WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

The Free Press ran a long series last weekend on the people of Corktown.  They focused on people who don’t just live there, but spend a great deal of time helping their neighbors.  They do everything from paying for food from their own pockets, sheltering the abused, and menaced, farming and sharing the produce, to taking in the homeless and providing meals. The whole area is awash with the homeless and the lost.  They are not popular and some people actually removed all the park benches so they would have nowhere to sleep. Then other people stepped in and replaced the benches and/or found shelter for them. These people have one major thing in common. They do not judge.  They help those in need over and over again and never expect anything in return. 

Their actions mirror those of Jesus.  Some of them are trying to do that; others have no idea that’s what they’re doing. They are just helping.  In his book, Who Is This Man?   John Ortberg describes both Jesus and these people of Corktown.  

“Jesus spent his life with the ordinary and the unimpressive. He would pay deep attention to lepers and cripples, to the blind and the beggar. The derelict, the broken person who has wasted their life away, the homeless, the poor, the diseased, the mentally ill, the exiles and refugees are viewed by many as burdens to be discarded, but Jesus saw them as bearers of divine glory who touch our conscience and still our selfishness.”

Jesus came in the world at a time when a child born with any defect was put on the trash heap to die. It was called Exposure and it was legal in Roman society.  Jesus called a child to him and told his disciples that unless you become like a child you have no place in heaven.  Thus began a radical change in society where the concept of the value of every human being was proclaimed.  We still fight against prejudice, intolerance and downright hatred, but the fact that we fight is proof that Jesus lives in us.

Christmas is a time for giving and the outpouring of generosity is huge, however, the people who are unwanted are always there.  Jesus said the poor wouldalways be there.  Most of us won’t or can’t go there and help but we can change our attitude.

We can stop judging them. We can stop thinking of them as derelicts and hopeless cases and remember that God came into the world, poor and in a filthy stable to be seen first by rag tag shepherds, people that other folk tried to avoid.  That was not an accident.  That’s what it’s all about. 

May the power of Christmas be with you always.

Carol Lemelin OPA

BE YOURSELF

BE YOURSELF, BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO AND YOU’RE THE CLOSEST

I talk too much.  I admit it. I have had to own it for many years. It seems that whenever I’ve been in trouble, talking is the reason.  I said something I shouldn’t have or I said something someone didn’t want to hear, or I spoke out of turn.  Whatever it was, I was very embarrassed by it, but that didn’t change me.  I tried to change but to no avail. Then came a wonderful day when St. Paul bailed me out.  

After being crossed at every turn, criticized by everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike, St. Paul states ‘By the grace of God, I am what I am!’ (1Cor. 15:10)Paul had decided that God has chosen him to spread the message precisely because of his personality not in spite of it.  What a liberating feeling that was! I realized that was probably true for me too. Now, I am an Associate of the Dominican order – Order of Preachers, of course. I got drawn into it not of my own volition, but I love it and I know it is a place I was meant to be. 

For many of us, who we are, what we are, or rather, how we see ourselves is flawed. 

We tend to either over or under estimate ourselves.  We rarely look at the truth.  St. Paul was forced to do that.  He had to look carefully at how he presented himself to others and discern whether he was putting himself first or putting Christ first. 

After he did that, he found the strength and confidence to say in effect, take me as I am because I can’t change and I’m doing my best. 

It is an invitation from God to us to do the same.  Who do we think built the faith?

Peter, John, James, Timothy, Lydia, Lois, Eunice, Bartholomew, to name a few, were ordinary people.  We are ordinary people.  We have exactly the same amount of help that these early Christians had. What’s the difference between us?  They, could not stop themselves from sharing the Good News.  We, got so used to thinking that the clergy proclaimed the Good News, that we lost the evangelization spirit. 

How do we get it back? We get it back by reading the New Testament and following Jesus as he walked the roads of Israel.  We get it back by putting ourselves in the story. We get it back by imagining the scenes, the reactions of the people, and the reactions of the disciples, who must have spent a lot of time in confusion.  As we do this, the charisma of Jesus will take hold of us and the day will come when we will no longer wonder what to say or how to say it.  It will be part of us.  

Here I go, saying somethingagain.  

It is my belief that we should not be trying to fill the pews, but to fill the hearts of people with the desperately needed peace and love of Jesus Christ. 

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA

LET THERE BE LIGHT

LET THERE BE LIGHT

I have my Christmas lights on timers so at 5pm every evening they all go on and drive the darkness away. I really don’t like this time of year when it’s dark at 4:30. From the end of Daylight Savings Time until Dec. 21^stwhen the days begin to get longer it is depressingly dark.  I wouldn’t last 6 months in Alaska, Iceland or Sweden. They would have to lock me up.  Twice in my life I have been in a situation where there was total darkness. It is almost impossible to explain what that feels like.  You are suspended in a way. You know you’re still breathing, but there is nothing, just emptiness and you are afraid to move.  Believe me, your imagination does a number on you.

