"Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, 'He is our God.'"
Why do we glorify ourselves?
Why do we not seek God's affirmation?
What/who do we turn to instead?
How can we bring glory to God through our actions?
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
How does God speak to us?
So I know that not everyone who reads this is Catholic, but I had an amazing confession experience the other day, and I totally felt God's presence, so I wanted to write about it. After all, this blog isn't only about reflecting on scripture; it's about God's presence in general!
Basically, I went into confession, confessed my stuff, and the priest, whom I have seen in mass a few times but have otherwise never spoken to, was absolutely amazing! He did a full out spiritual advising session with me, and I felt like he knew me and my struggles so well! I could tell it was God working through Him, which is awesome, cause that's what the sacrament is all about! I mean, you can only tell so much from someone by their list of a few sins, and it wasn't like I said, "I murdered someone" and then he went on about hate in my soul or anything. He asked me insightful questions to help me get to the heart of WHY I do the things I do, and said that confession is about really looking at your soul and why you do the things you do, not just confessing them. I think that's really true and awesome. After all, if you know why you commit certain sins, you can try to prevent yourself from falling into them.
One thing he said was to look at how God is speaking to me. Today, I felt God speaking to me through a few different things that I have known for a while. So I thought I'd write about them. They are:
Beauty/nature
Creativity
Diversity/differences
Adventure
I will elaborate on these in a future entry. Right now, I am really tired, but I wanted to finally post this entry. God Bless!
Basically, I went into confession, confessed my stuff, and the priest, whom I have seen in mass a few times but have otherwise never spoken to, was absolutely amazing! He did a full out spiritual advising session with me, and I felt like he knew me and my struggles so well! I could tell it was God working through Him, which is awesome, cause that's what the sacrament is all about! I mean, you can only tell so much from someone by their list of a few sins, and it wasn't like I said, "I murdered someone" and then he went on about hate in my soul or anything. He asked me insightful questions to help me get to the heart of WHY I do the things I do, and said that confession is about really looking at your soul and why you do the things you do, not just confessing them. I think that's really true and awesome. After all, if you know why you commit certain sins, you can try to prevent yourself from falling into them.
One thing he said was to look at how God is speaking to me. Today, I felt God speaking to me through a few different things that I have known for a while. So I thought I'd write about them. They are:
Beauty/nature
Creativity
Diversity/differences
Adventure
I will elaborate on these in a future entry. Right now, I am really tired, but I wanted to finally post this entry. God Bless!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Who's will is it anyway?
"I cannot do anything on my own;
I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me."
This is what Jesus says in the gospel of John. Do we have this kind of attitude? I think so many of us have an attitude of self-sufficiency. "I don't need help, I got it. I can handle it." There's nothing wrong with being responsible for your own share of work. I believe that we're called to fulfill our obligations. However, how about those things that we can't do alone? The things we shouldn't do alone? Such as planning our lives, making those big decisions about careers, marriage or religious life, where we're going to live. How about when we're weighed down with a million other things and we can't give ourselves completely to a task, and we really should ask for help with it...but pride gets in the way?
I have a hard time delegating to others because I'm afraid the work won't get done. So I think that's where the old testament reading comes in:
"But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me."
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you."
We can trust God, because He won't fall through on us. He will never forget our needs or let us down.
So what does trusting God have to do with anything?
Well, the more we trust God, the more likely we are to do His will. To WANT His will. If we truly trusted that His will for us is better than our will for ourselves, and let go of our desire (need?) to control, we just might seek out His will a little more. Then we, too, can say, as Jesus said, "I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me." And this will lead us to the greatest happiness we can ever hope for.
I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me."
This is what Jesus says in the gospel of John. Do we have this kind of attitude? I think so many of us have an attitude of self-sufficiency. "I don't need help, I got it. I can handle it." There's nothing wrong with being responsible for your own share of work. I believe that we're called to fulfill our obligations. However, how about those things that we can't do alone? The things we shouldn't do alone? Such as planning our lives, making those big decisions about careers, marriage or religious life, where we're going to live. How about when we're weighed down with a million other things and we can't give ourselves completely to a task, and we really should ask for help with it...but pride gets in the way?
I have a hard time delegating to others because I'm afraid the work won't get done. So I think that's where the old testament reading comes in:
"But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me."
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you."
We can trust God, because He won't fall through on us. He will never forget our needs or let us down.
So what does trusting God have to do with anything?
