Know who you are

I saw One like a son of man. (Daniel 7:13)

If you’ve studied history, you know that the authority held by a monarch is meant to be passed down from one ruler to the next, not taken by force. This transfer of power typically happens in a coronation ceremony. In many cultures, the coronation ceremony reflects the belief that the power to rule comes from God—or at least from a source higher than the people themselves. Here in Daniel, we see the ultimate coronation. The figure of “the son of man” receives “dominion, glory, and kingship” from none other than his heavenly Father (Daniel 7:13, 14). 

Daniel’s author saw this “son of man” as an apocalyptic ruler who would bring justice to the earth. With Spirit-inspired hindsight, we know him as Jesus, who has power over all creation (Ephesians 1:21-22). Contrast Jesus’ power with that of the four beasts that preceded him in Daniel’s vision. These four animals signified the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. In spite of their great might, these dynasties eventually crumbled. Like many governments, they fell because their rulers became greedy and tyrannical, caring more about their influence than about their subjects. Clearly, that’s not how Jesus rules his people!

What about us? We are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). That means we share in Jesus’ authority; we can build his kingdom here on earth! It’s a high calling, and with it comes a high dignity. Filled with the power of the Spirit, we can do even greater things than Jesus himself did (John 14:12)!

Today and every day, remember who you are in Christ. United with him, you can be an agent of change in your family, workplace, and community. You have the mind of Christ, so you can bring wisdom where there is confusion and comfort where there is anxiety. You have the anointing of Christ, so you can bring healing, love, and mercy where there is hatred and division. Put yourself in his hands today, and call on his power to help you live a life pleasing to him. Then you will become a sign that “the Kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:31).

“Lord, thank you that you have made me a little lower than the angels! May I never forget that I carry your name. Help me to shine your light into every situation.”

from wau.org

Simple, yet not easy

Do not be terrified. (Luke 21:9)

Jesus names a long list of problems that sound all too familiar to us: earthquakes, famines and plagues, wars, and the overthrow of what seems so powerful. His counsel in the face of all this upheaval, however, is brief: “Do not be terrified” (Luke 21:9). When the existing state of affairs seems to be deteriorating and conflict is sweeping peace away, when disaster and rumor are headlines, how are we not to fear? It seems rather simplistic to say, “Don’t be alarmed; don’t panic.”

But it is that simple. 

Remember, though, simple is not the same as easy. Heeding Jesus’ command here requires discipline, practice, self-control, and, especially, a deep, abiding assurance of your Father’s love for you. We’re generally pretty good with the discipline and practice side of the equation. Or at least we know what that entails and have some way of doing it. But discipline and dedication can take us only so far, and that’s why we need to immerse ourselves in God’s love. 

St. Francis de Sales once advised, “Half an hour’s meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.” The same applies when you are anxious or worried.

Spend time today (and every day) contemplating this central truth of our faith: God is taking care of you, today, tomorrow, and every day. St. Francis says that either God will shield you from suffering, or he will give you his strength and grace to bear it. You are God’s very own child, and he will lead you safely through all things, however calamitous. He holds your hand, adjusting his steps to yours, and promises to carry you in his arms when you cannot stand.

So tell Jesus what terrifies you right now, and ask him to help you. His command “Do not be terrified” is not impossible. Just try to set aside the thoughts that rob you of peace, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you new thoughts—his thoughts—on whatever is upsetting you. Write down whatever uplifting and encouraging thoughts come to you, and go back to them whenever fear rears its alarming head.

Every day, declare, “I will not be terrified,” and watch what God does.