    

Light is one of those things we take for granted and only notice when it isn’t there.  Have you ever noticed how your heart lifts when you look out the window and see that the sun is shining?  Light figures prominently in all life.  The very creation of the world began with it.  The Big Bang happened when God said, “Let There Be Light!”.  Growth is dependent on light. Light furthers understanding by revealing details we would miss in the dark. That light at the end of the tunnel is a symbol of hope

Jesus is referred to as Christ our Light and with good reason.  When Jesus first appeared on the scene, the light in his eyes struck anyone who heard him or saw him. He revealed the great love of God that is evident in the scriptures but sadly had been forgotten.  He brought people to the understanding that God is not remote and unapproachable but near at all times.  He helps us understand that God’s love exists within us.  He is still doing that.  His light never went out and we see it in the love between people.  We see that light in the goodness shown in times of great trial.  

A life without knowing that the love of God is there for the taking is the worst possible fate.  The light from a star heralds the great miracle of Christmas.  We decorate with lights even in places where it isn’t dark, like Australia this time of year.  We do this from the basic instinct that light is life.  Christ is light.  That light shines year round from within those who recognize it and share it.  

If Christmas is about anything, it’s about that.  The appearance on earth of God himself, bringing the light of love and understanding to any all who will hear, is meant to transform the world no matter how long it takes.  We have a part to play in that and it is our obligation to keep it in mind all day, every day, even in the dark. 

May Christ’s light shine on you this Advent season. 

Carol Lemelin OPA

A WAY THROUGH THE WORLD

A WAY THROUGH THE WORLD

One day this week a man went into a hospital and began shooting people, killing three of them. On another day this week a man got lost in the north woods of Michigan. Sixteen people, 2 dogs and 2 helicopters went out to find him.  They walked through tortuous terrain, which they said was often chest deep waters, until they found him. They built a fire to warm him because of hypothermia and dehydration, but he was too weak to carry out so a helicopter crew rescued him in a basket.  The sixteen people and the dogs then walked back out through that terrain and by that time some of them needed medical help, too.  Oh, and by the way, this was in the middle of the night. 

How are we expected to make our way through this crazy world?  Stories like these are repeated every day all over the world.  Good and bad side by side.  It ‘s tempting to lose hope, to feel that evil is insurmountable. That is an easy mistake to make because evil is so noisy and good is so quiet. Case in point; the gunman made the headlines and the top stories in the news while the heroic rescue team goes unnoticed.  

Our sole comfort is knowing that Jesus has been here and made his way through the world, which was as crazy then as it now.   Jesus, who is our brother, our leader and our God, bore all that the world can dish out and came out triumphant, is our strength and our comfort.  The meaning of his life was not to show us how to get to heaven, but to show us how to live on this earth.  He just kept on moving.  He never lost faith in his cause, he never looked back, and his trust in God never wavered.  He has set the example we are to follow. 

We must stand for what is right.  We must defend the defenseless.  We must speak out against injustice.  In short, we must live our lives as he lived his.  We have to ignore what we can’t control, keep the faith and never lose hope. 

On this Thanksgiving, let us thank God for Jesus, our beacon through this world. 

May God bless you all, 

Carol Lemelin OPA

PS: I am especially thankful for you and your kind responses to my words. 

Joy to The World

JOY TO THE WORLD

My husband’s brother, Fred, was a happy person.  He loved Christmas.  He particularly loved the music of Christmas.  I have a lovely little clock that plays Christmas Carols on the hour during the day and every time it chimes I think of Fred.  I can hear him singing those beloved songs.  Sure, he was a bachelor and really didn’t have anything required of him at Christmas except to show up for dinner.  But his presence added an extra measure of joy.  

It is hard to feel the joy when the holidays begin with Black Friday.  Immediately the focus is on material things.  The pressure on women is especially heavy.  The cooking, the planning, the buying, the worry, the self-imposed expectations drive all thoughts of the meaning of the day away. 

C. S. Lewis wrote a piece called The Grand Miracle.  I admit I had to read it three times before what he was saying became clear.  His point was, that with all the attention to the preparation and to the Baby, we don’t give any attention to what actually happened.  God, the Almighty, the Creator, became a fetus.  He likened it to someone diving deeply in the ocean depths, into the pitch-black water, down into the mud and slime and then up again, his lungs bursting, into the warm sunlight. Bringing with him the thing he went down to get – human nature.  

The point is that Christmas is so much bigger than the frivolous trappings we are so used to. We still have to go ahead with the celebration because it is a legitimate cause for celebration.  But, we need to dig deeper into the meaning of this miracle. 

God became one of us by participating in the greatest miracle of all, human gestation and ultimate birth.  When you do that, somehow all the material stuff falls away and is replaced by awe. 

What Fred brought to the holidays was uncomplicated joy.  Our days of preparation would be easier if we kept the image of God’s magnificent miracle in the forefront of our thinking and felt that joy throughout. 

And what about the gift giving?  Remember God started it by gifting us with Jesus.

Blessings and joy, 

Carol Lemelin OPA

NOTHING LEFT

NOTHING LEFT

Elijah saw a woman near the city gate and asked her to bring him some water and some bread.  She said she could not comply because all she had left was a bit of flour and oil to feed herself and her child and when that was eaten, they would die of starvation.  (1Kgs 17:10-16)

It is difficult for us who live in plenty to imagine a point where there is literally nothing left, but then came the wildfires in California, fires, in which an entire town was burned to the ground in a matter of minutes.  We all stare at the photos uncomprehending.  Imagine what it is like for the citizens of that town!  There is nothing left. 

