Experiencing God - 199 Gift of Faith

"But to all who did accept Him, He gave the power to become children of God."
Gospel of John

Last night, I watched a movie on TV called "Heaven is for Real".  I read the book a few years ago.  It is a real story about a four year old boy who had a "near death experience" as the result of a ruptured appendix.  After his recovery from this near death experience, he began to reveal, little by little, to his shocked parents, his experience of "going to heaven" during the critical time of his illness.  Some of the things he revealed were quite extraordinary. They were, not only beyond the knowledge of a four year old boy, but things about others he would not have otherwise known.

This movie gave rise to some interesting discussions in our family afterwards.  How did we react to the movie?  What evidence do we see that gives credibility to the Gospels and its teachings?  For example, we know that:

1.  Jesus was a real historic figure.
2.  Jesus had a specific teaching which, if it were not true, would suggest that He was mad; yet His life would support the position that He was very sane, perhaps even more so than anyone else.
3.  His apostles and followers believed in Him and His teachings to the point of sacrificing their own lives in martyrdom for His cause.
4.  Jesus and his teachings have affected the lives of millions of people in the centuries that followed.
5.  And, of course, the greatest miracle of the conversion of one's heart to faith, is a common phenomena to those who accept Christ in their lives.

And yet, not all people come to faith in Christ.  Faith, as St. Paul would describe it, is a gift of grace. In the prologue to John's gospel we read:  "But to all who did accept Him, He gave the power to become children of God".  

For those of us who have accepted Christ, do we not often take for granted this tremendous gift that has been given to us?  For those of us who have received this gift of faith through Grace, is it not something that we should be honored to share?  

Does our gift of faith entitle us to look down on those who do not share this particular gift?  Certainly not!  After all, it is a gift; which means, something that is given to us by another.  A gift is something that is not necessarily given to everyone.  I have not been given the gift of music, at least to any extent.  I do not write poetry; I do not excel in certain sports, and none of my teachers ever considered me a genius.  Yet, I do have this gift of faith in Christ which I cannot fully explain; and as with you, through this gift, I experience very strongly this connection with God, which again I cannot explain.  

Yet, we know that, like a spark, our own faith can ignite the hearts of faith in another, if the right conditions exist. 

I remember a song from my early days as a christian:

"It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
and soon all those around will warm up in its glowing.
That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it;  It's fresh like spring, you want to sing,
You want to pass it on."

So we don't look down on a brother or a sister who has not received the gift of faith, but, when the time is right, we joyfully share that gift with them in the hopes that they too may share in our joy.

Experiencing God 198 - Growth

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”. 

Often, in the past, when it came to Spiritual Growth, I began with the anticipation of a quick change. After all, we are talking about God are we not? If God wants to change me, then He can certainly do it, quickly.

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 don't noticed a quick detectable change, don't be alarmed.

I invite you to ask yourself a few simple questions. Are you experiencing 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 through on 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. Let's pretend that you see a chart which describes the process of spiritual growth. Note that the arrows on the chart are going from left to right as you face the chart. The left side of this chart is marked “Unrelatedness with God”. The right side of this chart is marked “Relatedness with God”. The arrows 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?

Note the list of qualities that you see under each of these two headings. The ones of the left are illustrative of some of the qualities that we are trying to move away from. The list on the right is 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 towards 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. Len, Do not be afraid. Take courage, I am with you. Come, step out of the boat, and walk towards me.

This left me 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. And secondly, 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 mass, 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 alms giving 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 - 197 Shining in our Darkness

In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace.
Gospel of Luke

We are all familiar with the story of Job from the Old Testament.  Job was a very successful man in every way. But he lost everything; his property, his family including his children, and finally, even his health.  Job is a story about a man who had a complaint against God for taking away everything he had of value.  He did not see this as fair because he was a just man, undeserving of such losses.

The story concludes when Job is humbled by God's reply to him:  "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell me, if you have understanding.  Who determined its measurements -- surely you know?  On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together, and all heavenly beings shouted for joy?"

The story concludes with Job coming to a new understanding of his relationship with God; humbling but filled with awe and reverence.  "I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know."  The story concludes with Job's prosperity being restored.

