"The Kingdom of God is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he finds one of great value, he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it."
Gospel of Luke
What is your greatest treasure? What is it that you look forward to the most?
Today, it is quite easy to identify what it is that people are looking forward to. You just have to read in on the newsfeed of Facebook.
For my facebook friend in Ontario, it is a camping trip with the kids and friends. He describes it as "food, beer, and fun." For another, it is looking forward to vacation, being with friends, having the freedom to do what they please. And for another, it is going on that fabulous bike tour with friends.
We are all pretty good at telling people what we like; what gets us excited; what we look forward to most. And these are all good things.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is trying to explain in a few words what the Kingdom of God is like. The difficulty with God talk is that we have to go beyond our normal words to describe it. It is not something that we do a very good job at explaining. It is more experiential. But Jesus does a pretty good job. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which someone finds. He hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns, and buys the field." And similarly, "the Kingdom of God is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he finds one of great value, he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it."
This treasure, this pearl, is obviously something we see of greatest value; something that excites us beyond compare; something that we cannot possibly afford by itself, but we can have it. In order to have it, we must be willing to sell off or let go of everything else we may have of value. Jesus tells us that we somewhat stumble across this treasure, discover it by accident; but once it is discovered, nothing else will compare to the joy and satisfaction it brings, whether it be friends, jobs, lifestyle or what we do with our free time. This treasure has nothing to do with external things, but makes a special connection with our heart.
If we read between the lines, Jesus is saying that as we discover this treasure, we find it has to do with a personal relationship, a personal connection with the Lord Himself.
St. Augustine describes it well. "Only in God will my Soul be at Rest. Only in Him comes my hope, my salvation".
Once we experience God, once we make that connection with the Lord, then everything else pales in comparison.
How can we help others discover this treasure that Jesus speaks about? In the same way that we've discovered it ourselves: Through living this treasure; by placing it foremost in our hearts and thoughts; by sharing it with those we meet. The other things will always be there. And we are meant to enjoy them as well, but they will never fully satisfy the longing of hearts made for God.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Experiencing God - Our Refuge180
"I bless you Father, Lord of heaven and earth for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children."
Gospel of Luke
We live in a culture that has become restless in its search for meaning and purpose. It seems, for many, that their minds are running in every direction at once, turning to this and that in their desperate search. And for what? What are they looking for? For an unnamed something that will satisfy their longing for some stability and security?
We pass from one thing to another, hoping that the next experience will contain whatever it is that we are looking for. Thus, we not only fail to discover this higher purpose for life, but get caught up in those experiences that fail to satisfy the longing of the heart.
Jesus' heart is directed towards God, whom He calls Father. "I bless you Father, Lord of heaven and earth for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children." What are these things that have been revealed to mere children?
It is a mind and heart consumed by God's love, God's compassion. It is a mind and heart that finds its strength, its security, its purpose, not in the external things of the world, but in the inner strength, security, and purpose that comes from faith in God.
This Gospel is a reflection of Isaiah 55. "Everyone who thirsts, come to the water. You that have no money, come buy and eat. Come buy wine and milk without money, without price. Why spend your money for that which is not bread, or labor for that which does not satisfy. Listen, so that you may life."
Jesus knew the answer to mankind's dilemma, mankind's desperate search. He gave us His life to share with us the way, but many still fail to listen. We fail to see that only one thing will satisfy our human longing, and that one thing is to find refuge in God.
Refuge in God means the act of turning towards Him for assistance. To turn our hearts and minds to God, to discover shelter from the confusion of life's external phenomena, requires that we become like little children. This does not mean becoming childish. It means we learn the art of trust, the art of surrender. It means we let go of our own self-assurance and accept the assurance that comes through faith.
This is what remains hidden from the learned and the clever; the simplicity and humility that comes from being mere children.
Gospel of Luke
We live in a culture that has become restless in its search for meaning and purpose. It seems, for many, that their minds are running in every direction at once, turning to this and that in their desperate search. And for what? What are they looking for? For an unnamed something that will satisfy their longing for some stability and security?
We pass from one thing to another, hoping that the next experience will contain whatever it is that we are looking for. Thus, we not only fail to discover this higher purpose for life, but get caught up in those experiences that fail to satisfy the longing of the heart.
