Monday, September 16, 2013

Experiencing God - Thoughts on Marriage 40

During a retreat that my wife and I attended some years ago, we were fortunate to be a part of a group who attended a series of short talks given by an elderly monk whose name was Matthew Keldy. Matthew would always start his talk with a story. I remember well one of the stories he told concerning our faith journey.  

In the olden days, he would begin, when ships travelled, from a local seaport, across the ocean to some distant location, they never travelled in a straight line. They always ziged zaged back and forth as they sailed across the ocean. One of the reasons for this was because they didn’t have the fancy navigational equipment that is available today. They would probably have had a compass on board to help them, but normally they used the sun by day and the stars by night as a guide for the ship. So often, they found themselves going off course. This might happen for many reasons. A storm could come up at sea that would push the ship off in the wrong direction. Or it could be the result of an overcast night when the stars were not visible. And at other times, those guiding the boat were just not paying attention. But as soon as they noticed that were off course, they would steer the ship in the other direction and continue on. Sometimes they overcompensated. As a result, they would have to cut back to make a correction. Over time, and a lot of maneuvering back and forth, the ship, in most cases, reached its destination safe and sound.  

Our journey as married couples is much like this ship crossing the ocean. At a certain point in time, we have each started our married life together, most of us with a destination in mind. And we soon discovered, as we ventured along, that there were no clear landmarks to give us a good sense of direction.  

We relied heavily on the few insights we had gained up to that point in our lives. As a result of this, we seldom traveled in a straight line. We zig zaged back and forth, at times to the right and then to the left, as we went on our way. What caused us to do this? For most of us, every now and again, we would experience a storm. These storms came in many forms. They could be a loss of a job, an illness, a death of a family member, and many hundreds of other things that would throw us temporarily off course.  

When these things happen, we stopped, re-evaluated the situation, and often times shifted our course and continued on. Then, there were times that we got distracted by other things. It could be our work, our personal activities, or even other relationships. So again we would have to stop, regain our bearings, and make the necessary adjustments in order to continue. And of course there were times that we were just not paying attention, and before you knew it, another adjustment had to be made.  

In most cases, this zig zaging back and forth, could not be avoided. The circumstances were just beyond our control, but as long as we were willing to give the situation attention, make the appropriate changes, then we continued safely on our journey.

It was just about this time last year that wife spent a few days at the VG hospital as part of her ongoing treatment for cancer. In her hospital room, there was a sign hanging on the wall that inspired her and gave her courage during this challenging time: It read: “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails”. “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails”.  

I don’t believe there is any greater wisdom we can possess. We are here, not because we were able to avoid the wind, but because we were able to adjust our sails. If there is any one thing that we each share, is that we possessed the willingness and ability to make the changes that were necessary to keep us on course. The reason why we were willing is because we knew, without a doubt, that the persons with whom we were travelling were important to us. 


The goal of the ship is to reach the port of its destination. In our journey together, perhaps we don’t think much about where we will eventually land up. But somehow, it becomes hard if not impossible, to imagine our life without the other. From the time we were first married, we’ve always felt within our hearts that it would be forever. And I believe we experience being guided by something beyond ourselves. If we do, then we can be assured that there is sacredness to our journey. This sacredness is what makes our marriage sacramental, a witness to Grace and God’s presence in the world. And whether or not we are fully conscious of it, the port of our destination lies within the mystery of this experience. We will be with each other forever.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Experiencing God - Moving Beyond Contrasts 39

 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." 
Gospel of John

The Gospel of John is full of contrasts.  The writers of the Gospel of John thought more so in terms of "black and white" than the other Gospel writers.  These contrasts are very evident in the rather lengthy discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus where Jesus is doing most of the talking. 

In this discourse between Jesus and Nicodemus, Jesus says: "Unless one is born from above, they cannot see the Kingdom of God.  What is born of flesh is flesh:  What is born of Spirit is Spirit."  Jesus is also telling Nicodemus: "When we speak, we speak only about what we know, and when we witness, we witness to only what we have seen.  If you do not believe me when I speak about earthly things, how are you going to believe me when I speak about heavenly things."  Isn't it true: We speak and act on what we know.

In this Gospel narrative, Jesus speaks of the contrasts between what we  "love" and the resulting "judgement".   We can love the darkness (sin and unbelief), or we can love the light (God's truth, beauty and goodness).  If we love only what is earthy, following only the base instincts of survival, then we live in darkness or ignorance.  Our refusal to live by the Spirit leads to our own condemnation.  If our love is guided by what is true, good and beautiful, then we choose the light; we choose to live by the Spirit. 

What we love shows what we prefer and value most.  Do you love God above all else?  Does God take first place in your life, in your thoughts, affections and actions?

These sharp contrasts in John's Gospel are very helpful in defining the two sides of the equation.  They help us see with greater clarity the importance of the decisions we make.  Do we choose life, or do we choose death?

However, we have to be very careful not to slip into "all or nothing thinking"; to think that our lives fit perfectly into these black and white frames.  We are a work in progress, and because we are in transition, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to help ourselves and help others in the journey that we are all on. For this reason, it is important that we examine and use the whole Gospel.

Jesus also said in the Gospel of John:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

We have Christ to be our ally, to speak and act on our behalf.  Our belief and surrender to Christ becomes our light, not only to guide, but to fill our lives with His presence, with His Spirit.  His purpose is not to condemn, but to save, and he commissions us to be agents of this mission to others. 

So we will not always fit neatly into that package of either perfectly accepting the new life of Christ or completely emerged in darkness and death.  We are a people in transition.  As we journey towards the light, we begin to see that our strength can only be found in Christ, in choosing Christ, and allowing His Spirit to transform us by a New Birth.  That is why Jesus also said:  "I have come, not to call those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent."

Experiencing God - Thoughts on Evangelization 38

"I have come as light into the world so that everyone who believes in Me should not remain in darkness". 
Gospel of John

What kind of darkness is Jesus warning us to avoid? 

This particular Gospel reading from John comes right after one captioned; "the unbelief of the people".  The prophet Isaiah is referenced in this previous gospel reading.  In that reference, Isaiah is quoted: "They have blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so that they might not look with their eyes, and understand with their hearts and be healed". 

