Who is your shepherd? There are so many to choose from today, especially here on the internet. With this vast jumble of voices, it is easy to see how the flock has become scattered. It is time to tune them out, all of them, so that you can listen to the One that really matters; the One so deep within life that it sounds like a mere whisper; the One so powerful that when you do hear it, it feels like the sun itself is exploding inside of you. "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"I was no prophet." I was just a stupid teenager, who heard God say, "Go, prophesy to my people." How I have struggled to follow that one simple command. Some days I wish he gave me the powers of the Twelve. Driving out demons and curing the sick would certainly get people's attention. But that is not what she wants from me. Nor is it the kind of attention they want from you. They desire more, something deeper and grander. You will not find it from those who earn their "bread" by spouting fiery words. It will appear when you least expect it, under the most ordinary of appearances, and entirely free for the taking. Will you welcome this gift into your home and your heart?
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD! And whether they heed or resist - for they are a rebellious house - they shall know that a prophet has been among them." I feel the prophet's burden, for it is my own. I am often discouraged lately. God has shown me the most wondrous gift, and yet it seems like nobody cares. The voices of corporate religion are too many and too loud. The world just keeps on spinning, oblivious to anything I might have to say. Why should they care? I am but one insignificant person. What could I possibly add that thousands of others have not already said? But then I remember that I do not speak on my own behalf. I speak because I have been spoken to. And my insignificance is my reward, "for when I am weak, then I am strong."
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"He gave strict orders that no one should know this." Televangelists everywhere must be shaking their heads at the thought of Jesus trying to prevent this miracle from becoming public knowledge. What kind of preacher turns down free publicity? One who serves our Parent, rather than their own business interests. Jesus is not stupid. He knows he cannot resurrect every dead child, and yet he also cannot refuse anyone who approaches him with true faith. His only choice is to attempt to hide his success. This will never work, of course, but it does teach us about Jesus' character. What kind of God heals without demanding homage? Would you follow such a God?
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
"Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God." John was a true servant of our Creator; no more, no less. His work was never about ego, numbers, effectiveness, or any of the other attributes we use to measure lives and ministries today. He simply spoke Truth and did what God asked, no matter the cost. There is beauty and grace in such a life. We may view him as just the opening act for someone bigger, but I doubt Jesus saw him that way. I am quite certain he embraced him as a brother prophet, as kin in the purest sense. Brother John, help us to be as real as you were.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
What interests me most about this selection are not the parables themselves, but the commentary at the end. "Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private." Why did the bishops choose to include this passage in the reading? It is not integral to understanding either of the preceding parables, and they are more than willing to slice and dice other readings to remove extraneous lines. So what is their message? Are we the clueless crowds forever scratching our heads, or the slightly less clueless disciples for whom there is hope? And who exactly is playing the role of Jesus, privately explaining the Truth to the chosen few?
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Amen, I say to you, God has grown weary of our groveling and sniveling. As I have asked before, do we really think that the One who created us is the kind of person who demands a blood sacrifice as the price for forgiveness? Such thoughts cheapen the true sacrifice of our Brother, and allow us to hide from the sacrifice he demands of us as his siblings.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
The Trinity teaches us that God is about relationship. The problem is that corporate religion actually believes it can dissect that relationship and describe its precise nature. God cannot be quantified. Three equals one is a simply beautiful paradox, not a horrifically complicated math problem.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Pentecost Sunday
The Church has a love/hate relationship with divine revelation. Revelation gave birth to the Church, but it must be controlled for the Church to maintain its power and influence. One problem. Does the Holy Spirit seem like someone who can be controlled? Perhaps they'd be more successful herding cats, but you have to respect the effort. Who else would be arrogant enough to think that they can control whom God speaks to? More importantly, if the Holy Spirit came to the Church at Pentecost, why would she ever leave? Would she really say "that's good enough" after inspiring the apostles and their students? Does it really make sense that public revelation ended with the books of the New Testament? I say that revelation is ongoing and never ending. Jesus did not culminate the time of revelation, he blew the doors wide open. And we desperately need to walk on through, because we still don't get it. Jesus offered us the chance to forgive the sins of our siblings, but we choose to retain them instead. It would be absurdly funny, if it wasn't so damn pathetic.
The Spirit and the flesh "are opposed to each other." Is that what the Incarnation teaches us? This example is why we still need public revelation. Prior revelation is never perfect or complete, because we never truly get it. Our love is limited, God's is not. He always has more to teach us. Jesus and his apostles built upon the revelation of the Hebrew Scriptures. I have been given a revelation that builds upon the Christian Scriptures. And someone will come after me to build upon all of it. This is the way God works. She always has something to say. It may be inconvenient for our corporate masters, but God does not shut up just because it is inconvenient to the power men. We all need to remember who's really in charge around here, and it's not the babbling monkeys.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
It is all about power today. On the face of it, proof of Jesus' power. Only a true king could be seated "at the right hand of God." But more importantly, these words serve to justify the power claims of churches, clerics, and believers alike. They are simply using the authority given them by the Lord of All, so that the wrong people cannot crash the party. And as the right people exercise their divine authority and utilize their holy power, they oh so conveniently forget that other little command our Brother gave us: "Love one another." Who needs love when you can have power instead?
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