RESPECT

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Zephaniah 3:14-18 or Romans 12:9-16 (Ps) Isaiah 12:2-6 Luke 1:39-56

Luke 1:42  and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Elizabeth shows that Mary deserves respect.  Yes the question of what influence she really has remains, but we certainly should honor her as the mother of the King. Sometimes you just have to respect people for who they are. That is something that we are losing in today's culture.  Respect.  I think we should practice more of it instead of trying to find excuses not to.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always give respect to the saints, those who you have chosen and I should look up to.  I don't know what influence they might have but they can certainly influence my life as role models.

Amen

My yoke is easy

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Deuteronomy 7:6-11 Psalm 103:1-4, 6-7, 8, 10 1 John 4:7-16 Matthew 11:25-30

Matthew 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

I always found this to be an interesting verse.  Jesus sweat drops of blood in the garden and was crucified for sins he didn't commit. How is his burden light?

I think it has to do with conscience.  At the end of the day it isn't whether you won or lost, but were you honest and faithful.  We can rest in Christ because he has promised us the reward of eternal life and we can rest in Christ because if we have truth and grace we are free from guilt and regret.  It is about being free and at peace that makes it easy and light.  People who struggle to make it in this world and get caught up in the deceptions that drive that success have no peace.  They are always trying to justify or deny everything they do and everything they are.  In Christ we need not justify or deny, he is God and he loves us and that is all we need to know.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to learn to rest in you.  Help me to stop trying to justify who I am and be free to be who I am.  Help me to be obedient and faithful to your commands.

Amen

What do you want me to do for you?

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12 Psalm 100:2-5 Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:51  And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Master, let me receive my sight."

If someone were to say to you that you could have anything you want, what would you ask for?  To me that is a tough question.  The man in today's Gospel asked for his sight.  What is interesting is he didn't ask for world peace, or that hunger would be eliminated, or that his candidate would win the election.  He asked for his sight.  And Jesus did not say you selfish servant, how can you only ask for your own healing.  No, he said your faith has made you well.  Before anything else, we must believe that Jesus is the Christ and that with him all things are possible. If we don't believe that, then nothing else matters.

When people say they want world peace or to eliminate hunger they are asking for something they don't believe is possible.  It is a kind of defense mechanism to cover up their lack of faith.  They don't believe so they ask for something so vague and huge that they are justified in their disbelief.  Not that God couldn't do it, but they don't believe it.  Bottom line is ask for something that is attainable and observable that God can do.  The question is do we dare ask?  Do we really believe that God can and will answer?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always trust that you can and will answer.  Help me to not hide my lack of faith  behind my own prayers, but to be bold in my faith and ask believing that you can and will answer.

Amen

Be a Servant

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 Peter 1:18-25 Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20 Mark 10:32-45

Mark 10:43  But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

We have no shortage of people that want to have a position of authority so they can enact laws in order to "free" the people from the tyranny of the people.  What?!  

Jesus says that if you want to be great in the Kingdom, be the servant.  In other words, do what needs to be done rather than make laws forcing others to do it under your control.  Our leaders would not only be more respected, but probably much more effective if we worried less about who is going to get elected and more about defending the integrity of every human life.  A president, really has little influence in our day to day lives.  Those who actually get out and do the will of God can be much more effective.

The same goes for the church.  We have no shortage of those who are "experts" in the faith.  But what about people who actually love their neighbor and are willing to lay down their lives for their brothers?  Many of the leaders to day in the church are more worried about attendance, giving and how "their" church is going to be recognized as making a difference.

If we had less governance and more volunteerism I think that we would be way ahead both practically and spiritually.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to look for ways that I can serve rather than for ways that I can force others to do what I want done.  Help me to realize that you are the King of Kings and we are just stewards of your love and grace. 

Amen

First shall be Last

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 Peter 1:10-16 Psalm 98:1-4 Mark 10:28-31

Mark 10:31  But many that are first will be last, and the last first."

There may not be a verse in the Bible that is more contrary to today's society than this one.  Our world is all about being first.  And that isn't just capitalistic societies either. Any people who place their own agenda ahead of God's purpose is putting himself first.  There are many that offer a false sense of charity when they are willing to give something to someone in need, but only in expectation that the needy will continue to depend on that person and thereby give them a certain power over them.  Liberation doesn't mean dependence on government.  It is like the old give a man a fish or teach a man to fish proverb.

