Sunday March 21 (Passion Sunday) Reflection

 "By Christ's deeds the Lord has shown himself great"

A Reflection for Sunday March 21, 2010

Based on Readings from: Isiah 43:16-21, Psalm 126, Philippians 3:8-14, John 8:1-11

By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD

Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus

www.missionstsergius.org

 

 

 

I have chosen words from the title of the psalm used in today's liturgy of the Novus Ordo rite or new rite in the western churches since it compliments all the readings used by the Universal church for Passion Sunday.

The Gospel of John 8:1-11 is the story of the woman about to be stoned because she was caught in adultery and how Jesus responded to those who were about to stone her.  Jesus said to them   "If there is one of you who have not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her".  With those words Jesus broke with the teachings of the old covenant for Christ came into this world as the mediator of a new covenant or agreement between God and us. 

In the Gospel of John 8:48-59 we find Christ saying; "If I honored myself, it would mean nothing. My Father is the one who honors me. You claim that he is your God, even though you don't really know him. If I said I didn't know him, I would be a liar, just like all of you. But I know him, and I do what he says."

Notice the words of Christ; "You claim that he is your God, even though you don't really know him". Today everywhere we hear preachers claiming to know God and Christ and yet they go about shouting condemnation and hell fire and damnation and claim that they are preaching the teachings of Christ, yet, the Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery is an example of  how Christ preached mercy and forgiveness. Our God is a loving, merciful and forgiving God as shown from today's Gospel Story.

 

Paul's letter to the Philippians opening words sum it all up, at least for me they do, "I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him. I am no longer trying for perfection by my own efforts, the perfection that comes from the Law, but I want only the perfection that comes through faith in Christ, and is from God and based on faith"

.Paul acknowledges that perfection only comes when we have been received into the eternal promise of Christ.  "I am far from thinking that I have already won. All I can say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come; I am racing for the finish, for is the prize to which God calls us upwards to receive in Christ."

 

I believe that it is not our duty or obligation to place condemnation on any of God's children but that we should teach the words of Christ and instruct God's children on the way they have been called by God to live their lives.  We most certainly should never think that God has made a mistake in creating someone in a certain way or refuse to allow one of God's children from participating in the worship and reception of the graces of the sacraments.  When we prevent anyone from worshiping God we are acting like those who wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery.

 

The next two weeks are some of the most holy and humbling times within the liturgical calendar.  They are a time when we examine ourselves deeply and make our list of strengths and weaknesses regarding how we are living the teachings of God as given us through Christ.

It is a time when we are reminded of how much Christ was willing to suffer for our sake and a time to ask ourselves how much we are willing to suffer in order to achieve the promise of Eternal life with God.

Christ did not go through all He endured for just a few individuals who perceive that they are holier than others but for ALL of the children of God, every individual on the face of the earth.

Let each of us, over the next two weeks, think about how Christ came to earth and by His words and deeds how God has shown himself great and given us the way, the truth and the light that will lead us to the Father, our creator, and everlasting life with The Father, Son and  Holy Spirit and Christ's and our heavenly mother Mary as well as all the heavenly elect.

Let us use this time to improve our relationship with Almighty God and with your brothers and sisters in Christ by working harder to live a life that reflects the teachings of Christ.

That is how we will pass over to the promised land of Almighty God.                    AMEN

Laetare Sunday Reflection

Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday Reflection
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD of Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org

 

 

 

This Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent, is called Laetare Sunday which means Rejoice. It is called this because the Introit or Entrance Antiphon if from the book of Isaiah 66:10-11 which begins "Laetare, Jerusalem" ("Rejoice, O Jerusalem").
Because the midpoint of Lent is the Thursday of the third week of Lent, Laetare Sunday has traditionally been viewed as a day of celebration, on which the austerity of Lent is briefly lessened. The passage from Isaiah continues, "rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow," and on Laetare Sunday, the purple vestments and altar cloths of Lent are set aside, and rose ones are used instead.
Flowers, which are normally forbidden during Lent, may be placed on the altar. Traditionally, the organ was never played during Lent, except on Laetare Sunday.
Laetare Sunday is also known as Rose Sunday or Refreshment Sunday, and it has a counterpart in Advent: the Third Sunday of Advent which is called Gaudete Sunday, when purple vestments are exchanged for rose ones. The reason for both days is to provide us encouragement as we progress toward the end of each respective penitential season. 

