"Now Simon's mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told Him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her."
Gospel of Mark
Who do you take your troubles too? Do you allow Jesus to be the Lord, healer and guide of your personal life?
There is a quote from St. Jerome, an early church scholar and producer of the Jerome Biblical commentary:
"Can you imagine Jesus standing before your bed, and you continuing to sleep? It is absurd that you would remain in bed in Jesus' presence. Where is Jesus? He is already here offering Himself to us. Faith beholds Jesus among us."
As we get older and after dealing with many situations and problems (whether through work, family or encounters with others in community) we can begin to think that we can handle everything on our own. After all, we have the experience to back up what we say and do. What we often fail to realize is that everything is constantly changing. We are changing ourselves. Although our experience is good, it may not necessarily apply to our changing circumstances.
Jesus is the only one I know who can keep us in touch with changing circumstances, and then give us the guidance and direction we need. A simple reflective question we may ask ourselves: "Jesus, how would you handle this situation which has come up in my life?"
In order to do this, we have to follow Jesus' practice of going off to a lonely place for a while, and being there in prayer. We need a place where we can ask the right question and listen for His response.
In the above Gospel reading from Mark, Jesus helped Simon's mother-in-law, and He went on to help many others who came to Simon's door that evening. The next morning, He went off to a lonely place to pray. When Simon and his companions saw that Jesus was missing, they went out in search for Him. They were quite anxious to continue on with what they experienced from the previous successful evening. "Everyone is looking for you" they exclaimed after finding Him. But the continuation of yesterday's success was not a part of God's plan for Jesus. "Let's go elsewhere to the neighboring towns so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came."
Who do we take our troubles too? Do we allow Jesus to be Lord, healer and guide in our personal lives in changing times? Where do we go when the way we've done things in the past no longer seems to be working?
As St. Jerome says in his commentary: Jesus is always there offering Himself to us. Our faith beholds Jesus among us. Why do we continue our sleeping?
It is in prayer; the going off by ourselves to a lonely place, to seek the Lord as our guide that we will find the answers.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Experiencing God - 202 Beyond the Rules
"Is is against the law on the Sabbath day to do good, to save life?"
Gospel of Mark
One of my favorite bicycle rides is going across the Angus L. MacDonald Bridge on the bike lane. It's great when you have the whole lane to yourself; no worry about cars, and the view of the Halifax Harbor is the best. Some may say: "Are you not worried about the height, maybe driving over the side of the bridge?" I would say to that: "It's impossible. The lane has two huge steel railings on either side, and its almost impossible to get over them. So I can ride across quite freely, without fear of falling off."
I like to think of our rules in this way. Rules are there to provide safety, to provide order. They are the railings which enable us to move about freely and spontaneously. We need rules in our society, and we have a lot of them. We also need them in our churches. But the one thing we have to be aware of is that following the rules for their own sake does not lead to meaningful worship of God. Worship and faith have to do with relationship.
It follows and is similar too that ancient expression from Plato or Socrates: ""Justice without mercy is not really justice at all." Justice without mercy can turn into the worst type of cruelty.
In the above Gospel from Mark, Jesus is asking a question to the Pharisees: "Is it against the law (or rules) on the Sabbath day to do good, or to save life?" He received no answer because they were so obstinate. To further His teaching, Jesus, on the Sabbath, asked the man with the withered hand to stretch it out, and He healed it, breaking what the Pharisees saw as one of their sacred rules. What the Pharisees failed to realize was that the Sabbath rule was there to assist them to enter into meaningful worship of God, and not as a test to justify themselves before others.
Following the rules, for them, became more important than the mercy, compassion and love towards which the rules pointed. And that's why they failed to stop to help the man on the edge of the road who was beat up and robbed in the Good Samaritan story.
Our rules take us only so far. They provide the order we need, the railings that keep us from falling offside. They permit us to move freely and spontaneously without fear. But they all point to something greater. We are in relationship with God. We are in relationship with one another. And these relationships create a connection and bind us together with a responsibility towards one another and with God that goes beyond the mere practice of rules.
Gospel of Mark
One of my favorite bicycle rides is going across the Angus L. MacDonald Bridge on the bike lane. It's great when you have the whole lane to yourself; no worry about cars, and the view of the Halifax Harbor is the best. Some may say: "Are you not worried about the height, maybe driving over the side of the bridge?" I would say to that: "It's impossible. The lane has two huge steel railings on either side, and its almost impossible to get over them. So I can ride across quite freely, without fear of falling off."
I like to think of our rules in this way. Rules are there to provide safety, to provide order. They are the railings which enable us to move about freely and spontaneously. We need rules in our society, and we have a lot of them. We also need them in our churches. But the one thing we have to be aware of is that following the rules for their own sake does not lead to meaningful worship of God. Worship and faith have to do with relationship.
It follows and is similar too that ancient expression from Plato or Socrates: ""Justice without mercy is not really justice at all." Justice without mercy can turn into the worst type of cruelty.
