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.

Experiencing God - Flying On Two Wings 192

I've recently read a little story that has stuck in my mind.  It's about a butterfly.  A butterfly has two wings.  In order to fly, it needs both wings.  Without both, it will go no where.  

The author of this story compares these two wings of a butterfly with the two wings that we need in our relationships with one another in order that these relationships will grow and flourish.  And these two wings that we need in our relationships are "wisdom" and "love".  

"Love" without "wisdom" -that is without commitment, fidelity, responsibility - is not love at all.  

There are many examples of this type of love in our culture which has brought great suffering to relationships.  

"Wisdom" without "love" - that is without caring, compassion, understanding - is not wisdom at all.  

We need both for either to work.  For "wisdom" to be "wisdom" and "love" to be "love", they must work together like the two wings of a butterfly.

In the Gospel Of Luke, we have Jesus singling out the religious teachers and lawyers with some rather strong words of rebuke.  Jesus was angry with the religious leaders because they failed to listen to God's ways, and were misleading the people they were suppose to be guiding.  

What is happening here?  How can we learn from it?

The religious leaders were conveying what they considered to be great spiritual wisdom, but correspondingly, missed the mark.  One example Jesus points out was in tithing, the offering of one's labor, their first fruits, as an expression of thanksgiving and honor for God's loving care.  The Scribes however went to extreme lengths to tithe on insignificant things, such as tiny plants, with great mathematical accuracy.  They were very attentive to minute matters of little importance, but they neglected to care for the needy and the weak.  In becoming self-justified by following their minute rules and laws, they became filled with pride and contempt for those who were unable or unwilling to do so.  

The exercise of their practice of wisdom and scriptural knowledge was not done with caring, compassion, concern or understanding of others, and as a result, they were leading others to a Pharisaism rather than to the love of God and neighbor. 

The essence of God's commands is love - love of God, love of neighbor, and everything that flows from love.  St. Paul went at great length when speaking to the Galatians to speak about the fruits of the Spirit.  Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  But in order for these fruits to be manifested in our relationships and community, our love must be, as St. Paul says, directed by the Spirit.  This means directed by Wisdom.  We cannot belong to Christ unless we begin the process of crucifying all self-indulgent passions and desires. 

It's a sensitive balance, one that is difficult to maintain, and we often fall off, but with the presence of God's Spirit, we can be guided towards the wholeness and fullness that comes from using both wisdom and love together.     

Experiencing God - What Has God Entrusted to You 191

"From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has be entrusted, even more will be demanded."
Gospel of Luke

Entrusted, in this sense means: "to be given responsibility for".  A lawyer is often entrusted with funds from his clients.  That's why they are called trust funds.  The lawyer is then responsible for the proper distribution of those funds to the beneficiaries.  If he or she fails to do that, they are in breach of trust.

The concept of "being entrusted" comes out very strongly in Paul's letter to the Ephesians.  St. Paul says:  "For surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you."  In the Jerusalem Bible, it is translated even more clearly.  "You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace that God meant for you."  He has been entrusted with something that must be shared, and of course, he takes this very seriously.  If he did not follow through, he would be in breach of trust.  

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 12, Jesus is telling little stories to illustrate this point.  Each of us as Christians, as people who live with others in community or society have been entrusted with something that is very special, that must be shared.  It could be this, or it could be that, depending on the individual, but it all relates to our faith in God.  Jesus says: "Happy the servant whom His master will find at work with this task when He arrives.  Truly, I tell you, this person will be put in charge of all of His possessions."  And of course we hear also the other side of the story.  What if we are not about the task that has been entrusted to us?

The question that I ask myself, and I throw it out to you: "If Jesus were to call on us today, would He find us at work with the task entrusted to us, or would He find us squabbling over boundaries, rules, who's right or who wrong, and many other things that serve only to distract us and divide us?

To be entrusted, as I said at the beginning, is to be given responsibility for.  It has to do with missioning.  St. Paul says in Ephesians: "I have been entrusted by God with a grace that is meant for you."  The "you" in this case are the gentiles - those without grace - at least at the moment - the intended beneficiaries of those chosen by God.

What is the mission in our communities in respect to all that has been entrusted to us?

Experiencing God - Balancing Wisdom and Love 190

Do you remember the time when you started to date the one you loved?  During this time, we most often put our best foot forward.  Although we may have noticed little things about our loved one that we did not like, we did not address them because we wanted to be seen at our best. 

Most times after marriage (when the honeymoon is over) and when things become more normalized, we often begin the process of fixing those little things we see that bother us.  But our attempts at fixing the other often leads to problems of hurt, confusion, and arguments.  The other person in the relationship sees our attempts at fixing as non- acceptance, uncaring, and violations of love.  So the early years of marriage for many may be a bit rocky, and if we continue with the approach of trying to fix those things we don't like, it may lead to separation.  People do not like being fixed by another. 

In most growing mature relationships, the persons must learn that love requires the acceptance of the other, warts and all. We come to realize that our attempts at fixing another just does not work. We have to change our approach from "fixing" to "attentive listening",  "caring" and sharing  wisdom in a non-judgemental way. 

A butterfly has two wings. In order to fly, it needs both.  Tear one wing off and it can no longer fly, and will probably die.  In relationships and community, these two wings are "wisdom" and "love".

