Ash Wednesday Reflection 2010
by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Joel 2:12-18, Psalm 51, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
www.missionstsergius.org
The first reading for Ash Wednesday is from Joel 2:12-19 and it encourages us with the following words, “The Lord says, Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your heart Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.”
Do not tear your clothing or cover yourself with ashes but tear your hearts instead. What we are being told here is that we need to open ourselves up to being more compassionate and caring. We need to change our ways from being selfish and greedy and open ourselves up toward more generous and forgiving.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. With these words God is telling us, in no uncertain terms, that he is not out to inflict vengeance and condemnation upon us but is very merciful and forgiving. Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners” I understand the last sentence to indicate that as priests of God we should never allow those who do not accept God or Jesus Christ and His teachings to dictate to us how we should think and behave. So many people laugh and talk about what church leaders of all denominations have done or preached in the name of God and remark how that does not seem to be what Christ had to say. I have heard many say about religious leaders “They talk the talk but they do not walk the walk” meaning of course they preach the words but their actions are the exact opposite of the teachings.
If we but begin to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and work to bring about justice and peace to all the people of the earth then we have the following promise from God that; “The Lord’s Promises Restoration, Then the Lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.”
The second reading of the day comes from Matthew 6:16-21 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Again we are promised a reward for living our lives without seeking out special recognition from other and living our life for God’s recognition. The passage goes on further to instruct us on how we should perceive our possessions. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Everything we do in this live should be directed toward our Eternal life and not toward this fleeting existence on this earth. This is brought very clearly to focus when we receive the sign of the cross on our forehead with the words “Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” This life is not an everlasting one, we are here only for a short time and it is what and how we live our life here on earth that will determine how our eternal life will be.
There are so many opportunities to serve God according to Christ’s teachings in this world today. The guide I personally use for what I need to do is found in the Corporal Works of Mercy which tell us to; Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty, Clothe the naked, Shelter the homeless, Visit the sick, Visit those in prison, and Bury the dead. These are the criteria by which God will judge us. We will not be judged by how many rosaries we say or how many times we go to church but by whether or not we practiced these actions for the sake of all God’s children and not just for our own personal recognition.
In Matthew 25:34-39 Christ makes this clear when He tells us “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me, I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
On this Ash Wednesday let us allow the ashes to remind us of the briefness of our time here to build up our heavenly treasure and the frailty of our nature and attempt as much as possible to become a fervent follower of Christ and child of God by our actions in His honor. Let us work fervently to seek a lasting peace and brotherhood between all of God’s children and not be the cause of friction and dissent but of compassion and forgiveness. Let us put our words into action and let our actions speak louder than our words. We are the masters of our destiny here on earth. God has given us the directions all we need to do is follow them. Christ made clear the will of the Father, He clarified the teachings of the Old Testament and gave us the New Covenant now all we have to do is realy live our daily life by it. AMEN
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
God's Love, Greatest Love of All
God’s Love, The Greatest Love of All
A Reflection for Saint Valentines Day
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (1 Corinthians 13:4)
February 14th had always been celebrated by the church for centuries as the day to honor the three Saint Valentine’s but in 1969 it was removed from the church’s official calendar. It is still extremely popular as a commercial holiday set aside to give special recognition to your loved ones.
According to history St. Valentine was a priest in the Roman Empire who helped hide and save persecuted Christians during the reign of Claudius II, was thrown in jail and later beheaded on Feb. 14. There is supposed to be another St. Valentine who was the Catholic bishop of Terni and was also beheaded during the reign of Claudius II. According to some historians there was a third St. Valentine who secretly married couples when marriage was forbidden in Africa and was later beheaded. The one common factor for all the St. Valentines is that they lost their heads over love. Possibly that explains why so many men and women seem to loose their heads when they think they are in love.
There was also a conventional belief in Europe during the middle Ages that birds chose their partners in the middle of February. Thus the day was dedicated to love, and people observed it by writing love letters and sending small gifts to their beloved. Legend has it that Charles, duke of Orleans, sent the first real Valentine card to his wife in 1415, when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. (He, however, was not beheaded, and died a half-century later of old age.)
These words from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians sums up what love really is “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud” It is not the sexual or physical attraction that counts, but the deeper spiritual actions one puts forth toward others. Mother Teresa put it nicely when she would tell people “Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.'' - Mother Teresa
Christ, himself, told us that love was the greatest commandment, Love of God and Love of your neighbor. Today the word love is far too often confused with sex and nothing could be further from the truth. When two people are deeply in love, yes sex is a means of sharing and expressing that love and in the case of heterosexual couples of creating a physical expression of their love in children. But for true love to blossom and bloom there has to be understanding, honesty, trust cooperation and devotion. Both parties have to be willing to give 100% of themselves to the other.
Galatians 5:22 reminds us that love is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and therefore it is a special gift that comes from Almighty God “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness”, (Galatians 5:22) and like all gifts from God it should not be taken lightly but appreciated and used in accordance with God’s intentions. Take special not of the gifts that follow love and its placement as the first gift.
On Saint Valentines day (even though the Roman church no longer celebrates it as a feast day) let us show our love for God’s children by doing more than sending a special greeting to a few friends and lovers, but put into actions that show all our love for God and for all God’s children by voicing our indignation for the actions of governments and individuals who promote hatred, bigotry, discrimination and violence. Let’s speak out in favor of funding for quality affordable health care for all, adequate affordable housing, affordable quality education for every child. “The Lord is waiting for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who seek his help”. (Isaiah 30:17-19) “But love your enemies, do well to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35) these words from Luke even advise us to love our enemies and one way to show that love is to pray for them. Pray that God will open their hearts to find solutions to the things that have caused the discord.
I close this reflection for Valentines Day with this prayer from 2 Thessalonians 2 : 16-17 “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” AMEN
May Almighty God’s infinite and abundant love overflow within your hearts and out onto all those with whom you come in contact with.