A while ago there was a commercial depicting what it feels like to have your car stolen.  A man steps out of his office to the place where he parked his car and there is nothing left but a gaping black hole.  I thought that ad was perfect because that was how it was for me. Hardly anyone escapes this life without at least one moment like that and usually there are more.   A dream is crushed.  Someone you love and need has died.  A lifelong friendship is ruined.  You undergo discrimination, or any of a dozen things that leave you facing that black hole. 

To know, not just believe, but to know that God is at your side is often the one thing that keeps you from jumping into that black hole.   When my second child was born I was alone and due to circumstances beyond my control he was born at home.  At the time I said to God, “I assume you’re going to help me with this, because this is not my idea!”  I repeated that exact phrase when my husband died.  When my son died, however, I said, “I know you are going to help me with this.”  My assurance of that came from my experience of the all-encompassing love of God.  I’ve asked people how they know that God is with them.  The answer is usually the same, “I just know.”

They make it sound easy and actually it is.  It is a simple matter of opening yourself to God. Don’t be afraid.  You have no secrets from God. He knows where you’re coming from and he understands. Acknowledge your dependence on his mercy and give your fears and anxieties to him.  Jesus said, “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Matt 11:26)

Like your favorite pillow or comforter, let yourself be embraced by Jesus. Rest your head upon his heart and find peace. The black holes fill up and the way ahead is smoothed out. 

Blessings and peace, 

Carol Lemelin OPA

ALL IS POSSIBLE

ALL IS POSSIBLE

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus.

Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and, found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.  Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name and at the name of Jesus every knee should bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord   (Phil 2:5-11)

How did this happen? How did it come to pass that Paul of Tarsus, a relentless persecutor of the followers of Christ, became His greatest advocate?  We know about his being knocked off his horse and blinded.  We know he went at Christ’s command to the city.  We know that Ananias was directed by God to go to Paul. He went even though Paul was practically a murderer in the eyes of the New People.  From there it makes a great story.  Can you imagine the reaction when the disciples in Jerusalem heard that the notorious Saul of Tarsus wanted to be a Christian?  

After the initial shock wore off, the efforts of Paul to enlighten his people to the coming of the Messiah had a powerful effect on the Apostles.  It undoubtedly took quite awhile but eventually they came to see that his grasp of the true meaning of the life of Jesus was nothing short of extraordinary.  There is only one answer to how this was even possible and that is the Holy Spirit was at work. 

From that time on it has been the Holy Spirit who speaks to us.  The trick is to learn to understand and listen carefully.   That is not impossible.  Despite the enormity of God, God is as close as your next heartbeat. The prophets all learned to hear and understand that the voice of God comes from within.  There is a knowingthat comes with the voice of God.  It is not limited to prophets or evangelists.  It is for you and me as well.  This is not spooky or weird, but as real as you are.  Again, however, you and I must get in touch with that Spirit before we can hope to understand what God wants from us.  

Thomas Moore, Catherine of Sienna, Dominic, Isaac Jogues and Oscar Romero, are just a few of the millions who have heard and acted on the voice of the Spirit because they learned to listen and to follow.  Pope Francis says we have to leave room for the Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to be the soul and guide of our lives in our every decision. To live with the Spirit we must follow the SpiritGod.

You probably will never be required to do deeds of magnitude, but it is not for us determine what is or is not important to God.  Just remember to say each day, “Father, I live to do your will.”

We have not only to be called Christians; we must be Christians – St. Ignatius

Carol Lemelin OPA

TRY HARDER

TRY HARDER

As I have grown older some things that were easy are now much harder, such as opening packages. Little kids can rip open a box in nothing flat but I can’t.  I keep tools handy such as scissors and box cutters.  But sometimes I am annoyed with myself for taking the easy road and so when, like today, I was trying to open a bag with that sort of tongue in groovesealer, I didn’t go for a tool.  Instead, I told my self “Try harder!” I am a little embarrassed to admit that I felt quite wonderful when it opened.  

That got me thinking about trying to live our lives in Christ’s image.  I don’t think I would have been a very good disciple, because I question everything.  When Jesus said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”    I would have said, “Good luck with that!”   See what I mean?

When Jesus said that we should be perfect, what did he really mean?  Perfection in humans is not possible.  Face it.  You see a model that you say is perfectly beautiful and you would be surprised to hear her say, ”My nose is too long, or my right eyebrow is not shaped as well as my left.” 

Jesus meant be perfect in love.  The love of God is perfect.  That means it is universal, never weakening and over abundant. It might surprise us to know humans can actually achieve that.  We can love perfectly.  We can fight the urge to look down on people, to hate them, to carry grudges, to gossip, or hunt down and kill them.  We just have to try harder. 

There are people who do good and still claim they don’t believe in God.  That’s fine for them, but the fact is they reach down inside themselves for the motivation and love to help others without realizing that that love is God. There is no love without God no matter what you may think. 

In this world of incredible technology, it is often a shock to people of my generation who try to do something the old way and find out it’s already been done in a millisecond by their car or computer or their phone or embarrassingly, by their grandchild. But, isn’t it wonderful?  That’s how the love of God works, quickly, quietly, and powerfully.   The only way people will feel the love of God or learn to recognize his presence will be through us. What we must do is be constantly aware of the Spirit within us and try harder. 

