God Is With Us

Imagine a mine cave in…disaster. In the total darkness, deep in the earth, a survivor quietly lies in the dampness. No food. No water. No company. There is no one else. For three days the miner waits in a small pocket of air in the darkness. At times he thinks he hears faint sounds that may mean rescue. But he is never sure.

Above ground family members wait while rescue workers do their best afraid of what they may find. Hope drives them on. And then it happens: a beam of light shines through into the pocket of air. A voice speaks through a tiny opening. The workers find energy renewed.

All rejoice that one has been found alive.

This image is our story this season: a people in darkness who have seen a great light; a people waiting for the rescue that has come. We tell it as a reminder that no matter how threatening, how hopeless, or how dark the situation of our lives may become, no matter what caves in on us, or how we may feel alone, our rescue is near, and our hope is in a Saviour we can trust. We do not have to seek God. Our God seeks and searches for us.

Six hundred years earlier, Jeremiah the prophet, planted the seed of that hope, in hearts of a people he described as a remnant. We know what a remnant is: something left over, a scrap, a small piece often useless in itself and by itself. “Remnant” serves as an image of what we really are and the wonder of God's love and care for us.

That "remnant" left after the destruction of Jerusalem was not much. With no power of their own, with everything in ruins, they were "nothing" to anyone—except God. Yet the seeds of Hope planted by the prophet, bore fruit for those who waited in faith and they still bear fruit even today.

When we are nothing, reduced by sin or disaster, tasting the bitterness of our weakness, insignificance and powerlessness, we are still God's people. God seems to prefer the remnants of this world, it's scraps, and left overs, those who alone cannot amount to much. God seems to prefer seeking and searching for the lost, the last, and the least.

This is our hope today as we step into this season of Advent. We share the expectation of that miner knowing that help is always on the way and that it will come before it is too late. We shall be lifted up and lifted out, we shall see the light, and know the embrace of those who wait for us. God keeps the promise. Our rescue is right before us. Emmanuel: God is with us.

Christ the King

If Christ is King, what is he the King of? What is his kingdom all about? What is the “Kingdom of God,” and when is it? This phrase, “Kingdom of God” appears over 80 times in the Gospels, yet these questions do not have simple answers. Jesus responds to Pilate, yes he is a King, but even his answer seems a bit cryptic, mysterious.

We know that the Kingdom of God is something to strive for. We know it is more difficult to enter it if you are rich. We know it is easier to get into it if you are childlike. We know his kingdom belongs to the poor, the humble, and those persecuted for the sake of righteousness. It is not “here” or “there” but rather, it is among us.

The Gospels gives us some insight into the Kingdom of God—and it raises some questions as well.

In the parables of Jesus, the Kingdom of God is like a treasure, which a person finds in a field. He finds what he was not necessarily looking for but knows immediately that he must possess it even if it means selling everything he has.

The Kingdom of God is like a great pearl. In this story the merchant knows exactly what he is searching for. When he finds a pearl of such extraordinary beauty, he sells all that he has, in order to have this very costly pearl.

So what have we learned? Sometimes, like the man in the field, you find the Kingdom of God without looking for it, but you discover with joy that it is something you must have. Sometimes, like the merchant, the very thing you look for, the Kingdom of God is exactly what you find, and when you discover it, it is what is most important in your life.

What is it that we can catch a glimpse of here and now on earth? What did these people in the parables find? What is it they saw? You see, I want to know what did the man in the field find that filled him with such joy and excitement that he went out and sold everything he had to buy that field. I want to know that joy—that excitement. I want to be filled with that kind of joy.

If the fullness of the Kingdom at the end of time is when we live in that perfect world that God had intended us to live in, where there is no class or race or ethnic discrimination, where there exists an unquestioning trust in God and God’s Love, where all people live with selfless love of others, where love conquers sin, where wholeness conquers sickness, where peace conquers suffering, where life conquers death, where hope conquers despair, where redemption conquers damnation, where community conquers loneliness, then, even now, we can glimpse at the Kingdom of God.

