See As God Sees

When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Mk.6:29

John the Baptist's body is desecrated by Herod (beheaded) then honoured by his disciples (buried).

Burying the dead is the seventh corporal work of mercy. The Church has always done this. Why? It recognises that all human beings are made in the image of God. 

Now I think about it, why wait until someone is dead before honouring them? How about seeing the rough sleeper in the subway as made in God's image. Love knows no limits.

Jesus, every human life is precious in your sight. Help me see people as you see them and love them as you love them.
Saint John the Baptist, please pray for us.

Strive to be Least

Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.
Mt.8:12

High office brings high risk. Best strive to be the least.

Jesus warns against pride that comes with exaltation. This is counter cultural in a world that exults the rich, the powerful, the beautiful and the brainy.

I am as susceptible as anyone to the lure of fame and admiration. The antidote? Kill the desire for exaltation. Strive to be the least.

Litany of Humility

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,

Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being loved,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being honored,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being praised,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being approved,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being despised,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged,

Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

Charity

Charity is patient, is kind; charity does not envy, is not pretentious, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, is not self-seeking, is not provoked; thinks no evil, does not rejoice over wickedness, but rejoices with the truth, bears with all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

To have Charity is to love God above all things for Himself and be ready to renounce all created things rather than offend Him by serious sin. ( Matt. 22:36-40)

Cardinal Merry del Val was the Secretary of State to Pope Saint Pius X (1903-1914)

New Life

When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. 
Lk.7:13

Jesus' compassion for the widow of Nain gives new life to her son. Death hasn't the final say.

I wonder if Jesus saw his own mother when looking at the distress of the widow of Nain. No husband. Son dead. If so, there is a message here. 

New life awaits on the other side of death. And the author of that new life is Jesus. This indeed is good news.

Jesus, give your heart so I may speak new life into those I meet today.
Saint Monica, please pray for me.

Authentic Me

Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of corruption.
Mt.23:27

Hypocrisy is rotten corruption dressed up. No matter how pretty, it still stinks.

What's the opposite of hypocrisy? Authenticity. Honesty is a virtue worth pursuing. I recently addressed a room full of men. It was a testimony of the good, the bad and the ugly of my life. I was thanked by numerous men afterwards, not for being a shining, saintly example. No, I was thanked for being honest.

Authentic honesty invites a similar response. Afterwards some men shared with me dark areas they were struggling with. There is something very healing in bringing darkness out into the light. Shame is replaced by hope.

Of hypocrisy, deliver me oh Lord.

Inexhaustible Comfort and Sure Hope

Such inexhaustible comfort and such sure hope.
2Th.2:16

Paul exhorts the Thessalonian Church to not be disturbed or deceived by false teaching. A sure sign of genuine good news is comfort and hope.

These are troubled times. False prophets manipulate portents to promote their own agendas. 

What is to be my response? Press further into Jesus and proclaim further out his Good News.

What does that look like? Inexhaustible comfort and sure hope.

Jesus, help me be the bearer  of inexhaustible comfort and sure hope to those I meet today.

You Know Lord

‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ I said, ‘You know, Lord.’ 
Ex.37:3

God shows Ezekiel the valley of dry bones and asks a question only God can answer. Ezekiel gives the only honest answer. "You know Lord."

God knows all. I don't. God is God. I'm not. There's a great reassurance in acknowledging that God is God. There are questions that are too great for me. My only response can be, "You alone know, Lord."

Jesus, I place my trust in you.

New Heart, New Spirit

I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh.
Ez.36:26

God promises a cleansing that gives a new, soft heart and a new spirit.

The inference is that I need regular cleansing. My heart and my spirit get tarnished and hardened. 

What dirties my spirit and hardens my heart? Selfishness, pride, judgement, lust. 

Time for confession.

When All Is Made New

 ...when all is made new...
Mt.19:28

This age has a beginning, and what we often forget, an end.

A new age is coming. We had a glimpse of this on the Feast of the Assumption did we not? Mary's assumption into heaven, body and soul, tells us heaven is going to be a fully human experience... but even better!

When all is made new the first will be last, the poor made rich, death will be defeated, no more sickness and pain. 

Fantasy? Jesus doesn't seem to think so. Neither do I.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

Simplicity

Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.
Mt.19:14

Jesus recognises that childlikeness opens the door to faith.

My entry into faith was greatly assisted by my children, without them realising it. As they were being taught and were receiving the sacraments of initiation, their questions were my unspoken questions. 

I secretly started playing their children's Christian music on my Walkman (remember those?). I wasn't ready for meat. I needed milk.

Tomorrow I'm leading Children's Liturgy at Mass. In trimming down the Gospel message to something a five year old can understand, time and again I find I'm speaking to myself.

Thank God for inspired writers and theologians, but sometimes I find it all "so much straw", to quote Saint Thomas Aquinas. The Gospel is actually very simple and I receive it best in simplicity.

Jesus, I come to you as a little child. Please lay your hands and bless me.

Sweet Fruit

I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last.
Jn.15:16

My life is not my own project, I am commissioned. To do what? Bear lasting fruit.

