Continue reading »]]> Day 44, Mark 16

Many Congratulations Everyone!  You have just completed your second account of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!

You should be so proud of this accomplishment and all Glory to God for allowing us to continue! 

Whew!  The last few days were a challenge for me and I am sure you might have had some moments along the way that might have seemed like road blocks to staying on the plan but the Holy Spirit carried us right through!

Praised be to God!

So today we rejoice in the Resurrection!

I never noticed this before that Mark includes a longer ending and a shorter ending!  Interesting!

I just read both and here are the three points rising up from this chapter:

1. Who will Roll Back the Stone?

             I absolutely LOVE reading all the accounts of the resurrection and Mary Magdalene and the women going to the tomb on Easter morning! 

There she and the women were — disciples till the end —-still attending to Jesus while the men were mourning and weeping! 

Mary and the women were still doing God’s will — in and out of season!  So early in the morning these women were still following JESUS! 

They had been at the cross and now they were still there with Him.  And as they were on the way they were saying “Who will roll back the stone?”

I love it because they were not wondering… if?  They were asking …who?

They didn’t stay home in fear or doubt — or worry — or wondering “what if” we get all the way over there and then we can’t roll away the stone?

No they just figured someone would do it — but who? As they were moving!

This is our example — to just keep moving — it is alright to wonder how God will do it but know it will happen even if you cannot see –

This was the difference between the Blessed Mother Mary at the annunciation asking how — and Zechariah the father of John the Baptist’s how — He did not believe… so he was made mute!  While Mary was highly favored full of grace!

God honored these women by rolling away the stone — WOW God is so good!

He already had it covered —

Has that ever happened to you? —– You have a problem or an obstacle to God’s plan and you wonder how will this ever take place? –

- and then God rolls away the stone — and you can see how it will take place and you know that it was God’s hand!

Well these ladies had the ultimate experience and even had the Angel tell them exactly that Jesus had risen!!

Pretty cool!

2- Rebuked and Blessed

         OK this part is crazy!!!  It took three times again for the apostles to believe — they didn’t believe the women, not the two disciples either, so when Jesus comes on time number three –

- He rebukes them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they didn’t believe!

OK so can you believe this?  After all that Jesus had been through — all that He had shared with them about His death and resurrection — and then they still don’t believe ?–

And after all Jesus had been through -the cross– just got back from Hell — set the captives free — back to see the boys and He has to rebuke them!

It reminded me of the times with my own kids when I plan a special dinner — we go out — it is a special occasion — it costs money — a sacrifice to even be out — and then they fight the whole time — and I am rebuking them trying to get them to behave and have a good time–

I am sure that I am not alone as a parent that on certain occasions it was a time of celebration and you don’t know why everyone is fighting and ruining it!

And you have to stop them for a minute and rebuke them!  And you are thinking to yourself… I shouldn’t have to be doing this right now!  It should be time of celebration!

I’m sure there might even be a spouse or two who can relate!  We want these special times… holidays… reunions, birthdays, anniversaries to be so PERFECT!!!!

You might even be thinking to yourself …. that’s it!  Never again!!  These kids don’t deserve this!!!

Not Jesus — He just goes on with the plan!!!

The First Easter — Jesus had to rebuke the apostles — that should take the pressure off this coming Easter — just to rejoice and remember there is only one who is perfect — and it is not you and me!!!

3- Called to Believe and Baptize

So bottom line here is that they were all supposed to believe!  Now you may be thinking to yourself…

OK so if the apostles didn’t believe right away in the resurrection how is anyone else expected to believe! 

Well it is the Power of God that gives us the grace to believe!  And you can see that it was the apostles “seeing” Jesus that made them believe!

Well today it is seeing Jesus in others and in the Eucharist and Sacraments — our seeing is our experiencing JESUS today!

We experience Jesus in the Sacraments and in the Word of God and in the poor, and in the suffering, and in the people of God the church! 

But are we open to seeing?  Are we spiritually blind?  That is why we must continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our dark world so that others may see, believe and be saved!

Now be sure to spend some time studying JESUS words and His commission — the way He sends off the apostles…

“GO into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

These words are pretty clear!  Which is why we have this Lenten season in order to recommit our baptismal vows but also to prepare the catechumens for baptism! 

How many of them? Do you think that we should have a lot more catechumens each year than we are seeing! 

If we all lived the gospel in a fired up faith filled way how many more people do you think would be answering this call to be baptized!

Then Jesus says…

“These signs will accompany those who believe:

in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.

They will pick up serpents (with their hands) and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.

They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

These were all the things that Jesus was doing — and also what they would have the power to do once the Holy Spirit came!

So to be baptized is key — people must be in Christ’s body!  Baptism in the only Way!

And then we should be as believers moving in these actions of the Spirit as a sign of discipleship!  These are Jesus words —

Are we remembering to pray by laying hands on the sick and having them recover — are people availing themselves to the sacrament of the sick — the anointing of the sick? 

We have to pray about our own belief — Jesus I believe… help my unbelief!

And then see where are we as far as the signs Jesus mentions here as believing?  How do we grow in belief?  Pray and Study!

What do you think about this?

Continue reading »]]> Day 43, Mark 15

Good Day Everyone! I am so fired up because we are in the second to last chapter of the Gospel according to Mark!

What I really see is how things seem to speed up at the end!  I mean we have days of healings and ministry work — and we know that for Jesus it was three years!

And then in only three days it was all over!  And funny that Jesus lived to be 33 or thirty three years old!

Well I am going to give you three points from this chapter:

1. Handing Jesus Over
2. Envy kills
3. Jesus King of the Jews… The Sign

I will attempt to be brief today since many of you might need to read yesterdays reading — chapter 14 as well as this one!

1- Handing Jesus Over –

This is a theme that we have mentioned before, and it is happening and must happen in order for the mission of redemption to be accomplished. 

In this chapter I think we can read these words at least four times!  So I mention it as very important not to miss and for you to re read it if you missed the many places where it is written.

The Chief priests hand Jesus over to Pilate who then hands HIM over to the people — and Jesus is just handed over until He dies!

The next time you feel like someone else is deciding things for  your future… or people are not standing up for you…

When things seem to be out of control and not in your favor, think of how Jesus was unfairly treated and handed over many times in order that the plan of God would be fulfilled!

But did it look like God was in control then at all?  No it looked like the Pharisees and Scribes and Chief Priests were in control didn’t it?  Like they had all the power didn’t it?

Remember that if you are following God — HE is always in control!

2- Envy Kills -

We read here that Pilate knew that,

“it was out of ENVY that the chief priests had handed him over.”

Now first of all, how did Pilate know this?  Jesus didn’t talk much to Pilate and  He wasn’t looking so good! 

I mean what did Pilate think the chief priests had to be envious about? 

So there must have been something about JESUS — His presence — even in His suffering — in the midst of His silence — there must have been something about His peacefulness!

Envy is poison — and the problem is that it is like a bad seed — it starts out little but it takes root and then it grows into something larger than life!

It is true… it is an ugly green monster!!  Envy kills— because it leads to gossip and judgement and jealousy!

Jesus wants us to know that every spiritual gift has been given us by our father in heaven — so we don’t have to be envious — we all have gifts —

it is just that some have unwrapped theirs and others have not — some are still trying to figure  out how to unwrap!

3- Jesus King of the Jews… the Sign…

It finally hit me when I read this — especially the part where the people were passing by and saying things to Jesus on the cross, that they continued to harass Jesus for a sign…

We know that Jesus was crucified for breaking the first three commandments…

- Love the Lord your God with all your mind, soul, strength

- You shall have no strange God’s before me — and Keep holy the sabbath day!

So the people wanted a sign that they came up with!!!   They didn’t want to go with any of the signs and wonders that Jesus performed….

And at the cross they still were demanding a sign === that Jesus would save Himself and come off the cross!

They mocked Him — and even those who were crucified with Him were abusing HIM!!!

Well it seems the charge against HIM ended up being the SIGN that they placed right over His sacred HEAD!

It read JESUS KING OF THE JEWS!  Later they would be infuriated to have that sign over His head but that is what they were saying…

So “watch” for when people tell you the opposite of what God is telling you or you sense in your spirit!

Remember this scene — Jesus had told them for years that no other sign would be given — but the sign of JONAH!  Repentance is the sign!

In this case the sign literally becomes “the sign”! 

Jesus was really the KING OF THE JEWS!!!

And there was the sign to prove it!

Since they did not believe the works they can believe the words!!!

Before opening this up for reflection and sharing…  check out this part about the women looking on from a distance –

these women had followed Him when he was in Galilee and MINISTERED to Him — These women are mentioned at the end here in gratitude!

I wonder how they ministered to Jesus?  We are all called to minister to the person of Christ!  And that is to be found in every human person!!!

OK there were so many different parts to this chapter — what did you get to stand out for you!

May God bless you with a faith on fire today!

Continue reading »]]> Day 42, Mark 14

Good Day Everyone!  Happy 3rd Sunday in Lent!

I am posting this at 4:30 pm usual time is in the early hours of the morning so I pray that you read this in anticipation!!!!

Get fired up because this  is one of the most passionate chapter writings I have seen yet!!! 

Yesterday was an action packed anointed day for many and here in Philadelphia there was a Catechetical weekend!!! 

I attended and it was truly a great way to get FIRED UP for JESUS Christ in HIS CHURCH — the ONE HOLY AND APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC CHURCH!

So I hope no one misses this due to the timing — but GOD IS always right on time — He has a plan for this perfect timing!