What kind of darkness is Jesus warning us to avoid?  I believe it is the kind of darkness that is very evident in our society today.  When you examine the phenomena going on around us, there is a sense that our society in general has lost its spiritual and moral compass.  Situations arise, whether it be sexual or psychological abuse with its subsequent fallout, or all those acts of terrorism which show that many are not being guided by Christian or spiritual principals.  And then, there is all the debating, wild opinions and rushing around by those in authority to try to figure out what happened and why.  Why did these young people from what appears to be stable families act out in this way?  What happened to the compassion and empathy that should have triggered a different response?  What can we do, what law can we pass, to prevent this from happening again? 

I have no objection with passing better laws to suit our changing circumstances, but are we really seeing the root cause of the difficulties?  Is it tied in with the blindness that Jesus speaks about in the Gospel of John?

The root cause for much of the confusion that we are experiencing is that we have chosen to cut ourselves off from the source of light, a source that enables us to see through eyes of faith and understand with hearts open to God.  Can we expect anything else but confusion and darkness?

Jesus cries out: "If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, it is not I who shall condemn them.  Anyone who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already."  Have we as a society become to self-assured of our own methods and ways that we fail to consult and seek the wisdom and light that comes through faith in Christ and His word?

It's easy to look out and see the failings of society and the darkness that result from the irresponsibility of others.  It's not so easy to look at ourselves and ask some very serious questions about how we may be failing in our attempts to do something about it.  Christ's words, after all, include the commission to go out and make disciples of all nations, to being the light of faith to those who live in darkness.  As church, can we improve our evangelization efforts?

We read in the Acts of the Apostles of a praying community being guided by the Holy Spirit sending Paul and Barnabas out to foreign areas of Seleucia and  Cyprus to bring the light of Christ, the word of Christ, to people who have not heart it.  As Church, have we become so comfortable or so busy that we have failed to see the importance of reaching out beyond our community to those who have no and little connection with us?  This is not something we are use too.  This is difficult for most of us.  Our experience is that people come to us, not us to them.

In our changing society, the New Evangelization is trying to address some of these issues, because the truth be known, people are no longer coming to us, at least as much as in the past. 

As church, we must courageously  be open to the Holy Spirit and its direction, and be ready to make the changes that are necessary to bring Christ's light to others, in ways that will probably be different than in the past.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Experiencing God - Shifting Our Understanding 37

"Worshipping God means learning to be with Jesus, stripping away our hidden idols, and placing Him at the centre of our lives."
Pope Francis

The Gospel of John beautifully brings about a rich multi-faceted understanding of Jesus as the Bread of Life.  Chapter six of John's Gospel starts off with the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand (plus) with the bread and fishes.  He is the giver of the bread, the new Moses.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites, in the desert, survived on bread or manna, but there is something more being offered here by Jesus; something beyond the need for mere survival.  Jesus is encouraging us to look beyond physical nourishment.

Following the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, we read the story of Jesus walking on the water towards the frightened disciples in the boat on the Sea of Galilee during a vicious storm.  As the disciples see Him, Jesus speaks those encouraging words:  "It is I; Do not be afraid"  We are encouraged to place our trust in Him, the source of life that even transcends the need for physical safety from an unpredictable environment.  Can we take this invitation for courage and apply it too the many outrageous events that we experience today?  Are we able to restore our calm and vigilance despite the many violent things that come our way?

If we read on in the Gospel of John, there is a sudden shift from seeing Jesus as the one who feeds the five thousand with bread to Jesus "the real bread" that has come down from heaven.  Jesus becomes for us the bread of wisdom, the bread of revelation, who comes to nourishes us with faith.  The operative verb in this Gospel story is "to believe".  "They who comes to me will never be hungry.  They who believes in me will never thirst."  The same invitation that was extended to the Samaritan woman at the well is now extended to us: To believe, to accept, to belong to that which brings life.  The belief asked of us is much more than intellectual understanding and consent.  It is an invitation to give our whole selves to believe in the one who comes to save us.  It is an invitation to change.  It is an invitation to give our hearts. 

Pope Francis tweeted yesterday:  "Worshipping God means learning to be with Jesus, stripping away our hidden idols, and placing Him at the centre of our lives."  This type of radical faith requires us to move away from being merely satisfied with a physical existence, and moving towards hungering for the abundant life that comes from knowing Christ.

The last shift of understanding that we are challenged with in John's gospel can be found in the stories that follow.  It is the shift beyond experiencing Jesus as the bread of wisdom and revelation to actually being with the one who nourishes through His presence in the Eucharist.

The shift we see happening in the apostles as we read the story of their lives in the Gospels is the same shift that is happening, or should happen, in us as we surrender our lives to the reality of Christ presence.   Other things fall away as we discover, with deeper meaning, the life and relationship that Jesus calls us to.  "Where I am, you will be also."

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Experiencing God - Two Levels of Understanding 36

"But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will lead you to the complete truth since He will not be speaking as from Himself, but will say only what He has learned".

The Acts of the Apostles reveal St. Paul as the great evangelizer at work.  We have a lot to learn from St. Paul about evangelization.  What made him so talented in this way? 

It is from the fact that he knew about the process of conversion from two levels, and as a result, he knew how to approach this issue with the people he encountered.  He had the wisdom that came from the Holy Spirit.  So what are these two levels of conversion?

The first is that he had an intellectual understanding of conversion that leads to belief and faith.  The second is that he had an actual personal experience of the conversion process itself.

By way of illustration, before I had the experience of falling in love, I certainly had an intellectual understanding of this phenomena.  Why?  Because many told me about it as best they could, and I could see the effects it had on others who fell in love.  But the real teacher for me, as well as for most of us, is the actual experience of falling in love.  It was then that we realized that we are dealing with something that cannot be adequately expressed in words.  This is how it is to have an experience of the Holy Spirit. 

There is an interesting story about St. Ignatius of Loyola that also illustrates the point.  St. Ignatius was a great intellectual.  After all, he wrote the St. Ignatius Spiritual Exercises.  But at one point in his life, he writes:

"While sitting by the river Cordoner in Spain, and occupied in prayer, my eyes of understanding began to be opened.  Though I did not see any visions, I was enlightened with such clear understanding of many things concerning the spiritual and matters of faith that everything seemed new."  He went on to explain that what he experienced was with such clarity that all he had learned through the previous sixty years of his life, if added all together, would not be as much as he had received at that one time.  St. Ignatius now understood from the deep level of personal experience.

