1st Thursday of Advent, Rock or Sand

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Martha

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”   Matthew 7:24-27

     Imagine being in a lighthouse, along the rocky coast of Maine, while the mighty ocean batters against the rocks.  The lighthouse has withstood this battering for hundreds of years. 

     Imagine being in a house, in central Florida, during a mighty hurricane with winds over one hundred ten miles per hour.  Hear its roar as it batters against your home.

     I recalled both of these experiences when I read today’s Gospel describing a house built on rock and a house built on sand.  While my house sustained hefty damages, it wasn’t destroyed.  Like the lighthouse, it withstood nature’s ravages because it is built on a firm foundation, by a good builder.

     It is the same with my faith.  It is on a good foundation, contracted to a good builder.  It will stand the test.  Will yours?

Advent Prayer:  Lord, help my faith to be strong like the house built on the rock.

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1st Wednesday of Advent, We Are Called

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Martha

“Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’  Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”  Matthew 4:18-22

     It is not a question of if, but of when and where.  We will all be called. 

     Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee when he called out to the fisherman.  They were minding their own business, literally.  They weren’t wondering if they should be doing something else, something more with their lives.  They were living their lives.

     And then they heard something; their name.  He called them by name.  He said “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  And they did!  They immediately, not in a minute, not later, but immediately, left all behind and went with him.

     I wonder if I would do the same.  And, I even know he is coming!  Will I hear him call my name?  How will I respond?   How will you?

Advent Prayer:  Jesus, I know you are coming, help me hear and answer your call.

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1st Tuesday of Advent, A Child Like Faith

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Martha

“At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, ‘I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.’  Turning to the disciples, He said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”  Luke 10:21-24

      There is a special openness in childlike faith. A child sees through unspoiled, innocent eyes.  An adult has too much history, too much skepticism.  A child accepts, and believes simply.  An adult questions and needs proof, often when the truth is in plain sight.

     Today’s Advent Gospel shows that God trusts his truth to those who are childlike, and hides it from those who are wise.  I like to think He means those who ‘think’ they are wise; and that it is the childlike who are wise in ways unknown to them!

     Through a veil of self importance kings and prophets of His time did not recognize the Truth when it was right before them.  Let us seek the Truth through a veil of childlike simplicity.  We will be blessed by what we see.

Advent Prayer:  God, grant me a childlike wisdom that I may see and believe.

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1st Monday of Advent, The Centurion

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Martha

“And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”  Matthew 8:5-8

     Today’s Advent Gospel tells of a centurion who went out to meet Jesus on behalf of his suffering, paralyzed servant.  Jesus, amazed with the centurion’s faith, healed his servant from afar.

     I find great comfort in this Gospel.  It proves how God rewards faith and prayer.  In faith, the centurion prays, “Lord, I am not worthy…” (Matthew 8:8)  His prayer is answered, resulting in an increase of his faith, and likely, an increase of love and loyalty from the servant.  The servant is prayed for; he is healed, and he too receives increased faith.

     From the faith of the centurion, we learn when we meet Jesus half way He does the rest.  Unworthy as we are, if we have faith enough to ask in prayer, if we have faith enough to believe, He will heal us.

Advent Prayer:  Lord, unworthy though I am, hear and answer my prayer.  Prepare me for your coming.

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1st Sunday of Advent, Prepare The Way

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Martha

“Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.  It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.  Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.  If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.  What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!”  Mark 13:33-37

    Before the final bid an auctioneer calls out, “Fair warning!”  Little time is left to make your highest bid.

     In today’s gospel we hear, “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” (Mark 13:33)  We hear our fair warning. 

     On this first Sunday of Advent we start preparation to receive our King.  Advent begins now, and ends at Christ’s birth.  We know He is coming.  We know when.

     Our earthly life begins at birth, and ends at death.  We know He is coming. We don’t know when.  We must be prepared at all times.

     Advent strengthens us to remain prepared, by helping us see Christ in the everyday moments of the season.  When we learn to see Christ in the everyday moments of our lives, we will be prepared for His coming.

Advent Prayer:  Jesus, help prepare my heart for your coming. Let me see you in everyday moments.

Have a blessed weekend everyone!  Check back on Monday the first week of Advent posts!

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Ball And Chain

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Martha

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:29-30

Journey Through The Stillness – October 22, 2010 – As I enter into The Stillness, as usual, I am saying, “Yes, Lord, I will be Still, for you ARE God.”  Only today, I add, “…and I must admit, Lord, that scares me a little.”  He says to me, “And why so today, child?”  I tell Him, “It is control, Lord.  I know I am not in control, that I cannot pick and choose what will happen to me.”  He says, “Yet you have been so good at relinquishing control and allowing my will for your life.  Why is it so hard for you now?”  I know He knows the answer, but I also know He wants me to lay it on the table before Him and then to drop it at His feet, and I do.  He also knows that after dropping it at the foot of The Cross I might just drag it along with me for a ways until I am tired of it.  Then I will truly put it there and leave it there. It is a process.  I am working on it.  For now it is enough for Him.  He says, “Go in peace, child.  Don’t drag it too far.  There is no need to.  I am here, always.”

      We often times have trouble letting go of certain things, both good and bad.  We don’t like to make changes and often continue down the wrong path, or carry around old baggage and burdens because it is just easier.  At least it seems to be easier.

