OH, THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING!

 

You have two ears and one mouth. This is an indication that you should do at least twice as much listening as speaking. Maybe this is true, maybe not. What I do know is that if we want to be disciples of Jesus then we had better get used to listening and to listening well. One of the hardest challenges we face in today’s world is finding the time, space and silence to listen to the Word of God in our lives. The world is super busy; it is noisy with all sorts of different ideas, suggestions and doctrines; it is becoming more and more connected, leaving less and less space for the individual. Somehow, as Christians, we need to overcome these difficulties and listen to God’s Word in the midst of the noise and busyness.

The world is an expert at distraction and sin is as much, if not more, an expert, at amplifying the distractions of the world such that they become almost irresistible. If this happens in your life, you will find it next to impossible to both see and hear what God is saying to you. As soon as we give in to the agenda of the world for us, it becomes impossible to escape its clutches.

The Holy Spirit wants to help us to create a place of silence within our beings where we can always be in touch with God and His Word. This is essential for our spiritual health as without the constant diet of God’s Word, our spirit will dry up and eventually die. It is the silence in our lives that gives God the opportunity to speak to us more clearly than if He constantly has to overcome all the other voices we are listening to at the time.

Socrates tells us that we have to learn to reflect (a process that needs silence) or our lives will lose their meaning. It is only God who can give meaning to our lives that will endure and sustain us. Let us seek to listen to what He has to say to us today, tomorrow, the next day.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

How much time each day do I spend in silence, waiting on God to speak to me?

 

Holy Spirit, help me to open my heart to the Word of God by teaching me how to cultivate a place of silence at all times in my being.

 

St. Balbina, pray for us.

 

IS JESUS AN ANTINOMIAN?

 

One of the questions theologians and Scripture scholars ask themselves is, “What is Jesus’ attitude to the Law of Moses?” Well, in today’s Gospel we have at least part of the answer. Jesus is not an antinomian, that is, he is not anti-law. Jesus does not say that the Law is irrelevant to our lives as His disciples. In fact, He tells us that we must fulfill the Law or we will fail in our duty to it and in our duty to love as He has first loved us. Then He goes one step further and warns us against leading others astray or we will be judged very harshly, thrown into a lake with a millstone tied around our necks.

The Law is not something that is bad. God gave the Law to Moses so it must be good and helpful to our lives. Yet, it can also be used to develop bad attitudes and thus place psychological pressures upon people that they should not have to deal with at the best of times, let alone when they are struggling. The law is there to guide us and help us discern the difference between right and wrong. Of itself it is incapable of salvation (see Philippians 3:7ff). The Law really comes to the fore when we are trying to form our consciences and to decide what we should do or not do in a given moral situation.

Paul’s experience can be helpful here. As a Jew, he was a man of the Law. He even claims to be blameless according to its stipulations. Yet, he counts everything as loss in comparison with knowing the power of Christ’s death and resurrection at work within him (Philippians 3:7ff). Paul realizes that the Law or, more correctly, “doing the Law” was not going to save him; then he experiences an enormous grace of God that does save him and sets him on a new path in life. Paul knows and has experienced the power of the grace of God to save him. He spends the rest of his life calling others to faith in the same God.

Christ, through His death and resurrection, fulfills all that the Law requires of us and so sets us free to live by grace and not under the shadow of the Law.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What role does the Law play in my life? How faithful am I in forming my conscience judgments according to the Law of Christ?

 

Holy Spirit, come into my life with a new power to help me be faithful to the will of God and so fulfil the Law in my life.

 

St. Pastor, pray for us.

AZARIAH STANDS IN THE FIRE

 

Read the prayer of Azariah again. His prayer is not about himself but about the Lord. Here is one of the most inspiring prayers or passages of Scripture. A man has been thrown into a specially heated fire and his prayer focuses on the glory of the Lord and not a cry for help. His prayer is a prayer of trust and faith and not an expression of fear about the present moment.