Jesus' heart is directed towards God, whom He calls Father. "I bless you Father, Lord of heaven and earth for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children." What are these things that have been revealed to mere children?
It is a mind and heart consumed by God's love, God's compassion. It is a mind and heart that finds its strength, its security, its purpose, not in the external things of the world, but in the inner strength, security, and purpose that comes from faith in God.
This Gospel is a reflection of Isaiah 55. "Everyone who thirsts, come to the water. You that have no money, come buy and eat. Come buy wine and milk without money, without price. Why spend your money for that which is not bread, or labor for that which does not satisfy. Listen, so that you may life."
Jesus knew the answer to mankind's dilemma, mankind's desperate search. He gave us His life to share with us the way, but many still fail to listen. We fail to see that only one thing will satisfy our human longing, and that one thing is to find refuge in God.
Refuge in God means the act of turning towards Him for assistance. To turn our hearts and minds to God, to discover shelter from the confusion of life's external phenomena, requires that we become like little children. This does not mean becoming childish. It means we learn the art of trust, the art of surrender. It means we let go of our own self-assurance and accept the assurance that comes through faith.
This is what remains hidden from the learned and the clever; the simplicity and humility that comes from being mere children.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Experiencing God - On Divine Truths 179
"The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves!"
Ezekiel
I've read recently that "Wisdom" is the substitution of Divine truths for ordinary appearances. How things ordinarily appears to us in our day-to-day life are often not a reflection of Divine truths.
We have to work at receiving and understanding Divine truths. We have to pray about it. We have to look beyond ourselves, and examine things from God's perspective.
This is what Ezekiel is doing in the above scripture. He is noticing that those who have been called and appointed as shepherds of the people of Israel are looking after themselves, and failing in their vocational call of being shepherds of their flock. As a result, the flock becomes scattered.
The answer from Wisdom, from Divine truths: "I am going to call the shepherds to account. I am going to take my flock back and I will not allow the shepherds to feed my flock. I am going to look after my flock myself".
In this way, it is hopeful that both the shepherds and the flock will grow up to be rescued by Wisdom. It is hopeful that the shepherds will learn to stop feeding themselves and trust in God, and the flock will personally accept God's care and compassion in an act of trust.
In ordinary appearances, we feel we have the right to look after ourselves first. We all want to receive a fair wage for what we do based on the energy we put out and the talent we possess, to look after our own needs whatever they may be. Wisdom tells us otherwise. Wisdom tells us that we have a responsibility to care for others in the same way that we care for ourselves because we are all connected. If my brother or sister suffers, then the whole community suffers as well.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus begins: "For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard." In the story, we see people being called at various times of the day to work in the vineyard. Some work all day, some work half a day, and some work for only an hour. At the end of the day, each laborer receives the same wage. From ordinary appearances, we can say: "Where is the fairness in this? The ones who did most of the work, who put out the most effort, who made the greatest sacrifice, are no better off than those who were called in the last hour."
From a Divine perspective, we see everyone getting sufficient food for the day to feed their family. We see the compassion and generosity of the landowner who was able to recognize the needs of the people in his employment. From a Divine perspective, we see that we should not be happy with our abundance when others are going unfed.
It's hard to live from a Divine perspective for it asks us to be as concerned for others as ourselves. We often fail in this, but this is the stuff of wisdom. It is the stuff of the Kingdom of Heaven. "Wisdom is the substitution of Divine truths for ordinary appearances." It's learning to see God's compassion and love for us, His generosity in shepherding us so that we may share love and compassion with others and be generous in our own shepherding.
As Christians, we see Jesus as the dispenser of God's wisdom. It is not something that He just talked about but something He lived.
Ezekiel
I've read recently that "Wisdom" is the substitution of Divine truths for ordinary appearances. How things ordinarily appears to us in our day-to-day life are often not a reflection of Divine truths.
We have to work at receiving and understanding Divine truths. We have to pray about it. We have to look beyond ourselves, and examine things from God's perspective.
This is what Ezekiel is doing in the above scripture. He is noticing that those who have been called and appointed as shepherds of the people of Israel are looking after themselves, and failing in their vocational call of being shepherds of their flock. As a result, the flock becomes scattered.