The reason for encouragement is very clear, it is because of the suffering and crucifixion, death and the resurrection of Christ that we have the opportunity to gain everlasting life and the reason we have forgiveness of our sins.
The Gospel of this Sunday relates the parable of the two sons whose father divided their inheritance.  The one son went and squandered his, just as so many of us squander the gifts God has given us, and then returned to be feasted and welcomed with celebration.  He approaches his father with these words;  "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son." But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found."
Could this message be any clearer?  God will rejoice and welcome everyone no matter what they may have done wrong, with open arms if they but ask His forgiveness. 
So many people today are like the other son who remained with his father and tended the fathers business.  The faithful son became upset and angry that the father welcomed this wayward son with such rejoicing and confronted his father to which the father replied;  "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found."
The message of this Gospel is very clear, Almighty God does not reject anyone who desire to be with Him and asks Him for forgiveness for any sin they may have committed.  Neither should any church that proclaims to adhere to the teachings of Christ reject anyone who desire to be active within the church and partake of the graces of the Sacraments. 
" He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7 ) These words need to resound in our hearts and minds at all times when we decide that we are in a position of making judgments against someone.  There is not a person on earth or in heaven for that matter, except of course Jesus, Almighty God and Our Beloved Mother Mary, who did not commit a sin. 
If the truth be told according to the writings we have from many who became saints, they all admitted they were sinners.  St. Paul, the greatest of Evangelists, persecuted and ordered Followers of Christ to be killed before he saw the light of Christ's truth.  St. Ignatius, St. Francis of Assisi and even Blessed Mother Teresa of  Calcutta spoke of their sinfulness.
God rejects no one who returns to Him.  God loves all His children, He loves them as He created them and only asks that they respect themselves and others and return their love  to Him. 
When churches, that claim to teach and follow the message of Christ, drive people away by their rules and regulations and reject people because they mad a mistake and got divorced but still want to love and serve God they are not fulfilling Christ's teachings.
When Churches inflict pain and suffering by allowing their ministers to abuse children and still remain in service to the church, They have failed God.    When churches would rather spend billions on fancy garments and elaborate buildings than feed the poor and care for the needy and sick,  they are not following the teachings of Christ that they proclaim from their pulpits  and therefore they are like the Scribes and Pharisees who Christ said this about in Matthew 23:15 - 33.
" For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.  "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces.  You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin.  But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.   Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.  
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.   In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.  
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.   And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'   So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.   Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!   "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?     Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.  
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar". (this last line might give you pause to think about the fate of Pope John Paul 1 the smiling pope where there is very strong evidence he was poisoned because he was about to allow married priests, woman deacons and wanted to sell of some of the treasures that no one ever sees to build hospitals, orphanages and homes for the poor and elderly)
During this fourth week of Lent let us meditate and reflect on how we are doing in serving Almighty God or are we and if we are guilty of acting like the Scribes and Pharisees.   Let us rejoice that God sent His only beloved son to gain us eternal life and the forgiveness of sins by accepting the passion and death on the cross only to overcome death and sin through His resurrection. .
Are we living Christ teachings and being mindful of the needs of others?
Do we offer thanks to God by giving back 10 % of the gifts God has provided us to assist in spreading the truth of God's love and help the poor, aged and sick?
Let us pray that Almighty God, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, will open our heart, mind, and eyes to His truth and assist us in living according to His will.   AMEN

Missions News Letter

The Mission Saints Sergius News Letter for the months of April, May, June and July is attached as a PDF file.

Please mark your calendar to visit our booth at the Boston Pride Festival on Boston City Hall Plaza on Saturday June 12th.