When St. Paul spoke to the Greeks in Athens, he knew that at first, he would have to appeal to their intellectual understanding, and he did this skillfully.  He caught their attention.  They loved this level of understanding because it appealed to their intellect.  They were use to it.  They loved pondering profound thought.  But at the mention of Jesus' rising from the dead, we read that some of them burst out in laughter.  Others said: "I think we'll have to hear that again".  Paul was speaking beyond their intellectual understanding of such things; things that can only be understood from the deeper personal level of faith experience. 

Paul was a man who never gave up.  He would persist until many, perhaps not all, would come to this deeper level of understanding.  If our evangelization is to work, this is what we must do as well, particularly in relation to those who are not engaged in church.

Jesus said:  "But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will lead you to the complete truth since He will not be speaking as from Himself, but will say only what He has learned".  When  we know and live these words, not only from an intellectual level, but from an experiential level, then we are evangelizers of the truth of who Jesus is.  This is our personal call; to share with others the good news of what we ourselves have received.

Experiencing God - Rules for Personal Living 35

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  Put to death, therefore, whatever in you that is earthly."
Letter of Paul to the Colossians

The title given to this particular reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians is "The New Life In Christ".  This letter along with his letter to the Galatians spells out the rules for Christian living.  "Live by the Spirit and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit". 

These same rules are spelled out in all the major religions of the world.  In Buddhism, for example, they are declared in three of the eight fold path that leads to enlightenment:  right speech, right action, and right livelihood.  In Hinduism, they represent the first two of the eight branches of their faith, the first being the rules of social behavior and the second being the rules for personal behavior.  These rules are also deeply engrained in our Catholic Catechism.  

I was just reading this morning an excerpt from the Catechism on the eighth commandment about not bearing false witness against your neighbor.  It reads:  "The eighth commandment teaches us not to lie.  Lying means consciously and intentionally speaking or acting against the truth.  Someone who lies deceives himself, and misleads others who have a right to know the truth of a matter."

Years ago, after my ordination as a deacon, I had an opportunity to work on several cursillo weekends.  One of the talks that I often gave as a team member was called "Obstacles to Grace".  The title of this talk describes it well.  God's grace is present and active all around us.  Why can't we see it?  Why can't we experience it?  The obstacles to seeing and experiencing God's grace is directly linked to our failure to see the value of and following the rules for Christian living.  We must realize that the rules are there, not as an imposition to a life style we may find more attractive, but as a necessity in order to experience Christ's transforming power in our lives, the New Life in the Spirit.

The summation of all the values of Christian living can be found in the Gospel reading on the Beatitudes.  You may ask how can we possibly find happiness and new life in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution?  If we want to be filled with the joy and happiness of the Spirit, then we must empty ourselves of all that would shut God out of our hearts.  Poverty of Spirit creates within the ample room to possess God alone as our greatest treasure.  Hunger of the Spirit seeks nourishment and strength in Christ and His word.  Sorrow and mourning over times wasted over egotistical pursuits leads to the joyful freedom that Christ gives us through His Spirit.  God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of an abundant life and happiness. 

Jesus promises that the joys of new life will more than compensate for whatever troubles or hardships we may expect in the world.  St. Thomas Aquinas says:  No person can live without Joy.  Those who are deprived of Spiritual Joy usually go after carnal pleasures.  No person can live without joy, and the greatest joy is that which flows from Christ. 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Experiencing God - I Am The Vine 34

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." 
Gospel of John

We read several stories in the Acts to the Apostles of a church in crisis.  These crisis were often over matters relating to faith practice.  There were good reasons for these problems to arise.  The early Christian Church was born from Jewish roots.  Mary, Joseph and Jesus were Jewish.  They practiced their faith in the Jewish synagogue.  The apostles, their families and the early followers of Jesus were Jewish.  After the resurrection and the first encounters with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, it would have been quite normal for the new followers of Christ to incorporate Jewish rites in their worship, and Jewish rules in their faith practice. 

But a problem arose when the Christian faith spread to the gentiles who, not only did not practice Jewish rites, but were not familiar with them.  Should the rules that the apostles and the early Jewish Christians practiced also be a condition for the new gentile believers?  This question was ripe for a crisis.  The important thing that came from all this was that the church gathered and prayed about these contentious issues.  The Holy Spirit was consulted.  Through prayers and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a decision was made, and the church moved on from there.  Were there people dissatisfied with the decision?  Probably some were.  Were there some who may have left the Christian community because of the decisions?  Probably some did.  The important thing is that the Church, the people of God, remained close to Christ; they remained connected to the vine, and in doing so, this community moved ahead in accordance with God's will.

In the Gospel of John mentioned above, Jesus encourages us to remain connected to the vine.  Jesus says:

 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." 

We can see and identify with this on a personal individual level, but we must also see this and connect with it on a communal level.  Christ will only be made visible to the world as we work together as people of faith to bring His Kingdom alive in the hearts of others.  It's not a job we can do by ourselves.

We remain connected to Christ in our personal encounter with Him, but we also remain connected with Him through His vine the Church which gives witness to His presence in the world.

Does our culture have difficulty with some of the Church's practices and teachings?  Sure they do.  Do we at times?  This is true as well.  But as we bring these issues of concerns before the Lord, if we do it as church, as the people of God, then the direction we must go will come forth, maybe not always in accordance with what we want all the time, but in accordance with God's will for the Church at this moment in our history.

"If you remain in me, Jesus says, and my words remains in you, then what you ask of me in prayer will be granted if it is for the glory of the Father and the building of His kingdom on earth.  These are the things that will determine if you are my disciples, my followers."

Experiencing God - Incorporated Into Christ 33

Five truths of the Christian Faith that, if we take them seriously and live them daily, will completely transform our lives:
1.  Christ really lives within us
2.  We have many false selves, and we are incapable of healing our own state of disintegration.  Only the Divine Physician can heal us.  Only Jesus can fill us and lead us to our fullest potential.
3.  It is through the Holy Spirit that we can fully know Jesus, and in union with Him, find our true identity.
4.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our hidden selves can grow strong, and Christ can live in our heart through faith.
5.  We will grow into our true "selves" by dying to our unreal selves.  This is called "an incorporation into Christ".  This is real union.  The life of Christ risen is shared with us in an intimate way.
George Maloney SJ - "Alone With The Alone"

When St. Paul left Ephesus after three years of ministry there. a Christian community had been formed.  Upon his leaving, he spoke to the Ephesians in a very moving way.  His words were more a caution to remain faithful.  Faithful to whom?  Faithful to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Paul knew that this small community which he had dedicated his life too transform would be subject to many temptations.  Paul referred to these temptations as fierce wolves that would try to persuade them to abandon their faith in Christ, and to induce them into falling back into their old ways.