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA

UNITED IN CHRIST

UNITED IN CHRIST

When scripture scholars got together to present the letters of Paul to the world, there were always some doubts cast about when, where or who wrote it.  I don’t think that matters very much. I think what matters is who is reading it today.  The letter to the Ephesians, like the others, is written to Jews in areas outside of Israel; people who have embraced the Good News of Jesus.  Like all the converts, they had to keep focused on Him in order to change their thinking and their concept of God.  That was difficult to do because of all the outside influences. Paul saw it as his responsibility to keep them resolute. It is no different for us, so we can read Paul’s words and take them to heart because, even though he didn’t know it, they were written for us too.  

A case in point: Letter to Ephesians 2:19-23

“So then you are no longer strangers and travelers, but you are fellow citizens with the members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in Him you also are being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

The question we must ask ourselves is “Are we that?”  Do we ever think of ourselves, Christians that is, as a household with Jesus at the head?   The first time I ever saw anyone who evidenced that joy was when the first Charismatic group came to our church. They embraced each other in joy for being followers of Christ. Everyone sneered at them and called them ‘Holy Rollers’.  Which group of Christians do you think brought a smile to Jesus’s face?

I recently returned from a visit to West Point where my grandson is a Cadet. I met a man who graduated in 1967, 30 years before my grandson was born, and yet the bond between them and between every graduate or cadet, is all around you there and it is so strong it almost feels like a living thing.  It is because they all are focused on the same thing, Duty, Honor, Country.

We ought to strive for that kind of bond between all Christians.  Our focus must be Jesus Christ.  We need to ignore distinctions between religions and concentrate on the headship of Jesus.  It’s a tall order because some of those rifts go very, very deep, but the Spirit is stronger. It makes me feel very insignificant when I try to think of how we can achieve this; still, I know it is what God wants from us.  There are two types of churchgoers in the majority. There are ones who visit with everyone and the conversation, I dare say, is not about Jesus. Then there are those who sit quietly and talk to Jesus but don’t share him.  Let us pray daily that we will grow enough to take joy in a life lived in Jesus and because of it, form the bond that is so desperately needed.

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA

PAUL THE INTREPID

PAUL THE INTREPID

During recent weeks the daily readings from Scripture have centered on St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians. This letter has been called the “Queen of Epistles” and was noted as Martin Luther’s all-time favorite, because Paul is so direct and so positive in his instruction on how to live one’s life in Christ. In his book, Letter to the Galatians,William Barclay writes: 

“As Paul composed his letters, he had in his mind’s eye a vision of the folk to whom he was writing and he was pouring out his heart to them in words that fell over each other in his eagerness to help.”

Imagine, if you will, how Paul went about his mission. He would enter a town or city where he was a stranger.  He would locate the marketplace. He set up his stall and then seek out the Jews of the region. He would just talk to people.

Someone asks, “What brings you here?“

He answers, “I have good news.”  And it began.  Then at the end of the day, he would go back to his rooms and write encouraging letters to the last community he visited.  

When compared with Paul and his travels, the journeys of Marco Polo and Columbus and others, pale because of what drove him.   Instead of treasure seeking, or exploration, or conquest of lands and people, he only sought to bring the Good News of Christ.  

Spreading the Good News is an integral part of our faith, but we do not do it.  We feel tongue tied or fearful we will be regarded as nutty or any excuse you can think of.  

The first step is to actually believe what you say you believe.  The second is to know the words of Paul that you can use.  Study the epistles.  Take to heart the words he used to share Christ.  

To someone who is in despair; “Who can separate us from the love of God?”   

To someone who is uncertain of their ability; “There are many ministries but the same Spirit.”

Advice to a young person going to college; “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. “

The third is to trust in the power of the Spirit.  If we really, really did trust the Spirit, nothing could stop us.

The world needs Christ so badly.  We have Him. Sharing Him and his love is our duty. We need to be like Paul. Be steadfast, speak up, fight back against racism, violence, discrimination or greed, all of which taint the world.  The Spirit is stronger than all of it. Be calm, be courageous and watch for signs.  As the prophet told Samuel, when you speak to God say; “Speak Lord, your servant is listening. 

Carol Lemelin OPA

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A LOT TO THINK ABOUT

A LOT TO THINK ABOUT

Some of John’s disciples and some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked why it was that devout Jews fasted but apparently his disciples did not.  When Jesus answered, they got more than they bargained for. 

No one mourns while the bridegroom is still with them…

No one patches a worn cloak with an unshrunken patch…

No one puts new wine into old wineskins… (Matt 9:14-17)

It is possible that Jesus did not say those things all at the same time as it is written.  It could have been a dialogue with the disciples of John and the Pharisees over a period of time.  In any event, it is a very important moment in the mission of Christ. Jesus is using homely examples that cannot be misunderstood to tell his listeners that he has come to change things dramatically.  As always, his explanations are lucid and sensible.  The problem for his enemies was that they had let fear of change drive them, so they must protest. 

Vatican II attempted to affect the same kind of thing when the Bishops of the world examined the relationships between the Church and the people and found that the emphasis was weighted on the side of obedience to rules with less emphasis on Christ.  The changes they made were intended to bring people back to a position of participants instead of spectators. It worked for the most part; certainly the number of people ministering at Mass is proof of that.  

