Continue reading »]]> Day 28, Matthew 28 -

Happy Day of Resurrection!

1st Sunday in LENT!

Today is truly a day to celebrate!!  It is the day of the Lord’s rising from the dead!  And today is truly the day of our salvation!

Today is also the last chapter in the Gospel according to Matthew! 

There is ONE Gospel — Four recordings of it — and all Inspired – meaning “God breathed” — St. Matthew’s is the longest and so what a joy it was to travel and follow with Matthew these past 28 days! 

Many congratulations to you for completing and prayerfully joining in everyday!  We’ve witnessed many conversions and transformations during these last 28 days! 

Please feel free to share what the Lord has done in you during this time!  I know we have all been blessed in some way — in the same way and in different ways!

I thank you all for tuning in and being a fan of Jesus Christ — for opening your hearts and making room for Him!

What a huge grace that we can celebrate today — do something special with friends or family and rejoice that you had the grace to complete this!  I know I am rejoicing today!  God is so good!  This is the first leg of the race to complete all four inspired recordings of the Gospel! 

And guess where am celebrating today — with many others if you are in Philadelphia — The Holy Shroud of Turin is in town — 5pm tonight — go to www.philashroud.org  — it is at the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia!

Now Sunday is not included in the 40 days of Lent… and so there is no fasting today!  It is a day of celebration and spiritual nourishment and unity and family!  So please go to the blog page today for 30 Day Cleanse day 5 and read a brief detail of the history of the days and exactly how perfectly the church has it all figured out.

Well enough of celebrating… let’s finish the race –we continue with our Gospel marathon/journey…

OK now hold on to you hats now because — and I didn’t plan this –            

the Holy Spirit did!!!!-

Guess what?

We will be starting Mark tomorrow on the feast day of the Chair of Peter — we started Matthew on the Feast of Conversion of St. Paul -

- We will complete all of the Gospel of Mark and Luke — and finish Luke on EASTER SUNDAY — is that amazing or what???

And then… We begin the Gospel of John in the Easter season and finish John on the Sunday of World day of Prayer for Vocations — on April 25th!

This is truly the Holy Spirit and so you want to tune in every day because this is incredibly exciting and I know the Lord has many blessing for all who follow =

== tell your friends and anyone who is in need of transformation… that would be everyone!

Speaking of telling — how exciting today that we see the women being told and to go tell the others the exciting event that JESUS IS ALIVE!!!

Now it is time for the Resurrection of Jesus!

In this chapter I find three earth shattering points!

1. Dead Man Walking
2. The Great Cover up
3. The Great Co – Mission

1. Dead Man Walking – It doesn’t matter how many times I read this — I get so fired up to think of the victory and how the women and apostles must have felt when they heard that Jesus was alive — risen from the dead!

I mean after all He went through being accused and then tortured and beaten — and especially after the last scene we just read with all the passer by people who didn’t believe —

But this was truly mind boggling — and why do you think that Jesus didn’t appear to them first?  First it was the angel — and I love it —

First again we have an earthquake— another big move of God — having to do with salvation — Jesus going into and returning from the heart of the world and there is an earthquake ….hmmmmm makes you think about earthquakes in a different way!

Let’s talk about the angel for a minute here —

-descends from heaven

- approaches –  rolls back the stone and sits upon it

- HIS — so  male — appearance was like lightening …. say what?

What does lightening look like?  and his clothing was white as snow…

Whatever this looked like — must have been bright — and blinded those guards to death… because the were…

SHAKEN — there is that word again…

Jesus is shaken things up again….

And then the angel speaks to the women — so the guards are like dead men and the angel just speaks to the women —

You see they had a message — and it was for the women –

the angel told them not to be AFRAID

that they knew the women were seeking  JESUS THE CRUCIFIED!

Amazing that they call Him that –to be clear that He is the one they are seeking…

Then they confirm that what occurred was exactly what Jesus said would happen!  And they invite the women to…

COME AND SEE the place where he lay — what a blessing -

and then they were told to go quickly — and to tell the disciples –

and to go to Galilee where they would see Jesus — and he ends with

“Behold, I have told you”

It was like a send off command!

So quickly they go — and I love this “fearful yet overjoyed”

How can that be possible?  To be  both at the same time?

Well it is like us when we walk by faith and we have to trust and we have seen God’s glory and we’ve heard a command but we don’t know what is going to happen next –

- so we are thrilled and overjoyed by the move of God and what is happening in the present — but FEAR is for what we can’t see — the unknown –

- and so we must stay in the present — if we let our mind go into the future too much we are tempted to fear!

Jesus knows this — which is why He says do not be afraid a few hundred times in the Gospel –

and so the women, despite their fear — RAN to announce this to His disciples…

Have you noticed that the women in the bible tend to be the heralds — the ones chosen to spread the news fast —like the woman at the well — a woman can be counted on to spread the word and spread it fast– and put the overjoyed together with the fear and you have some high powered women there …

and  so what happens?

we see the words And BEHOLD,

–you have to just pause there –

- Jesus meets them on their way and greeted them… so He didn’t make them wait until Galilee — and I love that He meets them on their way –

-the same way that Jesus is with us on our journey — whatever we are going through or whatever He has called us to — he remains with us!!

Isn’t this exciting!  Even though it appeared as if He wasn’t there — and the orders were to go quickly —-

they approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.

OH WOW it is Mary at the feet of JESUS — can you imagine!!

FULL CIRCLE for Mary!! 

Can you imagine what she must have been thinking — her emotion!

She was at his feet when she was about to be stoned by Pharisees -

- She was at his feet when she was repenting and washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair….

and now she is embracing the risen Jesus feet — and she is chosen by the Lord to appear to — and to be His messenger –

Jesus says to her…Do not be afraid– again —we see it being said — now right from Jesus — ok so why are you and I afraid?

And He sends them off saying “they will see me”

It is just so amazing — that Jesus is with them — and they are off to do as HE commanded.

2- The Great Cover UP — I can’t even imagine what these guys were thinking – the chief priests and elders — I would have thought that they would realize  by now that this was the Son of God and repent!

But no — they continued bribing with money — and dove deeper into lies about what took place….I mean they come up with a whole story and lie to cover up what really happened!

How hard were their hearts? — Just proves that a hard heart can’t accept truth even when it is right in front of it — unless God wills it and they receive the grace…

the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed –the money transaction again…

I mean the hardness of hearts — and it just continues — no wonder Jesus wasn’t going to give them a sign — if they didn’t get this their case was useless —

Just reminds me of not throwing your pearls to swine — these guys were beyond hard hearted — they had gone too far and they were blind with their agenda against Jesus —

So they plot the great cover up! You can cover up — but you can’t hide!

3- the Great Co – Mission —

This is it everyone!!!  We are in the last section —and these are probably some of the most important words in the entire Gospel of Matthew let alone all the Gospels — so wake up, snap out of it, and listen up!!!

First we see 11 disciples — even when I read that I know something is missing —it should be 12,  anyway — Judas will be replaced soon enough –

Second – I really want you to read this over afterward — what happened between the angel and Mary Magdalene and Mary — and then with Jesus —- was an image of what will happen now when Jesus appears to the disciples—

-it was like a preparation — I mean go back and even read the “beholds”

Go back and read the scene with the Mary’s and then read Jesus and the apostles — to me it really shows us that we are all in the Co-mission —

Jesus’ mission of redemption — so we are co redeemers with the Son –

-the laity and the clergy are represented here — first the Mary scene and then the apostles scene— Mary the Blessed Mother is called co – redemptrix –  for this reason — she is our example as the human co-redeeming with the Son….

– They obediently go to the MOUNTAIN to which Jesus had ordered them… now did you realize that they went to meet Jesus on a mountain — I always thought it was in that little room — all huddled together — anyway –

check this out — when they saw him they worshipped HIM … but they DOUBTED!

WHAT???!!!

How can they be with Jesus?

 –they see  Him — worship Him and Doubt HIM?

OK hadn’t they seen it all? I mean they got to see what we haven’t gotten to see — well that doesn’t say much because we doubt too!

Well this would explain how we can worship our God and then doubt HIM too — not good but we can see that it is exactly what happened!

AND even with fear — and even with doubt…

JESUS gives them the great commission — and he gives it to you and me today too!

First He says ,”ALL POWER in heaven and on earth has been given to me…”

and this is the verse you must know inside and out — as Catholics you must memorize it — because this is our mission given to us by Jesus…

“Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” 19-20

—this is called the “commissioning” because Jesus now formally incorporates the apostles and all of us into the mission — His Mission — and here we have all the roles of the Church…

Jesus is setting up His Church and we see the governing of the church — Jesus saying that all power has been given to HIM in heaven and on earth— and so He can say GO – He can send them off on His behalf –

“teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”  this is the governing aspect of the Church –

“make disciples of all nations” —  we are called to evangelize the world — teach them about Jesus and through Him they are formed into His likeness

- baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!

There is the sacrament– necessary to enter in to the faith — it is pretty clear –what is needed is baptism — and this signifies also all the grace contained in the sacraments which are necessary part of the church.

This is a beautiful gift Jesus gives to us — to include us in His Mission — the Mission of Redemption of the whole world — and how is it accomplished? 

Just as He said in these last two verses —

Baptize all the nations, teach them all He has commanded — that includes more than what is written in this book — ALL –

–  what does observe mean?  Follow — they must abide by all that has been commanded!

And behold — Jesus is leading the church — He says He will be with us always — until the end of the age –

- Jesus is and always has been leading the Church — Peter (the pope) is His vicar on earth — He leads through the Chair of  Peter — the rock —(we celebrate this feast day tomorrow)  Can you belive it?  How cool!

As we have just started our Lenten Journey — heading toward Easter — let us be mindful that we are called to baptize — and bring people into the Body of Christ — and that is why we baptize at Easter —

Because this is what Jesus said to do up on the mountain when He first appeared to them — up on the mountain like Moses when He gave the people of God the ten commandments –

Now Jesus stands on the mountain in the new covenant and proclaims the new covenant — baptizing, making disciples, teaching them to follow all He commanded — and He will be with us!

What a great way to end — or should I say …to begin– it is the Good News!!

Many Blessing for you this day!  Your are in my prayers and I thank God for you!!!!

Please share — what do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 27, Matthew 27 -

Good day today — Saturday a Day of Preparation! 

I am so fired up that tomorrow will be the final chapter in the Gospel According to Matthew and we can celebrate because it will be Sunday and during Lent every Sunday is not part of the penitential season — ie every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday united to the ONE Easter Sunday!  You must love the mystery of our faith and the Church!

So even though we are not to be celebrating during Lent -

- we can celebrate-

- in addition to Jesus resurection on Sunday -

- the glorious fact that with God’s grace we finished the first milestone –   (not millstone) of our Gospel Marathon and Journey!

So here we are and today see Jesus meet Pilate(meet sounds nice doesn’t it) - Jesus sentenced to death – the Way of the Cross – the Crucifixion – and the Burial of Jesus.

Another action chapter —- Matthew really moves fast and we can see that this Gospel calls for all these things of the triduum – to happen in three chapters – just like the –Good Friday -Holy Saturday -Resurrection Sunday!

I find three crowns in this chapter:

1. The Death Sentence
2. The Cross
3. The Ground Breaking – Burial

1- The Death Sentence- This chapter kicks off first thing in the morning — and we are off to meet Pilate, the governor -

Meanwhile we see the first death sentence – Judas!

He is now called the betrayer – and once Judas sees that Jesus had been condemned ….

—he deeply regretted what he had done

— oh shoot!

— he returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying,

“I have sinned in betraying innocent blood”

OK so here, in case we have never seen this… Judas confesses to sin — problem is… look who he is confessing to!!!!

Not God but to those who the enemy was working with!  Interesting!

It’s like he wants to get out of the sin by pretending it never happened!

It’s like the man who commits adultery and then when he feels guilty enough tells the mistress that he wants out — and she tells him — it’s too late — and I’m keeping all the stuff I got out of this — the house, the car, the fur coat!

the damage has already been done — of course this analogy falls short — but telling the mistress that you have sinned is not telling God and asking for forgiveness but it is simply sweeping the sin under the table…

Why tell the one you are sinning with that you have sinned,  and then not turn back to God and tell the one you really offended?

So the chief priests say… “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.”

Now the truth is we read this and forget for a minute that these were the holy men of God — I guess the ones you would come to to confess your sins –

And YES —so weird because they were the preists — so under normal circumstances Judas could have gone to the priests to repent — although he might have gotten stoned for this one!

Isn’t everything just way out of order now?  Who’s on first?  Who’s on second?  and What is that to us?