Herein we find a wonderful example of how we should live our lives. Azariah knows where his focus should be; he knows where the real power is and he certainly knows what his redemption consists of — faith in God and trusting Him in all things. This prayer is an  inspiration for all who are going through suffering and trials. It is an inspiration to those who do not know where to turn in times of need.

For Azariah it is all about the goodness and glory of God. It is irrelevant to him whether he deserves to be saved. He knows he is a sinner and deserves no favour from the Lord. He knows that deliverance can only come from God reaching out to him in mercy. This is why the second half of the prayer affirms that it does not matter how many sacrifices or holocausts he performs – what matters is whether or not he has faith in God. It is only through the hand of the Lord that the fortunes of Israel can be restored.

We will do well to learn the basic thrust of this prayer and apply it in our lives. As Christians, we are totally dependent upon the grace of God and His good will. There is nothing that we can do to deserve salvation; there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. These two truths are important — let us seek to embrace them with the humility and trust they require. We may be able to accept this truth initially but the challenge we face is to maintain it with consistency every day of our lives.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What is the focus of my life? Do I desire to learn how to surrender everything to the Lord or am I still fighting to be my own redeemer?

 

Holy Spirit, open my heart to Your grace of surrender and help me to submit to it every moment of every day.

 

St. Firminus, pray for us.

 

WE ALL NEED A FOCUS IN OUR LIVES

 

One of the requirements for a good moral life is that a person needs to be committed to some long-term goals in their life. It is these goals that will provide the foundational meaning to their lives. It is also important, within the context of our commitment to certain goals, that we remember things can simply appear and demand our attention as well, even to the point of having to modify our long-term goals.

Jesus was sent to proclaim the Gospel primarily to the Jews. This does not mean He favored the Jews over the Gentiles; it is merely a reflection of the fact that God had been preparing the Jewish people to receive His Son for the last 2,000 years and so the Gospel was going to have a better chance to take root and flourish in the Jewish culture than anywhere else. Yet, from time to time in the Gospel, we see Jesus ministering to the Gentile people just as was the case in the times of Elijah and Elisha. The main goal is still the same, but there should always be room for limited accommodation of other ministries and missions as well.

As regards the Gospel, it is important for us to see Jesus ministering to the Gentiles as it gives credence to the mission to the Gentiles that the Early Church will discover being thrust upon it by people such as Paul and Barnabas. If Jesus had refused every opportunity to open His ministry to the Gentiles, then it would be very difficult to justify the mission to the Gentiles that so captured the imagination of the Early Church and led to the rapid expansion of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

Jesus lays the ground work for the Gentile mission when He ministers to the Canaanite woman, the Roman centurion and others during His primary mission to the Jews. These cannot escape our attention as they were unexpected and also caused a great stir among the Jewish leaders at the time.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What am I committed to in my life? Or do I just wander from day to day without any real focus or goal?

 

Holy Spirit, help me to set my life on a firm footing and grant me the grace to have a goal in my life so that I can work towards it with perseverance and commitment.

 

St. Stephen Harding, pray for us.

DRINKING LIVING WATER

 

The story of the meeting of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well is worth reading in its entirety as there is a lot to reflect upon. I want to focus upon the line where Jesus tells us that His food is to do the will of the one (His Father) who sent Him. I think the reason I like this text is that it mentions food, something that is quite dear to all of us. In fact, without food, we die. And here, Jesus tells us that His food is to do His Father’s will.

We need to reflect upon this idea often. If we do, dare I say that we will find ourselves drawn into a deeper and deeper walk of discipleship. We live in a world that extols individualism and self-sufficiency. This is not what the Christian life is all about. The Christian life is all about realizing that we have to place our lives in the hands of God and that if we desire fulfillment, then the only way we will gain it is through obedience of the Father’s will. Whether we like it or not, this is the reality that we are forced to accept if we want to be disciples of Jesus. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that anyone who drinks the water drawn from the well will have to come back for more water at a later time. If they drink from the water He provides they will never be thirsty again. It is quite obvious that Jesus is speaking of our spiritual thirst for truth and God. This is something the ordinary world will never be able to satisfy and hence we will have to keep coming back to the well to draw some ideas. However, if we embrace God’s will for our life, things can and will be very different.

