (Mt.22:9-11)

I think Church history is filled with times when groups have had a genuine encounter with God and then built a picket fence around the experience and started issuing membership tickets. Meanwhile the Holy Spirit quietly steps over the fence and moves on. 

Jesus, help me stop building fences and start building bridges. 

Complete Joy

I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.
Jn.15:11

It's the night before Jesus' passion and death. He comforts his disciples with the promise of something that the world cannot take away. Complete joy.

The disciples were about to experience complete despair. But joy comes in the morning (Ps.30:5). What was it that Jesus had just told them for their joy to be restored? That he loves them. 

This is the source of my complete joy today. Yes, it's raining outside and "stuff" is happening in my life. But, Jesus loves me in the midst of it all. He is with me. He is for me. He walks beside me on the road. His love is tangible and yes, my joy is complete. 

Jesus, I receive your love. Your joy is in me and my joy is complete.
Saint Francis de Sales, please pray for me.

Seek and Keep

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Mt.13:46

The Kingdom of heaven is something to seek and on finding, give my all to keep.

This Gospel is well chosen for the memorial to Saint Agnes, a girl who gave her all to keep her pearl of great price. I suspect at times we all quail at the prospect of martyrdom and ask ourselves, "Would I stay true to Jesus on threat of torture and death?" 

Our parish has been blessed in recent years by the arrival of immigrant families, many from countries where Catholics are a persecuted minority. I've noted that their faith is white hot. For them, lukewarm is not an option. They are inspirational.

Seek and then keep. 

Lord Jesus, may I never be something lukewarm that you spit from your mouth.
Saint Agnes, please pray for me.

The Sabbath is Made For Man

And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.’
Mk.2:28

Jesus answers the Pharisees' criticism by defining who made the Sabbath and why. He did for us.

There's a temptation for legalism that is unique to the Day of Rest, the Sabbath. The Church encourages the faithful to regard Sunday as a Holy Day of Obligation, and why wouldn't we when considering all that Mass represents, nothing less than Jesus' death and resurrection. 

But beyond that it's a day primarily for rest and/or good works. This is all for my benefit. I am fed in spirit and body. 

Thank you Jesus for making the Sabbath for me. You are Lord of the Sabbath.

I Am My Beloved's And He Is Mine

And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?'
Mk.2:19

Jesus clearly refers to himself as the bridegroom. Who is the bride? Well yes, the Church... but more importantly, me!

As a bloke, my initial impression of a bride is that of a beautiful young woman walking down the aisle by her father's side, about to be handed over to a nervous groom at the front of the church. In fact the image before me now is of my wife on our wedding day. She looked like a Greek goddess! 

I've got to step over this vision and hear what Jesus is really saying about himself and about me. This is a relationship of love and a joyous and intimate love at that. As scripture says, "I am my beloved's and he is mine." (Song of Songs 6:3). 

Yes, fasting is surely coming. Lent is around the corner. But today, oh today... it's a wedding feast! Bring on the wine Dionysus!

Be Perfect

‘Who can be saved, then?’ they said. Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he told them ‘this is impossible; for God everything is possible.’
Mt.19:25,26

Jesus has set a high bar of perfection for the rich young man. Give all to the poor and then come follow him. The disciples are astonished. Who can attain perfection? 

There is a call to perfection for all who desire to follow Jesus, unique to each of us. At the moment, mine is humility. What stops me from being downcast and walking away like the young man? It's Jesus' escape clause. "For God everything is possible".

In my despair of imperfection, Jesus reaches down to help me. On my own, perfection is impossible. With him cheering me on, pouring in grace and strength, the impossible becomes possible.

Jesus, I place my trust in you. Saint Antony, please pray for me.

 

Increase Our Faith

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ 
Mk.2:5

Faith is oxygen for Jesus, no matter where it comes from. The faith of the paralytic's friends led first to his salvation, then his healing. 

This reinforces for me the power of intercession. My feeble faith can move God's hand powerfully in another's life. Also, others prayers for me can bless me mightily. I can see why Jesus established the Church. I would be so much poorer if I didn't belong to my parish, a community of faith.

The apostles said to Jesus ,“Increase our faith!” (Lk.17:5). Amen to that!

Love Changes Everything

‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. 
Mk.1:41,42

The leprous man has faith enough to appeal to Jesus' compassion. There were two possible responses from Jesus. Rejection or love. Love wins out again.

This story was the Gospel reading close to a week ago, that time from Luke. It's as though the Church is circling around this monumental truth of Jesus' unconditional love to appreciate its extreme scale. Nothing, absolutely nothing in my life is beyond the reach of God's love.