Have a Blessed St. Valentines Day.
A Reflection for Saint Valentines Day
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (1 Corinthians 13:4)
February 14th had always been celebrated by the church for centuries as the day to honor the three Saint Valentine’s but in 1969 it was removed from the church’s official calendar. It is still extremely popular as a commercial holiday set aside to give special recognition to your loved ones.
According to history St. Valentine was a priest in the Roman Empire who helped hide and save persecuted Christians during the reign of Claudius II, was thrown in jail and later beheaded on Feb. 14. There is supposed to be another St. Valentine who was the Catholic bishop of Terni and was also beheaded during the reign of Claudius II. According to some historians there was a third St. Valentine who secretly married couples when marriage was forbidden in Africa and was later beheaded. The one common factor for all the St. Valentines is that they lost their heads over love. Possibly that explains why so many men and women seem to loose their heads when they think they are in love.
There was also a conventional belief in Europe during the middle Ages that birds chose their partners in the middle of February. Thus the day was dedicated to love, and people observed it by writing love letters and sending small gifts to their beloved. Legend has it that Charles, duke of Orleans, sent the first real Valentine card to his wife in 1415, when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. (He, however, was not beheaded, and died a half-century later of old age.)
These words from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians sums up what love really is “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud” It is not the sexual or physical attraction that counts, but the deeper spiritual actions one puts forth toward others. Mother Teresa put it nicely when she would tell people “Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.'' - Mother Teresa
Christ, himself, told us that love was the greatest commandment, Love of God and Love of your neighbor. Today the word love is far too often confused with sex and nothing could be further from the truth. When two people are deeply in love, yes sex is a means of sharing and expressing that love and in the case of heterosexual couples of creating a physical expression of their love in children. But for true love to blossom and bloom there has to be understanding, honesty, trust cooperation and devotion. Both parties have to be willing to give 100% of themselves to the other.
Galatians 5:22 reminds us that love is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and therefore it is a special gift that comes from Almighty God “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness”, (Galatians 5:22) and like all gifts from God it should not be taken lightly but appreciated and used in accordance with God’s intentions. Take special not of the gifts that follow love and its placement as the first gift.
On Saint Valentines day (even though the Roman church no longer celebrates it as a feast day) let us show our love for God’s children by doing more than sending a special greeting to a few friends and lovers, but put into actions that show all our love for God and for all God’s children by voicing our indignation for the actions of governments and individuals who promote hatred, bigotry, discrimination and violence. Let’s speak out in favor of funding for quality affordable health care for all, adequate affordable housing, affordable quality education for every child. “The Lord is waiting for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who seek his help”. (Isaiah 30:17-19) “But love your enemies, do well to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35) these words from Luke even advise us to love our enemies and one way to show that love is to pray for them. Pray that God will open their hearts to find solutions to the things that have caused the discord.
I close this reflection for Valentines Day with this prayer from 2 Thessalonians 2 : 16-17 “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” AMEN
May Almighty God’s infinite and abundant love overflow within your hearts and out onto all those with whom you come in contact with.
Have a Blessed St. Valentines Day.
Friday, January 1, 2010
A New Decade Reflection
A New You In the New Decade
A Reflection for the New Year and New Decade by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus / Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
In the movie and Broadway musical “La Cage aux Folles” which focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a nightclub featuring female impersonator entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction. Albin has a scene where he is sitting in front of a mirror and sings a song which begins with these words; “I am what I am I am my own special creation. So come take a look”. The song ends with these words; “There’s one life, and there's no return and no deposit; One life, so it's time to open up your closet. Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, hey world, I am what I am!"
I wonder how often we, as Christians or any other religious denominations of just simple folk take a good hard look in the mirror of our life and admit to whom they really are.
I thought that we, as Christians, might want to begin this new Decade by checking ourselves out in the mirror of life and looking at the reflection that is staring back at us.
In the book of Exodus of the Old Testament when Moses asks who it is that is speaking to him a voice replies; "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14) In the Hebrew or Aramaic language the word is; אהיה אשר אהיה, pronounced Ehyeh asher ehyeh which is the common English translation of the response God used when Moses asked for His name. It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah Hayah means "existed" or "was" in Hebrew; "ehyeh" is the first person singular imperfect form. Ehyeh asher ehyeh is generally interpreted to mean I am that I am, though it more literally translates as "I-shall-be that I-shall-be."
My thoughts today have to deal with the concept that every one of us need to face that mirror and look deeply at the reflections asking ourselves , “Who we really are” and while we are at it we also need to as ourselves ; “Do I see God within me and do I reflect God to others by my actions?”
Do you see, in your reflection, the infinite and everlasting mercy and love of Christ being cast back at you?
If there are streaks or spots on your reflection, what is it that is causing those distortions?
Possibly, it is because you are not very open to accepting yourself as God created you with your gifts as well as your imperfections. Perhaps you do not accept how God created you with your sexual orientation or your height, eye color, hair color or other natural and biological parts.
Maybe you spend too much time thinking about yourself and your needs instead of finding out how you can reach out and help others less fortunate than you.
One thing that can cause distortions in you reflection is the distance you put between you and Almighty God. You say you believe in God and you do call on him when times are tough but you do not take time every day to talk with him like your best friend and give Him thanks for all he has given you.
There is of course those times when you can see a figure that is dark and foreboding and frightens you.
That of course is the evil which has been able to penetrate your inner self through temptation and a loss of your love and trust in God.
The reflection you see might be a beautiful luminescent image that seems to glow from within which is the reflection of God and the Holy Spirit abiding within you.
Each of us needs to take a good hard look at ourselves in that mirror of our life and see the real us. Just as Albin does in La Cage aux Folles we need to feel proud of who we are and what we are because we are who God created us as.
Ask, “Do I reflect the infinite love and mercy of Jesus Christ to all I encounter on my life journey?