From the book of Samuel, we find King David in somewhat of a similar but opposite situation.  David is sitting on the throne of success.  He has defeated his enemies, he lives in riches, surrounded by family and friends and untold wealth; and in his grandeur, he wants to return something to God.  "I am living in a house of cedar while the Ark of God dwells in a tent", he says.  

As with Job, David has to be reminded that it is not his plans that determine a place for God, but it is God's plans that determine a place for him.  And God's plans reach far beyond David's puny moments of success.  It reaches far beyond his knowledge and understanding.  It is a plan that includes countless future generations of peoples and nations.

In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the beautiful canticle of Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist.  "In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace." We begin to gain some insight into the plan that Nathan the prophet revealed to King David many centuries previous. 

Like Job and King David, do we still not live our advents with the view of fitting God into our plans for Him, instead of understanding that advent is really about the fulfillment of God's plan for us?  

God appears to us only as we put ourselves in right relationship with Him.  Job came to that understanding when he admitted:  "I have uttered what I do not understand; things too wonderful which I did not know".  King David understood this when he heard God's voice speak to him through the Prophet:  "Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in?  I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep"?  

Do we not understand that God's plan for us this Advent can be found in the sign of a child, a successor of David, one called Emmanuel - God is With Us -- born in a stable because there was no room for Him in the inn.  This advent, are we busy fitting God into our plans?  Do we still live in a world that does not have time for God's unfolding mystery and plan for us: to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace?    

Experiencing God - 196 Seeing Things As They Really Are

“I am not the light. I am not the Messiah.  But I am a witness to testify to the light”
Gospel of Luke

For the last two weeks of advent, we have been hearing a lot about John the Baptist and his role in announcing the coming of Christ.  The question I asked myself as I was preparing this homily is: “How can these gospel accounts about John the Baptist help us in our own understanding of advent?”  Perhaps I can begin with a story that I read a couple of months ago that continues to be a source of reflection for me this Advent.

There once was a young man who wanted to become a monk in a near-by monastery.  But he had a problem.  This particular monastery followed a strict spiritual discipline and rigid ascetical practices.  And this young man was considered by many in his community to be a little slow, undisciplined, and at times, a little clumsy. But he decided to try anyway; so he placed himself under the direction of the Novice Master at the monastery to begin the required formation.  After two months, the Novice Master was called in by the Abbott of the Monastery to see how the new young recruit was doing.  The Novice Master told the Abbott that he was not doing well.  He was having great difficulty in learning the rule, and was undisciplined in following the required practices.  In fact, he told the Abbott, for the previous two months, he had assigned him the daily task of cleaning the dirt from the sandals of the monks as they entered the prayer room, and sweeping the dust from the floor.   As a result, he recommended that the young man be dismissed.

 The Abbott, being a compassionate man, asked to speak to the new recruit.  When he arrived, the two spoke, shared a few stories.  Finally the young man expressed the difficulty and struggle he was having in formation, but still affirmed his desire to become a monk.   The Abbott gave him some direction.  “From now on, when you clean the dirt from the sandals, and when you sweep the dust from the floor, I want you to say to yourself:  I am removing the obscuration so as to be the beloved of Christ.”  

And what do you mean by obscuration, the young man asked the Abbott?  An obscuration is anything that prevents you from seeing things are they really are, replied the Abbot.

So the young man agreed to try this new discipline.  At first, every now and again, he would forget what he was supposed to say.  And he would meet with the Abbott for a refresher, but soon he was pretty good at following this basic instruction, and he carried it our faithfully every day as he did his task. 

Six months later, the Abbott called the young recruit in for another meeting.  He asked him: “Have you been cleaning the dirt from the sandals?”  Yes, was his quick response?  “Have you been sweeping the dust from the floor?”  Again, yes was his quick response.  “Have you been removing the obscuration so as to be the beloved of Christ?”  

There was a long silence as he pondered this question. Then suddenly, like a light bulb coming on, a bright smile broke on the young man’s face as his mind was awakened as to what the Abbott was trying to teach him.  He suddenly realized that the sandals, even with the dirt, were still sandals:  That the floor, even with the dust, was still the floor.  And that he, even with all his limitations, those things he saw as impairing him, his weaknesses, his faults, his warts; he was still the beloved of God, and loved by Christ.

