Where does the wind go

Jesus tells us, “The wind blows where it wills and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.”
Have you ever wondered, where does the wind go, or what makes it stop?  For that matter, does it ever stop?  Is there a chance the wind goes completely around the globe, blowing through tress and forests of many countries?

Do we feel that same wind weeks or months later? And when it returns to us, does that wind have stories of places it has seen, the fears in the hearts of those being persecuted, the hunger from dying starving children.  Does it see God’s world spiritually decaying?

And yet, sometimes, for us that wind is the welcoming breeze on a hot summer day, and at other times it has the devastating force of destruction. But the wind is free, free to go where ever it wants and to do practically whatever it pleases.

But there is another wind, a wind more powerful and precise, a wind that brings good fruit and feeds the spirit with knowledge and courage. It is a wind that speaks to our heart.

We have a loving father who wants us to turn our faces into the wind of the Holy Spirit and allow him to work in our lives, to allow that wind to blow away everything in us that is not of him.  That is the wind, the instrument that transforms our lives.

If we are of the Spirit, we are like the wind that blows where it wills. (Jn 3:8). We are the light that shines on the mountain top proclaiming the Good News to those who are lost
So we listen, we hope and we trust in our Triune God. We are obedient to the Holy Spirit and are like the wind that blows where God wills us to go.  

What are you doing for Fat Tuesday

For many of Church’s liturgical events, we sometimes dedicate the eve of the liturgical event with prayer, or worship or a vigil Mass, such as the Easter Vigil. The Christmas Midnight Mass, even Church services on Saturday evenings or feast days. Some type of prayer that leads us to the special day itself.

Today is a little different. Although tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the very first day of Lent, the eve of this day is celebrated in an unusual welcoming of the Lenten season. Yes, today is Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday also referred to as Mardi Gras. Yes, eat, drink, and be merry, dance on the tables and party to your hearts content. Because tomorrow we begin to hibernate from the material world, and bring ourselves closer to Jesus.

We begin our journey, sharing the suffering and pain of Jesus, following him to the Cross on Calvary, his earthly death and his glorious Resurrection. For this we prepare, for our own death is eminent someday. We prepare to die with Jesus from this world and to live with him forever in the next.

There is a beautiful verse in today’s Gospel to help us prepare. Jesus tells us “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” May not be a bad way to live out our Lent. May, too, be difficult, but the more we try, the more we please God and the more help he provides. Be sincere in your efforts and have a great and meaningful Lent.

Practice makes perfect

We hear it said. We see it written. We may even say it ourselves, and say it with authority. But do we believe it?  Do we practice it? Do we understand the true meaning of “Love one another?

Why is this so difficult to practice? Because to love one another means to love all human beings from the heart and that is the love that is capable of forgiving. “Love one another as I have loved you”.

Sometimes, it is easy to love, but so difficult to forgive, because it takes courage to forgive. Without that courage we really don’t have true love.

Today, Jesus tells us to strive for perfection. “Be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect”. You know the only way we can come close to being perfect is through love. Love as God loved. Have mercy as God has mercy. Listen as God listens. Forgive as God forgives.

Perfection is not something we wake up with one morning. No, perfection is an on going process, a life time journey. When we love as Jesus loved, we will learn forgive. We understand the value of all life from conception to natural death and the caring of that life.

So, maybe starting today, pray a little more, forgive a little more, extend your hand a little more, listen a little more, and above all, love a lot more.

A great way to prepare for Lent.

Being Great isn't Easy

Who is or was the greatest athlete? And if you were to think long and deep, who was the greatest singer of all time? Or actor who danced on stage? So many categories, so many variables to consider, and so many differences of opinions. Yet, we debate and will always debate those differences and they become the topic of many conversations.

So, it would make sense to ask, who is the greatest in heaven? The apostles, no different than us did just that. They asked Jesus, “who is the greatest in heaven”? And Jesus had an interesting answer. He said, more or less, don’t worry about who is the greatest in heaven, worry about just getting to heaven.

He then told them how. He said that we have to become like little children, because children depend on their parents for all their needs, and God wants us to depend on God, who is our Father. Depend on him for all our needs, for everything. 

