October 24, 2014

Gospel LK 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”

Reflection 

We tend to focus on things that don't really matter. Tomorrow we will celebrate the joint birthdays of my two daughters, Elizabeth and Catherine. The past few weeks and especially days have been intensely focused on party preparations - theme, food, decor, cleaning. Gathering supplies, completing household projects, and very little sleep have been the main ingredients of my life this past week. 

The respective births of my two daughters were two of the most awesome and joy-filled days of my life. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned long to-do list, my joy about the upcoming party and my joy throughout the process of preparation has been faint to non-existent. 

Not only has my focus been off, but so has my heart. It gets like this a lot. I fall into the trap of begrudging tasks that I don't really want to do. Instead of adopting a servant's heart, bitterness swells, frustration mounts, and even the noblest of tasks are demeaned into annoyances. 

Like the crowds of Jesus's time and our own, I can focus on and do things that don't really matter and neglect the things that do. I can do the things that do matter for the wrong reasons or with the wrong mindset. I can be such a hypocrite!

May God reorient my heart and my eyes toward His heart, toward things that bring Him glory, toward recognizing that every moment drips with His grace and as such should be met with humility, thanksgiving and reverence. 

Every morning as I get out of bed I utter two short prayers. One, the Prayer of Release, challenges me to work as if things depend on me but pray because they depend on God. The other, a short request: "God, give me the strength to do the work You have set out for me today."

Perhaps these prayers need more air time throughout the course of my day. Maybe I should edit the words in the prayer of supplication to include "love" in addition to or instead of "strength". 

Or, maybe I need to shift my focus from me - "Give me a faith...whatever I do...I've done all I can...give me the strength..set out for me" - and instead put it on Him.

GO: Serve. 

Prayer 

God, You are AMAZING. Thank You for the opportunity to serve You today. 

October 23, 2014

Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father, 
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”​

We find hard words in Luke chapter 12.  Jesus is ready to light the world on fire with the gospel and warns His disciples that following Him will surely bring hardship.  While Jesus wants to give us inner peace, we know that sacrificing for Him, living in His will, and choosing to do - or not do - certain things will at some point place us in direct opposition with those around us - quite possibly within our own families.

This is where I have to be careful with the word "peace."  I have to make sure I have peace with Jesus before I make decisions.  I need to constantly ask, "Who does this decision please?"  If it pleases a person, or group of people, and not the Lord, I will not have peace regardless of who is "happy" with me.  But if my decision pleases Jesus, then truly it will not matter where in my life it causes division.  As Christians, we are encouraged to "consider it pure joy" when we face trials of any kind.  Jesus has promised that He will be with us in our struggles, while being clear that He must take top priority.​ 

Prayer:  Father, help us to follow you no matter the cost.  Grant us inner peace in our decisions, especially when they cause outer tension.  Give us peace only as You can give, and not as the world gives (John 14:27). Let not our hearts be troubled and help us not to be afraid.  Amen. 

-by Ms. Sara Maniscalco, ICS Music Teacher

October 22, 2014

Luke 12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Reflection

Be prepared.

Isn't this something we have heard from those who love us all of our life?  Indeed, a fitting motto for this life,with eternal consequences in the next. Be prepared.  But what does being prepared look like for you?

Which poignant character do you identify with in the Good News today? How do you serve your Master?

The answer, as always, lies with the Master's will- Thy will be done. Today's parable does not leave any room for misinterpretation. We have a choice to blessed in Our Father's service or beaten by our choice to procrastinate and reap the consequences.  The stakes couldn't be higher-or should I say
"lower"?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for entrusting your servants with all we need to do your will. Thank you for sending your Son to show us the way to be prepared to serve you in this life and the next. Continue to fulfill your promises to provide your grace to your servants in order to meet the demands you bless us with each day. Amen.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Gospel LK 12:35-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.”

Reflection

When I was a child I was a “latchkey” kid. My dad traveled a lot and my mom would be at work so my sister and I came home to an empty house. We were expected to do our homework and do chores around the house. We were NOT to go out and play, where it wasn’t safe because she wasn’t home to keep an eye on us.  When my mom came home in the evening she would expect the work to be completed. Well, we were children. What do you think we did? We went out and played, came inside ½ hour before she came home, quickly did our chores and sat down to do homework.
But (yes, I know you can tell where this is going) the day came when she came home early and she found us outside playing. Were we faithful to our mom?  Were we like the servants who rolled up their shirtsleeves and continued to work and were ready to greet her upon her arrival?  Most days she thought so, but then she found that not to be true. Most days we thought we were faithful to our mom, ready to greet her, work finished, when she arrived home. But as the parable states, “should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way” blessed are those servants. She came home early and we were not prepared in the way she expected.
Today’s parable contains a lesson in faithfulness. Why is faithfulness so important to God?  For one, it's the foundation for any lasting and meaningful relationship.  Faithfulness allows us to persevere in living out an unswerving commitment. The Lord is committed to us in a bond of unbreakable love and fidelity.  That is what covenant means -- keeping one's word, promise, and commitment no matter how tough or difficult it gets.  Faithfulness is a key character trait of God and one that he expects of us.  Fortunately God gives the grace and strength to be faithful.  He also rewards faithfulness.

