Whatever Is | June 28, 2016

Today's reflection is not necessarily on the gospel for today, however, it does of course tie in as God's timing is just perfect always. I was up at Whispering Winds this past weekend doing music for Family Camp and I experienced one of those full circle things that people talk about so often. It was at a Family Camp back in the year 2002 for St. Gabriel's parish that I was called into Youth Ministry. I was currently laid off from my advertising job and my unemployment was about to run out, when a parishioner approached me that weekend and said that there was a Youth Minister position open at their parish. I pursued it and got the job and have been a Youth Minister ever since. During those early days of Family Camp, I discovered my gifts for leading children's music, teens to Christ, and essentially being able to minister to the whole family. Family Camp is where my roots were deeply planted, watered, fertilized, and nurtured. This past weekend was a family reunion of sorts as former staff members from way back when I was the Program Director were now attendees with their own families! I remember the day our camp care takers brought home their baby Trevor for the first time and now Trevor is over 6' tall working in the dining hall! Sara, one of my band members was one of my first youth group kids at St. Gabriel's where she and her friends were Child Care Assistants during many summers of Family Camp and now she is in the house band. Seeing my current youth group kids also experience camp for the first time as members of that same band. How bold, mature, and talented they are for not only playing music with me, but leading it on their own for adults, teens, children, and seniors! Family Camp is where seeds of faith are poked into our souls and where we find the desires of our hearts. 

The theme of this years Family Camp is "The Voice" and how do we hear God's voice in our lives. I watched three of my youth group kids find their own voices this weekend. Luc, Alyssa, and Annie were in the band with me along with Sara. My own Family Camp band is named the Whispy Chix (ironically named by someone on that St. Gabriel's weekend that I mentioned earlier), and so this past weekend we were affectionately known as "Luc And The Whispy Chix"! I had a family wedding to attend on Friday evening and would have to be late for the opening session, which would normally be very overwhelming for a group of teens to handle on their own. Not these teens. They are exceptional and they are on fire and they are talented and when they hear His voice they follow Him. When I finally did arrive at camp, they had command of the stage and the audience and they were amazing. Alyssa and Sara lead the children's program music on Saturday morning on their own while Luc, Annie, and I did music for the adult program (these kids are between the ages of 15 and 17!!). When we would practice, I could hear Luc singing. Luc never sings when he plays piano for us at mass! I finally said to him, "that's it....I'm giving you a mic!" He told me last night that he found his voice this weekend and that no one has ever acknowledged that he could sing and that's why he never sings. Alyssa has lead VBS music with me for a few years now and is my most shining guitar student. When she was given the chance to lead the children's music on her own, she rocked it and she was ready to fill my shoes. She found her voice of leadership. Annie is not shy except about her own song writing. Apparently she writes a lot of songs but never ever shares them with people. She has one of the most beautiful singing voices I have ever heard and she is an all around talented musician. She and I have written one song together called, "The Name Of God Is Mercy", and we have been wanting to collaborate again. On our break this past Saturday we wrote another song inspired by one of my favorite scripture passages in Philippians 4, it's called, "Whatever Is". Annie found her voice as composer and evangelist through her music. Sara and I found our voice through the eyes of these three amazing individuals as their mentors, their friends, their teachers, their biggest fans, and their sisters in Christ. Of course I feel unworthy of this calling, but somehow God keeps whispering in my ear that He's calling the shots and all I have to do is show up. 

Today's gospel has one of my favorite images in it and this is how I am going to try and tie this together....My new favorite song is "It Is Well" by Bethel and there is a line in that song that says, "the waves and wind still know His name." Today's gospel is that story of how Jesus calmed the mighty storm so that His friends did not die. His voice commanded the sea to stop raging and the sea obeyed Him. God's voice is powerful and gentle at the same time. It takes some effort to hear it and even more effort to recognize it. When we call upon that voice, He will come to our aide immediately and without fail. Family Camp brought me full circle to my own roots and beginnings in youth ministry, to a new generation of young ones finding their own voices, and finally to the reality that the waves and wind still know His name, and it is well with my soul. 

I hope you will indulge me as I share the song that Annie and I wrote up on the mountain this weekend. Have a blessed day.

https://youtu.be/2s6QkqVwucI

Whatever Is

By Jen Bedison and Annie Barrack

Whatever is true, noble and pure, lovely and admirable, whatever is right...

