HAPPY EASTER!

"Getting Into You" - Relient K

When I made up my mind
And my heart along with that
To live not for myself
But yet for God, somebody said
Do you know what you are getting yourself into

When I finally ironed out
All of my priorities
And asked God to remove the doubt
That makes me so unsure of these
Things I ask myself, I ask myself
Do you know what you are getting yourself into

I'm getting into you
Because you got to me, in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into you
Because I've got to be
You're essential to survive
I'm going to love you with my life

When he looked at me and said
I kind of view you as a son
And for a second our eyes met
And I met that with a question
Do you know what you are getting yourself into

I'm getting into you
Because you got to me, in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into you
Because I've got to be
You're essential to survive
I'm going to love you with my life

I've been a liar and I'll never amount to
The kind of person you deserve to worship you
You say you will not dwell on what I did but rather what I do you say
I love you and that's what you are getting yourself into

I'm getting into you
Because you got to me, in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into you
Because I've got to be
You're essential to survive
I'm going to love you with my life

He said, I love you and that's what you are getting yourself into

"Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?"

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh!
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh!
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Oh!
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh!
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

"Gethsemane" - Jesus Christ Superstar

Jesus
I only want to say
If there is a way
Take this cup away from me
For I don't want to taste its poison
Feel it burn me,
I have changed I'm not as sure
As when we started
Then I was inspired
Now I'm sad and tired
Listen surely I've exceeded
Expectations
Tried for three years
Seems like thirty
Could you ask as much
From any other man?

But if I die
See the saga through
And do the things you ask of me
Let them hate me, hit me, hurt me
Nail me to their tree
I'd want to know
I'd want to know my God
I'd want to know
I'd want to know my God
I'd want to see
I'd want to see my God
I'd want to see
I'd want to see my God
Why I should die
Would I be more noticed
Than I ever was before?
Would the things I've said and done
Matter any more?
I'd have to know
I'd have to know my Lord
I'd have to know
I'd have to know my Lord
I'd have to see
I'd have to see my Lord
I'd have to see
I'd have to see my Lord

If I die what will be my reward?
If I die what will be my reward?
I'd have to know
I'd have to know my Lord
I'd have to know
I'd have to know my Lord

Why, why should I die?
Oh, why should I die?
Can you show me now
That I would not be killed in vain?
Show me just a little
Of your omnipresent brain
Show me there's a reason
For your wanting me to die
You're far too keen on where and how
But not so hot on why
Alright I'll die!
Just watch me die!
See how, see how I die!
Oh, just watch me die!

Then I was inspired
Now I'm sad and tired
After all I've tried for three years
Seems like ninety
Why then am I scared
To finish what I started
What you started
I didn't start it
God thy will is hard
But you hold every card
I will drink your cup of poison
Nail me to your cross and break me
Bleed me, beat me
Kill me, take me now
Before I change my mind

"Amazing Grace"

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.


T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.


Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.


The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.


Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

"Here I Am To Worship"

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost




Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
to see my sins upon that cross--

"Jesus Was Way Cool" - King Missile III

Jesus was way cool
Everybody liked Jesus
Everybody wanted to hang out with him
Anything he wanted to do, he did
He turned water into wine
And if he wanted to
He could have turned wheat into marijuana
Or sugar into cocaine
Or vitamin pills into amphetamines

He walked on the water
And swam on the land
He would tell these stories
And people would listen
He was really cool

If you were blind or lame
You just went to Jesus
And he would put his hands on you
And you would be healed
That's so cool

He could've played guitar
better than Hendrix
He could've told the future
He could've baked the most
delicious cake in the world
He could've scored more
goals than Wayne Gretzky
He could've danced better than Barishnikov
Jesus could have been funnier
than any comedian you can
think of
Jesus was way cool

He told people to eat his body
and drink his blood
That's so cool
Jesus was so cool
But then some people got
jealous of how cool he was
So they killed him
But then he rose from the dead
He rose from the dead, danced around
Then went up to heaven
I mean, that's so cool
Jesus was way cool

"Presence of the Lord" - Eric Clapton

I have finally found a way to live just like I never could before.
I know that I don't have much to give, but I can open any door.
Everybody knows the secret, everybody knows the score.
I have finally found a way to live in the color of the Lord.

I have finally found a place to live just like I never could before.
And I know I don't have much to give, but soon I'll open any door.
Everybody knows the secret, everybody knows the score.
I have finally found a place to live in the presence of the Lord.
In the presence of the Lord.

I have finally found a way to live just like I never could before.
And I know I don't have much to give, but I can open any door.
Everybody knows the secret, I said everybody knows the score.
I have finally found a way to live in the colour of the Lord.
In the colour of the Lord.

"Song For The Hopeful" - Harry Connick Jr.

People with hope
Have a special prayer,
A louder drum,
A brighter flare.
This is a song for the hopeful.
May God hear it sung.

People with faith
Are the lucky kind.
They'll be the ones
With peace of mind.
This is a song for the faithful.
May God hear it sung.

There's a song for the doubtful.
There's a song for the lost.
There's a song for the desert
Barren, but crossed.
But for those who are strong of spirit,
Maybe they don't need to hear it.
But still, a song for them.
A simple song for them.

Nothing can shade
A seasoned soul.
It's all the loss
That makes it whole.
This is a song for the hopeful.
This is a song for the faithful.
This is a song for the hopeful.
May God hear it sung.
May God hear it sung.
May God hear it sung

"The Call" - Regina Specktor

It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry

I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never
Been this way before

All you can do is try to know
Who your friends are
As you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light

You'll come back
When it's over
No need to say good bye

You'll come back
When it's over
No need to say good bye

Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye

You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye

Happy Feast of the Annunciation!

Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen

It's The Final Countdown!

We are down to the final four days before the start of Holy Week! Hard to believe that we are almost through Lent!

Loving God, we enter the season of Lent in the spirit of joy giving ourselves to spiritual strife, cleansing our soul and body, controlling our passions, as we limit our food, living on the virtues of the Holy Spirit; May we persevere in our longing for Christ so as to be worthy to behold His most solemn Passion and the most holy Passover, rejoicing the while with spiritual joy. Amen.

