Eighth Sunday ordinary time

Hypocrisy Lk. 6:39-45

It took a lot to get Jesus angry. 

He was scourged;

Crowned with thorns and spit upon;

Crucified and mocked as He was dying on the cross;

Yet He opened not His mouth. 

He never raised His voice against a sinner or tax collector. 

The only time he got angry, was when they turned His Father’s house into a marketplace

and with hypocrites. 

Jesus went around, opening the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, 

except for hypocrites. 

They continued to be blind and deaf to everything he was saying and doing. 

The Pharisees were supposed to be the religious guides showing others the way, 

instead they were blind to the Light that was standing in front of them.  

They were hypocrites claiming to see but were blind themselves. 

Hypocrites never look at themselves. 

They live in houses where there are no mirrors;

Only windows.  

if they had mirrors, they would be able to see themselves. 

but since they only have windows, 

they can only look out at others and see what others have done.

That is why every Mass looking in the mirror,

at ourselves and calling to mind our sins;

And not the sins of others.

For only when we remove the beam from our own eye,

Can we remove the splinter from our brother’s eye. 

Friday 7th week of Ordinary Time

How to make friends Sirach 6:5-17

If you want to make friends Sirach tells us to be kind and offer a friendly hello. 

While many may claim to be our friend,

Only one in a thousand will be true. 

So when you get a friend test him first. 

Do they stay when the going gets tough. 

Or just in the good times?

Do they lift you up or put you down to make themselves look good. 

Are they a rock you can cling to in the storm of life?

Are they more precious than silver or gold?

As the famous Cole Porter song goes. 

If you're ever in a jam
Here I am

If you're ever in a mess
S.O.S

If you're ever down a well
Ring my bell

If you're ever up a tree
Just call me

It's friendship, friendship
Just the perfect blendship

If you ever lose your mind
I'll be kind

If you ever lose your shirt
I'll be hurt

It’s friendship, friendship 

Just the perfect blendship. 

Wednesday 7th week of Ordinary Time

For or against Mk. 9:38-40

Sometimes our jealousy can get the better of us. 

Especially when we enter into political or religious debates. 

The disciples complained to Jesus

That there were people not of their group casting out demons. 

They were jealous that someone not from their group might get credit for doing something good. 

So instead of being happy that demons were being cast out and that good was being done,

They wanted Jesus to stop them. 

They wanted Jesus to stop them from doing something good!

Jesus answered them by saying, “whoever is not against us is for us.”

We cannot allow our political or religious affiliations to ever make us complain against another when they do something good,

Merely because they are not of our group. 

Tuesday 7th Week of Ordinary Time

Prepare yourself Sirach 2:1-11

Many people follow God because of what they think they can get from God. 

And when they do not get what they want they walk away. 

God has never promised us a Rose Garden. 

Instead God has promised us a cross. 

When we come to serve the Lord,

We must prepare ourselves for trial! Sirach 2:1

Abraham was tested by God to kill his only son Isaac. 

Joseph was tested when he was thrown into the well by his own brothers and sold as a slave. 

Jacob was tested when he wrestled with God. 

Job was tested when he lost everything. 

It was through these tests,

That God “proved them worthy, like fire tried gold.”Sirach 2:11

And it will be through our tests that we too are proved worthy

And purified like fire tried gold. 

Monday 7th Week of Ordinary Time

Wisdom Sirach 1:1-10

Wisdom is supposed to come with age. 

Why is that?

Because as we grow older we gain experience 

And from that experience we can look back and learn from our foolishness !

So why is that some people do not grow in Wisdom as they age but continue to make the same foolish mistakes?

Because all Wisdom comes from the Lord. Sirach 1:1

We must ask God for the gift of Wisdom

And in the asking for Wisdom

God opens Our eyes to understand the past.

And by understanding what we have done in the past

We are much wiser to make a better tomorrow. 

7th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Be Merciful as our Heavenly Father is Merciful Lk 6:36

David had his chance!

Saul was asleep

Saul had been tracking him down to kill him. 

And now God had delivered his enemy into his grasp. 

All David had to do was take his spear and finish him off. 

Who could blame him?

But David spared him. 

He was merciful to Saul. 

But why?

Aren’t we supposed to do that with our enemies. 

Finish them off one way or another. 

Because they want to finish us off. 

Or Because they are evil or wrong or dangerous?