And, when life gets rough, when we find ourselves in a jam or when we need that shoulder to console us, it is God, our Father who will do everything to relieve our pain, to admonish, and bring us back, just like a father does to help their children. It’s called love.

When we love, we hope for love in return. And God who loves us, hopes too for our love in return. But God won’t force us to love him, and he won’t force us to come back to Him. No, that’s our free will.

And we can love him in return by staying focused on Him. When we have done everything we can do, and keep your eyes on God, that’s when He steps in as a loving Father and will do what we can’t do.

Who is the greatest? First, let’s pick a category. Who is the greatest in the category of love, for that’s what really matters? And how do we measure love?  “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud”. These words of St. Paul are words, that when followed and practiced, help us to keep our eyes focused on heaven, not to be the greatest, but just to reach those gates and cross over the finish line. They help us to love God in return. Jesus said, “there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend”. Being great isn’t easy.

The Village Darkness

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. He knew the inner most feeling of this man, the miracle to be performed and the incredible light this man would see for the first time in his life.

It’s called consideration. If the man were instantly cured among all the people, the shock of seeing what one does not understand could be over whelming and frightening. Jesus led him by the hand, to be alone with him.

It’s is Jesus, who knows our most inner thoughts and considers how best to open our eyes to our own spiritual blindness. Gradual, at first, may be best for us. Do we see and do we want to see more? Then the hand that led us outside the village will help us to see more.

The blind man could see, and we too, who have been led out of the village of darkness,  can now see and with each passing day we begin to see more distinctly the path we must take for our salvation.

Each day, then, we can grow deeper in our faith and each day, the hand of God will lead us closer to himself, who loves us. And Jesus said, “do not even go into the village”

A Teachable Moment

 “Oh, no, who forgot to bring the bread again”, they must have talked among themselves. “Who is going to tell Jesus we have to skip lunch today”. It was word association, Jesus mentioned leaven and the apostles immediately thought bread, or lack of bread. 

Their minds weren’t on the message Jesus was announcing, a critical teaching moment for them to understand. A warning of the leaven representing the spiritual sickness in the world. It was a caution then as well as it is for us today.

But, for the apostles, they forgot the power of Jesus to feed those in need, his authority to calm the storms. They failed to remember the miracles that Jesus performed to make the blind see.  They failed to understand that Jesus, who makes all things good was with them.

The apostles, so much like us. How many teachable moments have we missed, forgetting the power of Jesus in our lives?  Times when we should leave our problems in Jesus’ hands, trusting he knows the better answer? Realizing that he feeds us and nourishes us and the everyday graces he provides and miracles he performs in our lives through the power of prayer.

Look back to the past experiences in your lives, the times when life seemed impossible, problems were eating us alive, but with that trust in God’s power, he gave us the hope to survive. Times when we fought and won the battles on temptations. God always, yes always is there when we call his name.

Yes, we too can sometimes be blind to God’s message.  We hear, but do not listen. But we must always remember that when we believe, when we trust then God can bring us through every situation in this life. What is good about life is that every day is a teachable moment.

When a mistake becomes a choice

How many of us, if given the opportunity to go back in time would change just one decision you had made? I’m sure all of us.

Here’s a question for the wives. How many believe your husband is perfect? Never made a mistake, and always made the right decision? During my homily, not one wife raised their hand, although there were a few husbands coaxing their wife.

And during my homily, I prefaced this to the husbands with, this, men is your opportunity to shine, “how many believe your wife is perfect, always makes the right decision? Never made a mistake? Many hands instantly went high in the air.

Ah! But there is hope! Mark Twain said, "Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions."

Life is a matter of decisions, good and bad, right and wrong. Either, I care or I don’t care about the consequences.

It’s been said that you never make the same mistake twice. the second time you make it, it is no longer a mistake. it is a choice.

So, the choice is ours. Just think, the many choices you and I have made in this life, and it is those choices that have pretty much sculpt us to whom we are today. Some good and some not so good choices.

For many it is those very choices, that nurtured us, improved our physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Sacrifices were made, perseverance prevailed and goals were pictured in our minds and through hard work were achieved.

But for others, not so much, they chose not to make those same good choices, and many regret those decisions today.

St. Jerome one of the greatest doctors of the Church is known for many quotes.