If we look at those old ways in today's terms, what would they be?  They would be anything that would lead us to a false way of living, a false way of being.  It could mean getting caught up in consumerism, greed, profiteering at the expense of others, unhealthy pre-occupations with pleasures or self-gratification.  Really, anything that would take us away from the life built on Christ, to move us back to a more self-centered existence.

St. Paul assured the Ephesians that he did not act in this manner himself while he was with them.  He renounced that as a way of life because he knew it would lead to death.

In the Gospels, Jesus prays for His disciples for the same thing.  "Father, keep those you have given me true to your name so that they may be like us."  In other words, protect them from everything that leads to death in order that they may be given the joy of New Life through the Holy Spirit.  It is an appeal that they remain incorporated into Christ, to live their lives fully as Christ had taught them.

This is not just a message that is only relevant to the people of Ephesus, or to the disciples of Christ.  It is a message that is particularly relevant to us today.  We cannot be incorporated into Christ, into this real intimate union that Fr. George Maloney speaks about, unless we are incorporated in the community of which Christ is a part.  We cannot heal our own state of disintegration.  This can only be done by the Divine Physician, Christ.  We need that exposure to the community of faith where Christ is present in order that our true selves grow strong. 

Monday, September 9, 2013

Experiencing God - Growth 32

In January of last year, Archbishop Gérald Lacroix of Quebec and Primate of Canada, electrified the airwaves during an interview with this statement:
 “I have a lot of hope for what is growing in our Church. There’s something dying, but there’s something new that’s coming up, that’s growing, that’s sprouting, that is filling me with hope”. 

For the many times I’ve participated in retreats and seminars in the past, I usually began with the anticipation of a change, a quick change in the person I am. After all, we are talking about God are we not? If God wants to change me, then He can certainly do it; and for some, it seemed to be an instant process. But if we examine things closely, we discover that, for most, change is not instant. Change happens through a process of slow growth. So if you haven’t noticed a quick detectible change, don’t be alarmed.   

I invite you to ask yourself a few simple questions. Over time, have you experienced a greater understanding of God? Do you feel closer to God? Are you gentler in dealing with yourself and with others? Through your discipline of daily prayer, do you experience being closer to Christ? These are some of the signs of change; and you can be assured of further change as you continue to follow a discipline for continual growth.

Growing up on a farm gave me first-hand knowledge of this slow steady growth. Nature is a great teacher. The seeds that we planted in early spring took weeks before they could be visibly seen as new young shoots. It would be weeks more before they we big enough to be hoed, and it would be months before they could be harvested. All the change happened without our really seeing it happen. 

In 1978, some 35 years ago, I began the process of discernment and formation towards becoming a Deacon. I was in process because I had limited knowledge and experience about what it was to be Deacon. Between then and now, much has happened; many experiences, many retreats, many ministries, much personal development. I am no longer the same person I was back then. Everything has changed, but I am still as much in the process of growth as I was back then. Growth requires of us to be always in that stance of further growth, so that we continue with our development until a time of harvest. 

In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 13, we read: “Jesus puts before his disciples a parable.

“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown, it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches”.

The Kingdom of heaven that Jesus is speaking does not lie in some far off place. It lies within you. It lies within the expanding heart of every person who is turning to Christ, who is being transformed and re-created by His all-pervasive Spirit. This is why it is so important that the Kingdom within us remains open to growth, open to be nourished by God’s love through Sacrament and Prayer. As God’s Kingdom comes alive within us, we embrace with awe and wonder an expanding vision of God and His plan for us as a part of His creative process.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. I would like you to picture a chart which for me describes the process of spiritual growth.  On the left side of this chart is marked “Unrelatedness with God”. On the right side of this chart is marked “Relatedness with God”.  Arrows run from the "Unrelatedness" to the "Relatedness" which indicate the direction that is necessary for spiritual growth. If we are growing spiritually, then we must be moving in the direction towards greater relatedness with God. 

All of us fall somewhere between these two realities. We are all on the bar. Where we are at this particular moment in time is of no importance. What is important is the direction we are going. Do you experience your spiritual growth moving you in the direction towards greater relatedness with God?

Now picture a list of qualities under each of these two headings. The ones of the left under "unrelatedness" are illustrative of some of the qualities that we are trying to move away from. The list on the right under "relatedness" are some of the opposite qualities we are moving towards. If we are growing spiritually, we are moving away from selfishness and towards unselfishness, we are moving away from self-centeredness towards other centeredness. We are moving away from isolation and alienation towards a spirit of openness and community, and so on. You can add more to this list. For example, if we are growing towards greater relatedness with God, then we are moving away from slavery  and growing in greater liberty and freedom as God’s Children.

As God’s Kingdom comes alive within us, we embrace more and more the awe and wonder of His expanded vision for us, His plan for us as a part of His creative process. Spiritual growth is being open and receptive to the workings of the Spirit within us. But there is one thing we have to realize. 

The movement from unrelatedness to relatedness with God is not possible under our own power. Jesus says: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in them will produce abundantly, but apart from me you can do nothing.”  This movement to greater relatedness with God is only possible through the love of God that is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. 

In my mid-twenties, I had discovered within myself a deep dissatisfaction of life. Despite that fact that I was succeeding in many of my goals (in my accounting career, my family, in acquiring the things I wanted), something was radically missing. I felt empty when it came to love and relationships. As a result, I experienced being isolated and alienated from others. And there seemed to be nothing I could do to dispel the feelings that came from this. In my search for an answer, I decided to get more involved at church. I began to teach catechism, joined the parish men’s group, and I become part of a prayer group. It was there at the prayer group, on a cold November evening during a time of prayer that I let go of my fears, and in tears, turned to Jesus and asked Him for help. It was as if the walls of my alienation and fear washed away, and I experienced, for the first time, Jesus love for me, so strong that the structures of my well planned life were shaken. A few days after this, I was reflecting on the scripture of Jesus walking on the water towards his fearful disciples sitting in their boat, hanging on for dear-life. I heard Jesus’ call to me as well. "Do not be afraid. Take courage, I am with you. Come, step out of the boat, and walk towards me." 

