Is it Time to Clean Your Temple?

Today we wake up with a New President elect, and regardless of where you stand on it, we can take comfort in knowing our hope is not in man and that Jesus is our King! Continue to saturate yourself with God's Word and begin that today with our Mass readings. Be sure to READ and/or LISTEN to them today!

In today's Gospel (John 2:13-22) we see Jesus angry. Anger itself isn't a sin, it's what we do with our anger that gets us into trouble. Jesus was angry, but we know he didn't sin!

We see Jesus is so outraged at the practices that are taking place at the temple that we see him drive animals out and flip over tables! The temple was being turned into a market place where sheep oxen and doves were being sold.

The Gospel tells us that Jesus had a "zeal" for His Fathers house that consumed him or burned in him. the word zeal means a strong interest or enthusiasm that causes us to act.

The Jewish people knew the prophetic text about the messiah and wanted a sign from Him as proof to His authority to act the way he did. I, however, don't want to focus on this exchange or the foreshadowing to Calvary that happens next, I want to focus on what was going on at the Temple. I want us to look at how turning the temple into a market place was getting between people and God.

What was taking place at the temple was distracting from God, it was getting in the way of people and true worship. We need to get rid of the all things that hinder us from entering into God's presence. We need to clear the Temple of the junk that is happening in and around it. This includes us! We are a temple of the Holy Spirit! What things are you allowing into your temple that keep you from God? Is it unhealthy cravings for food? Are you filling yourself with unhealthy desires? Are you focusing your heart and mind on the love of money?

We must clear the temple so we can truly enter into God's presence. We must have the same kind of zeal for our Father's house and start treating it that way!

Clean up your Temple!

Do you give your all?

READ and/or LISTEN to our Mass Readings today. It's the best way to get your day going, or to focus you later in the day when you get a chance to check in!

Do you give your best at all times? Do you work hard regardless of the praise, rewards, or effort of those around you?

In our Gospel (Luke 17:7-10) , Jesus is not only calling us to give our best, but to do it with love. He uses a parable of a servant who just finished taking care of his work outside and then when he comes inside he is then asked to prepare and serve dinner and told he can eat after.

Should the servant expect special favor or praise for doing as the Master asks of him? Of course not! This thought sounds so contrary to what we see and hear in society today. We live in a scary time of entitlement. We live in a time where "everyone wins" and people are rewarded for doing the bare minimum in their jobs.

If we want our faith to increase, we must continue to obey Jesus. We must continue to serve without expectation and we must continue to do so with our best effort.

Too many people today want to know "what's in it for me?" What's in it is being satisfied for a job well done! What's in it is obedience, and what's in it is an increased faith when we serve out of love!

When you struggle with this, act as though you are serving Jesus directly! This will certainly give you a new perspective!

"Increase My Faith"

Happy Monday! Monday is my favorite day because it is a fresh start on our calendar! It's time to not dwell on the mistakes of the past (or weekend) and move ahead! As you get your week kicked off, be sure to READ and/or LISTEN to our Mass readings for today.

Our Gospel today (Luke 17:1-6) we hear about and learn 3 key things.

1. Temptation
2. Forgiveness
3. Faith

We first hear about temptations to sin. We are reminded that there are are temptations all around us, and the devil is out there roaming the earth looking to attack us where we are weakest! We must be mindful of this and always be on guard. We must not become lazy or complacent, but always be aware of the sin around us!

Next we are told to forgive! If someone should sin against us and seeks forgiveness, we must grant it. I know, this is way easier said than done, but we must try. We are called to show compassion, Mercy and forgiveness to those who sin against us. We are called to even forgive multiple offenses if forgiveness is sought out. I know I struggle with this in a BIG way! I struggle forgiving certain people and offenses one time, but when they continue to wrong me over and over again I get frustrated and often have a hard heart. I must remind myself daily of the sacrifice Jesus made for me and how many times he forgives the things I continue to screw up over and over again!

Lastly, in this gospel we read about faith. The apostles ask Jesus to "increase our faith." This is a prayer I pray daily! Jesus reminds us that even the smallest of faith can do BIG, HUGE things. When we are faithful and we are obedient, there is no end to what God can do through us!

As you go into your week, pay attention to the sin and temptations that surround you, be strong in your faith and seek God's help to remain obedient and faithful! Remember Jesus and His sacrifices for you as others seek your forgiveness, and then give it freely! Be a light in this dark world by showing the the love, compassion and Mercy of Jesus.

How Prudent Are You?

Get your Friday started right in The Word. Be sure to READ and/of LISTEN to our Mass Readings today.

I'm not gonna lie, this Gospel (Luke 16:1-8) and I really struggle trying to get the message without getting it all wrong. I looked at several other reflections about this parable and it seems like so many others are right where I am on this one.