     The truth is that Jesus is ever waiting to take our burdens from us, if we but ask, if we but bring them to Him.  I have a tendancy to take them to Him, lay them at the foot of the Cross, but them pick them back up as I leave and carry them around like a ball and chain.  However, He is ever patient, knowing that at some point I will tire of carry them and bring them back to Him for good.

     If you have a ball and chain that you keep holding onto and carrying around with you, know that Jesus is waiting for you also to bring it to Him.  He understands the process of letting go can take some time, can take more than one try.  He loves us more than we can imagine and hates to see us struggling.  Don’t carry your ball and chain too far.  There is no need to.  He is waiting.

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Gospel, Sunday, November 20, 2011

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Martha

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’  The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’  Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’  These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Matthew 25:31-46

      We should all strive to live our life in such a way that helping others, caring for and about others, comes so naturally that we are no longer aware of the effort to do so.  Then we too will be called sheep and asked to sit on His right and while saying, “Lord, when did we do all these good things?”

     We must work to have this become our nature, lest we be one of the accursed goats sent away from Him into the eternal fire with the devil!

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Abraham Got It Right!

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Martha

“There was no hope that Abraham would have children.  But Abraham believed God and continued hoping, and so he became the father of many nations.  As God told him, ‘Your descendants also will be too many to count.’  Abraham was almost a hundred years old, much past the age for having children, and Sarah could not have children.  Abraham thought about all this, but his faith in God did not become weak.  He never doubted that God would keep his promise, and he never stopped believing.  He grew stronger in his faith and gave praise to God.  Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he had promised.  So, ‘God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.”  Romans 4:18-22

     Abraham’s life seemed set in stone.  His plight was not a happy or joyful one as he was going on 100 years of age with no descendants to carry on his family heritage.  And, there was no hope for ever doing so as his wife, Sarah, was barren, unable to have children.  Abraham accepted his plight and continued to praise and worship God even so.  And then, God proclaimed that Abraham was to be the father of many nations!

    Today, most of us would quip back at God, saying, “Yeah, right!”  Yet, Abraham believed his God.  In fact, he never doubted God would keep his word to him.  He wondered how, when, and where, as most of us would, but he continued to believe and praise God.  In other words, Abraham waited patiently, all the while growing in his faith and giving thanks and praise for the blessings to come.

     If you have doubts that God loves you enough to sacrifice His only Son, Jesus Christ, on your behalf; if you are impatient while waiting for answers to your life’s problems; if you think your hopes and dreams are way over the top, too fantastic to ever be fulfilled; if you are experiencing disconnection in a spiritual desert, then seek out Abraham’s story in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 15.  Read it, meditate on all that it means.  Then go before God and humbly ask Him to come into your life as he did Abraham’s.  Ask Him to grant you patience and strengthen your faith.  Ask Him to grant you a joyful nature and ask Him for all that you need, and all that you desire.  Pray in all earnestness that through your faith you may be made right with God.  Then wait patiently while praising God and thanking Him for the blessings to come.

     May God bless each and everyone of you as you strive to be made right with Him who made you, right with Him who sacrificed all so that you may Live in Everlasting Life with Him.

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Gospel, Sunday, November 6, 2011

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Martha

 “Here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like at that time.  Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.  Five of them were foolish.  Fiver were wise.  The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t take any olive oil with them.  The wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The groom did not come for a long time.  So the bridesmaids all grew tired and fell asleep.  At midnight someone cried out, ‘Here comes the groom!  Come out to meet him!’  Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready.  The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil.  Our lamps are going out.’  ‘No,’ they replied.  There may not be enough for all of us.  Instead, go to those who sell oil.  Buy some for yourselves.’  So they went to buy the oil.  But while they were on their way, the groom arrived.  The bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding dinner.   Then the door was shut.  Later, the other bridesmaids also came.  ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said.  ‘Open the door for us!’  But he replied, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true.  I don’t know you.’    So keep watch.  You do not know the day of the hour that the groom will come.”  Matthew 25:1-13

      Have you gotten all the way to your destination and then realized you have forgotten something very important?  Have you gone to the store for one specific item and come out with everything in the store but that item?  Have you ever gotten in the car and then suddenly forgotten where you are headed?  Have you ever looked everywhere for a lost item only to find it right in front of you?  I could go on, but you get the picture.

 If you have ever done any or all of the above then you can identify with the foolish bridesmaids in today’s Gospel.  Let us pray that we do not show up at the final judgement only to realize we have forgotten the most important thing along the way.  Let us not show up without Jesus in our hearts.  Make ready, be prepared.  Always be striving to become more and more like Jesus, for we do not know when or where He will come for us. 

 

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Responsorial Psalm: Sunday, October 30, 2011

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Martha

 Responsorial Psalm:  Psalms 131:1,2,3

“Yahweh, my heart is not haughty, I do not set my sights too high.  I have taken no part in great affairs, in wonders beyond my scope.  No, I hold myself in quiet and silence, like a little child in its mother’s arms, like a little child, so I keep myself.  Let Israel hope in Yahweh henceforth and forever.

     I have always loved to hold a sleeping baby, or even a sleeping pet, in my arms.  When a child or creature falls asleep in my arms it is the highest form of trust.  It knows that it is safe, and therefore, is willing to completely let go of this world.  It is also the ultimate act of humility to place oneself completely in the care of another.

     Like David, the psalmist, we are to humbly place ourselves in God’s care, completely trusting in His everlasting arms to secure and protect us.  Our hope is in Him and no other.

     Have a blessed Sunday all you children of hope, all you children of God!

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