Today this reading is fulfilled in your hearing

Today's Gospel is from Luke. Wow! Jesus, in the synagogue, takes the scroll and finds the section of the book of Isaiah and proceeds to read a prophecy about Himself! Miracles and signs and wonders that He was doing were being spread like wildfire and he reads that "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me." I am he! Look no further! The people must have been amazed! Can you imagine being there? He's in his home town where he grew up and everybody knows Him, then he reads from the scroll and announces that He is the anointed one! Some people with an open heart must have felt the truth resonate in their hearts. Others, not open to the Truth must have thought he was crazy, or a braggart, or a heretic! What do we believe? What do you believe? Do you believe in Jesus? Is He the savior of the world? Many in Jesus' time were expecting the Savior to be a political figure with worldly power and might to liberate them from Roman rule and establish the kingdom on earth. We scoff at them, silly Jews! How could they not see Jesus for whom he was? Are we that much different today? Are we? Are you? Do we truly believe in Jesus? If he really is the savior, God-incarnate, and our Lord, wouldn't this make us feel differently about everything we say and do? Or do we doubt? Not overtly, but subconsciously. We still go about doing so many things that have such little importance without embracing what truly is important. We kid ourselves that "I'm not a 'bad person', I'm not a murderer or thief or rapist" or whatever. It seems we can't believe that Jesus is really who he says He is - how could he be? Yeah, OK, God is great and He created us and the universe and ultimately we want to be with Him in heaven, but then again everybody does, and every body's going to heaven anyway, well except for Hitler and Manson, and Bin Laden and your 4th grade homeroom teacher who was just plain MEAN! Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness! If we want to go to heaven then we need to live like that and be in communion with heaven. Jesus gives us His body and blood! "Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man, you have no life in you." Do we believe this? OR do we just gloss over this verse - and the SIX others just like it! He says we must eat his flesh SEVEN times in Jn 6! How can we ignore that? Many of his followers found what He was saying too "hard" and stopped following Him (in Jn 6:66 appropriately enough) and He asked His apostles if they were going to leave Him too. He asks us the same thing. Many have left His flock over doctrine discrepancies. Why?! What could be more important that following Jesus as He commanded us that we would give up His gift of Himself to us?! Why?! Pray about this! Think about this! Ask God to speak to your heart. Where do you want me to go Lord?

Epiphany 2010

The celebration of the magi coming to adore the new born king of the Jews is a wonderful commemoration in the Church! In the Western rite, it's nowadays held on the 1st Sunday after the new year. In the Eastern Rites and of course in the Orthodox churches it's held on the Traditional 12th day of Christmas, Jan 6. Epiphany means an appearance or showing. The magi, who are also called astronomers, astrologers, wise men, and kings are from "the East" and are not of Jewish descent. They are gentiles. Why is this significant? The birth of the Christ-child was prophesied many times in holy scripture, in the Old Testament writings of the prophets. When King Herod asked his scribes where the king of the Jews would be born, they knew. In the town of Bethlehem of Judea he was told. But these non-Jews would not necessarily take a Hebrew prophet's word for it. They came to know about the birth through other means and they were guided by a natural phenomenon. A star, something they did know about guided them.
So God foretold the birth of His Son in spiritual ways through scripture and natural ways through the stars. God knows His audience and uses the appropriate media to inform them, guide them, for they are all His children. This was because even though Jesus was indeed to be the King of the Jews, He was also, and IS also, the King of all peoples and of all creation! The gentiles coming to see the newborn king from the beginning, is acknowledging this fact: "that the gentiles are co-heirs; members of the same body, and co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." Eph 3:6 This is HUGE! and generally not understood for many years even after Christ's passion, death, resurrection and ascension. It took awhile for it to sink in, and thanks to the continual guidance by our promised advocate, the Holy Spirit, who "will reveal all truth" we have come to know this is true!
Heard a homily on Christmas that gives a new perspective on these recent celebrations. God became Incarnate, i.e. took on flesh, became man. Why did he come as a helpless little child? Some have said, and not wrongly, to show humility which is an example for us. Who is more vulnerable and dependent than a newborn child after all? That's how we should be with God, because humility is really about reality: we are completely dependent on and all-powerful, all-loving, and thankfully, all-merciful God! Yet, what is it about babies that makes everyone no matter who they are, stop and pay attention? Have a mother or father bring an infant into the room and every head turns to see the child. And we are changed by this child, like it or not. Mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbors everyone whose lives this new born baby touches is affected. God knew this. God knows how we are. That's what Jesus does to us. He affects us. That's why God became man as a child. He's affected all of history more significantly than other event or person. Praised be Jesus! Now and forever!

opening face-off

this is the beginning. a new year. the entire future lies before us. what we make of it is largely up to us. we can't control everything - why would we want to? but we can - and must - control how we respond. every situation is an opportunity to do what's right; to do what we ought to, and to love one another as He has loved us. this blog will attempt to add value to the reader's (and author's) life through lessons learned and things heard. we are taught to test everything and retain what is good. this blog will try to echoback that which is good. peace be with you.