Furthermore, Jesus hints that His Father’s will is more often than not focused upon evangelization. The talk about harvest has nothing to do with literal food; it is a metaphor for evangelization. The sooner we realize this, the better, as we will be more easily drawn into the service of the Gospel that God requires of all who believe in Him. Let us pray that we will be able to let go of the attractions of the world and embrace the will of God — the only thing that can fulfil our empty lives. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What is the focus of my life? Am I living for myself or do I have a healthy level of service in my life?

 

Jesus, help me to know Your will for my life so that I can pursue it and seek to satisfy the longing in my heart for Your love.

 

St. Augusta, pray for us.

 

WHAT DOES GOD DO WITH OUR SIN?

The above question is a very interesting one to contemplate; the answer is very satisfying to hear. God cannot abide the presence of sin at all so we can know for sure that He will be banishing all sin from His presence. The next question concerns what is meant by banishment. Well, this is where the news gets even better. The Scriptures use a number of metaphors to describe what God does to our sin. Here Micah talks about sending it to the depths of the sea; you cannot get any deeper than that. The psalmist speaks of casting our sins as far as the east is from the west; there are no two distances further apart than this. Isaiah tells us that God takes our scarlet sin (obvious for all to see) and makes them white as snow. You cannot get a bigger transformation than that. Do you get the story here?

God is not at all interested in harboring judgment or unforgiveness against us; God is never petty and unforgiving. God wants us to be free from all the powers and effects of sin so that we can fulfill our potential as  men and women created in His image and likeness; God is not threatened by our potential for holiness in any way as He is the source and fountain of all that is good so it is impossible for us to surpass Him.

We see these attributes in the life of Jesus who reveals to us the love of God the Father. We do not have to go anywhere to find the love of God because He is the biggest beggar in the universe and has come to us in the person of His Son, Jesus. We could not ask for any greater incentive to repent of our sins than this. God has done all that it is in His power to redeem us while still respecting the gift of free will that He has given us. It is up to each person how to respond to His generosity.

In today’s Gospel of the Prodigal Son we have an image of a father’s love. Let us sit with it awhile and reflect upon how much our Father in heaven loves us. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

When was the last time I took the opportunity to repent of my serious sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Letus seek to use the sacrament more often.

 

Holy Spirit, help me to embrace the call to repentance in an ever deeper way. Inspire me to entrust my life into the loving                                                                                                                                                 

hands of the Father through repentance every day of my life.

 

St. Theodore, pray for us.

COMMITMENT BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY

People rarely seriously complain about having to do something they know is their duty to do. Yes, there are some who do, but hopefully they are in a very small minority. However, when it comes to doing things that are above and beyond the call of duty, then we are probably all liable to complain every now and then. One of the most impressive things about the life of Mary is that she seems to almost embrace her call as a duty. Wow! Is there anything we can complain about given that we have not been asked to do anything as significant or seemingly impossible as this? I think not, at least not with any good excuse.

Jesus also demonstrates not just an extraordinary level of obedience but selflessness as well when He dies on the cross to free us from our sins. We have no excuse when it comes to trying to argue our way out responding to such an enormous grace. How can we  be so selfish that we would not consider at least a few acts of selflessness and self-sacrifice in the course of our life as disciples of Jesus? If you can think of an excuse for me, please let me know.

The next time we find doing something for someone else difficult, we should reflect upon what Jesus has done for us. We will find that our procrastination will be very difficult to justify and that we should just get on doing what we know we should be doing out of love for others. This is where the example of the lives of the saints can also be very helpful because, generally speaking, they lived lives similar to that of Jesus. We cannot excuse ourselves from their example, as they are not divine like Jesus is.