In the above Gospel from Mark, Jesus is asking a question to the Pharisees: "Is it against the law (or rules) on the Sabbath day to do good, or to save life?" He received no answer because they were so obstinate. To further His teaching, Jesus, on the Sabbath, asked the man with the withered hand to stretch it out, and He healed it, breaking what the Pharisees saw as one of their sacred rules. What the Pharisees failed to realize was that the Sabbath rule was there to assist them to enter into meaningful worship of God, and not as a test to justify themselves before others.
Following the rules, for them, became more important than the mercy, compassion and love towards which the rules pointed. And that's why they failed to stop to help the man on the edge of the road who was beat up and robbed in the Good Samaritan story.
Our rules take us only so far. They provide the order we need, the railings that keep us from falling offside. They permit us to move freely and spontaneously without fear. But they all point to something greater. We are in relationship with God. We are in relationship with one another. And these relationships create a connection and bind us together with a responsibility towards one another and with God that goes beyond the mere practice of rules.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Experiencing God - 201 Courage in Times of Trial
"Take Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."
Gospel of Mark
Does Jesus ever seem distant when trials and difficulties come?
At times, in scripture, we can get so caught up in the story and the events that are happening that we miss the underlining teaching.
Right after Jesus performed the miracles of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, He leaves the disciples so that He could go off and pray. The disciples go off by themselves, across the Lake of Galilee where they are confronted with a life-threatening storm. Although they are experienced fishermen, they recognize the seriousness of their situation and fear for their lives. It was in their most desperate moment that they sighted Jesus coming towards them on the Lake. And they heard the words of reassurance come from the One who they thought was a ghost: "Take Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." In other words: "Don't give in to fear and panic, take courage, be calm. You are never alone. I am here with you."
There's a couple of points in Mark's Gospel story that are easy to miss. As Jesus was coming towards the disciples, Mark includes a very unusual phrase. "Jesus meant to pass them by, but when the disciples saw Him, they thought He was a ghost and cried out."
The Israelites believed that to see God's face meant death. In Exodus, we have reference to God setting Moses in a hollow of a rock and covering him with His hand until He had passed by. This was to protect Moses from looking upon the face of God.
Jesus, in being attentive to the panic and fear of the disciples, acts in a different manner. Jesus reveals a new relationship, a new way of responding. He comes to be with those who are afraid. He assures us with the words: "IT IS I". It is His presence with us, His walking with us, that defines a new type of relationship between ourselves and Christ. It is this presence, this walking with us that drives out all fear as described in the letter of John.
"In love, there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love."
Mark also says in the Gospel story that the disciples hearts were hardened in respect to the miracles. In the Jerusalem Bible it says that their minds were closed. Mark is looking for something deeper from the disciples and from his readers. Mark is looking for something deeper from us than just the surface reading of this Gospel narrative. Mark is hoping that we will begin to question our owl level of intimacy with Christ.
During our own wind-tossed times; during the storms in our own lives; will we be able to stand firmly on that stabilizing rock of our faith in Christ? Will we know, no matter what comes our way, we are not alone?
Christ is there, sharing our journey. His presence is not just an intellectual understanding or consent. It is something real, something sustaining, something healing.
Do we experience Jesus as present with us when trials and difficulties come our way?
Gospel of Mark
Does Jesus ever seem distant when trials and difficulties come?
At times, in scripture, we can get so caught up in the story and the events that are happening that we miss the underlining teaching.
Right after Jesus performed the miracles of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, He leaves the disciples so that He could go off and pray. The disciples go off by themselves, across the Lake of Galilee where they are confronted with a life-threatening storm. Although they are experienced fishermen, they recognize the seriousness of their situation and fear for their lives. It was in their most desperate moment that they sighted Jesus coming towards them on the Lake. And they heard the words of reassurance come from the One who they thought was a ghost: "Take Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." In other words: "Don't give in to fear and panic, take courage, be calm. You are never alone. I am here with you."
There's a couple of points in Mark's Gospel story that are easy to miss. As Jesus was coming towards the disciples, Mark includes a very unusual phrase. "Jesus meant to pass them by, but when the disciples saw Him, they thought He was a ghost and cried out."
The Israelites believed that to see God's face meant death. In Exodus, we have reference to God setting Moses in a hollow of a rock and covering him with His hand until He had passed by. This was to protect Moses from looking upon the face of God.
Jesus, in being attentive to the panic and fear of the disciples, acts in a different manner. Jesus reveals a new relationship, a new way of responding. He comes to be with those who are afraid. He assures us with the words: "IT IS I". It is His presence with us, His walking with us, that defines a new type of relationship between ourselves and Christ. It is this presence, this walking with us that drives out all fear as described in the letter of John.
"In love, there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love."