What?  Uh… I don’t know… weren’t you supposed to be the shepherds in the flock of Jerusalem and the people of God — your sheep?

Sounds like a big WOE and MILLSTONE club all in the same sentence!

I shared this in yesterday’s blog — but if you could all please look up the prophet Zechariah chapter 11 verses 10 - 13 — but really read all of chapter 11.  It will blow your mind!  This whole scene was staged and directed by the Lord God Himself — and He tells Zechariah to act it out for Him — it was the rehearsal for the real thing –

Why?  So that this would be a sign to them when it happened that they were wrong the way they were acting — and did they get it?  NO!

The coins being thrown  — “flinging” the coins into the temple – is key here!

Here are a few words from the prophecy –

- “And they counted my wages, thirty pieces of silver.  But the Lord said to me, “Throw it in the treasury , the handsome price at which they valued me” So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the treasury in the house of the Lord.”

And then he departed and hanged himself -

- you know when someone kills themselves — there are always mixed emotions for those left behind. 

I remember a really good childhood friend of mine who’s sister took her life — and it was a mix of emotions —the family was sad, angry, confused, bitter, guilt — I mean you feel all these things toward the person —

and you know we can’t help but feel the same way with Judas -a brother of the LORD (as his disciple)– he betrayed our LORD — but he was one of the twelve —he had to be replaced -

-He was close to Jesus! 

I mean — I always think Judas — why did you do it? 

Why didn’t you turn around instead of taking your life — why didn’t you ask for help from one of the twelve — they were called to forgive — it was such a shame –

there is so much we can think and feel and say here… you can comment below —  key is that it was part of the plan that Judas would be the one to “hand him over” and Jesus knew that — did you know Hand him over in Greek means the saving power and movement of God!

And you will notice — THERE ARE MANY HANDING HIM OVER!!!

this is really key in understanding salvation!!!  There are many handing him over — but ONE SAVING ACTION — they are all ONE!

Pretty cool!

So Judas writes his own death sentence — and it is not good!

On the other hand we have Jesus being condemned to death! 

The crowd was given the choice to release one of the two prisoners —

It says Pilate — knowing that it was out of ENVY that they had

“handed Jesus over” said to the crowd — which one do you want me to let go?  He said Barabbas or Jesus called Messiah?

Calling Jesus Messiah killed them and got them even more angry!

Now the Chief priests and elders were persuading the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus!

Despite Pilate’s wife’s attempt to warn him to have nothing to do with this Jesus — because of her dream — DONT you wonder what she saw in that dream — hey that is a good thing to contemplate this lent in silence — and ask God — what did she see?  Pilate still blew her off!

But he washes His hands — with water — and says that he is innocent of Jesus’ blood and

to look to it themselves!

hmmmm that is what the Chief priests and elders just said to Judas when he wanted to give them their money back!!!!

Here was the people’s response -

- it says the WHOLE PEOPLE SAID IN REPLY:

“HIS BLOOD BE UPON US AND UPON OUR CHILDREN”

They had no idea that that would be a beautiful prayer some day!

Oh Lord cover us and our children with your precious blood –

This is what we want — to live out our death sentence — find out where are those places in your life that God wants you to be dead to sin…

but alive in HIM!

2- The CROSS - There is so much here in this chapter to consume and digest but I feel drawn today to go right to the cross where the two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left –

and I want to focus on “THOSE PASSING BY” and how they

 ”REVILED HIM”

do you know what revile means?  TO ABUSE — to BERATE!

Do you know anyone who has been abused ?  Verbally?  Physically?  Well you know — verbal abuse can be more harmful than physical abuse!

After all Jesus had been through — betrayal –abandonment — and all from his closed friends –then  the physical abuse -  and now one last crowd

PASSING BY and SHAKING THEIR HEADS… and saying…

“YOU WHO WOULD DESTROY THE TEMPLE AND REBUILD IT IN THREE DAYS, SAVE YOURSELF AND COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS!”

all this being said while he is in his final moments… dying physically…

You know I think for us …of those times when you are waiting on the Lord and you know that you could probably make some decisions and make things happen for yourself quickly so you wouldn’t have to suffer — so life would be easier – so that things would be more comfortable for you…

and if you do chose to wait on the Lord — you might look kind of foolish — and then what happens -

- those closest to you — family and friends— what do they do? –

- well they care about you and they don’t want to see you do what?  SUFFER!!!!!!

 So they say things like this –

- take yourself down from that cross — oh it is sooo sad — why should you have to go through this?… you are so smart and talented — oh such a good person… why you?  Just take yourself down off of that cross this instant —

“OH it is just too hard for you — so come down off that cross — you won’t be able to handle it” —

YOU KNOW what is funny — I don’t see the blessed mother there saying to Jesus to come down from the cross — and she knows that He really could take Himself down!!

NO she was praying — she was routing for Jesus and backing Him up in prayer!  She walked Calvary with Him and she co operated with Him in the work of redemption the same way that we co operate with Jesus and work with Him in the mission of redemption –

- Our Lady was the example for us and how we are to be!

A true friend will look at your situation with spiritual eyes and back you up and encourage you to seek God’s will for your life! 

They will En Courage you — and not Dis Courage you! 

They won’t Dis you!

You must have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ surrounding you in community and backing you up in prayer at all times!

Then the Chief Priests with the scribes and elders, mocked him and said,

“HE SAVED OTHERS; HE CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF.

 SO he is the KING OF ISRAEL! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. 

For he said,

‘I am the Son of God’”

OK so this was bad enough right — he was abused by the “crowd passing by”  …then by His priests –

but now what is this???

it reads

“The revolutionaries who were crucified with Him also kept abusing him in the same way” 44

OK so the SINNERS —- the one’s Jesus said He came to save!  OUCH!

That must have hurt the most!

You remember Jesus saying earlier in the chapters… I didn’t come to call the righteous but SINNERS!

and here they are too — abusing Him and they kept at it over and over —

you know it just doesn’t sound human –to be so absolutely inhumane — and so incredibly angry-

– it almost sounds like the person who has gotten so angry that you just look at them thinking — you are totally out of control! 

Like it is beyond what they should be angry about — it is out of control —- you just know that the enemy has a stronghold on the person for that time that they are like that!!!

Again we only see Mary — initiating, supporting God’s will IN HIS LIFE!

We are to follow her faith as model — always looking at everything with spiritual eyes!!!  And only wanting for those we know and love — and even for those we don’t know —GOD”S WILL! CONVERSION!

3- The Ground Breaking – Burial – You can see here right away that from noon on to three o’clock Jesus hung on the cross!

And as He hung and was dying the sky was turning black — probably from all the sin — or soot that Jesus was carrying — We will never be able to comprehend this scene — although I thank God all the time for the Passion of the Christ Movie –

I am a visual learner and person — so I love having a clear picture in my mind and I always have the Passion movie — thanks be to God and a constant prayer for our brother in Christ — Mel Gibson!!!  That the Lord will bless Him and that Jesus would cover he and his family with  HIS BLOOD – which Mel so perfectly showed us like never before!

This is a great time and season if you have not seen the Movie Passion of the Christ to watch it — I always watch it on Good Friday with the kids — and try to watch it a couple of other times — Fridays are good — timing has to be right!!!

Anyway I digress…

OK I know that there is just way too much here and you may have some questions that I don’t cover so ask them below —but what I want to cover is what happened immediately after Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and gave up his spirit…

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.

OK by the way this was a huge veil — curtain that was heavy and that there is no way anyone could even reach on their own to rip it!

In other words this was not humanly impossible on your own without a lot of assistance — and again from what I know this was a huge veil – a wall —

and so to have it be torn — signified the covenant relationship being torn as a new one is being fulfilled!

The veil separated the Holy of Holies in the temple — the Holiest inner court which was not accessible to the average person –

the veil was a sign upon entering into the place where God dwells and is first seen with Moses who had to wear a veil when speaking to the people after he conversed  with God because His face was so radiant the people couldnt’ take it!!!

Moses prefigures Jesus so this is why he is veiled or hidden — so that the glory of God is contained — the people couldn’t handle it —

this is why there was a veil separating the people from God’s presence — so that now being torn — signified a new covenant and church being founded –

and

this is why the tabernacles in the Catholic churches all have the veil around the opening where the real presence of Jesus resides –

…and even why a bride wears a veil – and covers her face so that when the bridegroom removes the veil they are then ready to become one —

same thing here –

Jesus tears down the separation so that you and I can be ONE with Him through His body!

I also want to call attention right away to the

The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised!

OK get fired up because this is so amazing!!!! 

Remember the signs of the kingdom of God — the deaf can hear the blind can see, the lame walk, the dead are alive!

And so here we have that same tone — the earth quakes –rocks are split — tombs open — I just have to say it again…there we have it again the earth being shaken with the  mighty move of God –

Jesus going into the heart of the earth — opening things up — making straight the way to the Lord –

and check this out — my favorite here is that –

many saints who had fallen asleep were raised!

That’s for you people — snap out of it!  WAKE UP!  Jesus this LENT wants to wake you up and raise you up to the saint you are called to be!!!

Some of us have been asleep — but Jesus will raise you up from the dead and so now is the time!!!

At the Burial — shortly after… what a coincidence that the man’s name is JOSEPH of Arimathea — but JOSEPH — His adopted Father’s name — it says here that JOSEPH —

asks Pilate for the body of Jesus…

And PILATE ordered the body to be “HANDED OVER”  remember that this means in Greek the saving action and movement of God —–

So the body of Jesus returns to the name of the man — who is His father on earth… representing His father in heaven!

and now like at birth…. it says -check this out…

- Taking the body,

Joseph wrapped it in CLEAN LINEN and Laid it in his NEW TOMB that he had hewn in the rock!

HOW COOL IS THAT — just like at birth — but this time we see JOSEPH!

AND OH MY GOODNESS — doesn’t this sound exactly like the birth in Bethlehem — go back and look it is exactly the same –

- wrapped the baby in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger -

– and now it is Joseph of A – standing in for Joseph the foster father — and while the other Joseph was a carpenter of WOOD –

- this Joseph is a carpenter of STONE –

and Jesus is the CORNERSTONE — which the buiders rejected — and He

builds his church on rock – and this gets more exciting by the minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Joseph rolled a huge stone stone across the entrance of the tomb and departed —- now Joseph the protector — still taking care of things — I am alluding to his name — we know this Joesph is an image of the other one!!

But all I think about when I hear the stone was rolled over front –

- is Jesus -the cornerstone -living in His Church — built on the ROCK!!!

Jesus is and always has been in charge and leading the Church!!!

He is in control!!! He is our priest, prophet and king! 

 He leaves not  one stone unturned -

- that would be you and me!! 

Thanks be to God — He doens’t leave us where we are — and if you think you are good to go — think again!

There is always more — there is always a deeper love and relationship with Jesus waiting for you!  He is calling you to!

It is up to us to TURN TO HIM! 

There is no time like this LENTEN SEASON!

what do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 26, Matthew 26 – LENT Day 3

Good Friday after Ash Wednesday everyone!!!

How truly amazing is the HOLY SPIRIT — to have us end up on this chapter of Matthew on the first Friday in LENT!!

Today begins the final Section of the Gospel according to Matthew…

VII The Passion And Resurrection

This first chapter of this last section includes the Betrayal by Judas, The Lord’s Supper, The Agony in the Garden, The Arrest, and Peter’s Denial.  So it is an action chapter!

If anyone is reading with us for the first time… please be sure to read the Gospel chapter first and then read this — then write a comment below – or a question — as a share – we would love to hear from you!

I found three anointed points in this chapter!

1. Prepared to Die
2. Betrayal vs. Denial
3. Shaken faith in Jesus 

1- Prepared to Die — In the last chapter we saw Jesus finish His ministry by teaching about the final judgement.  Now here we begin His final preparations for His walk to Calvary. 

At the end of His final words to the disciples we see him giving one last detailed description of the conspiracy that is about to take place!  Then we see Jesus preparing for His last hours… in two ways…

First in Bethany where He is anointed by a woman with an alabaster jar of COSTLY perfumed oil, and poured it on his head while he was reclining at table.

Now remember that in those days there were three types of people who would be anointed with oil on the head while alive… the priests, the prophets, and the kings.  hmmmm interesting!

So this action signifies the ministry of Jesus as priest prophet and king!

Now the disciples don’t like this… they think this is a waste… I mean it could have been used to feed the poor — it just doesn’t line up!

I mean they spent three years with Jesus and He was talking about feeding the hungry and here He is allowing this woman to spend lavishly on Him — they just didn’t get that!

Jesus says, “She has done a good thing for me”

Wouldn’t you just love to hear Him say that about you? 