If the last are to be first they truly must be first, not just pawns placed out in front to take the shots. That means they must be free and that comes with a price.  It will cost us the chance at being first.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to not seek to be first in this world, but to be willing to be last here and thereby become first in your world.  Help me to value the things of heaven over the things of this world.

Amen

No entitlement

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 Peter 1:3-9 Psalm 111:1-2, 5-6, 9-10 Mark 10:17-27

Mark 10:26  And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

The cultural prejudices can be seen in the statement of the Apostles.  Who can be saved (if not a rich man)? There is a sense that if someone is rich they are more entitled to be saved.  We as humans seem to have a built in sense of entitlement.  This I think is perhaps the most dangerous problem that faces us today, the sense of entitlement.  We think that the world owes us something because of who we are.

The fact is that God owes us nothing. We are totally dependent on his mercy.  The best thing we can do is to understand that and act accordingly.  Because only with God are all things possible.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to never have the notion that I am entitled to anything.  Help me to always realize that it is your mercy that I depend on.

Amen

More than remembering

First Reading:Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16
Psalm:Psalm 147:12-15, 19-201
Second Reading:Corinthians 10:16-17
Gospel:John 6:51-58


John 6:57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.

Jesus was born miraculously. The virgin birth defies our scientific understanding. But, just as Jesus was sent and lives, so shall we. Eating his flesh and drinking his blood is a miraculous event where we encounter true life in Christ. It is more than a memorial, but a participation in his life and in his death, and in his resurrection.
On this Memorial Day weekend we look to those who have died in service of our country. They give our country life. When we remember them we are free to live as well. But not just by having a memorial, but by participating in the sacrifices that give that freedom and life. We need to not only stand with those who gave their lives, but to live for them.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always remember all those who have given their lives for the freedom that I enjoy today. That includes soldiers and saints. Help me not to forget the value of what they have given and to live a life that honors and preserves the gift I have received.

Amen

Being a sheep

First Reading:Revelation 21:1-5
Psalm:Psalm 95:1-7
Gospel:John 10:22-30

Psalms 95:2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

A relationship with God begins with worship. We must understand that he has called and us and shepherded us. We have everything to be thankful for and when we realize that then we are his sheep. Being his sheep means that we understand that he is the shepherd. Giving thanks is the language that we need to communicate with God. Relationship is based communication and giving thanks is that communication.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always realize that you are the source of all that I have and that I am. Help me to give thanks in all things and enter into relationship with you.

Amen

Legal doesn't mean right

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

James 5:9-12 Psalm 103:1-4, 8-12 Mark 10:1-12

Mark 10:5  But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.

There are issues that confront the church today that are challenging and problematic. One of them for instance is the idea of gay marriage.  Here we see Jesus conceding that there was a law on the books regarding divorce, but he reinforces the idea that from the beginning that isn't the way it should be. 

The notion of laws that are given to us for the hardness of our hearts is a hard one to understand.  I suppose it is God's way of meeting us where we are.  The question is are we moving in a direction back towards God or away from him.  Have we repented from the divorce thing?  Are we better at it today or worse?  I think worse.  And the gay marriage issue, whether gay marriage is allowed or not, the question is are we moving back towards God or away from him?  I think away from him.  It seems that in many areas we are moving in the wrong direction. Maybe it is time to repent.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always be moving towards you and not away from you.  Help to appreciate the grace and mercy that you offer me to afford me the time and opportunity to repent, but at the same time help me to see the error of my ways and turn back to you.

Amen

You can't take it with you

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

James 5:1-6 Psalm 49:14-20 Mark 9:41-50

Psalms 49:17  For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.

In this political season we can see two sides of a coin and neither is necessarily the better.  Both sides fight fiercely  for their agendas.  One side says that prosperity comes from freedom, another says that without controls we will destroy ourselves. The problem is they are both near sighted.  They both justify their philosophies based on earthly results.  The question is what about eternity?  What does it matter unless it adds value to our eternal souls? Whatever earthly success we have does not cross over the grave with us.  The bigger question is what is the state of our souls?  Regardless of where one lies on the political spectrum, unless we first seek the righteousness of God, we are not only wasting our time, but we are adding to our eternal suffering.