Well, the more we trust God, the more likely we are to do His will. To WANT His will. If we truly trusted that His will for us is better than our will for ourselves, and let go of our desire (need?) to control, we just might seek out His will a little more. Then we, too, can say, as Jesus said, "I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me." And this will lead us to the greatest happiness we can ever hope for.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Bring me to the water
Though I'm sure no one who has recently met me would believe it, I completed a half marathon 2 years ago. Sometimes, I have a hard time believing this. I enjoy(ed) running short distances, but I've never been a distance runner. My joints are not designed for it. But, the Brothers I was working for when I was an intern assured me that it would be a great way to bond with the girls, so I did it. And bond we did. At one moment, as we ran up a steep hill, I remember yelling to one of the girls, who was complaining, "Suck it up, Jesus died for you!!!!" She loves to repeat this story to everyone she can. But hey, it made an impact, right? =P
Anyway, the marathon. I was doing well; we were singing praise songs, having conversations, etc. Then, by mile 9 1/2, the pain started kicking in. I have had knee pain off and on throughout my life, and my knees were really beginning to hurt. But I kept going. I only had a few more miles to go!
By mile 10, I had to begin walking. I think I told my running partners at this point, "I can't do it." "Yes you can, it's just a few more miles."
So I mixed intermittent walking with running, and was doing okay...until about mile 11, when I knew that I would not be able to finish. My knees felt like they were ripping in half, and I was holding back my running buddies. "Guys, I can't do it. I can't." "Yes you can. We'll walk a little," was their response. So we did. I was still in pain as I walked, and I wanted so badly to finish. I had come this far. But at mile 12, I was nearly in tears. I was positive that I could not finish; my knees, my back, just would not hold up.
But my running buddies encouraged me, and I felt renewed. I needed to finish. I was WAY too close, and had put in way too much time training. So I walked most of mile 12, and by mile 13, I asked the girls to pray with me, so we sang praise songs loudly and kept going. I walked most of 13, but wanted to finish the race running. The girls knew I had nothing left, so they took my hands and I finished, with them dragging me through the finish line.
And then I got it. That's what the Christian life is life - racing to the finish line, but not alone. We have not done our job if we're not pulling our friends through with us, encouraging them along in the hard times. That's why the Brothers want people to do these crazy runs: They really do mimic the Christian life, during the training and then during the race. The discipline involved in training is like the discipline of prayer; but what really impacted me was the fact that when I thought I couldn't go any further, my running partners made sure that I finished.
And THAT is what I think our friend in today's reading (John 5:1-16) is missing. He's not like the man whose friends lowered him through the roof to be healed. He has no one to bring him to the water for healing. In fact, people step right over him to get to the water first.
We are called to run the good race. But we are called further to bring others to Heaven with us. So when we see our friends in need, it is our responsibility to bring them to the Lord so that they can receive healing, and ultimately, make it to Heaven. Of course, in this reading, the man encounters Jesus, who tells Him to get up. But imagine if the man's friends had just stepped in and taken him to the water. He wouldn't have had to wait for 38 years, that's for sure. And not everyone is open to finding/encountering Jesus, so we need to bring Jesus and BE Jesus to those people. (In a non-heretical way, of course.)
Though I'd never do it again, I'm so grateful I finished the half marathon. And it's all to the credit of my friends who encouraged me to keep going, who prayed with me, and pulled me through.
Anyway, the marathon. I was doing well; we were singing praise songs, having conversations, etc. Then, by mile 9 1/2, the pain started kicking in. I have had knee pain off and on throughout my life, and my knees were really beginning to hurt. But I kept going. I only had a few more miles to go!
By mile 10, I had to begin walking. I think I told my running partners at this point, "I can't do it." "Yes you can, it's just a few more miles."
So I mixed intermittent walking with running, and was doing okay...until about mile 11, when I knew that I would not be able to finish. My knees felt like they were ripping in half, and I was holding back my running buddies. "Guys, I can't do it. I can't." "Yes you can. We'll walk a little," was their response. So we did. I was still in pain as I walked, and I wanted so badly to finish. I had come this far. But at mile 12, I was nearly in tears. I was positive that I could not finish; my knees, my back, just would not hold up.
But my running buddies encouraged me, and I felt renewed. I needed to finish. I was WAY too close, and had put in way too much time training. So I walked most of mile 12, and by mile 13, I asked the girls to pray with me, so we sang praise songs loudly and kept going. I walked most of 13, but wanted to finish the race running. The girls knew I had nothing left, so they took my hands and I finished, with them dragging me through the finish line.
And then I got it. That's what the Christian life is life - racing to the finish line, but not alone. We have not done our job if we're not pulling our friends through with us, encouraging them along in the hard times. That's why the Brothers want people to do these crazy runs: They really do mimic the Christian life, during the training and then during the race. The discipline involved in training is like the discipline of prayer; but what really impacted me was the fact that when I thought I couldn't go any further, my running partners made sure that I finished.
And THAT is what I think our friend in today's reading (John 5:1-16) is missing. He's not like the man whose friends lowered him through the roof to be healed. He has no one to bring him to the water for healing. In fact, people step right over him to get to the water first.