Today is a Triple A — AAA for the Gospel~

1. Anointing
2. Agony
3. Arrest

1- Anointing- We will see this woman who anointed Jesus by pouring the precious costly oil on His head.  Can you picture the courage that she had to enter in to the place where men were reclining at table — they were in a meal — and she just broke in! She got right in the middle of things! 

The anointing of a king was done just this way except at a holy place - the altar of sacrifice — usually out on a mountain top and by a prophet like Samuel who anointed the first king Saul. 

The prophets who speak and hear from God on behalf of the king and the priests would offer the sacrifices to God on behalf of the King and the people.

So watch what happens here — Jesus receives an anointing… and what is the new altar of sacrifice?  Jesus reclining at table — which is an image of the supper table — the MASS!

I like the way Jesus was at Simon the leper’s house — which to me signifies that Jesus’ people will be the sick who need the doctor!!!  The lepers of the world === and interesting that his name here is Simon —- the original name of Peter the Rock — who is Simon Peter — His house is the Roman Catholic Church!

This is an image of Jesus’ anointing to be King — and the woman signifies that we are all called to make Jesus kingly ministry present by participating in the HOLY MASS and then by living the Mass in the world!

We are also participating in the ministry – not sacramentally as the men who are anointed priests of our day –

but we pariticapte as the people of God, in whatever our vocations we share in the priest, prophet and king ministry of JESUS.

Jesus says to the apostles, who were not happy that the woman “wasted” this money because it could have gone to helping the poor,

“Let her alone, Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me.

The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them,

but you will not always have me.

She has done what she could.

She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.”

This  comes up a lot when people question why we would spend money on the church when we could be helping the poor etc…

I think  this scripture explains it perfectly — I know that in our church today at Mass after the homily we heard from our Cardinal Regali – Archbishop of Philadelphia – speak to us about a capital campaign to raise money for all the needs of the church!

The needs are varied - there were monies allocated to take care of the main basilica, the seminary, the Catholic schools, the retired priests — and much much more –

the amount of money discussed and raised thus far in my parish alone is unimaginable to me!  And a parishioner offered to match every dollar raised over our parish goal up to $300,000!

In six weeks our parish raised $640,000 and that was from only 42 families! 

I know I was sitting there and thinking to myself — who has $300,000 to match — and what about all the people in our parish who are out of work and the poor etc…

And then I thought about what the Cardinal was saying about preparing the church to be around for the next generation -

– the same way we must take care of our homes —

– amazing to think that the church must be taken care of and by we the people!!!  WE MUST ANTICIPATE… as the woman did!

I really got the bigger picture today of the church in our archdiocese — it is bigger that just my life and or this one single parish– and this is what the Lord was trying to do with the apostles –

The poor will always be with you… really helped me to see that there will always be poor for us to help — ALWAYS — I guess God has allowed that so that we always can exercise charity –  crazy but it makes sense!

We the people must take care of our churches — they must be maintained and be the most beautiful places on earth — they must lift our minds to heaven!

We must take care of Catholic Education and we must provide for men to be able to go to the seminaries — especially to fund them and also to make sure that the seminary is running well and preserved — and also to make sure that children are able to go to Catholic School if they desire and don’t have the funds.

I mean all the things I heard the Cardinal speak of today really prepare our church to receive the next generation — so it is an investment!

The same way that this woman made an investment —  the apostles said that it was the wages of 300 days — that would mean a years salary —

What an offering!!!

That is what some of my fellow parishioners have done — averaging $15,000 per household right now — amazing — it shows great love for the Catholic Church —

Just like this woman showed great love for Christ!

Lastly – the woman prepared Christ for burial — this was customary to pour oil over the body after death —

it prepared Him to die — and we know that next step after this was the beginning of the end — the betrayal —

So the fragranced oil was a sign of His death — when we give like she did — and like  the offering I just shared — we die to our own wills and desires — in the this case — money that we would have used on ourselves — and prepare for death in Christ JESUS!

When we give like this — extravagantly — for Christ — out of  love — we make a fragrant offering of love — and make His burial present!!!! 

We die with Christ!!  How beautiful! Then we pray that others would be attracted to the sweet fragrance that permeates the land!

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND That JESUS said ….

“Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

OK so this is huge — we will have two other times to read this in Luke and John — so this act of pouring out that which is costly — what might seem a waste to others — that which makes  Christ death present — and leads others to His sweet fragrant offering on the Cross — is our example to follow!

We see here Jesus use the word Gospel — in greek the word is Euangelion, meaning, “good news”——- you can see where we get the word evangelization — spreading this Good News!

WE see that this kind of Love expressed in the Agony of Christ as well!

2- Agony- OK now I am going to challenge you to read and pray this agony scripture deeper than you might have before — you see I had an amazing professor – Dr. of Theology who really opened up this scripture for myself and all in the class –

You see most people read this and think that JESUS was being human by asking if He could get out of the suffering…HE asks for the cup to pass… and then He says… well not my will but yours be done!!!

I know for myself and many others we read that — then when we have a tough time doing God’s will we say…

“Oh well, even Jesus struggled! Remember the agony in the garden?  Jesus was trying to get out of the cross and just wanted to make sure it was what the Father wanted right?”

NO! That is not it!

Remember that Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the garden as he prayed — and had the three apostles to pray that they would not undergo the test… and told them to do what? 

WATCH!!! 

Wasn’t that Jesus message last chapter?

OH MY GOODNESS CHECK THIS OUT!!!!

The apostles FALL ASLEEP!!! 

Jesus says TO PETER — ” SIMON are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for ONE HOUR” ?

I mean if PETER the ROCK — future head of the church can’t keep watch for one hour?  Then when the test comes — will he be able to handle it? 

Well we all knows how it goes!!!

Jesus had just told them that they ALL were going to have their faith shaken!

According to the OLD TESTAMENT — in Zechariah 13:7 — you must read this it is called, “THE SONG OF THE SWORD”

Oh it is too good I have to write it here for you… (this is the prophet Zechariah the second to last book of the old testament — and the coming of the Messiah and what will happen…)

The Song of the Sword

Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,

against the man who is my associate,

says the Lord of hosts.

Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be dispersed,

and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

In all the land, says the Lord,

two thirds of them shall be cut off and perish,

and one third shall be left.

I will bring the one third through the fire,

and I will refine them as silver is refined,

and I will test them as gold is tested.

They shall call upon my name,

and I will hear them.

I will say, “they are my people,”

and they shall say, “The Lord is my God.”

OK now I am so fired up to share this with you!!!

Jesus was in the garden praying that the cup would PASS!!!!

Because He didn’t want to drink yet!!!!

He was being tempted to drink their and then…. by Satan!!!  If JESUS drank the cup there then …there would have been no CROSS!

JESUS had just told the apostles that He would not Drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when He drinks it NEW in the kingdom of God —-

So why would he turn around and beg God to take it away?  JESUS was not weak!!!!  He doesn’t have HIS FAITH SHAKEN — not the shepherd!!!!

NO He was praying that He would be able to go all the way to CALVARY — and giving HIS YES!!!!!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

This allows us to look at suffering in an even deeper more glorious way…

YOU see when you are going through something — that is bringing on suffering — you must know that their are souls attached to this suffering…

You pray that God will bring you through it and that if it be God’s will let the cup pass — pass to the place of fulfillment!!!  Because we will be given opportunities to say yes or no along the way!!!

Pray and keep watch so that you will have the faith that you need to undergo the many tests of faith that come — especially during difficult times when you suffer –

to keep trusting and surrendering to the greatest that God has for you!  You see some of us are living a Christian life — and we don’t realize that God has more for us — but it requires our yes!!! 

JESUS prays that the cup would pass — Jesus want to go all the way!!!  And it was the will of the Father that all would be saved… so we are on to the next step of the plan…

3. Arrest- In Jesus case — Yes leads to Arrest! 

What really got me here is that Judas  — even after hearing what JESUS had said earlier —

“It would be better if that man had never been born”

still continues on with His plan — I mean even after the sign JESUS gave –

“The one who dips in the dish with me”

Two chances for Judas to repent — how many signs does Jesus give you and I!  

But Judas chose not to hear!  I know people who tell me that they know that their life is being lived by them in sin — and it is not that they don’t know it!

They do — they just choose it!

Judas chooses not to hear this or better yet not to listen to the warning…

For pride had already blinded his eyes!

We see Judas say the words… “The man I shall kiss is the one;

ARREST Him and lead him away securely.”

We then hear Jesus asking them why they are arresting Him here in the darkness… when there were plenty of opportunities to arrest him…

“Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not ARREST me; but that the scriptures may be fulfilled”

What comes to me here is how we ARREST Jesus every time we sin — and how we usually sin in darkness — well I mean the friends of JESUS especially-

When we judge or gossip — we do that behind someones back — when we commit adultery that is in secret — and our most sinful addictions usually no one sees except for maybe our family at home –

interesting this concept of ARRESTING JESUS!!!

Having JESUS lead away — taken away securely — this really makes me think that when we sin — we choose to have JESUS TAKEN AWAY — from our home, our schools, our workplaces — most importantly our HEARTS!!!

HOW ABOUT OUR CHURCHES —

Oh we could meditate on this one for a long time!!! JESUS NOW IN CHAINS!

And who is this guy that followed?  It says they all left Him and fled!!!

Just as Jesus had predicted — but this YOUNG MAN followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body – they seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked –

I NEVER have seen this before — and I have read this before — see what happens when you read and pray the WORD of GOD — you must read it over and over for the rest of your life!!!

