"Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Such wisdom applies to our faith in mercy as much as our faith in the resurrection. Where is the evidence for this delightful grace that "endures forever"? God's children are still mired in pettiness, greed, and violence. And the most faithful among us are often the worst off. Where are our "signs and wonders"? Yes, there are moments when we feel mercy's touch. But when will it linger upon our hearts and souls? Must we die first? No, faith will never be as rational as we would like. But should that stop us from choosing to embrace it?
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Sunday, March 27, 2016
The Resurrection of the Lord – The Mass of Easter Day
Today we are called to rise alongside our Brother. So let us step out of our tombs, open our eyes, and see, really see, perhaps for the first time in our lives. Let us see what is true. And let us see what are just the games we play down here "on earth." And once we have seen, let us seek.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
It has been a strange Lent for me. I have spent almost all of it recovering from minor maladies. I have been unfocused and unproductive, particularly where my calling is concerned. But perhaps our Parent knew better than I about what I needed during these forty days: a reminder that I serve their plan, not mine. And today, we are all reminded just what that plan looks like: messy, frightening, and gloriously wonderful. Yes, the cross lies in front of each one of us. The question you and I face as we enter this holy week is whether or not to embrace it, in all its chaos and beauty. So what say you?
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Fifth Sunday of Lent
"Go, and from now on do not sin any more." Do better next time. That is mercy. No hand wringing and reluctant pardons. No pretending that sin is not sin. Just the expectation that we are "straining forward to what lies ahead." Yes, our Parent does wonderful things for us. They allow us umpteen chances to do right by love and truth. So let us accept their generosity, and spend these dwindling Lenten days in joyful conversation with our hearts and souls about our many opportunities to do better.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Do we love the elder son as much as we love his prodigal brother? Do we acknowledge the legitimacy of the former's grievances? Are we comfortable with the righteousness of his anger? Do we truly listen to him? Or do we write him off as a stubborn fool, or worse, who's getting in the way of progress? It is easy to taste and see beauty in the prodigal's repentance and the father's forgiveness. But what about the elder one? What is his beauty? More importantly, do we care enough to seek it?
I keep coming back to such questions as I ponder our current presidential contest, most especially as I consider those fellow citizens who have gravitated to Donald Trump. Are they really troglodytes bent on ruining our happy endings? Or are they good people, who have done their best to live the American Dream, only to find themselves swamped by "new things" that never seem to stop coming? It is not a perfect analogy, but I just cannot stop hearing a bit of that elder child in their voices. For their wounds are real. And their anger is not as bizarre or incomprehensible as we want to believe.
And so I restate my initial question: do we love them? Do we love these elder brothers and sisters as much as those whose beauty is easier for us to taste and see? Yes, we have some choices to make, and not just for whom to vote. Will we leave our comfort zones and plead with our elder siblings to join us at table? Or are we content to leave them standing outside in the darkness?
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Third Sunday of Lent
"Whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall." Our Parent's kindness and mercy is nothing to be taken for granted. Of course, that does not stop us from trying. How often do we treat grace like a bottomless cookie jar or a "get out of jail free" card? But if our brother Moses was denied entry to the Promised Land for his sin, can we really assume that the Landlord will keep giving us one more year indefinitely? No, we need to find a sense of urgency when it comes to repentance. And we should probably devote a few of these forty days to the acquisition of gardening skills.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Second Sunday of Lent
Do you truly long to know our Parent's face? Do not answer now. Let that question steep in your heart for the remainder of these forty days, because it is not one to be taken lightly. God is not a cuddly pet or a drinking buddy. Our ancestors knew the wisdom of awe. They understood what they were dealing with. Do you? So pray hard this Lent. Because some things just cannot be unseen.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
First Sunday of Lent
Our Parent promises to be there with you whenever you are in distress. Just call upon them, and you shall know deliverance and glory. But do you trust them? How long will you wait to be brought "out of Egypt" before turning to some other god for assistance? And how long will you cling to faith once you get that first glimpse of your cross? Yes, these forty days are about recognizing that deliverance and glory come on God's time and terms. Not the easiest of lessons, but always a beautiful one.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Ash Wednesday
"Return to me with your whole heart." That is our invitation and our challenge for these forty days: to turn away from power and money and all our worldly concerns, and to turn towards our Parent and our siblings and the kingdom we all share. It is our annual opportunity to remember why we were created and to whom we will return. Lent is a gift. Let us welcome it with open arms and hearts.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?'" It feels arrogant to claim such words. Perhaps that is why God chooses to deliver them to the unclean. I know my sin, and so I also know that my calling is not a reward. Call it a gift, a duty, a glorious burden, but never a reward. I am lowly, the least of their servants. But by their grace, I have been made useful. Wherever our Parent needs me, I will go. And whoever the audience, I will sing their praises.
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