Taken from:

Where Are You Going?

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come.”
So the Jews said,
“He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him. - Jn. 8:21-30

Today's gospel is about Jesus confronting the Pharisees again. Even deeper though, is how misguided and confused the people by what Jesus said. He says that where he is going people won't be able to follow. They think he is talking about suicide, but he is talking about how he has to suffer and die for all mankind, a task that no mere mortal could do as well.

Jesus corrects them and once again explains that this is all because he receives his guidance and message directly from God. Unlike previous attempts at expressing this, Jesus seems to gain more followers this time.

Do we take the time to ask Jesus where he is going? Maybe we should. While we can't carry the weight of complete redemption for all mankind like Jesus, we can carry our own crosses beside him and grow closer to God as a result.

Double Posting Part II: Monday

There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on
Pretneding day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God's great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Send them your heart
So they'll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

When you're down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There's no way we can fall
Well, well, well, well, let us realize
That a change will only come
When we stand together as one

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Double Posting Part I: Sunday's Entry

I apologize. I have been without the internet all weekend, so I did not get a chance to post on Sunday. So today I'll do a double posting.

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” - Jn. 8:1-11

This reminds me of a joke.

Jesus said "Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone." Then a stone flew over the crowd. Jesus looked at the person who threw the stone and shouted "MOM!"

The Canticle of the Sun by St. Francis of Assisi

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,
All praise is Yours, all glory, honor and blessings.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong;
no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

We praise You, Lord, for all Your creatures,
especially for Brother Sun,
who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,
of You Most High, he bears your likeness.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars,
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

We praise You, Lord, for Brothers Wind and Air,
fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure.

We praise You, Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night.
He is beautiful, playful, robust, and strong.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth,
who sustains us
with her fruits, colored flowers, and herbs.

We praise You, Lord, for those who pardon,
for love of You bear sickness and trial.
Blessed are those who endure in peace,
by You Most High, they will be crowned.

We praise You, Lord, for Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in their sins!
Blessed are those that She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm.

We praise and bless You, Lord, and give You thanks,
and serve You in all humility.

The Man He Didn't Have To Be: St. Joseph

Today is the Feast of St. Joseph. While it is a big day for the Italians (What St. Patrick's Day for the "Irish Americans"), it is a feast day that doesn't get much attention outside of that ethnic group. This is something that needs to change.

St. Joseph is a very important figure that receives very little credit in the gospels. In the two accounts that even mention him, he has not a single word attributed to him. His death or existence beyond the twelfth year of Jesus are not mentioned. He is stoic and silent. Yet, his actions speak the loudest in the infancy narratives. Here are some key examples:

1) Joseph could have divorced Mary or had her stoned, even after the angel of the Lord told him that Mary was telling the truth about the divine conception.
2) Joseph risked his life to save his family and leaving all that he knew behind in order to flee into Egypt for seven years.
3) Joseph does not get angry or show any sign of heartbreak when twelve-year old Jesus tells his parents that he was at his "Father's House" when talking about his stay at the Temple.

Joseph did not have to be the foster father to Jesus. He didn't even have to care about Jesus at all. He could have been a deadbeat dad. But he wasn't. Instead, he loved Jesus as if he was his biological son. He taught Jesus what he needed to know as he grew up. While the gospels don't say any of this, the proof can be found in the man Jesus was as he began his ministry. He was a smart, talented, carpenter, who knew his scripture and loved God with all his heart and mind, much like Joseph.

So on this feast day to Joseph, we honor the man who helped to shape the man who would be our Savior.

References

Jesus said to the Jews:
“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John’s.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.
“I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.
For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?” - Jn. 5:31-47

Today's gospel is a continuation of yesterday's. Jesus continues to explain why is he the way he is. Yesterday it was all about what power does he have to perform miracles and teach. Today, Jesus turns his attention towards those who attack his supposed "lack" of credentials for being the Son of God.

Jesus refuses to toot his own horn. He instead calls upon John the Baptist and God as his references. He even tells them that the scriptures, their bread and butter, further prove he is who he says he is. Jesus calls them out, because even with the evidence stacked in his favor, the Pharisees and scribes refuse to accept him as the Son of God. He tells them it does not bode well for them if they can't even accept the very thing their lives are based upon, the holy scriptures. He ends by posing a question that drives most of his ministry. If you don't believe what you do see, how can you believe what you don't?

The Pharisees and scribes still exist in today's society. They are those who believe science can explain everything, or that suffering is the result of God's wrath. They exploit others and insult their intelligence. They don't recognize the presence of God in front of them and when the hour comes for the final judgement, it will be too late. That is the exact opposite of faith. Faith is believing in something even if you do not have current physical evidence to prove it. It is relying on the unknown or invisible to show their existence in due time. This is what Jesus expects from us, his followers 2,000 years after his death and resurrection.

We should also be like Jesus when it comes to his humility in this situation. He could have easily performed another miracle right there on the spot or have God come down again with blinding light, but Jesus relies only on the testimony of those on Earth, John the Baptist and the prophets of the scriptures. He refuses to brag or gloat. Instead he stands up for himself and proves himself without needing to make a big show of it. How often is our defense when our authority/identity is questioned to puff up our chests and list our achievements or even intimidate those who question us? We should be more like Jesus, by defending ourselves by the reputation we earn and deserve rather than the one we feel we are entitled to.

Like Father, Like Son

Jesus answered the Jews:
“My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,
because he not only broke the sabbath
but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me
has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,
but has passed from death to life.
Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.
For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out,
those who have done good deeds
to the resurrection of life,
but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.

“I cannot do anything on my own;
I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.” - Jn. 5:17-30

Today's gospel is Jesus's defense against those who questioned on what authority he performed his miracles or taught the people. Jesus tells them, just as God the Father does, so does he, Jesus, the Son of the Father. He repeats though, that he acts not of his own will, but rather the will of the Father. This is an important aspect, because in 15 days, Jesus will ask God to allow him to forgo his will just once and escape the destiny of suffering and death that awaits him in a few hours. However, just as he does here, Jesus then says that he accepts the will of God and will only do what God wants, even if it might go against his own will.