In order for the relationship to move forward (or fly), it must have both. 

Love without wisdom (that is commitment, responsibility, fidelity) is not love at all.  Our culture certainly gives witness to a love practiced without wisdom and the suffering that springs from it.

Wisdom without love (caring, attentive listening, compassion) is not wisdom at all.  It becomes confrontational and leads to disunity.

We need both!  

The very difficult task in our relationships and community is to carefully balance both wisdom and love.  Like couples involved in a marriage, we must move from trying to fix those in relationship with us (which leads to division), to attentively listen to all concerns, caring for all, accepting the warts and the flaws, and gently offering wisdom from the to heart to those who are open to listen.    

Experiencing God - Child of God 189

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner".
Gospel of Luke

In this Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus said:  "Of the two people that came to the temple to prayer, only one went away justified before God."  Why was the sinful tax collector justified before God where the pious Pharisee was not?  This question can be answered with a story.

Two brothers joined a monastery to become monks.  The first brother was very cleaver, and certainly had the intelligence and attributes to join the order.  The second brother was a little slow and quite unpredictable.  After their initiation into the monastery's way of life, the Novice Master went to the Abbott to give his report on the two brothers. 

"The first brother is very astute and will be able to learn the "rule" of our order, and commit himself to the discipline that is necessary", he reported.  "He is currently enrolled in our program of formation.  The second brother will never be able to learn the rule or exercise the necessary discipline in order to become a monk.  We currently have him cleaning the monks sandals and sweeping the floor of the dust.  I recommend that he be asked to leave."  

The Abbott, a compassionate man, requested that the second brother report to him.

When the second brother arrived before the Abbott, he continued to express a strong desire to become a monk, just like his older brother.  The Abbott saw potential in him and gave the following instructions:  "Whenever you clean the dirt from the sandals of the monks and sweep the dust from the floor, say the following:  With each sandal that I clean, and with each sweeping of the floor, I am purifying the hindrances to being a child of God. Can you remember that?"  The second brother affirmed that he could.  

From that point forward, the second brother repeated this sentence as he went about his work.  Sometimes he forgot the sentence, and had to go back to the Abbot to remind him again, but eventually, he was able to repeat the sentence well, and as he cleaned each sandal, and sweep the floor of the dust, he repeated the words. 

Many months later, the Abbott called for the second brother again and asked him:  "Are you cleaning the dirt from the sandals?" To which he answered:  Yes.  "Are you sweeping the dust from the floor?  And again he answered yes.  The Abbot continued:  "Are you purifying the hindrances to being a child of God?" 

And the brother's heart was suddenly open to what the Abbot was teaching, and he was filled with joy. 

What he became enlightened to understand and know in his heart was: that the sandals, with the dirt, were still sandals;  that the floor, with the dust, was still the floor.  And that he, even with his hindrances, was still a Child of God. 

With this new found awareness, he became a monk and a very faithful and humble servant.  And the least proud of all the monks because he was able to acknowledge his limitations.  Sincere intentions and purity of heart was for him the most important, as he saw in each of those he met a Child of God.  He was able to say with conviction:  Lord, have mercy on this Child of yours, a sinner.

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner".  And he went away justified.

Experiencing God - Humility 188

"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 Matthew

In order to have an understanding and appreciation of the above gospel passage from Matthew, one needs to have an understanding of humility. 

Humility springs from the word "humus" which means; "from the soil or from the earth".  We are from the earth.  Humility, in its ordinary definition means; "not proud; having or showing a low or modest estimate of one's own self-importance.  There's a meekness or mildness associated with humility, but it has nothing to do with being used as a door mat or putting oneself down.  It has to do with seeing ourselves and our reality as they really are.

There are many many biblical references to humility.  For example, in the beatitudes  from Matthew chapter five we read:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." 

In the canticle of Mary from the gospel of Luke, we read: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant."  Mary acknowledges the gift of Grace given to one who is unworthy.

And in Luke, chapter 18, we have the story told by Jesus abut the Pharisee and the tax collector who went to the temple to pray.  The Pharisee in his prayer uses the words: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves and rogues, and even like that tax collector over there.  I fast twice a week, and give a tithe of my income."  While the only words that could be heard from the tax collector were: "God, be merciful to me a sinner."  Jesus would proclaim that it was only the tax collector that went home that day justified:  "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all those who humble themselves will be exalted."

When children were being turned away, Jesus, in Luke, declared: "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them.  It is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs".

Humility places us squarely into an experience of God being present with us, in the here and now; not a God in a far away place, but a God whose Spirit dwells within.  When we let go of our puffed-up reasoning and rationalization, when we acknowledge the mystery that life brings to each of us, a mystery beyond intellectual understanding and conventional wisdom, then we discover that which Jesus calls "the Kingdom of God".  In humility, we discover ourselves and our reality around us as being in right relationship with God.

So Jesus exclaims: "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.  Yes Father, for that is what it pleased you to do."  And if we let Him, Jesus will become the way to the Father.  He will become the truth of our reality giving us the life beyond all explanation through His Spirit and through Grace.  "No one knows the Father except the Son and those whom He chooses to reveal Him."  By letting go of our own puffed up reasoning, our stance that leads to self-justification - look at me, I tithe, I fast twice a week - we discover the treasure hidden in the field for which we are willing to sell off all our other trappings in order to possess.