Well — my first thoughts were that it is a prophesy of the upcoming linen cloth — that JESUS will be wearing –

it also reminds me of Adam — being naked and running away —

it also then makes me think of one of the apostles trying to go there with JESUS and I can only think of JOHN having the courage to continue to follow- which means to imitate and do what Jesus does… and since He ends up at the cross — I can see HIM trying to stay with JESUS –

I think it is interesting that Mark who is being led by Peter in the writing doesn’t name himself as cutting off the ear — and or walking on water — and it makes sense for him to not focus on himself — could it have been Peter trying to walk on water and go there with JESUS?

I have a source I am going to look up and see what tradition teaches…

but what do you all think about this very active emotional chapter???

Great for Sunday Meditations and Contemplation today!!!

May The Lord open our eyes and hearts to this passionate scripture!

Continue reading »]]> Day 41, Mark 13

Good day everyone!  We’ve been Gospel Journeying now for over 40 days – many congratulations to you!  God’s grace be with you!

We have turned the corner in the Gospel of Mark and we are heading with JESUS right up to Calvary!  Only three more chapters to go!

I am so fired up on this First Saturday!

If you look at this chapter you will see that the ENTIRE CHAPTER IS JESUS SPEAKING!!!  How cool is that!

SO — I have a bible where JESUS words are all in red! And I can see that there are only two or three sentences where it is not JESUS and the whole rest of the chapter are HIS WORDS! 

This is a riveting chapter that we must read and pray about without ceasing!

We are not to be afraid — we are to have a sense of urgency –

I see three urgent points in this chapter:

1. Labor Pains
2. Coming in POWER
3. Be Watchful!

1- Labor Pains -

OK this word labor pains really struck me when I read the account of the Signs of the End!

Remember that as long as we are here, we are never going to know everything that is behind God’s plan -

- but we know a few things with certainty – our hope secure…

- that God wants us to be with Him forever in Heaven — that He is our good Father and that He sent His Son Jesus to come and get us and to be OUR WAY to HIM!

We are called to be simple people of simple minds — not over think it or we fall into fear and become paralyzed! 

But we must have a sense of urgency when it comes to us being ready and making an effort everyday to study and try to understand!!!  We must desire and ask for understanding!

When He talks about signs…Jesus says that deception will come- and wars and nations rising up against nations!  OK so it sounds like we are there!!! 

Right?

Peace be with you!

But this is what really has my eye today —

“There will be EARTHQUAKES from place to place and there will be famines”

OK so didn’t we just have one in Haiti and now in Chile?

We’ve had all kinds of natural disasters for years — they just seem to be more frequent –

But think of His words — “THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF THE LABOR PAINS”

You see… man was created in the image and likeness of God — the fact that we come into the world through the labor of a woman should remind us that the way we will get to eternal life will be through labor -

- now for us it will be through JESUS CHRIST and the labor of ”THE WOMAN” — The Blessed Virgin Mary who labored at the cross and suffered spiritually while Christ suffered physically and spiritually-

– do you see that she is our example as co redemptrix — that she stood in our place to show us that we are to be working in the mission of redemption together with JESUS — at the cross —- offering our prayers — internal sufferings- external sufferings — making them all spiritual offerings in prayer and joining them to Calvary as Mary did! 

 This is the greatest labor of love — that you lay down your life for your friends!

I remember listening to Johnnette Benkovic -Catholic Speaker and Author and Founder of Living His Life Abundantly which is a TV and Radio Show on EWTN, speak right after losing her son who was suddenly killed in a car accident —

I will never forget these words she told us — she said that her whole body was in terrible, terrible pain after his death — to the point where she was woken up at night — I mean she would double over because the pain was in her womb!!! 

She was praying for it to go away and then the Lord said to her — and I know the Blessed mother was with her too — but she heard these words…

“You labored in pain to give your son human life, will you not labor in pain for his eternal life?

After that moment she prayed to God not to let her waste one minute of any pain without having it be redemptive for her son!

She must have pleased the LORD —

I believe less than two years later her husband died of cancer!

I got to see her speak live again right after her husband died — and what a woman of faith — she had so many beautiful insights — her husband died with redemption on his mind — knowing that he was saving souls!!!

I will never forget that as long as I live — her pain and suffering was having redemptive power in heaven for her son – and now for her husband!

And again we can see this same thing happen for all of us as OUR LADY, OUR MOTHER SUFFERED at Calvary for all of us!!!!! She was made our mother at the CROSS by JESUS himself!!!

I am so fired up that this is on OUR LADY ON SATURDAY in 2nd week of LENT!

So these LABOR PAINS — are the sufferings getting the world ready for JESUS to come and getting us all ready for eternal life – remember when JESUS said in Matthew that He went into the heart of the world — to set the captives free– the world must be redeemed — there is just too much to say here so I will stop —

But just keep in mind when we see these things that it is the beginning of the end as JESUS puts it here — and that labor pains are our sign.

Remember that Peter, James, John and Andrew are here asking JESUS on the side, in person, for a sign — this was it —

2-  Coming in POWER –

Now Jesus talks a lot about not being misled — because He knows that there will be so much deception and people will be following leaders who will totally deceive them!

Haven’t we seen this already — people are at a low point and they follow the leader who seems like he will be able to solve all their problems!!

Look at Hitler for example!  And many other corrupt governments! 

We are living in blessed times here in the USA because we have no war HERE — we have freedom to practice our faith without being shot over it or tortured in any way — we have daily Eucharist and many Masses to cho0se from –

We should wonder if we realize how good we really have it!  We can read the bible as much as we want too!

If everything was to change what would you do?  How would you handle it?

We have to live our lives ready for anything — and work to lead people to JESUS -

- you see I believe instead of using our energy to complain about what is going on — and to argue with people — we should be praying and educating people in the faith! 

This is where the real POWER is — it is in GOD –

Jesus didn’t tell us these things to scare us but to wake us up!  He talks about the COMING of the SON OF MAN –

- and that when HE comes HE WILL come in POWER — what does this mean?

Remember in the last chapter that Jesus said that in order not to be misled you must KNOW SCRIPTURE and you must KNOW THE POWER OF GOD!

This is so that you will KNOW HIM when HE comes in POWER!!!

What does that look like? 

Well all I can do is look at how He has moved in my life!  I know the times that things have taken place that I could never have done and yet they happened!! 

When GOD’S POWER comes it is like a movement that is hard to explain in words but all things fall into right order and anything that is not meant to be falls out of importance —

Maybe we can share about the POWER of God today — because JESUS is coming and He will come exactly as He says right here!

Jesus will come in the clouds — as that is God — right — God was in the cloud during Jesus Baptism — during Transfiguration — and when He returns!

3- Be Watchful –

These are JESUS’ words!  Be Alert, Be watchful!  Jesus says to “WATCH”!

He says: “Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at a cockcrow, or in the morning”

he goes on…

“May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: WATCH!”

For no one knows…  no one in heaven either — not the angels — not even JESUS — ok so –

He makes this point so crystal clear — be ready!

Now, He doesn’t say this to make us afraid!!  If we are fearful we can be paralyzed -

- but this really should give you a sense of urgency to transform your life — and to share this message with others — there is no time to waste!

Jesus says everything is going to pass away— everything but HIS WORD — so thank GOD that you are studying HIS WORD and that you are doing something about it right now by being here!

We are to live our lives like it is over — I mean like it is your last!

I mean there is a good chance that most of us will die before Jesus returns in the cloud — this is also a “coming”  because we don’t know the hour – it might be the evening of our lives, the morning, the midday — to me this also means the time in our life when we will be called to meet JESUS!

 How does your day end — do you recollect and make an examination of conscience — every day you can do this in prayer with God and constantly be offering up yoursins to JESUS even before you get to the Sacrament of Confession! You can also offer up to Him your sacrifices and sufferings!

We are to be watchful meaning to be awake — not asleep — like many of us know what it meant to be asleep and now what it means to be awake!  Keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in your heart —

That is why I wrote the book Faith on Fire — to give people a practical way to keep the fire turned up to an all time HIGH!

So that when JESUS returns — you can be like the people on a deserted island who have the fire burning so that they can be identified and found!!!

SOS

SAVE OUR SOULS!!!

There is just way too much to capture everything in this chapter today — I think this will really rely on all of you to fill in the gaps and add your take aways!  As in every day I am so grateful to OUR LORD for how HE has used this blog to minister to me and I pray to all of you present!

When we share we are all blessed!  So I thank God for all of you and if you are so moved — in honor of our LADY today — please share you insights from this chapter…

simply click below, then create a username and password really quickly if you haven’t already!! Type and click post!

May God bless you with a spirit of watchfulness!

And May Our Lady Bless  you and Keep you as you honor Her to be her child today!

Continue reading »]]> Day 39, Mark 12

Good Day Everyone and here we are at another FIRST FRIDAY!!!!

This the Only First Friday in LENT and then in HOLY WEEK we will have another First Friday — So Good Friday is in four weeks!!!  Get fired up!

Remember the devotion to first Friday and first Saturday and click on Devotions page for details and promises to those who pray and follow the devotion!!!

Today we  see some new stuff Mark tells that I don’t recall from Matthew! 

We learn by repetition also — it takes hearing something seven times before it sinks in… So get fired up because JESUS has something to say to you today!!!

I see three golden points in this chapter:

1. God of the Living
2. The Greatest Commandment
3. Contributing from Poverty

1- God of the Living

Ok so here we see in this whole chapter the Pharisees and Scribes are just out to get Jesus and they are going after His words – soon they will be out for His blood!

- they know that if they can get Him on His words then they win!  They can put someone to death if they blaspheme God– especially if they say they are God!

So they pose to Jesus the question about the Resurrection and whose wife will a woman be etc… you read the complicated case study they brought to JESUS — just trying to get him!!!

