Obey AND Teach

            In today’s gospel reading, Jesus says “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.  But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven”.  We all know we are supposed to follow God’s commandments, but here, Jesus points out that teaching is also important.  We aren’t just called to follow the commandments, which can be hard enough as it is, but also to teach them to others!  Maybe this is why the Church is standing so strongly against homosexual marriage and the pro-choice movement.  We can’t just obey God’s commands in our little Church community.  We must evangelize to the world and share these commandments, in which are found the love and goodness of the Lord.  
             However, in order to teach them, we really have to believe in them, knowing in our hearts that these commands are from God, who is ALL good, and are made to bring us everlasting joy and happiness.  When was the last time you were taught something by someone who didn’t really care about what they were teaching?  Did you learn very much or care about what was being taught?  Wouldn’t it be the same way if we were to teach others about God’s commandments without believing in them?  If we don’t have enthusiasm towards the decrees of the Lord, how do we expect anyone we share them with to?  We must find why we believe in the commandments the Lord gives us so that we can convey that to other people who may not believe in them.  Maybe the reason so many people think the Church is just a bunch of rules and regulations that suppress freedom is because they were taught the commandments of the Church by someone who wasn’t very convicted towards them or didn’t believe in the authentic freedom they give.  With so many misunderstandings in the world around us, we must be able to clear things up in a way that shares the full Truth of God with some passion towards that Truth.  We have to stand up for this faith God has given us so that people will know and believe in the goodness that it brings, the goodness of God and His commandments.  And what better time to do this then now, when the whole world is watching us?

-Stephanie Shipley 

OUR DESTINY: Overcoming the Mediocrity of the Day

                  The readings for Mass today give us a great lesson against one of the toughest vices of our time- mediocrity.  In the first reading, God, hearing the cry of his people in slavery, presents an incredible task to Moses in the midst of his day-to-day work.  God called him to do something great- to influence the trajectory of history. We call to mind our own slavery to sin and unworthy habits in our lives, and how God sent His own son to deliver us from this slavery.

                  The second reading draws more on this as we call to mind those worldly things that enslave us.  In our western world, we have a great tendency to desire comfort. Without knowing it, we often consider situations saying, “What is the best decision here, so that I don’t have to suffer?” or “How can I get out of this uncomfortable situation?”  Our first tendency is often “What is best for me?”  In the same way God called Moses, he appeals to us in our ordinary lives- to live less ordinary- to challenge us out of our commonplace inclinations, and warns us in the last verse of the second reading today, “Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” (1 Cor. 10:12)

                  Finally, the Gospel today seems to put the concluding dismal touch on our third Lenten Sunday.  Jesus is very clear that sinners will perish- and even goes to the extent of telling the story of the person who wanted to cut down the fig tree for not bearing fruit- in a mere three years!  Yes, while hell is real, it is not our destiny. The Old Testament story we read today is a prefiguration of what Jesus has done for us.  Our eternal destiny is the heavenly kingdom, and our King has shown us how to live. He is a King who gave his life in order to save us. His suffering is unfathomable- He died scourged, with a bloodied face, nailed in humiliation.

                  Yet, we know this is not the dismal end of the story. Our King rose from the dead- and not only did He rise- but He reigned from that cross- “the throne of love.”  Let us “take up our cross and follow Him” if we wish to be His disciples. (Matthew 16:24) For, it is not possible to follow our Lord without the cross.  As we carry this “tree of dazzling beauty,” with knowledge of our sonship, may it lead us to the eternal splendor of our destiny- pure happiness. Forever. 

About the Author

Andy Day is the director of the southeast region for FOCUS. Andy holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Christendom College. He resides currently in Orlando with his wife and 2  year old boy, and they are expecting another boy on July 1. 

Plunge into the Wounds of Christ

“Shepherd your people with your staff,

 the flock of your inheritance,

That dwells apart in a woodland,

In the midst of Carmel.” Micah 7:14-15

We are His people that dwells apart in a woodland. Let’s unpack that!  Dwell… this is our way of life, to be apart in a woodland. Apart… most of the time it means living counter-cultural.  In a woodland… this is where God speaks. ( Midbar “in the woodland/wilderness” comes from the root dabar “Word.” ) We are apart because we are in the wilderness, listening to Him, sitting in the presence of the Lord.

Do you dwell apart in the woodland?  Go into the wilderness with Jesus.

Be like Micah; beg the Lord to shepherd you with His staff.

But how can we be His people?  I have run far from His path.  I have let the cares and riches of this world choke me. I bear wounds from rejection, ridicule, and pieces of me have been torn away by false loves.

It hurts…  But guess what?  Jesus has wounds too.  Look at His hands, look into His hands.  The bloody, muscular hands have a piece torn away, displaced by the nail.  Put yourself in His hands and kiss the bloody tissue, experience rest.

The spear that the soldier plunged into His side was no clean-edged Leatherman.  Pull back on the jagged spear, drag His flesh and skin, and soak your face and body in the blood and water.  Lick your lips and taste His blood.  His wounds have power to heal ours.

The Lord is kind and merciful. Plunge into His merciful love.

Hope, people of God.  Through the Cross is the Resurrection.  Dwell apart in the woodland, and our Shepherd will lead us into the way of everlasting life.

I love you, Jesus, my Love. Grant that I may love you always and then do with me as you will. (from Stations of the Cross)

~Martha McAdams

About the Author

Hi there!  My name is Martha McAdams.  I’m a Neuro Medical-Surgical nurse in Savannah with a passion for Theology, which was my major at the University of Dallas. I love earthworms, banana bread, and tea, but not all at the same time. Statesboro is my fun-stop on the drive from Savannah to Augusta (home). 

Envy, Fear, Jesus, Love

In today’s readings, we hear about jealous brothers and jealous pharisees. In the first reading, Joseph’s brothers plot to kill him because they recognize that their father loves Joseph best. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the chief priest that “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

Envy is a dangerous thing. It makes us act in ways we couldn’t imagine we’d ever act. And it’s a funny thing, because envy can be disguised in many different ways. Agitation with someone else, frustration, impatience. These can sometimes have envy at the root.

How many times have I been annoyed with someone only to discover (if I am willing to be honest with myself) that the true cause of my feelings is some form of envy, even if very slight.

If, then, I’m willing to go a little further, my reflections will reveal that envy is usually caused by my own insecurities, my own fear of failure, my own feelings of unworthiness.

When I find myself suffering from envy, I generally find that behind this envy is fear -- fear that I’m not as good as I should be, that I’m not succeeding in the areas I hope to, that I’m unnoticed and unloved.

What is the answer to fear? What is the solution to feeling small and unworthy? Jesus!

If I can be honest with myself about my envy or fear or of feeling small, then I can also be honest with the Lord. When I realize (or can admit) that my negative feelings towards others come from my own human weakness, I gently (or maybe not so gently!) give it back to God.

“All my ambitions, hopes and plans” goes the popular Gospel song, “I surrender these into your hands. For it’s only in Your will that I am free.”

What is the antidote to envy? Humility. Letting go. Giving it all back to God. Never forget to trust that Jesus’ love for you is deeper and wider and more profound than your human heart can hope to comprehend. In Jesus, there is no need to fear. In him, there is never ending love.

-Rachel Balducci

Litany of Humility

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

About the Author

Rachel Balducci loves Jesus, her husband Paul and her six babies (five boys and one little princess). She is a columnist for The Southern Cross, and co-host ofThe Gist, a talk show for women on CatholicTV. Find her at Testosterhome.net where she reflects on how doing the laundry will, Lord willing, make her a saint.