Fifth Sunday of Lent

Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 12:20-33

I say again that our Creator desires a covenant with all of their children, not just a single tribe or a group of true believers. Through the centuries, the messengers of the covenant have only heard what they wanted to hear, and it is easiest to feel special by making others less so. Perhaps this is all we were capable of hearing during those times, but no longer. Now we are ready for the fullness of the Truth, that not a one of our brothers or sisters will be excluded from our Parent's eternal care. God desires all of her children to know him, not just the chosen ones.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

John 3:14-21

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." The most important line in Scripture, or so we are told by the legions of athletes and sports fans who use it. For too many Christians, it represents a stark choice: believe in Jesus or suffer in Hell. I say to you that eternal life is a gift for all of us, not just some. Perhaps it is natural for us to divide the world into those who live in light and those who live in darkness; one should be saved and one should be condemned. After all, we are right and they are wrong. We see the truth and they do not. We accept the messiah and they reject him. Surely we will be rewarded and they will be punished? These are the fantasies of a child. I say again that our Creator desires blessings for all of their children, not just a few.

Third Sunday of Lent

Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25

"The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." The age of wisdom and signs is over. The time for laws and miracles has passed. We are no longer children who need commands to do our Parent's bidding, nor are we adolescents who require proof before listening to our Creator. God's wisdom is simply the truth of love. The real foolishness is our drive to make everything infinitely complex. God's sign is creation itself. The real weakness is our demand for flashy supernatural manifestations. God is tired of the games. 

Second Sunday of Lent

Genesis 22:1-18; Romans 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10

What sacrifice is it acceptable for God to demand of us? If "He who did not spare his own Son" asks for something, who are we to refuse? We cling to such trivial things in this life: money, power, luxuries, amusement, even life itself. What are these compared with the grandeur of creation? If we are eternal, what do these superficial pleasures matter? But perhaps that is the problem: we do not have enough faith in our Parent's love to risk placing that bet. Even the disciples, who heard and saw things that terrified them, even they folded at times. It is so much easier to put our faith in things we can see and touch, especially when they allow us to live a life of comfort. We can still do lots of good and loving things from our place of comfort, but is that really what God means when he says of our Brother: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

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.