Saturday, May 26, 2007

Pentecost Sunday cycle C

PENTECOST
THE WEATHER IS GETTING WARMER. ONE OF THESE DAYS YOU AND I WILL HAVE THAT STANDARD SUMMER EXPERIENCE. WE WILL OPEN THE DOOR TO OUR CAR AND BE MET WITH A BLAST OF HOT, STALE AIR. THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR WILL BE SWELTERING. AND THEN WE WILL OPEN THE WINDOW, AND A LITTLE AIR WILL BEGIN TO CIRCULATE IN THE CAR, AND GRADUALLY IT WILL BE COOLER; AND WE WILL CATCH LITTLE SMELLS, SMELLS OF FLOWERS, OF CUT GRASS, PROBABLY A LITTLE TOUCH OF EXHAUST FROM PASSING CARS – BUT THE AIR WHICH HAD BEEN A DEAD WEIGHT WILL COME ALIVE.
AT THE FIRST PENTECOST, THE APOSTLES WERE IN A ROOM. WE ARE TOLD THAT THEY HAD EVERYTHING CLOSED OFF; THEY WERE FRIGHTENED. JERUSALEM GETS HOT, AND THE ROOMS THAT PEOPLE BUILT IN THOSE DAYS WERE QUITE SMALL; AND IF THERE WERE WINDOWS THEY WERE SMALL AS WELL; AND PEOPLE DIDN'T BATHE NEARLY AS OFTEN AS WE DO, AND IN THAT LITTLE ROOM IT WASN'T MUCH DIFFERENT, I THINK, FROM THE INSIDE OF A CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER. THEY WERE SWELTERING; THE BODY ODOR WAS UNPLEASANT, AND THEIR NATURAL REACTION TO THE HEAT WAS PROBABLY EXAGGERATED BY THEIR FEAR. THEY MUST HAVE THOUGHT THEY WERE IN HELL.
AND THEN A WIND RUSHES UPON THEM, AND THE HOT AIR BECOMES COOL, AND THERE ARE TONGUES OF FLAME ABOVE THEIR HEADS, AND THE FEAR THEY EXPERIENCED SEEMS TO BE BUT A DISTANT MEMORY. AND THEY CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT AND PROCLAIM WHAT HAS HAPPENED, SPEAKING NOT IN HEBREW OR ARAMAIC, BUT IN THE VERY LANGUAGE OF GOD, A LANGUAGE THAT ALL CAN UNDERSTAND. AND THE CHURCH WAS BORN.
A LITTLE GIRL WAS IN HER ROOM AT NIGHT AND CALLED FOR HER MOTHER. “I'M SCARED!” SHE EXCLAIMED. HER MOTHER REMINDED HER THAT SHE SHOULD NOT BE SCARED, GOD WAS THERE, AND HE WAS EVERYWHERE. “I KNOW GOD IS HERE,” SHE REPLIED, “BUT SOMETIMES I NEED SOMEONE WITH SKIN ON.”
THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY, IS GOD PUTTING SKIN ON. HE IS THE ONE WHO LIVES IN US AND PROMPTS US TO CARRY OUT THE WORK THAT JESUS STARTED. I THINK ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THAT WE HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME GRASPING WHAT HE IS ALL ABOUT. WE CAN TALK ABOUT GOD THE FATHER AS CREATOR, AND WE SEE IN OUR MIND'S EYE A DIGNIFIED FIGURE WITH A LONG WHITE BEARD. WE HAVE MANY IMAGES OF JESUS, AND MANY OF US FOCUS MOST OF OUR WORSHIP TOWARDS THIS SECOND PERSON IN THE GODHEAD, WHOM WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH, BECAUSE HE WALKED THE EARTH AND LITERALLY HAS BEEN WHERE WE ALL HAVE BEEN AND WILL GO; HE HAS BEEN AN EMBRYO, A NEWBORN, A CHILD, A TEENAGER, A YOUNG ADULT, AND HE HAS SUFFERED AND DIED, AND EVEN GONE INTO THE REALM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DEATH.
