First and Goal

Deacon Tom Writes,

“First and Goal”

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

The teachings contained in this passage from Mathew’s Gospel today summarize our call to holiness. Jesus presents his vision of the Kingdom where the poor in spirit are blessed and the meek are comforted; where mercy abounds and righteousness prevails; where there are peacemakers to put an end to conflict, violence, and strife. Do you think that Jesus was telling the crowd to persevere the evil in this present age and await the justice of God in the next life? I don’t think so. Jesus had a plan to help ease the suffering and hopelessness that he saw in the human condition, the one he embraced, willingly, to restore us to God’s good graces, yes, but as Jesus told his disciples, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly”. (JN 10:10). Jesus’ plan for us to enjoy life more abundantly is called discipleship.

In making a decision to follow Jesus we take on the responsibility of embracing the mind and heart of God as Jesus did and acting accordingly. This is difficult work, like moving the football in the “Red Zone” when it is  “First, second, third or even forth... and Goal”. There is a lot of resistance to our effort; the other team is trying just as hard to stop us. They try to prevent any “forward progress” and undermine our confidence; they challenge our determination to score. This football analogy suites us well on our spiritual journey as we look to overcome all the challenges and obstacles to our faith that we encounter on a daily basis. We may experience rejection when we reach out to strangers; we may be the target of unkindness and misunderstanding when we try to bring comfort to family, friends, and neighbors. If we try to forgive others for the hurts they have caused us, there are those who may take this as a sign of weakness and attempt to take further advantage of us. We may suffer many setbacks if we try to live and act with the mind and heart of Jesus and that should come as no surprise for Jesus told us as much.

Still, we seek to be kind and gentle people, quick to forgive and slow to anger. We strive to be thoughtful and accepting of everyone. We engage people with the understanding that we are all made in the image of our creator. Most of all, we never lose sight of the goal and the good that can come from a single act of selfless love. Why? Because we take Jesus at his words, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me”.

Today we here Jesus call the poor in spirit “blessed”. If we live our lives as his disciples, the day will come when he will say to us “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”. (MT 25:34)

In the pursuit of eternal life, that’s how you run up the score!!!

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Decision Time

Deacon Tom Writes,

"Decision Time"

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Making important decisions is seldom easy. St. Matthew recounts the story of ordinary men who were running a successful business when they were asked to make a decision. Their encounter with Christ causes them to alter the course of their lives. They set out in a new direction to face the uncertainties of life with a new certainty….that all is not contained in this life, but rather, the greater reality is yet to come.

In deciding to follow Jesus these men became witnesses to the life transforming possibilities that Christ brought to every person and every situation he encountered during his brief ministry. Because they decided to follow Jesus, it is through their eyes these events have been written down and preserved by Holy Mother Church. Today these words come alive for us here and now. We now are asked how we respond to Christ’s invitation to “Come after me…”

We all have received a calling from God. We all have a unique and specific purpose in life that belongs to each of us individually. If we do not accept this call, if we don’t set out to accomplish the specific task God has given us, then that work, that effort, remains undone.

Today our Gospel prompts us to look into our lives and see how we have responded to the call that we have received, the call to love God and neighbor, the call to forgive those who hurt us, the call to live our lives in a spirit of wonder and awe knowing God is with us, always present in our lives, always seeking to bestow his abundant graces upon us just as he did to those we read about today. What he does for them he will do for everyone who makes a decision to follow him.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Too LIttle To Ask?

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Too Little To Ask?”

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

In today’s First Reading, Isaiah reminds his listeners that God has great things in store for us. Yes, Israel has fallen upon difficult times and is in a state of decline. But, the day will come when God will work wonders through his servant, Israel. Yes, too little is the work of raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the survivors of Israel. God has even greater plans for his Servant Israel, who will also ... “be the light of the nations that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth”.

Now at the beginning of a new year is a good time to reflect on how we are the beneficiaries of this ancient promise God made to Isaiah. What has God revealing himself to the world meant to us? How do we respond to his coming into our lives?

While reflecting on Isaiah’s reading, we might consider how little God really asks of us in light of all we have received from Him. We have so much to be grateful for; we all could probably amass a large list, and yet God doesn’t overburden us with demands. He tells us simply to “love one another”, to share our food with the poor, to be peaceful, to be honest, to consider others first. He is not demanding that any of us end poverty, war, bigotry… No, He doesn’t demand that any of us individually solve the problems of hunger or disease. But I wonder if, just like servant Israel, God is just waiting for us to do our part, no matter how little or insignificant that may be, so He can bless the work of our hands and therefore bring to our troubled world the peace, justice, and goodness that He desires for us?  

As we journey through this new year, one that may prove challenging and exciting in many ways, let us all be mindful that we are the torch bearers who bring the light of Christ to all those around us. May our thoughts, actions, and prayers find their source in our Lord Jesus Christ who came to give us new life.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

God's Wonderful Plan

Deacon Tom Writes,

“God’s Wonderful Plan”

The Epiphany of the Lord, Year A

As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany today we recall God’s immense love for his people that gave rise to his taking upon himself our human natures so as to become one with us and claims us as his own. The Preface to the Eucharistic Prayer we hear today tells us how the Father “revealed the mystery of our salvation in Christ as the light of the nations…” This light dawned on that first Christmas day when Mary gave birth to her Son Jesus, who is both Son of God… and Son of Mary.

It was difficult for the Jews of Christ’s time to understand that God willed salvation for everyone; that salvation was not reserved for the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob alone. True, God revealed himself through the Jewish people, but God intended Christ’s redemptive work to be shared by ALL.

This Feast we enjoy today celebrates the reality that God has not restricted or limited the saving work of Jesus Christ. It is through this revealing Christ to the world that God, again, in the words of the Preface, “you made us new by the glory of his (i.e. Christ’s) immortal nature.” What an encouraging thought in light of the many challenges we face today…that we can tap into this newness of life and love that Christ offers each of us.

None of us have the power to change things very much on a global scale. But, each of us can do something to show that we have been renewed and animated by Christ’s love and presence in our lives. We can do little things that make a big difference in the lives of the people we encounter every day. We can pray for one another; we can visit someone mourning the loss of a loved one. We can show that we have been renewed by Christ’s love whenever we visit a sick friend, welcome a stranger, give hope to the despairing, write a card or make a call to someone immobilized by old age or illness. We, ourselves, are renewed whenever we are animated as a member of the Body of Christ to be stewards of God’s grace or give witness to God’s transformative power over all things. We are renewed each time we realize God’s wonderful plan is to make all things new, even us.  Yes, our destiny is to be remade in the image of Christ… “to put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth”(EPH 4:24).

Have a wonder-filled New Year experiencing God’s love and sharing that love with others every day of the year!

Deacon Tom