your faith has made you well

Monday, November 14, 2011 St. Nicholas Tavelic, OFM, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63 Psalm 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158 Luke 18:35-43

Luke 18:42 And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

I have always taken the expression "your faith has made you well" to pretty much mean that if we have faith we can do great things. In other words, if we believe it can happen, it can. Well, now that I look at his a little close I think there might be a slightly different angle. I am not convinced that if the man truly believed that he could recover his sight that he would. Other wise I think he might have done it by now. Clearly Jesus had to be part of the equation. So what does it mean to have faith then? More and more I think faith is more an expression of loyalty and dedication than it is a mental disposition. What Jesus means by "your faith" is your dedication to him. The fact that the man understood that it had to be Jesus and he would not be denied was what is meant by faith and that is what Jesus honored. It didn't make the man well because of any mental power, but because Jesus is honored by the dedication of the blind man.

So what about the woman with the issue of blood. She never asked Jesus. But, she believed it had to be through him. She thought that if she could touch his garment she would be healed. Again, though not on an intellectual level, it had to go through Jesus and it was her persistence to get to Jesus combined with the I will not be denied mentality that is honored by Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The reason it could have worked for the woman is because the Holy Spirit was quite aware of her faith even if Jesus was not.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to be dedicated to you and to have a "I will not be denied" mentality.

Amen

how did they fail to find

Friday, November 11, 2011
St. Martin of Tours, Bishop (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Wisdom 13:1-9 Psalm 19:2-5 Luke 17:26-37

Wisdom 13:9 for if they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

It is strange what we call wisdom today. We have knowledge that is far greater than at any time in history, yet because we have a blindness to God, the creator of all things, our wisdom is at an all time low. We have reinterpreted much of the science we know to fit a model that has absolutely no foundation. We have become increasingly ignorant, even though we have increasing knowledge.

God is everywhere to be seen. It is hard to believe that people would not have a knowledge of God at the same time they supposedly have great knowledge in other matters. The evidence is overwhelming and the logic is infallible. We must cover our eyes and ears in order to not know it.

So the question is do we allow ourselves to get caught up in the "wisdom" of this world? Or will we stand by what is true?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to see through the deception of this world and not to cave in to the pressures to be part of a society that is doomed.

Amen

What sign have you ... ?

Wednesday, November 09, 2011
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Feast)

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17 John 2:13-22

John 2:18 The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?"

What Authority did Jesus have to go and overturn the tables and disrupt the business that was going on there?

Not only was this a very bold move, but somewhat presumptuous. What right did he have?

Well, his answer is pretty interesting, he said kill me and I will rise again in three days. Now, they didn't get the "temple" allegory at the time, but that is what he was saying.

Here is the question we face. Are we willing to overturn the tables? Are we afraid that we will be asked by what authority we are doing it, and not have an answer we believe in? This is what it means to be "Justified by Faith". Jesus believed who he was and what was going to happen. That gave him authority to do what he did. Jesus says that if we have the faith as small as a mustard seed we will move mountains. But are we stuck in our fear and lack of faith? Can we do this?

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to have the courage, the faith, to do what needs to be done to defend your Holy Temple the church, the body of Christ, when it is being exploited, abused and attacked, as it is so often today in this world.

Amen

our duty

 

Tuesday, November 08, 2011 
Blessed John Duns Scotus (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Wisdom 2:23 -- 3:9 Psalm 34:2-3, 16-19 Luke 17:7-10

Luke 17:10  So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

This one hits hard.  How many of us might be willing to do what we are commanded to do but still think that we should get some recognition for it?  I bet we all do to some degree.  It is hard to be obedient and accept that it is just our duty.  But this is the spirit we  need to have to rid ourselves of the pride that separates us from God.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to do what you call me to do and to realize that I only do it because you have enabled me to.

Amen

 

if your brother sins

 

Monday, November 07, 2011  Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Wisdom 1:1-7 Psalm 139:1-10 Luke 17:1-6

Luke 17:3  Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;

 

Jesus has a way of putting things so simply that you wonder why we ever get all tangled up around these issues.  It seems there is always a struggle regarding how to treat people when they sin.  We want to be tolerant.  We want to be gracious.  We want to be caring.  But Jesus is all these and he tells us how to do it.  If a brother sins, rebuke him, if he repents, forgive him.  Period, end of story.  Is it that complicated?

 

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to clearly deal with sin and to be obedient to your will.

Amen

one sinner who repents

Thursday, November 03, 2011
St. Martin de Porres, Religious (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Romans 14:7-12 Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 Luke 15:1-10

Luke 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Today it is popular to think about Jesus accepting us just as we are. But according to Jesus this doesn't bring him joy. He desires that we repent. That means that we change, that we put away our sinful ways. If we think about what Heaven will be like, do we see something similar to this life where sin is prolific? I think that Heaven is a place where there is no sin. So if we want to be there and to enjoy it, then we must not be comfortable with sin either. In fact, we must also take joy in repentance. Let's look for change rather than acceptance.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to change and to not take your grace for granted, but rather to seek your joy in my repentance.

Amen