Do I live in a way that would prompt God to praise me as “My good and faithful servant”?
We are honest with ourselves what we see in that reflection is how others see you.
Sure we have faults and have made mistakes, after all we are human and not perfect as only God is perfect, but if we strive to be kind, generous, thoughtful, forgiving, and not discriminate against any of God’s children, even those with whom you disagree, you are well on the way to seeing Christ in your reflection and others will see the God within you.
Christ’s life and example has shown us that to live as He instructed would not be easy. We might be ridiculed and rejected and even have to suffer in order to be truthful and live according to God’s will.
God has given us a source of strength in the gifts bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit; Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
The secret, for us, is to seek them out and ask God for them.
Everyone needs to know who the real us is, just like Moses needed to know who was telling him what to do and the people of Israel would want to know from Moses who the commandments came from. No matter what role we play in our daily life, we need to allow people to see and know the real person otherwise they are following a false image.
How often have we been devastated when a person we believed in and trusted turned out to be other than what we thought? In the last decade, we have seen many instances of that. Politicians, Church leaders, government officials, bankers, investment specialists all have turned out to be other than what they seemed to be. Because of that, many people were hurt and devastated.
I know I am far from perfect and have made many mistakes in my life and hopefully I have learned from them and used them to become a better person. I never intentionally sought to hurt anyone and if I did, I have tried to make amends or at least asked forgiveness. As I have said before, God did not make us perfect but He does expect us to try to achieve that state of being.
The saints are those who have achieved that state of being or have came the closest like St. Francis, Mother Therese of Calcutta, Brother Roger of Taize, even though he is not an official Saint, he was highly respected by all the religious denominations who sent representatives to his funeral.
Like Albin in the musical we need to be able to proudly say; “Hey world, I am what I am!" with this added to it; “I am who God created me as and I love who I am and I love God”
In closing, I would like to share with you a prayer I offer to God every day;
Prayer to The Holy Spirit
By Father Robert Johnnene OFA
O Most Holy Spirit, merciful Comforter; Come, I beseech You, and take up abode in my heart. Let my weaknesses be penetrated with your strength, so that I may always do what is right and just. Fill my heart with charity toward all I encounter.
Enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts. Purify and cleanse me of all sin and sanctify my soul, protecting and shielding me from the temptations that plague me. Make me truly humble that I may be pleasing to Almighty God.
Instill within me an honest respect of Almighty God and all of his creations.
Assist me to becoming an instrument of God's Word to all I encounter.
Give to me the gift of Wisdom to know and live according to God’s will.
By your gifts, help me to live a holy life and grow in the everlasting love of Christ so that I may join with all the heavenly elect when my days here on earth are ended.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior, who lives and reigns with you our creator God, now and forever. AMEN
A Reflection for the New Year and New Decade by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus / Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
In the movie and Broadway musical “La Cage aux Folles” which focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a nightclub featuring female impersonator entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction. Albin has a scene where he is sitting in front of a mirror and sings a song which begins with these words; “I am what I am I am my own special creation. So come take a look”. The song ends with these words; “There’s one life, and there's no return and no deposit; One life, so it's time to open up your closet. Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, hey world, I am what I am!"
I wonder how often we, as Christians or any other religious denominations of just simple folk take a good hard look in the mirror of our life and admit to whom they really are.
I thought that we, as Christians, might want to begin this new Decade by checking ourselves out in the mirror of life and looking at the reflection that is staring back at us.
In the book of Exodus of the Old Testament when Moses asks who it is that is speaking to him a voice replies; "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14) In the Hebrew or Aramaic language the word is; אהיה אשר אהיה, pronounced Ehyeh asher ehyeh which is the common English translation of the response God used when Moses asked for His name. It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah Hayah means "existed" or "was" in Hebrew; "ehyeh" is the first person singular imperfect form. Ehyeh asher ehyeh is generally interpreted to mean I am that I am, though it more literally translates as "I-shall-be that I-shall-be."
My thoughts today have to deal with the concept that every one of us need to face that mirror and look deeply at the reflections asking ourselves , “Who we really are” and while we are at it we also need to as ourselves ; “Do I see God within me and do I reflect God to others by my actions?”
Do you see, in your reflection, the infinite and everlasting mercy and love of Christ being cast back at you?
If there are streaks or spots on your reflection, what is it that is causing those distortions?
Possibly, it is because you are not very open to accepting yourself as God created you with your gifts as well as your imperfections. Perhaps you do not accept how God created you with your sexual orientation or your height, eye color, hair color or other natural and biological parts.
Maybe you spend too much time thinking about yourself and your needs instead of finding out how you can reach out and help others less fortunate than you.
One thing that can cause distortions in you reflection is the distance you put between you and Almighty God. You say you believe in God and you do call on him when times are tough but you do not take time every day to talk with him like your best friend and give Him thanks for all he has given you.
There is of course those times when you can see a figure that is dark and foreboding and frightens you.
That of course is the evil which has been able to penetrate your inner self through temptation and a loss of your love and trust in God.
The reflection you see might be a beautiful luminescent image that seems to glow from within which is the reflection of God and the Holy Spirit abiding within you.
Each of us needs to take a good hard look at ourselves in that mirror of our life and see the real us. Just as Albin does in La Cage aux Folles we need to feel proud of who we are and what we are because we are who God created us as.
Ask, “Do I reflect the infinite love and mercy of Jesus Christ to all I encounter on my life journey?
Do I live in a way that would prompt God to praise me as “My good and faithful servant”?
We are honest with ourselves what we see in that reflection is how others see you.
Sure we have faults and have made mistakes, after all we are human and not perfect as only God is perfect, but if we strive to be kind, generous, thoughtful, forgiving, and not discriminate against any of God’s children, even those with whom you disagree, you are well on the way to seeing Christ in your reflection and others will see the God within you.