We are generally very good at looking for excuses to avoid certain duties and optional sacrifices in our lives. Let us use some of that energy to be more proactive and do these things without making a fuss. I think we will be pleased with the result.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

Are there duties in my life that I am not fulfilling faithfully? How can I turn this lack of faithfulness around?

 

Jesus, help me to open my heart more fully to the graces You give, particularly those that will help me to be faithful to my duties as Your disciple.

 

St. Kennocha, pray for us.

WHAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY HERE?

 

It never hurts to ask ourselves the question whether or not we have any responsibility in a given situation. Generally speaking, we will have limited responsibility, yet many ways in which we can help in the situation. On the other hand, there will be times when it is up to us to make a move and we will have significant responsibility at these times. At still other times, it could be quite ambiguous if we have any responsibility. And perhaps the duties that are attached to wealth fall into this last category.

At first thought, we may not think too much of the responsibilities wealthy people have to those less well off. This is a mistake as the occasion of wealth is filled with many responsibilities. This fact is derived from the reality that none of us owns absolutely anything we may have. Everything we have is a gift from God. Yes, you may have worked hard and long to earn enough money to buy the things you have but this does not change the situation. Everything good we have in our lives is a gift from God and thus carries with it a label, usually unwritten, that says, “Share me with those who need me the most.”

The wealthy people of this world have a responsibility to care and provide for the poor to at least a limited degree. This means that their wealth must be used for the purpose of trying to uplift the standing of the poor. A wealthy person who hoards his wealth and fails to use at least the excess to help the poor will be judged heavily like the rich man in today’s parable. I cannot see any other way to read and understand the parable than this. I am not saying that wealth is bad or that people cannot enjoy their fairly earned wealth. However, wealth carries with it a set of responsibilities that the wealthy person ignores to their own peril. There is no point in dying as the richest person in the world because you cannot buy a place in heaven. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What do I do with the wealth, however big or small, that I have at my disposal? Do I share what I have with others or do I tend to be selfish and guard what I have very jealously?

 

Holy Spirit, open my heart bit by bit so that I will become a more generous person. Help me to be able to happily share all that I have with others.

 

Sts. Mark & Timothy, pray for us.

CHOOSING A LIFE OF SERVICE

One of the questions we have to answer throughout our lives is to what degree we are going to choose to serve others rather than just ourselves. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, are seeking the places of honor on either side of Jesus at the table in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is not interested in who sits at His right or left; what interests Him is whether or not James and John are willing to serve the Gospel.

The challenge that Jesus gives to James and John is the same one that we all have to face if we are going to take on the life of a disciple. The other disciples are no better than James and John as their indignation indicates. This indignation could be seen as a sign of their disapproval of the request of their colleagues but it is probably a little more than that as it also implies that they have just as much “right” to those seats as James and John. Perhaps they are more annoyed by the fact that James and John got their application in first.

Anyway, Jesus is not buying any of this and immediately shifts the focus to an exhortation on discipleship, service and true leadership. Leadership in the Church is all about the delivery of the services that the Gospel demands the people of God have a right to receive. A leader must be willing to lay down his life in the service of the People of God, not seek places of honor at parties and society events. Yes, honor does often accompany good leadership, but a good leader will never be influenced by it. As soon as honor becomes the focus of the leader, that is the day that corruption begins its insidious growth in the life of the society in question.

Let us pray for all the world leaders that will focus on service, not honor. I am sure that if this happens, the world will become a far better and fairer place to live in. The choices we make as individuals will support the movement of leadership in one direction or the other. Let us not underestimate the power of our choices. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What are the traits I look for in a good leader? Do I reflect these values in my life or do I have a way to go in being a witness to good leadership?

 

Holy Spirit, help me to seek the gifts that matter and will contribute to my capacity to lead well when I come before God in prayer today.

 

St. Victorian, pray for us.

WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF TRUE HOLINESS?

 

Jesus addresses some of the practices of the Pharisees in this passage in order to call them to a greater integrity of action and life. There is little doubt that no one appreciates hypocrisy and that it also turns people off when you are trying to attract them to a belief, way of life or community in general.