Soon there-after, the young man was initiated into the community as a monk.  As time would later show, he became the best and most loved of all the monks.  At time, he would chuckle to himself when others teased him about his slowness, or when he was a bit clumsy. But with the birth of his special insight, this awakening in his heart, he was able to see, in a new way, all those people who entered the doors the monastery for the first time.  No matter what their position, no matter what situation in life, no matter what their difficulty or struggle, he saw them as the beloved of God, as loved by Christ, and he welcomed them, every one of them, as Christ himself. 

Perhaps the greatest obscuration that people face today when it comes to advent, and when it comes faith practice, is that we often fail to see things are they really are.  We fail to see that no matter what our impediments and warts, no matter what our limitations, no matter what our station in life, no matter what we have done, we are the beloved of God.  We are loved by Christ.  If we can free ourselves from this obscuration, then like the monk in the story, we will discover who we are before God; we will discover God’s perfect plan for our lives, and the gift that is ours to share.

John the Baptist was able to see things as they really were.  “I am not the light”, he said.  "I am not the messiah. I am here as a witness, to testify to the light”.  What is this witness to the light?  I like what Archbishop Mancini had to say about this when he presented the building blocks for the new evangelization.  He compared the witness to Christ to a witness in a court case.  He said that a witness is not the judge.  A witness is not the arresting officer.  A witness is one who gives testimony as to what he or she has seen, what he or she has heard, and what he or she has experienced. 

 During the early years of my Christian journey, in my mid-twenties, I went through a time of what I call a critical introspection. I thought that to be a better person, I would have to root out all the things I didn’t like about myself: my shyness and introversion, my aloofness, my dark thoughts, my selfish tendencies.  All of this introspection did very little good.  In fact, it made me feel worse about myself, until that moment when my mind and heart was awakened to that deep realization that I was God’s beloved, that I was loved by Christ.  It was not just an intellectual thing, but a heart-felt experience; a experience that changed the course of my life.    

Advent, this beautiful season of our church year, is here as a reminder that first and foremost, we are being called to give birth to Christ in our hearts.  When we give birth to Christ in our hearts, then all our feeble attempts at trying to find fulfillment through our own efforts begin to die away, and through Grace, we become the person that God intends us to be.  We are not the light, but we become witnesses to the light found in Christ.

Grace means one thing – to be thankful, to be filled with gratitude, to overflow with the light that is given to us as gift. The other readings for today speak of this so beautifully.  The reading from Isaiah is not just meant for Isaiah, or for Christ.  It is meant for us:  “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.  He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.”

The beautiful “magnificat” found in our responsorial psalm is not just a prayer for Mary, but is our prayer as well:  “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savoir, for He has looked with favour on the lowliness of His servant.” 

And St. Paul’s prayer in his letter to the Thessalonians is not just for Paul.  It is again our own advent prayer of thanksgiving:  “Brothers and sisters, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Advent is not about turning ourselves into super people. It is not about perfectly having all our plans in place in order to meet the illusionary expectations of what we feel Christmas is all about.  This is only an obscuration.  Like the young monk is the story, Advent is about giving birth to Christ in our hearts, recognizing that we are the beloved of God, and becoming grateful witnesses to Christ’s indwelling Spirit. 

Experiencing God - 195 Removing Our Mourning Veil

"On this mountain, the Lord will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples and the shroud en-wrapping all nations.  Death will be destroyed forever." 
Isaiah

Scripture's most beautiful imagery can be found in our Advent readings from Isaiah.  The time of the above reading was around 740 BC.  Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel finds itself in a "life and death" struggle against its own people to the North.  These beautiful scripture readings of Isaiah were written during difficult moments when brother was fighting brother on the battle field.  

Isaiah is an artist with words.  He paints a tapestry that touches the hearts of a troubled people.  It's a tapestry that touches our heart even today in the midst of our own struggle. 

I remember, not too long ago, when I was a part of a "Celebrating the Word" group.  Twelve of us gathered to share the Sunday scripture readings.  