Christ’s life and example has shown us that to live as He instructed would not be easy. We might be ridiculed and rejected and even have to suffer in order to be truthful and live according to God’s will.
God has given us a source of strength in the gifts bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit; Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
The secret, for us, is to seek them out and ask God for them.
Everyone needs to know who the real us is, just like Moses needed to know who was telling him what to do and the people of Israel would want to know from Moses who the commandments came from. No matter what role we play in our daily life, we need to allow people to see and know the real person otherwise they are following a false image.
How often have we been devastated when a person we believed in and trusted turned out to be other than what we thought? In the last decade, we have seen many instances of that. Politicians, Church leaders, government officials, bankers, investment specialists all have turned out to be other than what they seemed to be. Because of that, many people were hurt and devastated.
I know I am far from perfect and have made many mistakes in my life and hopefully I have learned from them and used them to become a better person. I never intentionally sought to hurt anyone and if I did, I have tried to make amends or at least asked forgiveness. As I have said before, God did not make us perfect but He does expect us to try to achieve that state of being.
The saints are those who have achieved that state of being or have came the closest like St. Francis, Mother Therese of Calcutta, Brother Roger of Taize, even though he is not an official Saint, he was highly respected by all the religious denominations who sent representatives to his funeral.
Like Albin in the musical we need to be able to proudly say; “Hey world, I am what I am!" with this added to it; “I am who God created me as and I love who I am and I love God”
In closing, I would like to share with you a prayer I offer to God every day;
Prayer to The Holy Spirit
By Father Robert Johnnene OFA
O Most Holy Spirit, merciful Comforter; Come, I beseech You, and take up abode in my heart. Let my weaknesses be penetrated with your strength, so that I may always do what is right and just. Fill my heart with charity toward all I encounter.
Enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts. Purify and cleanse me of all sin and sanctify my soul, protecting and shielding me from the temptations that plague me. Make me truly humble that I may be pleasing to Almighty God.
Instill within me an honest respect of Almighty God and all of his creations.
Assist me to becoming an instrument of God's Word to all I encounter.
Give to me the gift of Wisdom to know and live according to God’s will.
By your gifts, help me to live a holy life and grow in the everlasting love of Christ so that I may join with all the heavenly elect when my days here on earth are ended.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior, who lives and reigns with you our creator God, now and forever. AMEN
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A New Year Reflection
Decade 1 of the 21st Century is Over
A Reflection by Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
On Friday we begin the second decade of the Twenty First Century and my questions are: “IS THE WORLD BETTER TODAY THAN IT WAS ON DECEMBER 31, 1999?”
Looking back I am sorry to say, “I do not think we have learned anything” since we still have wars raging, people are starving and homeless, discrimination still exists, and in actuality more people are out of work than on December 31st 1999. The economy is in worse condition. Unbelievable scandals still continue to come to the surface concerning those who we expect to be leaders in Government and Religion.
As I was growing up I was taught that it was alright to commit a mistake as long as you learned from it and never did it again. So what exactly has happened since I was a youth?
People continue to make the same mistakes over and over again century after century.
After centuries we still think we can win a dispute by going to war and killing innocent people.
People still resort to violence rather than sitting down and finding a resolution that both parties can live with.
People still distinguish and judge people on what nationality, religion, race or sexual orientation and feel comfortable excluding people for one of those reasons rather than be welcoming.
Being Inhospitality was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah
Since before the time of Christ people used their wealth and political and Religious positions to subjugate others and laud themselves over those they should have been taking care of. Christ taught about this many times. There are the stories of the Good Samaritan, The money changers in the temple, the Widow who gave her last cent, and my favorite The Sermon on the Mount where He tells us how we should live.
The first reading for New Years Day from Numbers instructs us on how to greet people “You shall say to them: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.” We received a direction of living our life in accordance with the teachings of Christ and therefore Almighty God. So why do we find this so difficult?
As if to reinforce the truth, that we have all been chosen by God as his children and therefore heirs to the kingdom of heaven we have the words from the second reading found in Galatians 4: “The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a child of God, you are not a slave any more; and if God has made you His child, then he has made you heir.”
The Gospel tell us that the name chosen for the child was not a family mane but that it was given to the infant according to the instructions Mary received from the Angel Gabriel. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception. "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:22
The western church celebrates the motherhood of Mary, “the Theotokos” in Greek meaning mother of God. There should be no doubt in anyone mind that Jesus is the promised one of the ages and as such we need to heed the things He has instructed us to do.
We also have to keep in mind that through the centuries many things have been added to what Jesus instructed, mainly for the purpose of gaining power and wealth. Those things have very little to do with living our life according to God’s will. Celibacy of clergy was an idea that came many years after Christ, the early church had women deacons, the early church blessed same sex commitment ceremonies, liturgies were celebrated in the language of the people. These are just some of the things that churches enforce that were not defined by Christ.
All the grandeur, splendor, pomp and circumstance that is associated with some churches fly in the face of what Christ taught. By His birth in a simple manger alone; Christ gave us a lesson that He came to give hope and promise to all and that the poor and needy where more acceptable than the rich and powerful. “Do unto others as you would have done unto you” this teaching should cause us to think about how we treat others and is it the same way that we would want to be treated?
Jesus Christ came to earth to save us, to open up the gates of heaven to all people. Almighty God sent us His son in human form to teach us the truth, to lead us in the path of righteousness, and to gain for us eternal salvation.
As we begin a New Year and a New Decade let us make a new beginning in our relationship with Almighty God through His beloved Son, Jesus the Christ.
Let us vow to make the changes necessary in our lives so that we come closer to God in all that we do. Let us set aside time each and every day to acknowledge God and ask His help in making us a better and newer person.
Let us examine way that we can actively make a difference by our actions and deeds. Can we be more compassionate toward those who are suffering from poverty, hunger, homelessness and serious illness? Can we do more to support the spreading of the Good News of Salvation preached by Jesus Christ? Can we make time in our schedules to pray and communicate with God and give him some of our time?