This includes calling attention to one’s practices and self-proclaimed holiness in order to grandstand one’s self-righteousness. It is not up to the individual to decide this status. It is a status conferred by others on the individual when they witness his lifestyle. Mother Teresa never sought to draw attention to herself, but gained her status from those who had seen what her life stood for and were impressed by it. In fact, all of the saints fit easily into this category, with a lot of them going to great lengths to avoid publicity.

For a truly holy person, attention is the last thing they desire as it will make their life of reflection more difficult to carry out. Attention is fself-righteousnessor superstars who rarely live reflective lives and thus are dubious examples for our youth to follow. The never-ending stream of scandals that comes from the world of entertainment and sports indicate clearly what I am saying. If we want our children to be influenced by worthy examples of holiness and reflection, we have a lot to do.

I believe it is time that prominent persons in our society are called to account for their less than ideal lifestyles. The culture of irresponsibility that they foster and promote is the worst possible example for our children and youth. It is up to parents, schools, the Church and other influential institutions to take action in this regard and assume a greater role in vetting the influences we allow into the lives of our children and youth.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What and who are the things and people I look to for inspiration in my life? Is the inspiration they provide going to be for good or bad in my life?

 

Holy Spirit, lead and guide my life in the way of truth and righteousness. Help me to grow in my capacity to love and serve my neighbor, and not focus upon myself.

 

St. Trien, pray for us.

MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE, IS IMPORTANT

 

When Jesus challenges us to be compassionate as His heavenly Father is compassionate, it is the same challenge He posed to the Pharisees when He told them to seek mercy and not sacrifice. What does He mean by this? Let me suggest a possible explanation. I think Jesus is referring to the nature of our being a community. To make personal sacrifices and lead an ascetical life is all very good but it only affects the individual. To lead a merciful life requires that we be in relationship with others and that our sacrifices (having mercy) will necessarily impinge upon these relationships for the better.

Jesus is not really interested in a whole lot of holy individuals living separate lives. He wants the faith community to be a living and vibrant community that is interacting with one another all the time. He wants us to be in relationship with others; this will necessarily require us to grow in mercy as when we get into relationships with others it is possible that they will hurt us and we will hurt them. Healing these hurts will require mercy. Jesus tells the Pharisees to shift the focus from judging the rights and wrongs of people to fixing the broken relationships within the community. Jesus is an expert on community because He comes from the undivided Trinity where three persons share everything fully in a perfect way.

Jesus gives a perfect example of this when He calls a tax collector to be one of His disciples. Tax collectors are the scum of the earth as far as the faithful Jew is concerned because not only do they take money from a person; they are collaborating with the Roman occupier to do it! Rarely were they content with just the right amount of tax, too; they often took a bit for themselves on the side. Jesus does not allow this problem to stop Him from associating with tax collectors. How else can they be drawn back into the faith community unless someone seeks to develop a relationship with them to the point that he or she can speak the truth to them in love and mercy? Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

Do I have people in my life to whom I should be merciful but am not? What am I going to do about this?

 

Jesus, help me to grow in my capacity for mercy and to minister it to others.

 

St. Lupicinus, pray for us.

GOD’S PROMISES TO ABRAHAM

The beginning of the “real history” of the Jewish people is a set of promises that, in many ways, underlies the rest of the Old Testament and arguably the New Testament as well when we consider the fact that it is Jesus who actually fulfills these promises. As D.A.J. Clines suggests, the Old Testament is the story of the partial fulfillment and thus partial nonfulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham.

These three promises can be summarized as promises of Land, Blessing and Progeny. God promises Abraham  these three things even though they must seem almost laughable to Abraham given the situation. Abraham is a wealthy man and needs none of these promises (except the one about children), which makes it all the more astounding that Abraham actually responds to God’s call. Unless he is obsessed about having a child, it makes no sense at all for him to leave everything he has on the dim hope of a promise from a God with whom he is barely acquainted.

