Less of Me

Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! 
Lk.11:43

Jesus warns against seeking approval of man over approval from God. 

Yep, that's me. I often cloak this desire for man's approval, when it's given, with a false modesty that sounds something like, "Oh no, it wasn't me. It was Jesus". I tried this with my wife, who came back with, "Really? Actually, I think Jesus would have done much better." She saw right through me.

Perhaps a more honest response to praise would be, "Thank you. Isn't it amazing what God can do through us". Credit where credit is due.

Jesus, let there be less of me and more of you.

Happier Still

But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’
Lk.11:28

Jesus announces the flabbergasting truth that I can be happier than Mama Mary. How? By hearing God's Word and keeping it.

Sounds easy until I start hearing God's Word. Be humble. Judge not. Turn the other cheek. Walk the extra mile. Then the toughies... love myself and then love my neighbour as myself. 

Can I do this? No, but the Holy Spirit can through me.

Mama Mary, please pray for me.

Unity

Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses.
Lk.11:17

Jesus highlights the fatal path of disunity. A kingdom, a household, a relationship, anything that relies on unity to exist will collapse when divided. This universal law applies even to the spiritual world. 

It is no wonder that Jesus spent so much time praying for unity, especially among believers. Disunity enters my relationships when I place "me" ahead of "us". Paul writes in Philippians, "Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves." 

This reminds me of the fearful reaction I've observed in Catholic friends on their learning of a pentecostal church opening up directly adjacent to our local cathedral. Perhaps a better response would be to place our arms around the shoulders of these new Christian neighbours and say, "Brother, teach me everything you know."

Jesus, help me to humbly consider others as more important than myself.

Just Ask.

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

Here we have it, direct from Jesus. Ask God the Father for what? The Holy Spirit. And what will happen? The Holy Spirit will come. At least that has been my experience.

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

Forgive Us

and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.
Lk.11:4

Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. He focuses in on humanity's core need, be forgiven, and core failing, reluctance to forgive. 

I would have expected Jesus to pray, teach us how to love. Instead he prays, teach us how to forgive. In Mt.6:14,15 Jesus doubles down on forgiveness saying I can only be forgiven as much as I forgive others. 

Forgiveness is an outworking of love. Love with forgiveness withheld is not love at all. Forgiveness needs to become spontaneous within me. Can I do this? No. But the Holy Spirit can, through me. 

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

Timing

But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one.
Lk.10:41,42

Martha has welcomed Jesus into her house. She offers hospitality by serving him, a right thing, but while he is teaching, the wrong time.

Timing is everything. As we read in Ecclesiastes 3:1, there is a time for every purpose. The trick is to recognise the time before embracing the purpose, to know the season.

Also, maybe Martha's problem was doing the right thing but with the wrong attitude, worry and fret. Here is another lesson for me, as I tend to "worry and fret about so many things".

Saint Martha, please pray for me.

Joy

It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said:
Lk.10:21

The seventy-two return to Jesus with joyous reports of great victories over the forces of darkness. Their joy is contagious as it elevates Jesus into joyfill prayer to the Father.

I'm a joy-o-holic. When scripture includes the word joy I'm drawn to it like iron to a magnet. Today's reading presents a joyfest. Jubilant returning warriors reporting to their captain who receives them with great happiness. It's a scene in which I love to see myself as a joy-filled participant.

And I am in that joyous scene. I am in the winning army. The Church Militant will become the Church Triumphant. The same Holy Spirit who gave Jesus his joy is waiting to bestow it on me. My world today needs that contagious joy.

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