I am reminded that Christian faith is not about doing good, it is not even about being good; it is about being loved! Once I realise that I am loved "no matter what", I become more noble and love can flow out from me.

Thank you Jesus for loving me. Of course you want to! 

Here I Am

You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Instead, here am I.
PS.39:7

God desires availability over sacrifice.

A famous quote from Woody Allen is, "80% of life is showing up." Consistent presence, effort, and commitment are more crucial for achievement than innate talent or waiting for perfect conditions.

God will use what I bring. I just need to "show up".  As Samuel says in today's first reading, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’

Here I am Jesus. I've come to do your will. 

Authority

'Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it.'
Mk.1:27

What was it that elevated Jesus' teaching? Authority.

During my conversion process, one of the draw cards of the Church was its authority. Protestant churches invited me to have an opinion about scripture to add to the thousands of other opinions. The Catholic Church invited me to believe. 

I was invited to believe in the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, that the church has God-given authority to give an authentic interpretation of the word of God.

What a relief that I don't have to study the two thousand years of Church wisdom and knowledge from the thirty-eight or so Church Doctors. I could never do it in a lifetime. I simply believe in the authority of the Church. I trust her.

Thank you Jesus for giving us Mother Church, of which you are the head. I place my trust in you.

I Am His Delight

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Ps.149:4

I am one of God's people. He delights in me!

I give God deep enjoyment: He doesn't just like me; he gains a profound sense of pleasure and happiness from me. Why? Because I am his child.

I was babysitting two grandchildren yesterday, a two year old girl and a five year old boy. I was reminded of the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very, very good,
But when she was bad she was horrid. 

Like my grandchildren, when I'm good I'm very, very good, but when I am bad I am horrid. And yet... and yet... God still takes delight in me. It's as though he forgets the horrid. My mother was like that with me. I knew I had her love, no matter what, and she knew a lot of my "what's". 

The eyes of love see only the lovely. Knowledge of this makes me want to be worthy of such love, not that I could ever earn or even have to earn such love. But it raises the bar and that's a good thing. 

Lord, I bask in your delight  today. Thank you for loving me, no matter what.

Of Course He Wants to!

Of course I want to! Be cured!
Lk.5:13

The leprous man appeals to Jesus' heart for a cure. The heart of Jesus cannot be restrained and the man is instantly healed.

Jesus' love is like a pent up flood, waiting to be released. The key to releasing the flood? Faith. The leper approached Jesus knowing he could be healed by him. 

Faith is like oxygen to Jesus. Where there is faith, miracles happen. 

Does Jesus want to heal me, to bless me? Of course he wants to! 

Come Lord Jesus. Bless me that I may bless others in your name. 

T.I.M.E. spells LOVE

So this is the commandment that he has given us,
that anyone who loves God must also love his brother.
1Jn.4:21

What is THE command? Love.

There's no wriggle room in a command, just a choice. In this case the choice is, do I love or not? 

Love can be spelt T.I.M.E. Who am I spending time with today? What's my motive? 

Jesus, help me have less of me and more of you in my life today. Help me see you in those I spend time with today.

He who baptises with the Holy Spirit

He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptises with the Holy Spirit.
Jn.1:33

John baptised with water. Jesus baptises with the Holy Spirit. The second baptism "confirms" the first.

In today's Gospel we have it from the highest authority, God the Father, that Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a thing and a desirable thing at that.

As Cardinal Cantalamessa says, "Baptism in the Spirit makes real and revitalises our baptism." This is certainly my experience. And, it's a constant revitalisation, not a one-off like my water baptism. Baptism by water cleansed me of original sin. Ongoing baptism in the spirit helps me stay that way. 

Thank you Jesus for your gift of "baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Mt.3:11).

Great Servant

 

The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.
Mt.23:11,12

Today's memorial Gospel is one of those Gospel readings that makes me pause and reflect. What is Jesus meaning when he says we must not call ourselves Rabbi, father and teacher when obviously there are such people who are best described by these titles? 

The answer lies in the last two verses. It's a call for spiritual equality and a focus on serving others rather than gaining worldly honor. 

The Maori word for authority and prestige is mana. Mana is not to be seized, it is bestowed. I have met people with mana. Usually they are people of quiet humility but their power and authority is almost tangible. 

Jesus calls me away from self-seeking status, my natural tendency. His antidote? Humility.

Saints Basil and Gregory, please pray for us.