Spiritual Kindling

Gambling with our souls

Bible verse:
"We have found the Messiah." (John 1: 35-42)

Inspiration:
“What do you seek?” The question that Jesus put to John’s two disciples is the same one that each of us must answer for ourselves. What do you want out of life?

It seems the one thing many Americans want above all else is good luck.

More than 80 percent of adults now gamble and, according to one betting Web site, we spend more money on gambling each year than on movies, videos, DVDs, music and books. Many gamblers wager more with their bookie than they spend at the local grocer. They’re addicted to the quick fix, fast buck roll of the dice.

Las Vegas casinos have built a shrine to Lady Luck where neon lights are the votive candles and cigarette smoke is the incense.

“What happens here stays here,” they claim in their advertising. But, in reality, the impact of gambling reaches far beyond the casinos and government sponsored lotteries to every corner of our economy. Too often, the losses come out of money needed to pay for rent, utilities, food, clothing and doctors’ bills.

The chances of winning a big multi-state game like the Powerball are one in 80 million or virtually zero. Yet people buy lottery tickets week in and week out for reasons that defy rational analysis.

The desperate search for instant riches is actually a sign that something other than money is missing in a gambler’s life. It’s a sign of a spiritual void. As Saint Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless, Lord, and they will not rest until they rest in Thee.”

Rather than asking, “What do I want out of life?” the real question is, “What do I want in my life?” We can only get out of life what we put into it. If we make money our God, we will be gambling with our souls. If, on the other hand, we develop our spiritual life and cultivate the fruits of the spirit, we will come to know love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

There is only one sure bet in life and that’s the one the two disciples made when they left everything to follow Jesus.

Verse of the Day is available as a free web service from BibleGateway.com Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Our fan-club culture

Bible verse:
"He said, 'I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord.'" (John 1: 19-28)

Inspiration:
The Associated Press has just posted on the Internet an article in which it pays homage to a list of famous people who died during the past year. The profiles include soldiers, statesmen, dictators, politicians, athletes, scientists, authors, filmmakers, celebrities, singers, human rights activists and members of the clergy. Their average age at death was 80. Despite their long and illustrious lives, I scarcely recognize many of the names, much less what they did, and this is within one year of their demise.

Yet, I can instantly recall a figure from the distant past, a firebrand of a man, raised in a backwater of civilization where he spent much of his time in obscurity, wandering in the wilderness, cloaked in a camel-hair tunic, surviving on locusts and honey. His polarizing personality led to his beheading in his early 30s and, as a result, he should have become a mere footnote in the history of his times.

How is it that John the Baptist is so well known and admired today?

It sure wasn’t because he sugarcoated his message; he called his followers sinners and urged them to repent and be saved. When challenged by the authorities and asked if he was the Christ or Elijah, he didn’t consult a media maven; he didn’t become evasive; he said flat out that he wasn’t. After his followers started deserting him for Jesus, he didn’t protest; instead, he said he wasn’t worthy to untie the thongs on Jesus’ sandals.

John the Baptist, the Precursor of Truth, told it like it is.

He was a counter-cultural rebel. In an era when “might made right,” he disdained power. At a time when slavery was commonplace, he embodied the ideal of a servant leader. As a servant, he worked to humbly prepare others for the coming of the Messiah. As a leader, he set an example by boldly declaring the truth.

We remember John because he was so close to Jesus in time, in place, in spirit.

In our fan-club culture where personality sometimes counts for more than character, and notoriety passes for  success, we need more counter-cultural heroes like John.  He stood out because he stood up for what he believed in. He was so true to his mission that history knows him simply by his nickname, the "Baptist." Such singularly enduring fame is accorded to very few, but all of us have been given the same basic mission as John. We are all called to be servant leaders and bring others to Christ.

If we pay homage to our Lord and Savior and make straight His path, our deeds  may not be recorded by the Associated Press, but they will be recorded in the Book of Life.

Verse of the Day is available as a free web service from BibleGateway.com Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

The lesson of the honeybee

Bible verse:
“And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” (Luke 8: 4-15)

Inspiration:
In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the importance of leading a fruitful, productive spiritual life. He tells His apostles that the seeds that fall on rich soil are the people who, “when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.”

Good seed planted in rich, well-watered soil may produce a healthy crop but not necessarily one that will bear much fruit. Many plants must also be pollinated, chiefly by honeybees. In this country alone, bees pollinate more than $14 billion in seed crops a year. Almonds, apples, blueberries, peaches and oranges are all highly dependent on honeybees.

Every third bite we consume in our American diet is a gift of the honeybee. We can learn a lot about spiritual growth from these little visitors to our gardens.

The first lesson of the honeybee is that sometimes the very things that bug us, poke us, prod us, distract and annoy us are the very things that help us to grow stronger and bear fruit.

