Extravagant Worship

In the Passion TranslationBible, today’s gospel is titled “Extravagant Worship,” and I love that because in other translations it is titled “Jesus Anointed By A Sinful Woman.” I’ve written on this beautiful scene before and have always been struck that this woman has never been given a name and would be forever labeled, “The Sinful Woman.” How unfair, how inaccurate, how demoralizing? Jesus, in His exquisite mercy, redeems that label doesn’t He? He tells his host, “Do you see this woman?” To be seen is one of our basic emotional/spiritual needs and part of the shame of being labeled a “sinful woman” was that you would no longer be seen as a person. Jesus redeemed that with one sentence. Then He proceeds to declare out loud who she was to Him, “She has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered…she anointed my feet with ointment…her many sins HAVE BEEN forgiven…she has shown great love.” This declaration, these words spoken over her, these truths that outweigh her past, these statements of life and blessing anoint her and transform her from “The Sinful Woman” to “The Extravagant Worshipper!” Jesus’ words have the power to do that, and when we come to Him in worship with all that we have, we are able to let those words permeate our shame, pierce our darkness, fulfill our longing, and change our hearts. Jesus longs to redeem us in this way. He loves to change our label to a name. He delights in seeing us, and He responds extravagantly to our extravagant worship. Some other words for extravagant are: excessive, overgenerous, exaggerated, reckless, and prodigal. These are some excellent words for us to bring into our worship, don’t you think? 

Jesus honors “The Sinful Woman” by seeing her, naming her “forgiven”, responding to her worship (faith) with tenderness, raising her up as an example of great love, restoring her dignity as His beloved one, and sending her back into her world with peace (peace is the presence of Jesus, not the absence of chaos). So…what label do we have on ourselves this morning? What alabaster covering needs to be broken in our lives so we can pour prodigal love onto our redeemer’s feet? What already forgiven sin pushes the tears from our souls onto the mercy of our savior? What draws us to extravagantly worship the one who sees us? The world labels us and Jesus names us. What does He name you today? It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 1 TM 4:12-16

Beloved:
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save 
both yourself and those who listen to you.

Responsorial PsalmPS 111:7-8, 9, 10

R.(2) How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!

Alleluia MT 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 7:36-50

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

That’s My Story And I’m Sticking To It

Just a quick note on the gospel today: don’t be fickle. American politics, especially during presidential election season, is like a modern day version of this passage from Luke. One day we are John The Baptist fans and the next day we are beheading him. One day we are welcoming Christ into our hearts with palm branches of praise and the next day we crucify him with our sin and ugly words. 

Jesus wants us to be convicted, resolute, and sure in our belief in Him. He wants our hearts undivided and purely in love with Him so that there is never any doubt that He is the one true savior of the world. This is a hard spiritual standard because we ARE like the kids on the playground that literally switch back and forth between best friends from recess to lunch and back again. Our natural human tendency is to be fickle and non-resolute in pretty much everything. The only way we can achieve this kind conviction is with the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How do we tap into that? Intimacy through time spent in His presence, worship, relationship, and humility. Piece of cake, right? Have you ever heard the phrase, “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it?” This would apply here. We need to know The Story and we need to stick to it. The Story has been poured out through Christ and we have the honor and privilege to read it every day. We have a faith that gives us access to The Story any time, any place, and we have our minds that allow us to not only read the words on the page, but to find the deeper meaning in them so that we can apply it to our lives. Let’s spend some time in The Story so that we can stick to it with an undivided soul. In this season when words words words will be flung around like poison arrows ready to kill, let’s harness our own words in The Word to speak life, peace, beauty, and true freedom into the dry bones of our fickle world. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 1 TM 3:14-16

Beloved:
I am writing you,
although I hope to visit you soon.
But if I should be delayed,
you should know how to behave in the household of God,
which is the Church of the living God,
the pillar and foundation of truth.
Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion,

Who was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed to the Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.

Responsorial Psalm PS 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R.(2) How great are the works of the Lord!
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!

Alleluia SEE JN 6:63C, 68C

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life,
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 7:31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
"To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.'

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, 'He is possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children."

Moved With Pity

I never really thought that much about widowhood before my dad died. I mean I definitely felt for women or men who lost their spouses to death, and being a divorced person myself, I know what it feels like to all of a sudden sleep alone each night, but I never really had a special place in my heart for widows until my mom became one. Today we see another piece of the heart of Jesus as he becomes deeply moved by a grieving mother, a widow, who was burying her only son. 