As the sports adage says; “The ball is in our court” how are we going to play it?
May the New Decade and the New Year bring peace to the hearts and minds of all people,
May the wisdom of God infuse the inner being of all, especially the leaders of the worlds governments and religions so that they find a pathway to peace and unity and bring about the promise of The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. May we all work to change the way we do things and may we actually learn from the mistakes of the past and move forward in a new direction to bring about unity, compassion, charity and peace to all God’s children throughout the world. AMEN
All Materials are copywriten (c) Franciscans of Divine Mercy
A Reflection by Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
On Friday we begin the second decade of the Twenty First Century and my questions are: “IS THE WORLD BETTER TODAY THAN IT WAS ON DECEMBER 31, 1999?”
Looking back I am sorry to say, “I do not think we have learned anything” since we still have wars raging, people are starving and homeless, discrimination still exists, and in actuality more people are out of work than on December 31st 1999. The economy is in worse condition. Unbelievable scandals still continue to come to the surface concerning those who we expect to be leaders in Government and Religion.
As I was growing up I was taught that it was alright to commit a mistake as long as you learned from it and never did it again. So what exactly has happened since I was a youth?
People continue to make the same mistakes over and over again century after century.
After centuries we still think we can win a dispute by going to war and killing innocent people.
People still resort to violence rather than sitting down and finding a resolution that both parties can live with.
People still distinguish and judge people on what nationality, religion, race or sexual orientation and feel comfortable excluding people for one of those reasons rather than be welcoming.
Being Inhospitality was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah
Since before the time of Christ people used their wealth and political and Religious positions to subjugate others and laud themselves over those they should have been taking care of. Christ taught about this many times. There are the stories of the Good Samaritan, The money changers in the temple, the Widow who gave her last cent, and my favorite The Sermon on the Mount where He tells us how we should live.
The first reading for New Years Day from Numbers instructs us on how to greet people “You shall say to them: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.” We received a direction of living our life in accordance with the teachings of Christ and therefore Almighty God. So why do we find this so difficult?
As if to reinforce the truth, that we have all been chosen by God as his children and therefore heirs to the kingdom of heaven we have the words from the second reading found in Galatians 4: “The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a child of God, you are not a slave any more; and if God has made you His child, then he has made you heir.”
The Gospel tell us that the name chosen for the child was not a family mane but that it was given to the infant according to the instructions Mary received from the Angel Gabriel. When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception. "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:22
The western church celebrates the motherhood of Mary, “the Theotokos” in Greek meaning mother of God. There should be no doubt in anyone mind that Jesus is the promised one of the ages and as such we need to heed the things He has instructed us to do.
We also have to keep in mind that through the centuries many things have been added to what Jesus instructed, mainly for the purpose of gaining power and wealth. Those things have very little to do with living our life according to God’s will. Celibacy of clergy was an idea that came many years after Christ, the early church had women deacons, the early church blessed same sex commitment ceremonies, liturgies were celebrated in the language of the people. These are just some of the things that churches enforce that were not defined by Christ.
All the grandeur, splendor, pomp and circumstance that is associated with some churches fly in the face of what Christ taught. By His birth in a simple manger alone; Christ gave us a lesson that He came to give hope and promise to all and that the poor and needy where more acceptable than the rich and powerful. “Do unto others as you would have done unto you” this teaching should cause us to think about how we treat others and is it the same way that we would want to be treated?
Jesus Christ came to earth to save us, to open up the gates of heaven to all people. Almighty God sent us His son in human form to teach us the truth, to lead us in the path of righteousness, and to gain for us eternal salvation.
As we begin a New Year and a New Decade let us make a new beginning in our relationship with Almighty God through His beloved Son, Jesus the Christ.
Let us vow to make the changes necessary in our lives so that we come closer to God in all that we do. Let us set aside time each and every day to acknowledge God and ask His help in making us a better and newer person.
Let us examine way that we can actively make a difference by our actions and deeds. Can we be more compassionate toward those who are suffering from poverty, hunger, homelessness and serious illness? Can we do more to support the spreading of the Good News of Salvation preached by Jesus Christ? Can we make time in our schedules to pray and communicate with God and give him some of our time?
As the sports adage says; “The ball is in our court” how are we going to play it?
May the New Decade and the New Year bring peace to the hearts and minds of all people,
May the wisdom of God infuse the inner being of all, especially the leaders of the worlds governments and religions so that they find a pathway to peace and unity and bring about the promise of The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. May we all work to change the way we do things and may we actually learn from the mistakes of the past and move forward in a new direction to bring about unity, compassion, charity and peace to all God’s children throughout the world. AMEN
All Materials are copywriten (c) Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Friday, December 25, 2009
Reflection for Feast of Holy Family
Feast of Holy Family
A Reflection by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
In his homily for the feast of The Holy Family Father Thomas Rosica, CSB of Toronto begins this way; “In the afterglow of Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family. This weekend we are invited to reflect on the gift and mystery of life and the blessing of family life in particular. In Luke's Gospel we read the story of how Christ astounded the priests of the Temple when he was but a young boy. He had stayed behind after Joseph and Mary left to return home. When they discovered Jesus missing from the caravan, they returned to the templeto find him with the chief priests who were astounded by His knowledge. (Luke 2:41-52).
The reading from Colossians 3:12-17 instructs us with these words; “You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
I agree with Father Rosica that the readings do raise several questions for us and I believe them to be these; how are we, as followers of Christ’s teachings living those teachings? How do we treat those children of God that we encounter daily on our life journey? Do we discriminate against some of God’s children because we feel they do not conform to our way of life, are a different color, race, nationality or sexual orientation than we are?