Jesus ends up making it clear that there will not be marriage in heaven — another great reason to understand that marriage on earth — is for specific purpose — making Christ present through the sacrament of marriage! 

God’s love is made present when the two become one flesh and the conjugal love  of spouses – man and woman together with Christ in the union brings forth new life – and a child is born! 

Marriage is an image of the TRINITY — the LOVE relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

That is why couples who say “I do” to the sacrament must be open to life and why the union cannot be broken —

but I digress — you can see that this came right after the last chapter and Jesus talking about divorce –

Anyway –Jesus makes it clear that there will be a rising of the dead — which was news to them — and that God’s focus is on the living -

- meaning life on earth and eternal life — because those who enter into eternal life will be living forever — no longer asleep as they knew the dead to be.

Remember that song I included here back in Matthew– Awake O Sleeper — this song was sung back in St. Paul’s day to the early Christians after they were baptized!

Baptism wakes you up and you rise from the dead and begin to live in the kingdom here on earth!

Jesus says, did God not tell Moses at the burning bush that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

But I really like this part… where Jesus says,

Are you not misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God?

So the key here is — if any of us are ever being misled — it is because we don’t KNOW the SCRIPTURES or we don’t KNOW the POWER of GOD!

I mean I JUST LOVE THIS —- because it is so true –

I don’t care who a person is… they can go to daily Mass but as St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ!”

Once we know HIM in HIS WORD —- and then also have seen HIS POWER work in our lives or in the lives of other Christians… then we are not as apt to being misled!

Of course to know Him is also to experience Him in the sacraments but JESUS actually says here know the scriptures!!!

And when we see someone misled in the teachings of Jesus Christ taught by Good Mother Church —

we must realize that there must be a lack of knowledge of scripture and experience of the POWER of God!!!

2- The Greatest Commandment -

Now I LOVE THIS SECTION!!!  I am so fired up because you can just feel what happens here!!! 

Did you catch that right from the beginning there was something different that we haven’t seen before — we read…

“One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he had answered them, asked him,”

OK so now this lead in shows us that this one was not OUT TO GET HIM!

Jesus replies to His very good question about the Greatest Commandment!

He says,

“The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’

Well let’s just stop here a minute…

heart, soul, mind OK… but strength????  How do you love with strength?

Hmmmmmm… that must mean when it is hard to love?  When you don’t feel like loving?  When you have to love anyway when you don’t feel anything –

-we should remember this when we don’t feel like praying… or serving the Lord — we must use all our strength — how about all our energy!!

Our focus and energy makes up our strength too — Do we give that all to God?

That’s a good question!!!

The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’

Now this one was a little harder for them to take!!  But this one flows from number one because this is how we show we love God … by loving our neighbor!

So this was new — IE — not in original ten commandments – a new commandment– even though we see commandments that direct us to love our neighbor –

These are the greatest according to JESUS — and so these are worth a lot of reflection each week — and worth repenting where we think we have been missing the mark!

Then we see the Scribe say,

“Well said , teacher, You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than He’ and to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

How cool is this to FINALLY SEE a SCRIBE — come over to JESUS’ side!!! I mean can you imagine the JOY Jesus felt over this Scribe!!!! 

I mean I was sooooo happy that instead of trying to get JESUS …someone actually GOT IT!!

And then what does it say?…. The Scribe answered with UNDERSTANDING!

And when Jesus saw this… He said to him…

“YOU are not far from the kingdom of God.”

WOW what cool words — I haven’t heard Jesus say this to anyone yet have you?

This shut everyone up — no one dared to ask him any more questions!

THIS really makes all of that interrogation by the Pharisees worth it right?  I  mean for just one to get it — it is better than no one getting it!

 I mean this is worth a celebration!!  I think this might have been Nicodemus?  Anyone know?

I am so fired up –  JESUS doesn’t give up on the Scribes and Pharisees and neither should we — we all have them in our life — and we all have been them or are them at different times in our life!!!

3- Contributing from Poverty

I love this widow!  Remember that she is a widow and that just drives the point home that she has no one providing for her…

… she has to rely on God and the generosity of others — because she is poor we know that she is most likely even an outcast — she might not have a child supporting her!

NOW I once heard a BEAUTIFUL teaching or homily about these two small coins – the priest who was preaching said that — they knew it was two small coins…

HOW did they know?  How did Jesus know? 

Well he said that the way the money was put into the treasury was that it was dropped in to some kind of box type or metal tube of some sort that had a big slot- opening at the top — so he said that when money went in you could hear how much was going in by the sound it makes — I guess like the slot machines !

—You know what it sounds like when someone wins and you hear all the change come rushing out!  But when the two coins dropped in it made a sound like just two small coins – not much of a  sound- can you imagine how humiliating that could be? 

SO JESUS points it out and teaches a very important lesson — we are to give not only from our surplus– the extra that we have —

— but a sacrificial offering is one where it might hurt and it requires trust that God will provide!  You might have to go without something yourself to make the offering!

God is so good and He always provides for our needs especially when you give Him your first fruits — the scriptural giving is 10% of your income goes right off the top to GOD!

I never understood tithing as many Catholics don’t understand and many think that the money is going right into the priests pocket — bottom line is that you are giving to God!  The offering at Mass has special importance!

When I finally received the vision for what tithing really was and how big of a blessing it is -and that not tithing was cutting off my openness to God– I can’t tell you how my life changed –God always provides for me and my family! 

I LOVE TITHING!!!  Because you cannot out give GOD!!!

During LENT we are called to give to the poor — even if it is two small coins out of LOVE — it is better than not — but so significant if you want to see God move in your life!

Praise God today and may He truly bless you and set you free with HIS WORD!

What are your insights and/or take- aways!

Continue reading »]]> Day 39, Mark 11

Good day everyone!  Get Fired up because JESUS is “entering” in and shaking things up in Jerusalem!

I see  three believable points in this chapter:

1. House of Prayer
2. Believe and Receive
3. Rebelling against Authority

1- House of Prayer- Jesus enters Jerusalem and the Hosanna are flying — everyone is fired up and so happy!  Offering Jesus their coat and singing His praises!

How quickly the tables turned!  And oh Jesus turned them –

Sometimes Jesus has to overturn things in our lives to get us to listen!!!!

Maybe we are holding on to something or practicing our faith and believing a false teaching or not believing in all His teachings -

- and so He has to wake us up! 

Now I am sure that this is not the first time that anyone ever brought up that this might not be so just — what they were doing at the temple changing money and charging for it!

But what JESUS enters in this time — He goes for it!  He just turns everything over!  He makes a statement…

He says to them — don’t you get it?  I’m not telling you something new… and so JESUS quotes the scriptures — Isaiah 56:7, and Jeremiah 7:11

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples”

and then he says — “But YOU HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF THIEVES”

Now “house” here would refer to the temple -

- for us reading it today it refers to our church, our homes (domestic church) and our hearts — where Jesus lives in us — we are temples of the HOLY SPIRIT!

The heart is of course very important to remember here!

Our Church — I heard a great homily this past Sunday about how we should really respect the church as a place of prayer by being reverent and silent and not bother people who are praying in church –

- really respect it as a holy place — too many churches turn into halls — where massive conversations break out and there is no room for prayer!

Our Homes — One thing that all Catholics can fall into is not having your house as a place of prayer — It’s like the person who only exercises at the gym and so if they don’t go to the gym they don’t exercise —

NOW we have to have our homes resemble the same kind of peace and serenity as the main church — our homes should be extensions of the ONE church!

So is there a peaceful place where you can pray — are there reminders in your home like crucifixes or holy pictures — the same way you might hang up pictures of loved ones — you would want to hang up your holy family!!!

If your home is cluttered and or is not taken care of — then there will be lack of peace –

I’m not talking about expensive items inside — but clear uncluttered — modest living with order –

a place of prayer in the home –

Our brothers and sisters in ecclesial communities, Protestants, Evangelicals  who don’t have a Church with the blessed sacrament there don’t go to the building – the church to pray — so many have to have a place in their home to pray —

Now we in the fullness of truth… know that prayer before JESUS in the blessed sacrament is so fruitful so of course we want to be there -

- but we also must have a place to pray and an environment in our homes that foster lifting the mind and heart to God in prayer.

Heart — Here we  are at the heart of the matter!  Is your heart a house of prayer?

 Is your heart a peaceful dwelling place for the Lord Most High?  Is it a place where you can see and hear Jesus? 

Is your heart a place were silence can bear fruit for prayer?

Remember that your heart as a place of  prayer is most important as you are a temple of the HOLY SPIRIT!

I remember a song I loved when I first came back to church and still do!

“Come and make my heart your home,

Come and be everything I have and all I own,

Search me through and through,

Until I become a Home for you”

Now I am not sure if that last line is right… so if you know the right words let me know…

but you get this idea — great song huh?

So important that we make a house of prayer in our churches, homes and hearts!!!

2- Believe and Receive!

We had a parish priest years ago that would pray for us and lay his hands in prayer on us — Just like we read Jesus doing… and I can recall him saying “Believe and Receive”

I always was so engaged when he would say this… and had no idea that it was directly from the mouth of JESUS!!!

Check this out…

When the apostles… early in the morning… pass the fig tree again and see it withered  – Peter REMEMBERED —- made present —- and called to Jesus and said — look at the fig tree you cursed!!!

JESUS SAYS,

“Have faith in God.

Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,

‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,

and does not doubt in his heart

but believes that what he says will happen,

it shall be done for him.

Now let’s stop right there! We see here right away that if we don’t doubt in the heart — and we believe — whatever we say will happen?  This is amazing!

Jesus continues…

Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,

believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.