Have you ever spent lavishly on someone — where you just love them so much you want to shower them with gifts — and the person says… you shouldn’t have — it wasn’t necessary —- and you say… I wanted to!

Jesus is showing us how to receive –  yes how to receive lavishly — because that is what the Father does for us — HE GIVES LAVISHLY!

Also He knew that this was part of His preparation… again NOTHING is outside the will of God!

Jesus goes on to say… “The poor you will always have but you will not always have me!”

Then He says… “In pouring this perfumed oil upon my body, she did it to prepare my body for burial.”

Then here is the most amazing part — Jesus is so passionate now about this action of the woman that He says…

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

WOW —- how awesome is that?

One thing that always seems to come to my mind when I read this is the way that sometimes people will rally to renovate the inside of a church to make it a beautiful church… and people will say that we spent lavishly on the inside of the church — what about all the people we could have fed who are starving in the world?

We know why — it is part of our worship to create that beautiful place for God to dwell!

So sometimes we are lavish when it comes to God!

The other preparation is The Lord’s Supper!  Jesus prepares for the Passover but you see He will be the unblemished lamb being sacrificed!  The Lord’s Supper is the Memorial that we celebrate at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

The Memorial of His Life, Death, and Resurrection.

Memorial — in memory of –  it is how we remember Him –

He said do this in remembrance of me!

Jesus was preparing to die — making the final arrangements for us and our salvation.

We can follow Jesus example this lent by preparing to die — WHAT?

Does this sound crazy?  Well I mean — prepare to die to sin!  prepare to die to your own wills — Lavishly give to the Lord by giving to others this lent with almsgiving and charitable acts of kindness!

2- Betrayal vs. Denial – I love that in this chapter we have Judas and His betrayal, and then we have Peter and His denial… so we can compare and contrast — because you can’t get any further apart than Judas and Peter.

So while on the surface they both don’t look so hot… we may know how the plot turns and one dies and the other lives…

So Let’s look at Judas… here it says that he went to the chief priests and asked them what they would give him —30 pieces of silver — just doesn’t seem like a lot of money — if anyone out there knows what that would translate into dollars I would love to know.  

Judas from that time forward looked for an opportunity to “hand Him over”.

Jesus had predicted that He would be “handed over” but never said from one of His own!

When Jesus says that the one who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.

Don’t you feel like there must have been another significance to these words… I think of the way Judas was stealing the monies they were collecting..

…. and I remember learning that Judas  was expecting a King who was going to rise up and conquer and  fight!  So this peaceable King didn’t make sense to him.

Then Jesus gives him the last WOE — (maybe this is the 8th woe)

He makes it clear that the SON of Man will go according to God’s plan but WOE to that man  by which He is betrayed!!!  YIKES!

And here are the other top ten words I would never want to hear from Jesus

– It would be better for that man if he had never been born!

sounds like more than the millstone club to me!

Judas then LIES!!!!!!  Are you kidding me Judas?  You just lied to the Son of Man — GOD —–  you just spent three years with Him working with him and seeing His miracles — I don’t get it — for 30 pieces of silver?

What’s up with that?

and then YOU LIE TO HIM????!!!!!

“Surely it is not I Rabbi?” 

Doesn’t this just sound like sin? 

When we say…I don’t have any sin?  or when we rationalize our sins?

When we sin we are offending the truth — we are betraying Our LORD!

The problem is that Judas never turned around —

Jesus says, YOU JUST DID — LIE that is — when Jesus says, “You have said so”  He is making it clear that He knows…

So this is betrayal — he later will “betray him with a kiss” — how fake!

So we can see ourselves when we sin — we lie — when we continue on in our sin and pretend to be a follower of Jesus …we are acting  fake!

Judas — betrayed by Handing Him OVER — and he betrayed because he was a confidant — he was one of the brothers — someone close to Jesus – many of us  know how it feels to be betrayed –  not fun!  It hurts and it makes you feel like you are crazy!

The key here is that Judas never turned around — He never turned back to Jesus –

On the other hand we have Peter!

Now He gets all fired up when Jesus is talking about faith being shaken and He says — not me — never!

Jesus predicts it when the cock crows Peter will deny three times!

Here is the scene —  when Jesus is arrested — Peter was following at a distance… then Peter ends up in the courtyard –

- but notice the denial —

first - I don’t know what you are talking about

second - he denies with an oath “I do not know the man”

third - he begins to curse and to swear – “I do not know the man”

immediately the cock crows –

Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: Before the cock crows you will deny me three times.”

He went out and began to weep bitterly!

So the difference between betrayal and denial —-  the turn around!

Peter was able to remember  — he was convicted and able to repent!

That is a gift that we can all ask to see our sinfulness!

How many of us know that a person can  betray God and stay stuck there if they don’t turn around and confess their sin!

While we can also be in denial when we are afraid to include Him in our lives and so we might push Him away — like we don’t even know Him —

This sounds to me like the person - who is Catholic but not when they are  on the job! 

Again the difference is the person who turns back to God!

Jesus knew that Peter’s faith would be shaken — and also knew that He would turn around!  Jesus even instructed him what to do when He turned down!

3- Shaken faith in Jesus - We keep seeing this word shake -

- I remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem and we read…

“…and when He entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken”

Jesus warned Peter about His faith being tested and that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat —

Now we see Jesus telling the apostles… “This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written,

“I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed”;

All of the apostles with Peter said the same thing –

- no problem Jesus!

Well what Peter actually said was…

“Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” 

and it reads and all the disciples spoke likewise!

So really they were all guilty of denial!  In the end they all wore the martyr’s crown— except for the only one who did remain at the cross that day! JOHN!

So we can see here that God will allow for things to be shaken in order to rebuild for the common good — and the lessons are huge!

Peter could never have been able to run the whole church if he had not had this great experience with God’s Mercy!

So God will allow shaking — in faith, in order to grow the gift like a muscle.

I even thought about earth quakes when I was reading this.. a huge tragedy but everything shaken to the ground — in order to rebuild!

The key here is that we all must turn around — to Jesus Christ!

Now is the perfect time!

Now is the day of salvation!

What do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 25, Matthew 25 -  Day 2 of Lent!

Good day everyone!  I am so fired up! 

Do you realize in three days we will have completed the Gospel according to  Matthew!  Way to go!!!  Whooo hoooo!

Today is the last chapter of the section called “Jesus ministry in Judea and Jerusalem”. 

After today we enter the PASSION of Jesus!  What great timing!

We will see in this final chapter of His ministry – two more powerful parables regarding being ready for Jesus’ return — and not ready without being prepared —and then the details of His final judgement!

I see here three lamps that light our way:

1. Being Ready – Being Prepared
2. Working While we Wait
3. Judgement on Service

1-  Being Ready – Being Prepared -  I love this parable because it really hits home doesn’t it!  It you have children — even if you have two — you usually could agree that there is a big difference in the child who is ready and always on time.  That child is ready because they he/she is prepared!

Then we might have one who is never ready when it is time to go because they were not spending the time necessary to getting ready!

The answer I always get from the child who is not ready is… I forgot!

hmmmm sounds like these virgins… 

They were supposed to have their lamps with oil — ok so the foolish forgot their oil — ok so it says the bridegroom was delayed —

so it’s not their fault right?  It is never their fault? 

And don’t you think the wise virgins should have shared? –

- I mean isn’t that the CHRISTIAN thing to do?

Sounds like the same excuses we hear for not being ready — not their fault!

Jesus is really showing us that we don’t know when it will be but we are all responsible for bringing our own oil!

And we have to be sure not to become drowsy and fall asleep! 

Do you know anyone who is spiritually asleep right now?  Tell them to snap out of it!

The Lord says at the end –

- “Therefore stay awake for you know neither the day nor the hour” 13

When the foolish virgins end up going to town to get oil and return — The bridegroom returns and it says,

“those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.  Then the door was locked!”

When the foolish virgins came and said Lord, Lord, open the door for us — He answers ,” I DO NOT KNOW YOU”

Can you imagine?  I mean they were there right? 

They had their lamps — they just forgot the one thing —

Well this is the point — we might think we are there — doing all the Actions — going to church — following the commandments — but we might be double minded — or we might not have repented in a while — is our soul really ready to meet Jesus?

We think we have so much time while we are still living and breathing but we have no idea what tomorrow will bring! (This was mentioned in one of your comments from yesterday!)

This is the urgency that is required — not to create fear — but to show how clear cut this is — you are either ready or not! 

And Jesus is coming! 

2- Working While We Wait — I shared a song yesterday called, “Find us Ready Lord” and it still applies today…

Find us ready Lord – not standing still — find us working and loving and doing you will!  by Tom Booth

That really sums up this next parable which takes readiness to the next level == How will the Lord find you when He comes?

He has given you gifts and talents and Has a will for how you are to grow them in the kingdom.

I think one thing that really jumped out at me was that the Master was going to — after a long time –

– “settle accounts with them”

I mean we are going to be accountable to the Master!!  Our Lord!

And more will be given on that great day when we enter into heaven if we have pleased the Master by doing something with what we had received in the first place…. our talents!

God has “entrusted his possesions” to us — we His servants! 

To one who makes 5 talents out of 5 talents — The master says…

those sweet words we long to here some day…

“WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.”

Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilites!

and here are the EVEN SWEETER words we LONG TO HEAR….

COME, SHARE YOUR MASTER’S JOY!

Then here comes the servant — full of fear — thinking of God as demanding etc…  bla bla bla — I mean no offense — but don’t you just read this and go — what were you thinking bud?

I mean –  you are given someone else’s possesions – ONE TALENT -

-and you bury it?

Could you just see the servant handing back the talent — wiping the dirt off ! 

And what do you think the Master’s looking like right now?

Well I think we get the gist when He says…

the words we don’t ever want to hear…

“YOU wicked, lazy servant!

So you  knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? 

Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

Not a bad question!!  Don’t you think? I mean the Master’s got a good point!

After all He is a numbers guy!

And you read the rest… I mean he takes the one talent and gives it to the one who has more –  and if that wasn’t bad enough…

then he has the “wicked servant” — now He calls him “useless servant”

thrown into the darkness outside,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

NOW — if that doesn’t get you to shut the TV off — put down the BON BONS and get to finding out what the LORD WANTS YOU TO DO WITH YOUR TALENT -

– nothing will… and you had better get some good quality fake teeth because you are going to be grinding some teeth for all eternity!!!

And you know we sit here and can read this and say WOE to the poor sinner who doesn’t know God — but I say that here He isn’t taking only about someone who doesn’t know HIM —

HE SAYS,” HIS SERVANT” —- those He entrusted His possesions to –

and so the scripture goes -

- James 2:14 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

It does not seem like it is looking too good for this servant so I would have to say… no to James! Dead faith cannot save man -

- only living faith enflamed by charity expressed in and through works!

We as the Master’s servants have been given gifts — everything is God’s even if we don’t realize it — even our money –

- when we call HIM LORD — HE IS LORD OF our LIVES — what does that mean?

Lord of our bodies, Lord of our hearts, Lord of our minds, Lord of our money!!! 

WE are servants and stewards!

So we really need to read this over and get it into our hearts and minds that we are all called to work for the kingdome even if it takes the Master a long time to come and get us!! 

We cannot grow weary — as if… He was never coming back — or as if we weren’t going to be going to meet HIM!

Which words do you want to hear from God because there are only two ways that meeting will go!

The judgement is coming one way or another — the time will come!

Find us ready LORD!

3-Judgement of Service – OK now the Lord Jesus is speaking clearly in detail with no parables — can you believe this!  YOU BETTER!

Listen up — so Jesus tells them here is the final judgement — all the nations assembled to hear how they will be judged –

And we are thinking at this point… Will I be judged on all I aquired — the things that showed how successful I was?  Or was it my grades — you know straight As — and a magna cum something  — a Master’s in Theology or PHD?  I mean hopefully He isn’t going to look at SAT scores –

No he does not… first he says He is going to separate us… like the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats…

Nice — He is going to put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left –

–and so you want to be a sheep — all that college education and we are still going to be sheep!!!

But we want this because look what He says to the sheep… on the right side…

“COME, you who are blessed by my Father, Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. “

Are you kidding me?  From the foundation of the world God has prepared for us the kingdom that we as His children inherit?

This is crazy!  The Owner of the Universe — our DAD — our ABBA — has all this ready for us !!!!  This is nuts!

OK why?

Because when He was hungry.. you gave Him food,

when He was thirsty you gave Him a drink,

a stranger and you welcomed Him,

 naked and you clothed Him,

ill and you cared for Him…

in prison and you visited Him

and the righteous one having no clue — says…

when did I do all these things — I paraphrase…

and the KING will say to them…

“AMEN I SAY TO YOU ( better listen)

WHATEVER YOU DID for the least of my brothers =

- YOU DID FOR ME!!!