“Jesus, hold my hand today, and whisper your thoughts to me. Lord, I want to live in your peace, unafraid of what’s ahead.”

from wau.org

No distractions [Luke 17:11-19]

The leading cause of traffic accidents in America today is distraction – from texting, eating, reading, talking on phone, etc. In the same way we can easily get distracted in our Christian journey and swerve to the left or right, or even sometimes, crush out completely. In our main text, we read about the ten lepers who met Jesus on His way to Jerusalem. One returned and the other nine never showed up. The one who returned received something more than just a healing. In fact, the Aramaic Bible in Plain English translates the words of Jesus in verse 19 as “Arise; go. Your faith has saved you.” This lone returnee received his salvation. In his journey to encounter the Lord He did not allow the blessing of healing to distract him. We are not told of what happened to the other nine, but from what we read it appears they had missed a great opportunity to encounter deeply, the saviour of the world - Jesus Himself. 

This brings to fore, our first source of distraction, blessings. In my mind it seemed counter intuitive that blessings could derail us from our spiritual encounter. But it does. We see it clearly in today’s text from the nine lepers. Not going so far, we even see it in our believing communities where a blessing of a new job, a spouse, a scholarship to mention but a few causes us to start slacking in our pursuit of the Lord. Today the Lord is reminding us to remain focused. He wants us to remember our first love. 

Another source of distraction is sin. Maintaining a life of sin derails us from the path of God. A contemporary gospel singer depicts sin as little foxes that munch on our spiritual health till we break down. Jesus described sin as blinding [John 9:39]. It takes our focus off our goal of a deeper walk with the Lord. Today the Lord wants us to let go of any sin and receive His saving mercies.

Our society or community can also be a source of distraction. In Mark 10:46-52 we read of the story of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus. We are told that upon hearing that Jesus was passing his way, he began to shout for Him. Mark notes that the many that were there rebuked him and told him to be quiet. Luke in his account of the story even went further and commented that those who led the way rebuked him [Luke 18:34-43]. 

This shows that if we are not careful, the society around us can distract us from coming unto the Lord. In present times we are consistently being pounded with all sort of information from different media communicating adverse concepts, belief systems and negative hype. Today the Lord wants us to be aware of the influence of our society on our spiritual lives and to guard our hearts and minds from any form of distraction.

Again, fear serves as another source of distraction. Fear of the future, fear of the unknown and sometimes fear from our pasts. Fear distracts us and cripples us from making the needed strides we must take to move forward in our faith journey. The Lord Himself recognizes this form of distraction and thus prompts us not to be afraid, 365 times in His word. Regardless of our reason to fear, The Lord commands us not to be afraid. Throughout scripture we see how people have responded to this command and have moved ahead to achieve great things for The Kingdom, hand in hand with the Lord. An example fit for the season we are about to enter is Mary. She wholeheartedly claimed the purpose of God for her life and responded in faith that “May it be to me as you have said” [Luke 1:38]. Today the Lord wants us rise up in courage and move ahead without the distraction of fear. 

The last source of distraction I would like us to consider is our own internal voice. Sometimes our own self doubt can distract us from what the Lord is seeking to do in our lives; that internal voice that tells us that we are not good enough, smart enough, rich enough or influential enough to have a part in the Kingdom of God. That voice that whispers that our cases cannot be turned around or that our plights can never be reversed. What would have happened if the lepers questioned Jesus’ command for them to go and show themselves to the priest? Or if blind Bartimaeus doubted that Jesus could make Him see. Today the Lord wants to remind us that nothing is impossible with Him [Luke 1:37]. We need to quieten any voices and open our hearts to the voice of the Lord.

So how can we continue to remain focused on our path of faith? I would like us to consider three points – The first one is consistent scripture study. David described the word as a lamp for his feet and a light for his path [Psalm 119:105]. To remain focused on Him, we have to seek Him in His word in order to know His thoughts and promises for us, and His words of guidance for our lives. We recall how Peter remained walking on the water so far as he kept His eyes on Jesus [Matt 14:22-31]. John describes Jesus as the word made flesh [John 1:14]. Thus, so far as we keep our eyes on the word we will remain afloat.

Secondly we need to have a consistent prayer life. Throughout the gospels we see Jesus constantly spending time in prayer and urging His disciples to do the same. Thus the value of prayer cannot be overemphasised. To remain focused on our spiritual journey we have to spend time at His feet in prayer. We are urged on in 1 Thess 5:17, to pray without ceasing. 