We will be there from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM.

The booth cost of $350 is paid for because of a very generous donation from a mission member in New York City who feels our message of God's infinite love for all His children is very important.

As you will note from the mission financial report we have a very serious deficit and we do need to receive donations in order to have materials printed to distribute as well as meet some very urgent expenses which must be paid for before the 22nd of March.

If every person who is on our email list and those who belong to the missions Yahoo Groups were to commit to donating $5 (five) dollars a month or $60 (sixty) dollars a year we could eliminate the deficit and actually be able to meet our average monthly expenses.

Please consider making a donation either by mailing your check or money order to:

^{MISSION Saints SERGIUS & BACCHUS}

^{C/O MIDDLESEX SAVINGS BANK}

^{850 Washington Street}

^{Holliston, MA 01746}

^{Or use PAYPAL links on Mission Web Site}

^{www.missionstsergius.org}

 

 

 

Seeking God, 6th and final part

Seeking God, Part Six
A Reflection for the Lenten Season of 2010
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD, Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org

 

I begin this segment of SEEKING GOD series of reflections with the quote from The Second Neurotic's Notebook, by Mignon McLaughlin, published in 1966 "Don't look for God where He is needed most; if you didn't bring Him there, He isn't there."
We began this series with this sentence; "Throughout all of the history of human existence it seems that we humans have sought after and had the need to find that superior thing we often refer to as GOD" and have tried to provide statements and other materials that substantiate this statement.
One of the points I would like to suggest that those who desire to seek God reflect on is the passage from 1 Corinthians 2: verses 9-12 which says; "However, as it is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.   The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."
It is this passage that I feel confirms what I have felt for so much of my life, that no human being can claim to know why God has done what he has done.  Why God creates some people with disabilities, some with a sexual orientation toward members of their own sex, or why some have an abundance of God's gifts and others have constant struggle to just survive.
I also feel compelled to sum up this series paraphrasing a very famous article written by Francis P. Church, in The New York Sun in 1897 entitled YES VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUSE.
Here is my Paraphrase of that famous article:

Your  friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they can see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their minds. All minds, whether they be adults or children's, are little.    In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, there is a God. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.
Alas! how dreary would be the world if God did not watch over it.
 It would be as dreary as if there were no flowers, sunshine or laughter.
There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.
We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in God! Even if you do not see God what does that prove?
Nobody sees God, but that is no sign that there is no God.
The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.
Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen in the world like the particles in an Atom.
Only faith, acceptance of Holy Scripture,  poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain of darkness and rejection and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. That is God.
No God, Wrong !  We must thank God for He lived before the universe existed  and will live after it no longer exists. . A thousand years from now, nay 100 times 10,000 years from now, God will continue to make exist and all who have believed and accepted God will be joined with God in that place reserved for those who believe.

 

Carl Gustav Jung said, "The central neurosis of our time is emptiness. All of us have a deep longing for our life to have meaning and depth." That longing , as we have pointed out in the previous 5 portions of this reflection series is finding that superior thing that is greater than ourselves and giving it honor or praise.
One thing that is required is Faith and Trust.  The dictionary description of faith as;

1 a : allegiance to duty or a person :loyalty. b (1) : fidelity to one's promises  

(2) : sincerity of intentions  2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God  (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust  3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs .
Notice that the first or primary definition is : "allegiance to duty or a person :loyalty" and according to the dictionary allegiance is; "devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause" and we all know that devotion is giving honor and praise to something. 
Since the subject of this series has been Seeking God and I believe I have put forth many reasons that we should believe in the existence of God then it follows that we should believe and therefore have devotion to God, by whatever name called,  The Creator, The Supreme Being, Allah, Yahweh, Adonai or Jehovah.
The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self denial to prepare ourselves to become a better person and more "God Like"  or "Christ Like" and ready to celebrate the glory of Easter.
It was in the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, The Son Of God, that Sin was overcome and Forgiveness of our transgressions was achieved along with the possibility of Eternal life with the heavenly elect.