Jesus gives this commission at the Last Supper, just after giving the great commandment to love one another. It seems the bearing of fruit is linked to the commandment to love.

I've seen love bear fruit. I've seen the absence of love bear fruit also. Both fruits are lasting but love's fruit is sweeter.

I want to be a fruit that people can "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Ps.34:8 

Franciszek Gajowniczek, the man who Saint Maximilian Kolbe saved by taking his place to die in Auschwitz, spent the rest of his life sharing the story of Father Kolbe's sacrifice. He died in 1995 aged 93. Sweet fruit that lasted.

Lord, make me a great lover who bears fruit that lasts.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe, please pray for me.

Forgiveness

Each forgive your brother from your heart.
Mt.18:35

Forgiveness is not optional. It is essential to living the fullness of life Jesus brings.

Jesus keeps circling back on forgiveness. He knows unforgiveness, next to pride, is the greatest obstacle to entering the kingdom. 

Do I want more peace in my life, faith, hope, love, joy? Here's the key. Forgive others from my heart as I have been forgiven. 

Does this mean they get off scot free? Yes. Does it hold true even if they are unrepentant? Yes. The first to benefit from forgiveness given is the giver. 

Everyone thinks forgiveness is a great idea, until it's time to forgive. Jesus knows this. Can I forgive? No. But He can, through me.

Jesus, give me a heart that can forgive my brother. Set me free.

His Promise of Presence

For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.
Mt.18:20

Intimacy among believers invites intimacy with Jesus.

Jesus loves the Church. He desires that we meet and promises his intimate presence when we gather. Does this mean Jesus is not with me when I'm praying alone? Of course not. It's just that he enters in a special way when two or more are gathered in his name. 

I am reminded of Psalm 133. "How sweet and pleasant it is when the brothers come together in unity... for it is there the Lord commands a blessing."

Jesus, thank you for Church. Thank you for your promise of presence when we gather.

Lord! Save me!

‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him.
Mt.30:31

What is Jesus' response to Peter's cry of terror? He puts out his hand and holds him.

Peter had just done what no man had done before. Walked on water, be it but a few steps. But, what impresses me more is his most powerful three word prayer, "Lord! Save me!" Peter knew who to turn to in his time of terror.

I've often wondered what it must have been like for Peter, looking up into the eyes of love and feeling the strength of the hand saving him. Yes, a mild rebuke came but I'm sure it was from a smiling face, full of tenderness and compassion.

Lord! Save me! Save me from fear. Save me from pride. Save me from myself. I place my trust in you.

First Thing First

Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well.
Mt.6:33

Trust in God first and things will come. 

The word "priorities" is an oxymoron. When I have "priorities" I actually have none. There can only be one priority.

Jesus tells me there is only one priority, God's Kingdom. When I make that my thing of highest importance, other things fall into right order and worry evaporates.

Jesus, I set my heart on God's Kingdom and place my trust in you.

Saint Mary MacKillop please pray for me.

A Lavish Lover

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour. 
Mt.16:27

Behaviour reaps a reward, good or bad.

But, isn't being Christian about just being loved and not about earning? Well, yes, but love is only fully received when it is spontaneously given away. How does the song go? "...love isn't love 'til you give it away."

This begs the question... how's my behaviour? Am I lavishly throwing away love? Honestly, I could do better. And of course, it is in giving that I receive. So what have I got to loose?

Jesus, help me become a lavish lover, like you.

I'm a Beloved Son

This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
Mt.17:5

Jesus' identity is reaffirmed on the Mount of Transfiguration. Who is he? The Beloved Son.

Like Jesus, my ultimate identity is given by God the Father. I too am a beloved son. And like he tried with Jesus, Satan will do his utmost to rob me of my identity. "You, a sinner through and through! A son of God? You're dreaming, dirtbag."

Well, I may be a dirtbag, but my filthy rags have been exchanged for a pure white and spotless robe. Go talk to the one who made the exchange. I'm set free to live out my identity as a loved son. Go to hell Satan.

You're a good, good, father
That's who you are...

And I'm loved by you
That's who I am...

Gang of Lovers

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 
Mt.9:36

The fields are ready. All that is needed is labourers in love with harvest.

Prior to talking about harvesting Jesus looked at the people with love.  They weren't just a job to do. They were souls to rescue.

This is the test for whether someone is meant to be part of a missionary team. Are they in love with the harvest? Do they feel like weeping when thinking of them? Or, is the work simply a duty?

When a mission team is a gang of lovers, the work doesn't diminish, it just becomes delightful and much more effective. Who doesn't like being loved?

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Kindle in them the fire of your love and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Set Free

The reason why those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned is that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Rms.8:1,2

I have been set free from the shackles of my sinful nature by the new life I have gained in Jesus.

In my BC days (Before Christ) my future was what I could make of it. At best it promised creature comfort. Peace for my soul? Afraid not. I was a dead man walking.

My new life in Jesus promises less creature comfort but infinitely more peace, hope, joy and love. I have been set free!

Lord Jesus, thank you seems hardly adequate for what you have given me. By your cross and resurrection you have set me free. You are the Saviour of the world.

Saint Alphonsus Mary de' Liguori, please pray for me.