Reflections of a beloved son

“So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 13:9 Pride is a tricky thing. Is it wrong to be proud of yourself for a job well done? I don’t think so, but if it gets to your head and you begin to look down on people, then I’d say yes. Pride can get in the way of everything that is important to you, relationships being a major one. Pride focuses on the individual and slowly blocks out other people, even God. While we may feel that we are on top of the world because of our accomplishments and achievements, our relationships may be deteriorating, and our hearts may be rotting. This is not to say that accomplishments and achievements are not worth celebrating but if those are what drives our being and all that we do then the important parts of life may be withering. Sometimes we care so much about the bloom of a plant that we neglect what is needed to ensure the continued growth and health of the plant – the roots, the soil, etc. Selfish pride w...

It is the clean of heart that will see God.  What does that mean?  Have you ever felt so disgusted by someone or something because of what they may have done or said that you couldn’t bear to look at them? I know I have.  Those are the moments when I have failed to see God.   You see, seeing God and Christ in others has nothing to do with what they do or say, even if it is the most horrendous or disgusting thing. They and we will have to face the appropriate consequences for our actions and words, but if we have failed to see Christ in the other, it is our problem.  “ Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.”  I have failed to see God in the other because of my tainted heart – my pride, my ego, my jealousy, my envy, my attachment to the world. All people are made in the image and likeness of God, and so no matter what someone may say or do, they remain a child of God, they remain a beloved son or daughter of the Father. Jesus came for the sin...

The story of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus is, in my opinion one that gives hope and strengthens faith.  We are told that Jesus "came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town." But, He stopped when he saw a man who longed to see him so much that he climbed a tree just so that he could see Jesus.  " Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay in your house. "  Now Zacchaeus was a tax a collector, a wealthy man, someone perhaps the people did not like and who they considered a sinner.  But, Jesus chose him among all the others to stay with him.  And, Jesus among all people, decided to stay at a place through which He first only intended to pass.  Jesus stopped for Zacchaeus.  Jesus stops for sinners.  Jesus stops for you. Our Lord stopped for Zacchaeus because He knew it was important for Zacchaeus that He did.  He saw the earnestness and faith of Zacchaeus.  He knew how much Zacchaeus was suffering inside fro...

It's true isn't it?  We sometimes only hear what we want to hear .  If it sounds similar to what I would say, then yes I am all in, "I hear ya."  But if what is offered is criticism , words that are hard to swallow, then "No thank you.  Didn't hear what you said."  Have you ever experienced that? Why is it so hard to listen to, let alone receive, criticism?  I know it's hard for me because it attacks my pride and selfishness .  I want to present myself as perfect , and when someone hints slightly that I am not, I get frozen, unsure how to respond, and do not listen.  In telling me that I was not as good as I believed I was, it attacks my pride; in sharing with me thoughts and ideas I could improve upon, it attacks my selfishness.  I think these two qualities are a dynamic duo, but a bad one, an unhealthy one, one that can lead to fractured relationships and destructive self image .  In today's Gospel reading , Jesus said to the Jewi...

Whether matters small or big, they are all important.   In today's Gospel reading we are told: "Amen I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of the letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." Rules are not always easy to be followed.  Sometimes the more minor a rule or law seems to be, the harder it is to follow.  For example, it is tempting not to come to a complete stop at a STOP sign.  It's very simple but our "go" mentality takes over and say "well, as long as there's no people or car, I'll just tap the brake lightly and coast by."  However, it is important to follow this rule.  It may happen that we get distracted and we accidentally hit a child crossing the street. From a different perspective, tasks whether big or small all contribute to the greater good of the society and of the People of God.  Whether it be sweeping the floor or managing the airport tr...

Pride.  Power.  Position. What is it that drives us and that makes us do the things that we do?  For Joseph's brothers it was jealousy, pride, and hatred that moved them to want to kill him (Gen. 37:3-4).  " When his brothers saw that their father loved him the best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him ."  It was this jealousy and envy that plagued the brothers.  Perhaps it was jealousy that was somewhat "justified."  Favoritism, at least overt favoritism and when outwardly displayed, will always lead to discord and pain.   As wrong as it was for the brothers to act out of jealousy, the father was also in the wrong.  As a father, Israel should have known better than to love one child over the others and to make it so obvious, putting not only the other sons in a jealous state, but also putting Joseph in an awkward position.  Joseph himself may also have taken advantage of this favoritism and failed ...