 

A believe in God is a must for this to be achieved, it does not mean a belief in a particular Religious denomination but a belief in God.  If you believe and follow the truths of that belief and give honor, glory and praise to your God, then you will be among the chosen ones of God.
That is my belief and I hope and pray that this humble series I have tried to put forth which, I pray, was inspired by God through the Holy Spirit, has helped you to find God and to understand why God must be the center of your life.
When God is at the center of your life, you have the ability to overcome all adversity and to cope with all those daily problems.  By believing and talking with God, daily, we gain strength and we begin to reflect God to others.
I ask God to watch over all who have taken to time to read this series and for those who have not and fill them with the knowledge of His infinite love. 
I hope that God will grant me the health, the time and the means to continue to let people know of His divine mercy and Love.
Our ministry is facing challenges due to a financial shortfall but I believe that if it is truly God's will the means to continue will come forth in time to meet our responsibilities..
I close with this Prayer;

Prayer for God's Infinite Love
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD, March 24th 2006

 

Almighty and merciful God, open my mind, my heart, and my soul to your infinite love.  Instill within me the knowledge of your truth.  Guide me in your ways in all the things I do so that I may be unto others a reflection of your love towards them. 
Allow the light of your truth to flow through me towards all I encounter in order that they may come to know you better.  I pray that all those with whom I come in contact with each and every day may be brought into a closer union with you and enjoy your promise of salvation earned through your beloved son, Jesus Christ, in His passion, death, resurrection and ascension.   I humbly ask this in the name of your beloved son, Jesus Christ, who lives, and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever unto the ages of ages.    AMEN

Seeking God, Part Five

Seeking God, Part Five
A Reflection for the Lenten Season of 2010
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD, Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org

 

This series of reflections has been titled SEEKING GOD so I have decided that we really need to determine exactly what seeking means and how one goes about it and what it entails.
According to the Dictionary Seeking is both a transitive verb and an intransitive verb and it means; "1. To go to, to resort to, 2. go in search of, look for, try to discover, 3. To ask for or request or seek advice, 4. To try to acquire or gain, aim for 5. To make an attempt or try, as an intransitive verb it means to make a search or an inquiry.
When the object of the search is God, I would have to say that all the definitions are usable and correct.
Now the question arrives as to how you want to search and how important your search is to you and how much time and effort do you want to put into your search.
I don't know about you, but when we are talking about finding God and our relationship with God and the end result is everlasting life or damnation, I would say such a search might just be the most important one any human has ever endeavored upon.
Now every major search and discovery comes with setbacks, dangers, moments of elations and moments of depression.  A search for God will only have those things multiplied to a greater extent because there is one nemesis, Satan, who will do everything in its power from you finding God and gaining God in your life.
That is why I find the book of Job to be my inspiration.  As mentioned in an earlier segment, Job never gave in and had faith and trust in God and even after he lost everything, family, health, wealth he continued to place his faith in God for which he was rewarded 10 fold.
When a person really decides to seek God and claim God as the center of their life, they will certainly be ridiculed and probably be looked upon as a fanatic.  They may well loose family and friends who think that God is not as important as gaining fame, wealth, or other material things.
Seeking God, like prayer, which we discussed in section, four of this series, must be taken seriously and requires you to work on your search every day of your life from the moment you decide to go on your quest.
All quests are journeys toward a set goal. All Quests require great exertion on the part of the hero and the overcoming of many obstacles.  A hero's initial response may be a rejection of that return, as J. Campbell describes in THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES
My favorite stories of Quests are Le Morte de Arthur, Don Quixote, The Lord of The Rings, The Wizard of Oz, and the movie  series featuring Indiana Jones and his quests.
Therefore, our search for God, if we actually embark on it seriously, will have obstacles to overcome and disappointments and even possibly rejection by family and friends but if we find God, the rewards are greater than any earthly treasure.
As Matthew 6:19-21 tells us "Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." and in Luke 12-21 we read; "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
In Luke 11:19 Christ is said to have told his disciples; "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." In one of the more famous "Gnostic" Gospels the Coptic Gospel of Thomas which is just a transcript of the secret sayings of Jesus to his apostles. The first saying is; "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death" The second saying I found to be so much like that of Luke 11:19 and it is this; "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds.  When he finds he will become troubled.  When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished and he will rule over all"
Throughout the Coptic Gospel of Thomas one cannot but notice that many of the sayings are exactly like or similar to the sayings of Christ found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Saying 3 in the Gospel of Thomas has the following " Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you.  When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."
I believe that "Living in poverty and you are in poverty" simply means that until we get to know God and find God within ourselves we will always feel an emptiness within ourselves.
In chapter four of Peace of the Soul by Fulton J Sheen entitled IS GOD HARD TO FIND? There is a quote from the poet Francis Thompson which was based on an idea put forth by Saint Thomas Aquinas and it goes like this;
O world invisible, we view thee
O world intangible, we touch thee
O world unknowable, we know thee
Inapprehensible, we clutch thee.

