A Restless Life

It is humbling to take to heart the words we hear each Sunday.  If you listen closely and reflect, there is always some aspect that we can take and apply.  This week, however, is a strong dose of reality, telling us to truly look inside ourselves.  Since the First Reading and the Gospel are comparable in their message, let's dig into the Second Reading first and come back to those.   St. Paul presents us with the great dilemma that we are in as children of God - we have a finite life in our bodies here and yet we are part of the infinite glory of God's existence.  Through Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, we have had God's immortality applied to our weak and mortal bodies, and that fact should influence all of our thoughts and actions.  The path to victory has been laid out before us, and we only have to choose that life to enjoy the rewards. And that leads us to the First Reading and the Gospel. In Sirach, we are reminded that our thoughts become...

Let's jump right in to this week's readings, starting with the Second Reading.  In this, St. Paul is expressing to us what change is required as we journey through life with God.  The first gift, that of life, was given to Adam and all those who came after, whereas the spiritual gift, that of heaven and ever-lasting life, came from Jesus, the new Adam.  Although our inclinations are to rush towards those higher and greater fruits, we must first be humans.  And if we do that well by being good people who love and live according to God's will, we will be able to attain the promise made to us by Jesus. In the First Reading, we hear about Saul and David.  The story of Saul and David is interesting to read about, as we know that God has left Saul and anointed David as successor; however, to those living at the time, it must have been confusing to have the king determined to put down an upstart shepherd warrior in David.  But in today's reading, we are reminded o...

This week, a consistent theme delivers an always-relevant message: Put your trust in the Lord, and all will be well.  From the stark contrast of the images provided in the First Reading to the Beatitudes delivered by Jesus in the Gospel, we hear the virtues that are attainable, if only we will listen and follow.  The Psalm reiterates this message as well, encouraging us to live in God's light. St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians gives us the reason - Christ has won.  It is a consequence of combining faith with our default human condition that what seems easy and straightforward on paper is not so in practice.  Of course I don't want to be like the wicked, those doers of evil from long ago who are driven away like the chaff of wheat in the wind.  But when you ask me if I want to be satisfied here and now on earth (with money, food, etc...), my gut response would likely be yes.  It is the internal conversation that happens in response to these questions...

This week, I feel like the message is very clear.  Through Isaiah, St Paul's letter, and the Gospel, we are told of similar situations occurring throughout all the readings: God cleanses all who are willing.  We'll dig into both parts of this message, examining the latter part first - the willingness of man. In all three readings, we are told how each views themselves as unworthy of the grace of God.  This is the crucial step in the lives of the three "unworthy" holy men.  In their acknowledgement that they are unable to achieve God's grace through their own actions, their slate has been cleared to begin their new journey with God and Jesus.  While they do not go through their sins and list their flaws, God knows their heart and sincerity of their repentance.  With the respect and devotion that they exhibit, God provides His empowering Love and Grace in return. For Isaiah, St. Paul, and St. Peter, these moments we see recounted in these readings are the jum...

Using my lack of foresight into the liturgical calendar last week as a learning opportunity, I wanted to put something together on preparation.  I now have two different calendars that I'll be checking to make sure no more feasts sneak up on me prior to writing my reflections each week - a new step in my preparation that I have added each week. I think preparation is one of the key attributes to staying ahead of life's troubles.  Preparation gets you in the mindset of knowing your reactions to different situations ahead of time.  Preparation instills confidence and strength to achieve your goals.  Preparation allows for the adaptability that will inevitably be needed as you navigate life's problems.  Preparation gives us the license to be proactive instead of reactive, changing the situation to be better instead of trying to fix a broken one. Preparation takes many different forms and is an ever-evolving task.  As a kid, my first exposures to preparation we...

"Man plans, God laughs."  Obviously, I need to pay more attention to the Liturgical Calendar instead of reading sequentially the Sundays of the year.   I found myself sitting there Sunday feeling a little silly as I opened the missal in church and saw the Feast for the Presentation.  So with my streak of two straight weekends without issue now at an end, I'll give a quick reflection on the Gospel reading for the Presentation. This Gospel is one of the few insights into a "normal"* moment for Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, as they are fulfilling their religious obligation as parents.  It's one of those little moments that reminds me that even Jesus and the Holy Family were subject to God's plan for worship that had been laid out and developed throughout the centuries of practice in Israel.  I cannot imagine the internal conflicts in Joseph and Mary, as they are knowing of Jesus's ultimate destiny and who He is, at least partially, and yet, like any parent, ...