Division is Disaster

Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses.

Lk.11:17,18

Jesus is answering accusations of gaining his deliverance power from Satan. He refutes this by pointing out a universal truth... division heralds disaster. 

Any enterprise starts with a team possessing a common vision, goal and purpose. Replace common with disparate and the enterprise collapses.  

What projects am I currently involved in? Alpha at my parish. My work place. Most importantly my family and my marriage. All of these require unity of purpose to succeed. My role in each must be an agent of unity. This works out differently for each enterprise but the result is the same... a strong kingdom, a successful household.

Jesus, help me be an agent of unity, especially in my marriage and family, that our household will stand.

Saint Philip Neri please pray for us.

Ask for Him

If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

Lk.11:13

Jesus is teaching his disciples. Having given them the Lord's Prayer he now teaches on persistence in prayer, especially in prayer asking for the Holy Spirit.

This verse is key on the Alpha Course Away Day, the part of the Alpha Course focusing on the who, what, why and how of the Holy Spirit. The question is put forward, how do I receive the Holy Spirit? The answer is ask for him. Ask, ask and ask again. 

This isn't a one off event. I'm in constant need of a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit of God. 

Come Holy Spirit, refresh and refill me so I am never drained but work from you overflowing in my life. That Jesus may be glorified, come.

Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.

Mercy is Worth It

And am I not to feel sorry for Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left.

Jon.4:11

Jonah has fallen into rage because God has shown mercy to the Ninevites, arch enemies of his people. God defends his actions, saying mercy is always his prerogative. 

The outrageous grace of God continues to make us indignant. I would often prefer fire rain down from heaven on the heads on some people. I want them to get what I think they deserve. The law is so neat and tidy, black and white. Mercy on the other hand, by nature is undeserved and with uncertain outcomes. It gives the initiative back to the perpetrator who may not respond in the way I would want. 

Of course, my hyporacy is in the fact that I have been given mercy from God. Therefore am I not bound to extend mercy to others? Well... yes, but it's so hard. Yes, it's hard, but look at its fruit. Changed hearts in both the giver and receiver. This is always an inside-out job and mercy is the key. Mercy is worth it, even when it doesn't look as though much has happened. When I extend mercy the first fruits are in me, in the softening of my heart. That alone makes it worthwhile.

Jesus, you are mercy personified. Thank you Lord for the mercy you have given me. Help me be merciful to others I meet today that hearts may be changed.

Saint Philip Neri, please pray for us.

Sit and Listen

But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

Lk.10:41,42

Jesus replies to Martha's complaint about her sister Mary not helping with the serving. Mary's sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to him is held up as the greater work.

It was hard getting out of bed this morning. The moment of struggle to get up for prayer is called the "Heroic Minute" for good reason. But here I am sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to his Word. Truly the better part.

Martha wasn't too far off the mark. She was just doing the right thing at the wrong time. There's a time to put down the dish cloth to sit and listen. Or... continue wiping the dishes but with the right attitude. My experience is, replace resentment with gratitude and the Holy Spirit will come in.

So, today I need to be mindful about my work. Either do it with gratitude or if I'm unable to do that, put down the dishcloth, sit and listen.

Lord Jesus, you know my thoughts are often a tangle of resentment and fear. Help me still myself in you today.

Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.

Little in Speech

Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
Alleluia!

Today's Gospel Acclamation is taken from the Gospel of Matthew, 11:25 where Jesus praises the superiority of littleness. No wonder this is chosen by the Church for the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the master of this very virtue.

For the past week the Church has been circling around a core truth of Jesus' teaching, that less is more, that great strength is found in weakness, that child-likeness gains the Kingdom. 

How can I practice the virtue of littleness today? How about speaking less and listening more... just for starters.

Jesus, I always want to say the last word. Help me place a guard on my lips, speak less and listen more today, that I may become little and understand the mysteries of the kingdom.
Saint Francis of Assisi, please pray for me.

 

Leave the Door Open

As by your will you first strayed away from God, so now turn back and search for him ten times as hard; for as he brought down those disasters on you, so will he rescue you and give you eternal joy.

Ba.4:28,29

The prophet Baruch comforts Jerusalem, promising a repentant people will again be blessed by a forgiving God.

God's wrath is always followed by God's mercy. The door is left open for a repentant heart. I've walked back through that door and experienced God's mercy. It is life changing and joy giving. The promise is eternal joy, for those extending mercy as well as those receiving. I need to leave the door ajar for those who have hurt me. 

Jesus, give me a naturally merciful heart so I may give and receive your eternal joy.

Saint Philip Neri, please pray for us.

Great Littleness

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

As a memorial to Saint Therese of Lisieux the Church has chosen today's Gospel where Jesus holds up a little child as a model of greatness in Heaven.

One of the things I love about our Church is how it goes about recognising greatness. Here we have a cloistered nun in an obscure French convent, dead by the age of twenty-four, now exalted as a Doctor of the Church. Littleness is recognised as greatness.

Libraries of books have been written about Saint Therese, millions of lives affected by her example of "great littleness". She understood what Jesus was saying to his disciples. Child-likeness, not childishness, child-likeness is the key to a joyful and complete Christian life. It's time for me to peel off some of my vainglory. 

Jesus, you know I love to be exalted. Help me love to be little even more.

Saint Therese, please pray for me.