BUT THE SPIRIT? OUR MINDS DO NOT READILY COME UP WITH SATISFACTORY IMAGES; A DOVE? A FLAME? A WIND? WATER? BUT HE IS A PERSON, WHO THINKS, FEELS, ACTS, AND LOVES; BUT WE ARE HIS SKIN. HE PROMPTS US, COMFORTS US, GIVES US COURAGE, PUTS WORDS INTO OUR MOUTHS, AND THE MORE WE LET HIM TAKE OVER OUR LIVES, THE MORE POWERFUL WE BECOME IN DOING THE WORKS OF JESUS. THESE ARE WONDERFUL IDEAS, RIGHT? THEN WHY AREN'T WE MORE AWARE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? WHERE ARE HIS WORKS, THE WORKS WHICH SEEMED TO PERMEATE THE EARLY CHURCH, THE POWER THAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH SO STRONG, THAT GAVE PEOPLE THE COURAGE TO TRAVEL TO DISTANT LANDS TO CARRY THE GOSPEL MESSAGE; TO JOIN MONASTERIES OR RELIGIOUS ORDERS DEVOTED TO LIVING THE GOSPEL MORE PERFECTLY, TO EVEN BE WILLING TO DIE FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS?
THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTS THOSE IN WHICH HE LIVES, YOU AND I, TO SURRENDER OURSELVES TO HIM, TO LET HIM LEAD US. THE MORE WE DO THIS, THE GREATER THE WORKS THAT HE CAN ACHIEVE WITH US. BUT WE HAVE A TERRIBLE TIME SURRENDERING. FOR ONE THING, WE HATE CHANGE, WE HATE THE UNKNOWN. WE CLING TO THE ILLUSION THAT WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR LIVES, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW WE AREN'T. WE WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE, ABOUT HOW PEOPLE LOOK AT US, ABOUT OUR COMFORTS, OUR PLANS, OUR HOBBIES AND OUR JOBS. WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT – JESUS PROMISED – BUT WE FIGHT HIM RATHER THAN SURRENDERING TO HIM.
BUT HERE WE ARE ON PENTECOST SUNDAY, CELEBRATING THE HOLY SPIRIT, CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH. WE ARE IN A ROOM, AND THE AIR IS STILL. THE WALLS AND THE WINDOWS AND DOORS KEEP THE OUTSIDE OUT AND THE INSIDE IN. MAYBE THE AIR IS A LITTLE STUFFY. MAYBE WE ARE UNCERTAIN, AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT. MAYBE WE ARE AFRAID OF WHAT WE WILL FIND WHEN WE GET OUT THERE.
BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS HERE! JESUS GAVE THE SPIRIT TO THE CHURCH ON THAT PENTECOST SUNDAY 2000 YEARS AGO, AND THE SPIRIT IS STILL HERE! DESPITE POOR LEADERS AND EVEN POORER FOLLOWERS, DESPITE PERSECUTION AND COMPETING RELIGIONS, DESPITE WIDESPREAD AND INCREASING SECULARISM, THE CHURCH IS STILL HERE, STILL POSSESSING THE SPIRIT THAT MOVED OVER THE WATERS AT THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, THAT INSPIRED THE PROPHETS, THAT WORKED MIRACLES THROUGH THE APOSTLES, AND THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD. THAT SAME SPIRIT IS IN YOU AND IN I, AND JESUS REFERRED TO HIM AS THE PARACLETE, AND FUNDAMENTALLY, THAT MEANS HELPER; HE LIVES IN US TO HELP US, TO LIGHT A FIRE IN US, TO TAKE OUR HUMANITY AND MAKE IT DIVINE. WHAT A GIFT JESUS GAVE US.
DO YOU FEEL A LITTLE BREEZE? BE STILL AND SENSE IT; MAYBE IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT, MOVING AMONG US, AS HE DID AMONG THE APOSTLES. SURRENDER TO HIM; TELL HIM THAT YOU WANT HIM TO DIRECT YOUR LIFE; TELL HIM THAT YOU WANT HIS HELP TO REMOVE ALL THE BARRIERS BETWEEN YOU, THAT YOU ARE SORRY FOR YOUR SINS, YOUR SELFISHNESS, YOUR FOOLISH DELUSION THAT YOU ARE THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.
IS THE BREEZE GETTING A LITTLE STRONGER? IS THERE A TINY MOVEMENT IN YOUR HEART THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT JESUS? THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO BRING SOMEONE YOU LOVE CLOSER TO JESUS? THAT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT! LET HIM MOVE YOU!