We are called to run the good race. But we are called further to bring others to Heaven with us. So when we see our friends in need, it is our responsibility to bring them to the Lord so that they can receive healing, and ultimately, make it to Heaven. Of course, in this reading, the man encounters Jesus, who tells Him to get up. But imagine if the man's friends had just stepped in and taken him to the water. He wouldn't have had to wait for 38 years, that's for sure. And not everyone is open to finding/encountering Jesus, so we need to bring Jesus and BE Jesus to those people. (In a non-heretical way, of course.)
Though I'd never do it again, I'm so grateful I finished the half marathon. And it's all to the credit of my friends who encouraged me to keep going, who prayed with me, and pulled me through.
Monday, March 19, 2012
How do you love God?
In Mark 12:28-34, we are reminded of the greatest commandments: First, love God with your whole heart and soul. Secondly, love others as you love yourself. Common themes in Lent. So my questions are:
1) How do you love God?
2) Many people say that they show their love for God through loving others. So then, why do you think loving others is listed as the second commandment?
I think it can be difficult to separate loving God from loving others, because we experience God through others. We don't offer sacrifices (well, in the lamb-slaughter sense, at least). We still sacrifice time, and give up things we like during Lent. We might even fast (but that all serves other purposes, too). But aside from all that, how can we show a being who has everything and is perfect and not exactly able to be hugged that we love Him?
I think the answer is prayer. Checking in with Him, each day, letting God know how things are going, how much we need Him, and how thankful we are for all of the blessings He has given us. Gratitude is such an important way to show love. It's true of earthly relationships, too. Just taking time out each day lets God know that you want that relationship. I think about how much I appreciate when friends call or text or message me to see how I'm doing. It shows that they really want a relationship with me, and even when I am far away, not just when it's convenient for them. That's what our relationships with God need to be like - motivated by the choice to love Him, not by convenience or by feelings. If we only went to church when it was convenient or when we wanted to or "felt like it", how often would we really go?
Like I said, it can be hard to talk about loving God without talking about loving others. As I am writing this, I am realizing that being in a long-distance relationship has taught me about the importance of taking that time everyday to remind that person of how much you love them, and how you really need to use that time you get because you can't just show the person your love by buying him dinner or giving him a hug. I can't take those conversations, or the other person, for granted.
When I had my tonsils out last year, I was in a LOT of pain. It was quite the long recovery, and the pain medicine did not offer sufficient relief. My parents flew in town to stay with me for the recovery, and while my dad had to leave after the first week to return to work, my mom stayed for two whole weeks. She kept track of my medications in an organized schedule, and made me mushy foods that I was capable of swallowing. However, she really couldn't DO anything for me to make my throat heal faster. She couldn't help me go back to sleep when I woke up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain. However, what she could do was stay beside me. That's what she did for those 2 weeks: She just sat beside me. And that stands for whether it was the middle of the night, or the middle of the afternoon. She loves to serve and do things for others, but I think she realized that the best thing she could do for me at that time was just be with me.
And so, I think that is the best way we can love God - just be with Him. We can't give Him anything - He has everything. He is complete. We try to live holy lives for our own benefit, not for His. Sure, it is pleasing to Him when we do nice deeds and go to church, but is it really making Him love us more? No. Because in order for Him to love us more, He would have had to love us less, and that isn't a possibility.
A former spiritual advisor always told me this: You can't do things to earn God's love. You need to just BE. I think my mom's desire to always do, and my appreciation of her just being, helped me understand that.
1) How do you love God?
2) Many people say that they show their love for God through loving others. So then, why do you think loving others is listed as the second commandment?
I think it can be difficult to separate loving God from loving others, because we experience God through others. We don't offer sacrifices (well, in the lamb-slaughter sense, at least). We still sacrifice time, and give up things we like during Lent. We might even fast (but that all serves other purposes, too). But aside from all that, how can we show a being who has everything and is perfect and not exactly able to be hugged that we love Him?
I think the answer is prayer. Checking in with Him, each day, letting God know how things are going, how much we need Him, and how thankful we are for all of the blessings He has given us. Gratitude is such an important way to show love. It's true of earthly relationships, too. Just taking time out each day lets God know that you want that relationship. I think about how much I appreciate when friends call or text or message me to see how I'm doing. It shows that they really want a relationship with me, and even when I am far away, not just when it's convenient for them. That's what our relationships with God need to be like - motivated by the choice to love Him, not by convenience or by feelings. If we only went to church when it was convenient or when we wanted to or "felt like it", how often would we really go?
Like I said, it can be hard to talk about loving God without talking about loving others. As I am writing this, I am realizing that being in a long-distance relationship has taught me about the importance of taking that time everyday to remind that person of how much you love them, and how you really need to use that time you get because you can't just show the person your love by buying him dinner or giving him a hug. I can't take those conversations, or the other person, for granted.