Why is fidelity, commitment, and faithfulness so difficult today?  Modern society seems to enjoy freedom over fidelity and doesn't want to be bound to an unknown or uncertain future.  It's also inconvenient and a burden to the pursuit of one's own interests.  We badly need to recover this virtue, not only for our own sake, but for the sake of the next generation as well.  If we want to pass on the faith then we need to first be faithful models for our youth. If we are role models in faithfulness in all other pursuits, then we become more “believable” in our faithfulness to God.

Faithfulness demands consistency, a determination to stay the course, and hard work. The joy and privilege of being a son or daughter of God carries with it an awesome responsibility.  The Lord expects us to make good use of the gifts and graces he gives to us. The more he gives, the more he requires.  The temptation while the Master is away is to put off for later what we know the Master expects us to do now!

Are you faithful to God and ready to give him an account of your stewardship?



Prayer

"Lord, you are faithful even when I fail.  Help me to remain ever faithful to you and to not shrink back when I encounter difficulties.  May I always live in your presence and be ready to meet you when you call me on the Day of Judgment."

Monday, October 20, 2014

Luke 12: 13-21 

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.” 



Reflection: 

Some people are all about the possessions, their own possessions. How much can I earn? How many things can I have? They always have to have the best, the most expensive, the brand names, the best cars, live in the best neighborhoods in the most expensive houses, and on and on. "Keeping up with the Joneses" has become a way of life for a lot of people. Having these nice things is not the problem, it's our greedy attitude toward them that causes issues. Families can be torn apart by money issues in one form or another. In this Gospel passage, Jesus warns the brothers to avoid the sin of greed and to be on guard against it. God does not want us to spend our lives accumulating money and things. And if we are blessed to have that money and those things, we should use them to honor God and build up his kingdom here on Earth. 


Prayer: 

Lord, help me to keep my eyes on you and what good I can accomplish in your name using the blessings you have bestowed on me. Let me be rich in God.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Gospel LK 12:1-7

At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Reflection…

This passage seems to focus on fear.  It begins with a warning.  Beware of the leaven and the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  The leaven is dough leftover from the bread which has spoiled or gone bad.  The hypocrisy of the Pharisees would be their appearing to be good but secretly hiding what they don’t want others to see. 

So, how does this relate to us?  We all know or know of people who are not what they seem.  They seem like they are nice, kind, and caring in our presence, but as soon as they turn away, they are different.  They speak unkindly, or their actions prove to be insincere.  We fear being in their company; we are uncomfortable around their dishonesty.  As a kid, my mother always told me if I associated with people who seemed nice but were treating others unkindly or participating in questionable behaviors, others may assume that I was the same.  I would be thought to be like them by association. I learned early on that I wanted to be perceived based on my own actions, not on the actions of others.  Like my mother, Jesus is warning us to be aware of these people too. 

The second part of the passage still seems to be talking about fear.  We feel fear when we allow the actions of others to influence us and make us feel less than worthy. We allow them to make us feel unhappy; they make us feel badly; they take so much from us.  The passage is telling us that those people are not even worthy of the time and energy it takes us to fear them.  Do not give them the power.  

Devote your energy to loving and respecting God.  He offers us encouragement.  He says we are worthy, regardless of what others say or how they make us feel.  Do not be afraid.  Do not give in to the fear others want us to feel.  Love God.  He is worth it. You are worth it. 

Prayer…

Dear God, Thank you for making us worthy of your love.  Thank you for giving us the graces to be able to overcome our fears.  The strength you provide will allow us to do your work on earth until we are one day with you in heaven.  Amen

October 16, 2014

Luke 11:47 - 54

The Lord said:
“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets 
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

Reflection

Harsh. Gut wrenching. Critical.

These are all words that can describe Jesus’s message to the Pharisees.

Being criticized is a challenge beyond belief. The thought of someone possibly being upset with our performance can be a struggle within its self.

When we are criticized, we have the ability to respond in two different ways; we can get upset and lash out to others in either a private or public setting or we can turn the critical comments someone makes about us into a unseen tenacity that will drive our personal growth and our future success. However, the only way we can get a taste of the tenacity that will drive us to success is if we put our pride aside and realize that an improvement in our lives needs to me made. Criticism can be momentarily difficult, but it can also be that absolutely necessary push we need to head in the right direction.

Although, Jesus is speaking very critically of the Pharisees, it is what the Pharisees needed to hear. The Pharisees thoughts, beliefs, and actions were not leading them to a life with Christ.  Their faith toward the prophets of the past was greater than the one present with them, the Savior Jesus Christ.

After Jesus’s comments to the Pharisees, we know that that the Pharisees took his criticism negatively. Instead of processing his comments to them and changing them into a tenacity to want to make a change, they used Jesus comments as a way to get back at him; as a way to further support their wrongful thinking rather than as on opportunity to grown.

Each day Jesus provides us with an opportunity to grow. He knows us better than anyone else does. He knows our strengths, our weakness, our success, and our failures. Allow us to keep our hearts and minds open to any criticism of us he may have so they we may use his truthful and necessary judgment as an opportunity to grow closer to him.