Father, help me to value the things of the Kingdom or Heaven above those of the earthly kingdoms. Help me to always seek first your righteousness.

Amen

I don't have enough

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

James 4:13-17 Psalm 49:2-3, 6-11 Mark 9:38-40

Psalms 49:8  for the ransom of his life is costly, and can never suffice,

I think we often tend to think about God and Heaven and salvation in terms of ourselves as individuals.  But it isn't just about us.  There is the rest of the human race to consider.  Even if we offer our own lives that would not be enough pay the price of the entire human race.  And we don't go to heaven as individuals.  Heaven is for all God's faithful.  That means that the price must be equal to the value of all the lives of the people of God.  I can't do that even if I was perfect.  Only God can do that.  Only Christ's sacrifice on the cross can pay the price.  I don't have the power, or the value to pay the price.  Some times you get caught up in a current.  Maybe it is in a fast running river, maybe it is in a crowd at some event.  You are there by choice but you have little or no control as to where you are going.  You can't move the crowd, and you can't control the current. You are carried by it.  So to is our salvation.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to realize that I don't possess the value to pay the price.  I don't have the power to control my destiny.  I only have faith from you and your mercy and grace.

Amen

They cannot receive

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Acts 4:8-12 Psalm 145:1-6, 21 John 14:12-17

John 14:17  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.

One of the most frustrating things for me is trying to deal with why people don't see what seems so obvious to me.  It seems at times that they are under some kind of a spell and are unable to see at all.  

The scripture says today that they, the world, cannot receive the Spirit.  I think that the "cannot" may be part unable to, but certainly it is part unwilling to.  If I say that I cannot ever do that, it doesn't necessarily mean that I am physically unable, but perhaps more that I am unwilling. It seems that the "world" is unwilling to receive the Spirit because they don't see him or know him.  This reminds me of a child who will not eat a certain food.  He says he hates it, yet he has never tried it before.  We are capable of this blind irrationality even in our youth.  In fact, maybe it is a sign that we haven't grown up.

Father. help me by your Holy Spirit to always be willing to accept what you have for me.  Help me not to reject something simply because I don't know it, but to follow you in faith.

Amen

This kind

First:	James 3:13-18
Resp:	Psalm 19:8-10,15
Gospel:	Mark 9:14-29

Mark 9:29  He said to them, "This kind can only come out through prayer."

This is kind of a haunting statement. The first thing that strikes me is that this "spirit" the boy has seems to be a lot like epilepsy.  At first I wonder if this is even a spirit at all.  But then I wonder about illness in the first place.  We look at the physical symptoms of illness, but is there a spiritual component?  I don't know.  But when Jesus says that this kind only comes out through prayer, all kinds of questions cone up.  But they all seem to lead to the same place.  That is that we need to fear God.  We need to understand that we really don't know much about who and what we are.  We really need to recognize our dependence on God because we just don't understand it all.

I realize that it is quite possible that referring to the illness as a spirit may simply be the way people of that time and culture understood it.  They may not have had the medical knowledge we have.  But Jesus could correctly identify a difference between this kind and other kinds.  That make me wonder if in fact there is more that he can see that we can't.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to realize that we really don't know much at all.  Help me to realize that I depend on you for even the breath I take.  I give you thank for that.

Amen

We are a stiff necked people

First: Exodus 34:4-6,8-9
Resp: Daniel 3:52-55
Second: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Gospel: John 3:16-18

Exodus 34:9 Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."

We are not worthy of God's care and presence. We have been given every opportunity to do right and yet we still reject Him. We too are a stiff necked people. But Christ, as Moses did, and as a man, asks that we be forgiven base on his merit. He could easily reject us as we do him, but through mercy and love he forgives us, not on our merit, but because of his own. Are we even willing to accept that?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always appreciate the fact that I don't deserve anything. It is all grace. Thank you for that.

Amen

The truth is the first victim

First: James 3:1-10
Resp: Psalm 12:2-5,7-8
Gospel: Mark 9:2-13

Psalms 12:3 Those who tell lies to one another speak with deceiving lips and a double heart.