 

To which Fulton Sheen follows up with these words; "God is easy to discover in at least a confused and primitive sort of way through every striving and aspiration of our will and our heart" "God is not hard to find, because He gives himself to us as the Divine Gift. Natural life itself is a gift.  The soul has to come into the body from without, directly as a gift from the hands of God"

 

Throughout all of human existence the human race, according to historians and archeologists has sought and worshiped a higher power which they often ascribed the title God. Many people have had things to say and relate about God, here are just a few I found worth pondering in our seeking God Quest.
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." ~Mother Teresa
"Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God." ~Diana Robinson
"Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway." ~Mary C. Crowley
"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." ~St. Augustine
"They say that God is everywhere, and yet we always think of Him as somewhat of a recluse." ~Emily Dickinson
"What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God." ~Eleanor Powell
"God is not what you imagine or what you think you understand. If you understand you have failed." ~Saint Augustine
"I don't know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn't." ~Jules Renard
"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell." ~C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
"The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too." ~Teresa of Avila
"But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things." ~Vincent van Gogh,
"People see God every day, they just don't recognize him." ~Pearl Bailey
"God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame."  ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning
"When we can't piece together the puzzle of our own lives, remember the best view of a puzzle is from above. Let Him help put you together." ~Amethyst Snow-Rivers
"Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." ~Garth Brooks
"God enters by a private door into each individual." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Remember this. When people choose to withdraw far from a fire, the fire continues to give warmth, but they grow cold. When people choose to withdraw far from light, the light continues to be bright in itself but they are in darkness. This is also the case when people withdraw from God."  ~St. Augustine
And one that I find so very, very true and worth thinking about; "Don't look for God where He is needed most; if you didn't bring Him there, He isn't there."  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966
In the Sixth and final ( sort of but not really because I will continue to try to guide and lead and inspire those who read my humble simple reflections to find God and to know his infinite love and mercy) installment of this series on Seeking God I will attempt to sum up all that I have  written over the last week and hopefully have inspired you to look deeper within yourselves and the universe created by a power much greater than any human in your quest for finding and securing God in your life and then reflecting God to all those you encounter.    AMEN

Reflection for 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Living In Accord With God’s Will

A reflection for the sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, (Quinquagesima Sunday)
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD, Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
Jeremiah 17:5-8, Psalm 1:1-4, 1Corinthians 15:12-20, Luke 6:17-26


How appropriate it is that the Sunday set aside to honor lovers and love we hear a message in Scripture of how to love God and Serve God and ALL His children by being unselfish and generous and accepting our lot in life as God has given it to us. The Mass readings are an affirmation of how a trusting and loving God will bring peace and comfort to those who suffer rejection, poverty, and abuse by those who feel superior and self-righteous and claim to be followers of Christ and Children of God.
Throughout scripture God has made it quite clear that he esteems those who accept how He created them and live in accord with His will. He loves and admires those who have compassion and generosity for those who are in need or suffering from poverty, illness or persecution.