How often do we accept the Father's will over own? Let's be honest, the answer is not enough. We want to do the right thing, but we also want to play it safe and not run any risks that might come from surrending our lives of God. We need to be more like Jesus and open ourselves to the will of the Father. Who knows, the reward might just be infintely better than the alternative.

"C.S. Lewis Song" - Brooke Fraser

If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy,
I can only conclude that I was not made for here
If the flesh that I fight is at best only light and momentary,
then of course I'll feel nude when to where I'm destined I'm compared

Speak to me in the light of the dawn
Mercy comes with the morning
I will sigh and with all creation groan as I wait for hope to come for me

Am I lost or just found? On the straight or on the roundabout of the wrong way?
is this a soul that stirs in me, is it breaking free, wanting to come alive?
Cos my comfort would prefer for me to be numb
An avoid the impending birth of who I was born to become

Speak to me in the light of the dawn
Mercy comes with the morning
I will sigh and with all creation groan as I wait for hope to come for me

For we, we are not long here
Our time is but a breath, so we better breathe it
And I, I was made to live, I was made to love, I was made to know you
Hope is coming for me
Hope, He's coming

Seeing Is Not Believing

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet has no honor in his native place.
When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,
since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;
for they themselves had gone to the feast.

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee,
where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,
he went to him and asked him to come down
and heal his son, who was near death.
Jesus said to him,
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
The royal official said to him,
“Sir, come down before my child dies.”
Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
While the man was on his way back,
his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.
He asked them when he began to recover.
They told him,
“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”
The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,
“Your son will live,”
and he and his whole household came to believe.
Now this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea. - Jn 4:43-54

Today's gospel can be seen as one with a mixed message. Jesus heals the royal official's son, but not before saying "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." Does Jesus really want someone who only believes what they see? Well as we later see after the resurrection, Jesus had to deal with these kinds of people even amongst his apostles (Thomas), so it would seem that Jesus is at least open to these kind of people.

So what makes him say it at this point then to the royal official? One possible reason: Exhaustion. Jesus is just starting his 3 year mission, and already it is getting crazy. First was the baptism and then the 40 days in the desert, followed by the temptation by the Devil, then the calling of the apostles, the miracle at Cana, being run out of his hometown of Nazareth, and now everyone wants to see this miracle man. Just thinking about doing all of this stuff makes one tired! So Jesus is probably just getting tired/adjusted to all the attention, especially from those seeking instant gratification to all their problems/desires. He wants to help those that really need it and have faith, but all these people will get faith once their dreams have come true.

Now the official does not waste a moment to reflect on Jesus' rebuke. Instead he just continues to ask for the intercession on his child's behalf. Jesus tells the man his son will be fine and before the man can even see for himself, his servants reveal that his son has made it out alright. The official had now become a true believer since he took Jesus at his word and did not need to see his son to actually believe his servants' report.

How often do we trust in the Lord, or anyone for that matter, at face value? We are so quick to doubt others that we almost have to "see to believe" in fear that we could possibly get hurt or cheated if we have full faith in those around us. We need to learn to trust others with all of heart and all of our mind. Yes, sometimes people might try to take advantage of us, but that is a risk that we must take if we really want to develop true faith in the Lord.

The Other Side To The Prodigal Son

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable:
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’” – Lk. 15:1-3, 11-32

Today’s gospel is the parable of the Prodigal Son. This is one of the most famous parables and one that people today still struggle with. I am a believer that this parable has a meaning that is deeper than what many see.

The idea that God is always forgiving and rejoices when we return to him isn’t so much the challenging aspect, but rather how the father treats the “good” son. When I go over the parable with my Sophomores, they always have the same reaction as that son. “That is unfair,” they say. They argue that the son who stayed loyal to his father is being taken for granted and unappreciated. They don’t understand how a nice guy could finish last in a story from a man who says to always do the right thing. They are no different that the Pharisees and scribes that caused Jesus to tell this story.

We as a society get so wrapped up in doing the right thing for a reward that we really aren’t doing the right thing, but rather the thing that gets us what we want. We know that if we do good we are rewarded. Do bad, and we are punished. It is from the animalistic nature in us that we learn this truth. But what separates us from other animals, is our desire to do good because we want to do good even without the need for reward or acknowledgement.

What Jesus is saying is that it is not the act of doing goodness that is to be rewarded, but rather the understanding of why certain acts are good. The Prodigal Son returns not in hopes of being welcomed back into the family, but rather to seek assistance as a lowly servant to his father. The other son stays with the father because he knows that he will receive his inheritance (reward), and wants to look good compared to his sinful, fallen brother. Both sons are attempting to do the right thing, but it is the sinner that has sought forgiveness because he knew he was wrong that is rewarded in the parable.

Let us not focus on the reward or even the concept of being rewarded. Let us instead focus on doing what God wants us to do because it is what he wants us to do. Acts of kindness are what God expects of us. Let us go beyond the minimum in order to bring about the Kingdom of God, which is the best thing we can do in this life.

The Other Side To The Prodigal Son

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable:
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’” – Lk. 15:1-3, 11-32

Today’s gospel is the parable of the Prodigal Son. This is one of the most famous parables and one that people today still struggle with. I am a believer that this parable has a meaning that is deeper than what many see.

The idea that God is always forgiving and rejoices when we return to him isn’t so much the challenging aspect, but rather how the father treats the “good” son. When I go over the parable with my Sophomores, they always have the same reaction as that son. “That is unfair,” they say. They argue that the son who stayed loyal to his father is being taken for granted and unappreciated. They don’t understand how a nice guy could finish last in a story from a man who says to always do the right thing. They are no different that the Pharisees and scribes that caused Jesus to tell this story.