The answer from Wisdom, from Divine truths: "I am going to call the shepherds to account. I am going to take my flock back and I will not allow the shepherds to feed my flock. I am going to look after my flock myself".
In this way, it is hopeful that both the shepherds and the flock will grow up to be rescued by Wisdom. It is hopeful that the shepherds will learn to stop feeding themselves and trust in God, and the flock will personally accept God's care and compassion in an act of trust.
In ordinary appearances, we feel we have the right to look after ourselves first. We all want to receive a fair wage for what we do based on the energy we put out and the talent we possess, to look after our own needs whatever they may be. Wisdom tells us otherwise. Wisdom tells us that we have a responsibility to care for others in the same way that we care for ourselves because we are all connected. If my brother or sister suffers, then the whole community suffers as well.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus begins: "For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard." In the story, we see people being called at various times of the day to work in the vineyard. Some work all day, some work half a day, and some work for only an hour. At the end of the day, each laborer receives the same wage. From ordinary appearances, we can say: "Where is the fairness in this? The ones who did most of the work, who put out the most effort, who made the greatest sacrifice, are no better off than those who were called in the last hour."
From a Divine perspective, we see everyone getting sufficient food for the day to feed their family. We see the compassion and generosity of the landowner who was able to recognize the needs of the people in his employment. From a Divine perspective, we see that we should not be happy with our abundance when others are going unfed.
It's hard to live from a Divine perspective for it asks us to be as concerned for others as ourselves. We often fail in this, but this is the stuff of wisdom. It is the stuff of the Kingdom of Heaven. "Wisdom is the substitution of Divine truths for ordinary appearances." It's learning to see God's compassion and love for us, His generosity in shepherding us so that we may share love and compassion with others and be generous in our own shepherding.
As Christians, we see Jesus as the dispenser of God's wisdom. It is not something that He just talked about but something He lived.
Experiencing God - Mary our Olympic Flame 178
"At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit."
Gospel of Luke
For the last couple of weeks, we have all enjoyed watching the winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. As in London, the organizers in Russia will eventually proclaim: "We lit the flame and we lit up the world."
When our athletes return home, they will be welcomed and celebrated, not only for their athletic skills gained through years of disciplined practice, but for representing their respective country as models in sportsmanship and achievement.
We have right to be proud of them, and I don't want to belittle that fact. I've watched with amazement their many great achievements. But I am often struck by the contrast that exists between these models of sportsmanship and how they are celebrated in our society, and our models our faith.
How many in society wish to offer the same praise and emulate with the same dedication those from our faith tradition who have provided for us living testimonies of lives centered on faith in Christ.
Mary herself is such a model; not in the area of athletic achievement or sportsmanship, but on a life of humility and simplicity centered on God. Mary's testimony will never attract much fanfare, or cause must praise and celebration in the eyes of society, but her example has the power to change hearts, to give birth to the unexplained mystery of the God whom we all secretly yearn for.
Mary has been declared "Mother of the Church" because in her and through her we discover that part of ourselves that yearns for God and wishes to be united with God. She not only gives birth to the Son of God for the world, but potentially gives birth in each of us to a new way of life. She opens our eyes to the realization that the fanfare and the records of achievement can never surpass our need for God in our lives. Mary, through her simple expression of humility and faith shows us the path to God's grace.
As we reflect upon the Gospel of Luke and read of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth, we can say with her: "Of all women, you are the most blessed, and blessed is Jesus, the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
Yet, this is not an honor she attributes to herself in any way, but in gentleness and simplicity attributes it to the source of life she sees beyond herself. Mary, through her example, brings to us the joy of God's love, and the way to that love.
The path to God is not an easy one for many. The sign posts that mark the way are not always clear to us. Often we are just looking in the wrong places. One of the brightest signs visible to those who choose to look can be found in the model of Mary whose faith and humility shine brighter than any Olympic flame. Elizabeth recognized that flame. We who see Mary as a model for our own faith recognize the flame as well.
Gospel of Luke
For the last couple of weeks, we have all enjoyed watching the winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. As in London, the organizers in Russia will eventually proclaim: "We lit the flame and we lit up the world."