IS THERE SOMETHING IN YOUR HEART THAT WANTS THE EUCHARIST? IS THERE A PART OF YOU THAT WANTS TO SPEAK YOUR DEEPEST SECRETS, YOUR HIDDEN FEARS, TO GOD YOUR FATHER? ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PRAY IN YOU TO THE FATHER, BECAUSE HE DOES THAT AS WELL.
MAY WE ALL FEEL THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US AND AMONG US ON THIS PENTECOST. COME HOLY SPIRIT, COME!

7th Sunday of Easter, cycle C

JOHN 17:20-26
7TH SUNDAY OF EASTER, CYCLE C
SOME SURVIVORS OF A SHIPWRECK WERE DRIFTING IN A LIFEBOAT. AFTER A FEW DAYS THE PEOPLE IN THE FRONT OF THE BOAT BEGAN TO REFER TO THEMSELVES AS THE “FRONT PEOPLE”. AFTER A FEW MORE DAYS THE FRONT PEOPLE STOPPED TALKING TO THE BACK PEOPLE. THEN ONE DAY THE BOAT SPRANG A LEAK. THE FRONT PEOPLE CONGRATULATED THEMSELVES. THE LEAK WAS IN THE BACK OF THE BOAT, THEY HAD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
IF YOU LISTEN TO THE GOSPEL READING TODAY, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH JESUS IS SAYING THAT HE DESIRES ALL OF US TO BE ONE. HE HAS GIVEN HIS OWN GLORY TO US FOR THAT PURPOSE. AND WHY? BECAUSE IT IS A CONDITION OF OUR SHARING THE LOVE WHICH EXISTS BETWEEN THE FATHER AND THE SON. AND FINALLY, THIS UNITY THAT HE PRAYS THAT WE WILL HAVE IS THE VEHICLE BY WHICH THE WHOLE WORLD WILL LEARN OF HIS MESSAGE.
BUT WE ARE LIKE THOSE PEOPLE IN THE LIFEBOAT. WE'RE NOT TOO GOOD AT UNITY. IN SOME PARISHES, THERE ARE DIVISIONS BETWEEN ETHNIC GROUPS. IN OTHERS, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME ARE NOT WELCOMING TO THE NEWCOMERS. THERE IS ALWAYS A GROUP WHO DOES ABOUT 90% OF WHAT GETS DONE, A LARGER GROUP WHO COME TO MASS ON SUNDAYS, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT; AND OF COURSE A STILL LARGER GROUP WHO SHOW UP ON CHRISTMAS AND EASTER, AND WHEN THEY WANT SOMEONE BAPTIZED OR MARRIED. MANY OF OUR CATHOLICS DON'T CARE ABOUT THE UNITY THAT JESUS LONGED FOR, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WORK AT IT, THEY DON'T WORK AT BECOMING ONE.
AND I COULD GO ON, AND SO COULD YOU. AND BECAUSE WE AREN'T UNIFIED, WE AREN'T GETTING THE MESSAGE OF JESUS OUT TO THE WORLD. AND BECAUSE WE AREN'T GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT, PEOPLE HAVE TWO REACTIONS; THERE ARE THOSE WHO GIVE UP ON GOD, AND BECOME SECULAR; THE MESSAGE OF JESUS MEANS NOTHING; IN FACT, THEY ARE INDIFFERENT TO WHETHER OR NOT GOD EXISTS. AND OTHERS, HUNGRY FOR SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT, TURN TO RELIGIOUS GROUPS THAT SEEM TO OFFER MORE – MORE UNITY, FOR SURE.
SO WHAT IS OUR PROBLEM? ON PHILOSOPHER SAID THAT HUMAN BEINGS WERE LIKE PORCUPINES. WHEN WE TRY TO HUDDLE TOGETHER, WE STICK EACH OTHER WITH OUR QUILLS. BY THE TIME WE ARE ADULTS, MOST OF US HAVE BEEN HURT BY RELATIONSHIPS. MOST OF US HAVE DEVELOPED A LITTLE BIT OF A SHELL, AT LEAST, AND A FEW QUILLS AS WELL. THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WE TRUST, AND A LOT WE DON'T. THIS IS NATURAL, ITS PART OF BEING HUMAN. IT'S THE REASON PRIMITIVE PEOPLE FORMED TRIBES AND FOUGHT WITH EACH OTHER. IT'S THE REASON MODERN PEOPLE FORM GROUPS OF VARIOUS SORTS. WE ARE COMFORTABLE WHEN THERE IS A CLEAR LINE BETWEEN US AND THEM, BETWEEN THE FRONT OF THE BOAT PEOPLE AND THOSE IN THE BACK.
