Reflections of a beloved son

“Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!” Isaiah 7:9b Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin Today we celebrate St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be canonized a saint by the Church. As a little child, Kateri had scars from contracting smallpox and has always been self-conscious about that so she would often cover her face. Kateri converted to Catholicism when she was 19 and took a vow of chastity, professing Jesus as her only spouse. Her family and friends did not agree with her decisions, but Kateri stood firm in her faith. Because of this and fear of persecution, Kateri moved to a more Christian-friendly community. A short five years later she died at the age of 24 from illness. Despite opposition from her family and friends, Kateri stayed strong in her resolve to follow Christ and to remain chaste for her Spouse. Though she needed to flee to avoid persecution, her faith remained strong. The Prophet Isaiah tells us that the Lord reminds us that unless...

We sometimes take so much interest in fixing other people’s problems and even in trying to solve the world’s problems. However, the truth to the matter is that we cannot change anyone except ourselves. We may want so much for someone to change their wayward ways, but we can’t change it for them. I think we can see this most clearly with parents and their children who may have gone down a not so good path or siblings who can see the same. Even though we cannot change for them, what we can do is be that role model for them. To do this we must take a good look at ourselves.   We can’t see clearly when there’s a splinter in our eyes. But the harder part is that sometimes we can’t even see the splinters. Do we know they are there but choose to ignore them? Do we simply keep putting eye drops in to ease the pain, but not really doing anything about them? It’s time to remove those splinters. We can’t remove them alone. Even if we try to use the mirror it will be difficult. That’s is w...

What strikes terror or fear in your heart? What weakness of yours paralyzes you and keeps from trying? What causes you shame and keeps you down?   What troubling event in your past haunts you and keeps you from living? We all have these things that make us question ourselves – am I worthy of this?   Do I deserve to be happy? I’m a bad person. What do they possibly see in me?   What God sees when He looks at you is His beloved child. Aren’t you tired of living in fear?   Aren’t you tired of settling because somehow you don’t feel worthy of something better? Aren’t you tired of feeling undeserving of love and happiness?   It is time to rise up. Jesus died and was buried in the tomb. He descended into hell and then rose up out of the tomb on the third day. It is time for you to rise out from the tombs of your fears and shame. There will be people who will doubt you, curse you, and reject you, but that is no reason to stay down. Jesus came to free you from all t...

Aren’t you tired of living in fear and anxiety? Aren’t you tired of feeling incompetent or not good enough? It is time to reject those lies. St. Paul went from persecuting the Christians to dying as one. He encountered the Truth, was moved by it, converted, lived the Truth, and was unafraid doing so. He was not afraid because he heard the Lord say to him time and again, “Take courage. I am here with you.” On our own we cannot cast out those fears that control us but with God we can cast out those lying voices that enslave us. We must not back down. We must go forward in Truth.   We must go forward for God is with us. Pray with me, “ Lord, I reject those lies that keep me from living in the freedom you won for me!   I reject the lie that I am not good enough.   I reject the lie that I am unlovable. I know I am loved. Now, teach me to live in Your truth. You say to me, “take courage,” and so I go forward and won’t back down .”

We are called to mission. But before that we first must know who sends us on mission. And to know this person we must have an encounter. The Christian life is a life of encounters - encounter with God and encounters with one another. It is our encounter with God that moves us to encounters with others. Through these rich encounters we cannot but be moved to conversion. And this conversion ultimately propels us into mission - a mission that is journeyed together with Christ by our side as well as Christ as our guide.

Sometimes when people feel there is no way out, they turn inward in despair and hopelessness. Like the guard who felt that the world was crumbling before him when the prisoners were released because of the earthquake, people may turn to self-harm out of despair. The guard may have felt that no one in this world would fight for him and that he was already a dead man, but St. Paul acknowledged him and affirmed him. Everything will be okay. Put the sword down. Talk with me. By this affirmation, the guard encountered the Lord and was moved to conversion. The guard traveled out of despair and into hope, from darkness into light, and from death to life. Let us be an affirming voice for one another.

We have been loved from all eternity. The Lord delights in YOU! It does not matter what you've done or where you've been. His love and delight in you is not dependent on any of those things. Receive His love and delight, and allow Him to transform your life. When you finally experience and feel this infinite and unconditional love of God for you, you can not but be filled with gratitude, moving you to conversion. God's delight and love for you is a transformative gift.

Everything we say and do can be used to bring others to an encounter to the living God. Sometimes it even happens unintentionally (at least on our part!). May all that we say and do (and think) be for the greater glory of God, and the glory of God is man fully alive! Jesus came to give us life to the full, and so let us strive to be living witnesses to this life, who is Christ Himself.

Now is the time to speak up. We must boldly speak Truth in a world that has buried it. The Truth that we have been so loved by the Father who sees us not as our sins or flaws but who loves us as His own children. Now, having been so loved we must speak up and proclaim this Truth and love loudly. It is time to bear witness and bring others to the Father.

"Rise, and do not be afraid." Those were the word Jesus told Peter, James, and John when they witnessed Jesus transfigured before them and the voice of the Father saying, " This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. "  When Jesus first brought Peter, James, and John to the mountain and Peter saw Moses and Elijah, Peter said, "It is good that we are here."  He was so excited and happy that he asked Jesus if He wanted him to build three tents so everyone can stay!  Then a big cloud covered them and the Father said, " This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."   The disciples became scared and fell to the ground.  "But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ' Rise, and do not be afraid. ' And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone." When the disciples experienced the immensity of the Father's power they grew afraid and even fell down. They...

In today's first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (2:36-41), Peter speaks to the Jewish people on the day of Pentecost saying "...God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."  In other words, they have crucified and killed the Lord and the Christ.  The Scriptures tell us that " they were cut to the heart " upon hearing this.  Cut to the heart.  What does that mean? Perhaps we could understand "cut to the heart" as feeling hurt, pain, guilty, remorseful, shocked, or a multitude and combination of related emotions.  It could also have brought emotions of anger.  However, what is more important is how the people chose to respond to this very real emotion they were feeling.  Were their hearts softened?  Hardened? Fortunately some asked Peter, " What are we to do, my brothers? "  That feeling of being cut to the heart moved the peoples' hearts to conversion.  It was most likely the work of the Holy Spirit se...