Timeless Love

In this week’s Gospel, Luke 6:17, 20-26, Jesus speaks to His disciples and a large group of people. He begins with a series of blessings. With each blessing, He illustrates how the world’s view of life differs from the heavenly view.

He begins with, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” It’s safe to say that poverty is one of the last things we associate with blessings. Yet, the kingdom of heaven is for the poor.

He continues with, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Once again, the hungry and sad are among the blessed—another departure from what we typically consider a blessing.

Then Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.” None of this sounds like something a blessed person should endure. Still, the hated and excluded are counted among the blessed.

Today’s Gospel calls us to do one thing: reject the world’s way of thinking. What we desire in this world is often the exact opposite of what God desires for us. The upside is truly down. To be poor, hungry, sad, and ridiculed for God’s sake are all considered “negative,” “unpleasant,” and, in most cases, evidence of “failing” at life. Yet, I believe Jesus is saying that with wealth or worldly riches comes the danger of creating a space between you and the Lord. That space is often filled with a love of money or other earthly distractions. Nothing should come between you and the Lord.

The same rule applies to anything the world views as a blessing: fame, physical beauty, success, and popularity. None of these things are more important than your relationship with the Lord.

I don’t think we are being called to a life of poverty and sadness. Instead, I believe Jesus is teaching us that seeking riches before you seek a relationship with the Lord will not get you far. Seeking success before you have a successful relationship with the Lord is a trap. Seeking fame before you make the Lord famous in your heart is not the way. We are being called to shift our priorities and perspectives. What really matters in this life is not what the world says, but what the Lord says. The way to true happiness is not by chasing it on earth but by accepting the Lord. True wealth does not come from worshipping your bank account or profits. It comes from worshipping the Lord and living according to His Word.

Ask yourself: Have I allowed the world to dictate what I consider valuable? Has the world influenced my thinking so much that I’ve lost sight of what really matters?

Remember, when we align our priorities with God’s will, we not only find true peace and joy but also store up treasures in heaven that far surpass anything the world can offer. Let today’s Gospel remind us to focus on what lasts eternally, not what fades with time.

One More Time

 I wrote about this exact reading, Luke 5:1-11, five years ago.  I was going to modify it for today, but it is as relevant now, indeed more so.  These are the kind of times where we can get depressed.  Try not to.  I have slipped into it, but try to keep your chin up.  Like my mother says, it will all be ok in the end; if it's not ok, it's not the end.

This week’s Gospel reading is from Luke.  It’s the story of Jesus telling the fisherman Simon Peter to “put out into deep water” and once again cast his nets for fish.  This was even though Simon Peter and his crew had experienced a really bad day fishing and the men were already washing their nets and putting them away.  Of course, when Simon Peter listens to Jesus and heads out a little deeper to throw out his nets one more time, the nets become so full of fish that the boat nearly sinks.  Simon becomes ashamed of having doubted Jesus’ instructions, so much so that he asks Jesus to leave him.  But Jesus tells Simon not to worry, and that from that point forward Simon and his friends will be catching men.  Bigger and better game than they had originally hoped for, in other words.

I love this story, because I feel like I have gone through this.  There have been times in my life when I’ve been packing it in, so to speak, “washing my nets” and telling myself that there is no hope.  And sometimes when I have gotten to that point, I’ve received what I feel is divine encouragement to keep on going and see what can be made out of what has gone wrong.

I think that the worst thing that can happen to us is to give up hope.  That’s a lack of faith that I’ve been guilty of many, many times.  But when I take a step back, I can see that God is always there.  This doesn’t mean that bad things haven’t happened in my life, or even that I have felt that things “worked out in the end”.  That’s not the case.  Some things are just bad results.  Sometimes people die too young.  Sometimes relationships break and are never mended.  Sometimes people lose their job and don’t get a better one.  Life is rarely if ever a Hallmark movie.  But I do believe, and it is my experience, that God works all things for good, even bad things.  Most often, seeing that that is true is difficult.  And it requires a lot of perspective, and very often a lot of time. 

But if you’re putting your nets away, thinking the day is done, the game is lost, and no fish can be caught, please stop for a moment.  Please consider listening to God’s encouragement to take one more step and see if a good thing can come from a bad one.  Please consider throwing out your net again.  God will be on your side, I promise.