When I had my tonsils out last year, I was in a LOT of pain. It was quite the long recovery, and the pain medicine did not offer sufficient relief. My parents flew in town to stay with me for the recovery, and while my dad had to leave after the first week to return to work, my mom stayed for two whole weeks. She kept track of my medications in an organized schedule, and made me mushy foods that I was capable of swallowing. However, she really couldn't DO anything for me to make my throat heal faster. She couldn't help me go back to sleep when I woke up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain. However, what she could do was stay beside me. That's what she did for those 2 weeks: She just sat beside me. And that stands for whether it was the middle of the night, or the middle of the afternoon. She loves to serve and do things for others, but I think she realized that the best thing she could do for me at that time was just be with me.
And so, I think that is the best way we can love God - just be with Him. We can't give Him anything - He has everything. He is complete. We try to live holy lives for our own benefit, not for His. Sure, it is pleasing to Him when we do nice deeds and go to church, but is it really making Him love us more? No. Because in order for Him to love us more, He would have had to love us less, and that isn't a possibility.
A former spiritual advisor always told me this: You can't do things to earn God's love. You need to just BE. I think my mom's desire to always do, and my appreciation of her just being, helped me understand that.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Soap Box
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?"
How so relevant this passage is 2000 years later. There is so much division in our world today. The two most obvious examples I can think of:
Our country.
Our Church.
This being an election year, the divisions in our country are even more visible. It really is sad how dichotomous politicians must be. They are forced to take an extreme position on certain issues in order to align with a specific party, instead of thinking about each issue individually and how to best benefit the most people.
And our Church? How can we expect to bring people to a body that is broken? When we bad-mouth each other, how are we supposed to look appealing and attractive to others? They seek truth, and see hypocrisy. We are not loving each other because we are too concerned with extremes - liberal, and conservative. Just like the politicians.
I have seen both ends of the spectrum. The conservative Catholics are very head-focused: know the doctrine, read a lot, understand God on an intellectual level.
The liberal Catholics are very heart-focused: God is love, He accepts everyone as they are and it doesn't matter if they sin, they'll still go to Heaven.
I feel that, individually, they are incomplete depictions of what Jesus intended. We need to be mindful of doctrine, as it was established for a reason. However, God IS love, and we are called to love one another. It makes me sad to see animosity existing between the two camps, because slowly, people are becoming more and more distant from each other, and the Church is losing its identity.
Both sides are for God. The way they go about it is different, and they are both convinced they are right. But until we embrace a balance of head and heart, the Church will continue to be a divided body.
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?"
How so relevant this passage is 2000 years later. There is so much division in our world today. The two most obvious examples I can think of:
Our country.
Our Church.
This being an election year, the divisions in our country are even more visible. It really is sad how dichotomous politicians must be. They are forced to take an extreme position on certain issues in order to align with a specific party, instead of thinking about each issue individually and how to best benefit the most people.
And our Church? How can we expect to bring people to a body that is broken? When we bad-mouth each other, how are we supposed to look appealing and attractive to others? They seek truth, and see hypocrisy. We are not loving each other because we are too concerned with extremes - liberal, and conservative. Just like the politicians.
I have seen both ends of the spectrum. The conservative Catholics are very head-focused: know the doctrine, read a lot, understand God on an intellectual level.
The liberal Catholics are very heart-focused: God is love, He accepts everyone as they are and it doesn't matter if they sin, they'll still go to Heaven.
I feel that, individually, they are incomplete depictions of what Jesus intended. We need to be mindful of doctrine, as it was established for a reason. However, God IS love, and we are called to love one another. It makes me sad to see animosity existing between the two camps, because slowly, people are becoming more and more distant from each other, and the Church is losing its identity.
Both sides are for God. The way they go about it is different, and they are both convinced they are right. But until we embrace a balance of head and heart, the Church will continue to be a divided body.
Monday, March 12, 2012
God's healing
In the old testament reading for today, God heals a leper. We hear of God's healing power a lot, yet I know that I personally wonder where it is in action today. With so many people dying of horrible diseases, I wonder, "When is it God's will to cure someone, and when is it not?"
Well, I am beginning to realize that God always heals, even if he does not cure. For example, recently (since break began, actually), I have experienced a tremendous reduction of back pain. This is something I have been praying about for a long time, and have recruited multiple prayer partners for, as well. I feel that I have been given this bout of relief while healing from my wisdom teeth surgery, and so I could also enjoy time with my friend who is visiting from St. Louis. I think the change in weather might have something to do with it, but I definitely believe that God is involved. However, my back is not cured. My disc is still bulging, and I continue to have pain when I walk for long periods of time. I will probably always have recurring periods of debilitating back pain. However, God has granted me periods of relief, of healing.
God also heals emotionally, from wounds of the past. He heals us emotionally when we struggle with issues that will not go away, by helping us accept our circumstances. I struggle with acceptance a LOT, but I have found that, through praying for it, I have come to accept some of the difficult circumstances of my life. I have come to accept that back pain is a part of my life, and while sometimes might be more difficult to deal with than others, I am not angry about the situation. That is emotional healing.