We as a society get so wrapped up in doing the right thing for a reward that we really aren’t doing the right thing, but rather the thing that gets us what we want. We know that if we do good we are rewarded. Do bad, and we are punished. It is from the animalistic nature in us that we learn this truth. But what separates us from other animals, is our desire to do good because we want to do good even without the need for reward or acknowledgement.

What Jesus is saying is that it is not the act of doing goodness that is to be rewarded, but rather the understanding of why certain acts are good. The Prodigal Son returns not in hopes of being welcomed back into the family, but rather to seek assistance as a lowly servant to his father. The other son stays with the father because he knows that he will receive his inheritance (reward), and wants to look good compared to his sinful, fallen brother. Both sons are attempting to do the right thing, but it is the sinner that has sought forgiveness because he knew he was wrong that is rewarded in the parable.

Let us not focus on the reward or even the concept of being rewarded. Let us instead focus on doing what God wants us to do because it is what he wants us to do. Acts of kindness are what God expects of us. Let us go beyond the minimum in order to bring about the Kingdom of God, which is the best thing we can do in this life.

"Redemption Song" - Bob Marley

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfill the Book.

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.
---
/Guitar break/
---
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfill the book.
Won't you have to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.

Polishing The Golden Rule

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions. - Mk. 12:28-34

I am struggling today to come up with something even semi-original about today's gospel. It is probably one of the most well known and most recited non-Christmas or Easter passages by even Catholics.

From childhood we are taught and memorize the "Golden Rule" that Christ lays out in today's reading. Whether you are in public or private school, we all know that in order to gain respect, we must treat others with that same respect. Now do we always do this? Absolutely not.

I am probably the most guilty at this. I will admit that I take advantage of my authoritative power over my students. I can sometimes treat them with contempt and be as rude as they can are to one another. Yet, I expect them to show me the utmost respect just because I am their teacher. Then I get furious when they don't show me respect. This is exactly what Jesus doesn't want us to do.

The one that I think we all struggle with a lot is that first commandment. How can we love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength? I mean it is easy to say that we do, especially when we have been blessed with so much. But what about when we face struggles or hardships? How often do we hear the words "I hate God right now," from someone who tragedy has befallen? What prevents us from being the hypocrites that Jesus condemns? It is the fact that since God's love knows no end and God is always there for us, we can redeem ourselves and strengthen our love and faith in him as a result of these dark moments in our lives.

So let us polish the Golden Rule that hangs above in our minds. Let us reaffirm our commitment to it and continue to strengthen our faith in God.

The Elisha-Peter Connection

The above link is to part of a video I show my Freshmen when we discuss the lives of Elijah and Elisha. Upon watching it in class yesterday, I couldn't help but be struck by the similarities of the portrayals of Elijah and Elisha to how Jesus and Peter are portrayed in the gospels.

In the film Elisha is called by Elijah. When Elisha follows, Elijah questions him in order for Elisha to prove his readiness for the journey ahead. Elijah also imparts his authority to Elisha just before he ascends into heaven.

Much of the division between Judaism and Christianity rests with the fact that Elijah himself did not descend from heaven to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah as foretold. Christians argue that the Transfiguration is all that needed to take place. However, many overlook how the lives of Jesus and Peter reflect their Old Testament predecessors. Jesus called Peter to follow him and made him the "rock upon which I build my foundation." After Jesus ascended into heaven, Peter was left to lead the continuation of his earthly ministry just as Elisha had been by Elijah.

So just as some waiting the coming of Elijah, we too wait the coming of Christ again. Luckily, both men entrusted their mission to their closest followers who continued to impart it on us.

Going Down A Dark Path

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven - Mt. 5:17-19

In today's gospel, Jesus is telling his disciples that while he isn't there to overthrow the government, he is also not there to overthrow the Jewish religion. However, he does take a jab at the supposed "religious leaders" who he views as leading the people down the wrong path.

But isn't this the same man who cured people on the sabbath? Isn't this a little hypocritical even if he is God? No. Jesus obeyed the laws. When he performed miracles on the sabbath it was not for personal glory, but rather for the glory of God.

But what about people today? As a religion teacher, I've seen first hand what happens when people are lead astray on matters of faith. They lose faith and rarely attempt to get it back. They are lead to believe they should do what they want, when they want, how they want. They understand consequences, but not spiritual ones. If they can't physical deal with the consequence, it doesn't exist to them.

These are the people Jesus is worried about in today's gospel. Those that are so lost they don't even realize that they cannot see where they are going. These are the people Jesus spent his entire ministry trying to recover.

What I need to realize is that Jesus spent 3 years trying to reach out to these people and while he was successful, not all saw the light. If the Son of God struggled in reaching some, then I should not expect to convert all their hearts by myself. I need to trust the Lord and allow him to use me as a vessel to help bring his full flock back.

"Here Comes The Sun" - The Beatles

In honor of the return of the sun and the rise in temperatures...

Here comes the sun, doo da doo doo
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's alright

Little darling
It's been a long, cold, lonely winter
Little darling
It feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's alright

Little darling
The smiles returning to the faces
Little darling
It seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's alright

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Little darling
I see the ice is slowly melting
Little darling
It seems like years since it's been clear

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and i say,
It's alright
It's alright

Not Being Accepted At Home

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth:
“Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel
in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built,
to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away. - Lk. 4:24-30

This is event is really the start of Jesus' public ministry. This is where he announces that his message isn't what his own people want to hear. It also serves as almost a bookend to how his minstry ends. He begins by being run out and almost killed in Nazareth and within three years he will be welcomed into Jerusalem and then executed.

In today's view, Jesus really doesn't say anything too radical in his announcement. He is absolutely right, no prophet is ever accepted in their hometown. Why? Because no one likes someone telling them that they are wrong, especially someone who is a member of that very community! To them, it is almost treason.

Elijah and Elisha were despised in their native lands. The queen tries to have both of them killed just because they spoke out against her immoral and pagan ways. They are only saved by God and the kindness of widows who are not of their own people.