That word made flesh, the light of the world, was Jesus Christ and he made it quite clear as to how we should live our lives in order to please the Father/Creator who sent him. We needed to; “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, body and soul and love your neighbor as you love yourself” “Love one another as I have loved you” was what Christ taught us and he also made it quite clear exactly who our neighbor was in His parable of THE GOOD SAMARATON. Our neighbor is everyone on the planet regardless of race, nationality, sexual orientation, married or single.
If we are to be true followers of Christ we need to treat all people alike and treat them with dignity and respect. We need to stop aggression and greed. We need to put an end to poverty and care for the sick, aged, and poor.
We need to educate all the children of the world and proclaim and acknowledge God by what ever name. Every person in this world is a part of the Family of God.
The Holy Family is the example of how families should be. Mary was the Theotokos, (God bearer) Joseph the descendant of David and earthly father of the Christ child was a faithful follower of the Jewish faith and a firm believer in the creator/God and accepted God’s will even though he knew he might be scorned for having “sired” a child without being married to Mary. Joseph heeded the messengers of God who came to him twice without question but with faith.
As the words in that wonderful Sister Sledge song WE ARE FAMILY say; “We are family I got all my sisters and brothers with me. We are family …. Have faith in you and the things you do. You won't go wrong.
On this feast of the Holy Family let us realize that we, every man, woman and child on the face of the earth is a part of the family of God. Let us strive to live together in harmony and peace. Let us seek ways to end injustice, poverty, homelessness, addiction, war and begin to care for one another as Christ cared for all He encountered.
AMEN
A Reflection by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
In his homily for the feast of The Holy Family Father Thomas Rosica, CSB of Toronto begins this way; “In the afterglow of Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family. This weekend we are invited to reflect on the gift and mystery of life and the blessing of family life in particular. In Luke's Gospel we read the story of how Christ astounded the priests of the Temple when he was but a young boy. He had stayed behind after Joseph and Mary left to return home. When they discovered Jesus missing from the caravan, they returned to the templeto find him with the chief priests who were astounded by His knowledge. (Luke 2:41-52).
The reading from Colossians 3:12-17 instructs us with these words; “You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
I agree with Father Rosica that the readings do raise several questions for us and I believe them to be these; how are we, as followers of Christ’s teachings living those teachings? How do we treat those children of God that we encounter daily on our life journey? Do we discriminate against some of God’s children because we feel they do not conform to our way of life, are a different color, race, nationality or sexual orientation than we are?
That word made flesh, the light of the world, was Jesus Christ and he made it quite clear as to how we should live our lives in order to please the Father/Creator who sent him. We needed to; “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, body and soul and love your neighbor as you love yourself” “Love one another as I have loved you” was what Christ taught us and he also made it quite clear exactly who our neighbor was in His parable of THE GOOD SAMARATON. Our neighbor is everyone on the planet regardless of race, nationality, sexual orientation, married or single.
If we are to be true followers of Christ we need to treat all people alike and treat them with dignity and respect. We need to stop aggression and greed. We need to put an end to poverty and care for the sick, aged, and poor.
We need to educate all the children of the world and proclaim and acknowledge God by what ever name. Every person in this world is a part of the Family of God.
The Holy Family is the example of how families should be. Mary was the Theotokos, (God bearer) Joseph the descendant of David and earthly father of the Christ child was a faithful follower of the Jewish faith and a firm believer in the creator/God and accepted God’s will even though he knew he might be scorned for having “sired” a child without being married to Mary. Joseph heeded the messengers of God who came to him twice without question but with faith.
As the words in that wonderful Sister Sledge song WE ARE FAMILY say; “We are family I got all my sisters and brothers with me. We are family …. Have faith in you and the things you do. You won't go wrong.
On this feast of the Holy Family let us realize that we, every man, woman and child on the face of the earth is a part of the family of God. Let us strive to live together in harmony and peace. Let us seek ways to end injustice, poverty, homelessness, addiction, war and begin to care for one another as Christ cared for all He encountered.
AMEN
Monday, December 7, 2009
Mary, A Lesson on Trusting in God
Mary, A Lesson on Trusting In God
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD,
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
Email: Mission_St_Sergius@msn.com
The Feast of The Immaculate Conception celebrates Our Lady‘s complete trust in Almighty God. We celebrate God’s greatest gift to humankind, His beloved son Jesus Christ, and the fact that God decided that Mary would be free of original sin that the rest of humankind is prone to so that she would be a pure vessel for Christ to be conceived in by the Holy Spirit and nurtured to human life for nine months.
When the Angel Gabriel, informed her that God had chosen her to bear the promised of the ages with these words "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:29-35. Mary asked; “How can this be, for I know not man?. "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
This fulfilled the promise from God when He drove Satan from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:14-16 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” and in Isaiah 11: 1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse: from his roots a branch will bear fruit.”.
What faith in God Mary must have had to accept this message. After all, the punishment for having a sexual relation without being married was to be stoned to death as an adulteress.
Mary’s response to Gabriel’s message was “Let it be done to me according to God’s will” Luke 1:38
In our daily live we are often faced with challenges or situations where we have great apprehension do we respond to them with “Let it be done to me according to God’s will” as Mary did or do we gross and complain because things are difficult.?
What went through Our Blessed Mothers mind when Simeon told her "A sword will pierce your own soul too." Luke 2: 34-35 I think if I had been told this, I would run away rather than face a future filled with suffering.
Mary was an example on how we should respond to the challenges God sends us because, as we have seen from how this story turned out, God will also give us the tools to deal with the problems he sends.
Mary placed her trust in the message of Gabriel as we should also in our life. We need to seek God in prayer and putting our trust in God will for us.
When we we do this we come through our difficulties alright.
Even Jesus, when faced with what was about to happen after His entry into Jerusalem cried out to God "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." Matthew 26:41-43
On Dec. 8th, 1957 I could not fall asleep because of thoughts flashing through my mind, I finally got up and wrote down what I was thinking and went to fall into a peaceful and deep sleep. Upon awakening the following day I noticed a paper with writing on it. After reading it I thought, “My mother will like this” and mailed it off to her. 30 years later, after mom passed on, I found the original paper I had written that night. I end this reflection with the words I wrote that Dec. 8th 1957 which I have called A Sinners Prayer.