This left with no doubt as how I had to respond. Jesus was calling me, to step away from a way of life where everything depended on my efforts and the false illusion of security it provided, and to step into the waters of uncertainty. Jesus was asking me to begin a journey towards greater relatedness with God. I share this experience reluctantly because it was only a beginning of the long journey that was to follow.

Each of you have had your own beginnings in faith, in which God has worked through your own unique circumstances and experiences. No two encounters with Christ are the same. But there are commonalities in the journey we take.

First, is the recognition of those areas in our lives that are in need of change, our self-centeredness, our clinging to attitudes and ways that prevent us from growing in holiness, whatever they may be.
Secondly, is to place these areas of our lives before the Lord, cry out to Him for assistance, and allow His healing grace to move us into greater relatedness. Only through Christ the vine, and our connection with Him, will we realize our full potential.

Everything that followed in my life from this initial encounter were the integral parts of a life’s journey that has led and continues to lead to greater relatedness with God: commitment to daily prayer, retreats, participation at mass and in church, being part of faith sharing groups, the response in service. This way of life has been necessary to continue the growth towards God that only comes through faith and a gradually submission to Him. 

My recommendation to you for growth in faith is only that. Do what you must, do what you can to remain close to God. Come to church, celebrate Christ’s presence with the community of faith, and be nourished by His presence in the Eucharist. We pray in many ways. Pray in a way that unites your Spirit to His. Service plays itself out in many different forms. Find that activity that draws you into relationship with that abundant source of Life that is available to all. 

Groups of many types are available to stimulate your growth as Christ’s disciples. Find the group which fires up your spirit to live a life that is joyful and abundant. Practice sharing your time and resources, for this builds a spirit of generosity that draws you close to the one who wishes to share with you ultimate joy and abundance. The three fold actions of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are important in that they give witness to our lives built on Christ. But they are also there for another reason. They are there as a discipline to help us break the roots of our own insecurity, our excessive attachment to pleasure and comfort, so that we may enter into greater relatedness with Christ. 

I conclude with another quote from Archbishop Gérald Lacroix. In that same interview that I mentioned as the beginning, he said:

“Bringing people to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ changes their lives because it brings them into a relationship with the Lord, with God our Father, with the Holy Spirit. And this changes everything.  Only this gives them a new vision of life, a new vision of values, and a new vision of family and community. It helps them to be different in the midst of this world so much in need of healing, so crying out to be saved.” 

Experiencing God - Wisdom 31

"Whoever loves wisdom, loves life.  Those who wait upon wisdom early will be filled with happiness.  Whoever holds wisdom close will inherit honor.  Whoever pays attention to wisdom dwells secure"
Book of Sirach

One of the most outstanding psychiatrists in America who died in 1987 was Carl Rogers.  Rogers developed what is called the humanistic approach to psychology.  In his approach, he discovered that the personalities of his clients could be developed by moving them beyond the responses that had been habitually formed from their past experiences.  For Rogers, deep down in each person is the innermost self.  The core of our personality, this innermost self, he found, is basically healthy, positive, and society oriented.  In other words, this inner most self is a much truer expression of our humanity.

In my last posting, I mentioned the Book of Sirach, one of the Wisdom books from the Old Testament.  The above quote is from this Book of Sirach.

It is clear from this book of the Old Testament that "wisdom" is not conventional intellectual learning, like learning to be a lawyer or an accountant.  Wisdom is a gift.  Wisdom is something that wells up at the Soul or Spirit level of a person.  Wisdom comes to us as a guide, enabling us to respond to life's situations in a manner that is most beneficial to ourselves and to those with whom we interact.

In the political scene today, particularly with the recent discovery of Senate expense scandals that we are hearing so much about in the news, we see evidence of clever well educated people who are not being guided by wisdom.  What is it that prevents some from seeing and using the gift of wisdom?

It usually springs from a blindness that results from the past life's habits of self-centeredness, greed, anger, hatred, resentments, insecurity, arrogance, and many other things.  These many things distort our vision as to what is important.

Jesus speaks about this blindness in the Gospel of John when he is approached by Nicodemus by night who asked Him many questions.  The fact that Nicodemus meets with Jesus at night is symbolic of the blindness or darkness that many experience.  Jesus tells Nicodemus:  "What is born of the flesh is merely flesh, but what is born of the Spirit is Spirit.  Flesh begets flesh.  Spirit begets Spirit".  What I believe Jesus is saying by this is that when it comes to our spiritual nature, humans are not sinful.  But it is the "sarx" in us, which means the flesh element, through which sin enters the world and tends to move us towards self-centeredness.  But it is through the gift of the Spirit within that the gift of wisdom is made known and moves us towards selflessness or a self-sacrificing love. 

If we wish to tap into wisdom, or the Spirit, we must tap into God.  Otherwise, we will have only the whims of the flesh to guide us.  As evidenced by the scandals in our institutions; and yes, even in our churches, the flesh has not served us well.

Jesus recognizes this in what He taught and in how He lived.  When the apostles confronted Jesus about the fact that someone who was not a part of their group was ministering in His name, Jesus told them:   "Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because they are a follower of mine, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

In other words, that person is guided by wisdom.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Experiencing God - Lessons on Virtues 30

"Have mercy on us, O God of all, and put all the nations in fear of you.  Let them acknowledge you, just as we have acknowledged that there is no God but you Lord."
Sirach

Sirach is one of the Deuterocanical books of Wisdom from the Old Testament.  It was written approximately two hundred years before Christ by a man who devoted himself to a study of the Hebrew Scriptures.  He decided to share the considerable knowledge that he attained from this study with the greater population.  It is a book about "ethics" in public life and stresses that our true measure of character can only be found in virtue, not in money, wealth or position.  The following excerpt is called "The Prayer of the People": 

"Have mercy on us, O God of all, and put all the nations in fear of you.  Let them acknowledge you, just as we have acknowledged that there is no God but you Lord."