There it is believe and receive– you know I think that as a people many of us have trouble receiving — you know we are all into being independent!

These are strong words from the Lord aren’t they?  Can we stand on these words?

NOW THIS Really Fired Me UP — seeing this next part —

In our conference call last night we spoke about forgiveness — and I had no idea that it would be here!!!  Total confirmation!  This sounds just like the Our Father and the way that the Lord teaches the disciples how to pray…

to forgive!

“When you stand to pray,

forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,

so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”

WOW I love it when you can see all these word together the way Jesus said them!!!

All together this makes so much sense!!! 

Believe and receive and don’t forget to forgive!!!

What would happen if we all decided to live like this?

These words are worth reflecting on over and over!

3- Rebelling Against Authority -

So now we see the Authority of Jesus questioned — so the Scribes and Chief Priests have questioned Jesus about everything else — but now this…

Now they go for the heart of the matter — they just bottom line it…

They say… “BY what authority are you doing these things? OR who gave you this authority to do them?”

OH WOW — Jesus answers with the U TURN — He says I am going to ask YOU one question and — if you answer me then I will tell you by what authority  I do these things!

Then He says, “Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?”

The Scribes and High Priests found themselves  in a logical dilemma — meaning they were stuck in their own thinking -

– if they said heavenly they would be agreeing with Jesus — and if they said humanly they were afraid of the crowd  —

so fear and rebellion — what a combo!

When they said they didn’t know — that was it — JESUS would not answer!

And so we see it loud and clear — rebelling the authority of Jesus and His teachings leads to hardness of heart!

We must submit our intellect to all Jesus teaches us and then let HIS LIGHT penetrate our rebelliousness in what ever area it is!

Because where did we see rebellion first begin — In the garden with Adam and EVE!

Where is the first place we experience rebellion?

 – in our homes with our sons and daughters! – in our hearts!!!

WE truly must transform into fully obedient children –  this takes the power of patience and grace!

Jesus please help us to be obedient servants and give us the grace to submit to your truth!

Continue reading »]]> Day 37, Mark 10

HAPPY MEMORIAL OF SAINT KATHARINE DREXEL!!!

I am so fired up today because she is one of my favorite saints! 

She is a GREAT AMERICAN SAINT -born and raised in the USA- and of our time!

Truly amazing — AND RIGHT HERE IN PHILADELPHIA!

I have spent so much time at the shrine — it truly is a rich and holy get away!

I encourage everyone to go online today and read about her!  My favorite story about her is when she went to an audience with the Pope,

being the rich and wealthy person that she was –

-  I mean the Drexel family was one of the richest families in America — and she asked the POPE to send more missionaries to America and that they were so needed -

- the POPE told her - to become a missionary herself!!!

And so she does — but I love the way she did it — she received each month an inheritance — an incredible amount of money — and she started the order and build the most beautiful convent =

= simple but elegant -with the finest quality wood and stone and glass — and then she used all her wealth to transform lives -

- focusing on the poor and oppressed peoples — at that time the Black and Indian of our country — She started schools and universities — specifically so that those in minority could get an education…

OH I could write about her forever — but if you go to the shrine you will see that for herself she spent nothing — her pencils are used down to the eraser and she got around on a makeshift wheel chair that she had them make out of a chair and desk –

She is the perfect Saint to be on this day of Mark 10!!! 

Because today is all about how to Accept the Kingdom of God!!!

I see three eye- opening points in this chapter:

1. How to Accept the Kingdom of God
2. Mission Impossible
3. Baptized to Die

1- How to Accept the Kingdom of God -

Ok so at first glance – it might look like each of the different parts have nothing to do with the other — oh but they do!

We start off with probably the most painful teaching of our time… Divorce –

Can you imagine that when this was read — oh I don’t know… 50 – 60 years ago that no one would have to walk away or close the book over this?

Today with divorce being so high a percentage of the marriages — it is no wonder that many people have left the church over it — or are confused by this teaching and leave because they think they are ex- communicated –

I think the only thing that I wanted to bring up that is different is that here in Mark’s writing we see a part at the end that really makes it clear — where Jesus says — “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery”

And so we see the relational issues here with breaking the ONE flesh that God  joined together — now –

I think this is clear — but I want to talk about something I heard a priest preach on — spiritual adultery —

One of the reasons that Jesus is teaching about this here and then goes into Blessing of the Children is that He is about to talk about how to accept the kingdom of God — and it is going to be with a pure heart –

We have to look at adultery as anything that takes us away from a pure heart where Jesus can dwell — so this spiritual adultery — is when there is a place in your heart that the love of God could be dwelling but you fill it with something else …

be it food, drink, the computer, television, ANYTHING — that may be keeping you from spending time with Jesus!  For all of us remember we are in a spousal relationship with the Master!

If you are on the computer for hours a day — and yet have no time to pray?

Or add up how much time you watch TV – if you don’t pray but are watching hours of TV — this is spiritual adultery —

Christ is calling for hearts totally focused on HIM — especially today in these times!

So YOU cannot receive Him fully if you are in love with something else more than Him! 

An adulterous relationship is one that seeks to fill your need to make you happy and fulfilled — – it is a self serving – I WANT -”take mentality”and does not think as much about the other person/thing as much as meeting your own needs –

-and in any case it is not Christ who is fulfilling that need for you — most people don’t think that HE CAN!!!  But HE CAN! 

Just think about this today for yourself — and then move on to see that JESUS talks about the children … but it is this key verse that I want to focus on…

“Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” 15

WOW this is huge and I don’t remember the word ACCEPT in Matthew’s account!

So it is not because kids are so little and cute — but because of the way they accept — don’t kids accept what they are told when they are little –

- I mean they are so trusting you can tell them almost anything — but especially they know and believe truth — they know a fake — but they believe and give you their loyalty and trust — immediately!

So ACCEPT the KINGDOM — it must be accepted — just as a child would accept — whole heartedly and single heartedly — with total trust and abandonment!

2- Mission Impossible - 

OK I love this story about the rich man and could spend days here — so I am glad to see it again — Now can you see Jesus is building on his teaching…

We see the rich man here because Jesus wants to show you exactly how to accept the kingdom — not like this man did -

- but like St. Katharine Drexel did — isn’t it awesome that today is her memorial!!!

But the point here is that to give everything up -

- is a “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE” for human beings -

- so if anyone thinks this would be hard… sure you are thinking in your flesh — the way the world thinks — as a human being -

- so if you see someone give everthing up — or lose everything and be happy about it and you are still saying to them — oh I feel so bad for you — or sad — how hard — it is because you are thinking as a human being!

We make it so hard sometimes for people to live the Gospel — you know we immediately fall back into our flesh when God gives us the chance to really live His word — we get scared -

- and when we see someone rejoicing in their sufferings we feel bad for them — and that only pulls them out of the spiritual place that they were in!! 

Think about it!

This man was fired up to follow Christ until he heard what it would mean to go all out for JESUS — this frightened him and he realized that he couldn’t jump in –

for us — it might not mean money but all those things that we hold on to — our anger – unforgiveness — self pity — that keep us from accepting the kingdom of God –

when we make that choice to follow our flesh instead of the spirit we are on a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE and there is no joy, no peace — we go through motions and wonder where God is!

It’s like being on a diet and not losing any weight! UGH!

Because for Man it is a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE — but with GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE — meaning with grace –

(I heard this “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE” from my Favorite Polish Priest Father TOM WILK – Pauline Father at the Shrine of Czestochowa — I wonder if they had that TV show in POLAND? I’ll have to ask him – of course I coined the phrase)

What is so needed is spiritual eye sight!!!  And again you cannot see if you have blockages === spiritual cataracks perhaps?

3- Baptized to Die –

This leads beautifully into the third point… we need to see!

Now watch what happens after Jesus builds them up — you see Peter says… what we say often — or at least I know I say sometimes…

Hey JESUS WHAT ABOUT US?  We’ve given everything for the sake of the Kingdom –

and JESUS says,

“Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come“31

Wait a minute!

Did He just say that we are going to receive more houses, brothers, sisters and the rest — wow that sounds great — but hold everything…

did you catch the word PERSECUTIONS in the middle of all those things and ETERNAL LIFE –

This leads right into JESUS predicting the Passion for the THIRD TIME — and HE is really specific here –

I mean don’t you read this and wonder what they were thinking — this is detailed — Son of Man will be HANDED OVER — CONDEMNED TO DEATH – MOCKED AT — SPIT UPON –SCOURGED – DIE – and in THREE DAYS RISE!

It’s all in there — don’t ever wonder if JESUS didn’t know what was about to take place — and knowing full well HE DIES FOR YOU AND ME and these guys who still don’t get it –

- the RICH man who still rather hold on to his possessions -

- I MEAN we have to wake up here — this was all so we could live on in Him and with HIM –  no pain no gain — so cross no glory — no suffering no eternal life!

This should make us let go of something today — or deny ourselves in some way!!!

Well at least to pray like never before — get on our knees and thank HIM!

I think this fired up JAMES AND JOHN — as you can see that this time PETER is silent — after the 1st prediciton of the PASSION and being rebuked — I think PETER said …”pass “– you guys can take a turn –

Well I think James and John might have skipped over that word “persecution” in their zeal…they got a little fired up –or ambitious and they asked JESUS if they could have the left and right side up in heaven –

Now if you remember in the Transfiguration Moses was on the right and Elijah on the left — right side has more power or more importance in the kingdoms — this was known –

That is why Jesus is on the right side of the Father —(interesting that there is no Mama asking for them when Mark tells it — remember too that Peter is dictating)

What does Jesus do? — He talks about baptisim! 