Still, opposition to change reared its ugly head immediately.  That has to do with our desire for comfort.  We fight change because we don’t want our comfort zone disturbed, but Jesus was all for that.  He wanted them to know the old ways were over and that love and care for one another must be the main focus of everyone’s life.  His disciples and all those who came after were on fire with zeal for the changes Jesus wanted.  And when Vatican II finished up, our parishes were on fire to bring these new (old) ideas into our worship. But, Vatican II was a long time ago and we have settled again to what is familiar and comfortable.  But the world is crying out for something, and the answer is Jesus.  We, his disciples, are the ones who must remind them of Him or introduce them to Him.   Loving one another isn’t a quaint idea. Jesus put that on top of his list of changes. It must still remain on top of our list. When truth, patience, tolerance, and courage begin to disappear, we know we’ve lost our way.   The earliest disciples reflected the words of Jesus in their actions.  We can do no less.  In fact, we must follow their example.

Jeremiah 7:10-11

“If each of you deals justly with their neighbor; if you do not oppress aliens, widows and orphans, I will remain with you in this place”

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA

What's Love Got To Do With It?

WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

From the very beginning, God emphasized the love of neighbor. Nearly every prophet repeats that. Jesus came then, and not only preached love of neighbor, but lived it, up to and including, forgiving his killers. Still the human race makes a face and says, “He doesn’t mean those people does he?”  

If you look at the people whom God chose to represent Him on earth you know quickly that God knows how to pick them.  Moses, David, Isaiah, Peter, all handpicked and all dedicated to His will.  So when it came to explaining what he meant by love your neighborhe chose Paul of Tarsus. 

In his letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 12:31 thru 13:13, Paul lays it out for all to see.   This passage is commonly used at weddings, but the simple truths expressed in this passage are the recipe for loving your neighbor, not just your spouse.  It’s almost as though someone had asked Paul about how they should love because he begins by saying: 

I shall show you a still more excellent way.

Love is patient.  At home, in traffic, in the airport, wherever.

Love is kind. To strangers, to the poor, to people you don’t like.

Love is not jealous. Because someone has something you don’t.

Love is not pompous. Because you have something they don’t.

Love is not inflated. (Not sure what Paul means by this)

Love is not rude. This ought to be bumper sticker!

Love does not seek its own interests – above others.

Love is not quick tempered. Anger management, anyone?

Love does not brood over injury or rejoice over wrongdoing.

Love rejoices in the truth. Truth is still truth and it shines like a beacon. 

Love bears everything.

Love believes.

Love hopes.

Love endures.

Love never fails. 

It can’t, it simply can’t be any clearer than this!  God is not asking the impossible.  He does not command that you like everyone or that you never avoid people who bring out the worst in you. He does not say you should leave yourself vulnerable to attack or insult.  What he does ask is that you live by this code and remember that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.  He asks that you keep love foremost in your heart and mind so that His love can be extended to the world. What’s love got to do with it?  Everything. 

May God be with us as we strive to love one another. Amen

Carol Lemelin, OPA

TODAY'S HEADLINE

TODAY’S HEADLINE

“ACTIVIST, JESUS OF NAZARETH, LOSES IT IN THE TEMPLE PRECINCTS.”

This afternoon while merchants were selling their wares to visitors in town for Passover, Jesus of Nazareth, already known for his unorthodox behavior, took a whip to the moneychangers and merchants.  During his wrathful explosion, tables were overturned, money cascading on to the floor, animals crying out in fear and people scrambling to get out the way of that whip.  It must be noted that Jesus did not actually strike any person, just the tables.  He cried out a quote from the book of Jeremiah; “You have made of my father’s house a den of thieves.”   

The temple guards were summoned, but somehow Jesus was able to escape capture, although no one actually saw him leave the area.  The High Priest and the president of the Sanhedrin conferred privately, but no announcement was forthcoming.  It is known, however, that the Sanhedrin is deeply troubled by the presence of Jesus of Nazareth due to his insistence on recognition of the rights of sinners and his attacks on the establishment.  

The High Priest said at his press conference; “His insistence on consorting with tax collectors and street people sets a very bad example and threatens the stabilization of the nation. There is even a story of his having spent time in the company of Romans. The nation does not need another rabble rouser and we will do all we can to keep him from disrupting the peace.”

EDITORS NOTE: 

“With all due respect to the High Priest, we would like to recommend that you go and find this Jesus and listen to what he has to say and make your own decisions.  We do not say this lightly because we have seen and heard him and we note that his message cuts through the red tape of government and concentrates on what Yahweh demands of us, which is to love one another.  This Jesus is no rabble-rouser, but a compassionate man who brings the message of God’s love to everyone, whether high or low in society.  He appears to be the one Scripture says, “Will reveal things hidden since the beginning of the world.”It is our opinion that the world will never forget Him. “  

Times change, but people don’t and Jesus would get the same reception if he came in our century as he did in his.  The wonderful thing is, the message is the same then and now, and means as much to world as it when it was first proclaimed. The best way to share the faith is to live it. 

May God bless as we try to fulfill Jesus’ call. 