In a previous post, I mentioned God working through other people. I think of that as another kind of healing. That kind of support makes the cross a little lighter - even Jesus had Simon. So they bring another form of emotional and psychological healing. I think God also "heals" those people of their own pride or any struggles they might have, so that they can generously give to others.
Lord, I am so grateful for the healing I have experienced in various ways. Please help me to always turn to you in those difficult moments, and to continue to experience your healing grace. Help me also to be a loving presence to those who need healing. Amen.
Well, I am beginning to realize that God always heals, even if he does not cure. For example, recently (since break began, actually), I have experienced a tremendous reduction of back pain. This is something I have been praying about for a long time, and have recruited multiple prayer partners for, as well. I feel that I have been given this bout of relief while healing from my wisdom teeth surgery, and so I could also enjoy time with my friend who is visiting from St. Louis. I think the change in weather might have something to do with it, but I definitely believe that God is involved. However, my back is not cured. My disc is still bulging, and I continue to have pain when I walk for long periods of time. I will probably always have recurring periods of debilitating back pain. However, God has granted me periods of relief, of healing.
God also heals emotionally, from wounds of the past. He heals us emotionally when we struggle with issues that will not go away, by helping us accept our circumstances. I struggle with acceptance a LOT, but I have found that, through praying for it, I have come to accept some of the difficult circumstances of my life. I have come to accept that back pain is a part of my life, and while sometimes might be more difficult to deal with than others, I am not angry about the situation. That is emotional healing.
In a previous post, I mentioned God working through other people. I think of that as another kind of healing. That kind of support makes the cross a little lighter - even Jesus had Simon. So they bring another form of emotional and psychological healing. I think God also "heals" those people of their own pride or any struggles they might have, so that they can generously give to others.
Lord, I am so grateful for the healing I have experienced in various ways. Please help me to always turn to you in those difficult moments, and to continue to experience your healing grace. Help me also to be a loving presence to those who need healing. Amen.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Pride and Humility
I'm going backwards, since yesterday was spent finishing up last minute work before flying home. So here we go, for Wednesday, 3/7's readings.
In the first reading, the people of Judah are plotting to destroy Jeremiah by his own words - which initially led me to feel that the better Gospel partner for this story would have been one where the Pharisees are trying to trick Jesus into saying something heretical. However, upon closer inspection of the gospel reading, and of Jeremiah's response to these people's malice, pride and humility emerge as clear themes to me.
Jeremiah is a humble man, doing the works of God, putting even his own life at stake. In fact, he even prayed for these people, that God might not be angry at them, and is now asking the same mercy to be shown to him. Trust in the Lord, right there.
In the gospel, we see the mother of the sons of Zebedee being, well, a typical mom. She's anxious and wants the best for her children: "Can they please sit at your right and at your left?" She may have great intentions, but this is quite a prideful request that she is making. The other disciples start arguing, maybe because they want to be in those seats of honor, maybe because they can't believe how indignant the mother of the sons of Z were being. Either way, Jesus puts a stop to it:
"Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
I kind of feel that everyone should be a server at a restaurant for like, a day in their life. Heck, even just work in the service industry. When I worked at the movie theater and at a restaurant, I experienced a LOT of very demanding customers who would often express anger at me for things that were either 1) not my fault or 2) company policy. I remember being yelled at on my first day at Friendly's because we did not serve avocados. This experience of being a server DEFINITELY tried my nerves - multi-tasking is not my gift, and that job required a lot of it. However, there is such great humility found in serving others. Essentially, your wages rely on their opinion of you. And when you may want to throw down a guest's food or tell them to wipe up their own mess, you need to swallow that pride and smile. The frustration resulting from being put in such positions may remind you of how far you have yet to go in your voyage toward Sainthood, but it can also shed some perspective onto how Jesus (and Jeremiah, or any of the prophets, really) must have felt. You are serving people who, for whatever reason, are not being nice to you, and you need to respond in a loving manner. Keeping this in mind can 1) help us to treat our servers nicely when we next go out to eat, and also 2) help us develop a deeper appreciate for Jesus' love for us, as we are often guilty of being ungrateful for our many blessings.
Jesus does make it clear numerous times that there is no room for pride in Heaven. So let us pray that we can strive to seek the will of God in all that we do, to trust in Him more deeply, push our selfish desires aside, and to make our lives a living offering to Him.
In the first reading, the people of Judah are plotting to destroy Jeremiah by his own words - which initially led me to feel that the better Gospel partner for this story would have been one where the Pharisees are trying to trick Jesus into saying something heretical. However, upon closer inspection of the gospel reading, and of Jeremiah's response to these people's malice, pride and humility emerge as clear themes to me.
Jeremiah is a humble man, doing the works of God, putting even his own life at stake. In fact, he even prayed for these people, that God might not be angry at them, and is now asking the same mercy to be shown to him. Trust in the Lord, right there.
