A different point of view

Monday of 31st week, A.

(Romans 11:29-36/Psalm 69:30-31, 33-34, 36/Luke 14:12-14)

This week I have to live my life formed by my encounter with Christ I had yesterday at Mass. The Call is strong: I have to practice what I preach; I cannot say one thing and do another. I am called to honesty as I face the Hidden Deception.

I take my first step today. St Paul helps me. When I look at things from my point of view I realize that when I do something, even something for God, I do it doing my best but then eventually it gets twisted around by my sin. My weakness comes to the fore and I ask God to help me. I know that He takes whatever I have done and turns into a blessing. Knowing this makes my very thankful to Him. So, from my point of view: sin comes first and then God's mercy.

But, thinking about it, I realize that it is not so. In the Garden of Eden, Adam's sin wasn't the first event. The fruit was already there, given to him freely by God. Therefore, God's Grace comes first and than our actions and sin, which leads us to God's Mercy.

The Word has already reminded me about this a couple of days ago. "Everything works together..." that is, everything leads me to Him, not against Him. Events and circumstances are an expression of God's loving will for me, almost like a "sacrament of mercy." All is Grace. The challenge is that I don't always remember this and I don't always act on this concept.

Looking at my sin first may actually work against me. I read in my missal today that "God does not love me because I am good but that I may become good." I like this! It opens me up to God's presence and makes me remain in the freedom that comes from being loved by God.

I got a different point of view: focusing on Grace and Love first generates in me a change in my relationship with God. I want to live this way and if I make this choice today I know I can build and live in a community that reflects God, that imitates Him.

The Gospel brings me deeper into this reality. I cannot see my neighbor as someone from whom I can profit (not only economically but most especially psychologically). Once I see the person who is in front of me as a gift of God to me, I relate to him or her freely without calculations. I know this deep in my heart: I don't like to feel "used" by people so I cannot use them either. Everybody is a gift of God to me: I know, sometimes I want to "return one of the gifts back to the store and settle for a gift card" :) but I have to resist the temptation to dismiss my neighbor as unimportant or as an intrusion. Welcoming everybody as a gift will allow me to live as though it's always Christmas!

What to do then? Doing the Will of God in every present moment allows me to remain focused on God's wisdom which illumines me to see God-in-the-other. By welcoming and loving the other freely and without calculations I can realize that I can build the Civilization of Love. By loving my neighbor freely, I can find Him living with me.

Facing The Hidden Deception

Do we wear a "Church" mask on Sundays?

The Liturgy of the Word address us with rough words. Both Malachi and Jesus are using violent words. But if we look at what is at stake we see that the language is proportionate to what is happening: the distortion of life of faith. When it comes to our Christian life, we should have the same kind of attitude that Jesus has and allow nothing to compromise it. 

I know the setting quite well. At the time of Malachi, they rebuilt the new temple on the vestiges of the old one destroyed by war. Yet, people instead of offering the first-fruits to the Temple's sacrifice were bring leftovers. The priests felt "yucky" about the whole thing and began to change into mere "clerks" of the cult and focused extensively  solely on the rules and regulations, especially those that impacted the liturgy. Yet, for God that is not a good reason to change focus - things, even if they are "sacred things" (like sacrifices) cannot replace God. Today, we still struggle with the same situations: churches are seen by some only as "sacramental service stations" where people go to get their sacraments (and most of the time, asking to do them according to what they think should be done) and focusing only on the externals. We also have groups of people who only focus on the "legalistic" aspects of our christian life - wanting bells, and altar railings, etc. and then they continue to leave God out there in heaven, having no impact on their lives. (Thankfully, there is a new springtime in the church that is creating a whole new people who really want to be committed to live the Gospel and live as children on the Church!!!)

I don't blame the Pharisees and the scribes: they were committed to live their Adventure of Faith fully and, as a group, they made the free choice to renew the religious life of the time. I feel close to them because I made that commitment, too and as part of my ministry I, too, feel the desire to renew people's relationships with God. But as a disciple of Jesus, I need to take these words at heart, too otherwise I may risk to commit the same mistakes they made. I guess, they were afraid of losing their roles and presenting themselves to the people  as "those who know, those who are orthodox." Unable to be humble and acknowledge their shortcomings and sin, instead of presenting to God their empty hands and ask for mercy they reduced faithfulness to God to fulfillment  and mere observance of the practices of the law. If religion, then, means this - only doing religious things, then of course they were better than others, and I understand why they had a superiority complex: they kept more rules and laws than the rest of the people. But Jesus unmasks them and brings to the fore the real issue: at the center of our religious life there is God, who is a person... not a "thing." 