Yet, we know that Abraham did respond and the rest, as they say, is history. Abraham’s response has paved the way for a multitude of other people to make their responses to God’s call. This is the nature of faithfulness in that it more often than not will provide opportunities for others to deepen their relationships with God, not just the individual concerned. As Paul will tell us two thousand years later, “faith builds upon faith.”

The Jews see the fulfillment of these promises in terms of the land of Israel given to them by God for their own; recognition that they are a great people by other nations; and the understanding that the Jewish people are the sons and daughters of Abraham.

As Christians we believe that the Promised Land is in heaven, not on earth; the Blessings are those that come with the gift of Salvation; and we all become sons and daughters of God through faith in Jesus Christ.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

How do I see myself in relation to the promises God made to Abraham? Have I ever considered them in my own life?

 

Jesus, help me to open my heart and mind to the truth of the Scriptures so that I will be able to discern their true meaning and know how to apply them to my own life.

 

St. Martin of Braga, pray for us.

IMPORTANCE OF FATHERS

 

It is very easy to underestimate the role of a person in the life of another, particularly when it comes to that of our fathers. The role of the mother as important is a “given” as she carries her child in her womb for nine months before usually having a major role in the formative years of the child as well. However, there seems to be something that works against the roles of fathers in today’s society. So many of the pressures of society have a negative impact on the father’s role including the long hours at work and the pressures on men to be “one of the guys.”

It is important for us to recapture the essence of the role of the father if we want to give our children a well-rounded formation, particularly in their early years. I look back to my own childhood, which was not perfect, but the majority of my early memories are with my father: playing while he worked in the garden or did whatever he happened to be doing. I remember myself just hanging around, probably getting in the way more often than not, but having a great time doing it. As I got older the relationship evened out a bit, meaning I was able to contribute more to whatever we were doing up to the point of being considered an equal. I remember countless discussions about politics, morality, economy, sports and other issues that we had as we worked together. I recount this to say that I think it was all essential to my self-worth today. I am secure in who I am because of the acceptance I got from my father. Yes, others did the same, including my mother, teachers, close friends and relatives, but the multitude of memories I have indicate that it was my father’s acceptance and approval that I sought the most, and thankfully received as well.

As we celebrate Joseph’s life today, we honor the foster father of Jesus and the role he played in Jesus’ life. Let us pray that we can rediscover and be committed to the important role that fathers play in their children’s lives.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What was my experience of my father as a child? Do I feel that it was lacking? Is there anything I need to talk to someone about this?

 

Jesus, help me to be grateful for the gift of my parents. Help me also to be a good parent to my children should I have any.

 

St. Lactali, pray for us.

CONVERSION OF HEART IS ESSENTIAL

 

Today’s Gospel opens with an exhortation calling for true and lasting conversion of heart among the disciples of Jesus. There is no point knowing all about the gift of salvation unless we are willing to apply it to our lives and preach its essence to others. It is easier to know what to do than to do it. The challenge of conversion will be with us every living moment of our lives.

Karl Rahner, S.J., once wrote that it is harder today to know and do what is right than in any other age or time. Why? He argued that the multitude of influences and the pluralistic society in which we now live (if that was how he saw it in 1949, how much more would he be convinced of its truth today?) make it difficult for us to discern the truth from among all the opinions and outright errors that are placed before us as legitimate moral options. I believe he is correct. This difficulty also reaches into the spiritual realm and makes it more difficult for people to affirm and live the Christian way because there are so many different options available to us today. Having outlined the challenge, the only answer to it is to open our hearts to the truth of the Gospel and surrender in faith to the offer of salvation and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us through the moral maze in which we have to live our lives. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and the magisterial teaching of the church in order to form our consciences well. Without a well-formed conscience, we will easily be led astray by the seductive attractions of the pleasurable life that assaults our senses in the mass media. All this means that there is an enormous amount of distractions as well as a lot of outright errors that vie for our attention and allegiance in today’s world. In former centuries, the choices have not been so numerous and society has not been as pluralistic as it is

today. All in all, it is a difficult time when it comes to making moral choices.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What do I do to form my conscience so that it will make the right moral choices when I need it to?