In the time of Jesus, to have someone come into the synagogue and then tell the audience that they are the savior who is not meant to be accepted by his own people is almost like shooting yourself in the foot. The Jewish view of the Messiah was a warrior king, like David, who would destroy the Roman power and wipe out all other people in the region. However, Jesus does not meet any of those requirements. He is a pacifist who preaches love not hate and is more accepting of the "outcasts" of Jewish society than he is of the Jewish leaders.

So the audience reacts with fury. They run him out of time and are about to cast him down the cliff. Then, Jesus miraculously walks through the crowd and escapes without any other confrontation. How is this possible? Did Jesus just "pull a Moses" and use his heavenly power to part the crowd and make his way out unharmed? Did God put up a barrier to separate his son from the angry mob? No one knows. Jesus is just saved from being tossed headlong to his death.

How often do we fear confronting others, especially those who are like us? How often do we fear retribution for standing up for what is right rather than what the popular trend tells us to believe? We should ask God for the support and protection that he gave his son on that day in Nazareth. May we be blessed with the ability to stand tall and confident in bringing attention to the problems we as a society have brought upon ourselves and the need to seek redemption.

Getting A Second Chance Like A Fig Tree

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’” - Lk. 13:1-9

Today’s gospel is about God giving us warnings and chances for redemption before the ax finally falls on us.

Jesus tells the people that they should not assume when tragedy befalls a person that it is means they are better than that person. Jesus reminds them that we are all equal when it comes to sinning. The message we should take from tragic incidents is that we should be repentant because we know neither the time nor the place when judgment will be brought upon us.

Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree to explain the relationship between God, himself, and us. God represents the land owner who has taken care of the tree, which is us, for years only for it to suck up the nutrients but bear no good fruit. So he sends his servant to get rid of the tree. However, the servant asks that the owner allow him to try to cultivate the land surrounding the tree in hopes of restoring the fig tree to its former glory and its ability to bear good fruit.

This brings up a point that comes up in my Freshmen Old Testament Class, why is God so vengeful in the Old Testament but loving and anti-violence in the New Testament. I explain it by comparing God to the development of a man. When he is young, he is willing to get into fights because he can and there is nothing holding him back. This is God in the Old Testament. He smites those who go too far and cross the line. However, like the man after he becomes a father, God has new priorities and sets the example for how his children should behave and live. He is now less passionate when it comes to physical justice.

So as begin the last month of Lent, let us repent while we still have time and stop judging others for their indiscretions.

Prayer For The Last Month Of Lent

Dear Lord,

As we prepare to begin our third week of Lent, help us to grow closer to you
In our hearts and in our minds
Help guide us through the Holy Spirit to where you need us,
Rather than where we want to go

This season of Lent can be challenging to us, O Lord.
We must turn our eyes inward and inspect what gifts and vices fill us
We must admit to our faults and work to restore perfection you created in us
Help us to see that we are not alone

Grant us the ability to forgive others as you have forgiven us
Our world is overcrowded with people who hold grudges and hatred towards others
Help us to turn these people away from the wickedness of hatred and see the wonder of your loving light

We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

"When The Man Comes Around" - Johnny Cash

There's a man going around taking names
And he decides who to free and who to blame
Everybody won't be treated all the same
There'll be a golden ladder reaching down
When the Man comes around

The hairs on your arm will stand up
At the terror in each sip and in each sup
Will you partake of that last offered cup?
Or disappear into the potter's ground
When the Man comes around

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettledrum
Voices calling, voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
It's Alpha and Omega's kingdom come

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks

Till Armageddon no shalam, no shalom
Then the father hen will call his chickens home
The wise man will bow down before the throne
And at His feet they'll cast their golden crowns
When the Man comes around

Whoever is unjust let him be unjust still
Whoever is righteous let him be righteous still
Whoever is filthy let him be filthy still
Listen to the words long written down
When the Man comes around

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettledrum
Voices calling and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
It's Alpha and Omega's kingdom come

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks

In measured hundred weight and penney pound
When the Man comes around.

Snooze, You Lose!

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’“ - Lk. 16:19-31

Jesus once again reminds his followers that they shouldn't take his message for granted. This time, he take the approach of using a parable to help them remember.

The story of Lazarus and the rich man is filled with great "Easter eggs," to use the seasonal term. First, Jesus refers to Moses, who, if we recall, is whom he met with up on the mountain earlier at the Transfiguration with Elijah. He also refers to Abraham since Abraham is the father of the Jewish faith. But the one thing that is often overlooked is that he named the hero of the parable after his best friend.

Was this just a shout out, use of a common name, or something more meaningful. I believe there was deeper meaning. I think Jesus was using Lazarus, a person of great faith and a close friend, as an example of someone whose faith will be rewarded. This is the same man who the Pharisees plan to kill just because Christ had resurrected him, so Jesus' message is almost a foreshadowing of what will become of Lazarus when he does die.

But unlike his other followers, Lazarus never seems to doubt Jesus or his message. He just lives in the moment and has total trust in the Lord, which has spread to his sisters Martha and Mary. All three of them live meager lives, but are blessed to be open to the Lord, unlike the rich man in the parable.

So let us be like Lazarus and praise the Lord for all the wonders he does in our lives, even when we face adversities.

My Child Is A...Disciple of God!

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mt. 20:20-28

The death of Christ is drawing closer. In the next chapter of Matthew's gospel, Jesus sends two disciples ahead to prepare for his arrival into Jerusalem. Today's gospel begins with Jesus giving his last reminder to his disciples that his time is drawing to a close. Yet, no sooner does he say it, than the mom of two of his disciples approach him and tells him the same thing that we as teachers often hear, "My children are great! They would be perfect for a leadership role. You know they are going to be a doctor/lawyer/President!"

Parents love their children dearly. That is a fact and one that is very honorable. But sometimes parents get carried away and think their children can do no wrong. But we know better. It is not that they are demons or anything, but we know that we all sin and therefore carry imperfections.

So the sons of Zebedee have their moms ask Jesus to give them titles and power in heaven, but Jesus responds directly to them. He knows that in order for the truth to be revealed he has to challenge those who want the power. He tells them that they will face the same struggle he is about to face, persecution from his adversaries, but that it does not mean they are better or more fit than any other person.