The truth is the first victim when the heart goes astray. We will tell all sorts of lies to protect our desires and our pride.
The political season is an especially fertile time for lies to fly. Everybody tell lies to get your votes. They are double minded though. They don't consider the will of God over their own.
Remember that no matter who wins an election, Jesus is still King. Think about that. We call him King, but do we act as though he truly is King?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always tell the truth in love and grace. Help me to discern when the desire of my flesh has corrupted my mind and tempted me to lie. Help me to trust you and tell the truth always.

Amen

Faith of demons

First:	James 2:14-24,26
Resp:	Psalm 112:1-6
Gospel:	Mark 8:34-9:1

James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble.

Basically, we can say anything we want to, but that doesn't make it real. Reality doesn't depend on our opinion or consent. We must act according to the reality.
There are a lot of people professing faith today. They will tell you they have faith and then act in an entirely different way. For example, there are those who say they have Christian faith, yet defend the right of a mother to kill her child in the womb. Clearly her words mean nothing.
How often do our words mean nothing? We say that we all believe in Christ, yet on Sunday morning the "Christian" church is the most divided organization in the world. We say we all have basically the same faith, but we can't come together to actually live it out though. So do we really? Good intentions just isn't going to cut it. As James says even the demons say they believe. Is that what our faith is like? The faith of demons?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to see past the lies that I tell myself and others and to face reality and truth with faith and confidence in your mercy and grace. Help me to really live as I say I believe.

Amen

Let's make a deal

First: James 2:1-9

Resp: Psalm 34:2-7

Gospel: Mark 8:27-33

James 2:7  Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?

In today's passage we are called to guard against discrimination.  That makes sense.  But there is another danger associated with this.  We tend to favor those who are rich, popular, fun ...  But they will turn on us just as easy as we turn from others.  What is more they will turn on Jesus Christ and our faith.  Be careful who we choose to hang with.

In today's political climate this is a very real concern.  Those who promise change and a better America have affiliations that might come back to bite us.  We shouldn't always just move to those who we think will get us a better deal.  We may just choose the wrong door and get the booby prize.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always seek to see the value in people and not just move to them because of what they have to offer me.  Help me to realize that the riches of this world are a trap and you are true and faithful.  Help me to truly love my neighbor.

Amen

Who really cares for you?

First: Acts 1:15-17,20-26
Resp: Psalm 113:1-8
Gospel: John 15:9-17

John 15:13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends

In a time when there are so many voices, all claiming to have the truth, how do we decide who actually speaks the truth? Jesus gave us one sign. Is that person willing to lay their own lives down for you? There are many people who die for causes, i.e terrorist bombers. But they are not doing you any good. They are not dying for you. Who is willing to die for you? Jesus doesn't say a friend is someone who is willing to die for themselves, or their own cause. But he says it is someone who is willing to die for you. Terrorist bombers aren't dying to save anybody but to destroy. Jesus didn't destroy anybody by laying his life down. There is a huge difference.
Are we willing to do the same? Are we willing to give it all for a "friend"? There are those who want our votes, who want our money, and who want our minds, but they are not willing to die for us. They want others to do it for them.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to realize that this life is a moment, a passing shadow. The true life is in you and is eternal. Help me to value the things that you call me to and not the momentary rewards of this world. Help me to love beyond what the world lives, but to love as you do.

Amen

Be not deceived

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

James 1:12-18 Psalm 94:12-15, 18-19 Mark 8:14-21

James 1:13  Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one;

We often want to blame someone or something else for our own weakness.  When we are tempted it must be someone else's fault.  James tells us that God tempts no one.  It is our own evil desires that lead us into temptation. But that means to deal with them we have to admit that we have evil desires.  People do not want to do that today.  The Bible says there will come a time when people will call good evil and evil good.  I think we are pretty close to that time. Political correctness is all about people not wanting to hear the truth and admit that they  might have evil desires.  There is no room for God in the arena of political correctness.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to see what I really am and to seek your mercy and grace.  Help me not to defend my evil desires but to work to overcome them through the knowledge of your love and strength.