When our athletes return home, they will be welcomed and celebrated, not only for their athletic skills gained through years of disciplined practice, but for representing their respective country as models in sportsmanship and achievement.
We have right to be proud of them, and I don't want to belittle that fact. I've watched with amazement their many great achievements. But I am often struck by the contrast that exists between these models of sportsmanship and how they are celebrated in our society, and our models our faith.
How many in society wish to offer the same praise and emulate with the same dedication those from our faith tradition who have provided for us living testimonies of lives centered on faith in Christ.
Mary herself is such a model; not in the area of athletic achievement or sportsmanship, but on a life of humility and simplicity centered on God. Mary's testimony will never attract much fanfare, or cause must praise and celebration in the eyes of society, but her example has the power to change hearts, to give birth to the unexplained mystery of the God whom we all secretly yearn for.
Mary has been declared "Mother of the Church" because in her and through her we discover that part of ourselves that yearns for God and wishes to be united with God. She not only gives birth to the Son of God for the world, but potentially gives birth in each of us to a new way of life. She opens our eyes to the realization that the fanfare and the records of achievement can never surpass our need for God in our lives. Mary, through her simple expression of humility and faith shows us the path to God's grace.
As we reflect upon the Gospel of Luke and read of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth, we can say with her: "Of all women, you are the most blessed, and blessed is Jesus, the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
Yet, this is not an honor she attributes to herself in any way, but in gentleness and simplicity attributes it to the source of life she sees beyond herself. Mary, through her example, brings to us the joy of God's love, and the way to that love.
The path to God is not an easy one for many. The sign posts that mark the way are not always clear to us. Often we are just looking in the wrong places. One of the brightest signs visible to those who choose to look can be found in the model of Mary whose faith and humility shine brighter than any Olympic flame. Elizabeth recognized that flame. We who see Mary as a model for our own faith recognize the flame as well.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Experiencing God - Our True Intention 177
"Listen! There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defiles."
Gospel of Mark
The above Gospel passage is a continuation of Chapter seven of the Gospel of Mark. The Scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus and His disciples of eating with defiled hands: That is eating without washing them first. These readings have nothing to do with proper hygiene. They have to do with the continuing sharp conflict that existed between Jesus and the Pharisees over the issues of what and how to eat properly. But it is much broader than this. What is more important? -- The rigid adherence to rules, regulations, rituals and other external practices, or the transformation of one's heart. It is only in the transformation of one's heart that we can respond to life's situations in the way that God intended.
In all us, the human tendency exists to believe that we can save ourselves through our own efforts, through our good works. If we do begin to move in this direction, then what comes to the forefront of our lives is the discipline of following a rather rigid and inflexible set of practices from which we can evaluate how well we are doing. The important thing becomes observing these practices, not determining whether we are responding to life's situations in the most loving, compassionate, and supportive fashion.
In the former, the focus is on "self". How well am I doing? Am I doing what is necessary to please God? In the latter, the focus is on our inner transformation and service to others.
In the former, we control the actions to be done, so it often leads to a sense of self-justification. In the latter, we require constant examination and re-evaluation and acknowledgment of our need to change. We recognize that we often miss the mark, but we place our reliance on Grace to guide and direct our actions.
In religious life, it is quite easy to fall into the trap of the Scribes and Pharisees. I recall many years ago having a conversation with a young woman who was a bit resentful against the Church. After some conversation, it became apparent that the reason for it was because her mother put her church activities and prayer ahead of her children and family responsibilities.
The purpose of washing our hands before meals and encouraging our children to do the same is to protect them and us from germs that could lead to colds and flu. Washing hands for the rule itself is quite insignificant. The purpose of our church involvements and prayer is to help us grow into holiness; to exhibit more the qualities of care, compassion, forgiveness and responsibilities towards others. If we see these activities as only rituals and practices to please God and to meet our own tests of piety, then we may have gone astray from their true intention.
For each of us, Jesus provides the wisdom and direction we need to live our lives with this true intention and purpose.