Let that sink in for a minute — it really should bring tears to our eyes if we really get this in our spirits!

Who are the least??  Could it be the innocent — the defenseless?  Could it be the outcasts of society — the poor – the homeless — the sick — the handicapped? 

YOU can make a list that means something to you here —

but He is saying if you did it for the least…

YOU DID IT FOR ME!

This is where we want to be — right here!

Now on the left — he will say the total opposite —

“DEPART FROM ME”  OH sweet Jesus — can you imagine HIM saying those words to you?  We would die — well pretty close –

He continues –

- “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

OK so here we have it — these are the words describing eternal damnation –

the damned are in the fire but they are not being transformed —

it is a horrible place — for all eternity…

why… because when He was hungry you gave Him no food, no drink, no welcome, no clothing, ill and in prison and you didn’t care for Him –

when you didn’t do it for the least… you didn’t do it for him…

How could anyone read this and say that “”faith alone” with no works is the way to the kingdom?  There are some that teach “believe Jesus is your Lord and saviour “and that is enough to get into heaven!

WE must get in touch with these verses — faith without works is dead — James said this… and we know it to be true —

Jesus is making this so clear that serving our fellow brother or sister in Christ – because Jesus lives inside of them – is serving Christ!

In the end He will say these on the left will go off to eternal punishment! 

But the righteous to eternal life!

Jesus is giving us the choice — we have a choice — a place has been prepared for us!

Which will you choose — you see what we are called to do!

SERVICE — the Son of Man came TO SERVE – not to be SERVED!

Our old parish priest Fr. Kennedy — he was all about service… I wonder if he it tallying up his points for heaven???

HE is too humble for that!!! 

But if I have my numbers right… I mean in all the time I’ve known him a few years how… his little time he gets for vacation he goes on mission trips —

always serving — always surveying the needs of the people — then adusting His life around their needs — quite a thing…

This doesn’t mean that we are all called to run off to a third world country and feed the poor physically — and leave your family — no –

within your vocation that you are called to — where can you serve – where can you love?

– anyone have a sick family member at home?  We don’t have to look too far to find people in need!

WHY WERE WE BORN?  Why do we exist?  Why did God create us?

TO KNOW HIM, TO LOVE HIM, TO SERVE HIM in this LIFE

And to be HAPPY with HIM Forever in HEAVEN or in the next.

this is Baltimore Catechism !

This says it all — We will be judged based on our service! 

what do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 24, Matthew 24 -

TODAY IS THE 1st DAY IN THE HOLY SEASON OF LENT!

ASH WEDNESDAY!

You’ve made a decision to be here and I commend you for taking the time to TURN to our LORD on this HOLY DAY!

TODAY is the day that we start over!  When you go to Mass today and you receive ashes — listen to those sweet words…

REMEMBER YOU ARE DUST AND TO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN!

I mean you can’t be any clearer than that… and right out of the gate — day 1 we are called to humility and to remember that the only reason we have breadth today and life is because Our Lord so wills it!

And so we take this time in a special way — yes we do EVERYDAY — but… because we are human God knows that we forget things!!!!

I mean as soon as yesterday is over we forget yesterdays blessings!

What is up with that? 

And no, it is not because you are getting older — look at kids — they don’t remember what you did for them 15 minutes ago let alone yesterday — so no excuse you older folk!!  You are older and wiser!!!

I am thrilled today to be another year older — I say another year closer to the KINGDOM — PLEASE GOD!!!

 We want to change our minds — we want to turn our minds toward God through the person of JESUS!  And so we take specific time with specific dedication with an open heart and we decide with grace of course that

THIS LENT we long to seek His face and hear His voice!

And so I want to kick today off with the most incredible words I read in the

MAGNIFICAT –(if you don’t know what this is — it is a precious booklet that has the daily Mass readings and prayers etc… it is a monthly subscription and you can go to www.magnificat.com to see more about it — I carry it around with me always — some Catholic book stores have it too- makes a great gift for someone – thanks Annie!)

Ash Wednesday – it reads…

“We begin each LENT begging for ‘the blessing of forgiveness’”!

OK let’s stop right there because if you don’t realize that you need forgiveness, we need forgiveness, as a community, as a country, as a world!

If you don’t see that… that is cool — just means that you MUST pray pray pray these days to understand and see that — and God will show you!

I’ll continue…

“God longs for us to return to him with our whole heart.

For without such repentance we remain tormented by the question, ‘Where is our God?’

God has not cast us out of His presence; rather,

He desires us to ‘become the righteousness of God.’

The Father ‘who is hidden’ waits for us to pray,

‘A clean heart create for me, O GOD.’

Then the way that we reach out to reality to become one with it will reveal God’s saving Presence in every circumstance. ‘

The JOY of our SALVATION’ BEGINS TODAY!”

So you see the theological principle again — BOTH – AND

We are to be FIRD UP and filled with JOY — that we can take this journey and turn to God no matter where we have been or what we’ve been doing!

In addition we must mourn over our lowliness and our sinfulness and be beggars of His forgiveness!

START TODAY — and read over those powerful words that I just shared from the MAGNIFICAT booklet — and let them sink in today!

JUST DON”T SHOUT THE A_ _ _ _ _ _ _a word!

NOW hold on to your seats — because today is all about the END TIMES!!

ISN”T THIS AMAZING –

I’m telling you this is the HOLY SPIRIT Leading this bible blog!  For sure!

To Dust you will return and then here is everything else in this chapter that you have to be ready for!

There are three main earth shattering points here:

1. Signs of Tribulation
2. Signs of Christ Coming
3. Better to Be Ready

1- Signs of  Tribulation- Well so much for the JOY of Salvation! 

I mean if remembering we are dust was not enough – the LORD has St. Matthew recalling for us on THIS DAY -

- the tribulation that awaits in the end times… I looked up Tribulation and it means = grieveous trouble, servere trials and suffering!

First Jesus leaves the temple area after all the WOES — and his disciples must have been impressed with the temple buildings -

- who knows maybe they had just had a captial campaign and there were some new buildings up and looking good –

- many of the jews only traveled to Jerusalem for the big feast days and this was the Passover so everyone was in town!

Imagine what the disciples were thinking when Jesus told them that …

not one stone of one building would be left – there would not be a stone upon another that will not be thrown down!

YIKES!  That’s a lot of destruction –

- sounds like what happens to us too when we don’t accept Jesus as LORD — a lot of destruction inside of us — the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT!

It might look good on the outside but it is coming down eventually if not built on the rock!

Jesus said that the signs of tribulation will be great abominations… and He points to things that the prophet Daniel spoke of… so we can look there and read it –

—people will have to flee from where they live — and Jesus said that the tribulation or suffering will be so great that nothing like it has been seen since the beginning of the world – nor will there ever be!

hmmmmmmm that’s pretty HUGE tribulation!

He talks about the suffering that will take place because of the False prophets! He says they will perform signs and wonders so great as to deceive… even the elect — the chosen ones — maybe those who could see!

Jesus is truly warning them now!  I mean here we are with still four chapters to go — and still the agony and scourging and crucifixion — and we see HIM really getting specific as to what to watch out for and the road of suffering and what to expect!

Jesus tells them that the false prophets will try to distract people into thinking that the Messiah is here or there — and then people will run after them…

but Jesus lets them know that when HE COMES BACK — make no mistake WE WILL ALL SEE HIM!

Then I love this verse 28

“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather!”

To me that means that the false prophets and deceivers of this world love to prey on the spiritually dead!  OH yes the enemy loves to tempt and kick around the Christian who is trying to follow Jesus — but he makes a home and dwells in the spiritually dead!

Bottom line is that Jesus gave them the signs to look for and the reality that there will be tribulation in the last days — and that the signs all point to JESUS – and His coming!

2- Signs of Christ Coming- OK so here we have it in black and white… Christ will come … when IMMEDIATLEY… after the tribulation of those days!

How will we know?

The sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will fall from the sky,

and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Sounds like we might have a clue when this happens that something is up!

It reminds be of the miracle of the sun in Fatima when Our Lady of Fatima appeared to the three little children — if you don’t know the story read about it online!  There is also a new movie out about the Apparition at Fatima!  IT was very good. 

Called “The 13th Day” by Ian & Dominic Higgins.

then Jesus continues… that the SIGN of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn —

Now why will they mourn? It’s a mystery — you can tell me what you think but I think that when we see the sign we will realize how much He loves us and how much we have fallen short of loving HIM — that we will be moved to tears — or maybe they will mourn because they didn’t believe!

IT could be the mourning that comes from the WOES!

Either way — it is a mystery — I truly believe the same way the apostles didn’t understand but had been given the clues about what was to come — so it is with us regarding the second coming!!!

… it says “they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he will send out his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”

I mean as I read this — I feel like the apostles when Jesus was telling them about the crucifixion!  I feel like He is speaking to us now — even though HE was telling them at that time —

They all thought He was coming back quickly — and again I am amazed that this is before the crucifixion -

I wonder what they were thinking?  If being crucified wasn’t enough for them to hear — now all of this?…

Bottom line in all of this is to be ready!!!

3- Better to be Ready! – Jesus says right away when speaking on WHEN this will be that NO ONE —- and that means NO ONE — knows the hour — only the Father alone –

The Father alone?  How can that be … I though Jesus was God? 

ONE GOD?  Shouldn’t Jesus have known too?  Well to understand this you have to understand the Trinity — and that is a mystery and we could spends hours, days, weeks, months, years — on understanding the Trinity — and we should… but for now just know that it is possible for Jesus not to know the time and the Father to know alone!

I love the way that Jesus says that it will be just like the time of Noah — when no one saw it coming –

- everyone was eating and drinking and having a good time!!!  Enjoying life!  And then all of a sudden the ultimate Cleansing came upon the earth!  The ultimate Baptism!!

It reminds me of the movie the TITANIC! — you know how the rich were on the top of the ship and the lower class all knew and were trying to get free — the rich wouldn’t listen — and just kept on with their party!

Jesus gives some other great examples and then says…

“SO TOO, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come” verse 44

OK we could meditate on this verse for the rest of our lives —

BE PREPARED — BE PREPARED—BE PREPARED!

You know that people tend to focus on the fear and drama of the last days — there are movies — and even Christian series that talk about being left behind as we also read in this chapter —

People sensationalize the second coming!! 

What do I think about the second coming?… I am asked a lot –

I think we should stop focusing on the when – how – what will it be like — who will be in — who will be out —

and Focus on BEING READY!

the key is ARE YOU PREPARED? 

Are you at least on the WAY!  Not your WAY but THE WAY — JESUS!

I read this and I take in everything Jesus says -

- but I don’t live in fear or question how is this going to work? 

I mean to be honest — I don’t think words will be able to capture what happens at the second coming of Christ — I think Matthew does a great job and Jesus delivers it well — but our language falls short — so while everything Jesus says is true here — we might not be able to understand it all!

Being ready and prepared is what Jesus calls the Faithful Servant — the one who God puts in charge of something ,and when He returns He finds him working and loving and doing His will!

This reminds me of a song I love, called “FIND US READY” by Tom Booth…

I will close with these words from the song…

Find us Ready Lord

not standing still

find us working and loving and doing your will

find us ready Lord,  faithful in love,

building the kingdom that’s here and above

building the kingdom of Mercy and love!

I have these friends – a couple — Marilyn and Charlie — and after hearing a sermon on being ready– at a retreat — we decided that whenever we greeted each other we would say to each other “Ready?” 

We always knew what it meant and it was a constant reminder that our goal in life is to BE READY?

It is a state of BEING… a state of GRACE!

We’ve got ahead of us a Holy season of grace to lead us into holiness and transformation!

SO I ask you today… READY?

What do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 23, Matthew 23 -

Good Day Everyone!

We are in our final countdown with only ONE day until LENT begins and we will be on our 40 day  journey with Jesus in the desert! 

Guess what? 

 In the desert we can hear better and we learn to listen to every sound because we are not distracted by other noises —- those in our heads and those in our world!

That is if we make the time and allow God to speak to us — HE WANTS TO!

You know when my son was in 4th grade his teacher had him do an assignment during springtime.  He had to sit outside in silence in our backyard and write down all the sounds he heard! 

Of course I did the assignment with him because I wanted to see where she was going with it — well also because I had to push to get this assignment done —– as usual!

I was amazed at all the sounds that I heard just by tuning in and really trying to listen!  It was absolutely fascinating!  That is what we are going to do this LENT!

We are going to make a commitment to listening — and we can’t do so if we don’t schedule some set times to do this!