Amen

Ya gotta wanna

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

James 1:1-11 Psalm 119:67-68, 71-72, 75-76 Mark 8:11-13

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Ask and not doubt? That is tough in this day and age. We have become so technicaly minded that we think there is an explanation for everything. That is to say we can hardly believe in miracles anymore. If something happens that favors someone we think it is either plain luck or a conspiracy.

We also feel the need to test the waters before we jump in. Faith is difficult because it asks us to jump and then we will see what the water has for us. James says we need to be able to jump as well. We need to put our"intellectual" doubts aside and follow the word of God because we want it above everything else. That is the key. You have to want it above all else. They say love is blind, because when someone is in love, they want that more than anything else. They aren't blind, they just have a priority.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to want your word and your mercy and grace above all else. Help me not to doubt, or to be double minded, but to trust you and follow you because you are the truth and the life.

Amen

Faith comes from the Spirit

First:	Acts 2:1-11
Resp:	Psalm 104:1,24,29-31,34
Second:	1 Corinthians 12:3-7,12-13
Gospel:	John 20:19-23

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, "Jesus be accursed." And no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the holy Spirit.

Because many of today's Christians have no experience with Pentecost from their lives as unbelievers, there is a tendency to not celebrate Pentecost now that they are believers.  But it is only by the Holy Spirit that they can believe.  We should be giving thanks and celebrating Pentecost because this is the gift that God gave so that we might believe and be saved.  In short, to celebrate Christmas and Easter and not celebrate Pentecost makes you wonder what they are celebrating.  These all go together.  You can't have one or two without the other(s).  They, all three go together.  Let's celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Father, it is by your Holy Spirit that I am even able to believe.  I give you thanks for that. Today I celebrate Pentecost and pray that all believers will come to know that it is your gift of the Spirit that they can thank.

Amen

God has more to say

First: Acts 28:16-20,30-31

Resp: Psalm 11:4,5,7

Gospel: John 21:20-25

John 21:25  There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.

We often have a tendency to reduce Jesus and God to what we see in the Bible.  Certainly the Bible is written so that we will believe.  It contains sufficient information to reveal God's plan of mercy to us and to inspire and call us by the Holy Spirit to follow him, and to trust and obey.  That being said, there is so much more that God has to say to us and to reveal to us and to call us to.  Jesus told his disciples that he has more to tell them but they cannot bare it now.  There is often more than we can understand at any given point in our lives.  We have to learn more so that we can understand more.  We have to experience more so that we can do more.  And God deals with us each personally as well.  It is very presumptive to think that we know it all and that everyone's knowledge and experience will be the same as ours.

What we can trust though is that the words in the scriptures are from those who knew Jesus and those who had the knowledge and authority to write them.  We can trust what they say, and we can trust that there is more.

Father, thank you for the gift of the scriptures. You have given us evidence of your love, power, and grace. Help me by your Holy Spirit to not only believe in what I read in them, but to know that you are bigger than they are and you have more to say than they contain.

Amen

Eating our own words

First:	Acts 25:13-21
Resp:	Psalm 103:1-2,11-12,19-20
Gospel:	John 21:15-19

John 21:15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."

We all know Peter denied the Lord three times.  But the words of the Lord here are perhaps more cutting than we might think at first glance.  "Do you love me more than these?"  Peter boasted that he would follow the Lord even if all the others fall away.  He pledged that he would follow him to the death.  Yet, Peter was the one, rather than the others, that publicly denied the Lord before he was even threatened.  He was pretty humbled and embarrassed I am sure. At first it would appear that Peter did not love Jesus more than the others did.

We are often quick to speak big words.  We boast about what we would do if we were in this situation or that one.  We pass judgement on people because they fail to be as bold as we say we will.  But when the time comes, do we really know how we will act?  Rather than boast about how tough or committed we are, we should appreciate the situation a little more, be more aware of our own weakness and humanity, and then we should always seek the help of the Lord.  If we get to bold we may just end up eating our own words.  The Lord gave us himself to eat so that in turn we can feed others.  Let's focus on that instead of pumping up our own pride.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always remember that I am a mere mortal man and I have weaknesses and fears that get the better of me.  Help me to be strong, but at the same time humble and to always remember to seek your righteousness first.

Amen