A large crowd surrounded Jesus and his apostles as usual, but he saw a dead man being carried out of the city, the only son of a mother that had already been widowed, and it says that he was “moved with pity.” Do you think he was possibly flashing forward to his own death of the only son of his widowed mother? This might have been the actual scene that inspired Jesus’ own soul to make sure that his mom was taken care of after his death…”John, behold your mother and mother behold your son.” (John 19:27) Whenever I have been “moved to pity” it literally feels like a hand on my back physically pushing me toward whatever situation has touched my heart and I just picture Jesus dropping everything to walk over to this grieving woman. He knows that she will be destitute without a man to take care of her based on Middle Eastern culture and the soft spot in his heart, in God’s heart, for widows pushes him into miraculous action. Raise your hand if you have ever witnessed miraculous things because of someone’s compassionate heart.  

He raises her son from the dead right there in the street and, of course, it freaked everyone out. Imagine any funeral you have ever been to with a casket present and then imagine the dude in the casket sitting up and start talking to everyone! Yeah, you’d freak too!!!! Jesus knew that this widow needed her only son in order to thrive, in order to survive. Jesus knows that we need God’s only Son in order to thrive, in order to survive.  Jesus wants to break into our dead places and raise us back up. Our intercession for one another, like the mother’s grieving in today’s gospel, moves Jesus with pity, whereupon He tells us, “Do not weep…I tell you, arise!” He came that we might have life…abundant life!

I hope that today will give us a chance to breathe life into someone’s grieving, into someone’s struggling, into someone’s pain, or woundedness, or loneliness. May our hearts soften with the things that soften God’s heart so that we will all be moved toward mercy and compassion for those that need it most. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 1 TM 3:1-13

Beloved, this saying is trustworthy:
whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.
Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable,
married only once, temperate, self-controlled,
decent, hospitable, able to teach,
not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle,
not contentious, not a lover of money.
He must manage his own household well,
keeping his children under control with perfect dignity;
for if a man does not know how to manage his own household,
how can he take care of the Church of God?
He should not be a recent convert,
so that he may not become conceited
and thus incur the Devil's punishment.
He must also have a good reputation among outsiders,
so that he may not fall into disgrace, the Devil's trap.

Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful,
not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain,
holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Moreover, they should be tested first;
then, if there is nothing against them,
let them serve as deacons.
Women, similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers,
but temperate and faithful in everything.
Deacons may be married only once
and must manage their children and their households well.
Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing
and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm PS 101:1B-2AB, 2CD-3AB, 5, 6

R.(2) I will walk with blameless heart.
Of mercy and judgment I will sing;
to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.
I will persevere in the way of integrity;
when will you come to me?
R. I will walk with blameless heart.
I will walk with blameless heart,
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
any base thing.
R. I will walk with blameless heart.
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,
him will I destroy.
The man of haughty eyes and puffed up heart
I will not endure.
R. I will walk with blameless heart.
My eyes are upon the faithful of the land,
that they may dwell with me.
He who walks in the way of integrity
shall be in my service.
R. I will walk with blameless heart.

Alleluia LK 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

Such Faith

I have always connected to the Centurion in today’s gospel because I have always felt a bit unworthy of God’s mercy. The good news is that Jesus has always shown up in the midst of those “feelings” and has made it clear that His infinite love for me is much bigger than anything that would deem me “unworthy.” Jesus longs to restore our covenant and 

The scene today begins with a Roman centurion who knew of Jesus and was friendly with the Jewish people. A beloved servant of his was ill and so he first went to the practicing religious elders for intercession. They asked Jesus on his behalf saying that he was deserving because he helped build their synagogue. Next, the centurion sent his friends to tell Jesus that he was unworthy to have him enter his home, but if He could just say “the word”, that would be enough to heal his beloved servant. His friends went on to convey to Jesus that the centurion understands the tremendous gift and responsibility that comes with authority and it is this complete reverence for Jesus’ and faith in His power that heals his servant. This Roman centurion had the kind of humility that all the faithful should strive to possess. His love for his employee moved his heart to ask for prayer from his friends, and ultimately his trust in “The Word” is what allowed healing to come into his house. 