When we make a spiritual plan it is not meant to be a burden!  It is meant to free your mind so that you know when you will spend time with the LORD!

Do you know how many Catholics feel guilty when the 40 days come and go and the opportunity for grace is lost?  Guilt is not of God!  So who do you think is behind that?

The church under the leadership of Jesus Christ has set this time for a reason!  This is a grace filled time and God is right here, very close at this time to us.  But He wants us to turn off all the noise!  Clear out all the clutter — even on counter tops and desk tops — clear your view –

Now for many of us the noise is all the sounds and voices in our head that tell us —

“YOU DON’T have TIME FOR THIS”

“YOU Have a real job and YOU have to put food on your table”

“YOU won’t change anyway”  “YOU have too many other responsibilities”

I ask you…

What could be more important than JESUS RIGHT NOW?

It is 40 days!!!

We’ve got a disciplined 30 days ahead of us and then we have HOLY WEEK — there is so much to pray about and so much good fruit waiting for us!

THE ENEMY hates LENT!  His goal is to distract you and confuse you! 

SO Keep it simple but do something!

Frequent the sacraments!!!  Sacrifice some things you love -GIVE UP something — and offer YOUR SUFFERINGS!!

Unite them with JESUS and know that GOD cannot be outdone!

Draw close to God and the devil has to flee!!!  That is from James 4. Hey – James is the scripture reading at today’s Mass!  Right on James!

OK now there is still time to follow along with us in the 30 Day Spiritual Cleanse! 

Just click on the menu bar and then subscribe to my newsletter –I’ll be sending out Lenten reflections and this will be helpful to keep LENT and Jesus on your mind!

OK so on with Chapter 23!  Now do you realize that we only have five more chapters in Matthew and you will have completed one full account of the Gospel according to Matthew!!!!!  THIS IS AMAZING!!!

And in such a short time — 23 days — we are receiving reports of Transformation!!  SO I am fired up!

So in the last chapter we saw Jesus getting closer to the heart of Jerusalem! WELL today we see JESUS cutting right to the chase! Cutting right to the root of the tree!

Now we see the crowds are back — and we see JESUS calling the Pharisees and Scribes on the carpet!

JESUS delivers in this chapter the SEVEN Woes!!!!!!! I read somewhere that there are eight?  I only see seven and that to me is cool — because 7 makes sense and the number of completion… but let me know if you see 8!

And then the great LAMENTATION!

WOE is not a word to be taken lightly — It was an exclamation of grief…meaning “How terrible it will be for you!”  “How horrible it will be for you!”

This Chapter outlines all the WOES –

I will put it together in three wake up calls!!!!!!!!

So listen up!

1. WOE to BLIND GUIDES
2. WOE to CLEANSING THE OUTSIDE AND NOT THE INSIDE
3. JESUS laments for Jerusalem

1- WOE to Blind Guides – First let’s just make it clear that all the Woes are routed in HYPOCRISY!  Jesus starts each WOE with WOE to you scribes and Pharisees – YOU HYPOCRITES…!

I have to say first of all that hypocrisy is one of the main things and many times excuses I hear for why someone either left the Church or doesn’t return!

Think about this for a minute… doesn’t hypocrisy sting and ring like a loud gong!  I mean it burns sometimes!  Right to the heart!

Have you ever known someone and they talk all about Jesus and how much they love Him and all that they know about Him and the church and then…

…they do or act in a way that contradicts the Gospel and it just burns you up! 

Maybe they even have confronted you about your sin and how you should change and be… and then they do exactly what they told you not to do?

We welcome to our children’s world!  I mean don’t we do that as parents all the time!  Well maybe just me!

Anyway — we have a Father in Heaven who is perfect and there is no HYPOCRISY in HIM! 

I think hypocrisy is so absolutely damaging –and it is a clear representation of the fact that faith has remained in the mind and never traveled down  into the heart!

This is what is meant by blind guides because they can’t see — but they lead the blind to destruction! 

Now Jesus was talking to the leaders of Israel at the time in charge of faith formation!  Not leaders of government! 

So today that would be parents, teachers, Priests, leaders of ministries… basically anyone who has a leadership position in passing down the faith — and even those who give their testimony to Christ everyday!

People are watching you!  Especially your children — no matter what age they are —10 -30 -50 — they will always look to you!

So let’s put the focus in the right place… don’t look out… look in!

My kids point out my hypocrisy at all times!  FUN TIMES!!  Peace be with you!

They constantly remind me not only of God’s laws but of the rules that I have set that I am breaking — and they don’t wait — they tell me right away!

Jesus tells the people to do and observe all that they tell you, because they are in authority, but do not follow their example!

I think it is key here that Jesus still maintains order — still calls for obedience! 

We can look at that when we don’t like what our parent is doing or saying that we still honor them — and are obedient when they are in authority over us –

- but especially in the church today when we are led by the priests and bishops — they shows us that even if we have a Father who is acting as a blind guide — we don’t follow the example but we still follow under the authority. 

God sees all and knows all — there is nothing outside the will of God!

THIS CALLS FOR TRUE HUMILITY!

Being under the authority of someone is good humility training — I mean even Jesus was under the authority of HIS FATHER!

God is a God of order!  And HE SAYS…

verse 12 “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

He tells them that they “lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings! ”

YIKES!

 That whole part really makes me want to get on my knees for priests today because they really — in communion with the successor of Peter — the POPE — through the ministry of the church — have a special grace and share in the powerful ministry of Jesus Christ –

- where Jesus draws all men and women into right relationship with Him — this cannot be taken lightly and so we have to pray for them that they don’t fall into the WOES as many of them have!!! 

Then we have to do as Jesus says — not follow the wrong example — and so not to lose faith over this bad example!

When He says call no one Rabbi — you have one teacher — call no one on earth your Father — you have but one Father in heaven…

  This sometimes is used by some Christians as a way to say that we should not have priests — and we are committing an offense against the WORD of God and Jesus -

- but you see this did not mean we couldn’t simply call our earthly father  – father — or a priest father — of course not — Jesus meant in your heart — GIVE importance to the fact that YOU have ONE FATHER — and then an earthly one — everything in order!

Jesus teaches us here too — that the Pharisees made everything in the faith about external things — even when it came to what was sacred!

Now this does not mean that we don’t  have to put anything into making beautiful places to worship God in —- but to keep it all in balance and check that JESUS IS LORD and HE is who we worship -

– the commandments are not just rules not to break! 

They are for OUR GOOD — a GIFT from GOD to point the way to HIM — a holy life HERE — ETERNAL LIFE FOREVER!

WE have to want this more than we do want our own way on earth!  Remember our way here… or THE WAY for ETERNAL LIFE!

2- WOE to CLEANSING THE OUTSIDE AND NOT THE INSIDE-

- OK YOU know that I love that Jesus brought this up!  I mean speaking of cleansing!  For these guys everything was external!  Their hearts were stony hearts — hard as rock – 

Going back as far as Moses I can remember him saying…. these people are a ”stiff -necked” people! 

And remember they had seen many miracles — the parting of the red sea — the sea turning red — and how about all the miracles in the desert? 

The manna that God provided when they had no food!  I mean if you feel desperate all you have to do is read that experience after the Exodus and you will know that God provides for HIS people.

Jesus says…you cleanse the outside but your inside is full of plunder and “SELF – INDULGENCE” —

- ok so we could do a whole week of blogging on self indulgence!!!  Look at all the ways that we put ourselves first before God –

I heard a priest say — regarding sin and confession — he says – start with the First Commandment –

- ask yourself… did you pray today?

If the answer is no… ok… well did you eat? 

OK then you love food more than God!

Did you watch TV today? 

YES? 

OH two hours? 

Great…DID YOU PRAY? -

- if not — ok then you love TV more than GOD!

Then Jesus calls them white washed tombs!!!  Looking good on the outside but the inside is full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth!!! 

They should be cleansing the inside!!!! 

I’ll have to send them an email…

 and tell them to sign up for the 30 day cleanse!!!

By the time you get through all the WOES –

- make sure you read this as if you were the Pharisee — do a heart check? 

In what ways can you see yourself there — acting the same way? 

If you don’t see yourself there at all… then stop and Pray to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to hold up the mirror for you –

- these are the men who initiate the crucifixion– all our sin  and every sin we will ever commit is responsible for Jesus’ death — it is why He died for us —– so read it again — if you have to!

I mean Jesus even predicts that they will kill the next generation of prophets signifying that there will be martyrs including Himself -

- Just imagine Jesus standing there knowing that they will kill him and all those He loves in the near future!

If that doesn’t move you to tears — then think about all the leaders and people you know who fit into these categories and how JESUS is saying WOE to them…

…especially those who Jesus has placed in spiritual authority — to much is given much is expected!!!

…and weep for them…. this has to move you to feel bad for them —blind guides — filthy inside — responsible for souls — whether a parent or a religious — we are all responsible…

this should make you moved to lament over them — JESUS DID!

3- JESUS laments for Jerusalem- Key here is that even though Jesus WOES — He never stops loving and calling them home! 

He also laments what Jerusalem did and how Jerusalem had turned away from HIM so many times! 

You know Jerusalem prefigures the bride of Christ!  Over the many years of the Old testament we see an adulterous Jerusalem -

- a bride that did not listen — did not seek Him out — a murderous bride –

Jesus laments because He knows that the bride will suffer as He will have to suffer to enter into the Kingdom and for the transformation into the

 NEW CITY OF JERUSALEM to be  ready to be HIS BRIDE-

- there will be a price and JESUS will pay it on Calvary!

I remember one of my professors in Theology said that Jesus will return when the bride is fully ready and prepared to meet HER LORD!

What part do you play in this transformation, preparation and the coming of the KINGDOM?

WE are all THE ONE BRIDE — BODY – CHURCH – JERUSALEM —–

JESUS ends by saying to His dear Jerusalem…

“You will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

We say this in the Holy Mass together with  the Hosanna in the Highest — Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!

I started praying this every time I greet Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in our adoration chapel and every time I say good bye — in my heart — and I didn’t know why — WOW! 

The HOLY SPIRIT really knows how to teach us how to pray as we ought!

Even if we don’t know why — we just have to surrender in prayer!!  Our minds and hearts!!!

“Metanoia” means transformation in Greek— and it happens to us at every Mass if we allow the Holy Spirit into our hearts! 

The literal translation is Meta = change —- noia = mind –

– so really it is changing our minds!

Let this Lent be a time where God changes our minds so we might understand HIS WILL for us!

P.S. MAKE IT a HAPPY FESTIVE FAT TUESDAY!!!   No More shouting Alleluia until Easter!  WE bury the Alleluia — and so eat drink and be MERRY -JUST Stay away from the WOES!

– For tomorrow we enter the desert!  Be prepared!

What do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 22, Matthew 22 -

Good day everyone! ONLY 2 Days left in the LENT Countdown and I hope you are getting fired up for some extraordinary grace!

It is time to go into the desert with Jesus and it sure helps to stay there spiritually when you have your brothers and sisters in Christ to be there with you!

So please note that in addition to this Gospel reflection each day you will see a post for LENT — part of the 30 day cleanse!  This will be brief but spiritually motivational and a place where you can comment on how you are feeling and making it through the desert this Lent!

Don’t forget to sign up for the 30 Day Spiritual Cleanse by clicking on the menu bar and subscribing to the newsletter!

Pass this on to anyone you know who wants a richer Lenten experience and don’t worry about whether or not you’ll be able to follow along each day -

- you can always jump in or catch up because remember this is a library and always here for you!

Now let’s dig  into this Chapter 22!

Well get your shovels out because at first glance — I see nothing but boulders blocking my view –

- I mean all it seems to me is Jesus speaking in a parable and then the Pharisees go after him with a questions about a teaching –

- and then Jesus answers — and it might seem harsh — and then it angers them -

- so they go get the Sadducees and let them have a go at it –

- more parables -

- they get hit with the cold hard truth –

- and then they get angry -

- then Jesus asks them a question! 

NO ONE can answer JESUS –

and we end with

verse 46″NO one was able to answer him a WORD, nor from that day on did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.”

WOW — I just took you to the last verse of the entire chapter!

That is it in a nutshell!

I just summed it all up —- now I could just let you go for the day….

but NO WAY!

We’ve got some unpacking and reading between the lines to do!

You’ve got to read this chapter and then step back and try to get a global view –

- it is like a soap opera —you’ve got all these sub plots but they really are connected — you just have to step back from all the drama!

In this Chapter I see three matters of the heart!

1. Questions of the Heart
2. Words come from the Heart
3. The Closer we get to the Heart

1- Questions of the Heart– OK first point I want to make is that these are not easy to understand parables and or conversations Jesus is having — well they are easy for Jesus to understand but not we the sheep!

