Gracious Words?

Last night a group of us in the parish gathered to meet and chat and pray with Scripture together. We reflected on the Gospel for this upcoming Sunday. Several different thoughts were shared but the idea that grabs my attention today is how the crowd in Luke's Gospel goes from being amazed at Jesus' 'gracious words' to being so angry with his challenging words that they want to hurl him off a cliff. That's a pretty drastic shift!!

We've been talking too about what it means to be a disciple...to be someone who doesn't just listen to the Word on Sunday...but to be someone who is inspired to DO, to ACT, to really deliberately live out ones faith in action. We're talking about how to inspire our brothers and sisters who sit next to us each Sunday in these pews, to step more deeply into their faith and be strong enough to invite others to walk this faith walk with them.

We have had the pleasure of talking one on one with some of our young families about how they try to live their lives of faith in the world. What an inspiration you are! And our teens...I'm so proud of who they are growing to be...young people who are finding their rightful place in our assembly! Young people who aren't ashamed to say "I like coming to Mass now...I feel more comfortable here... I understand what's going on now..." How I wish we could get them to witness to the rest of the assembly!

So as I look at the reaction of that crowd to Jesus, it makes me a bit nervous. I don't think human nature has changed all that much. If I were to ask us to think about what our faith really means to us once we walk out the church doors, if we were to look at how we offer our selves in service to others, both here at St Francis and in our work lives daily, would we be proud of our answer?

Everything we do as a parish should find its roots in our prayer together as a Eucharistic community. We know that in our heads, but sometime we fail at putting that belief into action. So, I want to be brave enough to ask you... have YOU found your place in this community yet? What are YOU doing to help others find a welcome here? How are YOU helping to 'set the table' both literally and figuratively?? And if you haven't decided to step up and serve in some way at Mass on Sundays, then WHY haven't you? What are you waiting for? You know we need you. You know we value you. What's stopping you?

And even as I ask these questions I think about how that crowd wanted to hurl Jesus down a cliff because they didn't want to be challenged out of their comfort zone.

So, with a deep breath...I challenge you!

Don't be quiet!!

Ok, when I saw this on Facebook, I thought it was funny. I chuckled! When I saw the gospel for this Sunday, how could I not use this??

But I digress...
Yes, the gospel is the story of that first miracle of Jesus's at the wedding at Cana. I wonder who was getting married? Who were the bride and groom? Were they Mary's friends? There's a lot of great imagery in this story that can really get your imagination going! And it's really one of the few times we see someone telling Jesus what to do! If he's not going to listen to his mother...well then, I don't know who he'd listen to?!! Mary sees a need in front of her, and out of concern, she doesn't stay quiet!

I connect this back to both the first reading from Isaiah, and the the memorial our country celebrates on Monday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King jr.

Isaiah says for the sake of the people he will not remain silent. He will speak of the injustice he witnesses. Isaiah declares that when things have been set right, 'desolate' will become 'delight' and God will rejoice in his children.

How can we not reflect on the life of Martin when we hear these words? I can only imagine that it had to cost him something dear to begin to gather his courage to the point where he could speak loudly of the injustices evident in the world around him. Of course we know what it cost him in the end. We know what it cost Jesus to speak out against injustice.

What is being asked of us today? Most likely, no one will put us to death for what we believe. What does it cost us to speak up in the face of injustice really? An uncomfortable moment at a dinner party? The loss of a friendship?  Do you really want to be friends with someone who thinks injustice is OK?

Isaiah says...don't be quiet!! I'm not saying we should speak without thinking...but we should definitely try to find the courage to speak up in the face of injustice around us.

God grant our world more folks brave enough to speak for peace!

Search Diligently

The beginning of the new year is just getting away from me faster than I can manage to keep up...but I wanted to jot a few thoughts down before my work week ends.

From last week's Gospel, the words that still poke me are "search diligently"...I think for me, the gift of working with RCIA folks each year is to help them discover how to search diligently for God in their own lives, and it reminds me each year to continue my own search. I am grateful when God is easily found...(yay! a parking space! Thanks God!) and challenged when God seems more obscure. But to take a deep breath every day and look again, it's all good!

And from this week's feast of the Baptism of the Lord...I know the scripture says that God was well pleased with Jesus, his beloved...but I've also learned along the way that God feels that way about each of us...that we too are called his beloved. That's just breathtaking to me. God has lots of things to do and lots of people to care for...to remember that EACH of us are called his beloved...well, it really doesn't get any better than that does it?

Ah...the challenge is to ACT like God's beloved! And so, we move into a new year!

Blessed are we...

Happy Fourth Sunday of Advent Friends,

The Gospel today is one of my favorites, the story of the Annunciation...of Mary and Elizabeth coming together each to help the other in their time of need, as well as to share a great joy.

For so many years and in so many places I've prayed with this reading, I am always touched by the idea of these two amazing women, one young, one not so young, being able to spend this amazing time of their lives together in love, support, care and creativity. Can you imagine the baby clothes being knitted...or whatever they did in the middle east to prepare for the birth of such beloved sons?
That time must have been such a treasure to those cousins.

Today it is the last line of the Gospel that is compelling to me: Blessed are  you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord, would be fulfilled.

In my own life I know this is absolutely true! There are many times when I can now see that God has called, moved and directed me (most times unknowingly) towards a certain path. That path always leads, eventually, to greater life and love in Him. As I get older I realize that the trick is to listen a bit more to try and hear where God is leading and what God might be asking of me. In order to believe what God has said to me, I need to quiet down enough to hear God's voice.