If we’re as open as a flower to what they have to teach us, these experiences can help us grow spiritually. We’ll change for the better. And we’ll learn to share the fruits of our spiritual growth with others.

The second lesson of the honeybee is that we all need one another to reach our full spiritual potential. None of us can bear fruit on our own. We each need what the others have to offer. Some of us are colorful annuals; others are hardy perennials; some are fruits; others are herbs and vegetables. But we all have something special to share. To a honeybee, it’s all sweetness and honey.

There are over 5,000 species of bees. But there are countless thousands of ways to lead a fruitful spirit-filled life. We simply have to be open to sharing what we have so freely received. 

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

One-to-one ministry

Bible verse:
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19: 25-27)

Inspiration:
Two people standing beside the cross, their arms out-stretched toward one another – that’s the image that comes to mind when I read Jesus’ words to His mother as she and John stood at the foot of His cross.

“Woman,” Jesus said, “behold, your son;” then, looking to John, “Behold, your mother.”

In one of the last acts of His earthly ministry, Jesus underscored the importance of caring for each other…one-to-one. 

Today’s Gospel passage also brings to mind the logo of Stephen Ministry, which shows two people standing beside the cross their arms out-stretched toward one another and toward Jesus. The symbolism of the logo takes on added meaning when you study it and realize that either figure could be the Stephen Minister. In fact, the figure that is broken could be sharing some part of him self or her self. The figure that is broken could be the one most open to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit. In a true, caring Christian relationship both people minister to each other.

Saint John cared for Mary and Mary cared for Saint John.

Stephen Ministry is the kind of one-to-one ministry that Jesus spoke about on the cross. Since its founding in St. Louis in 1975, it has spread to more than 10,000 congregations from more than 150 Christian denominations. It operates in all 50 states, 10 Canadian provinces, and 21 other countries.

More than a million people have received care from a Stephen Minister in a formal one-to-one Stephen Ministry caring relationship.

And it all began with just two people.

As a Stephen Minister, whenever I made hospital rounds, I always felt blessed to be in the company of the patients. It seemed to me that their hospital rooms were like chapels, but instead of votive candles, there were greeting cards, balloons and flowers that said the patients were deeply loved, cared about and prayed for.

The other day I came across a non-profit web site called CaringBridge, which is dedicated to caring for the sick and dying and their loved ones. It was started by a woman who wanted to help a friend during a difficult pregnancy. The free site helps ease the burden of keeping family and friends informed. Patients and caregivers can post progress reports on the password-protected site and draw strength from loved ones’ messages of support, which are also posted there.

Dialysis patients discover the cathartic power of journaling. Families facing childhood illness draw loved ones closer. Injured veterans are uplifted by online support groups of family and friends.

In the past ten years, the CaringBridge has touched the lives of
    * 70,000 patients
    * 400+ million visits by loved ones
    * 10+ million guest book messages of support

Every single day CaringBridge sends out 250,000 notifications -- letting someone know a CaringBridge site has been updated.

And it all began with just two women.

We never know what impact a simple act of kindness might have on one other person. For example, one of my high school teachers uses the Internet to stay in touch. His e-mails are often humorous and always welcome, uplifting messages. After reading his day brighteners, I pass them on to others and in so doing spread the good news. If ten people receive an uplifting message and each of them forwards it to ten more friends and so on, within four e-mailings 100,000 lives have been touched.

It all begins with one person reaching out to another.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner. 

Decoding your mission in life

Bible verse:
The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1: 1-16, 18-23)

Inspiration:
In today’s Gospel reading, Matthew takes us through thirteen generations of Jesus’ family tree. Genealogy was an important topic among ancient Jews because every male descendant of King David was considered a potential messiah. By recounting Jesus’ ancestry, Matthew was affirming Jesus' claim to being the Messiah.

The study of genealogy remains a popular pursuit today. In fact, a single Internet site, MyFamily.com, has over 850,000 paid subscribers. One of my relatives used the Internet to trace our family roots back to the 1300s. Another relative used the Internet to find long-lost relatives, which led to a family reunion attended by more than 600 people. At that reunion, I was struck by the variation in physical appearance and personality types within the family tree.

Just this week scientists published for the first time the complete genetic sequence of a single person, including the DNA inherited from both parents – both sides of the family tree. Their research revealed that human-to-human variation is five to seven-fold greater than earlier estimates. We are more unique at the individual genetic level than previously thought possible.

As King David said in Psalm 139:14, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Our genetic code is God’s instruction manual, His way of preparing us for our unique mission in life. Our bodies consist of over 50 billion cells; most of them function only a few weeks before dying and being replaced; and, yet we remain one and the same over time. Our mission in life never changes.