This just seems like a battle of the questions!  And it seems that whoever is asking the questions is winning — however Jesus always ends with the unanswerable question… therefore He wins

… and they go from angry to

“plotting how they might entrap him in speech” 

This is now a war on words — well of course — JESUS IS THE WORD! 

So they will go after Him with words!

This is amazing – If you don’t even read yet what they are speaking about read it to get a sense of what is going on –

 the battle that rages against the WORD — and how it takes place — the tone — before even trying to understand what is being said… which I will admit isn’t the easiest!

Speaking of understanding… I think my main point here would be …

- again, to look at Jerusalem as the heart — and Jesus entering in — now it seems the closer Jesus gets to the center the more intense the controversy — the struggle — the questions — the animosity —

and WHERE DID ALL THE PEOPLE GO?  Where is the crowd? 

Why it is just the Pharisees and Saducees and Jesus — the ones who are not silent — When Jesus gets close that is when they try to find what is wrong with HIS WORD!

Isn’t this just like us ?—- the closer we get to God – the more the issues we have with God’s laws or His church teachings — or our sin gets us in a confrontation with Jesus!

The good news is that as long as we are asking questions we are dialouging with Jesus…There is still hope -

– it is when we stop asking questions that we should be concerned — as we see with the last verse!

2-Words Come from the Heart – OK – let’s talk about what Jesus spoke about and then look at what the Pharisees were asking about –

Jesus’ — parable of the wedding feast in heaven -

- HE makes the point that those invited did not accept …

- they REFUSED TO COME!

That is when others were invited…

… but what is required is the wedding garment (which we know we receive in baptism – and is symbolized by white – baptismal gown, Holy Communion white dress or suit – Wedding gown – when we die — we will have that white garment placed over our coffin — these are all symbols of the spiritual garment that we wear and cannot see)

If we don’t have one —- or we destroy it — we cannot enter into the heavenly banquet that the Lord has prepared for us for all eternity!

Jesus talks about Heaven — and is warning them…

What do the Pharisees want to talk abut …MONEY!

Then they come after Jesus with the idea that there is no resurrection — yet they pose the question about whether someone who is married more than once will have a specific spouse at the resurrection —

Jesus makes the point — no you will be on your own — just like the angels –

And so we see Pharisees going off to Jesus first — asking about money –whose is it?

Then they feel defeated so they get the Saducees — they ask about marriage in heaven — not really believing about resurrection — and then get defeated -

NOW — to continue the war on words —Pharisees heard that Saduccees had been SILENCED -

- so they huddle together — and they get one -

- probably their best— scholar of the law to TEST Jesus it says,

by asking “Teacher which commandment is the greatest?”

Jesus answers the first -

- “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  

This is the greatest and first —-The second is like it — You shall love your neighbor as yourself!”

The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments!

WOW — OK — first I see Jesus really getting to the heart of the matter here!

Love your neighbor as yourself is like LOVING God with all your heart, soul, and mind?

YIKES — they must have been thinking the same as we are thinking reading this!!  DOUBLE YIKES!

Why do we think we have nothing to confess about?

SO that’s it — they got their best boy and that is the best question he could ask?

Seems weird — but think about it —all their questions have to do with the law — not the heart!

Jesus answers with the heart and they don’t understand!!!

This is where their heart is — no where close to understanding how GOD is!!

They just know about Him and His laws!!!  THEY DON”T KNOW HIM!

That is why they don’t recognize HIM — and so they GANG UP ON HIM!

This is just like the people today who debate about the faith by arguing issues!!!

Those things that they don’t agree about in the church… such as maybe  disagreeing about a church teaching… not realizing it is coming from God’s WORD — and staying stuck in their misunderstanding because and never get to know Jesus-

If a person trusts — and seeks God’s face first — He will make clear all His laws and ways and teachings –

- we don’t have to know everything first – we have to want to know HIM first!

So now the Pharisees are all gathered together –

– and JESUS questions them — and he goes right to the man with the greatest heart for God who had lived up to that time — and maybe for all generations..

DAVID –

No one could praise God like David and no one most likely has since David -

– David knew how to repent and how to worship — He wrote all the Psalms -

- I mean real love songs to God — David knew how to dance before the Lord to give Him honor — and David knew how to lead others to worship the LORD!

It had been foretold that the Messiah would come from David’s line!

So Jesus uses David — as the example —

and He asks them now about the Messiah — “Whose son is he?”

They say David’s son!

Then how does David call him LORD? 

Now this might sound confusing but David in one of the Psalms— while praying in the spirit –

he writes…”The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet”

Now we can read this now to be the first Lord = God the Father

and His Lord is Jesus —

now how could they have understood this?

All I can say is…

it is a matter of the Heart!

Jesus did come from the Lion of Judah — the Davidic Kingly line — Matthew laid that out for us back in chapter 1 -

- and remember this is written for the Jewish audience — so this part about David hits right to the heart for them too!

Our faith is a mystery — and somethings we can know just by having Jesus living in our hearts — and we just know truth!

We can’t even explain it —- we just know!

These hard hearts were trying to get every detail explained to the tee!

Mystery is a matter of the heart!  An much of it we won’t know in detail until we get to the kingdom.

3- The Closer We Get to the Heart – I think this chapter makes it so clear what happens the closer you get to the heart of Jesus — which really means the closer you allow Him to get into your heart!

Here is what I see happens — the closer we get to the heart of Jesus — the less we understand — the more questions we might have — the more we have to trust — the more we have to surrender— and if we do surrender –the less we worry about details and specifics — the less we care about worldly matters –

I think you can see what happens in this chapter — we can react to Jesus when He comes closer the way the Pharisees and Sadducees do here — or we can be like David and sing Him a praise of love and trust!

Today would be a good day to pray a Psalm today -

-I believe this is Psalm 110 –

Let us also remember in prayer today our President on President’s day-

– and let’s remember past presidents today for their good examples and bad examples of working for freedom and the common good for all people! 

Let us pray for them and all government officials that they could receive the grace like KING David did to follow and honor GOD!

What do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 21, Matthew 21 -

Good day everyone!

Happy Resurrection Day (6th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

and Happy St. Valentine’s DAY!

How wonderful to have the day of LOVE fall on the TRUE DAY of LOVE this year!!!  SUNDAY!

We are going to talk about love today!!!  Because this journey through the Gospel is a love letter — from God himself!  It is the greatest love story ever created!

So today no matter who you are – and what your situation I want you to stop as you read this – and know something deep in your heart at the level of your being — YOU ARE LOVED!

GOD LOVES YOU!  Father – Son – HOLY SPIRIT!

There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends -

- Jesus calls you His friend!  And at the HOLY Sacrifice of the Mass today you should experience this love — you might not be able to feel it but you will experience it!  This love will transform you today!

OK I’d better jump right in because today we have a long chapter -

- Jesus enters Jerusalem — and I don’t know about you but I got excited reading this.

I have mentioned that I was in Jerusalem — and YOU have to understand that I thought I was in spiritual DISNEY WORLD!  It was a magical place and it was much smaller than I had imagined — I mean you could get to all the attractions — well at least I called them “attractions” pretty easily! 

And of course I was not scared in the least — I felt like a kid in a candy store — and wanted more more more!

The road that Jesus entered Jerusalem on — I drove up in a sports car going 100 miles an hour — I thought I would die on that road -

- my point is that the people go on living and these “attractions” are commonplace – they live amongst them!  It hit me that we do the same thing

– we live amongst many miracles and events that have taken place in our lives — and so today is a good day to stop and thank God for the many miracles and graces you’ve experienced in your life — and tell God that you love HIM!  Not just praise and giving thanks…

but worship — do Him homage and give HIM your HEART!!!

I shout out three Hosannas in this chapter!

1. Hosanna in the Highest!
2. Hosanna from the Heart!
3. Hosanna to the Cornerstone!

1- Hosanna in the Highest – I am so fired up because this chapter is so perfect for today the day of love!! 

Hosanna – what does it mean? — it means a shout of praise and adoration to God!  Originally it meant a cry to God for deliverance!  And so here we see Jesus entering Jerusalem – and the people crying out to the deliverer and shouting praises to God.

St. Matthew lays this out perfectly that all these things had been prepared and planned by God Himself — right down to the ass, tethered, and a colt… and if there is any problem tell them “\…

“The Master has need of them”  another fulfillment of the prophets words…

“Say to daughter Zion,

‘Behold, your king comes to you,

meek and riding on an ass,

and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples were obedient — did what they were told so that the plan of God could unfold –

See how all the cloaks were thrown down — both on the animal for Jesus to sit on — and on the ground for Him to pass –

The significance I see is that for them back then — the cloak was all they had — they gave up and surrendered for the Lord to passover the one thing they really required to survive in that weather —

This passing over signified that He was in fact the deliverer they had been waiting for — and Matthew makes clear what they were shouting and that they preceded Him and followed Him without ceasing these words…

“Hosanna to the Son of  David;

blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord;

hosanna in the highest.”

Now Son of David — acclaiming Him as royalty!  Of David’s line! 

Now we continue that shout of praise at every Mass!!!  After we have been prepared by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit has gotten us ready –

We shout Hosanna in the HIGHEST! 

…and then we fall to our knees and we move into the liturgy of the Eucharist! 

At that point the prayers of consecration begin where the Priest (acting in the person of Christ) prays and Jesus says the words through the priest that His BODY would be fully present in the HOST –

– and we are reverently adoring the LORD as the Lord makes present the actions of His Last Supper — so that we may enter in!

Entering into Jerusalem — is entering into the HEART of Israel!

And so whenever I read Jerusalem — I substitute it with the “heart”— or “heart of God” because He has a huge heart for Jerusalem!!! 

So amazing this is Valentine’s and we see Jesus entering the very heart — I mean Jesus will weep over Jerusalem -

- Jerusalem is an image of the heart in the body that God loves!!!  All through the Old Testament we see a relationship God has with Jerusalem — and God being jealous over Jerusalem having false idols and committing adultery —

When Jesus enters Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked,

“WHO IS THIS?

And the crowds replied,

“THIS IS JESUS the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee”

can you just picture this seen — Jesus is shaking things up!!!

2- Hosanna in the Heart –  You see here Jesus entering the heart -

- but He cannot enter in unless He is received — and that is why all the people are here — if they hadn’t been He wouldn’ t have entered — well now that He is here …

it’s TIME TO CLEANSE —  the temple!

You see Jesus will enter a heart and then if received He will begin the process of cleaning house!!! 

For Jesus to dwell it must be clean in the heart!

The same way we read of those in the market place — idle —

Jesus enters the temple area — temple is deep interior of heart –

and He drives out all those engaged in selling and buying there -

- HE OVERTURNED

—the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves —

WAIT?  I thought Jesus was nice???  Does that sound NICE?

HE tells them…

“MY HOUSE shall be a HOUSE of prayer —

but you are making it a den of thieves!!!!!!!

Now look at house and make it heart —-

YOU see what was happening here was that for people to worship and meet all the laws and rules that went along with that the temple was charging money to change peoples money to buy sacrifices — because people came from all over and their money was not all the same as the Jewish money –

so that is like if you go to a show and to even see the show from your seat you need binoculars — and so you can bring your own — but they are too big to fit in your purse — so they sell them there — but first they are going to charge you to change your money into their money — then you still have to pay for the binoculars –

Now the blind and lame are approaching

Jesus IN THE TEMPLE AREA — and HE CURED THEM –

Of course the Scribes and Pharisees are furious!!! 

And when they approach Jesus about it === He says a verse I LOVE —

“OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF INFANTS and of NURSLINGS (BABES)

YOU HAVE BROUGHT FORTH PRAISE”

this is from OLD testament reading…actually the Psalms 8:3- the love songs of God!

Then Jesus left them and headed for Bethany — this is a town in the area— but not in the temple area — outside the gates — it is very hilly there — so up the hill and over toward the east –

-  Bethany is a town on the east side of the Jordan where John the Baptist had been Baptizing!  That is where He spent the night!!

NOW in the morning — when Jesus was heading back to the city —it says

HE WAS HUNGRY –

- I’ve never seen anywhere in his life that He was hungry — I mean yes in the temptation — and then we see Him say “I THIRST” but not that He was hungry –

NOW oh my GOODNESS — check this out — Jesus seeing a fig tree by the road — on His way — went over to it!

BUT

HE FOUND NOTHING ON IT — EXCEPT LEAVES —- NO FRUIT!!!

NOW I don’t know if you like figs or not — or if you ever tasted a fresh fig!!!

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT!!!

I have two brothers — Italian — and fig trees are a big deal!!