In the teachings of Jesus found in the Gospels, we find much wisdom for living a live of virtue.  The thing with Christ is that we experience His wisdom from two different directions;  from what He said, and from how He lived.  In fact, unlike us, at least some of the time, Jesus perfectly reflected in the way He lived, the wisdom that He taught.  Jesus used every opportunity to convey to His disciples God's message to humanity, not only by what He said, but by how He lived.  An example of this can be found in the synoptic Gospels.

We read in each of these Gospels how Jesus would draw His disciples aside and tell them of His upcoming death at the hands of the Chief Priests and Scribes.  Often time, the disciples would have a somewhat dazed response to what they were told, probably not wanting to believe that such a thing could happen to their leader.  In one instance, James and John came to Jesus and asked for certain favors:  "Allow us to sit, one at at your right hand, and one at your left in your glory".  And when the other disciples heard of this request of James and John, the felt an indignation towards them, a little put out that those two would be looking for special favors. 

Jesus always uses these times as opportunities to teach the wisdom of virtues that were necessary to live the life of a disciple.  Those virtues were not only taught by Jesus, but lived by Him, and He challenges His disciples to not only learn from Him but to incorporate these teachings in their lives.

Jesus's response to the Apostles:  "Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must to slave to all".
Matthew

Like the wisdom found in the book of Sirach, Jesus is saying that the true measure of character can only be found in virtue, not in money, wealth, position or honor.  And then He goes on to wash the feet of His disciples and die a humiliating death on the cross to set them and us free from ourselves. 

Virtue for Jesus was to love, but He knew that we could not love effectively until we have been set free by the Holy Spirit, a Spirit that could only be released by His own death. 

If we could only begin to understand the depth of Christ's love for us, then our lives and the lives of the world would change in a flash.  God's very Kingdom is present and active among us.  We see this in Christ, in His words, and in the life that He lived. 

Friday, September 6, 2013

Experiencing God - Grapes Thorns Figs Thistles 29

"Jesus said: You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles?"
Gospel of Matthew

What do grapes, thorns, figs and thistles have to teach us about the Kingdom of God?  This imagery would have been very familiar to Jesus' audience.  A certain thorn bush had berries which resembled grapes.  A certain thistle had a flower which at a distance resembled the fig.  But the fruit of these plants were not the real thing.  And if you tried to eat from these plants, you would be, not only disappointed, but may do yourself harm.  The real fig tree, the real grape vine could be determined by their fruit that was harvested from it, fruit that was real, nourishing, and sound.

Jesus uses this analogy when it came to people, particularly those who professed to have some special knowledge or wisdom in respect to faith or faith matters.  Is what they say and do real, nourishing, sound?  Are they producing good fruit, that which unites, that which leads to spiritual growth and wholeness?

In the Gospel, Jesus is saying that good fruit is the result of sound living. 

I've recently read that people of our culture today are more focused on personality than they are on character.  Am I good looking; Am I personable or appealing; Do I have a gift or skill that sets me apart from the ordinary; Am I self-assured and confident?  These things are great, but what about a person's character.  Am I impeccably honest in my dealings with others; Do I know God; Do I derive strength from God; Do I live in accordance with God's truth; Do I show caring and concern for others?  Persons of good character see their special talents or skills as gifts given them for the good of others, not something just for their own personal exploitation and gratification. 

These are the qualities or fruits from which the Kingdom of God are built, from which communities of faith are born and grow.

Pope Francis recently made the following statements:

"When the Church does not come out of itself to evangelize, it becomes self-referential and then gets sick.  That inward-looking Church which doesn't look sufficiently to Christ and doesn't reflect Him, His light and His love for those walking in darkness, quickly succumbs to what is the worst evil of all, a spiritual worldliness, living in itself, of itself, for itself.  That is the fundamental corruption of the Church that needs to be reformed. 

One of the wild grapes that flows from the vine is a hypercritical spirit that leads some Catholics to expend most of their energy censuring others inside and outside the Church rather than seeking to live and share the joy of the Christian faith.  This is a problem not only for clergy but for lay people.  One isn't a good Catholic when he or she is looking only for the negative for what separates us.  This isn't what Jesus wants.  The reform of the laity must involve reforming them to become missionary disciples in communion.  It's a community of believers trained and inspired to go out to transform politics, society, education, neighborhoods, family and marriage.  It's a body of torch-bearers radiating Christ's light rather than hiding it within the bushel basket of self-referential, spiritually worldly and ultimately sick parochial and diocesan structures." 

How do we avoid falsehood in our personal lives?  By being true to God, His word, His Grace.  Those who are true to God know that their strength lies, not in themselves, but in Him who supplies all that we need.  The fruit of a disciple is marked by faith, hope, love, justice, prudence and fortitude.

Do you seek to cultivate the good fruit in your life and reject that which is bad?

Experiencing God-Faith-Believing Without Seeing 28

 Jesus said to Thomas: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Gospel of John


Everyone has their own way of handling the tragedies that happen in their lives.  A sudden death of someone we love, a parent or a spouse, or maybe even a loss of a child.  These are events that leave us most vulnerable, hitting us emotionally, leaving us confused. 

Jesus' death would certainly have been one of those events to the apostles, their companions and family.  They had spent many years working with Jesus in His teaching and healing ministry.  They had formulated ideas and plans in their minds as to the many things they wished to accomplish together and the changes they wished to make.  They had formed bonds of love and commitment with each other as they worked to put these plans in place; and suddenly, everything changed because of the tragedy.

Even though they were forewarned that it was going to happen, this could never completely prepare them for the actual event.  Peter just wanted to go back fishing; to doing something familiar and simple.  Mary Magdalene wanted to be with what remained of Jesus at the tomb where He was laid.  And Thomas sought to be by himself in his time of sorrow.  So he pulled away and did not want to be in that place that brought back so many memories and broken promises. 

Even when Thomas heard the news from the women who visited Jesus at the tomb, and from the other apostles that Jesus had risen, he would not believe.  He could not subject himself to other possible disappointments. 

But finally he did experience the risen Jesus, examined the wounds in His hands and side, and made that faith proclamation that we are all called to make:  "Jesus, my Lord and My God"

It is through this gift of faith, not necessarily by what we may visible see, that we are all able to recognize the presence of the risen Lord in our personal lives.  It is, for the most of us, the Holy Spirit who reveals Christ to us, and through that revelation we are able to proclaim with Thomas: "You are my Lord and my God"; and this amazingly brings us to that new understanding of God and His ways.