Gospel of Mark
The above Gospel passage is a continuation of Chapter seven of the Gospel of Mark. The Scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus and His disciples of eating with defiled hands: That is eating without washing them first. These readings have nothing to do with proper hygiene. They have to do with the continuing sharp conflict that existed between Jesus and the Pharisees over the issues of what and how to eat properly. But it is much broader than this. What is more important? -- The rigid adherence to rules, regulations, rituals and other external practices, or the transformation of one's heart. It is only in the transformation of one's heart that we can respond to life's situations in the way that God intended.
In all us, the human tendency exists to believe that we can save ourselves through our own efforts, through our good works. If we do begin to move in this direction, then what comes to the forefront of our lives is the discipline of following a rather rigid and inflexible set of practices from which we can evaluate how well we are doing. The important thing becomes observing these practices, not determining whether we are responding to life's situations in the most loving, compassionate, and supportive fashion.
In the former, the focus is on "self". How well am I doing? Am I doing what is necessary to please God? In the latter, the focus is on our inner transformation and service to others.
In the former, we control the actions to be done, so it often leads to a sense of self-justification. In the latter, we require constant examination and re-evaluation and acknowledgment of our need to change. We recognize that we often miss the mark, but we place our reliance on Grace to guide and direct our actions.
In religious life, it is quite easy to fall into the trap of the Scribes and Pharisees. I recall many years ago having a conversation with a young woman who was a bit resentful against the Church. After some conversation, it became apparent that the reason for it was because her mother put her church activities and prayer ahead of her children and family responsibilities.
The purpose of washing our hands before meals and encouraging our children to do the same is to protect them and us from germs that could lead to colds and flu. Washing hands for the rule itself is quite insignificant. The purpose of our church involvements and prayer is to help us grow into holiness; to exhibit more the qualities of care, compassion, forgiveness and responsibilities towards others. If we see these activities as only rituals and practices to please God and to meet our own tests of piety, then we may have gone astray from their true intention.
For each of us, Jesus provides the wisdom and direction we need to live our lives with this true intention and purpose.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Experiencing God - Spirituality of Devotion 176
"The first school of spirituality that directed my living of Christian faith from my earliest years was a "spirituality of devotion". I do not intend this term disparagingly, as if it were a spirituality concerned only with externals. No, as a follower of that school, I believed deeply in an "inner life", a life of grace that somehow involved a participation in the life of God; but this inner life was fostered largely by external, devotional works of piety. The problem, as I see it now, was that I gave so much attention to the activities that nourished and strengthened that life that I had little time (or at least gave little time) to reflecting on that inner life itself and what it meant. A crude way of putting it would be to say that I spent so much time trying to do the things that would please God that I had no time left to be with God. It is fair to say that one of the principal emphases in the "spirituality of devotion" was the doing of certain things (especially devotional things) that were considered to be pleasing to God."
William H Shannon "Silence on Fire"
What is devotion? Every religious tradition have practices of devotion. Devotion is more than the simple psychological mechanism of placing an ideal in the heart and mind which we can then strive for. There is much more to it than that. The act of devotion is a transforming power itself. It creates changes deep within. However, getting caught up in the many practices of devotion as seemingly the way to please or get the attention of the one devoted to can become a trap for the unwary. Devotion to the many external practices of devotion can become a way of life that takes one out of the cycle of life intended by God for our spiritual growth and well-being.
As William Shannon points out in "Silence on Fire", in our church there can be many well-intended devotional practices. Mass and reconciliation are two in themselves, and there is nothing wrong with mass and reconciliation. We can also participate in the many "nine first Fridays", and then make them over again and again, just to be safe. We can have special devotions to the Sacred Heart, Marian devotions, novenas for special occasions. And then we can devote ourselves to the many devotions that are contained in prayer cards that we have accumulated for that purpose.
Often times, when we fail to meet our need for these accumulated devotional practices, we may feel a sense of guilt or missing the mark on God's expectations for us. The process of doing all these practices of devotion in the past, has been referred to as "getting my prayers in".
Stop! Let's examine what is happening. The very thing that has been designed to bring us into one with God and one with one another can become the excuse for not connecting with God and with others in our community of faith. These practices can become the very reasons to become disengaged from the process of reaching out to others and building dynamic engaged faith communities. The devotional practices in themselves will not do this.