Luke’s Gospel reading, which is commonly called the “Sermon On The Mount, details how people who endure hunger, poverty, alienation and rejection are the persons God loves and admires; “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be you poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are you that weep now: for you shall laugh. Blessed are you, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice you in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers to the prophets. But woe to you that are rich! For you have received your consolation. Woe to you that are full! For you shall hunger. Woe to you that laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets. But I say to you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which spitefully use you. And to him that smites you on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that takes away your cloak forbid not to take your coat also. Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods ask them not again. And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise. For if you love them which love you, what thank have you? For sinners also love those that love them. And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank have you? For sinners also do even the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love you your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete with it shall be measured to you again.”


The reading from Jeremiah 17:5-8 and the Psalm have the same message for us to ponder.
When we really reflect on the readings for this Sunday we have to ask some deep and penetrating questions on how well we are doing in living up to the way of the Lord.
To meditate in God's word, is to look deeply within ourselves concerning how well our lives reflect the teachings of Christ and will of God. We must have constant regard to the guidelines Christ and the prophets have given us concerning our actions in every day life.
On Wednesday we begin the season of Lent which is a time for us to take inventory of our relationship with Almighty God and how we live out our daily lives in accord with God’s teachings.
Over the last few weeks I have reflected on the things we do not need in our life; Anger, greed, jealousy, pride, envy, discrimination, gossip, and being self-serving to truly follow the path of Christ.
The world today praises the rich powerful and famous. That is not God’s way. Christ was rejected in His day because the message he proclaimed was not the one people wanted to hear. The same may well be said for this day and age. We have choices to make. We can choose to live a life in accord with Christ’s teachings or we can choose those things that are comfortable for us to do and reject the ones that might cause us some difficulty.
What we choose and what our rewards will be depends solely on us.
Let us try to live in accord with the Sermon on the Mount and the lessons of the Psalm and first reading and make any changes we need to make during this lent so that we reflect more God’s way in our daily life. I leave you with this prayer I ask of God daily;
Father, into your hands I commend my soul, for I so need to surrender myself unto you and trust in and have faith in you in all things. Let your will be done in me always and lead me in your ways so that I may serve you in all things. Almighty God, Grant unto me your gifts of forgiveness to all who have harmed me, compassion toward all those in need, acceptance of all your children, and mercy and charity toward all I encounter. I ask this in the name of your beloved son, Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit as one God now and forever. AMEN

A New Decade Reflection

A New You In the New Decade



A Reflection for the New Year and New Decade by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD


Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus / Franciscans of Divine Mercy


www.missionstsergius.org






In the movie and Broadway musical “La Cage aux Folles” which focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a nightclub featuring female impersonator entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction. Albin has a scene where he is sitting in front of a mirror and sings a song which begins with these words; “I am what I am I am my own special creation. So come take a look”. The song ends with these words; “There’s one life, and there's no return and no deposit; One life, so it's time to open up your closet. Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, hey world, I am what I am!"


I wonder how often we, as Christians or any other religious denominations of just simple folk take a good hard look in the mirror of our life and admit to whom they really are.


I thought that we, as Christians, might want to begin this new Decade by checking ourselves out in the mirror of life and looking at the reflection that is staring back at us.


In the book of Exodus of the Old Testament when Moses asks who it is that is speaking to him a voice replies; "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14) In the Hebrew or Aramaic language the word is; אהיה אשר אהיה‎, pronounced Ehyeh asher ehyeh which is the common English translation of the response God used when Moses asked for His name. It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah Hayah means "existed" or "was" in Hebrew; "ehyeh" is the first person singular imperfect form. Ehyeh asher ehyeh is generally interpreted to mean I am that I am, though it more literally translates as "I-shall-be that I-shall-be."


My thoughts today have to deal with the concept that every one of us need to face that mirror and look deeply at the reflections asking ourselves , “Who we really are” and while we are at it we also need to as ourselves ; “Do I see God within me and do I reflect God to others by my actions?”