There is really no intellectual answer that we can give for this gift of the Spirit that enables us to proclaim Jesus as Lord, but it changes the way we see everything else from that point onward.

Jesus says to Thomas: "You believe because you see.  Blessed are those who believe but have not seen".  This is the gift of faith, the gateway that many seek, but few find.  It's the gift that resides in the hearts of each and every person, but obscured from view because we get so distracted by so many other things.  Let us, with Thomas, give thanks that we are beneficiaries of this gift of the Holy Spirit.

Experiencing God- Ordinary Doing Extraordinary 27

"Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
Gospel of Matthew

If anything we can learn from scripture is the fact that God calls and uses very ordinary people to do extraordinary things.  Stories in both the Old and New Testament illustrate that if we remain faithful to God, then God can turn even tragic circumstances into opportunities for growth, and into opportunities to serve Him in ways beyond our understanding at the time. 

In the Old Testament, we have the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery to the Egyptians by his brothers who were jealous of their father's love for him.  By remaining faithful to God, Joseph not only recovered his status as a family member, but also was instrumental in saving them all from starvation as God created the circumstances for these actions to be carried out.

"To remain faithful, and to continue to place our complete trust in God" is the one quality that separates those who have been called by God to be disciples of Christ from those who are not.

In the Gospel from Matthew above, Jesus is calling forth his twelve disciples, and giving them authority over unclean spirits, the ability to cast them out and cure all kinds of diseases.  What are the qualities of the ones He called?  It's not what we would consider today to be qualities of leadership.  In the choice of the twelve apostles, we see a characteristic feature of God's work.  Jesus chooses very ordinary people, but people with faith.  They were all non-professional, no wealth or position.  They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, who had no special education or social advantage.  Jesus wanted people who could take an ordinary assignment and do it in an extraordinary way.  He chose those people, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming, through faith, under the grace and direction of God.

When the Lord calls us to serve, or when we look for those we feel will best serve in God's plan, we must not think that we have nothing or little to offer.  Neither must we think that of others.  The Lord takes ordinary people, but extraordinary in faith, to work at building His Kingdom among us.  The Lord looks at faith, not credentials.  God looks for those who will be faithful, like Joseph, even through adverse and uncertain times.  If you look at the one apostle who failed Jesus in his Christian mission, he was the one who was unable to see the mysterious unfolding of God's plan, and decided to follow his own way of doing things.  He was the one who failed to trust God's wisdom, but trusted only in himself. 

Do you trust God's plan for His church today? 

We do this by remaining faithful to building God's Kingdom, not by our design, but by His. 

Experiencing God - Church and Home 26

"Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Gospel of John
                                         
I don’t think anyone can underestimate the importance of the place we call home. I grew up in a farming community, and my parents owned a big two story farm house with two separate living spaces. My grandparents lived in one part, and my family of seven lived in the other. It was not a luxurious place by any stretch of the imagination. It had no indoor bathroom, just a couple of sinks with hot and cold running water. It was heated by an old wood furnace that did not distribute the heat very well and a wood stove in the kitchen. No one hung out in the bedrooms on a cold winter morning. But as a child growing up here, it was a place I felt safe. Home was were we shared family times, times with friends, three meals a day around the dining room table, a place to be when you were sick, a place to come too at the end of the day. I don’t remember a time when family was not around. It was indeed a place where I could feel away from the world.

Martha, Mary and Lazarus had such a home, and it was a place they often shared with Jesus. For this man who had no place to lay His head, this would be the place that represented home to Him. It was there, in the company of those who accepted Him as family, that Jesus would experience being away from the world and its demands, a place where he could relax.

 The Gospel reading above took place in this home in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. In order to appreciate this short Gospel reading, we must also understand some of the events that surrounded this Gospel we have just heard. 

Some days before, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, and this event had caught a lot of attention, particularly from the Jewish authorities. They were threatened by Jesus and the popularity He was gaining. Jesus was seen as compromising their strict religious practice and their rules, so now word was out that they wanted Him stopped. 

Jesus and His disciples could no longer travel as freely. So they went to Bethany where they knew they would be welcomed. 

Mary, Martha and Lazarus would certainly have been quite aware of the tensions Jesus was experiencing. They welcomed Him, as they had done many times before, as one of their own family. 

Many of the events that unfolded there were really quite ordinary. A dinner is prepared and shared, as well as good conversation, gestures of love, acceptance, and support for the events of the past and those to come. Then Mary, in a very spontaneous way, did something that was quite unusual, that revealed to all the secrets of her heart. She found a jar of special ointment she had been saving, came and anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped the excess oil off with her hair. And it is said that the aroma of this oil filled the room, as I’m sure Mary’s devotion for Jesus filled the hearts of all who witnessed this event. Except for one. Judas’s heart was not there. 

He missed the moment as we often do when we fail to see the actions of love because our hearts have been hardened with disappointment, resentment, and bitterness. Judas missed this gesture of faith, love and attentiveness given by Mary. Judas revealed only the coldness of his heart, his indifference to love. 

He failed to understand that it is only through attentiveness and love that we become the spring board for transformation and healing. He failed to understand that what Jesus needed at that moment was to be strengthened by this simple attentiveness in order to fulfill the mission that was unfolding.

Judas’s condition is of course a warning for each to us. I’ve seen marriages that started out with such a spring-time of love turn to coldness and indifference. I’ve seen division among family members where past hurts manifested itself into long term animosities and unforgiveness. I’ve seen many examples in our secular culture where cynicism in respect to matters of faith, and negativity towards God leave lives without the meaning and purpose that God intended. We must guard against this happening to us; and it will not as long as we are attentive to God and allow the power of His love to transform our hearts.

It is particularly important that we not only see our churches as being homes for its members, but as places where others are welcomed; A place where they will be greeted, and accepted, a place where they may experience that sense of being at home. 

Some may argue that our structures, dogmas, rules, or traditions are more important.  But if we look closely at what draws people into community; at what transforms hearts into seeing and accepting Christ; it begins with that act of giving attention; those acts of greeting, welcoming, accepting those whom we encounter. 

