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Thank you for visiting. I hope you will enjoy the variety of topics to enhance your spiritual life. You can read them below or download them and read at your leisure. I have also added my Sunday Homilies.
CURRENT TOPICS: Notes for Presentation on Mary + God Is Beautiful + Hosea, The Unwanted Prophet+
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17th Sunday OT – Luke 11:1-13
The gospel begins with the Our Father, and I like what Give Us This Day reflection by Sr. Verna wrote,
“The Lord’s Prayer is no magic formula. It is an instruction about the Father to whom Jesus and his disciples pray. Jesus affirms what should be the quality of our prayer by telling two parables…In the first parable, a neighbor deals with a neighbor; in the second, a father deals with his son. Jesus is assuring his listeners that those who keep on asking, seeking, knocking will be answered, will find, will be welcomed.”
The prayer that Jesus taught his disciples is found in two places in the gospels. Luke’s version is shorter and its context is significant. It is part of the narrative of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and follows on the incident of Mary and Martha. It too can be understood as part of the answer to the lawyer’s question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The Christian must have the social conscience of the Samaritan, the eagerness for the Word of God of Mary, and must also know how to address God as Father in prayer.
Short though the prayer is, a commentary on it can be written from the words of the rest of the gospel. The one who addressed God as “Father” (Abba) is Jesus himself, both during his public life and at his death. A model for those who pray, “Hallowed be your name” is Mary in her Magnificat and many others who thank God for the mercy they experience through Jesus. Those who pray, “Your kingdom come,” should remember the persistence of the widow begging for justice from the wicked judge. The best prayer for the forgiveness of sin comes from the publican in the Temple who asks for God’s mercy and has no time to bore God with his own achievements like the pharisee. Jesus himself gives the example of forgiveness of his enemies at his execution, and in his prayer on the Mount of Olives before his death gives his disciples instructions on how to avoid temptations.
The story of the one who wants bread from a friend at midnight, is a commentary on the words, “Give us each day our daily bread.” When we pray to God, we do pray not to a sleepy friend, but to a loving Father, ready to give the Holy Spirit to the children of God who ask him. Such daily bread helps us to carry our cross daily.
But there is one more and better way to pray, and that is today, here at this Eucharist, we as the ecclesia gather in the name of the Trinity when we first enter this sacred space by blessing ourselves with Holy Water and then greet each other with a spiritual blessing, “The Lord be with you,” before we settle ourselves to listen to the Word of God. Then we prepare ourselves to receive our daily bread through the Eucharistic celebration of communion where we, the Body of Christ, meet ourselves through receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus. There is no more powerful prayer than the Eucharist, as the church reminds us, the pinnacle of our liturgical life as Church.
Each week we come knocking at God’s heavenly door for our daily bread at this Eucharist bringing the Kingdom of God to all those we will meet this week through all the programs here at St. Francis de Sales in education, in feeding the hungry, in taking care of the sick, in providing the means for the street people to clean their clothes and themselves. Did I miss anything?
I can hear Abba, Father saying for their sake, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
GOD IS BEAUTY – BEAUTY IS GOD
“Go Back To Where You Came From!”
“Go Back To Where You Came From!”
Amos, The Unwanted Prophet: Part Two
Amos alone among the prophets refers to Israel as “The House of Isaac.” He is also the only prophet who mentions the Yahweh shrine at Beersheba (to the South of Tekoa) which was founded by Isaac. Isaac was the father both of Jacob and Esau, forefather of the Edomites, and they in turn were semi-nomadic neighbors of the Tekoans to their immediate south. Amos may have had a special regard for these Edomite neighbors of his, perhaps even thinking of them as brothers. They were highly regarded in Old Testament times for their clan wisdom as were the Tekoans.
Seldom was a prophet so out of step with his times. Not since the days of King David had Israel been as powerful or prosperous as right then. King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel were the rulers at this time. More precisely, it was two years before a certain earthquake, which was dated to the year 760 on the basis of archaeological evidence from the north-Galilean city of Hazor. This would locate Amos in the middle years of the long, exceptionally prosperous reigns of these kings.
Miriam and Amos are again sitting in the shade at their favorite place in the cool of morning sun as it slowly lights up the view of the world below them. This is their favorite time of the day before any work begins to spend some time together if even for a few moments.
“I am sure you were too tired last night after your journey,” Miriam was anxious to ask, “but how was your trip?”
“It went well,” Amos began. “The only problem that each time I travel to Jerusalem, even for the celebrations, I come away angry at the haughty looks I get from the arrogant people that live there.”
“I am sure it is because those people don’t know what real work is like, except for the poor laborers that slave for them,” Miriam tried to soothe him, since he seemed more irritated this time.
“I have no problem with how I look, but I am sure my mannerisms and even my attitude causes me to stand out,” Amos said a little irritated. “But what always gets to me is their attitude, like Jerusalem is God’s chosen city and King David his special chosen dynasty!”
“Well, I can sympathize with you,” she said.
“But what really irks me is all those senseless sacrifice of animals!” he almost spit it out.
Now Miriam has realized what really bothers him. “I know what you mean, Amos,” Miriam again tries to consol him. “But my worry is how will they receive you when you get to Bethel in the Northern Kingdom and give them Yahweh’s warning?”
“It will not be with open arms of love,” Amos replied a little sarcastic. “But I do have a plan how to deliver the message. And once I am done then I can wash my hands of them and their abominable temples and sacrilegious practices.”
Miriam said a little worried, “Just take care of yourself, Amos. When are you planning on leaving?”
“Shortly,” Amos replied, “after I get some rest. I am thinking of taking Joshua with me.”
“He is old enough to travel and it would be a great experience for him,” she said. “Do you think it will be safe for you both?”
“Yes. Normally I would not be certain, except…” Amos paused, “Yahweh promised my safety!”
Miriam reflected for a moment, somewhat surprised. “Amos, I have the feeling that Yahweh really needs you to deliver his message.”
Amos only answers, “God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. If they do not listen, then God acts.”
Miriam can only shudder what the Lord God Yahweh will do.
Go Back To Where You Came From pt 2
Go Back To Where You Came From pt 1