Open your heart

  

Paul Claude was a Catholic French poet, dramatist and diplomat. He was famous for his verse dramas, which conveyed his devout Catholicism. Claudel was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in six different years. Paul Claudel is quoted as saying:”God did not come to remove suffering. He came to fill it with his presence.” His quote made me think about the suffering I experience in my life. 

 To experience the pain of suffering is something that can break one’s heart. I was standing bedside next to my dad at NYU/Langone hospital. Cancer was not the answer I wanted to hear. I was listening to a group of doctors discuss chemotherapy. My heart was breaking, because I knew my father was too sick for treatment. Chemotherapy was going to cause suffering and only delay the inevitable. My father raised his hand to the doctors telling them to listen. He said:”its time to go home.” I knew at that moment, my father accepted the cross. I also believed in my heart that God was calling me to carry the cross. I asked St.Simon to intercede on my behalf in prayer. 

 Today in the Gospel of Matthew (16:21-27), Jesus begins to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priest and the scribes, to be killed and on the third day be raised. This is Jesus first passion prediction. Jesus calls us to “take up your cross, and come follow me.”

 We have all suffered some form of physical, emotional or spiritual agony in our time. It is our faith that gives meaning to suffering. We ask ourselves; why did this happen to me? I respond with a simple answer: why not? Then I turn to God and ask to take away this suffering. Can’t hurt to ask. But somewhere in the mist of suffering, God is calling us to be closer to him. We hear the silent words”take up your cross, and come follow me.” All we have to do is listen with our hearts. God will come to us, but we must open that door in our hearts. It is only God’s Love that will give meaning to suffering. 

St. Simon, pray for us!

Bernard of Clairvaux 

Who is he?

       In today's Gospel Matthew 16 13-20 Jesus asks Simon Peter a very important question.  The question was “Who do you say I am”    Simon replied  “You are Christ, Son of the living God”    When Jesus heard that response he told Peter that God put those words in his heart. What he was saying is that Christ was  revealed to Peter by God.    Jesus went on to say that he will build a community on Peter and his response to that very question.  I think that Jesus was saying with that response Peter showed Him that he had something special in his heart.  That something special that Peter had  was called faith. Faith that only God could have given him and upon that type of faith Jesus was to build an entire community of followers.  

    What is so special about faith that Jesus can build out his entire community followers and for 2000 years we are still here? What is it?  Personally, I’d tell you that faith in Jesus is everything.  When I say everything I truly mean everything. To have faith in Jesus means that everyone and everything is moving us towards God. Not somethings, and not some days but everything and everyday. Faith in Jesus means that this very moment has been sent to you by God. Faith in Jesus means all things are under his control.  Do you have that type of faith? Do you believe that nothing in this universe an happen without the approval of Jesus? That’s  the type of faith that Peter showed Jesus with his response.  

I believe that Jesus has a personal relationship with each and every one of us.  He understands our  strengths and weaknesses. He understand where we fall short especially when it comes to faith.  Even though I know that being a follower of Christ is based  solely on faith I still have my weak moments. I still have times when I lose sight of the “everything” that Jesus controls.  I get caught up in my own head and think I am in control of the everything.  Yet, each time that happens... Jesus redirects me.  He sends me kind words from a friend.  He sends me a song that soothes my soul. He sends me gentle nudge to go deeper into prayer.  He sends me what I need. He knows me.  Jesus knows me  and you just as much as he knew Peter.   

So today if you ask me Who is Christ to you? 

My answer is simply "Everything."

-Anonymous 

Title: Jesus’ Salvation is for All  8.16.20

This coming Sunday’s reading is a familiar one from Matthew, 15:21-28.  Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman who approaches Him and asks Him to help her daughter, who is possessed by a demon.  The Apostles suggest that Jesus send her away because she keeps calling out to them.  Jesus does not send her away, but rather tells her that it is not right to take the food of the children and feed it to the dogs.  The putative suggestion is that she, as a Canaanite, is a dog, and therefore not deserving of Jesus’ help.  In response, the woman says to Jesus that even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters, seemingly meaning that she, as a Canaanite, will take what she can get, even the scraps.  Jesus tells her that her faith is great, and the daughter is healed immediately.

I struggle with this reading.  There are so many layers and so many things to draw out of it.  But I think that the most logical explanation is that Jesus’ salvation is for all, not just for some.  And, by extension, no one should ever try to come between Jesus and someone seeking His salvation.  

So why does Jesus insinuate that she is a dog?  I don’t like the idea that the woman has to persist somehow in order to get Jesus’ salvation.  What is the point supposed to be?  That if you don’t ask the right way, or ask enough times, Jesus will deny your prayers?  I don’t think that can be.

Maybe Jesus is not testing the woman.  Maybe he’s testing the Apostles.  They wanted Jesus to send her away when she approached Him.  Maybe Jesus is showing them what it looks like to be ugly to someone because of who they are.  Jesus calls this woman a dog in one moment and then answers her prayer in the affirmative the next.  Maybe this is His way of saying to the Apostles, “Is this what you wanted me to do?  Call her a dog and send her away?  Shame on you.  She has faith and therefore is my follower, and is deserving of my grace, regardless of what you think of her.” 

Moral of the story: we should never get between Jesus and anyone seeking His salvation.  It would be better for us that a millstone be tied around our necks and that we be thrown into the sea than to try to come between someone seeking Jesus and Jesus himself, the Gospel says elsewhere.  We should help each other to find Jesus, not prevent one another from doing so.  We should never try to prevent people from coming to Jesus because they are divorced, because they are homosexual, or because of anything else that people might suggest is anathema to coming into communion with Jesus.  Jesus’ salvation is for all.  No limits.  Not carve-outs.  FOR ALL.  FOR ALL.  FOR ALL. 

For The Wind Was Against It

I walked across Lake George, once - the whole width, shore to shore. Don't be impressed: it was mid January and the lake was frozen over. Along the way, I passed a few people sitting on milk crates fishing through holes in the ice. Apparently, this is quite normal for that time of year. We exchanged greetings as I continued on my way. It was a sublimely beautiful experience for me for several reasons; the stark beauty of nature, for one. The fact that I could say with relative certainty that no one ever stood in this exact spot as I soaked in the beauty that surrounded me was awe inspiring. And it's not something I get to do every day, walking across a (frozen) lake. A frozen lake can make some strange noises though, and I can tell you that all that peace and serenity vanished the moment I heard something I didn't understand. "Was that the ice cracking!?!" 

In this Sunday's Gospel, the Apostle's boat is being tossed about; for the wind was against it. How many times in life do we find that the wind is against our little boats? At times it seems to me that the wind is constantly against my little boat. The whole of 2020 feels that way, so far. It's not just that the wind is against the boat, but the sea is so big - what am I to do if I get capsized? This is the real concern.

I think that this is something we fall back on all too easily; we quickly begin to worry about the worse case scenario - or at least to fear what is not known, as soon as the wind sets against us. As men in modern times we don't like to say that we are afraid of anything. So let's just say that we become "preoccupied," OK? The task we are given - the command that we are given is simple:  love the Lord our God with our whole hearts, our whole minds, and with all our being. But how can we do that if we are preoccupied with all these concerns? We begin to focus on preventing the worst case scenario, and we lose sight of what is most important. Can we fully engage with our creator in this frame of mind? I ask you: what is it that you are "preoccupied" with? 

Take a moment if you can call to the Lord as Peter did; "Lord save me!" I encourage you now to look to the Lord: He's coming across the water for you. He reaches out His hand to you and says as he did with Peter "Why did you doubt?" Only He has a smile on His face, because He knows. He knows all of it..........

+ Theophilus