MY one brother Charles — LOVES FIGS!!!  He has spent most of the last few years buying different trees and planting them mostly in giant planter pots and nurturing them like children –

- he spends the whole year tending to them and then he waits for the season – I think it is July or August -

- he waits to see if he will have figs — and usually there are no figs — maybe one or two — I mean this has been labor for years –he even sent me home with a fig tree once — to see if I would have any luck with it — but he forgot I am not the green thumb in the family HE IS —

then MY other brother Frankie — He buys a house with a HUGE — I mean HUGE FIG TREE —  like an apple tree it was crazy —- and it always produced lots of figs — bottom line that tree had roots —

So why do I bring this up —–

Well again think of the heart and cleansing of the heart which is what this whole section is about —

When Jesus passes by and comes to you —- HE is hungry for LOVE —

YES that is right — the God of the Universe is Hungry for YOUR LOVE!

…and when HE comes to you… His tree… what does He find? 

Does He find that fruit has been produced on your tree?  LOVE?

Or does He find just leaves?

We must be rooted on His vine and receive Him so He can produce good fruit in us — and that fruit is love!

So Jesus says to the tree —(cursing it)

“May no fruit ever come from you again”

and IMMEDIATELY the fig tree withered!!!

OK is that NICE? 

What happened to God is love?  Wasn’t that tree a good person?  I mean I am sure there were some good reasons why that tree had no fruit — or should I say excuses????  OUCH!

NO FRUIT —- NO LOVE — NOT GOOD!

YIKES — the disciples were amazed and asked Him why this happened immediately?

Jesus said,

“Amen, I say to you, if you have faith and do not waver, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea’, it will be done”

WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER WITH FAITH, YOUR WILL RECEIVE”

I wonder if my brother ever cursed those fig trees??? hmmmmm

maybe he has more faith than I thought he did?

Well it sounds harsh but truth is Jesus is very clear about things here –

…and I also see the withering of the fig tree as another image of sin in our hearts — Jesus comes in and cleanses and commands things to go and they wither -

- if we believe and receive — He will work miracles in our hearts!

3- Hosanna to the Cornerstone! – Do You know what a cornerstone is?

A stone in the middle of a building uniting two intersecting walls — reminds me of Jesus in the center of the cross!

And what is He uniting?  Humanity with Divinity!

Also — often such a stone is inscribed and is laid at a ceremony marking the origin of a building! 

hmmmmm sounds like the sign that went up at the crucifixtion

“Jesus King of the Jews”

…and that scene there which was the origin of the church — when Jesus was pierced and the blood and water flowed — this is a time we can see the church being born —

Lastly, cornerstone is an indispensible and fundamental basis — meaning it is critical to the topic or arguement -

– THERE IS NO GETTING AROUND JESUS when we talk about salvation!

We see here first the parable of the Two Sons –

the first son says NO — I will not —– to working in the vineyard —

but afterwards HE changed His mind and went!

The second said yes to the Father and then did not go!

Of course the first son… the one who turned around did the will of the Father!

This should put a fire under some of us to get up and get to work!!!!

Faith without works is dead!  We want an on fire faith — full and living!

God’s will is love — for you to know him, serve him and love him in this life and to be happy with Him in the next life!

Whatever it takes for you to be able to get to know God to serve and love HIM!  Is what you must do!

I heard a priest say… we should read the word of God every day!

He says — NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST – NO BIBLE NO BED!

The Parable of the Tenants is where we really start to get the message here!

The Pharisees are tenants leasing land – from God! As Jesus is speaking to them — but the tenants are also you and I!

The first set of servants that were killed were the prophets—

This parable predicts the crucifixion — and then when he says He will find other tenants == that would be the gentiles and you and I –

Again we see the theme of we human beings producing good fruit — that the father will collect —

This fruit is not for us — but an offering to the Father through Jesus — and for the Kingdom and God’s glory!

We have to take the focus off ourselves — it is not just so we can enjoy love peace and joy — but so that those fruits can build up the kingdom …

Jesus confronts them with the Scripture…

“The Stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

by the Lord has this been done,

and it is wonderful in our eyes”?

Then He says to them…

The Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit!

The one who falls on this stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls —

Well of course the Pharisees knew Jesus was speaking about them!!!!

And that just about did it — only because they feared the crowds who regarded Jesus as a prophet at this point — did they hold off!!

But Jesus is getting pretty specific now! 

Jesus is either the stone that intersects the two walls — or He is the stone that people will reject and then stumble over —

These words are worth meditating  on over and over –

- where is HE in your life?

Are His teachings the foundation in your life? 

Is Jesus YOUR ROCK that you hold onto — that holds you together and keeps you in right relationship with the Father?  With the Trinity?

Or is JESUS and His teachings something that you end up having to skirt around — or that you reject or trip over??? 

HE is saying that if you fall on this stone you will be crushed — I can testify that my house was not build on and with the rock as the center and that is exactly what happened — I was crushed — dashed to pieces —

But thank God like the first son — I was by grace able to change my mind — well again grace — but I said YES — what is required is your YES!!!

BE SURE to tell GOD YOU LOVE HIM TODAY!

God bless and enjoy love today!

What do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 20 – Matthew 20

Good day everyone!!

OK 4 days left before we begin the HOLY SEASON OF LENT! 

Don’t let this lent go by without a spiritual plan!  The laity are called now more than every to daily disciplines and spiritual habits — the grace is available during LENT!

Spend the three days before Ash Wednesday — that is tomorrow SUNDAY – Valentine’s DAY — what a great day to say to OUR LORD that you want HIM to show you the ways HE would like to build up your relationship with HIM during LENT!

Check the blog post in Spiritual Cleanse section!

OK so today we have the second chapter of Jesus in Jerusalem and the region of Judea now getting closer to Calvary by teaching in Jerusalem.

I see three golden nuggets in this chapter!

1. The Last shall be First and the First shall be Last
2. THIRD Passion Prediction
3. The Blind will SEE

1. The Last shall be First and the First shall be Last – OK so we are not finished with this very powerful verse – saying of Jesus!  We must meditate on these words – because Jesus wants this word to penetrate our hearts today!

When I taught elementary school children K-8th grade — whenever the little ones would line up they always wanted to be first!  They would push and shove and cut the line to be first!! 

I used to say to them…

“You know what Jesus says… the first will be last and the last will be first” … those little ones at the end of the line would perk up and smile…. and then they would all fight to be last… YIKES!

anyway…

This chapter deals with teaching us that being first doesn’t matter — it is being the least —

like the little child — who is the least in society right?

In the parable “The Workers in the Vineyard” Jesus demonstrates exactly what He is speaking about when it comes to us entering into heaven.

When you read that some the landowner hired right away early in the morning… at 9 o’clock he went out again and then at 12 noon and then at 3pm…. interesting,  

…we read he saw others “idle in the marketplace” and He sent them to work.

You know at this point that GOD is the landowner, JESUS is the foreman and the laborers are those in the kingdom of God-those in the body of Christ - and you see that Jesus does the hiring -

–some report in for work – and were there early in the morning ready to get started… and we see Jesus seeking out the others – going out at all times during the day –

this represents life — all throughout the ages and life and all throughout YOUR life Jesus is calling and seeking you to work in the Kingdom — now!

I love this part where is says… some were “idle in the marketplace” — I see this as those who are not working for the kingdom – basically not doing anything and distracted by the marketplace -

- I see the marketplace as the world and all that it offers to lure us away from working in and for the kingdom, and it includes all that the enemy uses to keep us idle!

OK what is so cool is that the landowner is still hiring at 5pm! 

Are you kidding me? – isn’t the work day over? 

If you look at your life — ok maybe you are 70 or 80 – isn’t it too late? 

NO!  JESUS IS STILL HIRING!!!  Praise the LORD!

He asks those still not working at 5pm, it says those “standing around”

“Why do you stand here idle all day?”

…and they answer “Because no one has hired us”  then he says,

“You too go into my vineyard”

So many people are idle even today because they haven’t been hired — maybe God’s waking them up but there is no one to put them to work –

—since we work for Jesus we become His hands and feet to put them to work!!!

…and that doesn’t mean they do your laundry either!!

Then in the evening — the OWNER of the vineyard – God…

… said to His foreman – Jesus –

“SUMMON the laborers and give them their pay,

beginning with the last and ending with the first”

What?  Who ever heard of such a thing?

And when they all saw that each one received the same daily wage — the ones who were there working first were angry!!!  They didn’t think it was fair!!

God makes the point in this story — that anyone at anytime in their life can receive the gift of eternal life and enter into heaven — even if they have been in sin their whole life — if they repent and turn around the same reward is given as with the person who has been following Jesus their whole life –

This gives so much hope to people so they don’t have to think — WOW — I am so behind — yes you may think you’ve wasted so many years being idle but rejoice in the present – the “PRESENT” is a gift!

We can see God’s hand in the past if we really look — and then we just get to work now and make it our mission to join in Jesus’ mission so that others do not remain idle and say – no one hired us!!!

God is free to give as He chooses — we don’t have to be envious of anyone else and what they receive from God!!

He is a generous God and I still say — that we can look at the apostles and think WOW — they have such a high place in heaven…

… but in these last days before Jesus comes again — in this NEW AGE — the time before He returns God wants to raise up Mighty Saints! 

YOU MUST BELIEVE that you can be a saint — and start today to allow GRACE to make those changes and YOU cooperating with GRACE – to make them a reality!

WE need our brothers and sisters in Christ in community to assist us and the HOLY COMMUNION of the SACRAMENTS — nurtured by the WORD OF GOD!

2- THIRD Passion Prediction – So here is the number three again!

And each time Jesus gets more and more specific with details of the passion — isn’t this so cool — I mean to just watch this unfold — it is mind boggling!  I just can’t imagine being one of the twelve and wondering what they were thinking?

– I mean we know and believe that the WORD of GOD does not give us everything that happened — which is why our Faith is built on ORAL TRADITION too — remember big T — what was orally transmitted — same way that the OLD Testament was orally transmitted until it was finally written down and put into a book -

- not until after Jesus lived — I mean they had scrolls with some things written after a while —but they didn’t have a book! 

So much we can learn too by reading the early church fathers writings — and that is also part of our Church teaching.

OK so here it is pretty specific and it is sandwiched between the last will be first and first will be last –

- and in walks the mother of the sons of Zebedee – James and John!

Don’t you just love her timing!!!  So good to see that even in Jesus’ time we see moms pushing for their sons to be in high places!!! 

So she wants Jesus to COMMAND that her too sons sit one on His left and one on His right in the kingdom!

I mean she knew what she wanted for her boys — and so why don’t we see Jesus saying –”O what great faith woman”  wasn’t He excited by this request?

NO — he just gave the third prediction of His Passion — he says –

“YOU do not know what you are asking!”

I mean the Blessed Mother knew what she was asking at Cana when she initiated Jesus to begin His ministry which was heading only one place and that was to the cross — and Our Lady said yes knowing the suffering she was about to experience — but she was FULL OF GRACE!

Then he turns to the boys and says —

“Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?”

they say “WE CAN”

(reminds me of the song by LeAnn Rimes “WE CAN” from her greatest hits album — you can go to YOUtube.com and type in We Can by LeAnn Rimes — it will fire you up!  Just be sure when you are singing to plug in the name Jesus – and HE CAN!!!)

anyway…

they say “WE CAN”

and Jesus says — ok you are right — you are going to have to drink this cup!!!

I mean we are talking about James who ends up leading the church in Jerusalem — and here we are in Jerusalem — and then JOHN — the BELOVED of Jesus –

so of course Jesus is knowing what lies ahead -not only for himself but that they will have to go through it too -

It is like — a parent who knows a child has an illness or will have to go through a very difficult time — and the parent knows what lies ahead but does the parent explain the whole thing with all the gory details?

NO because they know that not only will the child not understand, even if explained… but also the parent wants to protect and guide the process so as to have it be as painless as possible for the child.

When I got divorced suddenly 13 years ago — my children were three and one years old — I spoke to a counselor at the time who gave me ONE piece of advice that I never forgot and it really assisted me in guiding my children through the process of not only the divorce, but also why we were getting divorced, which was hard for a child to understand — let a lone an adult!

So she said — only tell a child what they are ready to hear — how do you know they are ready? -

- they will ask questions — when they ask — only answer the question they asked at that time -

- you will be tempted to tell them more — but only answer what they asked because whatever they ask — that is the information they are ready to receive!

I followed that and it worked beautifully — and I also saw that when I didn’t follow and tried to tell them more than they asked, they reacted negatively and I quickly remembered the advice and stopped! 

So I tested it and it works!! 

Jesus knows this and He also tells them that they will surely drink the cup — but where everyone is going to sit in heaven… that is something special prepared for by the Father!

