Potentials

Most blessed are you among women. (Luke 1:42)

Don’t you find it remarkable that God chose to bring about his work of redemption through two unborn children and their mothers? Jesus was still in Mary’s womb, yet in his presence, Elizabeth and her own unborn son, John, were filled with the Holy Spirit. This short but powerful scene gives us a glimpse of the forceful love of God, who is always eager to pour out his life. What a foreshadowing of the glory of the risen Christ, who wants to pour his Spirit on all people!

Elizabeth’s pure and humble response to the work of God in their lives must have brought great comfort to Mary. In Elizabeth, she finally found someone with whom she could share her joy and awe at what was happening within her. Who else at this time could understand the song welling up within Mary’s heart? Rather than being jealous of her younger relative’s exalted position, Elizabeth rejoiced with Mary and embraced her own supportive role. For her part, Mary did not wait for Elizabeth to come to her, but hastened to her side.
While this meeting between Mary and Elizabeth is unique, there is something here that we can all experience.

 As baptized believers, each of us is capable of bearing Christ to the world. If our eyes were opened to the glory of this truth, we too would rejoice and be humbled in the presence of so holy a vessel as a sister or brother in Christ. Even nonbelievers would move us to great reverence because they too are created in God’s image and have just as much potential of being filled with the Holy Spirit. If God has so highly honored human beings this way, how could we fail to show them equal honor?

God used Jesus, even when he was just a fetus in the womb, to pour out divine life. Everyone, no matter how young or old, no matter how strong or weak, has been created as a dwelling place for God. So how can we long for God’s presence and yet disregard him in the people all around us?

“Lord Jesus, just as you opened Elizabeth’s eyes in the presence of Mary, please open my eyes to those who also bear Christ. Help me to honor the potential of each person to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

taken from wau.org

Scales off

Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. (Acts 9:18)

Imagine passing a stranger on the street who abruptly stops to talk to you. You try to ignore him and pass him by when he suddenly calls your name. Stunned, you turn and ask him how he knows you. He replies with a name that sounds familiar. You take a closer look at the unfamiliar face and recognize him as an old schoolmate. Those bright, familiar eyes—how could you not have seen it?

Within seconds, that face of a stranger has transformed in your mind into the face of a dear old friend. It’s as if scales have fallen from your eyes, and you recognize the worth of the person inside that unfamiliar exterior. Happy memories and a sense of love flood back to you as your mind goes from general indifference to active interest in the person before you. 

Today’s first reading shows us two people whose hearts suddenly soften. First we see Saul, who has had a vendetta against Christians, being blinded by the Lord. When the scales fall from his eyes, his heart is suddenly opened both to Jesus and to his followers. As a result, he turns his life around dramatically and becomes one of the Church’s greatest apostles. 

Then there is Ananias. He is scared of Saul. He has heard that Saul was trying to capture the Christians. Still, he valiantly trusts God’s word to him and goes to visit him. Luke gives us a moving insight into Ananias’ change of heart when he tells us that Ananias called Saul “my brother” (Acts 9:17). There is no sense of judgment, condemnation, or fear in Ananias’ words. Just the same welcoming acceptance that Jesus has for all of us.

Today, think about one person you are indifferent toward—and not just a stranger on the street but someone at work or in your family whom you’ve never connected with. Look for an opportunity to make some small contact with that person. Take one little step, and see where it leads you. Let God melt your heart. Ask him to help you see everyone as your brother or sister in Christ. After all, that’s how Jesus sees you!

“Here I am, Lord, stumbling toward you. Open my eyes to the dignity of everyone around me. I know that you love them. Help me love them, too.”

from wau.org

WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE???

It’s interestingly amazing how we see the things people do, but most often never bother to ask why...

We seem to know people so much and so well, even the ones we never met and that has made us self-righteous and all-knowing and very judgemental...

·   On your way to church on a Sunday morning, you see a group of young men playing football on a field; and after church, you see some men and women at a bar having that ‘Sunday special’....

You don’t ask, but you conclude by making yourself look ‘obedient’ and righteous in your own eyes. You never bother to ask and be told that: they are Adventists or Moslems or Witnesses who have had their Sabbath or field work ahead of yours.

·         You see a 13year old girl with a baby on her back and carrying the weightiest load on her head.

You conclude that the ‘youth of today’ have low moral standards; you beat your chest out of pride and say, “how righteous, pure, holy and morally upright I am; I never thought of babies at 13”. You never bother to find out that: she was raped and the baby was the scar of that rape though a gift OR that the baby is her sibling- she’s only helping her mother to take care of the baby OR they both lost their mother whilst she was having the baby and their father lost his job and his mind as a result or is probably nowhere to be found OR that the baby is her older sister or brother’s child.

·         You are in church and it’s time to sing a hymn, the young person seated beside you starts scrolling/ thumbing up and down on their iPad/ tablet/ phone/ palm top.

You never bother your sense of curiosity to find out that: they hymnal they chose and could afford is the one they are thumbing through and that is what they are gadgets are for.

·         In church, everyone stands to make a contribution to the ongoing discussion; but he sits to make his point and you conclude that he is disrespectful and plain pompous...

You are so so ashamed when you find out during collection time that: he has one leg amputated and walks by the help of his clutches.

·         You are on your way to work or school, and you see a young man/ woman tottering and swaying left and right as they move on and then suddenly, they fall down. As better than them as you are, you say to yourself: “look at this aimless person, drank at this hour of the day...”

