THE SHEPHERD

April 28, 2015

When reading scripture it is important to remember which audience the speaker/writer is addressing.  Jesus spoke in agricultural and husbandry terms a lot for two reasons; first the people were by and large not city folk but small town people with sheep and crops, etc. so the references made sense to them. Second, the world will always have crops and herds of animals so the references will always be timely.  That’s why the image of the Good Shepherd is arguably one of the most familiar to the world.  I personally used to bristle a little at being referred to as a sheep but I’ve learned that the parable of the Good Shepherd is less about the sheep and more about the Shepherd, of course.  Jesus uses that image because it is one of someone who literally lays down their life for those in their care.  A shepherd lived with his flock.  He slept with one eye open and one ear cocked for danger every night.  The sound of his voice was both their comfort and direction.  How perfect a description of our relationship with Christ is that?  The more I’ve thought about it the more precious it becomes.  You know in the movies when the “cavalry” arrives at the last minute to save everyone?  With Christ in your life the cavalry surrounds you.

CRUNCH TIME

April 26, 2015

When Jesus stood before a group of people most of whom were regular followers and included his apostles, he must have taken a deep breath before uttering the fateful words: "Unless you eat my body and drink my blood you shall not have life within you."  He must have known what a bombshell that would be and it was.  Imagine the consternation of those people.  In our time people would think it was pretty creepy and be turned off and at that time many of them walked away.  Jesus knew it but it had to be said and so he said it.  When the dust settled few were left before him.  And in what was probably a sad voice he asked the disciples, "What about you?  Will you leave me too?"  Peter's answer was perfect, "Where would we go?"  In other words, we're in it for the long haul and we have seen and heard who you are and there is no other place for us.  I'm sure that strengthened the Lord.
Most of us have had crunch times like that in our lives.  There are a lot of expressions to cover it, like 'the die was cast', etc.  People who decide to leave school and disappoint their family, people who admit they are gay, people who make life changing decisions that will not be popular and on and on.
It would be easier if people understood that Christ, too experienced that trepidation but did not let that stop him.  Knowing that Christ is always present has sustained people since the beginning.  Think of Peter, a rough fisherman from Galilee taking on the whole Sanhedrin, or Paul entering strange towns and preaching to anyone who would listen.  All that courage came from total faith that they were not alone.  It can be the same for us.  We need only believe.

WELCOME

If anyone is reading this, welcome.  I have had the privilege to preach for the last ten years and in that time I have come to realize that the Jesus in scripture has been hijacked by the Church and the art world so much so that our images of Him are far from the actual human being.  And yet, the very fact of his humanity is the reason for his existence in this world.  God promised the ancients that one would come from Him and show us the path which Christ did but now stripped of his Jewishness, he is shown only as a resurrected super-hero leaving people with little left to identify with.  Its my hope that these blogs will bring Christ back to earth where we can get to know him. 

"CAN YOU NOT WATCH ONE HOUR WITH ME?"

"CAN YOU NOT WATCH ONE HOUR WITH ME?"

This sad and almost plaintive cry of Jesus on that fateful night rings down through time.  Imagine for a minute what those hours must have been like for Jesus.  He was, as a prisoner, sitting on death row knowing he is innocent. He was overcome by fear, frustration, and above all loneliness.  He asked his friends to stay with Him because He, like us, needed the companionship of others to help Him through a dark time.  You can guess how hard it was and then when He needed them, the apostles were asleep.   On Holy Thursday the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the Tabernacle and taken to the Altar of Repose symbolic of that painful night.  Then we have an opportunity to spend some time at that altar and contemplate His question; “Can you not watch one hour with me?” Can you give Him ten minutes of undivided attention?  Can you give Him the time it takes to express your faith in Him and your gratitude for your salvation?  If you can answer His question in the affirmative, then take a minute to tell Him that.

THE MESSAGES OF JESUS

April 22, 2015

            Often when we hear the words of Christ addressed to the people of his day we are tempted to think, “well, of course, we know that” but we have to keep in mind that we have lived all our lives knowing what Christ expects of us but his audiences had never heard these concepts before.  And so it is with  (LK 14:1, 7-14)   as Jesus spoke to the rich and powerful who lorded it over anyone who was poor or disabled, thinking themselves especially blessed to be who they were and gave no thought to others.   But in every gospel we read no matter what the circumstances or to whom the words are addressed there are always, I repeat, always words directed to us!  In this reading they are: “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted”. 

            There is no harm in being grateful for blessings and to enjoy comforts, etc. The trouble comes when we begin to think we deserve them!  What Christ asks of us is the humility to know that great blessing comes with great responsibility.  In most churches the outreach in every area is proof that congregations takes that seriously.  Still, we have an obligation to spread that concept beyond the church doors, to our family, our co-workers, our friends; gently, without reproach, but firmly and with conviction.  Sometimes I catch myself thinking  it would so great to go back in time and be a disciple of Jesus and then I think; “Wait, I am a disciple of Jesus!”