The disciples are upset/embarassed with John and James. But Jesus puts them all in their place by saying that it goes for all of them. They must become servants of the Lord in order to be considered "great" in God's eyes.

We, like the disciples, are meant to be servant leaders. We must not view those whom we serve as less than us, but rather greater than us. They are the people God have brought into our lives in order to help bring about the Kingdom. We should not view ourselves as being great for our service, but rather see how great God is for allowing us to do his work.

Maybe when this truly happens we will be able to sit back at the table with the Lord.

"Love & Mercy" - Brian Wilson

In honor of those who have been affected by pain and suffering, especially those in Chile.

I was sittin' in a crummy movie with my hands on my chin
Oh the violence that occurs seems like we never win

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

I was lyin' in my room and the news came on T.V.
A lotta people out there hurtin' and it really scares me

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

I was standin' in a bar and watchin' all the people there
Oh the lonliness in this world well it's just not fair

Oooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo
Oooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo
Ahhhhh-ahhhhhh-ahhhhhh-ohhhhhh-ohhhhhh

Hey love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
Love and mercy tonight

Love and mercy

Being Like The Father

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.” - Lk. 6:36-38

"I want to do everything you do. So I’ve been watching you." - Rodney Atkins

Jesus tells us today that we need to be like God. There are absolutely no excuses. We need to show mercy and forgiveness towards others just like God shows us. Who are we to judge and condem others? Are we not all marked with original sin? Rather than dwelling on negative aspects of living, we should rather focus on sharing the goodness God grants us with others.

Now Jesus is smart. Like any good teacher, he recognizes that it is not enough to tell his students that they should behave a proper way. He sweetens the deal by reminding them that if they do follow through and start behaving like God towards one another, they will be greatly rewarded!

Now a cynical teacher would argue that if Christ himself had to use "incentives" to motivate his disciples, then what hope do we have to motivate our students now to do the work of God? I completely understand this concern. I find myself struggling with this everyday in and out of the classroom.

I absolutely hate the concept of required community service hours. To me, it is no different than the way society views community service, a potential alternative to serving jail time. By requiring it, we are not encouraging, but rather forcing, students to do the work of God. Jesus never did that. He encouraged, motivated, but never forced, people to believe in him or follow his lead. Personally, I rather a person not do service if they are not truly motivated and dedicated to doing the work of the Lord. What about those who are called to do the will of the Lord openly but can't because service organizations are being "used" by students in need of service hours?

I digress. My point is that Christ wants us to serve others out of the kindness of our hearts. Will we be rewarded if we can successfully do this? Yes. Should we do it just because we "get something?" No. We need to break from this "What do I get in return?" mentality. God has already given us what we need, so why not share the wealth with others?

The Transfiguration: Opening Your Eyes, Closing Your Mouth, Changing Your Heart & Mind

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen. - Lk. 9:28b-36

The Transfiguration is one of the key moments in the ministry, yet only three people witness it and they were asleep for most of the experience. It is a mysterious event (Hence why it is one of Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary)that provides more questions than answers.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah are thought to show how the two major prophets of the Old Testament finally meet the Lord incarnate that they had spend their careers preparing the world to accept. We're given a quick overview of their conversation, but no details. Did Moses talk about how it can difficult to lead people who often complain or show no appreciation to anyone? Did Elijah share his views on confronting the sinners who ruled the land? Did Jesus live up to the expectation of these men? It is truly a conversation one wishes they could have been a fly on the wall for!

The bigger topic is the role of Peter, John and James. These three men were the closest friends Jesus had in his ministry. Some could argue that they and Lazaraus were all best friends of Jesus. This is evident, since they also go with Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane on the night he is arrested. They also do the exact same thing! They go up the mountain with Jesus and then pass out and sleep while Jesus does all the praying! You would think that after they missed most of the Transfiguration that they learned their lesson to stay awake always in the presence of Christ, because you do not know what great wonders you will miss if your eyes are closed.

At the Transfiguration, Peter is eager to make the most of the situation, once he is awake of course. He offers to build tents for the men to stay in, as if he hoped he would be able to make up for lost time and really get to witness these great men of faith in conversation. Yet, before he can even finish his suggestion, the Lord intervenes. A cloud covers them and a voice says to Peter, John and James: "This is my chosen Son; listen to him."

That is the 2nd time God reveals Christ to people openly. First was at the Jordan when Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist. At that event, Jesus is given his mission and begins his ministry. This time, God gives his disciples their mission. Just as Mary told the staff at the Wedding at Cana, God tells us to "listen to [Jesus]." That was all God wants of us. To listen to his Son and do what he tells us to do. In doing so, we will please the Lord.

In order to truly "listen," we must first open our eyes to the presence of Christ everywhere we go. We can not continue to "sleep" when the Lord calls us. Then we must close our mouths. We are a very social world. Whether it is vocally, online, or through signs and symbols, we like to talk. But in order to successfully hear and see God we need to allow him to do the talking and just listen. No excuses, just honesty. When we do these two things, we open ourselves up to the mission of God and change our hearts and minds for good.

Prayer For Peace by St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

"Renegade" - Styx

Oh momma I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Lawman has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home
Oh momma I can hear you a'crying you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very
long

The jig is up the news is out they've finally found me
The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This will be the end today of the wanted man

Oh momma I've been years on the lam
And had a high price on my head
Lawman said get him dead or alive
Now it's for sure he'll see me dead
Dear momma I can hear you a'crying
You're so scared and all alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long

The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
The judge will have revenge today
On the wanted man

Oh Momma, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Hangman is coming down from the gallows And I don't have very long

The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This'll be the end today
Of the wanted man
The wanted man

And i don't wanna go,
Oh no
Dont let 'em take me
No no

This song is totally about Jesus, Peter and Paul. Three men who were put to death by the "lawmen" of Rome for crimes they didn't commit.

"Show Me The GRAAAACE!"

