|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Reflections
 The Good and Faithful Servant
St. Paul tells us that we are not of the night or of darkness, but that we are children of the light and children of the day. And with this wonderful affirmation comes a disturbing warning: the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. The question we need to ask ourselves is not how well we are prepared for His coming, but how well prepared we are to make an accounting of our use of the gifts we have received.
|
|
What more can I do?
Today we are being told something about God that we all need to hear. God doesn't give up on us, even when we have turned away. God is even willing to risk looking foolish in our eyes, willing to come again and again to us. God's love doesn't diminish, even when we reject Him or live lukewarm lives of faith.
|
|
Speaking Louder Than Words...
We, too, have been called to a change of heart. How many attempts to change have we made and how many times have we been less than successful? It doesn't really matter to Jesus. With this parable that speaks God's Word to us, comes the flame of Jesus' Spirit to quicken our resolve to try again to change what needs changing. We can have hope that, in some small or even large way, change is possible because we have heard God's Word and experienced the living Christ through it.
|
|
God So Loved the World...
We Christians are used to the sight of the cross in our churches. We wear them around our necks; they hang from charm bracelets. Not surprisingly, the cross can easily become lost in the background - part of the architecture - just another piece of jewelry. We lose focus - so much so that we tend to take it for granted. But there is irony in this feast; we are praising and "exalting" a vicious instrument of execution. The Romans inherited the cross from the Persians used it extensively and became "masters of the craft."
|
|
Two or Three...
Where do we find the true presence of Christ? Christ is in our midst when we work together to right wrongs. Forgiveness and justice should characterize the community; if it does, others will recognize something unique about the church and might even recognize Christ alive and active in our midst doing what others may believe impossible.
|
|
Given the Keys
The revelation that opened Peter's eyes to see and his tongue to proclaim Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God," is our gift as well, as we live our Christian lives day by day. We face many of the same challenges as the first disciples: cynicism in dealing with others; despair as we face large issues of violence and war; greed that puts ourselves above others; indifference to the pain of others; cowardice when our faith is challenged; conformity when prophetic witness is called for, and lukewarm religious practice that has stalled through neglect.
|
|
We're All in the Same Boat
It is only together that we can really come to know who Jesus is - and by knowing Him, we come to understand who the Father is. We are all, quite literally, in the same boat. We share together the turbulent seas of the storm as well as the gentle ripple of the water against the side of the boat on a calm day. We cannot walk upon the water alone; but together we can.
|
|
Speak in the Light
Our journey of faith is a never-ending one… one of constantly coming to know the Father through Jesus. It parallels the journey of the first disciples - their coming to faith… their coming to understand who the Father was - and how they came to know him through Jesus. God is always the one who speaks first, who acts first, who loves first; and discipleship always involves a call - an invitation requiring a response.
|
|
|
| |
 | |
|
|
| |
|