There is one mission in life that we all share in common, a duty made clear as we reflect on our genetic code. We all have a sacred duty to pass onto to future generations the quality of life that we received as a gift from our ancestors.

Yet our way of life is increasingly threatened by the rise in global warming and the opposing environmental  trend toward global dimming. No matter which trend prevails, humankind stands to lose.

As stewards of the land, we are called to take an active role in reducing pollution. What’s more, we can do so through simple household measures. For example, the average two-person household produces 41,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. By adjusting the temperature setting on the furnace and air conditioner by one degree, replacing 10 standard light bulbs with energy efficient ones and recycling papers, plastics, cans and bottles, each two-person household can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 4,300 pounds or better than 10%. Far greater savings are possible with other measures such as energy efficient cars and appliances and proper home insulation.

To calculate the pollution savings your household can achieve, use the Environmental Protection Agency’s calculator at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

What would Jesus think?

Bible verse:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19: 23-30)

Inspiration:
I wonder what Jesus would think about the latest American shopping trend.

This month's issue of Vogue magazine urges readers to “harness the power of fashion to change the way the nation shops.” The magazine recommends that shoppers replace the plastic shopping bags, which are choking the country’s landfills, with reusable designer bags. 

For a mere $960, you can purchase a Hermes shopping bag made of hand-wrought silk, which folds up into a wallet-size calfskin pouch. Or, if you’re the thrifty type, you can bag your groceries in a Castiglioni fold-able nylon tote that retails for a mere $843. Better yet, for the budget-conscious there is a chic and stylish Stella McCartney organic canvas shopping bag for just under $500.

One practical handbag designer has come out with a reusable, canvas, shopping tote imprinted with the words “I’m not a plastic bag.” It sells for $15 in supermarkets. According to Time magazine, 20,000 of the totes were bought by 9am of the first day it went on sale. The bag has become a collector’s item with people bidding ten times as much for it on Ebay.

I suspect it won’t be long before we see reusable shopping bags emblazoned with the logos of Master Card and VISA.

Of course, you would need more than one canvas tote to handle a week’s worth of groceries. So the total price tag for the cheapest eco-friendly bags could come to at least $60.

I’m all in favor of saving the environment but for $60 you could feed a starving child in a third world country for almost a year. To my way of thinking, that’s a better use of grocery money.

Apparently the fashion editors have never shopped Costco where they don’t bag your groceries, nor have they shopped in the growing number of supermarkets that have plastic bag recycling bins.

What would Jesus think of the glamor bags? I suspect that He’d see them as a sign of distorted values. He’d probably shake His head at the way some of us spend our money.

America ranks fourth in the world in economic aid to less developed countries. We trail the United Kingdom, France and Japan – yet our economy is 46% larger than the combined total of those three nations.

On a per capita basis, we rank 18th in the world in financial aid at $22.91 per year per person…just ahead of Iceland.

When Jesus sent His apostles out on their first mission, He told them not to carry a purse. When He told a rich young man to care for the poor and needy, the man couldn’t bear to part with his money and left. On seeing him walk off, Jesus said, “It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven.”

What would Jesus say about the way we care for the world's poor and needy? I suspect He’d say, “Loosen your purse strings.”

See also related reflection: "Money and Happiness"

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Letting go of our possessions

Bible verse:
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (Matthew 19: 16-22)

Inspiration:
The rich young man who approached Jesus was aware that he lacked something – something his money could not buy. He had gained great success in life; now he wanted to gain eternal life. Yet he was uncertain how to achieve his goal. When Jesus told him to observe the commandments, the young man claimed he had. Then, to his chagrin, Jesus said something unexpected, something radical:

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

Rather than part with all his possessions, the rich, young man parted with Jesus. We’re left to wonder what ever became of him; and, more importantly, what’s to become of us here in America, the wealthiest nation on earth?

Our identities are so tied up in what we own that we proudly display brand name labels on everything we wear. Our self-worth and our net worth are so tightly linked that we confuse quantity with quality. We shop until we drop, or until we run out of closet space. Then we rent storage space.

The hold that our possessions have on us can be seen in the growth of public storage lockers. Today, more than 11 million American households rent storage space, an increase of 90 percent since 1995.

We all live in Target’s Greatland where shoppers are led to believe they can “expect more…pay less.”

But that’s not what the Lord said. He told the rich, young man to expect less in the way of material goods and to pay more attention to the needs of the poor; only then would he be free to follow Jesus.

See also related reflections: "The Poverty of Riches"
                                            "Poor Little Rich Man"
                                            "Rich Young Man" 

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Children as role models for adults

Bible verse:
"Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14)

Inspiration:
On National Public Radio, Garrison Keillor begins every episode of the Prairie Home Companion by saying, "Well, it was a quiet week in Lake Woebegone..." Of course, there is never a quiet week in Keillor's fertile imagination. There is always something interesting happening, something that reminds us of our own childhood, something that pokes gentle fun at our grownup pretensions.