The producer of the "Celebrating the Word" program always asked soul searching questions.  One I remembered was: "What is heaven like for you, or how would you describe heaven?"  We would then go around the room and each person would identify something from their own hearts as to what heaven was like for them.  And each person would offer something unique that added to the picture that would eventually emerge.  

We need images such as this because they restore our hope and bring us in touch with a reality that is often in conflict with our day to day experience and struggle.  They express something much deeper, at the level of the heart, that take us beyond the surface of our own existence.  

Jesus in the Gospels is doing much the same thing, but He is doing it differently.  He creates a tapestry for us through the actions of His life.  

We read in the Gospel of Matthew: "Jesus sat on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and crowds came bringing the lame, the blind, those without speech, and many others. These they put down at His feet and He cures them."  

Through these biblical accounts, we see the tapestry of Jesus' actions beautifully laid out before us, not only offering us hope, but challenging us to live differently in order to see and build up God's Kingdom.  

This painting of God's tapestry with words and actions is not unfamiliar to us in our Christian faith. In fact, our Archbishop has done this in his recent Pastoral letter called "Lord, Where Are You Going". In conclusion, I have quoted a paragraph from this letter as it relates to mission and community. 

Mission
The mission to which we are presently being called is to effectively do, in our times and in our world, what Christ came to accomplish.  Christ's mission is to proclaim a vision of life and a hope for humanity, revealed in a culture of personal encounter, and experienced in relationships of self-sacrificing love.  This is presently counter-cultural.  The challenge is to take seriously the proclamation of an alternative way of being and living, which can touch the heart of humanity, and do it consciously and deliberately through commitment and action.

Jesus spoke about the "Kingdom of God" using terms that were relevant and understandable in him time.  Now, we need to present the same concept in our own language and context, by speaking in terms of achieving a better world.  We need to speak of a world where the truth and reality of God is not an idea, a philosophy or a political agenda, but where the truth of our Trinitarian God is founded on the personal experience of being loved; where love is a choice, a decision and a deliberate action, not just a feeling or wishful thinking.

Community
To speak of rebuilding our Church is not to speak about repairing, reconstructing, or even maintaining what we had; nor is it about repeating what we have always done. That Church has largely disappeared.  If we are going to interact with the present world, we need to be there.  We need to develop the skills, the discernment and the mentality that lead us to see, recognize and acknowledge God present in all circumstances.  This is the formation of heart and mind needed to bring about engaged communities of Christian faith.

A community is not something perfect or only for the elite who qualify.  Think of your families and friends: They all have communities to which they belong because they are welcomed and accepted.  If your sons and daughters are not perfect, you don't reject them; you don't stop loving them.  If there are points of disagreement, you learn to cope with them.  With such attitudes and qualities, dynamic Christian communities can and must become centres of welcome, providing opportunities for conversations and invitations for accompaniment on the spiritual journey, where people and their needs are respected and discernment is encouraged with time and patience.

Experiencing God - 194 Shutting Out God's Love

"Lord, here is your talent.  I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man.  You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow."
Gospel of Luke

When I was in Diaconate Formation, my children were quite young; nine, ten and eleven. This process included interviews with all family members to see how things were going.  During one of the family interviews, I remember explaining about all the things I was involved in; at work, courses I was taking, ministry at the church etc. After I had finished, I recall my oldest son quickly coming in and saying: "My dad is quite busy, but we don't see him as much any more."  This was certainly a wake-up call.
   
Both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke contain the parable of the "talents".  In Matthew, only three servants were given talents of different amounts.  In Luke's Gospel, ten servants were given one talent each with which to do business.  But the message of the two Gospels are the same.  The negligent servant in both Gospels is quoted as saving:  "Lord, here is your talent.  I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man.  You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow."

The reaction of many people when they hear this parable is guilt.  Why guilt?  Because it generates the question - Am I doing enough?  We picture in our minds that to pass the test we have to be the one who is most busy, who is at the centre of every activity.  But this Gospel parable is not about busyness.  Neither is it about the multiplication of our money.  It's about trust and faith. 