When you visit someone that is sick to offer comfort and help, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When you welcome the stranger, the foreigner, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When we open our hearts and our lives to feed the hungry, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When our liturgical and music ministers work so hard to provide beautiful liturgies, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When we work to educate our children, form them in the sacraments, provide care in our hospitals and clinics, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

When we choose love and forgiveness over hatred and revenge, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

2000 years ago, the majority could not handle this, and brutally executed him. They believed that loveless power would triumph over seemingly powerless love. But the King lives on. And those who believe, celebrate his unique reign and kingdom today.

Is Jesus your King? Is the Kingdom of God your treasure? Will you listen to the truth of the voice of your king?

Good News

We come now to the end of the Church year and the readings during the week and also on this Sunday invite us to look at the end times, not only the end of the world, but the last days of our own lives. And, of course, as we consider the end of the world our thoughts naturally turn to the last judgment. In the first reading, the prophet Daniel tells that it is those whose names are “written in the book” who will be saved.

So the question of course, is how to you get your name in that book? How do we ensure a favourable judgment? The easy answer is to live one’s life according to the commandments and teachings of Jesus. The problem is, given our human nature, we fail from time to time, we go our own way, and ignore the Word of God. We turn from what we know is good and right. We turn away from love.

When this happens, we just have to admit our faults and failings, and, turn again and again and again and again to God, opening our hearts and lives to the great miracle and truth of forgiveness. You see, the Last Judgment is not something we should fear. In truth, it is something that we should rejoice in for it marks the finalization of God’s plan for the world. And God’s plan is nothing less than every one of us living with Him for eternity.

But make no mistake about it, in Daniel’s words there will be some who go to “shame and everlasting disgrace.” These are people who totally reject God’s forgiveness and love—they are those who deliberately choose not to seek his mercy. The readings today are not about fear, but once again remind us that in all things, God is with us: gently calling us closer, if only we would accept the gift and the call of His love.

You see, God loves us all and wants each and everyone of us to be saved. THIS is the Good News.

From the beginning of time, there have been people who have tried to guess when the “end” will occur. The gospel is so very certain...no one knows, but the Father. The message of the gospel today is clear: When we live our response (our faith) to God’s love for us, to it’s fullest, all of the other things, either the end of time, or our personal end on earth will make little difference.

You see, sometimes when we focus on this final judgment, we realize the enormity of our own sinfulness and failings and certainly, we cannot ignore this. But we must also remember that the mission of Jesus is to save, and despite our sinfulness, Jesus is constantly calling us through our fear and into love.

As we come to the end of this church year, we are invited to pause and reflect on the end times: that time in which our journey of faith here on earth will end, and we will be invited fully into the Reign of God.

Perhaps this only question today is: Will you accept the invitation, or will you turn away?

Mark 12, 38-44

The Gospel today is from Mark’s description of the days just before Jesus is put to death. He had been teaching in the temple trying to answer the questions of the Scribes who were trying to prove that his preposterous claims were false. As modern Christians, we are perhaps a little harder on the scribes that they deserve.

They were religious leaders of their time. They dedicated their lives to a careful, disciplined study of the Word of God. They knew that Scripture was the key to understanding the mind of God. They were not “bad” people. But, they were wrong.

Instead of letting the Bible teach them, the looked for how the Bible could support their own thoughts and teachings. Instead of admitting that there were things they didn’t understand, and allow God to fill those gaps, they used the Scripture for their own thoughts, and left no room for doubt or questions. Time and time again, Jesus tries to draw them beyond their own rigid, literal interpretations of Scripture into a deeper understanding of truth. But, they would not look up from their scrolls and see the face of God standing right before them.

And so, Jesus turns from addressing his persecutors, to addressing his disciples. They are at the temple--the heart of the Jewish nation. This was the place where they could truly worship and truly be in the very presence of God. It was a holy place. There were all kinds of people who would gather here, but none were as “important” as the Scribes. They were the elite, revered for their knowledge and respected for their power. I am sure the huge crowds would part to allow these important people to pass.

But, there’s one problem with all this self-importance. The kingdom that Jesus came to proclaim is not about power, it is about service. The Kingdom of God is not about who YOU are, but who you FOLLOW. It is not about what you have, but what you give.