But the one that should leave the biggest impression, the quote that should really penetrate our heart is, “Begin now to be what you will be hereafter.”

Our first reading today from Sirach is a collection of proverbial and yet, powerful teachings. Full of wisdom for those who listen, because it provides a fundamental order in creation and life.

But what it does not do is force us, or presume that we are destined to live by this order of life. It is the clearest statement ever written on the subject of human free will, on the choices we make.

This reading is a soul-searching experience, one we should take and reflect on in our own heart.

It is full of choices, set at their extremes; fire and water, life and death, good and evil, a total picture, that includes everything in between.

 Ultimately, it is telling us that what is before us is destruction and salvation, evil and what is good. These are the decisions we make, they are the path we will take. These are the choices leading us to Heaven or hell

God never told anyone to be godless. He never gave anyone a license to sin. No, but he does demand obedience, love and goodness.

Choosing God’s will is a choice only we can make, and it is the most important choice we will ever make.  It is the decision where we begin to be what we hope to be in the life hereafter.

And Jesus has told us so many times in the Gospels to be careful of what we say, what we see, how we use our body. These too, are decisions we make, decisions with consequences, and or rewards.

That is why it is so important to stay focused on God, and that if anything gets in the way of that focus to discard it.

Today we hear a warning. Jesus is warning us to take every precaution, and if necessary, drastic means against falling into sin, and away from him.

It is a warning that must be taking seriously, for he has told us that many are invited but only a few are chosen. 

Consequences for sin can be harsh. The punishment can be severe, to a place referred to as Gehenna. It is a hell.

We know that in the time of Christ, Gehenna was a valley just outside the city of Jerusalem where the early Canaanites once offered human sacrifices, their own children, no less

And then the Israelites turned this sacrilegious site into a garbage heap where rotten waste was constantly being burned. And, yes there was unbearable stench, a reminder of what hell is like, pain and suffering with no end.

You are either for me or against me, Jesus said. It is our choice. To be “For him” means heaven; against him means Gehenna, an endless stench. As St. James tells us “It will devour your flesh like a fire”.

Many of us know, that the longer we live the more choices seem to present themselves, and are opened up for us. And it is these choices we make that become our compass in life.

Yes, circumstances can impact our life and the decisions we make, but God has given us the graces to still make choices on how we will deal with them.Life is a God given gift, and with that gift comes another gift, our free will, what and how we choose to live.

Although a gift, Life is fluid, going this way and that way, a mind of its own. But we must be flexible adapting, changing our course with good choices when necessary.

It is that true wisdom from the Holy Spirit will provide us the insight, the guidance, and the perseverance to conduct our lives in accordance with God’s will, and in ways we never thought possible.

It’s how we live our lives that determine if we are for him who created us, or against him, who still created us. "Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God am holy."

That in itself should be our focus; the object of all our desires, our efforts, our decisions. We have a choice. Today Picture in your mind, your final goal, a vivid picture, aim to achieve it in this life and “Begin now to be what you will be hereafter.” You’ll be glad you did!

How to ace the test

Remember when you were in school and just maybe your marks weren’t always the best they could have been. And there was always that one sibling or one of your best friends that somehow managed to be the top student every marking period, the highest grades on every report card.

And of course, they received the accolades, they received the prizes and the rewards. That was me, not the smart one, but the one who passed by the skin of their teeth.

But then that one semester you were determined to do your best, and you did and reaped the benefits, yes, the rewards, maybe some money, the pats on the back and it felt great.

Even a surprise quiz, completely unexpected printed from a mimeograph machine with the blue smelly ink you were ready for.  And, because you studied diligently, you aced it. You were prepared for the unexpected.

For me, most of the time while in school, I not only never studied diligently, or even never studied.

That’s how our life is, and that’s what God is telling us throughout the New Testament. Be prepared, for we never know when God is going to call us. 

That is one test we want to ace. But if we are always thinking of him and preparing ourselves by praying and helping others and showing him our love, then we will ace that test too.

Yes, life is a test and while we are here on this earth, we are preparing for the final exam. And if we pass, we graduate to our eternal reward, heaven.