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.” - Mt. 7:7-12

Two days ago, Jesus taught his disciples, and us, how to pray to God. Today, Jesus encourages us to pray not only for own our needs, but also how we should do good for others, just as God does for us.

Jesus reminds us that if we can help and show love and respect for others, imagine what God has in store for us! God gives us what we need, even if we are sinners, because he is our Father who loves us. He wants to help us bring about the Kingdom of God.

All we need to do is "ask," "seek," and "knock." We need to first admit that we need help and ask God to give us the grace to guide us. Then we must seek the truth, which is Jesus. And knock on the door when we are need of a place of welcoming when we face persecution and lonliness.

We must still however, show love and respect towards everyone. This includes our enemies and those who wish evil upon us. This can be a challenge in this day and age. Our politicans carry grudges their entire careers. We have been raised with an "us" and "them" mentality. But we are called to break this mentality and be open and loving of all people.

So we ask God to grant us the courage and the grace that God gives us everyday to become better Christians.

Life Without Regrets

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone?" - Joni Mitchell

"At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here." - Lk. 11:32

Today's gospel serves as an awakening for us. It starts with Christ declaring, "This generation is an evil generation" when you start from the bottom you can only go up, right? No. You can accept your fate and just remain evil or you can pick yourself up and correct your course and then slowly but surely make your way up from the basement.

What we are called to do is to live life with no regrets. This does not mean we should say "Live like there is no tomorrow? Then parties and orgies galore!" What we are being called to do rather, is hear the call of God in ourselves and be resolved in strengthening our commitment to serving him. Jesus reminds us that even the sinners of Nineveh, whom Jonah thought were unfit to be redeemed, reformed from their wicked ways and were saved by the grace of God. Who are we then, followers of Christ, to deny this wonderful opportunity of forgiveness and redemption with him through the words of Jesus?

Jesus isn't bragging in today's gospel by saying he is "greater than Solomon" or "greater than Jonah." He is stating a fact! Solomon and Jonah were mortal men, who had their flaws, but the one is flawless is offering eternal redemption to us, the "evil generation" who have found themselves trapped in a dark basement but really yearn to be saved.

So let us live our lives with no regrets. When we die, let us take comfort in the fact that we accepted the call of God through his son Jesus and have been given the greatest gift of all, eternal life, so long as we continue to build the Kingdom of God.

Everything I Need To Know About Prayer I Learned From Jesus

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you are to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” - Mt. 6:7-15

In today's gospel reading, Jesus not only tells his disciples how to behave when they pray, he gives them a prayer that does directly to God.

We too often need guidance in how we pray. Some treat it like a wishing well. Others see it as an opportunity to "talk on the phone" with God. Some don't see prayer as important or useful, others dedicate their entire lives to it. Either way, Jesus reminds us that the line of communication between us and God are always open, especially when we follow his lead in living prayerful, faithful lives.

Who Are You?

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter,and upon this rock I will build my Church,and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” - Mt. 16:13-19

Think about your relationship with your friends. How often do we ask our friends what others think of us or what they think of us? We always hope they will say something positive, like "Everyone loves you!" "I think you're the greatest!" Jesus is not that different. He wants his apostles to respond honestly, but hopes they will say the right thing, which Peter does.

Jesus is so impressed with Peter's response that he takes that moment to declare Peter to be the "rock" upon he will build his faith community. Jesus trusts his closest apostle. Jesus sees a glimmer of hope in a man that he knows will deny him on Good Friday. Within three verses even, Jesus condems Peter's response to his annoucement that he will be put to death soon. Jesus tells him "Get behind me Satan!"

Jesus is not having second thoughts about trusting Peter, but rather is casting the temptation of escaping his fate out of his close friend's mind. He is reminded that Peter is just human and still lacks the ability to comprehend the necessity of Jesus' death.

How do we respond to the question of Who do people say Jesus is? Who do we say he is? Let's spend the next six weeks searching for our answer to these questions.

1st Sunday of Lent: Temptation In The Desert

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,to be tempted by the devil.He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him,“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”

Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,“I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”

Jesus said to him in reply,“It is written:You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve.”

Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God,throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,and: With their hands they will support you,lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

Jesus said to him in reply,“It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”

When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time. - Lk. 4:1-13

The temptation in the desert is read every 1st Sunday of Lent. We are reminded that Jesus, like us, is tempted by the Devil to forsake God and give in to our earthly wants and desires. Yet, one aspect that is often overlooked is how the showdown begins.

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days,and when they were over he was hungry.

Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit out into the desert for forty days with the intention of having Satan tempt Jesus. This wasn't a simple "devil on your shoulder" temptation. This was the final training for Jesus in order to begin his mission (The synoptics all begin his public ministry with this event). Jesus is out in the hot, lonely desert with the only purpose of having his faith tested. To make it even more of a challenge, Jesus forsakes eating anything for those forty days. By the time the Devil appears to tempt him, Jesus has weakened his body to the point that a mere human would have already been dead, let alone be opening to salvation from even the Devil.

The message of today's gospel isn't "Look at how powerful Jesus is over the Devil." It is actually look at how weak Christ is physically, to a point that we cannot even fathom, but yet he refuses to give into the will of Satan and finds solace in the will of God. He shows us that even when we believe we are at our most vulnerable or weakest moment, we still have no excuse to give into the Devil's wants and desires. We must be like Christ and stand firm and resolve in our faith in the Lord. We must also welcome the Devil's temptations as a sign of growth and development in our relationship with God. When we too can refuse the Devil's charms and offers, we can grow closer to God and be fit to carry on the mission of Christ today.

Thomas Merton's Prayer

O Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going,
I do not see the road ahead of me,
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
And that fact that I think
I am following Your will
Does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe
That the desire to please You
Does in fact please You.
And I hope I have that desire
In all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything
Apart from that desire to please You.
And I know that if I do this
You will lead me by the right road,
Though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust You always
Though I may seem to be lost
And in the shadow of death.
I will not fear,
For You are ever with me,
And You will never leave me
To make my journey alone.

