First Sunday of Lent

Genesis 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22

Oh how we love to focus on our own destruction. We despair over our misfortunes, and blame them on a combination of God's wrath and our own sinfulness. We assume we are desperately sinful creatures, critically in need of salvation to prevent a just punishment from befalling us. What crap! Once again, our arrogance gets the better of us. Whatever calamities we experience are part of a grander process of life in the universe. We are just a bit player in that drama, not the central focus. Yes, we are an important figure on the canvas, but it is not all about us.

Mark 1:12-15

“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

I say that these words stand true today. Every moment is the fulfillment of a plan set into motion at the beginning of time. Our Parent delights in creating grand and beautiful expressions of the love that animates them. Our lives are just one small, but glorious, part in this tapestry. This "kingdom" is not utopia in the way we fantasize; it is life itself. There is a wonder to this existence, every last moment of it, that will overwhelm you, if you allow yourself to see. For too long we have let ourselves be blinded by sin and devotion. We are like a child who craves attention, and so goes to extremes of flagellation or hedonism to get it. It is time to grow up, find our place within the family of life, and let ourselves be content with that position. This is the only salvation that we need and the only salvation worth craving. We are beings of love, created by Love itself, to celebrate a universe of love. That is "good news" worth believing in. So hear me now: This is the time of something wonderful. The glory of God surrounds us. Be at peace, and believe in the truth of love.

Ash Wednesday

Matthew 6:1-18

You cannot hide from God. They know your desires and motives better than you do. The only choices we have are to bury our heads in the sand and pretend otherwise, or drop all the masks and pretense and stand naked before our Creator. At the end of the day, it really is not about us. My life does not belong to me; it's just on loan from the real owner. What I do in life matters not a bit if I fail to follow God's will. May this Lenten season be a time for that will to glow brighter than ever.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 43:18-25; Mark 2:1-12

Our Creator is the Good Parent, always willing to forgive our sins. He understands our imperfection and does not hold it against us. She lets go of our history of failure and allows us to make a fresh start. This is the truth that Jesus attempted to share, but not all were willing to hear it. We are like the spoiled child who gets angry that his parents do not punish his siblings severely enough for their transgressions, but does not mind so much when it is his turn to be disciplined. We need to be reminded that forgiveness is a blessing we should rejoice over, whomever is on the receiving end. Naturally, however, the authority figures balked at Jesus' words, so he did a little magic trick to shut them down. It certainly worked, but did it also blind them to his message? What were they so "astounded" at seeing: the truth of forgiveness or the physical healing? Which of these two is grander and more profound? Which do you desire for yourself?

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Leviticus 13:1-46; Mark 1:40-45

What is our lesson for today? Many will focus once again on the power of Jesus to heal, just like the people of his time. But did he heal all the lepers? Did he only have pity for this one? Perhaps he was sending us a broader message on cleanliness of the body and the soul. What draconian rules are on our books, or in our minds, that render our brothers and sisters unclean? Do we have the power to restore them? If so, do we fully use that power? Francis of Assisi and Damien of Molokai did not heal the bodies of the lepers they served, but they certainly healed their souls through the power of love. Who are the lepers in your life that cry out for healing? Will you love them?

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Is the Gospel a commodity to be sold or a gift to be shared? God does not demand money for his grace; she gives it freely to all willing to accept it. A prophet does not receive a revelation in order to earn a paycheck; he is given something in trust for the benefit of the people. We should not expect to earn a living by peddling Truth. Be wary of those who claim otherwise.

Job 7:1-7; Mark 1:29-39

The true hope that Jesus brought was in his words. Did he heal all the sick and raise all the dead? Of course not. Did those who were healed eventually die? Of course they did. Misery and despair are an inherent part of the human condition. Their cure is not hope of a miracle, but the hope of our Parent's love and compassion. This is the true gift that Jesus brought to his people, but it is one that is difficult to see and feel. So he did a few magic tricks to get the crowds attention. Unfortunately, we are animals more impressed by flashy sparks than by a smoldering fire deep in our soul. It is time that we focus our attention on what is truly eternal, rather than what is pretty for a moment.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28

What prophets do you listen to? Ones who frighten you with tales of the apocalypse? Ones who impress you with magic tricks? Or ones who simply tell you the truth? Truth is simple, not flashy or complex. This makes it more beautiful, not less. When you find such beauty, pay attention.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jonah 3:1-10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." These words are true today as much as they were when Jesus said them so long ago. They are probably similar to the words that Jonah and countless other prophets have spoken down through the ages. They are also completely misunderstood today, as they have been for hundreds if not thousands of years, even by the ones who spoke them. They are not a testament to some apocalyptic vision, nor are they a call for some superficial lovefest. They are a statement of the most profound truth that humans can come to realize: we are love incarnate. We do not need to wait for some future paradise to witness perfection; we only have to look around. We are not called to tolerate our neighbor, but to truly love them as a sibling. We are not meant to be separated into a multitude of tribes, but were created as one family. Right now is the moment to see. Our Creator is standing before us. Let go of the lies, and embrace the truth of love.

Second Sunday In Ordinary Time

1 Samuel 3:3b-10,19; John 1:35-42

We are Samuel. God calls each of us by name, not just prophets and clerics, but many do not reply. They have allowed others to convince them that they are not worthy. Is a child ever unworthy to speak directly to her parents? Jesus came to lead us to our Parent, not serve as an intermediary. A good cleric does the same. Yes, it is easier to hear human language than divine whisperings. There are certainly plenty of people willing to exploit this for their own gain. But they cannot change the fact that we are true children of our Creator, not sinful houseguests, and they can only hide this reality from us for so long. So let us be courageous children, unafraid of serving our Parent's will. "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Isaiah 55:1-11; Mark 1:7-11

"You are my beloved Child; with you I am well pleased." Hear these words today, for they are meant for you as much as they were meant for Jesus so many centuries ago. This is the true salvation revealed by our Brother, and the reason that we kill him over and over again. They are dangerous words, for they make siblings out of enemies, and unnecessary intermediaries out of clerics. They are inconvenient words, for they convey obligation and responsibility, not just blessing. We try to rationalize, obfuscate, and even deny them, but they refuse to go away. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways ... my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it."

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-6; Matthew 2:1-12

The lesson of our feast today is this: God is truly manifested in the place we least expect to find them. If you were one of the magi, to whom would you present your gift today? Where is love incarnate right at this moment? Do not fear celebrating our Creator wherever they choose to appear.