The last point is having a quiet or reflective time. I believe it is prudent that we set some time aside to quietly reflect on our lives in order to assess ourselves and take stock. In our fast paced world of fast food, fast internet and express services, it is very easy to get engulfed in the routine business of life and lose sight of our whereabouts in this spiritual journey. We need to constantly reassess ourselves to know whether we are still on track. In scripture we see many times when Jesus is said to have gone by Himself to a quiet place, showing us the need for being by ourselves to reflect. We need to be able to step on the brakes for a while to consider where we are with the Lord.

So, today the Lord is reminding us to focus back on Him. He wants us to be aware of the manifold sources of distraction that can take us off course and to work on remaining with Him. I pray that we will continue to set our gaze on the Lord and say no to distractions. Amen.   

     

Changing hearts

There were seven brothers. (Luke 20:29)

The Sadducees were surprised. They had concocted a complicated story that they thought would force Jesus to acknowledge how silly the idea of the resurrection was. But Jesus answered by talking about heaven!

The Sadducees had asked about the brothers and their wife, but Jesus cut through to what was really on their minds. He unmasked their narrow way of looking at the Scriptures and showed them that they needed a change of heart. It was as if they didn’t really know what their real issue was. They weren’t asking Jesus the right questions—or at least the most important ones.

We know that even though he tried to help the Sadducees expand their vision, Jesus met with resistance and hardened hearts. But this doesn’t have to be our story. Not only can Jesus show us where we need to change our thoughts, but he can soften our hearts so that we want to change.

Now, we probably aren’t consciously trying to trip Jesus up with outlandish scenarios, but we may be looking at our situations too narrowly, just as the Sadducees did. 

For instance, you may be convinced that you just need your spouse or friend to stop a particular annoying behavior. And yet as you pray, you find that you are the one who needs to change by learning patience and flexibility. Or you may be praying for a neighbor’s troubled situation. The problem may not get resolved as you want it to, but you find your judgments about this neighbor dissolving as you develop a closer relationship with her. Or perhaps you are wrestling with an invitation to help out in your parish, and God gives you a new confidence that he will care for you. He washes away your fears and helps you discover how to reach out and still be faithful to your other obligations. 

As we approach the end of this liturgical year, be open to the possibility that God can take you where you might not expect. Let him surprise you with a taste of his power to transform your heart.

“Lord Jesus, I trust you. Let me not get so stuck in what I expect you to do that I don’t see the amazing things you are doing!”

from wau.org

good, good, God

Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me! (Luke 18:38)

The blind man in today’s Gospel reading did more than mutter under his breath. He shouted! He ignored all the voices that said, “Stop making a fuss! Just accept your lot in life. Just bear your cross.” He probably even ignored the thoughts in his mind that told him he wasn’t worth healing, he deserved to be blind, or he wasn’t important enough for Jesus to notice. He drowned them out, stubbornly pounding on the door of God’s heart. And he was not disappointed.

Know this: God always wants to heal and restore. He wants to touch us at our sorest points, our most vulnerable, limiting position, and relieve the pain. This is why Jesus exhorts us to ask, seek, and knock. He never says, “Sorry, that’s just too hard for me” or “You really have no business asking me to do that for you.” He never turns his back on anyone who comes to him. 

So what do you do when you’ve asked and pleaded for years, but your prayers never seem to be answered? You keep asking! You keep crying out to the Lord. You keep believing that God is good and that he has only good intentions for you. You confess that he who made light shine out of darkness will also shine through your life—both in healing and in patient endurance. Because God really is healing us, all the time.

Even as we endure a long-term illness or an emotional wound, our lives are being shaped. The question is “How will we be shaped?” By clinging to the Lord in faith, we can grow in compassion. We can become vessels of his love and presence. But if we give up, we risk becoming bitter and resigned. If we draw from the well of God’s grace and presence, we will find courage, good humor, and consolation. But if we withdraw, we risk becoming preoccupied by our challenges, blind and deaf to the needs and joys of the people around us.