William Shannon continues: "What I want to point out most of all is that there is behind this mode of spirituality a mentality, subtle, perhaps often unconscious, that needs to be seriously questioned. It is the tacit assumption that, if I did all these "religious things", God is most certainly bound to be pleased with me and will take good care of me. It is a kind of subtle Pelagianism (the heresy of salvation through works) which pointed out ways of winning God's good favor, of making points with God, as it were. It was as if we all started out neutral and then had to prove ourselves to God. The principal way in which we "proved ourselves" was by doing these various devotional things that for some mysterious reason, God is supposed to find pleasing. It was always a puzzle to me why nobody ever seemed to ask why it was that my "getting my prayers in" was so pleasing to God."
God only wants us. God wants an intimate relationship of love with us where we involve Him in our day-to-day adventures of life. When God is present, all of our actions are holy. When God is present, we experience a joy and freedom that places on our heart something that we wish to share with others. It is in this way that God's Kingdom is made visible to the world so much in need of it.
Very important to all of us are our times of quiet, silence and stillness to allow God to break into our otherwise busyness. Devotional practices can be those times of quiet, silence and stillness for this purpose. But if they only add to and perpetuate our otherwise busy and distracted lives, then they may become an obstacle to the Grace that God intends for us.
William H Shannon "Silence on Fire"
What is devotion? Every religious tradition have practices of devotion. Devotion is more than the simple psychological mechanism of placing an ideal in the heart and mind which we can then strive for. There is much more to it than that. The act of devotion is a transforming power itself. It creates changes deep within. However, getting caught up in the many practices of devotion as seemingly the way to please or get the attention of the one devoted to can become a trap for the unwary. Devotion to the many external practices of devotion can become a way of life that takes one out of the cycle of life intended by God for our spiritual growth and well-being.
As William Shannon points out in "Silence on Fire", in our church there can be many well-intended devotional practices. Mass and reconciliation are two in themselves, and there is nothing wrong with mass and reconciliation. We can also participate in the many "nine first Fridays", and then make them over again and again, just to be safe. We can have special devotions to the Sacred Heart, Marian devotions, novenas for special occasions. And then we can devote ourselves to the many devotions that are contained in prayer cards that we have accumulated for that purpose.
Often times, when we fail to meet our need for these accumulated devotional practices, we may feel a sense of guilt or missing the mark on God's expectations for us. The process of doing all these practices of devotion in the past, has been referred to as "getting my prayers in".
Stop! Let's examine what is happening. The very thing that has been designed to bring us into one with God and one with one another can become the excuse for not connecting with God and with others in our community of faith. These practices can become the very reasons to become disengaged from the process of reaching out to others and building dynamic engaged faith communities. The devotional practices in themselves will not do this.
William Shannon continues: "What I want to point out most of all is that there is behind this mode of spirituality a mentality, subtle, perhaps often unconscious, that needs to be seriously questioned. It is the tacit assumption that, if I did all these "religious things", God is most certainly bound to be pleased with me and will take good care of me. It is a kind of subtle Pelagianism (the heresy of salvation through works) which pointed out ways of winning God's good favor, of making points with God, as it were. It was as if we all started out neutral and then had to prove ourselves to God. The principal way in which we "proved ourselves" was by doing these various devotional things that for some mysterious reason, God is supposed to find pleasing. It was always a puzzle to me why nobody ever seemed to ask why it was that my "getting my prayers in" was so pleasing to God."
God only wants us. God wants an intimate relationship of love with us where we involve Him in our day-to-day adventures of life. When God is present, all of our actions are holy. When God is present, we experience a joy and freedom that places on our heart something that we wish to share with others. It is in this way that God's Kingdom is made visible to the world so much in need of it.
Very important to all of us are our times of quiet, silence and stillness to allow God to break into our otherwise busyness. Devotional practices can be those times of quiet, silence and stillness for this purpose. But if they only add to and perpetuate our otherwise busy and distracted lives, then they may become an obstacle to the Grace that God intends for us.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Experiencing God - God's Compassion 175
At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the Lord: The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Jeremiah
Often in scripture, it is the times when things seem there very worst that God is most present. This is often reflected in our own lives as well. It is during the most difficult times; a loss of a loved one, the discovery of a serious illness, a divorce, a loss of a job; that inwardly we turn to God. Amazingly enough, God is there, more vividly than before, providing comfort, providing strength. It is also during these times that the community of faith are also there in special ways, providing prayers and support in so many different ways.