JESUS WANTS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. HE WANTS US TO BE ONE, HE WANTS US TO INVITE EVERYONE TO BE ONE WITH US. FOR CATHOLICS WHO FOLLOW HIM THERE SHOULD BE NO US AND THEM, THERE SHOULD ONLY BE US AND POTENTIAL MEMBERS OF US, OF OUR GROUP.
AND HOW DO WE DO THIS? ST. STEPHEN SHOWS US. WE FORGIVE. HE HAD BEEN PREACHING THE TRUTH. HE WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE CITY AND STONED. IN THAT VERY MOMENT WHEN HE WAS BEING EXECUTED, HE ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE THOSE WHO WERE PUTTING HIM TO DEATH. FORGIVENESS IS THAT, YES. BUT IT IS BROADER AND MORE SUBTLE. WE HAVE TO BECOME CONSCIOUS OF HOW WE HABITUALLY REACT TO OTHER PEOPLE. WHAT IS IT ABOUT SOMEONE THAT CAUSES ME TO UNCONSCIOUSLY BACK OFF, OR WITHDRAW? WHAT HABITS ARE INTERFERING WITH THE UNITY WE ARE CALLED TO CREATE? SELFISHNESS, SHYNESS, SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS, DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING OUR EMOTIONS, NOT WANTING TO GET HURT – WE CAN ALL FIND SOMETHING.
FIRST, FORGIVENESS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH FINDING THE QUILLS THAT KEEP US APART FROM EACH OTHER, BECAUSE ONCE WE FIND THEM, THEY NO LONGER NEED TO BE BARRIERS; WE CAN RECOGNIZE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE -- ROOTED IN OUR EMOTIONS AND HABITS, NOT IN REALITY.
THE SECOND PART OF FORGIVENESS IS REACHING OUT. WE DON'T WAIT FOR OTHERS TO COME TO US, WE GO TO THEM. IF THE APOSTLES HAD WAITED FOR PEOPLE TO COME, THEY MIGHT NEVER HAVE BEEN MARTYRED, THEY MIGHT HAVE LIVED FAR MORE COMFORTABLE LIVES; BUT THE HERITAGE OF JESUS WOULD HAVE BEEN A MERE HISTORICAL NOTE INSTEAD OF A MOVEMENT THAT INVOLVES ABOUT TWO BILLION PEOPLE.
AND THE THIRD PART OF FORGIVENESS IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE PRICK US WITH THEIR QUILLS, WE KEEP REACHING OUT, WE DON'T GIVE UP.
THE LOVE BETWEEN THE FATHER AND THE SON IS A LOVE WHICH COMES BECAUSE OF PERFECT UNITY; THE FATHER AND THE SON KNOW EACH OTHER PERFECTLY, AND BECAUSE THEY DO, THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS BREATHED FORTH – AND REAL LOVE WANTS TO SHARE, WANTS TO BRING OTHERS INTO THE CIRCLE, AND THAT IS WHY THE FATHER SENT THE SON HE LOVED WITH GODLY LOVE INTO THE WORLD; AND THAT IS WHY THE SON WILLINGLY DIED ON THE CROSS; AND THAT IS WHY THE HOLY SPIRIT STILL MOVES AMONG US, PROMPTING US TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND TO BRING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE INTO THE CIRCLE THAT STARTED BEFORE THE BIG BANG, BEFORE THE UNIVERSE CAME INTO EXISTENCE.
WHERE WILL YOU FIND THE HOLY SPIRIT? THE MOST LIKELY PLACE IS WHERE OTHER CHRISTIANS GATHER. HOW MANY OF US HAVE THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF OUR LIVES SOMEWHERE ELSE, NOT IN THE PARISH. THE PARISH, AFTER ALL, IS WHERE GOD WANTS US TO BEGIN BECOMING ONE.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS IS A PRAYER OF DEEP LONGING. IT IS A MOMENT WHEN JESUS ALLOWS US TO LOOK INTO HIS SOUL. AND ALL WE SEE IS LOVE, LOVE SO GREAT THAT HE WILL DIE TO BRING US LIFE. AND TODAY WE SHOULD LOOK INTO OUR OWN LIVES AND ASK, HOW ARE WE RESPONDING TO THAT LOVE? HOW ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT UNITY HE PRAYED FOR. HOW ARE WE PRACTICING FORGIVENESS, DEEPENING OUR POWERS TO FORGIVE?