“Can you drink the cup which I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?

and then we see again the words — “WE CAN”

They must have been listening in the last chapter where Jesus says to the man about his son being healed — You can… with faith all things are possible!

Then he tells them that they will drink the cup and they will be baptized –

the seating arrangement for glory is being handled by God the Father — but the key here is that we see this time JESUS talking about the cross as baptism!

SO can you SEE? 

With earthly eyes we see baptism– a joyous event – a sprinking of water — a nice candle – a white robe – some sweet smelling chrism/oil – and some prayers about new life — and a nice party!

SPIRITUALLY we should see — DEATH!!!  THE CROSS!!!

When you were baptized you died to your old self and were made a new creation in Christ’s body — the problem is that too many people are walking around in the new body but living like they are still in the old body!

People are remembering — making present — their old self — sin wounds the new body and grace is limited — we are walking around SICK in the SPIRIT…

So we go to Confession to restore the new body to it’s shining white self! So CHRIST SHINES and then we ask God for spiritual vision…

Say to JESUS ‘MASTER I WANT TO SEE”

OH COOL just like the blind man Bartimaeus at the end of this chapter!!!  He was told to take courage…

and so do we need courage — not to be afraid of what we see — but to ask everyday Lord that I may see!

This healing of the blind was prophesied in Isahiah =

 that the MESSIAH would come and the blind will be able to see –

Now this never happened in the Old Testament — so why did they not recognize it — all those Pharisees and Scribes who knew the Torah better than the people — and yet the people had more faith than they did!

Go figure!

There are 35 miracles in the Gospels — the prophesy is in Isaiah 35!

please read the whole thing about the coming Messaiah — but here is verse 5, and6

“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the eares of the deaf be cleared;

then will the lame leap like a stage, then teh tongue of the dumb will sing.:

YOU GUYS !!!  JESUS IS THE MESSIAH!!!!

Tell someone today and everyday– and believe today like never before!!!

Share you thoughts and insights — it just might touch someone’s heart today!

May we see and believe LORD JESUS!

Continue reading »]]> Day 37, Mark 9

Good Day everyone! Today we begin March and we are half way through the Gospel of Mark!  Many congratulations for completing Matthew and being half way through Mark!

There are 28 day until Palm or Passion Sunday!  Today’s Gospel Chapter should get you fired up to get in the game and be prepared for holy week!!!

Today is all is going to be lifting our eyes toward heaven!  There is a lot of POWER in this action packed chapter!

We pray for eyes that can see!!!

I see three transformational points in this chapter:

1. The Casted Shadow
2. YOU CAN – With Faith!
3. Salted with Fire

1- The Casted Shadow -

Of course I am so happy to be back in the Transfiguration of our LORD! 

I noticed some words that were different or I didn’t notice them in Matthew.  First of all — remember that the last this that happened in chapter 8 was Peter’s Confession! 

So we see Jesus first of all saying Amen – there are many – standing here -that won’t taste death until the son of man comes in POWER –

- well there is power right out of the gate today!

What does this mean Jesus? 

Well — basically you know as Christians we are supposed to die! We are supposed to be dead to sin!  Alive in Christ! 

So we are not supposed to have desires to satisfy our flesh but to be living for and in the kingdom of God!  So he says some are not dying to themselves and to sin but alive to their flesh — that is what he means -

- and He said some that are standing right here — on the inside –the inner circle with JESUS – the ones who should be living dead to sin- those in the pews!

Then Jesus makes a point in the first sentence to say that after six days…. OH MY GOODNESS!

The key here is Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah — and that leads us after six days… to what ?  The Seventh Day!  The LORD”S day!

So all that we are going to see is happening on the seventh day!

This forshadows that the DAY of GLORY of the LORD — and Resurrection will be on SEVENTH DAY!  There is something significant about this  – the sixth day – it was mentioned in Exodus!

Why did Peter, James, and John go up the Mountain with JESUS — because Jesus was calling Peter, James and John to special tasks that they were going to require seeing this event in order to remember what they saw!

I was also taken by the “WHITEness”  the dazzling white of Jesus clothes - 

“whiter that any fuller on earth” could get them –

I guess the fuller was the bleacher — making things white — and we see this mentioned a lot in prophecy!

Then we see Peter saying to Jesus,

“Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 

My understanding is that the “TENT” he was referring to had to do with a tradition, in Hebrew “booths” that the prophet Nehemiah had instructed them to build on their terraces and roof tops- made out of palm branches – to worship the Lord — and I believe it was for the feast of tabernacles!

Pretty interesting… you can write to us in a post anything you might know about this and share it with us! 

So Peter wasn’t thinking of a tent like you and I do at a camping trip — but a dwelling that was customary to worship!

And how did Peter know that it was Moses and Elijah — I mean Moses lived what 820 BC?  And they didn’t have photo’s to know– oh look hey there is Moses!

So Jesus must have told him or it was revealed — but the key is Peter was moved to worship but also scared out of his mind!

And now comes the main point — right at that moment a cloud came casting a shadow over them –

the same shadow that OVERSHADOWED the Blessed Mother in the annunciation –

the same shadow that is casted from PETER and that heals people if they are touched by it in Acts of the Apostle .

And from the cloud came a voice… “This is my beloved Son — Listen to HIM”

WELL there you have it!!!

(By the way — check out Psalm 2 — this is where you can see these words prophetically!!! In Matthew’s Transfiguration God says YOU are my Son and I am pleased with you — Mark tells it as “this”)

Suddenly it was over —-

In this Cloud is God the Father — of course it is His voice — the shadow is the Holy Spirit –

When the three are standing there MOSES< JESUS< ELIJIAH

we see the Trinity — and the BIBLE — Word of GOD — Old Testament – MOSES the LAW — ELIJIAH – the prophets, JESUS the New Testament –

And — on the way down from the mountain — the three of them questioned what rising from the dead meant!

Then they asked why the scribes say that Elijah must come first before the Messiah –

Jesus says yes — according to the prophets Elijah must come first and the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt!

Jesus says that Elijah will indeed come and restore all things — and that he had already come –

so how can this be possible — Well we have Elijahwho did come — the prophet — we have John the Baptist who did come — both of them treated horribly –

and Elijah — will come to restore all things… that is the prefigurement of the HOLY SPIRIT who will come in fullness after Jesus suffers greatly and dies on the Cross — and after the Ascension –

But what they experienced was the overshadowing of the HOLY SPIRIT right on that MOUNTAIN top — a foreshadowing of what they would experience at Pentecost!

2- You Can – with FAITH -

OK I am so fired up about this one!!! This is so cool because we may have read before about the man who had the son who was possessed by a demon…

Anyone ever think their boy or girl was possessed?

I’m sure you know how this man must have felt — at his wits end — I am so impressed that he came and sought out Jesus even after his disciples couldn’t do it!

This man did not give up!!  I love it!!  And he was willing to humble himself — desperate as he was and ask again!

If there was the slightest chance — he would ask –

NOW what blew me away was what ends up happening with JESUS!

But first …. why did this all start with the man arguing with the scribes?

Then it says on seeing them the crowd greeted and ran up to JESUS!

I wonder if the scribes were saying that it wasn’t possible — happy that the demon could not be driven out –

Anyway back to Jesus!!!  He asks some questions of the man about the boy –

and when He hears that His own disciples couldn’t drive out the demon… JESUS says…

“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?”

Then He said to bring the boy to him!

Now as I read this again — I am just wondering what JESUS thinks of us today?  I mean are His disciples praying for people to be set free? 

I mean our struggles are all internal today that manifest on the outside — but addictions and mental illness —

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick — why do we see it only once or twice a year as a parish — I know that you can go and ask for it if you are dying or if you are having a major surgery —

I know a parish where the anointing of the sick is celebrated every Saturday during the Mass — I am not totally sure if this liturgically correct- I think it is – I will ask to confirm — but it is really beautiful that he just asks anyone if they require the sacrament — and it is right after the offertory –

I also connected with a boy in 9th grade recently who when I asked him what His favorite sacrament was…. he said the Anointing of the Sick — I said really why?

He said that His grandfather had Cancer and after the anointing of the sick he was cured forever!

OK now that blew me away and here is this 9th grader in high school with a vibrant faith and witnessing to me about the sacrament! He loves the Catholic Church!

OK back to the story… now is JESUS a little ticked… like my kids don’t clean the bathroom well enough so I have to do it over again… ugh!

WELL I don’t think JESUS is upset because He has to do this again — but HE is bringing to light that there is NO FAITH — I mean I don’t know about you but I am getting tired of hearing JESUS say this…

I MEAN it makes me want to really exercise faith everyday!!  IT must be so pleasing to JESUS to see us grow in faith!!  It gets HIM FIRED UP!

OK so this is the best part!

The Man says to Jesus, “IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, HAVE COMPASSION ON US AND HELP US”

and what does Jesus say?  I mean we just read how compassionate He was to the crowd…

this time JESUS says — “IF YOU CAN!” 

“EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE TO ONE WHO HAS FAITH!”

OK I am beside myself!  I mean I just wrote this book– Faith on Fire and the Holy Spirit led me to so many verses — and maybe even this one that I included in the book about faith…

but I never saw this in context like this! 

This is what JESUS is saying to us today —- we don’t sit around waiting for JESUS to just do EVERYTHING — it is a relationship and YOU have to do SOMETHING!  We ask for the grace… and then we HAVE TO HAVE FAITH!!!

We have it if we have asked — but do we exercise it?  Do we rely on it!

EVER DAY!  Not just on Sunday — and not just when things are not going our way — and not just at a prayer meeting or a retreat!

This man knew right at that moment that HE WANTED FAITH — and he showed the grace to ask Jesus for it!