They heard it first hand

Was this the greatest sermon ever? It had to be, and outside no less, and on a mountain. So many people sitting on the grass, on the mountain side, listening to the greatest sermon by the greatest teacher.

And who were these people, where did they come from? Why were they there? For the most part they were the poor people from the surrounding areas, they were the sick, the crippled, the uneducated. They were the unimportant people of the world. They were us

Yes, it was a teaching moment for Jesus, the Master and a learning experience like no other for the people who came to find the truth that would set them free. It is to these very people that Jesus tells them, “you are the salt of the earth, it is you who are the light of the world”.

He tells them as he tells us that Just as salt makes food taste better, it is you and I, by our example, that can bring others to the banquet table of the Lord.

Jesus said, “you are the light of the world”. Just a lamp lights up a darkened room it is you and I who reflect the light of Jesus and have the power to bring lost souls back by that same guided light.

Be the person that when people see your actions, they know you have God in your heart. Yes, you are like that light house, a guiding light, the light that leads, not just you, but those who you don’t even realize you are guiding, to eternal life.

You are the new salt for them. Life begins to taste good. The spiritual life is nurtured. You are the one who makes life worth living again.  You are reaching out, not by harassing them, not by thanking God you are not like them, but by love, by spiritually embracing them by your kindness, by your leadership.

 As we lead others to the right path, we sprinkle the salt on their path that makes their journey a craving for more.

Jesus is here, to refresh us, to nourish us, to provide us with the gifts to satisfy our own spiritual hunger, and to quench the thirst of those longing for Christ.  

We have a duty to bring the Word of God to those who are lost. As we ourselves mature in our faith God gives us the graces to proclaim his truths and spread his good news, as Jesus tells us, “if you love me – feed my sheep”.

Against the odds

It makes you wonder what kind of impression James and John had of heaven. From Jesus’ teaching they seemed to know it was a place and it was a place of honor where some went after death. And they realized not everyone made it that glorious place.

They wanted so much to be in heaven and close to Jesus that they thought what an even better honor than to be on both sides of Jesus, one on his left and the other in his right. Not, sure where they thought the other apostles were to sit.

James and John were brothers and they didn’t want to be separated from each other nor did they want to be separated from Jesus, so why not ask even though the other apostles became quite upset of the audacity of such a question.

But Jesus uses this as a very teachable moment. See, Jesus did offer them the privilege of sharing in his suffering, but this did not mean that their sufferings would take away anyone’s sins. Jesus could only do that by his death and resurrection. But still he offered them the privilege of bearing his burdens as well as his joy and so becoming as compassionate as he was.

Heaven was their goal and heaven is our goal, and Jesus is telling us we must be the servant, humbling ourselves against the odds. Return love for any hatred against us, and love when we are misunderstood. That is humility. What could cause more pain than to love so deeply, and not be loved in return? Wasn’t that Jesus’ very act of self-giving.  He drank the cup, and want our love in return.
In our own ways, each of us is called to drink from Jesus’ cup.  Who does not face opportunities every day to do something for our brother. Who does not have opportunities to serve others and reflect on the life and love of Jesus, the humblest of all servants?

This life will pass, and those who suffered humility in this life will be first in the life to come. How can we become more like Jesus? Serve! In heaven the servants would receive the highest positions, not those with the highest honors.

Is this one of your goals

Saint Paul has a way of telling it like it is. Of where you are and where you need to be. And what he tells the Thessalonians, is certainly meant for us. “Even as you learned to conduct yourself that is pleasing to God, so you must learn to make still greater progress”.

It’s like saying, don’t be pleased with your progress towards holiness. Don’t be satisfied with where you are, but be conscience of God’s will for you.  And he tells us, “it is God’s will that we grow in holiness”

If we are satisfied and pleased with our progress, then there is no cross.

And Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”.

Some of us know where we are in many aspects of our life, the goals we’ve set, the progress we’ve made and the obstacles we will encounter. And the sacrifices we will endure to overcome those obstacles to achieve the goal.

Heaven is a goal and that goal comes with many more obstacles than most any other goal we have or will set. And this goal, is by far the most important goal of your life. This goal can only be achieved through holiness.

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14).

Storms of life

Life is like the ocean; some days are rougher than others. But even in the storms of life there can be a peace for those who have faith. “He rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm”. Bring your storms to Jesus, “For even the winds and the sea obey”.

