"Our Father who are in heaven, hallowed be they name." Mt 6:9
For believers, the first task each day is to acknowledge God and God's place in our lives. The Lord's Prayer both helps us remember this fundamental stance and teaches us how to do it. More often than not, most of us are ready to tell God our story, enumerate our needs and ask for help, but the Our Father reminds us that for the believer recognizing our dependence on God must always be first desire and duty.
Muslims, though using a different name for God, take a very similar stance when they pray the Shahada, "There is no God but God, and Mohammad is the Prophet." Some Muslim scholars suggest that when Muslims pray they are seeking the same blessings that Catholics desire and experience in the Eucharist. Learning to bow our heads at the name of God is another way of accepting God's presence and power in our lives, and is something that would help believers to live more fully in the presence of God.
It is so easy in a world full of information and internet web access to think of ourselves in powerful terms. After all, we can ask Mr Google almost anything and receive 100 million possible answers within two or three seconds. Doesn't this indicate the growing control we have over the world as we know it? While we do have access to more information than we could every process or interpret, knowledge without gratitude for the One who is all knowing does the believer little good.
Today, say the Lord's Prayer slowly and reverently.
If you, like the Apostles, could ask Jesus how to pray what would you expect him to teach you?
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Generosity
"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Cor 9:6
The reasons why we are sometimes are stingy are many. Fear of not having enough. Judgments about whether those in need ought to work harder, and simple selfishness are the most obvious, but the biggest is our unwillingness to trust God completely even though the scriptures are clear. God is is never sparing in love for us, and made in his image, we must do the same for others.
St Paul, in using the same image that we find in Matthew's gospel, assures us that if we are generous in sowing that God will be pleased. More, the seed we sow generously will find fertile ground and bear much fruit so that everyone can eat.
Generosity can be easy at times, especially when our life is moving smoothly and surely, but it is always a decision. Life is full of choices and the Gospel challenges us to reflect, pray and be as benevolent as possible, especially to the poor. Worrying too much about how to be financially or emotionally secure cheats us and all those who might benefit from our kindness and unstinting love.
Today, give until it hurts.
To whom is it most difficult for you to show generosity?
The reasons why we are sometimes are stingy are many. Fear of not having enough. Judgments about whether those in need ought to work harder, and simple selfishness are the most obvious, but the biggest is our unwillingness to trust God completely even though the scriptures are clear. God is is never sparing in love for us, and made in his image, we must do the same for others.
St Paul, in using the same image that we find in Matthew's gospel, assures us that if we are generous in sowing that God will be pleased. More, the seed we sow generously will find fertile ground and bear much fruit so that everyone can eat.
Generosity can be easy at times, especially when our life is moving smoothly and surely, but it is always a decision. Life is full of choices and the Gospel challenges us to reflect, pray and be as benevolent as possible, especially to the poor. Worrying too much about how to be financially or emotionally secure cheats us and all those who might benefit from our kindness and unstinting love.
Today, give until it hurts.
To whom is it most difficult for you to show generosity?
Monday, June 17, 2013
Resistance to Grace
"I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others." 2 Cor 8:8
Not infrequently, we intuit that something is wrong, incomplete or lacking in our personal or communal lives. Not easily identified, we sense the need for change even when we are not sure exactly what changes we should make, and this not knowing can led to paralysis.
When St Paul senses this struggle in the Corinthian community, he reminds them that the believing community in Macedonia asked, even begged, despite their own struggles, to help those who were preaching the Gospel. Would the Corinthians accept the invitation to let go of their resistance and respond beyond their means to the needs of the leadership and the community?
Stubbornness can be powerfully disruptive and undermining of the community's life and purpose. Those who use their energies to resist the positive direction the community needs to take for the sake of the Gospel make everyone's life more difficult. They question everything and everyone, and often intimidate those who find it difficult to speak under the best of circumstances. When this happens to us, an examination of conscience is in order.
Today, ask God to change your attitude.
What areas of your faith life do you most resist?
Not infrequently, we intuit that something is wrong, incomplete or lacking in our personal or communal lives. Not easily identified, we sense the need for change even when we are not sure exactly what changes we should make, and this not knowing can led to paralysis.
When St Paul senses this struggle in the Corinthian community, he reminds them that the believing community in Macedonia asked, even begged, despite their own struggles, to help those who were preaching the Gospel. Would the Corinthians accept the invitation to let go of their resistance and respond beyond their means to the needs of the leadership and the community?
Stubbornness can be powerfully disruptive and undermining of the community's life and purpose. Those who use their energies to resist the positive direction the community needs to take for the sake of the Gospel make everyone's life more difficult. They question everything and everyone, and often intimidate those who find it difficult to speak under the best of circumstances. When this happens to us, an examination of conscience is in order.
Today, ask God to change your attitude.
What areas of your faith life do you most resist?
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Dangers along the Way
"We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry." 2 Cor 6:3
Despite our best efforts, we often get lost on our Gospel pilgrimage. We get too busy or not busy enough. We waste time or crush too many tasks into a small window of time, and all these behaviors distract us from our primary role as Christians, to witness to the saving love of Jesus Christ in our daily lives.
Almost the entire second letter to the Corinthians is Paul's attempt to convince his opponents that his motives are pure and his message clear. He does not want to do anything to separate permanently from them or discourage them from following their own pilgrim paths, but he does need to warn them that they are not at one with the rest of the community. After his warnings, Paul, like us, must be patient and wait for God to work.
Waiting is almost always anxiety producing. Not knowing what we must do or how best to address difficulties within ourselves or our communities can lead to poor choices when we try to force solutions. Paul's willingness to work with his opponents and his struggle to find an honest path of reconciliation should fill us all with hope.
Today, do nothing about a difficult situation. Pray.
Who taught you most about how to keep your focus during trying times?
Despite our best efforts, we often get lost on our Gospel pilgrimage. We get too busy or not busy enough. We waste time or crush too many tasks into a small window of time, and all these behaviors distract us from our primary role as Christians, to witness to the saving love of Jesus Christ in our daily lives.
Almost the entire second letter to the Corinthians is Paul's attempt to convince his opponents that his motives are pure and his message clear. He does not want to do anything to separate permanently from them or discourage them from following their own pilgrim paths, but he does need to warn them that they are not at one with the rest of the community. After his warnings, Paul, like us, must be patient and wait for God to work.
Waiting is almost always anxiety producing. Not knowing what we must do or how best to address difficulties within ourselves or our communities can lead to poor choices when we try to force solutions. Paul's willingness to work with his opponents and his struggle to find an honest path of reconciliation should fill us all with hope.
Today, do nothing about a difficult situation. Pray.
Who taught you most about how to keep your focus during trying times?
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