THE LORD IS CLOSE TO THE HEARTBROKEN

The Lord is close to the heartbroken,

 and those whose spirits are crushed He saves. Psalm 34:19

                  Every once in a while a passage from scripture will hit you right where you live.  It will be exactly what you needed to hear at that specific moment.  The above Psalm came to me like that. It is moments like that that have convinced me of the active presence of God in my life.  Some might say coincidence but I cannot.  It has happened too often to be merely chance. In my work I am exposed to Scripture all the time and I realized that God speaks to me directly if only I would pay attention. So now whenever I hear or read a passage I look for the message meant for me. I recommend that method to anyone who craves to hear God speak to them.  Luckily  you can both hear and read the Scriptures every Sunday.  Make a conscious effort to do so.  Don’t allow yourself to be distracted but work at it.  It will pay dividends you can’t imagine because it is truly God himself speaking to you. 

GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN

GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN
April 10,, 2015

It troubled me for a long time that Jesus said those words to Peter because they seemed so harsh.
It wasn't until I really got to know Jesus and his apostles better that I realized the fault lie not with Jesus but with the translation.  Unfortunately the exchange between Peter and Jesus comes in the same chapter and indeed on the heels of Peter's acknowledgement of Jesus as the Messiah where Jesus responds, "Blessed are your Peter no has revealed this to you."  From Blessed to Satan in one paragraph would be pretty hard to take.  But, let's look at the exchange carefully.  Jesus has just told the disciples that he will have to go to Jerusalem and there be handed over to death.  Peter, to put it in our terms says, "I've got an idea.  Let's not go.  Let's stay here."  I like to think Jesus' response here was probably more along the lines of "Please, Peter, don't tempt me. I need you to be with me." Peter, as we have seen over and over again immediately falls in line and prepares for the worst.  Jesus becomes more real to me every day.

THE ROAD TO EMMAUS

April 8, 2015
Lk: 24: 13-35



It often happens in life that it is not until the end of something that everything is made clear
Indeed it is not until the end until every can be made clear.  And so it is with this reading.
The disciples, disheartened and sad meet a stranger and because they were so involved in their own feelings they didn't really look at him but couldn't help sharing their story of grief and disappointment in the death of Jesus.  The man, however, surprised them and began to explain how the life of Jesus mirrored the scripture's prophecies of the Messiah.  They must have been so confused.  Here is a stranger who as far as they knew had nothing to do with the events in Jerusalem, in fact had said, "What events?" revealing these facts to them and making so much clear.  He made as if to leave but they couldn't let him go because at last they were understanding!
     It is often very hard for us to experience difficult times because we don't understand what is happening.  Usually the meaning becomes clear but not until the end.  Developing the patience it takes to accept this can take a life time.  This is where trusting in God is vital.  Two things Jesus said ring in my head when things are difficult and confusing: "This too shall pass" and "Peace be with you".  Two promises that are fulfilled if only we have the sense to believe them.

JESUS' LAST DAYS

Easter Monday, April 6, 2015

All during Holy Week more than any other time of the year, my thoughts go to Jesus last days and hours on earth and for years I followed the emphasis on the pain and physical torture and felt the required guilt that it was somehow all my fault.  I've changed a lot since I began reading, and preaching scripture and now I see the mental and emotional pain that plagued the Lord more clearly.
Imagine if you will what it must have been like to want to help, to guide, to show God's love to people and to be met with hostility, suspicion and violence and finally, betrayal.
During the last hour of his passion that betrayal loomed large to the point that he even called out to ask the Father if He were still with him.  When we are overwhelmed with grief, or pain or humiliation or any of those things that tear us up, we too, ask God if He is still with us.  And the bottom line is either we have faith or we don't.  When things are good we feel that God is quite near and then when they aren't good we doubt him altogether.  But at the last, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit", acknowledging his faith that God is always there.  Of all the things we can take away from the events of Holy Week, that may be the best one of all.  Jesus leads the way to God through every thing that can happen to us because, to put it in modern terms, He has been there, done that.

THIS GLORIOUS DAY

HAPPY EASTER!

THIS GLORIOUS DAY!

            He is Risen.  A simple three word sentence that set the world on the path for which it was created.  No more waiting for the Messiah.  He has come. He has Risen. He has given us the path to freedom; freedom from sin, from strife and freedom to fulfill God’s will for us.  The fact that this path has to be taken by each person individually is the reason the fulfillment of the promise is so slow in coming.  But we must not be discouraged because there are signs all around us of the presence of Christ in the world.  When the Jews were being led to the Promised Land they got discouraged and turned to idols hoping for quicker results but that isn’t how it works, then or now.  On this Easter Sunday let us renew our determination to follow the path and bring as many as we can with us by our prayers and above all by our example. Be assured of this, His life, death and resurrection were not in vain.