Mark also says in the Gospel story that the disciples hearts were hardened in respect to the miracles. In the Jerusalem Bible it says that their minds were closed. Mark is looking for something deeper from the disciples and from his readers. Mark is looking for something deeper from us than just the surface reading of this Gospel narrative. Mark is hoping that we will begin to question our owl level of intimacy with Christ.
During our own wind-tossed times; during the storms in our own lives; will we be able to stand firmly on that stabilizing rock of our faith in Christ? Will we know, no matter what comes our way, we are not alone?
Christ is there, sharing our journey. His presence is not just an intellectual understanding or consent. It is something real, something sustaining, something healing.
Do we experience Jesus as present with us when trials and difficulties come our way?
Friday, January 2, 2015
Experiencing God - 200 Surrender
"Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter, and will not be able."
Gospel of Luke
In my late twenties, I went through what I would call a difficult time, a time of struggle. Although I was succeeding in most of my goals -- I had an excellent job, good opportunities; I was happily married with three children; I had or could have had most of the things I wanted -- however, I continued to feel empty. As a result, I felt like a failure. Since my wife and I were connected with church, I started to move towards greater involvement in volunteering in search for an answer as to why I was feeling this way. I started to teach Sunday school, and eventually joined a prayer group. None of these activities seem to work, to take away the emptiness I was feeling until one evening. I was at the prayer meeting, feeling very low, when in my desperation I reached out to Jesus and cried for help. That moment of surrender changed everything.
When speaking about the narrow door, we must understand, first of all, that Jesus is the door through which we must enter. Jesus is the way through. As Jesus says in Revelation: "I stand at the door and knock. If you answer, if you open the door, I will come and sup with you."
But we have a resistance to opening that door.
This "resistance" makes the "way" narrow, because we battle with an alternative way of thinking, of believing that it has something to do with us. Many, including myself, attempt to find an alternative route to God through the exercise of our self-will, through doing something ourselves through our own effort.
Jesus makes it clear in the above Gospel that we must strive to enter through the narrow gate. We confuse this"striving" to "doing it ourselves", when it is not that at all. The Greek word for "striving" is to agonize. The implication here is that those who seek to enter the narrow gate must do so by struggle. Unfortunately, we often interpret this struggle with something that we must accomplish. This only hinders the process of surrendering to God's more perfect plan for our lives.
The narrow gate is difficult because of the resistance we experience from our own human pride, our natural attraction to doing things on our own, mostly because of our need to maintain personal control over our lives and the lives of others. Surrender is a process of letting go of that.
The exhortation by Jesus to "strive" is a command to repent, to surrender to Him; not just stand and think about it, or complain that it's too hard or too small. We are not to ask why others are not entering. We are not to be concerned with the number who will or will not enter. We are to plow ahead, despite the resistance; and in doing so, we become liberated. We become the source of encouragement for others to follow.
Gospel of Luke
In my late twenties, I went through what I would call a difficult time, a time of struggle. Although I was succeeding in most of my goals -- I had an excellent job, good opportunities; I was happily married with three children; I had or could have had most of the things I wanted -- however, I continued to feel empty. As a result, I felt like a failure. Since my wife and I were connected with church, I started to move towards greater involvement in volunteering in search for an answer as to why I was feeling this way. I started to teach Sunday school, and eventually joined a prayer group. None of these activities seem to work, to take away the emptiness I was feeling until one evening. I was at the prayer meeting, feeling very low, when in my desperation I reached out to Jesus and cried for help. That moment of surrender changed everything.
When speaking about the narrow door, we must understand, first of all, that Jesus is the door through which we must enter. Jesus is the way through. As Jesus says in Revelation: "I stand at the door and knock. If you answer, if you open the door, I will come and sup with you."
But we have a resistance to opening that door.
This "resistance" makes the "way" narrow, because we battle with an alternative way of thinking, of believing that it has something to do with us. Many, including myself, attempt to find an alternative route to God through the exercise of our self-will, through doing something ourselves through our own effort.
Jesus makes it clear in the above Gospel that we must strive to enter through the narrow gate. We confuse this"striving" to "doing it ourselves", when it is not that at all. The Greek word for "striving" is to agonize. The implication here is that those who seek to enter the narrow gate must do so by struggle. Unfortunately, we often interpret this struggle with something that we must accomplish. This only hinders the process of surrendering to God's more perfect plan for our lives.
The narrow gate is difficult because of the resistance we experience from our own human pride, our natural attraction to doing things on our own, mostly because of our need to maintain personal control over our lives and the lives of others. Surrender is a process of letting go of that.
The exhortation by Jesus to "strive" is a command to repent, to surrender to Him; not just stand and think about it, or complain that it's too hard or too small. We are not to ask why others are not entering. We are not to be concerned with the number who will or will not enter. We are to plow ahead, despite the resistance; and in doing so, we become liberated. We become the source of encouragement for others to follow.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
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.
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.
Friday, December 26, 2014
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.
“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.”
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.”
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
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?
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?
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