Then the boy’s father cried out, “I DO BELIEVE, HELP MY UNBELIEF!”

No I will be honest — I don’t know why but I don’t remember this here…

I had it in my head that it was St. Thomas… I thought that is what he says… but he says – the doubter afterwards — MY LORD AND MY GOD!

I would like to say to you that in the book Faith on Fire I mention “heart felt prayers” these are prayers — little short ones that we can say all day long to practice the presence of God –

These are two of mine!!  And My Lord and My God I also pray when the Sacred HOST is lifted by the priest (acting in the person of Christ) during the consecration! 

I read that a saint used to do that and it stuck ever since and I think I learned that saying that in your heart at that moment –used to be taught in the church —

So this is a prayer that we must pray to increase faith —

JESUS – on seeing the crowd gathering — rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it

“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you; come out of him and never enter him again!”

The rest you read that the boy was set free — but the disciples later want to know why they couldn’t drive it out ?

Jesus says — “THIS KIND CAN ONLY COME OUT THROUGH PRAYER”

Ok so — then it must mean that prayer increases faith — since before HE referenced  faithless generation!

If we are in constant disciplined prayer then we will have the faith necessary to rebuke all the evil that blocks the grace of God in our life and increase our spiritual vision!

3- Salted with Fire -

Now there is so much here in this chapter but I want to fast forward to the Simile of Salt!

And first mention that we entered into the fourth section of Mark -

- IV THE FULL REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY

So we are at a turning point after yesterday being Chapter 8 and today 9 we have turned the corner in the journey to Calvary! 

And so we saw in 8 the first prediction of the PASSION and today in 9 we see the Second Prediction of the Passion -

- Jesus gets much more specific about His death and His rising and the disciples — were too afraid to ask HIM — but they did not understand!

Now in the full revelation section we see — the Greatest in the Kingdom –

I love seeing that whoever is not for us is against us and whoever is not against us is for us — and whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, will surely not lose his reward –

- I like to see here all the people who cannot see Christ but perhaps do good works to help you in ministry or things that you need as an act of charity –

my neighbor who is a plumber— is not against God — but is not practicing any faith — but he will assist me in any way especially when it comes to God!

All I want to do is have him baptized and into the KINGDOM OF GOD!

He tells me that he doesn’t want to go to heaven because two reasons… he heard there is no Budweiser beer there — and two …all his friends are in hell!

OK but yesterday he called me hysterical and with a sense of urgency he made me write something down –

He said that he was on a plumbing job and he was, for some reason, suspended in the air very high up with no scaffolding or protection from a fall — he said that even for him — who is so daring — he had to think to himself…

“What would I do if I fell?”  “What could save me?”

He said that what He thought about was that if he fell — the beer couldn’t save him — his buddies couldn’t save him — he couldn’t call anyone on his cell  phone –

- so HE said that HE would have called God — but that he wouldn’t need a cell phone or computer –

So end of story — HIS BRAINCHILD — He had this original thought and wants me to make bumperstickers and all kinds of items with this thought and sell them on this website!!!

Ready…

“PRAYER… THE ORIGINAL WIRELESS CONNECTION”

OK so he was so excited — and since I call him the prophet plumber -he wants his signature on all the items- we will be collaborating on this effort! 

So stay tuned!

Anyway — God is moving even when we think that someone has no faith!! We can’t see the inside of a person!

SO never judge — that was the Gospel today! I love it!

OK so what I love about the Simile of Salt that I never saw before is the first sentence!!!

Verse 49 “Everyone will be salted with fire”

WOW — and He says

“keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another!!”

Salt with a promise!  So what is this fire?  THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Now supposedly it says in my bible that some other manuscripts add, every sacrifice will be salted with salt.

Here we see salt used — which to them meant purifying and preserving use of salt in food! 

The fire is the refinement of the Holy Spirit — so the two used together make an awesome simile!

So this is all about the fire — and that we must stay in the fire — the other big part of the Faith on Fire book — so this is a great chapter!!

Please share your insights and thoughts and we can start a holy bonfire with faith sharing!!

God bless you with a faith on fire today!

Continue reading »]]> Day 36, Mark 8

Good day and we kick off the Month of March today!

Time is moving on and so is the Gospel of Mark! 

We have been in section II the Mystery of Jesus — and in the middle of this chapter we enter into section III Called, “The Mystery Begins to be Revealed”

I see three miraculous points here:

1. Compassion Makes Miracles
2. Disciples Don’t YOU GET IT?
3. For the Gospel

1- Compassion Makes Miracles -

Chapter 8 begins right away with the Feeding of the Four Thousand — right after talking so much about what goes into the body and that in the new covenant it will not be what goes into man’s body that defiles him but what comes out of his heart!

So what can transform our heart?  The Eucharist of course and the multiplication of the loaves!  All the disciples had were seven loaves this time — and that fed four thousand.

Now what is amazing here is that we really get to see in detail the compassion of Jesus and it is with this pity He has for us ,that moves Him to make this miracle of love! 

He is showing us that in the new covenant this will be the food to eat!  This will be the proper nourishment!

“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. 

If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.”

OK first of all — three days listening to JESUS and NO FOOD?  We can’t go a few hours let alone three days!!!

Second — what gets me here — is why after the first miracle of feeding the five thousand — did the disciples still not think – hey Jesus… how about another miracle?

Had they already forgotten?

He asks the disciples what they have —

and this time an offering of the seven loaves –

He also took some of their fish — and blessed it and all were fed

Seven baskets were leftover — hmmmm good ole number seven!

What I am most blessed about is seeing Jesus say that His HEART is moved with pity —

It is so worth reflecting on the Heart of JESUS today — He always provides and is always concerned for us!

Even when we are not taking care of ourselves — even when others who should be taking care of us are not — this goes for old people, and young!

Jesus is always watching and thinking about us… see how He is always one step ahead — these people hadn’t thought about the fact that they needed to think about food so as not to collapse on the way home –

No they had put God first and wanted to be with and hear Jesus preach!

As a result His compassion for them provided them with food to eat –

God will do the same for us — His sons and daughters!

2- Disciples Don’t YOU GET IT?

This next point is how we see Jesus for the second time works the same kind of miracle — and I told you that I was wondering why they did not think of him performing that miracle again?

Well — Jesus starts to ask them if they are getting it?

When Jesus gets into the boats with the disciples after running into the Pharisees who are demanding a sign –

Jesus tells them that they must “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod”

OK at this point the disciples think that Jesus is talking about this because they had forgotten to bring bread on the boat —

JESUS realizes this and says…”Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?”

Do you not yet understand or comprehend?

Are your hearts hardened?

Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?

And do you not remember when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”

They answered him “TWELVE”

He continues,

“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”

They answered him “SEVEN”

Jesus said to them… “DO YOU STILL NOT UNDERSTAND?”

I wanted to break this up for you and for me — because I think that we move so fast in this world that we don’t take time to understand JESUS and God’s will! 

WE think we know everything like the pride of the Pharisees –

we think that we have things all planned out — and we know exactly what we want or think we need to make us happy!

I mean if I really reflect on all the actions taken everyday and how fast it all goes — and then stop and wonder — Jesus is not moving that fast –

and then we have so many people who don’t understand — and I don’t understand and we want to know where is JESUS?

How many times do you hear people say with the natural disasters Where is God?

The next time someone says that to me I’m going to say — which God do you mean?  Do you know my God?

This whole example is showing us that even being a disciple and being on the inside there are still going to be times that we don’t understand -

yes — but we have to be as attentive as possible and LISTEN — as much as we can!

Constant Conversion is what is needed so that we will not have the hard hearts — the ones that can’t think or hear or listen —

The Disciples were too focused on what they didn’t have – the bread they forgot –

HOW MANY TIMES DO WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE DON”T HAVE — or

ON WHAT WE FORGOT TO DO OR BRING WITH  US on the journey and then we miss what Jesus is saying to us at the present moment —

Don’t live in the past or the future but be present –

the word remember — means to make present something that already happened —

so when we remember we are making present JESUS – as in the Mass — but if we remember negative things from our past — we are making them present over and over —

that distracts us from listening to JESUS –

He will say the sames words to us in love as HE did to the disciples!

and in love He will ask those same questions…

I mean can you believe how specific HE was to ask them about the two miracles — that blew my mind!!

Jesus wants us to see and hear — so in the last chapter we saw a man healed and his ears were opened and he could hear — this chapter right after Jesus is having this conversation with the disciples — we see Him healing sight!

Thank you Jesus!

SO now again it is about JESUS touching the blind man’s eyes — and this time again with his own spittle -

the spittle as in the last chapters healing of ears and tongue represent new creation — same way God created

the word touch– original translations in Greek I think mean power going out-

- here we see Jesus laid his hands on him and asked…

Do you see anything?…. amazing that He said…

“I see people looking like trees and walking” 

That just blows me away — why he would say trees — and why Jesus asked at this time?  When other times He simply healed a person immediately!

This healing of sight — to me shows participation — we have to focus on something — we have to try to see — and then JESUS will help us — He puts his own saliva on the ears and eyes — to help us see and hear as HE DOES!

There is no coincidence that this miracle healing of ears and eyes happens right at this time!

Praise the Lord and may He give us ears to hear and eyes to see HIM!

3- For the Gospel -

Now we enter section III THE MYSTERY BEGINS TO BE REVEALED

Peter confesses about Jesus — and then JESUS gives the first prediction of the PASSION!

Good thing that he was shaking them up before — don’t you get it?  He had to do that because now He is about to share with them the upcoming walk to Calvary in bits and pieces and they can only understand if they can see and hear him — spiritually!