How amazing and ironic is it, that we quote a Roman centurion (Romans executed Jesus) in our liturgy every day? And to me, it gets very personal when we say, “and MY soul shall be healed.” It is such a vulnerable statement, and yet somehow I feel like we glance over it because it has become so routine. When I pray this sentence now, I take a brief pause in my brain to listen for “The Word” He would give me that would heal my soul. I mean soul healing is the main thing for any of us to receive the more of God and so I want to do all I can to allow God into that place for restoration. Some words that have come to me during these mental pauses are: serve, hope, forgive, be, know, trust. Can one word heal my soul? 

I find it curious that Jesus does not give a word to the centurion’s friends, but He tells the crowd that He has never seen SUCH FAITH. Could it be that the word is not an utterance, but the person Himself? I think I just answered my own question. The Word is indeed JESUS and there is power in His Name if we just believe. May we learn from a non-religious centurion how to practice our faith, and may we come to The Word with complete humility so that our beloved ones and our own souls can be healed. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 1 TM 2:1-8

Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity. 
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time. 
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 28:2, 7, 8-9

R.(6) Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.
R.Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.
R.Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!
R.Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.

Alleluia JN 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 7:1-10

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
"He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us."
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
"Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it."
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.

Beam Me Up Jesus!

A few of my memory care sweethearts that are in wheelchairs can actually move themselves on their own using their legs. Basically they walk themselves around while sitting. One of my mobile sweethearts loves to help these particular wheelchair friends out by pushing them around whenever she runs into one in the hallway. The problem is that neither one knows exactly where they are going and so Lois will just keep pushing whomever around and around the hallways until someone directs them to a proper destination. Don’t worry, there is no way for them to leave the premises so they are safe, but whole scene reminds me of Jesus’ opening line in today’s gospel, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will they not both fall into a pit?” Lois’ intentions come from the depth of her soul to simply help a friend get somewhere, but the knowing how and the knowing where are beyond her capacity. When someone in the know comes along, then the two wayward travelers can get where they need to go. The same is true for a lot of us as we apply our beautiful intentions to guide each other toward something without the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit such as wisdom, counsel, understanding, fortitude, etc. We are all somewhat spiritually blind and the virtue of humility allows us to admit that we cannot do any of it without the Holy Spirit. 

What exactly is a beam in one’s eye? Whatever blocks our wider perspective? Our need for inner healing? The habit that has us chained? The mindset that has us fooled? The tendency toward sin that has us conflicted? The pain of the past that has us limited and afraid? Jesus is encouraging us to deal with these restraints that have created a huge obstruction in our path toward wholeness. We train ourselves to look out of the eye without the beam in it, which is a narrow and incomplete view of reality and that only leads to judgment. Beamless unobstructed vision is how Jesus looks at us and He only sees us as the Father created us…beautiful, good, and worthy. Jesus wants so much more for us and that includes seeing each other with clear vision so we can admire the work of our Good Good Father in all, including ourselves. 

Inner healing work is so important, friends. I think Jesus is inviting us to start removing those blockages that keep us from seeing the truth. He is all in with us if we allow ourselves to be fully trained by Him. Let’s stop wandering the halls aimlessly and get to the business of walking each other home. When we get the beam out, we can get to beaming up. Beam me up, Jesus!! It is well with my soul. 

Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 441

Reading 1 1 TM 1:1-2, 12-14

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our savior
and of Christ Jesus our hope,
to Timothy, my true child in faith:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry.
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm PS 16:1B-2A AND 5, 7-8, 11

R.(see 5) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R.You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R.You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R.You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Alleluia SEE JN 17:17B, 17A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable:
"Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,'
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother's eye."

I’m In Love

Today in Bishop Robert Barron’s gospel reflection he says, “When you hate your enemy, you confirm him as your enemy. But when you love him in response to his hatred, you confuse and confound him, taking away the very energy that feeds his hatred.” Way easier said than done, right? Right. We need the Holy Spirit and the release of supernatural grace, love, kindness, and mercy to do the loving through us. How do we cooperate with the Holy Spirit? We continue to enter into God’s presence daily, habitually, and faithfully. Time in Their presence makes us familiar with Their fragrance, Their voice, Their nature, and Their will. This familiarity will transform into affection, and this affection causes us to fall in love, and this falling in love moves us to want to please our Beloved, and this pleasing our Beloved empowers us to love everyone including our enemy. We cannot do it on our own accord. We must operate in and with the presence of Love itself. The hardest part is the WANTING to love my enemy. So I pray and I pray and I continue to pray for the desire to love them. I pray for abundant blessings over each one by name and their family. I imagine peace between us and it also helps when I think that they are also praying blessings for me. These “practices” have completely softened my heart and that softening has turned my loathing into affection. I never anticipated that warmth toward my enemies (now called my beloveds in my prayer time) would come from practicing loving them in my heart, but God really and truly has transformed my thoughts and feelings. 