6th Sunday of Easter, cycle C

JOHN 14:23-29
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, CYCLE C
LAST WEEK ONE OF MY PATIENTS PASSED AWAY. I HAD BEEN CARING FOR HIM FOR OVER THIRTEEN YEARS. HE WAS A GOOD MAN, NOT WELL EDUCATED. HE WORKED IN THE BUILDING TRADE. HE HAD A LOVELY WIFE, TWO SONS, AND TWO DAUGHTERS. HE WAS GENEROUS, AND SPENT A LOT OF HIS SPARE TIME RAISING MONEY FOR VARIOUS CAUSES. HE WAS A DEEPLY COMMITTED CATHOLIC. I GOT TO KNOW HIM VERY WELL. DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS, AS HIS CANCER WOULD DISAPPEAR AND COME BACK, HE WOULD FACE DEATH ALL OVER AGAIN, THEN EXPERIENCE A REPRIEVE. FINALLY, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THIS TIME THERE WOULD BE NO REPRIEVE. OVER THE LAST YEAR HE LOST THE USE OF HIS LEGS, LOST BLADDER CONTROL, AND REQUIRED MORPHINE PUMPED INTO HIS SPINAL CANAL TO HANDLE THE PAIN. AND THERE WERE MANY TIMES WHEN HE WAS GRUMPY AND SHORT TEMPERED. I MET HIS WIDOW THE OTHER DAY WHO TOLD ME ABOUT HIS LAST DAYS. HIS PASTOR HAD COME TO ANOINT HIM. HIS BROTHERS AND HIS FRIENDS HAD ALL VISITED. HE WAS SURROUNDED BY HIS CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. HE TURNED TO HIS WIFE AND SAID, “ITS TIME”. AND A FEW MINUTES LATER, HE QUIETLY DIED, AT PEACE.
JESUS PROMISES PEACE TODAY, A PEACE THAT THE WORLD CAN'T GIVE. IN THE END, MY PATIENT SEEMED TO HAVE RECEIVED THAT PEACE, THAT PEACE THAT LEAVES YOUR HEART UNTROUBLED AND UNAFRAID. THAT PEACE THAT COMES FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKING THOSE WORDS INTO YOUR SOUL THAT ASSURE YOU THAT YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE CARED FOR, YOU WILL SHARE IN THE RESURRECTION.
WE WILL ALL BE WHERE MY PATIENT WAS. WE WILL ALL HAVE A MOMENT WHEN OUR WORLD IS COMPLETELY TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, WHERE WE WILL BE WRENCHED OUT OF OUR COMFORTABLE ROUTINE, WHERE THE INDEFINITE FUTURE THAT WE FACE SUDDENLY BECOMES DEFINITE, UNCONTROLLABLE, OUT OF OUR HANDS. AND YOU KNOW, THE WORLD OFFERS PEACE. SOMETIMES IT MAY BE THE PEACE OF AN ABORTION, WHICH TAKES AWAY THAT INCONVENIENT NEW LIFE WHICH, IF ALLOWED TO LIVE, WILL RUIN SOMEONE'S COLLEGE EDUCATION OR JEOPARDIZE HIS OR HER CAREER. OR WHEN LIFE APPEARS HOPELESS, SUICIDE AND EUTHANASIA CAN END THE STRUGGLE – THE WORLD OFFERS PEACE. THE WORLD'S PEACE MAY COME FROM WINNING A LAWSUIT; IT MAY COME FROM SPENDING ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE MY PROBLEM GO AWAY. PERHAPS I CAN RUN AWAY AND BECOME ANONYMOUS, PERHAPS I CAN DIVORCE AND START OVER AGAIN. THE WORLD OFFERS A CERTAIN KIND OF PEACE.