In the above reading from Jeremiah, the people of Israel are defeated. They are in exile. They are separated from their home land, their places of worship. They are separated from all that is familiar to them and all that had brought them some comfort in the past. But maybe those were the very things that encouraged their superficial attitudes towards God in the first place. Maybe those were the things that made them complacent in respect to their faith.
Now they have been stripped of all those outward things and have no place to turn except inward. It is there that they find God at the centre of their being. They discover there the God that they had forgotten. Stripped of their external comforts, they discover God who wants to re-establish with them that special relationship of love. "I have loved you with an everlasting love. I am constant in my affection for you". This is the law that God wishes to write on their hearts. This is the law that God does not want them to forget.
In the Gospel of Luke, we read about Jesus wandering with His disciples in the area of Tyre and Sidon. These are places in current day Lebanon. In Jesus' day, this would be considered pagan territory for the Israelites.
It is there that Jesus encounters the Canaanite woman, a foreign gentile. She recognizes Jesus and immediately presses Him to care for her need. "Have mercy on me Lord, Son of David" she shouts after Him.
In many ways, she is like ourselves when we are caught in a desperate situation. We have no where else to turn, so we turn inward and discover a source of hope that we may not have previously recognized. She sees hope for her plight in Jesus.
Then we have this unusual dialog between her and Jesus. The Canaanite woman knows the disconnect that exists between herself and Jesus. She's not Jew. She doesn't worship in the same way or even believe in the same things, but she is familiar with God's compassion in desperate times, and she sees in Jesus God's compassion at work. She persists in her request, and it is granted. She hears the call of Jeremiah to the defeated people of Israel: "I love you with an everlasting love. I am constant in my affection for you". Jesus responds: "Woman, what great faith you have. Let your wish be granted."
Jeremiah
Often in scripture, it is the times when things seem there very worst that God is most present. This is often reflected in our own lives as well. It is during the most difficult times; a loss of a loved one, the discovery of a serious illness, a divorce, a loss of a job; that inwardly we turn to God. Amazingly enough, God is there, more vividly than before, providing comfort, providing strength. It is also during these times that the community of faith are also there in special ways, providing prayers and support in so many different ways.
In the above reading from Jeremiah, the people of Israel are defeated. They are in exile. They are separated from their home land, their places of worship. They are separated from all that is familiar to them and all that had brought them some comfort in the past. But maybe those were the very things that encouraged their superficial attitudes towards God in the first place. Maybe those were the things that made them complacent in respect to their faith.
Now they have been stripped of all those outward things and have no place to turn except inward. It is there that they find God at the centre of their being. They discover there the God that they had forgotten. Stripped of their external comforts, they discover God who wants to re-establish with them that special relationship of love. "I have loved you with an everlasting love. I am constant in my affection for you". This is the law that God wishes to write on their hearts. This is the law that God does not want them to forget.
In the Gospel of Luke, we read about Jesus wandering with His disciples in the area of Tyre and Sidon. These are places in current day Lebanon. In Jesus' day, this would be considered pagan territory for the Israelites.
It is there that Jesus encounters the Canaanite woman, a foreign gentile. She recognizes Jesus and immediately presses Him to care for her need. "Have mercy on me Lord, Son of David" she shouts after Him.
In many ways, she is like ourselves when we are caught in a desperate situation. We have no where else to turn, so we turn inward and discover a source of hope that we may not have previously recognized. She sees hope for her plight in Jesus.
Then we have this unusual dialog between her and Jesus. The Canaanite woman knows the disconnect that exists between herself and Jesus. She's not Jew. She doesn't worship in the same way or even believe in the same things, but she is familiar with God's compassion in desperate times, and she sees in Jesus God's compassion at work. She persists in her request, and it is granted. She hears the call of Jeremiah to the defeated people of Israel: "I love you with an everlasting love. I am constant in my affection for you". Jesus responds: "Woman, what great faith you have. Let your wish be granted."
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