In the gospel, we see the mother of the sons of Zebedee being, well, a typical mom. She's anxious and wants the best for her children: "Can they please sit at your right and at your left?" She may have great intentions, but this is quite a prideful request that she is making. The other disciples start arguing, maybe because they want to be in those seats of honor, maybe because they can't believe how indignant the mother of the sons of Z were being. Either way, Jesus puts a stop to it:
"Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
I kind of feel that everyone should be a server at a restaurant for like, a day in their life. Heck, even just work in the service industry. When I worked at the movie theater and at a restaurant, I experienced a LOT of very demanding customers who would often express anger at me for things that were either 1) not my fault or 2) company policy. I remember being yelled at on my first day at Friendly's because we did not serve avocados. This experience of being a server DEFINITELY tried my nerves - multi-tasking is not my gift, and that job required a lot of it. However, there is such great humility found in serving others. Essentially, your wages rely on their opinion of you. And when you may want to throw down a guest's food or tell them to wipe up their own mess, you need to swallow that pride and smile. The frustration resulting from being put in such positions may remind you of how far you have yet to go in your voyage toward Sainthood, but it can also shed some perspective onto how Jesus (and Jeremiah, or any of the prophets, really) must have felt. You are serving people who, for whatever reason, are not being nice to you, and you need to respond in a loving manner. Keeping this in mind can 1) help us to treat our servers nicely when we next go out to eat, and also 2) help us develop a deeper appreciate for Jesus' love for us, as we are often guilty of being ungrateful for our many blessings.
Jesus does make it clear numerous times that there is no room for pride in Heaven. So let us pray that we can strive to seek the will of God in all that we do, to trust in Him more deeply, push our selfish desires aside, and to make our lives a living offering to Him.
Reflection Questions
"Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD."
The reading from Jeremiah is a difficult one, urging us to trust in the Lord at all times. So rather than advice or interpretation, it prompts some reflection questions:
1) Who or what do we trust in in place of the Lord?
2) Why is it easier to trust in those other people or things instead of the Lord?
3) When is a time you have experienced a time of drought and still found blessings within it?
4) How do you think the Lord "tests" our hearts, as is stated in the passage?
5) The Lord states that he will reward everyone "according to the merit of his deeds." What might this mean, in regards to our salvation? We cannot really earn our salvation, after all.
Then, the gospel reading, I found interesting. Particularly:
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'
Ironic, since Jesus rose from the dead partially for this reason. So is this indicating that there are just some people who will never be convinced to follow God?
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD."
The reading from Jeremiah is a difficult one, urging us to trust in the Lord at all times. So rather than advice or interpretation, it prompts some reflection questions:
1) Who or what do we trust in in place of the Lord?
2) Why is it easier to trust in those other people or things instead of the Lord?
3) When is a time you have experienced a time of drought and still found blessings within it?
4) How do you think the Lord "tests" our hearts, as is stated in the passage?
5) The Lord states that he will reward everyone "according to the merit of his deeds." What might this mean, in regards to our salvation? We cannot really earn our salvation, after all.
Then, the gospel reading, I found interesting. Particularly:
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'
Ironic, since Jesus rose from the dead partially for this reason. So is this indicating that there are just some people who will never be convinced to follow God?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Doing Good
To me, today's readings are all about doing good. In Isaiah, we are being urged to serve those in need. In Matthew, we are called out on our hypocrisy for failing to do the good that we preach. So I thought I would take this entry to describe examples of people living out love that I have seen lately. I think sometimes, I get hung up on how to live like Jesus. I say, "Okay, I get it, we're supposed to love others, but HOW do we do that?" Of course, there's always going to soup kitchens, just being nice to people, etc. But here are some examples of people really going above and beyond, who I think are on their way to sainthood.
And I'm going to use code names for them, because I want them to get their Heavenly reward, so I can't praise them too much =)
-J1: She missed two exams to stay with me because I was immobile due to my back pain. She stayed by my side, giving me medicine, telling me silly stories, and trying to recruit help. Then, when she went to the store to buy some yogurt for me to crush my pain pills into, she took it upon herself to come back with a flower and a microwave meal so that I would have food to eat later. She later came back and spent the night so I wouldn't be alone.
-C: Just an overall positive person to be around in general, but this girl came over and just sat by so that I wouldn't be alone, while I slept (because of my pain medicine). We really didn't interact much, she was just there to help me go to the bathroom and stuff.
-S: She has been driving me around like crazy, picking things up from the store, giving me rides to work. She sat in the waiting room for two hours while I was at the doctor's office. Today, she drove me to work, drove home, then pick me up from work, only to drive home. That's asking a lot of someone, and she did it happily.
-J2: She let me stay at her place for the weekend to recover, gave me a wonderful bed to sleep in, and provided me food galore. I had a great time talking to her about spiritual matters and life matters, and she is a new friend, so it was awesome to have this experience.