THE PEACE JESUS OFFERS, HOWEVER, IS DIFFERENT. THE WORLD SAYS, “YOU CAN HAVE PEACE IF YOU JUST CHANGE THE REALITY AROUND YOU.” JESUS SAYS, “REAL PEACE IS WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR HEART.” AND THAT CHANGE OF HEART IS RECOGNITION THAT GOD IS IN CHARGE, AND THAT GREAT GOOD CAN COME FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES, EVEN IF WE GOT THERE THROUGH OUR OWN MISTAKES. IF GOD CAN TURN THE CRUCIFIXION INTO THE RESURRECTION, HE CAN AND DOES TURN MY CIRCUMSTANCES INTO BLESSINGS. AND WHEN WE HEAR THE HOLY SPIRIT REMINDING US OF THIS AND ACCEPT IT, WE FIND PEACE.
IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR MASS, WE EXCHANGE A SIGN OF PEACE. SOMETIMES WE WAVE OR SMILE, SOMETIMES WE SHAKE HANDS; AND MANY OF US THINK THIS IS SORT OF A GREETING. BUT LISTEN: FIRST OUR PRIEST RECALLS THE VERY WORDS WE HEARD IN THE GOSPEL TODAY, AND PRAYS FOR PEACE. THEN HE OFFERS US PEACE – THE PEACE OF THE LORD – NOTICE, NOT THE PEACE OF THE WORLD – BE WITH YOU. AND THEN WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO OFFER A SIGN OF PEACE TO EACH OTHER.
AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE PEACE OF CHRIST, AND WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE POWER TO BRING THIS PEACE TO OTHERS. WHEN WE OFFER THE SIGN OF PEACE, WE ARE PLEDGING THAT WE ARE THERE FOR THE OTHER PERSON, WHEN HE HAS HIS WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, WHEN HER ORDERLY LIFE CRASHES AND BURNS. AND WE BRING PEACE IN SIMPLE WAYS; WE FEED, WE CLOTHE, WE VISIT, WE CONSOLE, WE DO WHAT WE CAN WHEN WE CAN – AND MOST OF ALL, WE PRAY FOR EACH OTHER. BECAUSE CHRISTIANS DO THAT; IF MY HEART IS UNTROUBLED AND UNAFRAID, I CAN HELP YOURS BECOME THAT WAY AS WELL. WHEN YOU SEE THAT I TRUST IN GOD, IT IS EASIER FOR YOU TO DO THE SAME.
MY PATIENT PASSED AWAY IN THAT WONDERFUL PEACE THAT JESUS GIVES. HE HAD THAT PEACE BECAUSE HE WAS GIVEN IT, GIVEN IT BY HIS WIFE, HIS FAMILY, BY HIS CHURCH THROUGH HIS PASTOR; BY HIS FRIENDS AND EVEN BY US, HIS CAREGIVERS. AND GIVING PEACE TO SOMEONE ALWAYS MEANS THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE PEACE AS WELL. BECAUSE THOSE WHO SAW HIM DIE, AND SAW HOW HE DIED, ARE LESS AFRAID, THEY ARE LESS TROUBLED. AND THEY WILL PASS THIS PEACE ON TO OTHERS AND IT WILL BE MAGNIFIED THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THE PEACE THAT JESUS GIVES. NEVER PASS UP A CHANCE TO QUIET A TROUBLED HEART, CONSOLE SOMEONE WHO IS SAD, SOOTHE ONE WHO IS ANXIOUS. BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL YOU BE GIVING PEACE, BUT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING IT.
THIS IS MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND. AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT TODAY'S READINGS, I REMEMBERED HOW OFTEN I'VE WATCHED MOTHERS ESPECIALLY MY OWN DAUGHTERS, GIVE PEACE TO THEIR LITTLE CHILDREN. I'VE SEEN HOW SOME MOTHERS, SOME FAMILIES, HAVE AN AURA OF PEACE ABOUT THEM, AND THE CHILDREN ARE SECURE AND HAPPY, OUTGOING AND GENEROUS. AND THEN THERE ARE FAMILIES WHERE THERE IS NO PEACE, WHERE NO MATTER WHAT A CHILD ACCOMPLISHES, HE IS EXPECTED TO DO MORE; WHERE RULES ARE STRICT AND PUNISHMENT IS SWIFT; AND I THINK JESUS IS LIKE ONE OF THOSE GOOD MOTHERS, SPEAKING TO US THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHISPERING LET YOUR HEARTS NOT BE TROUBLED OR AFRAID; I AM GOING AWAY, AND I AM COMING BACK TO YOU.