Carol Lemelin OPA

UNTANGLED

UNTANGLED 

I was in a small store not too long ago and as I was waiting to be cashed out, I noticed a basket of bracelets and necklaces on the counter. I saw one I thought I would like, so I picked up one strand and the entire bunch came with it!  The clerk apologized and said they had been so busy they had not had time to untangle them. I asked if they would mind if I tried and she said they would be thrilled. It only took about 5 minutes and I had them all straightened out. As I worked, I was thinking about how much fun that is for me to figure out what goes where, what’s twisted here, what should go the other way. 

That led me to thinking about our personal relationships and how twisted up they can get. How one day of misunderstanding can ruin an entire relationship. The worst part is we tend to leave the mess in the basket and not try to sort it out.  In fact, sometimes we actually nurse that kind of grudge. As we age and look back, we realize that one twist, one effort, one word, or gesture could have untangled the whole mess, but we didn’t do it. It’s not nice to look back on that. Fixing it now is often impossible. 

The sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, had a little contretemps over preparing dinner.  Jesus took Mary’s side and that had to hurt, but these women were disciples of Jesus and if they learned anything, they learned to love one another.  Chances are good that they solved their issue quickly because of His influence. 

What about us?  Does Jesus influence our behavior?  The dictate to love one another includes forgiving one another. We speak of skeletons in closets.   That doesn’t always mean crimes; it can mean grudges.  It means those big grudges, lifetime grudges that we take out and pet and feed and keep alive.  I might go so far as to say that this is a disease like alcoholism or drug addiction. We have to have it. In a sick kind of way, we enjoy it.  No one can truly love and follow Christ and still carry something like this around. Everyone knows that the person holding the grudge is more burdened than the object of his or her anger. What’s worse, and, frankly ridiculous, is that the object often has no idea about the grudge against them.  

When we carry a grudge, we shut Jesus out.  The sad thing is, Jesus is the only answer to ending this.  Jesus is God, and God is love and there is no room for grudges. Prayer will help in finding the strand that will untangle the whole thing. 

I know whereof I speak. I carried a grudge for years.  I prayed constantly for Jesus to relieve me of it, until the day I realized it was up to me to find the strand that would unravel the whole thing.  Once I did, the peace promised by Christ was mine. 

Blessings, 

Carol Lemelin OPA  

A TWO-WAY STREET

A TWO-WAY STREET

MARK 6: 1-6

He came to his native place accompanied by his disciples.

Going home to visit is often a mixed bag of emotions and experiences, but most people look forward to seeing old friends and visiting places full of memories.  It probably was something like that for Jesus.  It’s possible he went back to Nazareth because of the carpentry shop or to share his stories and bring news of his cousin John and certainly to see his mother.  

As was the custom when someone came back, they were invited to read in Synagogue, which Jesus did. You can imagine how he felt when he decided to tell them who he really was, part excitement and part worry.  He was wise to worry, because it did not go well when he said, “Today, these words have been fulfilled in your hearing.”  Their reaction was negative to the max.  Their actions and words prompted Jesus to say, “A prophet is without honor in his own land.”  

The thing the townspeople apparently found the most objectionable was that Jesus healed so many in other places and yet had never healed there.  It is at this point that Jesus reveals the most important part the healing process.  It is a two way street.  It is not enough to expect to be healed, it is essential that one believe healing is possible and to understand it is God who heals. 

The people of his town did not honor Jesus.  They questioned all the testimony in his favor because they knew him from childhood and would not accept that he was special. They were, to put it simply, jealous, jealous because Jesus was held in high esteem elsewhere.  Jealous because he came to them changed, enlarged as it were, and beyond them in every possible way, and they were angry because his fame brought nothing to them.  This got so bad they tried to throw him over a cliff.  So much for homecoming. 

By and large the people of the world look on God as a last resort when their lives get out of hand and they suddenly realize there is one last place they can look for help.

That usually ends badly, just as it did that day in Nazareth.  People are not willing to accept the responsibility for their own choices, but instead, blame God when things do not go their way.  

In every case, when a person was healed, Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you.” 

When we call on God, it’s imperative that we understand the dynamic.  First, God knows what you need before you ask. Second, what you ask for is not necessarily what you need.  Third, the Holy Spirit is with you to guide you to accept whatever answer you receive. Fourth, and most important, God loves you with a depth you cannot imagine. Believe it. 

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA

PAY ATTENTION!

PAY ATTENTION!

“Listen up, folks”, says God. “ I’ve got some things I want to say and I want you to pay attention.  These things are not optional for you.  I expect you to do them because they are meant to establish peace and harmony and joy among you.  If they are ignored, all kinds of bad things will happen and it will be all your fault. 

*Please do not burn up the cattle and the best vegetables and/or each other with the mistaken idea that I want that.  I do not! What I want, and I don’t know how many ways to say this so you will understand, what I want is that you love one another. I want that you treat each other exactly how you would expect to be treated.  It’s really not that hard. (Hosea 6:6)

*Don’t look for me in terrible storms; tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons, tsunamis and forest fires.  They are not my doing and they are not my punishments.  All of your lives are valuable to me.  Get that?  All lives are precious to me.  I know that is a hard one to swallow because of the ego I gave you and the free will that makes you think you are better than others.  You are not.  (1KGs 19:12)

*Somehow you got the idea that I punish offspring for the sins of the parents.  All lives are mine!  The life of the father and the life of the son, for example, are both precious to me and I do not punish the innocent. (EZ 18:4)

*Those who serve others of their own free will, I will bless abundantly.  I will not be pleased if you do not strengthen the weak, heal the sick or bind up the wounded. If you do not bring back the stray and do not seek the lost but instead lord it over them

 (EZ 34:4)

Now you ask, ‘What will you do to insure we do these things as you ask?’