So these are all big things. Acts of love don't need to be grandiose. Here are some everyday examples of love:
-A new friend sent me an email just to see how I was doing, and since we like playing games together, included a game in the email for me to play. Just saying "hello" would have been nice, but that made the email even more personalized.
-The woman I teach computers to lent me this back support that she uses because she thought it would help my back. I felt really bad taking it from her, but she promised that she has another one that she uses.
-A friend sent me a link to a sock monkey festival that was going on, because she knew it would make me smile.
But really, it's in the little facebook posts, it's in the smiles; those little gestures do not go unnoticed.
This might just be the cheesiest blog post ever written, but during this time of Lent, when almsgiving is a focus, it's nice to have experienced it firsthand.
And I'm going to use code names for them, because I want them to get their Heavenly reward, so I can't praise them too much =)
-J1: She missed two exams to stay with me because I was immobile due to my back pain. She stayed by my side, giving me medicine, telling me silly stories, and trying to recruit help. Then, when she went to the store to buy some yogurt for me to crush my pain pills into, she took it upon herself to come back with a flower and a microwave meal so that I would have food to eat later. She later came back and spent the night so I wouldn't be alone.
-C: Just an overall positive person to be around in general, but this girl came over and just sat by so that I wouldn't be alone, while I slept (because of my pain medicine). We really didn't interact much, she was just there to help me go to the bathroom and stuff.
-S: She has been driving me around like crazy, picking things up from the store, giving me rides to work. She sat in the waiting room for two hours while I was at the doctor's office. Today, she drove me to work, drove home, then pick me up from work, only to drive home. That's asking a lot of someone, and she did it happily.
-J2: She let me stay at her place for the weekend to recover, gave me a wonderful bed to sleep in, and provided me food galore. I had a great time talking to her about spiritual matters and life matters, and she is a new friend, so it was awesome to have this experience.
So these are all big things. Acts of love don't need to be grandiose. Here are some everyday examples of love:
-A new friend sent me an email just to see how I was doing, and since we like playing games together, included a game in the email for me to play. Just saying "hello" would have been nice, but that made the email even more personalized.
-The woman I teach computers to lent me this back support that she uses because she thought it would help my back. I felt really bad taking it from her, but she promised that she has another one that she uses.
-A friend sent me a link to a sock monkey festival that was going on, because she knew it would make me smile.
But really, it's in the little facebook posts, it's in the smiles; those little gestures do not go unnoticed.
This might just be the cheesiest blog post ever written, but during this time of Lent, when almsgiving is a focus, it's nice to have experienced it firsthand.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Journey through Lent with me!
I have been meaning to create this blog for a long, long time. It's sad how long I have sat down, ready to do it, and then just did not. My follow-through is, unfortunately, not one of my strengths.
I do think part of the reason was some doubt. "Who am I to write a blog about God?" "Why would anyone care about what I say, what my views are?" Yet, every time I would sit in adoration, the conviction would come to me again. Ultimately, it does not matter if anyone reads this. It can be a great place for me reflect. And if anyone does read it, lovely. Maybe it can bring them closer to God. After all, that is all we're striving for, right?
So here we go.
Today's readings are about forgiveness - God's forgiveness for us, and how we are called to forgive others. It's fitting that I decided to name this blog after my favorite passage, the woman at the well, given the topic of forgiveness.
Lent is such a beautiful time BECAUSE it is all about forgiveness. It's a time where God is saying, "You might not have gone to church all year, but come now. Give me a chance." Makes me feel bad for hostile feelings I have held toward people who only came to church on Easter and took the seat I wanted to sit in. I feel bad for feeling that way. I mean, I wish they would come every week, for their own benefit. But if they only come on Easter, at least they're coming at all.
So, two main thoughts for today's readings.
1) Forgiveness
2) Judgment
Forgiveness - Yes, we are called to forgive others. And that can be a very, very difficult thing to do. I was once given advice a while ago that, when struggling to forgive someone, pray for them. I found it helpful.
However, we are called to another forgiveness, as well - forgiving ourselves. How easy it can be to fall into scrupulosity, or just get sucked into guilt for making some genuinely bad mistakes. The Daniel reading says it well: "We have sinned, been wicked, and done evil." We have all sinned. I have made some terrible choices - I can't even call them mistakes, because I knew they were wrong. And I chose them anyway. That's what makes them sins.
But God forgave me for them. And I still held onto them, thinking I wasn't deserving of His forgiveness. Call it what you will, but I call it the work of the devil. He doesn't want us to know God's healing love. He wants to think we're no good, not worth it, beyond forgiveness. Those are absolutely lies.
God is unbelievably merciful. I think of the most forgiving people I know, and God is still wayyy more forgiving than them. And what's interesting is that, sometimes, I think we are capable of forgiving because we hope that people will respond similarly when we make a mistake. We forgive because we know that, as humans, we all mess up. God DOESN'T mess up, but still forgives us. He doesn't have to, He doesn't need anything from us, but chooses to forgive us because He desires an intimate relationship with us.