You never bother to get close enough to find out that, (s)he is on her way to the hospital but has no one to take him/ her OR (s)he has just left the hospital but had spent all they had on the prescribed medication and couldn’t afford food or water to take the drug right away OR that the person has not eaten for days...

·         You are too busy to listen to that young person who is so weighed down by their tears and just can’t spare time to listen to another lazy-miserable person whose life didn’t turn out right and has too much time on their hands to spare feeling sorry for themselves...

You didn’t even have the heart to listen or even to obey that still small voice telling you that: the miserable young lad or lass whose life (in your eyes) didn’t turn out right is the very one whose parents made sacrifices for your parents to get you where you are OR that: that is the one soul you should have encouraged and helped get into heaven.

·         You know someone who is always laughing and makes jokes out of everything you regard as serious and always finds something to laugh about... You just shake your head at them and decide that they are not people you should mingle with because they are not serious and don’t have any worries and would definitely not have anything sensible to share with or tell you... 

You never bother to even get close to find out that the weight on that persons heart and shoulder is much more you even imagined or bothered to think about and you never even opened your eyes and mind and heart to learn from them that: no matter how heavy or ugly your problems look, life is beautiful and that once you profess to trust God, He always gives you something to smile and even laugh about and you tend to have a brighter outlook on life regardless of how heavy your burdens...

·       You see a man or woman whom everyone ( including yourself) knows is rich and so you stay away thinking this person has it all and doesn’t need any more or has no problem and that God has been so fair to him/ her but not you.

Maybe you should get close enough to know that they also need true friends in their lives and though they look like they have it all, there may be something that they need and only you can give- yes, you!

The instances go on and on and on...

We are too busy judging people...

We judge people (un)knowingly, (un)consciously; the Good Book in all its wisdom and authority says: “Do not judge, that you may not be judged...” (Matt. 7:1) and we think that that judgement will come years after; that judgement comes the instant we judge another.

If it never occurred to you, then today it will hit you (or slap you right in the face) and you with all due respect are finding out that:

The instant the index finger stands accusingly judging another, the thumb, middle, ring and little fingers also lie down in all comfort accusing you and reminding you that:

“No matter how holy, righteous or ungodly you think you are, you are no better or worse than the person you accuse or praise...”

Get closer and stop judging!!!

For once, consciously STOP judging people and see how beautiful life would be...

By: Owusuaa. 

THE CHURCH?

I received this piece from a friend yesterday and just wanted to share it with you:

I felt so broken and alone, the burden on my heart felt like it was on my back; its weight broke my back, I couldn’t even stand straight. I couldn’t see the sun, it added to my burdens; death was all I could think about. Life was meaningless and there was nowhere to go, no one to turn to and I would sleep an endless sleep than wake up to hear the birds singing the dirges that would be sang when I am finally laid to rest.

The blue skies mocked me and they made want to scream, they smiled when all I could do was weep, tears were the food of my soul. No one even smiled, the whole world was in a rush and I was at a standstill.

I heard my mother’s voice, so soft and tender and her touch so gentle; she had come only to remind me that I would find solace, peace and someone to listen to me if I go to the church. I remembered the Apostle Paul saying that the Church is the Body of Christ; I had heard so much about Christ, I even saw the great things He did and how He turned the ugly into the beautiful. The Body of Christ- His eyes, ears, lips, tongue, hands, feet and most of all His heart. The Church would be the right place to find solace.

I had done so much wrong; I needed a place to offload this over-weighted burden. I went to the Church...

Why did everyone look at me so strangely? Did my sin show on my face? At last! Someone to talk to before the service started. It felt so good to have someone listen and tell you about the love of God and the salvation Christ brings.

Why is everyone walking away when I try to get close? Why is the gentleman who spoke to me before the service hiding from me? Why do I still feel lonely and left out like I did before I came in? Why are they staring at me with their noses turned up and their eyes so full of condemnation? Why do I feel worse than I did before service? Why are they judging me?

Doesn’t the Good Book say that Jesus came for the broken? Didn’t Jesus say that those who are well do not need a doctor? Why do I feel like the medication given me is making me worse off than before?

The Good Book says God’s heart is full of compassion; the Church is God’s heart isn’t it? Why is it so cold? The Church is God’s hand, why is it so short in reaching out to a sick person like me? Why aren’t these hands wrapping me up and warming me up? Why isn’t it taking the burden off my back? But Jesus said I should come to Him with my burden and He will give me rest; why then do I feel like I have to carry my burden along with the judgement and condemnation it comes with? The Church is God’s feet, why isn’t it walking to me with the love and forgiveness I so seek?

If indeed the Church is the Body of Christ, why didn’t I find solace like my mother told me? Why didn’t I find the consolation and forgiveness I so sought?

Was I better off coming to the Church? Why do I have to be relegated to the back for doing the wrong I didn’t really want to do? Why excommunication when I could have been given mercy?

Is the Church really the Body of Christ? Is that how Christ would have treated me? If He is the doctor for the fit, perfectly holy and sanctimonious person, then what about people like me who are sick, dying and perishing and being lost every day? Where do we stand in this world?

Are all those holy people in the Church really holy? Aren’t they covering up their dark deeds by their bright and holy faces and sanctimoniously pious actions? Are they worse than I or I worse than them?

If I can’t find solace, peace and a haven from my burdens in the Church, where would I find it?

credit: Benita