The Pharisaic spirit has been forced out: to lie to one self and to deceive others.  This is what drives Jesus mad. This "new form" of religion only appears to have God at the center but really has human pride as sole motivator. It's all about what I can do for God. Yikes! Jesus tells us that nothing is more foreign and false in Christianity than Legalism ("just keep the rules and all will be fine!"). Legalism ignores the heart completely.

Before I point the finger at them, I better watch out and look into my heart to see if I am not doing the same. Jesus is shedding light to a Hidden Deception that lives in our hearts and in our Church today as well. Why is it that one of the most popular accusations against Christians is to say something and do another, at times exactly the opposite? Hypocrisy is the temptation "par excellence" of all those who make a choice to trod the path of Christian life.  

As a priest, I cannot ignore the words the Jesus is speaking: Do I preach without practicing? Do I help people to live out their Christian life or do I just tell them "the rules"? Do I perform deeds only to be seen, to be honored, to be respected publicly?  Do I use titles, religious or "scholarly" in order to impose my opinions on others? 

The Good News is that God's grace is effective in spite of my sins and shortcomings. Jesus said that the people are not to ignore what the Pharisees and Scribes teach: their words are valid. It's just not imitate their behavior, and therefore remain focused on God. This, instead of depressing me, allows me to live my life in freedom and actually inspires me to commit myself to be servant of all. 

I have to remain totally grounded in the Word. It is like a mirror that Jesus holds up to my face so that I can see myself in a more truthful way and, in His light, escape the Hidden Deception of Hypocrisy. And when I celebrate sacraments, I don't want to say "Here are the rules and my job is done," I want to say, like Paul, "I am ready to give my life for you."

One Strong Foundation, One great Household

Today we celebrate the feast of Saints Simon and Jude, two of the first followers of Jesus. Looking at them, I am reminded that this month - with the Word of Life - I, too, am called to renew my decision to follow Jesus. I find strength and consolation looking at the first group of followers. Jesus chose them! One betrayed Him, another was a traitor, and all of them abandoned Him at the Cross. Yet, He chose them and built the Church on that bunch. 

There is a deep sense of freedom, however, in thinking that Jesus knows very well what He was getting into when He chose me to be His follower. I don't need to pretend to be good in order to follow Him. He knows who I am. This awareness not only makes me feel fully accepted by Him but also allows me to open myself up even more to God's love and grace. I see this in the saints, too. They all reached a point where they became aware of their own weaknesses and they experienced God's grace and allowed God to do great things in them and through them. Does it mean that my desire to become a saint can actually become a reality? Well, I hope so; otherwise why would the Church, echoing Scripture, would call all of us to it? 

What would happen to us as a Church if we would focus our attention more on this reality: to be followers of Jesus? Would our in-fights stop? Would people actually have the opportunity to respond to this basic call and live out their faith rather than get stuck in what they agree or disagree, etc? hmmm.. I have to do something about this, both personally and in my community. We must all recommitt ourselves to be followers of Jesus. And it must begin with me.

Would this also give us an opportunity to reclaim the Oneness that should be typical ours? The Church is so divided. What a shame! And over what? No wonder the world doesn't believe in what we do; if Jesus' call to be One doesn't work for our Church and with all churches, no wonder people won't accept the Gospel message. (somehow John 17:21 always seems to come out!). 

Things need to change and they will never change if we... if I... don't focus on following Him. It is walking on His path that He can do what He wants to do. Jesus didn't write any books or left us with a strategic plan. He just told us to follow Him. Then this must be the plan to follow.

But obviously there is more in this following Him. This path is totally transformative. The first reading launches me into the depth of this mystery: I am transformed into a member of God's household! WOW, from sinner to "member of God's family." Not only this, but I become a little "temple," the place where He dwells. How amazing is God's love for us: not only does He call us to Him but He "moves" in us. Love is always unifying. 

Now God-in-me reaches all the people I encounter today. It is in the way I love them that they will (I tremble as I think of this) feel loved by God. And this means that every person I meet gives me an opportunity to love God-in-them (which is the theme of this week, to love God and neighbour). 

Now I know what to do today: I will love Him in everyone I meet and by choosing to follow Him I will fulfill God's plan for me. This is going to be a great day!

Under the wings

Today the words of Jesus are tough. He speaks openly, with words filled with many feelings: hurt, disappointment and tenderness. Jesus was a real person and today He opens His heart. What do I see? I can peek in and see the vastness of His love for us as He desires to "gather" us with Him, like a hen gathers her chicks. What would happen if we, all Christians in the world, would focus on this tender image and consider ourselves one of those chicks? (Isn't it interesting that the word "to gather" is ekklesia, the Greek word for "Church?")