 

Father in heaven, help me to choose wisely when I seek authorities to teach me about the correct moral choices to make in my life.

 

St. Frediano, pray for us.

NO HIDE, NO CHRISTMAS BOX!

I thought I would use the title of this reflection to introduce you to an old British adage that basically affirms that if we do not have the courage to ask for something, then we should not complain when we do not get it. Without shedding our shyness, we will not receive a present. Jesus is affirming here that we need to be forthright in bringing our petitions before God, as He wants to know what we want and the degree of commitment we have as regards this desire.

It is important to God that when we come asking for a grace, He knows we are going to use it well. There is no point in Him giving us a gift if we are never going to use it. I meet with this sort of attitude quite often as I am known to give away gifts given to me if I do not see how I can use them. Why keep something that is just going to be a clutter in my room or house or wherever it is kept? I am supposed to be living a simple life in imitation of Jesus and so I see this as important in this regard. Thus people often ask me what I need before they give me a gift. It takes the surprise out of opening the gift but it is certainly far more practical. I appreciate the gift no less even if I know what is coming.

God looks at this dynamic from the point of view of the giver. Even though His grace is unlimited, He does not want to waste it. Just because you have more money than you can possibly use in a lifetime does not make it sensible to use it as fuel for a fire to keep you warm. One of the aspects of living a good moral life is making choices that are efficient as regards achieving their desired end. Thus, there is a sense that God wants to be convinced that we will use responsibly all the gifts and graces we ask of Him.

Jesus tells us not to give up easily when seeking the graces of God for our lives. This will demonstrate our level of commitment to God and our intent to really use this grace well in our lives.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

Do I tend to give up easily when things do not immediately go the way I want them to? If so, then it is time to change this character flaw and seek to grow in perseverance.

 

Father in heaven, help me to open my life to the many graces and gifts You want to give me so that I will be better able to give my all in Your service.

 

St. Joseph of Arimathea, pray for us.

 

BABBLING LIKE THE PAGANS?

 

I wonder what Jesus means here by “babbling like the pagans.” Yes, Jesus is talking about prayer and how He wants His disciples to pray, but why bring up the pagans? Perhaps there was a new trend of prayer at the time in Israel that took something from the pagan religions that Jesus did not like? We will probably never know the answer to this question and so we will be left to guess at its meaning.

Christianity is a religion that respects the intellect of the individual so maybe the phrase “babbling like the pagans” is a reference to some religions where there is little respect for the intellect and people are confined to rote prayers and practices that make little sense. The focal point of Christianity is really obedience to God’s will as our response to the offer of salvation and this has little to do with the multiplication of words at prayer. It is far better to spend one’s time of worship and prayer listening to the Holy Spirit as He leads and guides us in the ways of God. There is an old adage that speaks of the need to listen twice as long as we speak because we have two ears and only one mouth.

Jesus then provides His disciples with a very simple prayer that covers the whole gamut of the life of faith. I think Jesus wants us to go straight to the point when we pray and not waste time “beating around the bush.” Far better to say what one wants to say to God up front than babble on for hours before getting to the point of the process. Also, there is no point in trying to hide something from God with a multitude of unnecessary words when a few will do. Like any listener, God will be appreciative of the person who clearly and concisely places their petitions and concerns before Him.

Jesus’ prayers to His Father are always straight to the point and without unnecessary additions. Let us follow His example and use the time we will save for better and more productive causes. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What is my prayer like? Do I ramble on and tend towards verbosity or do I have a good balance of clear and concise prayers and time to listen to God’s Word for my life?

 

Father, I know You will appreciate it if I keep my prayers clear and concise. Help me with the grace of the Spirit to grow in my ability to do this.

 

St. Leocrita, pray for us.