He will exalt us!

By human nature, we all want to be liked. We want to be acknowledged for things we accomplish. This notion is ingrained within us as youngsters. My nephew, Luke, will be two at the end of this week, and I can’t tell you how many times we praise him for something new he learns. Within the past month or so, if we make a big deal out of a new word he has said, he gets shy and buries his face in his mom or dad’s shoulder. I think this tells us something else, demonstrated by an almost-two-year-old. While in and of itself, the desire to please is not evil, it can become a hindrance to what needs to be our ultimate desire--love of God.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us the scribes and the Pharisees perform their works to be seen. They like to be out and about in places that others will notice them and what they do. They want to receive praise and to be spoken to with high titles. Jesus tells us not to follow their example, but to be humble and strip ourselves of our pride. It’s easy for us to forget our place here on earth. We’re so preoccupied with our possessions, our to-do lists and making sure we’re as successful as possible, that we forget to submit to our Master who is Jesus Christ. If we humble ourselves and let our eyes shine on Christ, we will be rewarded!

Matthew’s gospel ties into the first reading from Isaiah. Our Lord tells us that although our “sins are like scarlet, they may become white as snow.” We are to wash ourselves clean in the Blood of Christ Jesus! Pride is a tremendously common sin in this generation. We have so much stuff, and status is such an idol that we show-off what we have or accomplish in order to receive praise from others. During this Lenten Season, let us focus on humbling ourselves and washing ourselves clean. Do our works without expecting anything in return. Like my little nephew, let’s not do things for praise, but show humility. We do good works because it’s what’s right, for the good of another and the glory of God. If we seek this humility God asks, He promises we will be exalted! 

-Amanda Kepshire

About the Author

Amanda has started her first semester of the Masters of Public Administration program at Georgia Southern.  She enjoys reading, staying active and all things Disney! 

Me Me Christianity

(Luke 6:36-38)

My Christianity is all about ME! It makes ME feel good. It makes ME a better person. I have heard of people not coming to church because ‘it isn’t exciting for ME’, or ‘I don’t like the music’, or ‘the preaching isn’t interesting to ME’, or ‘it doesn’t fit into MY schedule’. In the reading today it seems like Jesus is telling us to be selfish in our Christian walk: To do good only so that good may happen to us.

But maybe Jesus isn’t promoting selfish Christianity.

Maybe it is about freedom. Christ desires us to be free of human inclinations toward pride and selfishness, not relying on the flesh but the spirit of God that dwells within us. Let us not look for rewards from our Heavenly Father but seek to be as merciful as He is (which is beyond human knowledge and capability). So why try? Because the more merciful we are the more we get a sense of God’s immeasurable mercy and the more free we are to love others. The thing that generally stops us from loving as God loves is fear. Jesus relieves our fear of pursuing this way of life, and reveals the immensity of our Father’s love for us in his “reward system”. How often are we afraid to talk to someone for fear that they will judge us? Is it because we judge the people we talk to? How much harder is it for us to come to God and ask for his forgiveness when we can’t even forgive ourselves?

Imagine if you didn’t judge the person in church wearing raggedy clothing. Imagine if you didn’t judge the person all dressed up. Imagine if you actually thought your roommate wanted to know Jesus, and that any immoral actions they have committed stem from a yearning desire to know a God who is mercy and love. Imagine forgiving all those people who made fun of you throughout your life, understanding that God loves them all so much as well. Imagine if you helped out that person with their problem even if you didn’t want to, understanding how important their soul is to God. How much different would your life look? How much more peace would you have in your heart?

Let us not look in a selfish way at what we can get from Jesus; let us try to look purely on what we can do for the sake of God. The peace and mercy the lord gives us is not received through selfish means, but through an unselfish Godly love. Let us then walk this Christian walk for Jesus and not for ourselves.

-Justin Tomko

About the Author

Justin Tomko is from the mean streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently a FOCUS missionary at Georgia Southern University.