Do you see, in your reflection, the infinite and everlasting mercy and love of Christ being cast back at you?


If there are streaks or spots on your reflection, what is it that is causing those distortions?


Possibly, it is because you are not very open to accepting yourself as God created you with your gifts as well as your imperfections. Perhaps you do not accept how God created you with your sexual orientation or your height, eye color, hair color or other natural and biological parts.


Maybe you spend too much time thinking about yourself and your needs instead of finding out how you can reach out and help others less fortunate than you.


One thing that can cause distortions in you reflection is the distance you put between you and Almighty God. You say you believe in God and you do call on him when times are tough but you do not take time every day to talk with him like your best friend and give Him thanks for all he has given you.


There is of course those times when you can see a figure that is dark and foreboding and frightens you.


That of course is the evil which has been able to penetrate your inner self through temptation and a loss of your love and trust in God.


The reflection you see might be a beautiful luminescent image that seems to glow from within which is the reflection of God and the Holy Spirit abiding within you.


Each of us needs to take a good hard look at ourselves in that mirror of our life and see the real us. Just as Albin does in La Cage aux Folles we need to feel proud of who we are and what we are because we are who God created us as.


Ask, “Do I reflect the infinite love and mercy of Jesus Christ to all I encounter on my life journey?


Do I live in a way that would prompt God to praise me as “My good and faithful servant”?


We are honest with ourselves what we see in that reflection is how others see you.


Sure we have faults and have made mistakes, after all we are human and not perfect as only God is perfect, but if we strive to be kind, generous, thoughtful, forgiving, and not discriminate against any of God’s children, even those with whom you disagree, you are well on the way to seeing Christ in your reflection and others will see the God within you.


Christ’s life and example has shown us that to live as He instructed would not be easy. We might be ridiculed and rejected and even have to suffer in order to be truthful and live according to God’s will.


God has given us a source of strength in the gifts bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit; Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.


The secret, for us, is to seek them out and ask God for them.


Everyone needs to know who the real us is, just like Moses needed to know who was telling him what to do and the people of Israel would want to know from Moses who the commandments came from. No matter what role we play in our daily life, we need to allow people to see and know the real person otherwise they are following a false image.


How often have we been devastated when a person we believed in and trusted turned out to be other than what we thought? In the last decade, we have seen many instances of that. Politicians, Church leaders, government officials, bankers, investment specialists all have turned out to be other than what they seemed to be. Because of that, many people were hurt and devastated.


I know I am far from perfect and have made many mistakes in my life and hopefully I have learned from them and used them to become a better person. I never intentionally sought to hurt anyone and if I did, I have tried to make amends or at least asked forgiveness. As I have said before, God did not make us perfect but He does expect us to try to achieve that state of being.


The saints are those who have achieved that state of being or have came the closest like St. Francis, Mother Therese of Calcutta, Brother Roger of Taize, even though he is not an official Saint, he was highly respected by all the religious denominations who sent representatives to his funeral.


Like Albin in the musical we need to be able to proudly say; “Hey world, I am what I am!" with this added to it; “I am who God created me as and I love who I am and I love God”






In closing, I would like to share with you a prayer I offer to God every day;






Prayer to The Holy Spirit


By Father Robert Johnnene OFA






O Most Holy Spirit, merciful Comforter; Come, I beseech You, and take up abode in my heart. Let my weaknesses be penetrated with your strength, so that I may always do what is right and just. Fill my heart with charity toward all I encounter.


Enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts. Purify and cleanse me of all sin and sanctify my soul, protecting and shielding me from the temptations that plague me. Make me truly humble that I may be pleasing to Almighty God.


Instill within me an honest respect of Almighty God and all of his creations.


Assist me to becoming an instrument of God's Word to all I encounter.


Give to me the gift of Wisdom to know and live according to God’s will.


By your gifts, help me to live a holy life and grow in the everlasting love of Christ so that I may join with all the heavenly elect when my days here on earth are ended.


I ask this through Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior, who lives and reigns with you our creator God, now and forever. AMEN