A SINNER’S PRAYER
Written in 1957 By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
O, Mary Immaculate, virgin so fair, mother of Our Savior, please hear my prayer.
Intercede, dearest mother, to your heavenly son.
Tell Him I am truly sorry for all the wrongs and sins I have done.
Ask Him to guide me, by the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, in all of my ways
So that I might give Him honor, glory and praise with all the Heavenly elect when I come to the end of my earthly days. AMEN
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD,
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionstsergius.org
Email: Mission_St_Sergius@msn.com
The Feast of The Immaculate Conception celebrates Our Lady‘s complete trust in Almighty God. We celebrate God’s greatest gift to humankind, His beloved son Jesus Christ, and the fact that God decided that Mary would be free of original sin that the rest of humankind is prone to so that she would be a pure vessel for Christ to be conceived in by the Holy Spirit and nurtured to human life for nine months.
When the Angel Gabriel, informed her that God had chosen her to bear the promised of the ages with these words "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:29-35. Mary asked; “How can this be, for I know not man?. "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
This fulfilled the promise from God when He drove Satan from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:14-16 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” and in Isaiah 11: 1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse: from his roots a branch will bear fruit.”.
What faith in God Mary must have had to accept this message. After all, the punishment for having a sexual relation without being married was to be stoned to death as an adulteress.
Mary’s response to Gabriel’s message was “Let it be done to me according to God’s will” Luke 1:38
In our daily live we are often faced with challenges or situations where we have great apprehension do we respond to them with “Let it be done to me according to God’s will” as Mary did or do we gross and complain because things are difficult.?
What went through Our Blessed Mothers mind when Simeon told her "A sword will pierce your own soul too." Luke 2: 34-35 I think if I had been told this, I would run away rather than face a future filled with suffering.
Mary was an example on how we should respond to the challenges God sends us because, as we have seen from how this story turned out, God will also give us the tools to deal with the problems he sends.
Mary placed her trust in the message of Gabriel as we should also in our life. We need to seek God in prayer and putting our trust in God will for us.
When we we do this we come through our difficulties alright.
Even Jesus, when faced with what was about to happen after His entry into Jerusalem cried out to God "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." Matthew 26:41-43
On Dec. 8th, 1957 I could not fall asleep because of thoughts flashing through my mind, I finally got up and wrote down what I was thinking and went to fall into a peaceful and deep sleep. Upon awakening the following day I noticed a paper with writing on it. After reading it I thought, “My mother will like this” and mailed it off to her. 30 years later, after mom passed on, I found the original paper I had written that night. I end this reflection with the words I wrote that Dec. 8th 1957 which I have called A Sinners Prayer.
A SINNER’S PRAYER
Written in 1957 By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
O, Mary Immaculate, virgin so fair, mother of Our Savior, please hear my prayer.
Intercede, dearest mother, to your heavenly son.
Tell Him I am truly sorry for all the wrongs and sins I have done.
Ask Him to guide me, by the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, in all of my ways
So that I might give Him honor, glory and praise with all the Heavenly elect when I come to the end of my earthly days. AMEN
Friday, December 4, 2009
Second Sunday of Advent Reflection
A Time of Preparing, A Reflection for Second Sunday of Advent 2009
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD, Pastor Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionStSergius.org
The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday and I personally believe that it is a very appropriate name but not for the reasons that it was coined. I feel it is appropriate because it begins a time when people are more concerned with the commercial aspects of Christmas rather than the true meaning of the word. Christmas is really a conjunction of Christ and Mass
The word Christmas comes from "Cristes Maesse", an early English phrase that means "Mass of Christ and the word "Mass" in religious usage means a "death sacrifice." The first recorded celebration of the birth of Christ was about 200 AD and the choice of the date was more to placate pagans and have a celebration that coincided with the Winter Solstice.
Christmas is really the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ who would become the ultimate and final sacrifice.
What is missing these days is the reason for Christmas. The birth of Jesus Christ who became the ultimate sacrifice or “Mass” for the forgiveness of our sins and to open the doors of heaven to all people.
Today we find most people are centered on shopping for the perfect Christmas gift, decorating their home with lights and trimming, and planning parties. The season of Advent is supposed to be a time when Christians focus on the promises Christ made to us and examine themselves as to how they are living in accord with the guidelines Christ gave us.
The word Advent comes from the Latin “Adventus” which means coming or arrival.
The Aramaic word is “Marantha” which means “The Lord Cometh”. So, in essence, it means to look forward to the Coming of our Savior. The word also has roots from the Latin “Ad” meaning to or toward and “Veni” meaning to come.
The season is one of expectation and anticipation of something that is to happen in the future.
The Gospel reading for this second Sunday of Advent has the foretelling words of the Prophet Isaiah “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
The redeemer promised by Isaiah would be one that made all things right by becoming the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humans. Because of Christ’s sacrifice we have the ability to have our sins (mistakes) forgiven and we have the right to the ultimate gift from God, eternal life.
My question is; “Are we living our lives “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready)- the Coast Guard's motto?
When Christ was asked when the He will come to claim His kingdom. His answer was “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father” (MATTHEW 24:35-37)
If we never know when we will have to face the Lord isn’t it wise to always be prepared?
All around us today we see the forces of evil using the same tools that Satan used from the beginning of time to challenge God‘s dominion. Satan tempted Adam and Eve with it "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (GENESIS 3:4-6).
The Devil even tempted Christ “the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." (MATTHEW 4:8-9)
Satan’s tool of temptation is “GREED“, The desire for power, fame, wealth and superiority.
Just this last week we saw two people sneak into a State Dinner so that they could mingle with the rich and famous and get publicity.