Somewhere I read: "the most powerful force in our lives is experienced when we become aware of being loved and accepted unconditionally" We experience this with God: unconditional love that lasts in spite of life's difficulties: life, death, anguish, sword. All these things do not work against me but help me to reach the Father's heart (as I learned yesterday). Nothing, then, can separate us from this love. Nobody, except myself.

There is resistance to Jesus and to the love of the Father; Jesus continues to be upsetting to us because we cannot manipulate Him or "sponsor Him. Just like Herod, I also have a tendency of replacing the Jesus of the Gospel with the Jesus of my mind. I can only follow Him according to His way, not mine.

Mine is the choice to remain under His wings. By saying Yes to His will in every moment, doing whatever He asks of me, I will make sure to remain where I truly belong. What a peaceful thought....

I remember that long time ago I did something in order to live the words "You shall not see me again until you say: 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord'." I decided to say (quietly, to myself) this verse everytime I was about to meet someone, whether at a meeting, or an appointment or even in the streets or at the store... "Blessed is He who comes..." Who is the one who comes in the name of the Lord? It's Jesus... this helped me to love Jesus in the other. This is the  challenge of this weeek, so living this verse will help me to live better His Commandment. 

Then, this is what I shall do today: I shall remain under His wings by doing His Will and love Him in the one who comes to me in the name of the Lord.

The narrow door

Today the liturgy the Word strikes me as very powerful. Saint Paul says that I am predestined to be conformed to the image of God's son. This reality is so deep that gives me almost vertigo. But I can also see the mystery of Christian life in this verse. I have to let the Father continue to do this in me: fuller conformity into the image of His Son, so that - as one of the Sunday Prefaces says - "He can see and love in us what He sees and loves in Christ."

I find great comfort in knowing that God, in His great Love for me, sends the Holy Spirit to help me in my weakness; I really like knowing that God knows I am weak and I need His help. 

When I let the Holy Spirit strengthens me I realize that my life can be lived in a different way: without Him I rely only on my own strength and I always find myself "against the whole world." I want to be patient but at times people can drive me crazy. I am driving to go somewhere and I am in a hurry and traffic may force me to change my plans. With His help, I realize that "all" things - all people and all events - are nothing else but a concrete Will of God for me, and since God is love and He loves me immensely, everything is a manifestation of His love for me. The problem is not Him, but me who am unable to see Him acting in my life. The Holy Spirit changes this and makes me see that "everything works together for good." 

It's not easy, then, but it is possible; that's why Jesus reminds me today to strive to enter through the narrow gate. To pass through the door - that is, through Jesus Himself - I have to let go of all that is mine, my luggage that is full of opinions, ideas, thoughts, judgments, etc. 

In this Gospel passage there is something that concerns me a bit, though: the possibility of not making it, of seeing that Door be shut before my very eyes. But I know how to avoid this: to say always Yes to the will of God in every present moment.

How do I know if I am truly passing through the narrow gates? Jesus tells me how to know: by looking at the way I love Him-in-the-other. It's my love of neighbor that shapes and demonstrates my love of God. I want to be a living Gospel, a living "Credo"... living and lived out, not just spoken or preached.

So, I know how to live today: by striving to pass through the narrow gate by loving Him in the other in every present moment.

one heart. two loves. one revolution

Jesus does something amazing: he brings two great commandments and puts them all together, making them into “his” commandment. In doing so, He started a great revolution, which is at the heart of Christianity: it’s impossible to separate our love of God and love of neighbor. Now we know that how God wants us to love Him: by loving our neighbor.

The true measure of love is love without measure. This is what is at the heart of the Gospel. By placing the two commandments together Jesus has lifted us up and now we are able to see God. Like a loving parent who lifts a child up and talks to him face to face.

We love our neighbor in the same way we love God: “with all our hearts” - love is a response from the innermost center of our live. “With all our minds” - sometimes our love requires some creativity, some attentiveness, something that makes us go deeper and farther. “With all our soul” - allowing the person who is next to us to be considered as the only one in the world. God-in-the-neighbor is the One we can encounter every day and in every moment. Understanding this, we know that we can never be alone, we can never be separate from Him.

We ought to strive to love God with two loves (that are actually the same): for Him and for Him-in-the-Other. These two loves are not exclusive but they both need to be there if we want to grow in the image of the Son, if we want to do His will.
How do we know if we are loving God with these two loves? Jesus said that on these two commandments the whole Law and the Prophets rest. For us, then, it means that we can check if we are making progress by seeing how quickly, how well and how strongly we love others. Should a situation rise and asks me to make a choice, I have to ask myself first: which one will allow me to love my neighbor? then, which is more “convenient” or suitable for me?

“In Love, what counts is to love.” Then, let’s all say yes to His will and focus on Love