A Papal Reflection

Let's take this last Sunday with Benedict XVI as our Pope to learn a little more about the Papacy...

What does the Pope do?                                                                                                   
As Pope, his task as ‘chief of all the shepherds on earth’ is to defend our faith, teach us about our faith and help guide us to heaven, so that we can spend eternity with God, our heavenly Father. Pope comes from the Latin word “Papa” or father. We can truly look to the Pope as a father whose purpose is to guide all of us in faith and morals. Because the Pope’s job is so important; helping us to grow in holiness, we need to pray that he does his job well!

Where does he live and work?                                                                                  
The Pope lives and works in Vatican City, in Rome, Italy. On most Sundays he gives a special message and blessing to pilgrims who gather at St Peter’s Square, and to people throughout the whole world.

Has there always been a Pope?
Ever since the time of Jesus, there has been a Pope. It was Jesus who chose the first Pope, St Peter. Handing St. Peter the keys to heaven, Jesus said to him, “Your name is Peter, and on this Rock I shall build my Church. Feed my lambs.” (Matt 16:18-19, John 21: 15-17) Jesus new that the Church would need a leader after He ascended into heaven so He chose Peter and He sent the Holy Spirit to always guide him and any pope who came after him. From Pope St. Peter to Pope Benedict XVI there have been 265 popes. Pope Benedict XVI will officially retire on Thursday Feb. 28^th and until a new pope is elected, the papal position will be empty.

How is the Pope chosen today?                                                                                            
When a Pope dies or retires (which up until now is rare in history, since Pope Benedict XVI is the first pope to retire in 600 years), all the Cardinals come together in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to form the Papal Conclave. They are not allowed to speak to anyone outside the Conclave during the time they are gathered together to choose the next Pope: no telephone, no mobile, no internet, nothing! They pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance on who to choose.
The Cardinals cast their votes until there is a two thirds majority or if no cardinal has been elected by two-thirds majority after a certain number of ballots, the cardinals may agree by absolute majority (half + 1) to elect the Pope by an absolute majority instead of a two-thirds majority. When a new Pope has been chosen, and after he has accepted, “Habemus Papam” (we have a new Pope) is announced from the balcony of the Vatican. Out steps the new Pontiff for the whole world to see!

Taken and adapted from: http://kidsquizthepope.wordpress.com/facts-about-the-pope/

-Melinda Cannady

A Perfect Promise

I love how today’s first reading ends: “And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. / He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised” (Deuteronomy 26:18-19).  There are two sides of the coin—obey God, but more importantly, God loves you!!! Although the Lord asks for real sacrifice, He also promises so much more than we can even imagine. It is an incomprehensibly good deal—all of us for ALL of HIM!!!

It is not too much for Jesus to command his disciples in today’s Gospel, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Today, it is not too much for Jesus to command us, his disciples, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” He who has begun the work of grace in us has the power and the love—or rather is the Power and the Love—to complete the work of grace in us.

I hope you like this sonnet about God lifting up the lowly. I wrote it when I was a junior at Ave Maria University:

The Preposition of the Object

Love has raised up the lowly preposition,


And has secured it at the highest place,


To a lofty throne, in a fine condition,


O’er the other parts of speech at the base,

For what is “death” if ‘tis not for another—


An empty noun, a meaningless notion,


Or what is it “to suffer” but with a brother?


Love in life gives meaning to our motion.

With what, for what, in what does each thing act?


By whom does the conjunction join each thing?


By Him who loves as a matter of fact,


Who became a child yet remained the King.

And through whom do we receive such pure love?


‘Tis Christ God In-carnate, I’m thinking of.

About the Author

Hello, my name is Jacob Pride. I am a second year English graduate student at GSU. I enjoy reading and writing poetry.  After graduating from Ave Maria University, I went to one year of seminary at Mount St. Mary’s seminary. After that, I joined FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. There I met Caitlin Mulcahy, whom I’m marrying in May!!!