*I will create within you a clean heart. I will take away your heart of stone and replace it with a natural heart.  I will write my will on your heart so you will always know it is there. No one will have to tell you about it. It will be part of you. You will be my people and I will be your God. (JER 31:33 and EZ 36:26)

Oh yes, one more thing. Some of you know me as Father, some think of me as Son and some as Spirit.  Well it’s all the same.  If you call on one, all answer.  Don’t argue about any of this.  It is my will that you make this earth of yours a place of peace and love. Don’t make me sorry I created it.”

The Word of the Lord.

Carol Lemelin OPA

PICK YOURSELF UP

PICK YOURSELF UP

“I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working with the clay. Whenever what he was making turned out badly, he tried again until what he made pleased him. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Can I not do for you what the potter does with the clay?’ ” 

(Jer. 18:1-6)

This reading can be seen in a couple of ways.  Some see it as God saying that He is controlling our lives, which I think leads us in the wrong direction. Many people believe exactly that and when things go awry they immediately demand to know why God didthat!  The other way to see it is described in the song, which advises, “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”  When Ezekiel’s wife dies, God pretty much tells him the same thing. (Ez 24: 15-23)

So many people feel helpless when it comes to God. They feel that they have no control, but must endure whatever He decides to send them.  Yet, nearly everything that happens can be traced back to the choices made by people.  No matter what it is, the free will of the human being is at the heart of it.  God is not toying with us; giving us free will and then overriding it.  That would be so cruel.  It just isn’t God. 

What this passage is saying, is that God has given us the gifts we need to do as the potter did, start over and make something new.  Writers, composers, artists, builders and others who are trying to create something are often faced with failures and they have to start over.  So it is with every day life.  

How often do things turn out badly in life?  How often is the end result not what we wanted at all?  Trusting in God is what helps us to consider the situation and make the decision to accept what is and to grow in it and learn from it and move on. People of faith know this to be the truth, but I realize that for some people that statement is pure nonsense. Why wouldn’t it be? If a person has no real knowledge of God especially through Jesus Christ they would not understand. 

Shortly after the death of my husband, I was working with a client on her computer problem when she asked me to dinner the next evening at her home.  I was taken aback because I hardly knew her, but since Dave’s death a lot of people had been kind so I agreed.  After the dinner while we having coffee, she asked me what drugs was I taking. I said I wasn’t taking any.  She insisted I must be taking Valium or something, because I seemed so calm.  I told her I relied on God; that I knew he was with me and had sustained me throughout.

I won’t say she threw me out, but you’ve heard the expression; “Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?”  That’s pretty much how it felt as the evening ended abruptly.

I’ve thought about that night a lot and felt I had failed her.  Still, I said it and I have no idea how it affected the rest of her life. I have to leave that up to God.  I do know that she never called me for help again, for what that’s worth.  

Blessings as you try to bring God to others.

Carol Lemelin OPA

IF JESUS SPOKE OUR LANGUAGE

IF JESUS SPOKE OUR LANGUAGE

A boy who was mute was brought before Jesus and Jesus drove the demon from him and he began to speak.  The crowd was amazed but the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.” (Matthew 9: 32-38)

So often the lofty language of the Gospels sets Jesus apart from the reader.  If Jesus talked like we do, we would be able to relate to him far more easily.  For example, in this reading, when the Pharisees put forth the ridiculous idea that Jesus drove out demons with the help of demons, can you imagine Jesus standing up and, in a tone of disdain, say,  “Does this make any sense to anyone here?”

When Peter suggested that they avoid going to Jerusalem after Jesus said he would die there, instead of “Get thee behind me Satan,”  Jesus could have said,  “Please Peter, don’t tempt me. This is going to be tough enough. I will need you to be strong for me.”

At Cana, Mary said, “Jesus, they have no more wine.”  Jesus replies, “Mom, I told you it’s not time.”  Mary just smiles and walks away throwing “Do what he tells you.” over her shoulder.

This is in no way a criticism of Scripture or of the translation.  For example, I am a fan of Jane Austen novels, which are difficult to read until you get used to the idioms of that time and the way they phrase things.  The characters are quaint and remain so. Those books belong in the 19th century and there is no need to change the language.  But the Gospels are different.  The Gospels are about Jesus and Jesus must remain relevant no matter what century it is.  Jesus must never be thought of as quaint, and of another time, because Jesus is for all time. The idea of rewriting the gospels in contemporary language is not a good one, however. That sort of thing leaves the possibility of error too likely. If, however, we change how we readthem, we may find a more contemporary Jesus.  And we need Jesus to be contemporary so that we will know him as a friend to whom we can speak freely.

Try this. Take the story in which the mother of James and John asks Jesus to place her sons at his right and left side when he comes into his kingdom.  (She may have thought that was going to be an earthly place).  Jesus almost laughs at her as he tells them they have no idea what they are asking.  The best part of this story is when the other disciples get wind of it. Read the chapter first and then imagine what your own family and/or friends would say under similar circumstances. 