Think of these things, when you think of Me.

Always rejoice in the Lord! Again I say rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to all, for the Lord is near.

Whatever is true, noble and pure, lovely and admirable, whatever is right...

Think of these things, when you think of Me.

Do not be afraid, but in everything give praise.

And the peace of God will guard your heart, for the Lord is here.

Whatever is true, noble and pure, lovely and admirable, whatever is right...

Think of these things, when you think of Me.

Help me to live, help me to grow, grant me the peace, and I will know...

It is well with my soul. It is well with my soul.

Whatever is true, noble and pure, lovely and admirable, whatever is right...

Think of these things, and know it is well...with my soul. 

Reading 1 AM 3:1-8; 4:11-12

Hear this word, O children of Israel, that the LORD pronounces over you,
over the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt:

You alone have I favored, 
more than all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you
for all your crimes.

Do two walk together
unless they have agreed?
Does a lion roar in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from its den
unless it has seized something?
Is a bird brought to earth by a snare
when there is no lure for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground
without catching anything?
If the trumpet sounds in a city,
will the people not be frightened?
If evil befalls a city,
has not the LORD caused it?
Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants, the prophets.

The lion roars—
who will not be afraid!
The Lord GOD speaks—
who will not prophesy!

I brought upon you such upheaval
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah:
you were like a brand plucked from the fire;
Yet you returned not to me,
says the LORD.

So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel!
and since I will deal thus with you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel.

Responsorial Psalm PS 5:4B-6A, 6B-7, 8

R. (9a) Lead me in your justice, Lord.
At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you.
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;
no evil man remains with you;
the arrogant may not stand in your sight.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
You hate all evildoers;
you destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the LORD abhors.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
But I, because of your abundant mercy,
will enter your house;
I will worship at your holy temple
in fear of you, O LORD.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.

Alleluia PS 130:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 8:23-27

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

Every Shadow Is Standing In The Light | June 15, 2016

I 

I was going through some old writings and came across this one written last summer on my solo writer's retreat through New England. It might not be commentary on today's gospel, but something told me to publish it today. Jesus introduces us to the Jewish tripod of Alms Giving | Prayer | Fasting. As we call to mind the needy, the broken, our relationship with Christ, and excesses that we can eliminate from our lives, let us look to the LIGHT that constantly tries to get our attention as a shiny object pointing our gaze toward the LIGH of the world. 

Reading 1 2 KGS 2:1, 6-14

When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,
he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here;
the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”
“As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you,” Elisha replied.
And so the two went on together.
Fifty of the guild prophets followed and
when the two stopped at the Jordan,
they stood facing them at a distance.
Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up
and struck the water, which divided,
and both crossed over on dry ground.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha,
“Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you.”
Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of your spirit.”
“You have asked something that is not easy,” Elijah replied.
“Still, if you see me taken up from you,
your wish will be granted; otherwise not.”
As they walked on conversing,
a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them,
and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
When Elisha saw it happen he cried out,
“My father! my father! Israel’s chariots and drivers!”
But when he could no longer see him,
Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two.

Then he picked up Elijah’s mantle that had fallen from him,
and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan.
Wielding the mantle that had fallen from Elijah,
Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,
“Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?”
When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over.

Responsorial Psalm PS 31:20, 21, 24

R. (25) Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
How great is the goodness, O LORD,
which you have in store for those who fear you,
And which, toward those who take refuge in you,
you show in the sight of the children of men.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men;
You screen them within your abode
from the strife of tongues.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!
The LORD keeps those who are constant,
but more than requites those who act proudly.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

Alleluia JN 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Grow Up Already | June 14, 2016

June 14, 2016

We have been looking at Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount and so far he has given us the Beatitudes or a list of ways to be like him, and he has taught us 5 out of 6 things that we can do above, beyond, and better than the requirements of the law, that will also help us to be more like him. He saved the hardest one for last; #6 is “Love Your Enemies”. I don’t know about you, but when I see the word “enemy” I immediately think of things like ISIS or Al-Qaeda or Nazis or some big huge enemy of the country or the world at large and the concept of having an enemy seems far away and not very relevant to me personally. With that being said, this lesson becomes kind of impossible to practice because I will probably never really find myself nose to nose with the enemy to be able to show them love.  So then I started to make a mental list of those people in my life that might qualify as an actual personal enemy to me, and that’s when it started to get real.

