Sunday, January 25, 2015

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

We always think that we have God figured out. And they are continuously reminding us that we really do not have a clue. Justice. Mercy. Salvation. The kingdom. None of these are what we expect them to be. If there is something for which we need to repent, it is probably our assumption that our Parent is as petty and provincial as we are. Yes, "teach us your ways, O Lord," for we are in desperate need of your truth, confounding though it may be, and this is indeed "the time of fulfillment."

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will." Such words are never far from my lips or my heart, yet that divine will remains as mysterious as ever. And this is good; it is as it should be. Our Parent does not have a ten-point plan for us to execute, much to our disappointment. No, they simply ask us to listen and to look, and then to share. They offer wonder, not clarity or certainty. It is different than what we expected, as it was for the first disciples. But once the shock of the cross wears off, perhaps we too will find ourselves somewhere beautiful. Yes, amazing things happen when we trust in God's plan, as strange and mysterious as it might be. So, "here am I, Lord; I come to do your will."

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD." It is important for us to remember this, especially when life seems most vicious and cruel. There is much about this world that will never make sense to us, but that does not make it senseless. Every moment of every last life is a seed that in time, be it centuries or millenniums, will produce the most sublime fruit. This is not just a lucky reality that our Parent happens to be able to see, it is what they intended from long before time began. And it is how they can proclaim that each of us, even those we find most foul, is their beloved child, with whom they are most emphatically pleased.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

What has this child done to deserve such adoration? Yes, there is hope of deeds to come, but those things lie far off in an uncertain future. All we have for sure is his existence, and that is enough. God is here with us, with all of us, and that is enough. We forget this too often and too easily. We expect love to be something more, something busier, than simply showing up. Perhaps that is why we look around and see a trash heap or an amusement park, instead of the rose garden that is actually there. So open your eyes. Your king awaits. And her mere presence is everything you need.