And so in the middle of all this noise and self-promotion, there was a quiet, small figure. A woman, alone, which meant that no one except Jesus would have noticed her. Her clothes, gray and dingy, she could not afford better. The crowds probably bumped and pushed her, as more “important donors” made their way to the offering box. Certainly, her two tiny coins barely made a sound amidst the loud crashes of sacks of money. But Jesus heard those two little coins.

And he sets this weak and pitiful widow before us, and makes her the standard for our giving. He places her above those who were the great scripture scholars and religious leaders, and all the successful wealthy and powerful that filled the temple courtyard. What can we learn from her gift?

First of all, it was everything she had. What she gave, was her life. Now as tempting as it may be to tell you to all go home, empty your back accounts and give it to the church, that’s not what I’m saying, not that I’d stop you!

The parable is NOT just about money. You see, it is not how much we HAVE, or our position in life that defines us. It is what we give, and God calls us to give our very lives. All of us. To gain life, you have to lose it. What defines who I am? Is it what I have done and what I have gained, or, is it what I give? And, is what I give just a token, or am I giving my very life? Sounds like a lot to ask, and probably more than any of us can live up to, but we must ask ourselves these hard questions and remember that no matter how much we give, we can always give more.

Giving, in the service of the Lord, is not about what we give, but about faithfulness and lavish love. It is about following a God who suffered and died, not for the benefits and prestige, but for you. You see brothers and sisters, we do not give to receive. We give, because God gives.

I cannot tell you what you have to give, what you should give, or how much to give. But, the gospel is reminding us that our true wealth does not come from what we keep, but from what we share.

Matthew 5,1-12

There is really no point in observing and celebrating All Saints Day if our observance is only about the past and some holy people of long ago. In my own spirituality, I have stopped thinking of this day as if it was only about “them” – saints of our past, heroes long gone. The feast of All Saints, is so much more, and indeed about each one of us here today!

I like to think of this day as an annual checkup, a time to look within our lives, rather than only look around or look back. If you take your physical health seriously, you get an annual checkup. It is suggested that we see our dentist for a check on teeth, and even our cars, get tune-ups and an occasional check of the fluids. How should it be different for the spiritual side of our lives?

The Gospel today reveals the qualifications or standards for holiness. It sets the standards or the marks against which we need to check our lives. There are standards for blood pressure and blood sugar that get checked. Here in this Gospel are the minimum standards for spiritual health. Poor in spirit, meek, just, pure, and peaceful are the standards against which we measure our holiness.

Now, being poor in spirit has to do with how we relate to material things. Gospel poverty does not mean that we own nothing, but rather, that things do not own us. Things are not what’s important, relationships are what’s important.

Those who mourn are blessed not because they are actually mourning, but because they can mourn. If you are mourning and grieving, that means you have loved someone deep enough, to now feel the sorrow of separation. That is indeed a blessing!

Being meek does not mean being passive. It means being honest. It means knowing who you are and who you are not. It is a virtue that puts an end to reckless ambition and self-centered false pride.

Cultivating righteousness in the gospel sense, means having a passion for justice, not for one’s self (self-righteous), but for a passion for justice for those who never experience justice.

When mercy is found in one’s life, it is always about mercy given, not received.

Purity is not necessarily about innocence, as much as it is about being purified: it’s more like being “refined” that is to say, cleansed by sacrifice and service.

The truly holy, make peace everywhere they go because then never forget that we are all children of God, brothers and sisters in the human family that God has made in His own image and likeness. The peacemaking holy ones see the face of God in every one of God’s children.

So, this is the day, this is the time near the end of the year, to check up on things in our souls and our spiritual lives. Matthew gives us the checklist, because tomorrow’s feast of All Souls, is the reminder that if we have not checked ourselves on these things, a judgment time is coming for us all when someone else will judge, and we know very well what God will be looking for in those called to the eternal banquet of all saints.

May we all be there one day.

Take Courage

From our first reading, even in our most difficult and challenging times, God is constantly with us, always calling us to be closer to him. And it is not so much that we have to approach God, but rather, thankfully, as in the Gospel, God comes to us. And when Jesus draws close to you…what will you do? How will you respond?