Keillor ends each show the same way, too, by saying, "Well, that's the news from Lake Woebegone where the women are strong, the men are good looking and all the children are above average."

God must chuckle to Himself on hearing that because He knows that we all harbor a desire to be strong, good looking and above average. We want to excel, to be good at something.

In today's Gospel, the disciples want to know who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Once again, Jesus surprises His followers by pointing to a humble child and saying this is who you must imitate.

"Unless you turn and become like humble children," He says, "you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

If we could hit the rewind button on our family lives and watch our kids grow up all over again, we might get a clearer picture of why Jesus says children are the role models for adults.

To see an infant child, nestled in its mother's arms is to witness what it means to be totally trusting and and reliant on a higher power.

To watch children at play is to gain a keener appreciation of what it means to be carefree, to live in the moment and to make the most of every God-given day. The way kids ride their bikes, roller-blade, sleigh and test themselves in countless ways reminds us that we're all called to take leaps of faith from time to time.

To observe kids on a playground and notice how quickly they say "I'm sorry," and the way they forgive and forget is to discover a healing power within ourselves.

To observe their boundless curiosity and their willingness to embrace new ideas is to recall that the search for spiritual wisdom is a lifelong pursuit.

Children teach us to be caring and patient; to be good listeners and to to keep our promises. Above all, they teach us to practice what we preach.

We can learn a lot from our children.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Moving mountains

Bible verse:
"Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain..." (Matthew 17: 14-20)

Inspiration:
My wife has a necklace that holds a glass pendant shaped like a heart. In the center of the heart, there is a mustard seed, one of the symbols of our faith. In six Gospel passages, Jesus refers to the mustard plant. He uses it to describe both heaven and faith. But, in all six passages, Jesus speaks figuratively, not literally. He uses the mustard seed as a symbol to convey an idea.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus points out that the mustard seed is very small, no bigger than the point of a pencil. But that small seed has some amazing properties. When planted in the ground and watered, it sprouts within three days. It develops quickly, its roots growing three times faster than its stalk until it reaches a height of 15 feet or more. It is so tenacious that it can soon take over an entire field. As an evergreen, it does not shed its leaves during the harsh winter and it is capable of withstanding long periods of drought. It’s an amazing little seed.

This is the symbol Jesus uses when He wants to emphasize that however small our faith might be it is equal to our challenges. We simply have to do our best and let God do the rest.

When Jesus said faith the size of a mustard seed could move mountains, He didn’t expect to be taken literally. There would be no point in moving a mountain just for the sake of doing so. But speaking metaphorically, we all have mountains to climb, problems that loom large in our minds, occasionally blocking the sun, casting shadows in our paths. Those mountains can be conquered by the power of prayer. Prayer may not "move" the mountain but it will move us. Instead of scaling it, we may tunnel through the problem or go around it. But eventually we will put it behind us.

In order to do so the roots of our faith must go deep. Our prayers must be evergreen, ever faithful. When we experience periods of harsh, dry growing conditions, we have to tap into those deeper reserves. Just like the mustard seed we have to keep on growing.

See also related reflection: "Parable of the Mustard Seed"

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

 

Living one day at a time

Bible verse:
“Get behind me, Satan! (Matthew 16: 13-23)

Inspiration:
Peter must have been very confused. Jesus had just given him the keys to the kingdom and had said "the netherworld shall not prevail against it." Yet, shortly thereafter, Christ had also said the chief priests and scribes would soon kill Him. When Peter pulled Jesus aside to rebuke Him for speaking about His agony and death, the Lord turned on him and said, "Get behind me, Satan."

Poor Peter meant well. He thought he knew what was best for Jesus. We've all met people like that. They are quick to tell you how to live your life. In fact, it has become a profession. There are now 70,000 "personal and business coaches" who belong in the International Coaching Federation. For fees ranging upwards of $150 per hour, these life coaches will tell you how to run your life.

The truth is we can't delegate responsibility for our lives to anyone else – no matter how spiritual, how wise or how talented they might be. No one else can do our soul work for us. Only we can do the praying and meditating that is necessary to discover our mission in life. Often, the wisdom we need is given to us one day at a time because that is all we really need for the task at hand.

Jesus lived each day as if it were His last. He was totally focused on what He wanted to accomplish in the time alloted to Him. No one and nothing could distract Him from His task.

The question each of us has to ask ourselves as we look in the mirror each morning is: if this were the last day of my life, what would I want to accomplish?

See also related reflections: "Who Do People Say You Are?"
                                            "The Keys To The Kingdom"

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.