Do you have trust and faith that God loves you unconditionally?  Is that trust and faith integrated into your life to the point that it affects and influences your relationships with others? 

If you look at Jesus' own life, you discover that He was not about busyness or being at the centre of every activity. Jesus came from an obscure Nazareth village.  He did a bit of carpentry work in His early years but left that for other pursuits.  He had no university degrees.  He did not seek or attain fame or fortune.  He wrote no books.  He belonged to no committees or organizations that I know about.  He depended largely on others for His personal needs which were minimal.  And yet, more than any other person, He touched the lives of others. He was present to them in a way that changed their lives.  He had complete faith and trust in a relationship with One He called "Father", and this relationship moved Him into every action that He performed.

The difficulty with the servant who took his talent and hid it in a piece of cloth was that he did not have faith and trust in God's unconditional love for him.  His life did not reflect the awesome presence of God's abundance and goodness because his heart was closed and fearful.  The little he had of the very thing he needed the most was lost to him because he chose to remain closed from God's creative presence.

The question that arises from all this is not: "Am I doing enough?".  The question that should arise is: "Are there ways in which I am shutting out God's love that prevents me from seeing His goodness and abundance?"  What do I need to change so that this goodness is reflected in my life and shared with the people I encounter; my spouse, my children, my friends and neighbors, those with whom I share faith, the stranger I meet in my daily journey?  These are the moments that give witness to God's Kingdom.  These are the moments that Jesus was able to live so well. 

Experiencing God - 193 Amazement and Gratitude

"Now as they were going away, the ten were cleansed.  Finding himself cured, one turned back praising God at the top of his voice, and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him."
Gospel of Luke

In the above Gospel, Luke gives an account of the cure of the ten lepers, of whom only one thanked Jesus. This Gospel is much more than a story about ten people who were healed of their physical ailment.  It's about the disposition of the heart of those who were cured.  

Back in my late twenties when I had my own deep encounter with Christ, there were two things that I remember most about the experience.  The first was the sense of amazement that such a think would happen to me in the first place.  It was quite unexpected, and it therefore struck me with a sense of awe.  The second thing I remember and it continues to be with me today is the sense of gratitude to Christ that it would happen at all.  It is this immense gratitude that moves us into a new relationship with Christ.  It is this immense gratitude that causes a shift in our priorities.  Our focus and attention is no longer on ourselves but has shifted to Christ.

If you look at stories of miracles and conversion in the New Testament, you will find that these qualities of amazement and gratitude are common. The man who was healed of his physical handicap at the temple gate by Peter and John went away with them walking, jumping and praising God.  The man that Jesus healed at the pool of water called Bathsadia immediately rose up, took his mat, rolled it up, and went on his way in amazement, praising God.  The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were amazed when they finally recognized the person who was travelling with them on the road. In their excitement, they returned all the way back to Jerusalem to tell their companions.  

This amazement and gratitude is what makes us effective witnesses to Christ.  It reveals our true change of heart.  Gratitude or gratefulness expresses a thankful disposition, is related to the receiving of grace, and causes us to respond in acts of thanksgiving.

Recently, many of us attended a workshop where our Archbishop presented his new pastoral plan for the next five years.  His plan focuses on three main initiatives - mission, community and formation.  As we begin to explore these three initiatives, we will be asked to do some discernment surveys in which we will be asked to reflect on a serious of questions.  For example, the first question we will be asked on the mission initiative is:  "Am I comfortable in speaking about my relationship with Christ?

The point I would like to make is that when we have that personal encounter with Christ that leaves us with that sense of amazement and gratitude, then we become effective witnesses of that encounter to others.  The gospel above about the healing of the lepers gives expression to that change of heart.

Ten lepers were healed of their physical ailments, but only one returned in amazement and gratitude praising God.  Only one returned with a changed heart and a changed life.  To this one, Jesus says: "Go your way, your faith has saved you."  What happened to the other nine?  We do not know, but this one, a Samaritan, experienced a true conversion of heart.

From the letter of Titus, we read:  "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God appeared, God saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy.

It is through amazement and gratitude, the actions of Grace, that we are able to freely and easily give witness to Christ.