I am getting better at trusting that God's promise will be fulfilled. Even more, realizing that fulfillment will come in God's time and not my own. That doesn't mean that there aren't small moments of doubt along the way, they just don't overpower me as much. Recently someone shared a quote with me, attributed to Joan of Arc- "I am not afraid, I was born for this!"  I've been praying with this line a lot. First of all, I think Joan should have been, and I am sometimes, a little afraid...but beyond that very human emotion, I would like to think that I am living the life God imagined for me. That these years of service to the church, the honor of working with as many families as I have, the love shared in my own circle of family and friends, all of this, nothing big, just normal day to day life, is what God had in mind for me. And I feel very lucky, very blessed by the gifts given to me in my life.

So, I do believe that God's promises are fulfilled to me and on a much larger scale, to our world. I know we as a world don't listen well. Maybe that will be my prayer this Christmas day, that in the midst of the suffering and pain, the violence and heartache that seems so prevalent today, I can pray that more people will begin to take the time to listen to the quiet voice of God in their hearts and create small pockets of peace in our world. Maybe those small little peaceful places can grow big enough to cover the world with hope!

Joy

Happy Third Sunday of Advent.

It seems to me like I've had this conversation multiple times in the past week about WHY this is 'rejoice Sunday' or why we light the pink candle...but I can't complain for the opportunity to say to someone that it's all about being happy. It's that joyous expectation that something wonderful is going to happen soon...but we still have to wait for it...

That must be how a couple feels as they await the arrival of their first baby...I know grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends go crazy waiting for that first baby! Such joyous anticipation. Such happiness. God is so good to give us these moments of great joy!

It is way too easy to see December with all it's commercialism as a time of stress and anxiety. I am grateful to God that for some unknown reason, so far, deep down, I feel pretty peaceful about life. I know there is a lot to do, I know we're trying to make the season prayerful for others...and I may lose my cool with the ones I love, but mostly, I think I feel pretty calm. I am looking forward to time to celebrate the love of family and friends. I am excited about the beauty of the liturgies we will celebrate together as a parish family. I am grateful for the abiding trust in the God that cares for us even in the midst of a scared, crazy world.

One of our students this week asked a really great question: If they thought that John the Baptist was the Messiah, how come they didn't listen to or believe him when he pointed toward Jesus and told them that HE was the Messiah? What a really good question!! If the guy you thought was the Messiah told you straight up, "Nah, it's not me, it's HIM!" Why wouldn't you believe him?

I don't know. Maybe because they had a preconceived image of what the Messiah should look like...(really, John covered in camels hair was their image?)  and since a poor carpenter from Nazareth didn't fit their image, they weren't interested. What a shame. They missed what was right in front of their faces because they couldn't open their eyes or mind or hearts to see the truth!

Perhaps as we move into the third week of Lent, this reminder of the joy in life, we might ask for the grace to find the moments to be happy in the midst of all our Christmas preparations. Maybe we can go a little slower, breathe a little deeper and hold close to our hearts a few of the little tiny thing that cause us to remember that God is with us, that God loves us, that God holds us close with abiding care.

So light that pink candle on the advent wreath and hum that song of rejoicing. God is truly with us, in our world, and that is something to celebrate.

A Gracious Heart

What is there to say today but "Thank you"!

I want to start a new tradition in my family where we each take time to put on paper exactly what we are grateful for on this Thanksgiving day in this particular year. I think that's important because, each year we will be in a different place at least emotionally, and our hearts will be grateful for different things. Of course, this means I need to remember to bring the same notebook each year to record our thoughts...no pressure there!!

Aside from the obvious thankfulness for the love and craziness of my family, especially my nieces and nephews, and that of my friends...(especially that Jersey crowd!!) I think this year I'm grateful for the ways I can see I have grown. I'm not so afraid, still a little, but not lots. I'm more content. More peaceful. More grounded. I think I have learned to trust that God really is in charge and will take care of me, better than I can take care of my self. From that awareness comes the ability even at this point in my journey to dream new dreams. To wonder what comes next? What the heck does God have in store for me next year? And to think about that excites me. To imagine what the future holds for all I love, but especially those adored nieces and nephew...well, that just is amazing.

There is sadness in thinking of the friends I've lost this year. But I know, beyond all knowing that they are at peace, and I am so grateful for that belief. I rejoice with friends who are expecting new life in their families, and with those who are nurturing little ones on their path. I am grateful I still get to play with the kids at church just like when I was a teen ager in my home parish.

My life feels complete.

For that, and for you, I am most grateful.

Hope and Peace

It happens every so often that our liturgical readings really and truly reflect what is going on in our world. Wow, is that ever true these days...as we see in the news all around us terror and threats and mayhem and destruction. Our readings reflect that as well, we call these the 'end times' readings...filled with images of what the world might be like when the Son of Man comes.

As I look closely at this Sundays readings I am surprised. I keep thinking I should see something that frightens me, but what I see in all three readings are words that describe how awesome our King is! Dreams speak of dominion and glory, and countries proud to serve Him. Psalms speak of splendor and strength of holiness and trust. Revelation speaks of faithfulness and power and John reflects Jesus' passion for Truth. I don't see fear here. I see hope.

And hope is what I need.

I was on the subway today, for a longer than usual commute. My goodness! In the space of the time it took to go 4 stops I witnessed three occasions where strangers were actually yelling at each other. I don't scare too easily after 20 some odd years living in Manhattan, but I was a little nervous. I didn't know if things would escalate or get out of control. I didn't know why people were so cranky. Then I remembered everything that we've been seeing in the news and prayed...Oh dear God, we have every right to be cranky...we're scared...of the unknown crazy person out there who will do something awful.

So how do we live with that fear? I don't know. But I know I'm not going to hide. I'm going to take a deep breathe, pray more for sure, and try to treat others better...and continue to live the life God gives me. Each day. I hope being aware of God's care for me, will make me better able to love the ones around me, and be patient with those who are afraid.

We need to be people of Hope and Peace.  Please, God, help us all.