While my list is not very long, the thought of actually loving some of the people on it feels insurmountable (LOL, Sermon on the Mountable!!). Jesus knows this about us and that is why he has already given us some important building blocks to get us to this point where we can actually fathom living this last one. The Sermon On The Mount can be renamed “Grow Up Already” as it is a seminar in how to attain spiritual maturity, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

I worked as a waitress at a retirement home for five years when I was high school/college age and my favorite thing to do was to ask the residents for their advice on all kinds of life issues because their perspective on things was enlightened, rooted in real life experience, and they were able to look at the whole picture.  Their “maturity” helped me to see things differently and they made me want that gift of wisdom. One of the signs of a truly enlightened person is their ability to love their enemies. The best example (other than Jesus) that immediately comes to mind is when St. John Paul II personally went to the prison to forgive his assassin face to face. I wonder if JPII reviewed the Sermon On The Mount before he went. I wonder how many hours he spent in prayer to get him to that point. I wonder if he wrestled with God over it. I wonder how this act of mercy transformed his enemy’s heart.

This growing up stuff is not easy, but when we practice it, we can become saints who’s spiritual maturity allows them to love their enemies, settle their matters quickly, be faithful to their covenants, let their yeses mean yes and their no’s mean no, de-escalate drama and scandal, and transform the hearts of others.

Back to my list of “enemies”; Jesus isn’t asking me to call them all up and spend the day at Disneyland together, but I can love them in lots of other ways. Prayer is the deepest way and in the past several months my prayer for my “enemies” has taken on a new nature. My prayer used to sound something like this: “Lord, I pray that he or she stops being an idiot”, or “Lord, help them to see that I am right”, or “Lord, keep them far away from me”. But recently, my prayer has become just a little more mature: “Lord, I pray that this new job will give him the peace that he’s been looking for”, or “Lord, grant them true joy, true love, true happiness”, or “Thank you for the things I have learned from this relationship.” At first these were just words that I spoke with little conviction behind them, and now they have transformed into actual desires with strong conviction in my heart. This kind of love for my “enemy” has changed something with in me and helped me to grow in ways I never thought possible, and they weren’t possible without grace. Olaf, the snowman, from the movie Frozen describes true love as, “True love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.”

Jesus wants us to wrap our hearts around this and practice it. My favorite part in today’s gospel is a real Jesus zinger, “For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?” Yikes. I know we can do better than that. We are growing up, friends, and isn’t it fun to be in this together. Have an enlightened day.

Reading 1 1 KGS 21:17-29

After the death of Naboth the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite:
“Start down to meet Ahab, king of Israel,
who rules in Samaria.
He will be in the vineyard of Naboth,
of which he has come to take possession.
This is what you shall tell him,
‘The LORD says: After murdering, do you also take possession?
For this, the LORD says:
In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth,
the dogs shall lick up your blood, too.’”
Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me out, my enemy?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Because you have given yourself up to doing evil in the LORD’s sight,
I am bringing evil upon you: I will destroy you
and will cut off every male in Ahab’s line,
whether slave or freeman, in Israel.
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat,
and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah,
because of how you have provoked me by leading Israel into sin.”
(Against Jezebel, too, the LORD declared,
“The dogs shall devour Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.”)
“When one of Ahab’s line dies in the city,
dogs will devour him;
when one of them dies in the field,
the birds of the sky will devour him.”
Indeed, no one gave himself up to the doing of evil
in the sight of the LORD as did Ahab,
urged on by his wife Jezebel.
He became completely abominable by following idols,
just as the Amorites had done,
whom the LORD drove out before the children of Israel.

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments
and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh.
He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued.
Then the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite,
“Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me?
Since he has humbled himself before me,
I will not bring the evil in his time.
I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 51:3-4, 5-6AB, 11 AND 16

R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Alleluia JN 13:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Blind And Toothless | June 13, 2016

June 13, 2016

Have you ever been in a fight with someone that wouldn’t fight back? It takes away all the fun doesn’t it? That is the point of today’s gospel. It’s the eye for an eye lesson where Jesus calls us again to choose a better way to deal with “evil” people, people who push our buttons, pot stirrers, drama makers, and basic petty crap. The Middle East is known for its short hot tempers and the term “payback is hell” could have been their slogan for life. Today’s lesson is #5 in Jesus’ “how to do better than what the law requires” speech and thank God, because “the world would all be blind and toothless” (to quote my friend Tevye from Fiddler).