Every ad for Black Friday has featured luxury things that one can have but no where did I see ads for feeding the poor, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick or being a companion to the lonely and aged.
People want to accumulate more wealth, far in excess of what they need for everyday needs, because it is perceived as success. Even some Religious Institutions have compromised the basic teachings of Jesus Christ in order to attain power and wealth.
Children are starving and dying all over the world because of poverty and wars while millions of food is wasted and thrown in the garbage and trillions of dollars are spent to wage war.
The time is now for us to begin to place Christ at the center of our lives, to put the real meaning of Christmas back into the holiday for without CHRIST there is no Christmas.
Let us truly prepare ourselves by asking God for forgiveness of our failure to live according to His teachings. Let us be more mindful of the needs of others by contributing to charitable organizations and return a portion of God’s gifts to us by supporting ministries that proclaim Christ’s message of infinite and everlasting mercy, forgiveness and love for all His children. I leave you with the following prayer.
An Advent Prayer
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as a part of my service of the Lord who enlists me in God’s work for justice.
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me a joyful response to the Father’s joy. I seek His will so I can serve Him with gladness and love.
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me the love and peace that is a rightful gift to bring to the manger of Our Savior. Raise in me an honest reverence for God and a honest gratitude for His gift of His son to the world.
Come, Long expected Jesus. Fill me with your peace and guide me in my service to you as I attempt to live according to your teaching.
Come, Long expected Jesus. Strengthen me so that I may be your instrument of bringing peace and harmony to all I encounter on my daily journey through life.
I ask these things in your name Jesus as you live and reign with the Father, Almighty God, and the Holy Spirit as one God, now and forever unto the ages of ages. AMEN
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All Materials are copywriten (c) Franciscans of Divine Mercy
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD, Pastor Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.missionStSergius.org
The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday and I personally believe that it is a very appropriate name but not for the reasons that it was coined. I feel it is appropriate because it begins a time when people are more concerned with the commercial aspects of Christmas rather than the true meaning of the word. Christmas is really a conjunction of Christ and Mass
The word Christmas comes from "Cristes Maesse", an early English phrase that means "Mass of Christ and the word "Mass" in religious usage means a "death sacrifice." The first recorded celebration of the birth of Christ was about 200 AD and the choice of the date was more to placate pagans and have a celebration that coincided with the Winter Solstice.
Christmas is really the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ who would become the ultimate and final sacrifice.
What is missing these days is the reason for Christmas. The birth of Jesus Christ who became the ultimate sacrifice or “Mass” for the forgiveness of our sins and to open the doors of heaven to all people.
Today we find most people are centered on shopping for the perfect Christmas gift, decorating their home with lights and trimming, and planning parties. The season of Advent is supposed to be a time when Christians focus on the promises Christ made to us and examine themselves as to how they are living in accord with the guidelines Christ gave us.
The word Advent comes from the Latin “Adventus” which means coming or arrival.
The Aramaic word is “Marantha” which means “The Lord Cometh”. So, in essence, it means to look forward to the Coming of our Savior. The word also has roots from the Latin “Ad” meaning to or toward and “Veni” meaning to come.
The season is one of expectation and anticipation of something that is to happen in the future.
The Gospel reading for this second Sunday of Advent has the foretelling words of the Prophet Isaiah “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
The redeemer promised by Isaiah would be one that made all things right by becoming the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humans. Because of Christ’s sacrifice we have the ability to have our sins (mistakes) forgiven and we have the right to the ultimate gift from God, eternal life.
My question is; “Are we living our lives “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready)- the Coast Guard's motto?
When Christ was asked when the He will come to claim His kingdom. His answer was “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father” (MATTHEW 24:35-37)
If we never know when we will have to face the Lord isn’t it wise to always be prepared?
All around us today we see the forces of evil using the same tools that Satan used from the beginning of time to challenge God‘s dominion. Satan tempted Adam and Eve with it "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (GENESIS 3:4-6).
The Devil even tempted Christ “the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." (MATTHEW 4:8-9)
Satan’s tool of temptation is “GREED“, The desire for power, fame, wealth and superiority.
Just this last week we saw two people sneak into a State Dinner so that they could mingle with the rich and famous and get publicity.
Every ad for Black Friday has featured luxury things that one can have but no where did I see ads for feeding the poor, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick or being a companion to the lonely and aged.
People want to accumulate more wealth, far in excess of what they need for everyday needs, because it is perceived as success. Even some Religious Institutions have compromised the basic teachings of Jesus Christ in order to attain power and wealth.
Children are starving and dying all over the world because of poverty and wars while millions of food is wasted and thrown in the garbage and trillions of dollars are spent to wage war.
The time is now for us to begin to place Christ at the center of our lives, to put the real meaning of Christmas back into the holiday for without CHRIST there is no Christmas.
Let us truly prepare ourselves by asking God for forgiveness of our failure to live according to His teachings. Let us be more mindful of the needs of others by contributing to charitable organizations and return a portion of God’s gifts to us by supporting ministries that proclaim Christ’s message of infinite and everlasting mercy, forgiveness and love for all His children. I leave you with the following prayer.
An Advent Prayer
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as a part of my service of the Lord who enlists me in God’s work for justice.
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me a joyful response to the Father’s joy. I seek His will so I can serve Him with gladness and love.
Come, long expected Jesus. Excite in me the love and peace that is a rightful gift to bring to the manger of Our Savior. Raise in me an honest reverence for God and a honest gratitude for His gift of His son to the world.
Come, Long expected Jesus. Fill me with your peace and guide me in my service to you as I attempt to live according to your teaching.
Come, Long expected Jesus. Strengthen me so that I may be your instrument of bringing peace and harmony to all I encounter on my daily journey through life.
I ask these things in your name Jesus as you live and reign with the Father, Almighty God, and the Holy Spirit as one God, now and forever unto the ages of ages. AMEN
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