The key here to get in touch with the fact that God has already prepared a place for you and everyone you love in heaven! 

It is up to you to say YES that you want to get there! 

I personally want an OCEAN view dwelling!!! 

As close to Jesus and the PRAISE ROOM as possible!

So I will do whatever is required!!!  Whatever it takes!!! Where do you want to be for all eternity?  This life here is only a short distance run for preparation!!  A warm up — the long distance in heaven and how we are able to live there depends on this warm up!!!

When the other boys start flipping out because the two brothers were seeking a higher place — Jesus let them know that it is a Gentile thing to Lord over people position – and authority — that is not so when we speak of Kingdom things and ways –

even the word AUTHORITY — means to God something even more powerful and descriptive than the idea we might have in our heads –

– maybe we didn’t have good examples of authority growing up and that taints our understanding and we are tempted to rebel!

The Kingdom is so opposite in many ways from the way life is here — remember who runs this world and its ways –

– the enemy himself and his goal is to make sure that we are NOT PREPARED FOR THE KINGDOM!!!

WE MUST get really close to JESUS and get these last words of this section in us —

Jesus says… Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be YOUR SERVANT — Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be YOUR SLAVE!

Just so the Son of Man did not come to BE SERVED but TO SERVE – and to GIVE HIS LIFE as a RANDSOM for many!

OK we really need to meditate on these words and if you take time during LENT to really ask the LORD what He means and what this means for you — it will be different how it plays out in each of our lives — but it will LOOK LIKE JESUS no matter what!!!

3- The BLIND will SEE- Now do you think it is a coincidence that the healing of the vision is for TWO MEN?  Hmmmmmm

I mean usually we see one man or woman being healed at a time – interesting!

So this says to me that first of all — for us to even understand what it means to be the least and to serve in the  kingdom of God – we need spiritual healing of the eyes!!  WE need to see!

Now Jesus and the apostles were in Jericho — and that is in the area of Judea surrounding region around Jerusalem but not in the city walls. 

These men called out to Jesus as He was passing by –

“LORD SON OF DAVID HAVE PITY ON US”

We read that the crowd warned them to be silent!!

But they called out all the MORE!!!! 

So who is this crowd and why did they want to silence the blind men?  Didn’t they want them to be healed?

You know this crowd could be the spirit of the world — and that spirit does not want to see Jesus healing and setting people free!!!

It could also be loved ones who – don’t want to see those blind men disappointed — you know — what if they get their hopes up and then Jesus doesn’t stop and heal them –

Or how about the attitude of so many… You know – why would Jesus heal you — He’s got bigger things to do –

So pray and see what the Spirit wants to say to you in this healing of blindness truth –

and remember that sometimes when we are silenced we can see it as a sign to call out all the more — we might have to give it all we have –

Persistence — Perseverance — Passion — Prayer- Praise – lots of Ps!!!!!!!

NEVER GIVE UP!!!  That is one thing my father taught me — Praise GOD!

JESUS STOPPED and CALLED them —

Is Jesus — stopping by you and CALLING YOU — to a healing today?

But He will ask you a question…as He asked them… 

“What do you want me to do for you?”

They specifically answered His question…

“LORD let our eyes be opened!”

MOVED – with pity – JESUS touched their eyes…

IMMEDIATELY they received their sight — and FOLLOWED HIM!

There we have it!!! 

WE need spiritual eyes and sight in order to FOLLOW JESUS!

Physical healings are great — and we rejoice but the real healings are those we require to Follow Jesus — youcan still follow him with a physical ailment– but not with a spiritual ailment!

Ask the Lord that you may see — and to have pity on you — be poor beggar of grace!!!

The Lord wants us to come to Him in faith and ask — because we want to know Him!  And love HIM!

I can remember — I might have already told you this story — but a very anointed priest with a healing ministry came to our parish — and I knew a woman who had been diagnosed with cancer — her faith was very weak — and there were many blocks there that she had with understanding and God’s church etc…

But I wanted her healed and I knew that this would build her faith and so I asked the priest to come and pray for her –

When he got to her he asked her what do you ask of Jesus? –

She didn’t know what to say — so he said would you like Jesus to heal you of the cancer ?–

She hemmed and hawed and said — “Well I mean if He wants to” -” I mean really whatever God wants” — but she said it with such a sign of indifference — like — not believing that this could possibly do anything for her — and that maybe she was just supposed to have the cancer –

The priest went back and forth with her for a few minutes just trying to get her to say that she wanted to be healed —

So the priest finally said — “OK then Keep the Cancer” and walked away!

I ALMOST DIED!!!  I WAS SO ANGRY and UPSET!!! 

HERE IWAS trying to build up someone’s faith — and he had the gift of healing and just walked away…I was beside myself!

I -I- I -I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I- I

in case you don’t get it    I   wanted it for her  and   I wanted her faith built up!

Not she!

We prayed a lot for her and she ended up blessed by God and Praise God He still has more that He wants to teach her because she is still with us — in remission –

But I know I learned a lot that day — and after prayer realized that this priest was acting just as Jesus –

We don’t read of all the people who did not ask — only the examples of the healings that came after Jesus was asked — he asked and the faith filled person

answered —

so think on these words — like little children who ask and know EXACTLY what they want –

LISTEN– I just took my daughter Alicia shopping for a school formal gown –

she had me in and out of stores — oh she knew exactly what she wanted and what she didn’t want — (I just had my cousin sew mine when I was that age)

We know how to know what we want with material things — why not about spiritual things?

The other extreme is like this woman with the cancer — indifference –

YES we have to say WHATEVER GOD WANTS –and ACCEPT GOD’s WILL

… but remember this is a relationship — and when someone says — Where do you want to go to dinner — and your answer is always — I don’t care — whatever you want — after a while that gets boring!!!  Do you really not care?

That is what happens in the spiritual life — most people don’t care!

So learn and grow and have some hopes and dreams that God would awaken some spiritual gifts — with vision — and see how pleased God will be and what JOY you will experience in your relationship with HIM!

What do you think?

Continue reading »]]> Day 19 , Matthew 19-

Good day everyone!

With 5 days left before lent — make sure that you are thinking and praying about your spiritual plan — take the last three days and check my other blog postings coming soon on this same website!!!  We will continue this one chapter a day with only 9 days left in the Gospel of Matthew!!

 71 days left in our 90 day marathon run!!!  Whooo hooo!  Come Holy Spirit!

OK let’s jump right into the Gospel today — another action packed chapter!

Today is the first day in a new section:

Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem

I see three valuable riches in this chapter:

1. The Nuptial Relationship
2. Which Rich Man are YOU?
3. All Things are Possible

1. The Nuptial Relationship- OK so here we have it — Jesus talking about divorce again — he mentioned this first in Chapter 5 but don’t forget now we are in Jerusalem and it must be addressed again – this time a little more specifically! 

We are going to see that Divorce is a lot more than two people who can’t live together — or fall out of love — it is the breaking of a convenant  made before God where God joined two flesh together as ONE! 

This is very hard – but very very important to pray and ask for supernatural understanding!  I’m going to take a shot at explaining a theological truth that I don’t think is addressed too often but that I am sure you will see –

             God is three persons – Father, Son, Spirit – but ONE God.  He is relational by nature – He is one nature – DIVINE!

Our Redemption is accomplished in a nuptial relationship – where Jesus takes on flesh and has a human nature and a divine nature — He is fully human and fully divine — so that we could be ONE with Him in HOLY COMMUNION!  

We are the bride and HE is the bridegroom!  So HE is the head of the body and we are the body!  Jesus is male in gender and His body the church is female in gender.  It is a marriage!

God ordained that marriage between human beings would be an image of the nuptial union between God and man.  And so he made a man and a woman together to form the sacred union and the two really do become ONE flesh spiritually in marriage!

Now this might seem odd for the guys out there… but just think that you are in the ONE body — it doesn’t make you a woman just because the church is female in gender …so don’t worry! When it comes to the ONE body – we are all united.

This is why there cannot be woman priests — because the priest acts in the person of Chirst “in persona Christi” in the Mass and we -the body in the congregation are His Church – His bride —

In the Mass the sacrifice of Calvary is made present – not another sacrifice but the same ONE is represented and it truly is Jesus the Bridegroom–

so — Jesus is a man therefore the minister must be a man!  The congregation is His body – united as one as and so the responses come from the Bride!  And the work that is being done is redemption.  Liturgy is the greek word for “work of the people”.

During every Mass the mission and work of redemption continues.  We join with Jesus to offer the only acceptable sacrifice to the Father – HIS ONLY SON!  Jesus makes this sacrifice through the priest who is able due to the Sacrament of Holy Orders. 

This is the HOLY Sacrifice of the MASS — not preaching, or teaching, or any other kind of Ministry — and Jesus calls us to work with Him – He designed it that way!

This is why the Blessed Mother is called the Spouse of the Holy Spirit because she gave her YES – and was there all through the passion on our behalf – standing where we now stand in faith.

This is also why marriage has to be between a man and a woman!  Marriage under God as a Sacrament is a sign that makes Jesus Christ present on earth!! 

The love between the man and the woman brings forth fruit —the child.  This is an image of the Love of the Father and the Son which brings forth the Holy Spirit. 

So again the two become one flesh -

-So what God has joined together no human being must separate this.

I think this is really key here — God has joined the marriage together — so therefore how can we think that we can just go off and break it up on our own without God. 

So why did Moses command a bill of divorce?  Jesus says,

“Because of the hardness of your hearts”

hmmmmmmmm

Ok I am divorced — and I can say that statistics are showing at least 40% of marriages ending in divorce.

So what has happened over time that this number has gone up?  It used to be you were an outcast if you got divorced — it is now acceptable and we see a lot more divorce —

bottom line is — Jesus even said — “Not all can accept this word but only to those who it is granted”  Again special grace is needed to see this truth!

The last paragraph goes on to say that God has a will and plan for everyone and for many marriage is not part of the plan —

For some… they were not born for marriage…long story but keep in mind that we are all created perfectly as a little child but then the effects of original sin kick in and someone might be attracted to the same sex – etc…

I’ve done a lot of study in this area – as it is close to home for me!!!  Bottom line is God creates nothing but goodness!!  What happens after that is another story! The effects of original sin!

And then we see religious life there when Jesus says that some renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven!  That means that some people have received the grace to wait until the real marriage in heaven and choose to enter into that marriage with Jesus now!  Religious life — Sisters and Brothers.

     2. Which Rich Man are YOU? Jesus ends the last section with the hard saying … and now enters into a light moment with the children –and it is all about trust — and here we see Jesus saying,

“Let the children come to me” 

So why do we see this right in the middle of the saying of divorce and then the story of the rich man — again the call to be like children – to accept his teaching!

Now we come to my other FAVORITE event in the bible!!!  We could do a whole week on this! 

“The Rich Young Man”

I love this story because we have this rich young man come to Jesus with material wealth… and yet the man knew that He was missing something! He should have it all but he doesn’t!

The man asks Jesus, “what good must I do to gain eternal life?”

I love the way Jesus says… Good? there is only one who is GOOD and that is GOD!  So you see there is no such thing as being a good person — it is a Godly person who is Good!  Because the very word good — means GOD!!!

Then Jesus answers — to BE good — follow the commandments!  God’s laws are for OUR GOOD!

Then if you really want to go full force … and BE perfect– sell everything you have and give it to the poor and

YOU WILL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN…

                                                    ..then come and follow me!

3. All things are POSSIBLE! – Jesus then turned to His disciples and said “Amen I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Again I say to you it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

            In Jerusalem there is a very narrow way that someone can enter into the east gate of  the temple  —It is called the “eye of the needle”

 His point of not passing through the eye of the needle – is a good one as when you see it in Jerusalem, it is impossible for anything too wide to fit into this opening –

So the disciples were feeling confused again — how could anyone leave their great inheritance?  They asked , “then who can be saved?” and “What about US?”

Jesus answers ” For Human beings this is impossible but for God all things are possible” 

OF course this is GRACE in a nutshell!

Better to be the SPIRITUAL RICH man instead of the PHYSICALLY RICH man –

Peter immediately wants to know how this will all pan out for the disciples who have given up everything?

Jesus says to them…

“Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel…

and everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.”

Given up? what does that mean?  I see it as given up — in prayer — ie

a brother in prayer… who isn’t changing HIS ways ===I give him up to God — situations, homes etc….

then Jesus finishes by saying…

But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first–

Ok so Jesus is speaking to us in the new age too!  He is letting us know that we who are later can still be first — we can still be huge saints!!!

JESUS gave all that to the apostles who were first … but He has so much more for those who give up everything for HIM!

What do you think?