The higher standard and the one that Jesus is so very good at is to de-escalate situations that can lead to more anger, or violence, or revenge, or hate, or resentment, or scandal, or bitterness, or greater sin. When we refuse to engage with the one poking at us, it takes their power away and it deflates the puffed up arrogance that is required to start any sort of fight. Raise your hand if you are good at this. I am 100% not good at this and I almost always engage. I need to work on this for sure!

An example of Jesus de-escalating a situation is when he was being questioned before Pilate. He refused to be taunted, and remained silent when the religious authorities were trying to bait him with their outrageous accusations. Jesus de-escalates Pilate’s authority so much so that he wants nothing to do with him, sends him to Herod, and eventually literally washes his hands of the whole thing. When we “offer no resistance to one who is evil”, it sucks the wind right out of the bully’s sails. What gives a bully motivation to continue bullying is when their victim reacts, or tries to fight back, or responds to the bait.

When we turn the other cheek, the one that has slapped us essentially must use the back of their hand to slap the other cheek and the back of the hand is very shameful in the Middle East (backhanded compliments are designed to shame someone). When we give someone something extra like our jacket when they ask for a sweater, it allows them to practice humility, when we go the extra mile for people it shows our strength, and when we do not turn away from those that want to borrow from us, it grows our own generosity. Jesus wants us to be selfless and in that selflessness, we grow in virtue and potentially those that oppose us or poke at us will also grow in virtue.

I have a friend that has this super annoying habit of whispering whenever we are in a heated debate or argument. Do you know how hard it is to fight with someone that is whispering back at you? Jesus would say, “exactly.” I pray that today we whisper kindness into every situation we find ourselves in, we resist those that incite drama, and we remember to de-escalate tension so that we can grow in the virtues of generosity, fortitude, and humility. Have a peaceful day.

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 365

Reading 1 1 KGS 21:1-16

Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel
next to the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.
Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden,
since it is close by, next to my house.
I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or,
if you prefer, I will give you its value in money.”
Naboth answered him, “The LORD forbid
that I should give you my ancestral heritage.”
Ahab went home disturbed and angry at the answer
Naboth the Jezreelite had made to him:
“I will not give you my ancestral heritage.”
Lying down on his bed, he turned away from food and would not eat.

His wife Jezebel came to him and said to him,
“Why are you so angry that you will not eat?”
He answered her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite
and said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard, or,
if you prefer, I will give you a vineyard in exchange.’
But he refused to let me have his vineyard.”
His wife Jezebel said to him,
“A fine ruler over Israel you are indeed!
Get up. 
Eat and be cheerful.
I will obtain the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”

So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and,
having sealed them with his seal,
sent them to the elders and to the nobles
who lived in the same city with Naboth.
This is what she wrote in the letters:
“Proclaim a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people.
Next, get two scoundrels to face him
and accuse him of having cursed God and king.
Then take him out and stone him to death.”
His fellow citizens—the elders and nobles who dwelt in his city—
did as Jezebel had ordered them in writing,
through the letters she had sent them.
They proclaimed a fast and placed Naboth at the head of the people.
Two scoundrels came in and confronted him with the accusation,
“Naboth has cursed God and king.”
And they led him out of the city and stoned him to death.
Then they sent the information to Jezebel
that Naboth had been stoned to death.

When Jezebel learned that Naboth had been stoned to death,
she said to Ahab,
“Go on, take possession of the vineyard
of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you,
because Naboth is not alive, but dead.”
On hearing that Naboth was dead, Ahab started off on his way
down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,
to take possession of it.

Responsorial Psalm PS 5:2-3AB, 4B-6A, 6B-7

R. (2b) Lord, listen to my groaning.
Hearken to my words, O LORD,
attend to my sighing.
Heed my call for help,
my king and my God!
R. Lord, listen to my groaning.
At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you.
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;
no evil man remains with you;
the arrogant may not stand in your sight. 
R. Lord, listen to my groaning.
You hate all evildoers.
You destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the LORD abhors.
R. Lord, listen to my groaning.

Alleluia PS 119:105

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A lamp to my feet is your word,
a light to my path.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”