Peace is a Person and when we are intimate with that Person, we start to reflect that Person. The only way to do this is to be with Them, to sit and stare at Them, to memorize Their words, and to let Them first pour abundant love into my being. When I am IN LOVE, I cannot be out of love. There is really only one real enemy and unfortunately he is pretty good at dividing us through our earthly relationships. I want to constantly renew my in love-ness with Love so that I remain in unity with The Relationship of God. That unified relationship will unify my heart with those that the enemy has tried to break apart. When there is unity then things such as judging others, condemnation, and unforgiveness will be as foreign to us as loving our enemies once was, and the good measure we live by will be given to us. So let’s confuse and confound the enemy today by being in love. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 COL 3:12-17

Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one Body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Responsorial Psalm PS 150:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6

R.(6) Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty. 
R. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Alleluia 1 JN 4:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If we love one another,
God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
"To you who hear I say, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount. 
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."

Who Became A _________

How beautiful that Jesus spent the night in prayer to God the night before He called His Twelve Apostles? I can just picture this prayer time to be extremely intimate, just Him and His Dad, pouring over names and personalities and laughing about potential mishaps and learning opportunities. I see them addressing the possibility of betrayal and disloyalty. I hear Dad giving Him some ministry advice and encouragement, as He is about to become the center of attention among the masses including those that will have it out for Him. I see them dreaming about miracles and healings and saved souls and signs and wonders. Perhaps Jesus had some trepidation and Dad said, “You got this, Son. I am with You always.” I just love that Jesus teaches us to start everything in prayer to God. Then there is the naming of each Apostle, including Judas, who became a traitor. This forever label stung my heart and made me think of the comma after my own name: Jennifer, who became a _________. There are so many words I’d love to insert there, but again it comes down to what word Jesus would put there. Yesterday, when I asked Jesus my daily question, “Jesus, who do you say that I am?” He responded in these exact words, “My friend, like a really close friend, like my BEST friend.” I’ll take that. Jennifer, who became a friend, like a really close friend, like a best friend to Jesus. 

Once all the guys said yes to their call, He went and stood with them on level ground. God wants us with Him as He heals the sick, cures diseases, raises the dead, and spreads peace. With His Apostles at His side, Jesus began operating in signs and wonders, which was the love language of His Father. His Apostles were in school from that moment on and they would eventually take over the ministry at Pentecost. Guess what? We are ALL called to be Apostles and so the very same ministry started in today’s gospel with Jesus and His apprentices/best friends has been handed down to us, through our Baptism and fortified by our receiving the Holy Spirit!!! Our names get to go on the list! 

Finally, it says that, “Everyone in the crows sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.” The power of His presence healed them all. The power of His presence stirred their hearts to reach out to Him for healing. His presence is so abundantly available to us right here and now. He is currently before us on level ground, working in the love language of His Father, saving us, healing us, and leading us toward the freedom that He has already won for us. Our call today, as named Apostles, is to seek Him, to touch Him, and to carry on the work He began. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 COL 2:6-15

Brothers and sisters:
As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
rooted in him and built upon him
and established in the faith as you were taught,
abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy
according to the tradition of men,
according to the elemental powers of the world
and not according to Christ.

For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily,
and you share in this fullness in him,
who is the head of every principality and power.
In him you were also circumcised
with a circumcision not administered by hand,
by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ.
You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
And even when you were dead in transgressions
and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
he brought you to life along with him,
having forgiven us all our transgressions;
obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims,
which was opposed to us,
he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross;
despoiling the principalities and the powers,
he made a public spectacle of them,
leading them away in triumph by it.

Responsorial Psalm PS 145:1B-2, 8-9, 10-11

R.(9) The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.

Alleluia SEE JN 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
that you may go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 6:12-19

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.
A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people 
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon
came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.
Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him
because power came forth from him and healed them all.