"40 Days" - Mark Schultz

Lord, I came to the mountaintop
To be with You
I felt Your grace falling down like rain
And I was made new

But there are times like now when I’m all dried out

Lord, Your ways are not my own
But I trust You
Lord, You say, “You are not alone,
For I am with you”

But there are times like now when You can’t be found

And it’s like 40 days out in the desert
Feeling like I’m lost forever
And crying out for You
But in these 40 days I’m going to seek You
With my heart because I believe You
Have brought me to this place
These 40 days

‘Cause You are with me
You never leave me
Even when my world turns upside down
‘Cause there are times like now when I will
Trust somehow

And it’s like 40 days out in the desert
Feeling like I’m lost forever
And crying out for You
But in these 40 days I’m going to seek You
With my heart because I believe You
Have brought me to this place
These 40 days

Well, there is a light at the end of the tunnel…I know

Carrying That Weight

"'If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.'" - Lk. 9:23-24

One has to give credit Jesus for his tenacity. He did not hesitate to challenge the same people he was trying to bring to God. He spoke the truth and never sugar-coated the difficulties people would face in their lives.

Christ tells his followers that they must give up their materialistic lifestyle and dedicate their entire lives to the service of the Lord and all the struggles that come with that way of being. He warns that those who refuse to take up this challenge will end up never receiving their eternal reward;however, those who do accept the life as a servant of the Lord will be greatly rewarded with eternal life.

This was in no way easy for the people of Palestine at that time. It is even more difficult in today's society. We are surrounded by materialism from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep at night (Maybe even in our dreams too!). We are told that we should have the newest technology, watch the latest successful television show,or wear the latest fashion. When it comes to holidays, we focus so much on the "happy" day of Easter and attempt to ignore the "darkness" of Lent. We choose to ignore the suffering and challenges Lent poses to our current lifestyles. We like the days we get stuff (Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Easter) but pretend Christ doesn't then challenge us in the gospels over the next 40 days to sacrifice earthly happiness for heavenly happiness. We are more statisfied with instant gratification than making the inventment in eternity.

Spend some time and think about what you need to give up in order to follow Christ fully. Are you up to the challenges a life of following Christ entails? It is easy to say "Oh yeah, I'd follow Jesus without any problems." The apostles said the same thing and then spent the next three years not understanding what they had really gotten into. It wasn't until after Christ was resurrected did they truly understand and truly accept the challenges of being a follower of Christ by "carrying" their crosses daily.

What we must remember is that Christ carried his cross to his death. His was the heaviest cross to bear. On it, he carried the sins of all mankind. Upon it he gave his life so that we could have the opportunity to live. All he asked for in return is that we "pay it forward" and carry our own crosses in hopes of bringing about the Kingdom of God on Earth. That is actually a pretty good deal, even in a materialistic world.

Traditions

What better time to talk about the idea of traditions than the day the Catholic Church begins one of it's oldest and most significant traditions, the season of Lent.

We all have traditions. They are ones passed down by former generations in our families and even our faith communities. They sometimes have special meaning to us, and sometimes we carry them on just because "that's the way my parents did it."

In the Catholic Church, we are called to carry on the traditions of fasting, prayer and almsgiving during the season of Lent. Over the course of Lent, I will dedicate an entry to each of these traditions, but I want to make a general comment about them in relation to the concept of tradition.

I have been raised to uphold these traditions since I was a little child. I understand the reasoning behind them. However, I do find it saddening that there are young Christians in today's society view these sacrifices as almost personal attacks on their freedom. They complain how these practices are stupid, yet know little to nothing about their history. They don't understand the value of sacrifice. This is not entirely their own fault. We have raised an entire generation based on the concept of individualistic isolationism. They are raised to care about themselves above all else. They fail to understand the tradition that Christ gave us directly, which is to love one another and to serve our brothers and sisters in order to bring about the Kingdom of God.

Traditions during Lent can go beyond the practices of fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. I have my own traditions during Lent. Each Ash Wednesday, I start to read a new book that relates to my personal studies of theology. This year, I am reading The Parables of Peanuts, the follow-up book to Robert Short's The Gospel According to Peanuts. For the last ten years, I have also done daily readings from the Little Black Book by the Diocese of Saginaw (www.littlebooks.org) I also have a Lent 2010 iMix (Which you can now download on iTunes)of songs I have chosen to use in my own prayers and meditiations during Lent. And this year, I am trying to say a decade of the rosary each day, which is in thanks to my Rosary Rap CD by Joe Melendrez (www.rosaryrap.com).

Whatever traditions you may partake in this Lent, remember to keep Christ at the center!

Mardi Gras: Preparing For The Journey Through Lent

“I have to say it now
It's been a good life all in all
It's really fine
To have the chance to hang around
And lie there by the fire
And watch the evening tire
While all my friends and my old lady
Sit and watch the sun go down

And talk of poems and prayers and promises
And things that we believe in
How sweet it is to love someone
How right it is to care
How long it's been since yesterday
What about tomorrow
What about our dreams
And all the memories we share” – John Denver

Tomorrow marks the start of the Season of Lent and new journey of faith for me. I have decided to keep an online journal to record my thoughts and actions for two reasons. The first reason is so that I can recall my experiences throughout the season. The second reason is with the hope that someone else might enjoy following my own personal journey and maybe in some way it helps them on their journey.

I named this blog “Poems, Prayers and Promises” because it is one of my favorite John Denver songs and I think it fits so well with Lent. It is an opportunity to sit and think about where one has been and where one is going in their life. We recall the poems, or words that inspire and guide us. We spend the time in prayer, asking God for guidance and direction toward a more fruitful relationship with him. Finally, we make promises to others, ourselves and God to become better Christians as a result of our spiritual journey during this time. With these aspects for reflection in our lives, we start to shape the person God intended for us to become in the world.

I should explain how I envision this journal working. Over the next six and a half weeks, I plan to update daily. These updates will take the form of personal reflections, lyrics, poems, prayers, or even questions that enter my mind as my spiritual journey progresses.

So enjoy the rest of your Mardi Gras!