Give and Laugh

Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver. And there is no limit to the blessings which God can send you.
2Cor.9:7,8

Paul encourages the Corinthian Church to be a community of generosity, not only to give abundantly but also give cheerfully. God promises to not be outdone in generosity.

During our recent trip through Italy and France we encountered many beggars. Some were smoking fags and fiddling on their phones but others looked desperate. Outside one church I noticed one such beggar sitting on the steps with the inevitable paper cup. We were planning to attend Mass and I had cash in my pocket to put in the collection.

It turned out that Mass was cancelled and I commented to my wife that I might give some of my intended collection money to the beggar. She flippantly replied "Give all of it you cheapskate". I laughed at her challenge but did as she suggested. The beggars eyes stood out on stalks as his takings obviously grew beyond expectation.

If I were to describe the whole transaction with one word I'd say "cheerful". A cheerful challenge from my wife, cheerful giving from me and cheerful receiving from the beggar. It would be the most satisfying act of spontaneous charity I've ever done.  God loves a cheerful giver.

Thinking back over our eight weeks away, I observe we never had money worries. There always seemed to be enough to do what we wanted to do. We didn't not do anything for lack of finance. Yes we had a budget but we seemed to be blessed with an abundance, to the point where there was money left over when we returned home.

It's good for me to remember this time of blessing. When I stop clinging to things, especially to money, I receive a joyful blessing in return. The best way for me to stop clinging is to open my hand and give... and laugh while I'm doing it.

Thank you Jesus for the blessing of our European trip. Help me Lord to be a generous and cheerful giver. 
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Lose it to Find It

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
Mt.16:24,25

After predicting his own death, Jesus describes the cost of following him, dieing to self... He also states the benefit... finding life.

This cross Jesus talks about isn't something forced on me from the outside, like a sickness or a calamity of some sort. It's something I "take up", something I choose. The cross is an instrument of death, so taking it up means choosing to die to something, choosing to die to sin, die to self.

This is the hard part of following Jesus. Self wants to be alive and first, not dead and last. But then there is Jesus' promise... lose your life and you will find life. OK... here goes. Today I choose to put "me" to death. What does that leave? Others and Jesus.

Jesus, you have set the narrow path, the selfless path before me this morning. I reach out for your hand to help me along the way.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Don't Worry be Happy

So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

Mt.6:34

Jesus is giving his great sermon on the mount. He addresses anxiety, identifying it as something that focuses on material things, robbing us of peace, and so is something to avoid.

I've read in the lives of saints about them having scruples, that is concerns about their own piety and spiritual well being. My sources of worry are more earthly, being focussed more on the "what should I eat, what shall I wear" variety that Jesus condemns.

Jesus is specific here. Do not worry about anything in the future. Why? Because it robs me of the present. It is in the present where I meet him, not in the future, not in the past. It's times when I'm totally present that I encounter God.

Today I deliberately choose to let tomorrow take care of itself and embrace more fully this day the Lord has made.

Thank you Jesus for the blessing of today. I place my trust in you.
Saint Mary of the Cross, please pray for me.

Persistence releases Compassion

She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.

Mt.15:27-28

The Canaanite woman pleads and argues with Jesus to heal her daughter. Not taking no for an answer, she persists until Jesus, seeing her great faith, grants her wish.

This is a remarkable story in that Jesus appears uncaring to her pleading. Knowing that Jesus is never uncaring and always compassionate, I have to ask what was he up to?

Jesus says he is primarily after the "lost sheep of Israel" yet he ends healing the daughter of a woman well outside the Jewish penfold. This is good news for me. Two things are revealed. Firstly, persistence in prayer attains its goal. Secondly, Jesus shows his compassion has no boundaries. The woman's persistence released Jesus' compassion.

Lord Jesus, you know my daily prayer list contains many that remain unanswered for years. Lord I persist with theses prayers trusting this will release your compassion.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Scarcity into Plenty

Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’ ‘Bring them here to me’ he said.

Mt.14:16-18

Huge crowds follow Jesus to a lonely place where, out of pity for them, he heals their sick. The unplanned assembly has no food so the disciples turn to Jesus to solve the problem. The miracle feeding of the five thousand results.

Today's first reading has the complaining people mob Moses while crying out for meat.  Moses intercedes to God who then supplies quail to satisfy their hunger. The same course of action is followed in the Gospel... complaint, intercession, supply.

In both instances God uses what is available to meet the needs of the people, quail for the Hebrews in the desert, five loaves and two fish for the crowds following Jesus. What was required both times before a miracle happened was prayer. It seems God waits for the prayer before moving his hand.

Two things are revealed here. First, God wants to supply my needs. Second, he wants me to ask him. When I run out of options God is there waiting. "Ask and you shall receive", he says. It's only after I ask that miracles can happen.

Jesus, you are still in the business of turning scarcity into plenty. Our parish Alpha course starts this evening. Lord, I hand over our "five loaves and two fish" and ask you do a miraculous work.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Be a Joseph

‘Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? This is the carpenter’s son, surely?'
Mt.13:54,55

Jesus is teaching in his hometown but is rejected by the people. Knowing where he was from blinded them to the miracles that were happening before them.

This could be the last reference to Joseph in the scriptures and it's an oblique and derogatory one at that. "How could such wisdom and power come from one who's father is just a carpenter". And yet there Jesus is with wisdom and power while his foster father was Joseph the carpenter.

The man is revealed in the boy he raised. Yes, Jesus is divine but he is fully human also. Joseph would have modeled for Jesus his humanity, what a man of faith looks like. Isn't this the role of every father for his sons and daughters?

My children are now adults, most with their own children. Yet my role remains, to model what a man of faith looks like for them and their children, to be a Joseph.

Jesus, you learnt from the knee of Joseph what true manliness looked like. Help me be an authentic witness of manliness to my children and grandchildren.
Saint Joseph, please pray for me.

Heart Surgery

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
Acts16:14

Today's Gospel Acclamation is taken from Acts 16 verse 14. There it's recorded how Lydia, who was listening to Paul preach, had her heart opened and she believed. As a result she and her household were baptised.

This sort of divine heart surgery is very different from the physical kind. It's lifesaving in an eternal sense. It changes everything in a person's life. God becomes the central point of reference. The moment it happened for me I will never forget. My landscape changed forever.

Our parish is about to start an Alpha Course. While there is no pressure and no expectations on guests attending Alpha, there's every hope that divine heart surgery will take place. I'm looking forward to the course also for my own benefit. My own heart needs softening up to pay attention to what God is saying.

Lord God, my heart can harden so easily. Open my heart so can pay attention to what you are saying to me.
Little Flower, please pray for me.