So always keep before you the image of the blind man who, when healed, was full of praise for the Lord. Because God is with you at every step, you can be sure that he is a good, good God!

“Lord, heal me! Open my eyes today to see how you are working in my life.”

from wau.org

Rest and activity

The Kingdom of God is among you. (Luke 17:21)

Sometimes hidden forces are the most powerful. Think about the work that goes into digging a canal: huge machines, lots of noise, noticed by everybody. Now compare that with the Grand Canyon. It’s a slower process, and at least at first you wouldn’t even notice what was happening, but the final results are much more impressive. No excavation crew could ever have completed such a beautiful project!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the most powerful unseen force of all: the kingdom of God. He explains that the coming of this kingdom isn’t accompanied with a lot of fanfare, and many don’t notice it. Rather, Jesus’ humble coming in the flesh was the inauguration of the kingdom, and that was a very quiet beginning. But from that point on, everything was different. The kingdom’s forces are now at work in a new way, and it’s only a matter of time before Jesus takes up his reign in a much more public way.

So we live in an “already, but not yet” time. God’s kingdom truly is among us, but it is not yet fully visible. This isn’t always easy for us. We want to see more; we want to experience more, but God is asking us to exercise our faith and trust in his unseen presence and his invisible power. He wants us to live in hope—not a wistful denial of reality, but a sure and certain assurance that his kingdom truly is with us. We can be peaceful and trusting, knowing that Jesus, our King, is in control, and we will eventually see his very public return in glory.

So our time is one of both rest and activity. We rest in God and his promises, but we are also active as agents of the kingdom. Sometimes our work is nothing more than admiring the work of the mighty river as it carves out the magnificent architecture of the kingdom. But at other times, we can point out this work in progress to someone else. And at all times, we can give thanks to our King, who is always at work in the world around us.

“Lord, I believe that your kingdom is here, now. And still I pray, ‘Let your kingdom come’!”

from wau.org

Letting go

Hi folks,
I have been listening to this song by Matt Maher and could not resist but share it with you. Kindly pay attention to the lyrics.I hope it speaks to you as well.

Debt of LOVE

You shall love. (Romans 13:9)

Imagine trying to reach a destination with directions that state only “Don’t take this road” or “Avoid that highway.” You’d probably never get to where you want to go! Instructions like “Don’t” and “You shall not” tend to stop us in our tracks. Of course, they are useful and beneficial because God knows, we need to be stopped from time to time! But the commandments “You shall not commit adultery, kill, steal, or covet” don’t move us to love more; they just keep us from failing to love.

 

On the other hand, “You shall love” propels us forward. It spurs us on to treat the people around us the way God treats us: with patience and kindness, with compassion and understanding. It urges us to forgive over and over, even seventy times seven times. It teaches us to let go of our grudges and to treat people with honor and consideration far beyond what they deserve—all because this is exactly how our heavenly Father deals with us. He doesn’t just not hate us. He doesn’t just not mistreat us. He lifts us up and fills us with every grace and blessing!

Think of the times you have known or experienced the love of God especially deeply. That is the love God wants us to show the people around us today. It’s a love that is patient with someone who is slow to “get it,” whether “it” is grasping an explanation, accelerating when the traffic light turns green, or placing a fortieth item on the ten-item express lane at the grocery store. It’s a love that is kind, even in little things like holding a door for a stroller-pushing shopper or paying a compliment when it is least expected. It’s a love that extends consideration and honor to everyone, regardless of his or her social position.

“You shall love” (Romans 13:9). This command is for each of us, no matter how we are feeling. Our acts of love, however small or seemingly inconsequential, open the door for the Holy Spirit to come in more fully and change the atmosphere, both in our hearts and in whatever place we find ourselves.

So get out there, and change the world, simply by loving!

“Holy Spirit, give me a fresh outpouring of your love so that I can share it with everyone I meet today!”

from wau.org