This moves right into conditions of discipleship right after Jesus has to rebuke PETER –

So where did all the love and compassion go — I mean Jesus had to get in their faces about the truth!

Isn’t that what happens to us once in a while — we have to get the truth about our situations and where God is leading us sometimes because we are in denial and we don’t want to see or hear –

for us as Catholics it is easy to hide behind a beautiful liturgy -

- some good music and a nice trip to the adoration chapel where we can pray a nice rosary or two — and that is all good to do –

- but are we putting it into action?

Are we acting out the liturgy – the MASS?  Are we really being a disciple of Jesus or is this just a nice story?

We’ve got 28 days until Passion Sunday!  Do you want to be ready for the HOLIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR?

Let’s really start looking at those things we need to change and look and listen to start that process -

- but look here again about what Jesus is saying about the condition of discipleship!

What really struck me this time were the words

“whoever loses his life for my sake and that OF THE GOSPEL will save it”

How can we possibly save our lives by losing them for Jesus or THE GOSPEL when we don’t know who JESUS is or what the GOSPEL SAYS?

I know you get this — and I am sure it makes you think about all those people who do not know JESUS – let alone the Gospel –

It makes me really think about the people I meet every day who tell me that they don’t believe that the Gospel is inspired by God and that it is just a book!

This is so important that we realize — what grace we have received to even believe in the GOSPEL — and to even desire to be a follower of Christ!

And then there is the last verse that cuts right to the chase —

“Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Again what I don’t remember seeing is “and of my words”  So the WORD of God of course is included because it is JESUS!

Thingk about how much the WORD of God is distorted?

We must defend the authenticity of the WORD of God and live it!

That is why it is so wonderful that you  are here and studying it with us!

May God break open His WORD to you and fill you with HIS understanding!

Please share your thoughts on this action packed – fill in the areas that struck you about This WORD!

Continue reading »]]> Day 35, Mark 7

Hi Everyone and Happy 2nd Sunday of Lent!

It is so great to have the Transfiguration as the Gospel — Good News today!

I see three mountain top moments in this chapter:

1. Tradition Not Contradiction
2.  From Inside to Out
3. Be Opened!

1- Tradition Not Contradiction –

The main thing I see here in a special way is that the tradition of the Pharisees definitely contradicted the commandments and that is what Jesus had an issue with.

In the meantime the Pharisees are obsessed with catching Jesus breaking tradition —  and that is how they are proving that He is not the messiah!

Crazy!

They don’t like that Jesus’ disciples don’t wash their hands before eating their meals — and they call it the tradition of the elders!

When they ask Jesus about all this — WHY?

Jesus responds with the words that I love and ring true throughout the generations…

He quotes Isaiah saying that Isaiah had prophesied about these men –

“This people honors me with their lips,

but there hearts are far from me,

teaching as doctrines human precepts”

Jesus specifically brings up the contradiction that must have bothered Him the most –

“You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition”

Jesus refers to the fourth commandment here:

Honor your father and mother — and how the tradition was causing men to dishonor their father and mother by following the tradition to give the money that they would have given to support them in their old age to the temple instead.

I have two things to relate this too.  One  is to say that we can all at sometime be guilty of honoring God with our lips and not our hearts!

The Second Vatican II is all about getting to the heart and the changes that were supposed to be made in the WAY we worship God were meant to assist us as the People of GOD — in honoring God with our hearts and not our lips!

Unfortunately there were a lot of misinterpretations and many things changed that shouldn’t’ have … but Jesus is still in control and the Church continues to direct us on the right course to honoring God with our hearts.

The time in the church before Vatican II 1965 was a time when the number of people were practicing their faith at a record highs! 

However, many people were practicing because they HAD to and not because they understood or wanted to.

I visited with some family last night that I haven’t seen in a while… and they shared with me that their idea of the faith was fear of Hell — and that is what was preached to them… follow the traditions of the church “OR ELSE”

and so what happened?… when they were old enough to make their own decisons they fell away -

- I have another friend who said when he was old enough and didn’t go to church one Sunday and saw that he didn’ t die or go to hell and nothing bad happened to him…. he stopped going forever!

The 2nd Vatican Council is filled with beautiful documents that get to the heart of our relationship with God — and teach us what it means to be fully conscious of HIM — in our lives and in how we worship Him – especially at Mass. 

The documents are not new information or revelation about JESUS CHRIST – but teaching about this relationship in a way that makes it clearer that we are to have a personal relationship with God and how we can be experiencing Him more fully in the liturgy.

The second thing that I see in this point is that tradition can NEVER contradict God’s law –

Our traditions should never lead us to sin!  That is what was happening here… and that was what Jesus was bringing to light with all that He taught –

Jesus wasn’t coming to change everything… but to fulfill the law with the new covenant in Him — but Jesus had to show them all the ways that the traditions were contradicting the law and causing people to sin.

We have many traditions in the Church – and they are good because they help us to worship God as a family better — we also have traditions in our families…. notice the little “t” — little t traditions can change — big T cannot change –

Our traditions in the Catholic church do not contradict the revelation of Jesus Christ -only help us to live Jesus’ teachings better!

– and that is the measure to which we measure all our decisions as to how we are to act — we want to act and honor God from our hearts and not our lips…

this would mean that we are not hypocrites — saying we love God and then acting another way — anywhere we break a commandment for the sake of God it is sin…

and so we repent and turn to Jesus and ask Him to help us!

2- From Inside to Out – Jesus goes on to say,

“Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

The Jews were obsessed with cleaning and purifying the outside of man — and that was ok because they did not yet have JESUS teaching about the heart –and they did  not have the HOLY SPIRIT — aren’t we blessed?!

Later the disciples wanted Jesus to explain this further as even they didn’t understand this idea –

Jesus makes it clear here that all evil comes from the heart — it is not something that is on our outside — something we touch and catch like a disease –  Jesus says,

“From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. ”

All these evils come from within and they defile.

And So it is so important that we do a heart check! We must deal with our insides before we worry about our outsides —

We can understand this too when it comes to explaining the body — we know that if we have issues with our weight — it is NOT only about what we eat it is about the emotions driving the eating — it is coming from the heart –

if we drink too much — it is not only about the specific drink it is about the cause driving the effect — the heart that is desiring the drink!

If we curse all the time — it is not about what is going on outside — the situations that are causing the arguments — but the person’s heart!

We must go inside to find the causes INSIDE driving the EFFECTS on the outside!

This can be a lifelong journey — but this is the journey of conversion of the HEART!

And we can only see the inside by the light of the HOLY SPIRIT — the question is are you willing to be true to yourself and look at what is really going on in your heart?

Are you willing to stop denying yourself of the truth?  Living in denial is living in lies and that is living on the outside –

Fr. Bill Halbing says, that this scripture also is saying that there are people on the inside and outside when it comes to disciples and the body of Christ!

Do you want to be living in the heart of Jesus or on the outside of that heart?

He says all of us who are close to Jesus and follow Him are like the disciples here and are on the inside — so we have the extra responsibility of looking inside and understanding the Gospel and to live it –

He says that these verses prove that even those on the inside did not always understand but were constantly seeking understanding to continue converting in their hearts -

that is what we are to do — constant conversion through prayer and repentance!

3- Be Opened – How do we seek constant conversion in order to live in the inside of the heart of Jesus?  WE must BE OPEN — this is by the grace of God!

And so here we have the Healing of a Deaf Man!

Interesting that this man was not only deaf but also had a speech impediment!

Interesting that Jesus set him apart and took him by himself away from the crowd –

Sometimes Jesus has to get us alone — notice here that “the people” were the ones who BEGGED HIM to lay His hands on the man!

Now what is this about? 

He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he said to him, “Ephaphatha!”  which means “BE OPENED”

AND IMMEDIATELY — the man’s ears were opened and his speech impediment was removed and he spoke plainly!!!

The people  now were saying… “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” 

Remember that this was the sign of the Messiah that was coming — one of the things that he would do!

So it is so good to see that the people at one point knew that this was GOOD… as the walk to Calvary gets closer people forget…

Kind of like you and I — ask we get closer to suffering and the cross– sometimes we forget — even when we are called to be there with another brother or sister in Christ who is suffering — we tend to run from the cross and forget!

We must be reminded everyday!

Now why did Jesus put His finger in the man’s ear and spitting touched his tongue -

I mean wasn’t JESUS concerned about the SWINE FLU?

Jesus looked up to heaven and GROANED, then He said, Ephaphatha!

This is a good one to take to some silent time today in contemplation — ask Jesus and see what He might tell you —

Here is what I see — that JESUS wanted to get right in there and touch what needed to be opened —  What Jesus touched was healed –

and then putting His spit on the man’s tongue was as if He was giving the man his own speech – uniting with him in an intimate was! 

But what really FIRES ME UP TODAY is that……

– Jesus knows that the only way we will convert and desire to change is when WE HEAR THE WORD OF GOD!!!  Scripture teaches us that

“FAITH COMES FROM HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF CHRIST!”

JESUS knows that for us to have more faith we must be able to HEAR!!!

JESUS IS THE WORD — and so by HIM we can hear — and by HIM we can grow in faith!

This also shows that our speech is effected when we cannot hear — meaning our ability to hear and grow in faith — determines what comes out of our mouths —

there are so many connections here!!!

Usually only a mother would do something like that -uniting in saliva

– Jesus puts Himself into this healing — and HE groans to heaven — which is what we are called to do —

GROAN TO HEAVEN!

OK so let me know what you receive in prayer today on this —ask JESUS to OPEN your ears today so that you may HEAR HIS WORD and grow in FAITH! 

God bless you all today on Such a JOY FILLED DAY!!!