Others today would argue that we have a need for some fear and caution. After all, there are a lot of bad things happening in the world from which we must protect ourselves. And maybe, in some ways, this is true. But if we exaggerate these things, or fail to see them through the light of faith and God’s transforming presence, then like Judas, we can blind ourselves to the actions of love that are all around us. It is only in the presence of God, through faith, that we dare to let go, open the doors of our hearts to the fearless acceptance of whatever may come to us. When God is present, we dare to open the doors of our homes, our churches and our hearts to each other. Jesus’ mission, and the mission He assigned to all people of faith is exactly that.

From the first reading, Isaiah speaks of Jesus’ mission, and correspondingly, to the mission He gives to us:

“I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right; I have taken you by the hand and kept you. I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nation, to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.” 

To open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison are not just events to be taken literally. Freedom to see, to be free from darkness comes to each of us as we learn to place our trust in the one who journeyed to Jerusalem so many years ago so that we may experience the New Life promised by His Spirit. This same New Life He commissions us to share with others. 

Ten years after moving out of that old farm house where I was raised, it was gutted by fire, and later demolished. 

But the flames and the demolition did nothing to destroy that place and its sense of being home. Home had little to do with the old farm house with its two sinks and an old wood furnace. Home had to do with the life lived there, the connections established among family, the common care and concern expressed for each other which shaped each of our lives. That home still exists. 

These actions of Mary that day in Bethany are alive to us because they speak of the connections that existed between two people: These actions of devotion, of love, that you can be sure, are in reciprocation for the kindness, love, forgiveness and compassion extended to her by Jesus.  

These are the actions that create church, that make it a home, not only for its members, but all those who come there.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Experiencing God - Living Power of God 25

"We constantly thank God because you accepted God's message, not as some human thinking, but for what it really is - a living power of God among you who believe it." 
Thessalonians

I grew up during the time when television first came out.  Very common during those early years of  television programming were western shows and movies.  Many Saturday afternoons I spend with my brothers and cousins watching Western Theatre.  During these midday matinees on Saturday afternoon, eight or ten of us would be sitting around the living room watching these shows.  And of course, these shows always had the good guys, the heroes, and the bad guys.  As children, it was never difficult for us to pick out good guys.  There was never any question who they were, and we would be all cheering for them, and certainly siding with them and wishing to emulate their qualities as they fought against injustices and rescuing those in distress.  What made them the good guys to us children?  Why were we attracted to them? 

Mainly it was because they were interested in justice, particularly for the little guy:  For the kid who didn't have a home, for the poor struggling rancher who was in danger of losing his property, for the old man or widow who couldn't defend him or herself.  The heroes were there to defend them, protect them.  They were more interested in others then in themselves, while the bad guys were only interested in what they could get for themselves.  Children can pick up on these differences very easily.  As adults, we seem to struggle more with seeing this as clearly.

When Jesus walked about Israel, he noticed the virtuous in places where one would not ordinarily expect to find them.  From these unexpected places, we hear stories like the "Good Samaritan", the "Roman Centurion", the "Samaritan Woman at the Well", the "Woman of questionable reputation who visited Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisee". 

But Jesus also noticed the "lack of virtues" in places where one would normally expect to find them.  Some of these places were the centers of leadership in churches and synagogues.  The Scribes and the Pharisees were often described in the Gospels as the bad guys.  Were they all like that?  Probably not.  But there was enough that it became noticeable to Jesus.  What was it about the Scribes and the Pharisees that disturbed Jesus so much?

It was in their actions, and in the way they lived.  They were so much more interested in themselves and how they appeared, then in others.  Jesus called them hypocrites which means "actors".  They looked good on the outside, but inside they were empty of the virtues that comes from God; compassion, love, care and concern for others.  This can happen to any of us, even in church, particularly if we become more concerned with maintaining appearances or the status quo rather than serving the people in our communities. 

Children are not drawn to emulate those who only want to maintain appearances, or who are only interested in themselves and what they want.  They see through this very quickly.  But they are drawn to the virtuous, those they see as heroes, fighting against injustices, reaching out to those in need.  St. Paul addresses this in his letter to the Thessalonians:

"We constantly thank God because you accepted God's message, not as some human thinking, but for what it really is - a living power of God among you who believe it." 


Experiencing God - Persistence and Faith 24

"Great is your faith!  Let it be done to you as you wish"
Gospel of Matthew

I've always found the story about Jesus' encounter with the Canaanite woman a very unusual one.  Jesus and his disciples are in the region of Tyre and Sidon, towns outside of Jewish territory.  They are in a place located in current day Lebanon, north of Israel.  What were they doing there, we do not know; but while there, they are noticed by this woman who they refer to as a foreigner, a Canaanite who lived in that area. 

This woman was in a somewhat desperate situation; her daughter was seriously ill, and she was looking for help from whatever source she could find it.  She addressed Jesus as "Son of David", so she must have known about Jesus, even to the point of recognizing Him as He and his apostles wandered by.  Anyway, it was her persistence in following Jesus, and her persistence in begging for help that began to annoy the apostles to the point they asked Jesus to give her what she wanted to get rid of her.

The woman's persistence is a reminder to us of what Jesus had previously said about prayer in the Gospel.  You will recall that Jesus said that if your neighbor would not loan you a loaf of bread in the middle of the night because of being a good friend, then by being persistent with your request, the friend will likely comply just to be able to get some sleep.  It is with this same type of persistence that this Canaanite woman pursued Jesus and His apostles.  And Jesus' compassion comes out in His response to her, although the dialog that went on between them is unusual to us.

Some would say that Jesus responded to her in this fashion to test her faith.  And even though the words to us seem insulting, her response revealed not only the desperateness of her situation, but the greatness of her humility.  Her thoughts and concerns were not on herself, but with her daughter; and she recognized in Jesus someone who could help her daughter; so personal pride was set aside and did not become an obstacle to grace.  I've recently read that humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.  I believe it is here that we have the most to benefit from this Gospel reading.

Despite our unworthiness, despite the fact we often miss the mark when it comes to our outward performance, when we approach God with humility, we discover His compassion and love for us.  We discover the compassion of Christ reaching out to us, meeting us in our need.  Jesus' response to us is the same as His response to the Canaanite woman:  "Great is your faith.  Let it be done for you as your wish."  It is in our humility that the barriers between ourselves and God are broken down, and we come in touch with the compassion of Christ which heals our brokenness, creates a new being, and sends us on our way.