We may say that we have no enemies but is that true?

Where do wars come from?

They all start with disagreements 

Political; social; racial; cultural and then grow

Until the divide is too far to breach. 

How do we treat our enemies?

How do we treat those we disagree with?

When we finish off our enemy. 

When we kill them

We become like them. 

It is only when we spare them

Only when we are merciful to them. 

That we become like God!

Friday 6th Week of Ordinary Time

 

The Tower of Babel 

All of our modern cities have skyscrapers. 

They build them higher and higher every year;

As each country tries to claim the record of the highest one. 

And yet with every skyscraper,

We come no closer to God. 

The people of Babel thought they could build a skyscaper

Tall enough to reach the heavens and then they would be like God. 

But their pride was their downfall. 

Ever since they spoke different languages unable to communicate. 

And we continue to speak different languages;

Democrats and Republicans 

Catholics and Protestants

Men and women

races and cultures around the world. 

Unable to communicate. 

As we continue to try and build skyscrapers to top one another!

Thursday 6th Week of Ordinary Time

Thinking like God Mk. 8:27-33

Many people like to think they know the mind of God,

But do they?

Peter did.

He tried to tell Jesus that it was wrong of Him to suffer and die. 

And Jesus told Peter, that he was thinking NOT as God does but as men do. 

Obviously God does things and thinks differently than we do. 

Because how often do we consider suffering as life giving?

Yet Jesus did. 

And this is why He suffered and died on the cross,

For the life of the world. 

Wednesday 6th Week of Ordinary Time

 When Doves fly. Gen. 8:6-22

Noah sent a dove out of the ark to see if the flood had receded. 

The first time it came back because there was no place to rest. 

He sent the dove out a second time and this time it came back with an olive branch. 

And so Noah knew that the deadly waters were receding. 

A third time Noah sent the dove out and it never came back. 

So Noah knew that it was now safe to disembark. 

No matter , how high the flood waters may reach;

We must Keep sending out our prayers,

Sometimes we must send our prayers out like doves. 

Not just one time, or even two times but three times. 

Until they too return with the olive branch of Peace.

Tuesday 6th Week of Ordinary Time

 Starting Over Gen 6:5-7:10

Have you ever wanted to start over?

God has!

Everything God created was good,

Until Adam and Eve chose to ignore God and do what they wanted to do. 

And everything went downhill from there;

Until God could take it no more and decided to start over. 

He was going to wipe everything away with a flood. 

And God started over with Noah. 

A man who found favor with God. 

Rather than start all over again with a chastisement;

As some people think God should do. 

Maybe all God needs is another Noah. 

Someone who has found favor with God. 

To save the world. 

Could that person be me?

Monday 6th Week of Ordinary Time

Cain and Abel

Ever since Cain and Abel,

Humanity has been asking “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Gen. 4:9

And ever since then Man’s life has been one of conflict and division. 

Cast out the Garden from which he came. 

Only when Man learns that He IS His brother’s keeper,

Will Humanity find its way back to the Garden. 

And to its Original Innocence.  

6th Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Beatitudes

We really have only two things to do while we are alive. 

Make the most out of this life 

and prepare for the next !

Jesus shows us how to do both,

At the same time!

For Jesus came that we might have life, 

and have it more Abundantly.

here and now. Jn. 10:10

And have Eternal life when this one ends. Jn. 10:28

The Beatitudes are the way to Abundant Life here and in the next. 

1. Blessed are the Poor for they will not spend their life chasing after Fools Gold. 
2. Blessed are those who Mourn, for the wounded are much wiser. 
3. Blessed are those who are Meek, for Pride goes before a Fall. 
4. Blessed are those who are Merciful, for they have learned from their sins and struggles. 
5. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for holiness, for they strive to be like God. 
6. Blessed are the Pure in Heart, for they never lose sight of what really matters.
7. Blessed are the Peacemakers for they have no enemies. 
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for Holiness’ sake, for they have not given in to the ways of the world. 

Jesus warns us as well about what keeps us from having Abundant Life. 

Woe to those who are rich, for their riches are fleeting. 

Woe to those who seek to fill themselves up with every pleasure, for they will never be satisfied. 

Woe to those who live to have a good time,

For those times always come to an end. 

And Woe to those who seek the approval of others,

For they are false friends. 

Those who follow the Beatitudes will have Abundant Life in this world and the next.

While Woe to those who do not.