The scene of Jesus walking amidst the disciples and other followers was not uncommon. It was an opportunity for Jesus to teach as they made their way to the next destination. Now, in a large city like Jericho, the atmosphere around the group must have been busy, noisy, and loud. But around Jesus, it was likely quiet so that the crowd could hear his words.

We do not know if Bartimaeus was expecting to have Jesus pass by him this day. However, he clearly knew who Jesus was—even though he was “blind”, he knew of his power to heal and doesn’t hesitate in the least, to cry out. But, because Jesus was likely teaching, the crowd yells at Bartimaeus to be quiet.

What a great moment this must have been to see, and to hear the simple but authoritive command of Jesus: “Call him here.” Call stories are always significant in scripture and although this may not have the detail of other call stories, the expected response is classic. Perhaps there is fear, hesitation, unworthiness, maybe that’s why the crowd said “take courage.”

Blind Baritmaeus took a risk. He heard that this Messiah, this Jesus was coming, so he took the risk of calling out to him. Others tried to quiet him, but what he lacked in eyesight he made up for in power of voice! He just called louder. At first Bartimaeus seemed to hesitate…Jesus said “call him here”…not go get him! Now, how would a blind man find Jesus in this crowd? A stillness comes to this crowd of people. Bartimaeus hesitated a moment, but he threw off his cloak and although blind, went to Jesus.

Think about this: Bartimaeus’ cloak was his mat, his bed, his warmth, his security, his one possession. To let go of it was to let go of everything he depended on and to trust in the Lord. Bartimaeus let go, and let God into his life. And God responded to his trust, his faith, not only with sight…but more importantly with insight.

Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you,” but Bartimaeus didn’t go. Instead he followed Jesus on His way. Bartimaeus regains his sight because he recognized who Jesus really was…the Son of David, the Messiah. Bartimeaus is the only one who addresses Jesus with any kind of Messianic title. Mark uses the irony of the fact that it is a blind man who recognizes Jesus’ true identity to bring the story of Jesus ministry to a conclusion, before heading to Jerusalem.

Each day in the crowds and busyness of our own lives…Jesus calls out to us, begging us to come closer to him. But will you hear this call? Will you risk? Will you risk falling and stumbling on your way to Him? Are you willing to throw aside your cloak and everything and anything that is important to you and come closer to Jesus?

You see today, each one of us is named “Bartimaeus” and each one of us is called…how will you respond?

Confirmation

Dear Nick,

As you prepare to receive the sacrament of Confirmation please know that we have you in our prayers.

I was in the 8th grade when I made my Confirmation and I remember being afraid that the Bishop would ask me a question I couldn't answer. But on the big day I was relieved as the Bishop allowed us to raise our hands if we wanted to answer so there was no scary pressure. I also realized during the ceremony how much this meant to me...to be considered a true adult of the church. I had to study a lot but I was feeling pretty good about going into the next part of my life with God.

Usually the Holy Spirit is shown as a dove or as a tongue of fire. I guess because it is hard to draw what the Holy Spirit is in our lives. It is the special gift Jesus gave to us all after he left this earth. For me it is a strength when I am sad or feeling lost...it is that spark that helps me keep my faith no matter what...it is that idea I get in my head that the Spirit has granted me to see things more clear. I hope that you too will feel that energy in your life as you get older and have more adventures and challenges.

Your grandpa Don was 60 years old when received his Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation all on the same night. Your grandpa decided to become a Catholic and studied for three years so even grandpas have to study to receive the sacraments. It was a very special night for the both of us. He chose to add the Saint name of St Bede when he was confirmed. A really thoughtful and perfect choice for your grandpa because St Bede was from England and was a great writer and historian. And your grandpa loves England, history and books.

We hope that your retreat gives you a chance to have some time to just be with Jesus. We all have busy lives. You have your school work, sports, friends and family that fill your days. But as you are becoming a young man and not a child anymore ...you will need to find some time to spend just with you and God. And even if there will be times when you are too tired or forget or just are not in the mood..keep in mind...God is always there for you...24/7.

We hope you feel a sense of pride as you enter into your faith even deeper and that you have a joyous Confirmation day. Know that you are loved by all of us but most of all by the God who watches over you always.
Love, Nana Judy and Grandpa Don