September 18, 2015
I’ve noticed that social media has become a dumping ground
for people and our strongly worded opinions on just about everything. We’ve
gone from mundane status updates like “eating a grilled cheese sandwich”, to
the ever aggravating “vaguebooking”, which is “an
If
Paul were to do a status update for this letter it might be something like,
“You can’t take it with you. I’ve never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse.”
#preacherprobz #poorinspirit (I just crack myself up) But seriously, Paul
reminds us that our status updates should never be about status and only about
updating our souls in preparation for heaven. Cliché’s like, “For we brought
nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of
it…” and “love of money is the root of all evils…” come out in this letter. Obviously,
then and now, there was and is an unhealthy attachment to material possessions
and the temptation of money. Paul wants us to check our luggage at the door and
focus on the things that matter, “Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of
eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in
the presence of many witnesses.” Competing well in my book means that you play
with good sportsmanship at all times. I’m going to plug a movie here, War Room. Yes, I thought it was a
military movie too, however, it is a movie about the power of prayer and how to
fight the good fight. I won’t comment further on it, but I highly recommend it
for the message and the concept of each one of us having our own War Room.
The
status update for today’s gospel might be something like, “Ladies, a real man
does more than pay for you, he prays for you.” (#Jesuslovestheladies
#ladiesman) It’s a short but sweet story
about Jesus and his entourage, which, yes, included women!!! I seriously want
in on this road trip. These women have a special something in common in that
they had all been cured of evil spirits and disease. Remember the woman from
yesterday’s gospel, who had also been cured of the affliction of her sins, was
so compelled to be so close to Jesus that she wiped his feet with her own hair?
These women seem to have a similar desire to be close to him because they have
joined his motley crew of rugged fisherman, tax collectors, and various other
dudes. The thing that gets me wondering is if these ladies might have become
close personal friends with Mary, Jesus’ mother. Perhaps they had their own
little MOMS group that met each morning to pray for their children and for some
good old fashion girl talk. Perhaps they were like my groupies and I stealing
away for little weekend trips to go wine tasting or to cook fancy food. Maybe
they were like the Whispering Winds Women’s Auxiliary raising money for their
camp. I think it might actually be a combination of all three because our need
for community is necessary on the journey of faith, and our faith will be made
known through our good works. We
definitely know that they were women with a past, but they were also women with
means as it says, “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who
provided for them out of their resources.” How cool is that ladies and
gentlemen? Raise your hand if you know any resourceful women currently in
church ministry? I do I do!!!!!!
Jesus
didn’t have time to sift through his entourage looking for those that were
socially approved the same way we might scroll through our Facebook looking for
people that agree with our opinions. Jesus had a mission and that was to spread
love to everyone. His social media practices were to build real relationships
with people, eyelash to eyelash. In those real relationships, he was able to
ask people to detach from the things of this world, he was able to rely on the
community to support his mission through prayer and resources, and he was able
to empower people to change their status from being concerned about this life
to being concerned about the next life. Paul and Jesus show us today that we
need to focus on the good fight and using our resources to bring the gospel to the
world is a huge responsibility, but when we do this with righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness our status updates will always
resonate today’s psalm, “Blessed the poor in spirit; the
Kingdom of heaven is theirs!” Join me in the good fight.
Reading 1 1 TM 6:2C-12
Beloved:
Teach and urge these things.
Whoever teaches something different
and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the religious teaching
is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.
From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,
and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,
who are deprived of the truth,
supposing religion to be a means of gain.
Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils,
and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith
and have pierced themselves with many pains.
But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses.
Teach and urge these things.
Whoever teaches something different
and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the religious teaching
is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.
From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,
and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,
who are deprived of the truth,
supposing religion to be a means of gain.
Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils,
and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith
and have pierced themselves with many pains.
But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses.
Responsorial Psalm PS 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one’s life; he would never have enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
“They will praise you for doing well for yourself,”
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one’s life; he would never have enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
“They will praise you for doing well for yourself,”
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Alleluia SEE MT 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 8:1-3
Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.
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