(Matthew 20:20-28)

May God help us to find and keep the real Jesus in our lives.

Carol Lemelin, OPA

HOPE

HOPE

Consider a certain Friday night, a long confusion-filled Saturday and then an even more confusing Sunday.  This was the long night of the soul of the disciples and Apostles of Jesus.  Even though they were told he would rise, actually believing in the possibility must have come hard.  They stayed together for comfort and reassurance trying to hang on to their hope in him.    Then the women came with incredible news, and throwing caution to the wind they raced to the tomb with their hearts in their mouths.   He wasn’t there, but then where was he?  It wasn’t until he came to the upper room that the truth was known.  He truly rose from the dead.  

The message of Easter that proves, without doubt, that God has visited his people, is coupled with an equally important message;

Never, ever give up hope.

Jesus was all about hope. People driven by hope, streamed out on to the hills to see him, to hear him, and to seek his help. They returned to their homes filled with greater hope.  The idea that God loves indiscriminately and that his judgment is always tempered by compassion was the source of their hope and ours. 

Emily Dickenson wrote these lines: 

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

The hope embodied in Jesus is what can sustain us no matter what is happening. 

We are currently undergoing a serious conflict between political policy and our innate compassion for others. Our reputation as a nation is under siege.  But we cannot despair because despair is the death of hope.  We have to believe in all that we stand for until things are righted and most important of all, never, ever give up hope.  Jesus trusted in God the Father and we trust in Him.  Like the disciples we need to hang on to hope. 

Let us pray fervently for an end to this crisis,

Carol Lemelin OPA

AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

I’m angry.  I admit it.  I am sick to death of the discrimination that has become the national pastime.  It’s even worse when the discrimination comes from people who call themselves Christians. These are FAKE Christians. 

You know you’re a FAKE Christian if…

You answer crude, malicious and discriminatory remarks with silence.

You turn a blind eye to the breakup of immigrant families over what amounts to paperwork.

You use the Bible to support your prejudices.

You are rude to people who struggle to express themselves in English.

You won’t serve or bake a cake, for crying out loud, for someone who doesn’t fit your image of perfection. 

You hate anyone because of his or her gender, color, race, religion or sexual orientation. 

You set that example for your children. 

You completely ignore the example set by Christ, who embraced everyone except hypocrites.

You think Jesus was kidding when he said, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”

You think God hates any of his creations and will support your efforts to make their lives miserable. 

You suffer from the delusion that racism, bigotry and discrimination are part of the Christian responsibility to live in the image of Jesus. 

May God have mercy on us, 

Carol Lemelin OPA

TALKING RELIGION

LET’S TALK RELIGION

Now don’t recoil in horror. We have been warned often not to bring up religion in public, but let’s risk it and examine religion. 

“A personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices held to with ardor and faith”, is the cold and unsatisfying definition of religion by Webster. But religion is not cold, on the contrary, it is a hot topic.   

There is something seriously wrong with the human race when it comes to attitudes about religion. Most religions have a built-in arrogance they call righteousness.  Their attitude is what we believe is the one truth. All else is in error. The sad effect of this attitude is the anger and resentment between people or things that in the long run don’t matter at all.  And religions with myriad rules and strict codes of conduct create a judgmental attitude in all the followers, which leads to creating snobs of the congregants who pass judgment on one another as well as on people of other religions.  Judge not, lest thou be judged.

Even though the Christian religions purport to follow the all-inclusive Jesus Christ, many do not.  For example, there is a church, which attends military funerals carrying signs that read GOD HATES GAYS. They have created their own god, made in their likeness. There is no compassion in their system of beliefs. How is it that the worship of the Supreme Being can engender violence?  How can it be that what you are against is more important than how you reflect Jesus? Jesus was emphatic that his followers were not to set themselves up as superior to each other or the rest of the world.  “It shall not be so with you.”

Many years ago a woman told me that the parish council meeting the night before was awful with name-calling and anger. I said I didn’t understand that. If Jesus was at the meeting how could that happen?  She laughed at me.  She told me I was naïve and I would soon change my tune.  Well, I wasn’t wrong then and I’m not wrong now.  Jesus is the center of our faith.  Jesus is the one we are expected to imitate.  Personally I think that people who allow hate in their religion are lucky Jesus and his whip are nowhere around.  

When Vatican II came along, the idea was to go back to the time of the early disciples who were called The Way.  The simplicity of their faith, their emphasis on love and caring for one another in the name of Jesus was something to be desired.  But something went wrong. The human need to control gained power and Jesus was left out.  Human beings ignore the will of God and set out to make up their own Way.

This is not limited to Christians, however.  Hindus hate Muslims and some Muslims apparently hate everybody. Jehovah’s Witnesses hate Catholics. Many Protestants say that Catholics are not Christians. Therein lies the problem.  

What exactly is a Christian?  Put simply, a Christian is a follower of Christ. That means that you try to live your life in his image.  It means that gossip, intolerance, and hate have no place in your life.  It means you operate from a compassionate center at all times and with all people.  Is that too hard? Is that why we don’t do it?  What in the world do we think Jesus was all about?

Jesus is our direct link to God.  He came as one of us to teach us how to be human. The Spirit of God lives and works to fulfill the will of God throughout the world and we, who have received that spirit, are duty-bound to cooperate in that work.  

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA