Fight to Serve

Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.
Mt.20:26-28

Jesus defines what his kingdom is to look like. Not one where people fight for power and control but one where people fight to be the least and to serve.

I'm reminded of a family joke I would play with my children. On approaching a door I would stop and say "After you." My chiid would reply, "No, after you." I would return, "No, I insist. After you." She would reply "No, no, no. Please, after you!" and so on... Meanwhile the rest of the family are backed up behind us and shouting, "Get out of the way!"

This upside down pyramid of power with the pinnacle at the bottom is counter-intuitive and counter-cultural. If I'm not living by this rule I'm no longer salt and light, I'm simply in the world and of the world. 

Jesus, help me be less so that you may be more. 

Sacrafice of Thanksgiving

A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me.
Ps.49:23

God is honored more by what comes from my heart than from my hands. Gratitude is a good start.

There's humility in gratitude. I'm made aware of blessings that I don't deserve. I'm thinking of another's good works before my own. Gratitude is sacrificial by nature. I put aside me to honour another.

Lord, I offer you today my sacrifice of thanksgiving. All I have comes from you.

Charitable True or Necessary

Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves.
Lk.6:37

Jesus' warning is stark and concise. Judgement results in judgement.

My judgement of others says more about me than those I judge. And what it says ain't pretty. I'm insecure in my own identity as a loved son. 

When I see myself rightly as the beloved I see others rightly, brothers and sisters in need of loving as much as I do. 

Are my thoughts charitable, true or even necessary? Good questions to ask before I ever speak.

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Be Perfect

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Mt. 5:48

The seemingly impossible call to be perfect is preceded by the how. Love my enemies.

Loving even my enemies seems impossible, which it is without grace from God. It starts with me deciding to wish the good of others. This not only benefits my enemies, it benefits me.

My response to injury from others can be that of Saint Stephen. Lord, hold not this sin against them. That prayer drains the poison of resentment and revenge.

Jesus, help me be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect.

Be Humble be Happy

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement;
Mt.5:22

What stops me loving others? Pride expressed by anger.

Anger is a red flag signaling something is wrong within me, not within the one to whom I am angry. Yes, there is a thing called righteous anger but that is something different and not so common. 

What is Jesus' recommended antidote for unrighteous anger? Reconciliation. The first step is to conquer pride with humility. Once I am reconciled with myself then, in humility, I can be reconciled with my brother.

Jesus, may there be less vain and prideful posturing in my life and more humility. May anger be banished from within me.

Active Love

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Mt.7:12

Jesus finishes his massive Sermon on the Mount with the "Golden Rule" that encapsulates everything he said.  Love others as you wish to be loved.

When acknowledging that all people are made in God's image, loving others also means I'm loving God. But wait, there's more! When I love others as I love myself I am actually loving myself as well. 

Jesus is talking about active love here, not sentimental love which I am prone to. Sentimental love only leaves my thoughts when it believes it will have an audience and be admired. Active love rolls up its sleeves and says, "Stuff it! I'm going to love anyway." 

Jesus, you are calling me to "do" my love to others. Help my love move from the sentimental to the active for those I meet today.

Our Father

Our Father...
Mt.6:9

When I approach God it's not just as a son. It's also as a brother. 

As when a clod of earth falls from the cliffs of Dover into the English Chanel makes all of England the lesser, my relationship with God affects everyone. When I sin the whole of humanity shrinks. When I'm filled with grace, all of humanity is blessed.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Open All Hours

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Lk.5:29

Matthew's first act after committing his life to Jesus was to host a party. Jesus didn't "regretfully decline" the invitation. He turned up and joined in.

This event has a wonderful parallel with another tax collector, Zacchaeus. Again the tax collector joyfully welcomes Jesus into his home while the pious onlookers complain. There's a common theme here. The "sick" knew their need for the healer and welcomed him. The self righteous complained. 

When I've got a tooth ache, all I can think about is the dentist.  When my teeth are OK, the dentist is the last person I think of. I feel pity for those sitting in the waiting room, maybe even a bit judgmental. They should have cared for their teeth better.

The truth is, I'm constantly in need of the divine physician. And if I'm not a patient at the moment then I should be a stretcher bearer for others. The surgery is open all hours. There's no place for complaining bystanders in heaven.

Saint Matthew, please pray for me.

No Time to Mourn

‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them?'
Mt.9:15

Jesus explicitly refers to himself as the bridegroom, one whose presence brings great joy. If he is the bridegroom then who am I?  The bride.

Jesus the groom. Me the bride. This is a powerful metaphor. The relationship between groom and bride is readily recognised as one of deep intimacy, love and joy. 

Is the bridegroom still with me? Yes. So this is not a time for mourning. May that time never come! 

My fasting is to be of the type described in today's first reading. Free the oppressed. Break the yoke. Feed the hungry. Attend the poor. Clothe the naked. This is a joy-filled fasting directed to others.

Today I seek the face of the one whom my soul loves in those who my "fasting" touches.

Play Possum

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Lk.9:23

What is Jesus saying it takes to follow him and live? Death.

The expression "Take up your cross" is often taken to mean pick up your burden. I don't think Jesus' audience would have heard it that way. They knew all about the cross. It was a ghastly instrument of torture and death deliberately stationed outside the city walls for them to see. 

Jesus is saying to me, "Mike, put to death your old man of self-centered obsessions and compulsions. Be born anew and live, come follow me. Then do it again tomorrow and the day after that."

Jesus seems to underscore this by adding in the following verse that "Everyone who loses his life will save it."

This reminds me of a great scene in the animated movie, Over The Hedge, where the daughter is embarrassed by her dad's constant pretending to be dead when threatened;

DAUGHTER: Isn't playing dead a little... weak?
DAD:              Heather, how many times must I say it? Playing possum is what we do. We die so that we live!

I'm going to play possum this Lent... daily.

Feed the Hungry

He took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them among the crowd. 
Mk.8:6

The miracle of the seven loaves and few fish feeding four thousand takes place not in Jesus' hands but in the hands of his disciples. It was Jesus compassion that desired the crowds be fed but it was the faithful obedience of the disciples that did the feeding.

Jesus' compassion for the hungry, both in body and in spirit, remains. My response is one of faithful obedience. If I'm not feeding the hungry in some way, what am I doing? 

It's time for another Alpha Course.

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

The Divine Physician

And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, 
Mk7:33-35

Once again the infirm are brought to Jesus for healing. His methods vary but the result is the same, people are set free.

Today's Gospel records one of the more complicated healing processes of Jesus. He takes the man aside. He places his fingers in the man's ears. He spits and touches the man's tongue. He prays. After these four steps the man is healed. 

On other occasions Jesus has simply made a proclamation and healing occurs for a person at a remote location (e.g. the centurion's servant). 

The lesson for me here is that Jesus can heal in many and varied ways. He can't be placed in a box. My role is simply to invite him into a person's life and then get out of the way. All glory then goes to God.

Jesus, you are the physician, I am the stretcher-bearer. I place my trust in you.

Guard My Heart

For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.
Mk.7:21-23

Jesus highlights that scrupulous piety over food laws is pointless. Regulation of what comes out from my heart is what matters most. 

I am a human. Nothing human is alien to me. All the evil intentions listed by Jesus I know reside within me. It is purely the grace of God that gives me any hope of restraining them. 

However, the converse is also true. I have within me things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; (Ph.4:8). It is purely the grace of God that gives me any hope of encouraging them.

Our Lady of Lourdes, please pray for me.

Love as Strong as Death

Set me as a seal on your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
     Song of Songs: 8:6

This is the cry of a lover for a responding unbreakable love. It's the cry of every believer.

Every child thrives in the knowledge of its father's love. Everything else may be falling in ruin but when the father's love is experienced and unquestionable, all is well. 

Lord, magnify my love today that I may better reflect your love.

Saint Scholastica,, please pray for me.

His Peace Is My Peace

Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,
a peace the world cannot give,
this is my gift to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
Jn.14:27

Jesus is about to experience the unspeakable violence of his passion and death. What does he first want to give to his disciples? Peace.

Peace in the world can only start with peace in me. One tiny pebble can break the tranquil surface of a pond. I need peace in my heart to then pass that on to those about me. 

I take up Jesus' offer. I exchange my troubled and fearful heart for his own peace, a peace the world cannot give.

Come Lord Jesus calm the waters in my heart with your peace. 

Love Christ Love Others

For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it.
Lk.9:24

Jesus makes clear what it takes to gain eternal life. Death.

Dying to self, taking up my cross. These are contrary to my inclination. My natural tendency is to place myself first. Jesus shows by his life and death that this is no way to live life to the fullest. 

How can I make the good of others my natural response and desire? A starting point could be to see Jesus in others, even in the poor, the plain and the simple. Then serving them becomes serving Christ, which is my heart's desire. 

Jesus, show yourself to me in those I meet today that my love for you becomes love for them.
Saint Agatha, please pray for me.

Love Always Hopes

"This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him.
Mk.6:3

The home town of Jesus couldn't see past the Jesus they thought they knew. For them he would always be a carpenter.

Placing people in a box is a weakness of mine. I tend to rain on people's parades. I need to acknowledge that Jesus can do new things in peoples lives. Just look at what he did in mine! Love always hopes. Hopes in what? Hopes for the better, hopes for change.

Judgement stops progress dead in its tracks. Hope encourages growth and new life. 

Lord, let me be a hope-filled cheerleader.

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.