We must never forget that our first duty is always the one imposed on us by our Baptism: to preserve intact the white garment of grace and purity. Before everything else, we have the immense responsibility of living our Baptism promises.

The uncertainties of life, when left in our own hands, can remain uncertainties, but when we place our doubts, our fears and our reservations in God’s hands we can be assured he has a certain plan for our future. With trust and patience, God can work with us.

"God never forces anyone; He takes what we give him, but does not give himself wholly until he sees that we are giving ourselves wholly to him", a beautiful quote by St. Teresa of Avila. God has made man free, and with that freedom we accept him or refuse to accept him.

For Jesus, Nazareth was peaceful and home was comforting, but Jesus answered the call and the challenge of God. At Jesus’ baptism, the heavens were opened to him, and the mystery of the Trinity was made manifest. The same Holy Spirit was upon us at our own baptism.

It is true, this life is a challenge, but God says, “my grace is sufficient”.  Take a leap of faith, renew your baptismal promises and answer God’s challenge, placing you on that narrow road.

Surprise like no other

Maybe it was an element of surprise, for this poor old man. “Now, Master, you may let your servant go, in peace, according to your word”. It took the eyes of an old man and the faith of an old woman to recognize that the Lord was in their presence.  These two had been waiting, they had been preparing for His coming, and the world had waited and prepared for hundreds of years. Surprise, and maybe amazement for them both.

I don’t know if there will be an element of surprise for us today, or anytime soon, but, Like Simeon and Anna, we need to prepare ourselves for an encounter with the Lord. 

Jesus has many ways of surprising us, and there are many ways to encounter Jesus in our lives.  Every creature we meet, every person we speak to, everyone who is around is an encounter with. As we all know, the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways.

The poor and helpless, the sick and dying, and those in prison, hospitals and the homebound; our co-workers, both holy and unholy people, Jesus is in every one of those souls. Maybe that can be an element of surprise for us.

Jesus is always waiting for us in his temple, every one of his brothers and sisters. He is in the Eucharist, waiting for us to embrace him and hold him close to our hearts.  His love, stronger than any sin we may commit – will purify us.  Then like Simeon, we will be filled with his grace and peace.  Like Anna, we will give thanks to God.

Yes, preparation is the key, for the element of surprise may not be today, may not be in our meeting of a homeless person, may not be in the Scripture verse we read, but our element of surprise, may be that day we are judged by our Lord.  

Blessed to All

How blessed and pure she was, sinless in God’s eyes.  There can be no room for sin when you are “full of grace”. “And all generations will call me Blessed”, she cries with joy to her cousin Elizabeth. Yes, all will call her blessed.

 A beautiful woman who said “Yes” for all mankind, and then with that trust and humility in her God, lived a life as the Mother of the Savior of the world.  “And Mary kept all these things reflecting on them in her heart”

Saint Alphonsus Liguori says, that the most holy Virgin saw her Son in the crib of Bethlehem, and believed Him the Creator of the world.

She saw Him born and believed Him eternal, she saw Him poor and in need of food, and believed Him the Lord of the universe. She heard Him weep, and believed Him the joy of Paradise.

 And yes, she saw Him in death, despised and crucified, and, although faith wavered in others, Mary remained firm in the belief that He was God. Yes "Mary stood, supported by her faith."

Her faith is the pillar of strength that when we imitate her, becomes our strength as well. And that strength provides the stepping stones to receive all the other virtues of our Blessed Mother, that model of perfection.

So many times, God asks each of us to "cast out into the deep", enter the unknown, just like He did with Mary. These are challenges, and these challenges, when accepted, imitate Mary’s trust, Mary’s unshakable faith, moving us forward knowing that He is with us every step of our journey.

Mary carried Jesus within her body, the first Tabernacle.  Our own body and soul, when prepared, can receive Jesus as the Living Waters, needed to refresh and nourish us for our journey.  

Today, let us thank God for all He has done in our lives and for all that He has blessed us with, and for that he will wants to do if we allow him to live in our heart.

Mary, our Blessed Mother, Queen of Heaven and earth, pray for us to be imitators of your virtues.