So then, the second part: Judgment.
He says in Luke, "Stop judging, and you will not be judged; stop condemning, and you will not be condemned." This, I think, is twofold. There is the earthly dimension and the Heavenly dimension.
Have you ever noticed that, the more you say negative things about other people, the more paranoid you become that people are saying negative things about you? I think that is what comes to play in this situation. If we are judgmental of others, people will become judgmental of us. It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are saying more things that people CAN judge. I mean, sure, people might judge you for saying "I like water!" or "Blue is such a nice color!", but how deep can that judgment really be? However, if you say something more provocative, like, "I think people who do that should go to Hell" (I hope no one says something like that!), people are more likely to have a response to that. A strong response.
That's not to say we should never make strong statements. We just should not make statements about other people.
The second dimension of this judgment is the heavenly dimension. This is very straightforward: "Don't condemn others, and you won't be condemned." Not because God will condemn you, but because by that act, you are condemning yourself. I think it's so easy to forget that Jesus did not come here to judge us. As a friend of mine was saying the other day, "We think of God as this person who's going to greet us at the gates and be like, 'You're in or you're out.' But really, our decisions are what determine that."
Indeed. We make the choices. So if even God will not condemn us, who are we to condemn anyone else, or to withhold forgiveness from anyone else, including ourselves?
I do think part of the reason was some doubt. "Who am I to write a blog about God?" "Why would anyone care about what I say, what my views are?" Yet, every time I would sit in adoration, the conviction would come to me again. Ultimately, it does not matter if anyone reads this. It can be a great place for me reflect. And if anyone does read it, lovely. Maybe it can bring them closer to God. After all, that is all we're striving for, right?
So here we go.
Today's readings are about forgiveness - God's forgiveness for us, and how we are called to forgive others. It's fitting that I decided to name this blog after my favorite passage, the woman at the well, given the topic of forgiveness.
Lent is such a beautiful time BECAUSE it is all about forgiveness. It's a time where God is saying, "You might not have gone to church all year, but come now. Give me a chance." Makes me feel bad for hostile feelings I have held toward people who only came to church on Easter and took the seat I wanted to sit in. I feel bad for feeling that way. I mean, I wish they would come every week, for their own benefit. But if they only come on Easter, at least they're coming at all.
So, two main thoughts for today's readings.
1) Forgiveness
2) Judgment
Forgiveness - Yes, we are called to forgive others. And that can be a very, very difficult thing to do. I was once given advice a while ago that, when struggling to forgive someone, pray for them. I found it helpful.
However, we are called to another forgiveness, as well - forgiving ourselves. How easy it can be to fall into scrupulosity, or just get sucked into guilt for making some genuinely bad mistakes. The Daniel reading says it well: "We have sinned, been wicked, and done evil." We have all sinned. I have made some terrible choices - I can't even call them mistakes, because I knew they were wrong. And I chose them anyway. That's what makes them sins.
But God forgave me for them. And I still held onto them, thinking I wasn't deserving of His forgiveness. Call it what you will, but I call it the work of the devil. He doesn't want us to know God's healing love. He wants to think we're no good, not worth it, beyond forgiveness. Those are absolutely lies.
God is unbelievably merciful. I think of the most forgiving people I know, and God is still wayyy more forgiving than them. And what's interesting is that, sometimes, I think we are capable of forgiving because we hope that people will respond similarly when we make a mistake. We forgive because we know that, as humans, we all mess up. God DOESN'T mess up, but still forgives us. He doesn't have to, He doesn't need anything from us, but chooses to forgive us because He desires an intimate relationship with us.
So then, the second part: Judgment.
He says in Luke, "Stop judging, and you will not be judged; stop condemning, and you will not be condemned." This, I think, is twofold. There is the earthly dimension and the Heavenly dimension.
Have you ever noticed that, the more you say negative things about other people, the more paranoid you become that people are saying negative things about you? I think that is what comes to play in this situation. If we are judgmental of others, people will become judgmental of us. It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are saying more things that people CAN judge. I mean, sure, people might judge you for saying "I like water!" or "Blue is such a nice color!", but how deep can that judgment really be? However, if you say something more provocative, like, "I think people who do that should go to Hell" (I hope no one says something like that!), people are more likely to have a response to that. A strong response.
That's not to say we should never make strong statements. We just should not make statements about other people.
The second dimension of this judgment is the heavenly dimension. This is very straightforward: "Don't condemn others, and you won't be condemned." Not because God will condemn you, but because by that act, you are condemning yourself. I think it's so easy to forget that Jesus did not come here to judge us. As a friend of mine was saying the other day, "We think of God as this person who's going to greet us at the gates and be like, 'You're in or you're out.' But really, our decisions are what determine that."
Indeed. We make the choices. So if even God will not condemn us, who are we to condemn anyone else, or to withhold forgiveness from anyone else, including ourselves?
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