Today Jesus tells us the story of the Dishonest Steward. In his story, the Master finds out his steward was squandering his property and calls him on it. The Steward realizes his position is about to be taken away, and not only will he be left with nothing, but he will also be left with nowhere to go.

Deciding to act before he is fired, the steward goes about his work collecting debts owed to the Master. Instead of collecting the full amount of the debt owed, he started slashing the bills to much more manageable amounts. Truth be told, he was charging them what was actually owed and taking his portion out. He is making it look like those sales we see at department stores. It looks like we are getting a great deal, but the items are marked up to begin with, so in reality we are paying what the item is worth. 

In doing this, the steward is finding favor with the towns people as well as making his Master look good. He is creating a win win out of this tough spot he got himself in. 

The parable gets confusing for me when Jesus wraps it up saying:

"For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light." ~ John 16:9 

Jesus almost sounds like he is praising dishonest behavior, but we know he isn't. So, what point is Jesus trying to make? 

I was grasping here and looked up the word prudent, it means "acting with or showing care and thought for the future."

Jesus was telling us that someone who is not of this world shows more care about their future than those of us who belong to Him.

These may be a stretch, but these are my thoughts, so bare with me :-) 

1. The Steward is mindful about how his actions in this particular moment will impact his future. 
2. He was mindful about dealing with his possessions and finances.
3. He was very mindful of how he is perceived by others. 

I think Jesus wants us to see that if someone who is of this World, someone who doesn't have the promise of eternal life can be so thoughtful about his life, certainly we should be even more! His actions have earthly consequences, while ours have eternal consequences. 

As we head into the weekend, look at your actions. Are they reflecting Christ and His love? Are you being obedient? Are you more concerned with accumulating "stuff" and wealth, or about taking care of others? Are you careful to act and behave in a way that honors God and brings others to Him? Are you mindful of the perceptions of others when it comes to your faith? Do you behave and act like children of the King?

When the Lost is Found

Be sure you READ and/or LISTEN to our Mass Readings for today!

Have you ever lost something? Have you ever lost something important and valuable? I have and it feels terrible. I start obsessing and can't do anything else until I find it! When I do find that item, the feeling of excitement and joy can't be contained!

In our Gospel reading (Luke 15:1-10) today, the Pharisees are giving Jesus a hard time, yet again, for eating and spending time with tax collectors and sinners. They question him because they think he is above being around "those kind of people," and are probably a bit jealous at the time he is spending with these sinners and not themselves!

Jesus tries to break it down for the Pharisees and explain to them why spending time with these people is so important. He gives them two parables. The first he is talking about lost sheep and then he tells of a woman who lost money.

In both parables something very important is lost. In both parables, everything is put on hold to go searching for the lost item, and in both parables there is great celebration where others are invited when the lost is found.

Jesus is illustrating His purpose and mission. He is here find the lost! He is here to save and heal the lost! It is the sinner that needs him most and he will do everything to save them!

God is not the only one that celebrates, the community of believers must too! We must support, encourage and rejoice when the lost is found!

When the Lost is Found

Be sure you READ and/or LISTEN to our Mass Readings for today!

Have you ever lost something? Have you ever lost something important and valuable? I have and it feels terrible. I start obsessing and can't do anything else until I find it! When I do find that item the feeling of excitement and joy can't be contained!

In our Gospel reading (Luke 15:1-10) today, the Pharisees are giving Jesus a hard time, yet again, for eating and spending time with tax collectors and sinners. They question him because they think he is above being around "those kind of people," and are probably a bit jealous at the time he is spending with these sinners and not themselves!

Jesus tries to break it down for the Pharisees and explain to them why spending time with these people is so important. He gives them two parables. The first he is talking about lost sheep and then he tells of a woman who lost money.

In both parables something very important is lost. In both parables, everything is put on hold to go searching for the lost item, and in both parables there is great celebration where others are invited when the lost is found.

Jesus is illustrating His purpose and mission. He is here find the lost! He is here to save and heal the lost! It is the sinner that needs him most and he will do everything to save them!

God is not the only one that celebrates, the community of believers must too! We must support, encourage and rejoice when the lost is found!

You Are a Gift!

READ and/or LISTEN to our Mass Readings for the day!

There are some really cool take aways from today's Gospel Reading (John 6:37-40). The first big point is that Jesus is very clear He is here on this earth to do God's will, not anything of His own, but only what God has for Him. 

The next big point and the one I want to rest on today is that we are a gift to Jesus from God. Yup, you read that right! Jesus tells us that everything God GIVES Him will go to Him and he won't reject anyone who goes to him.

Yes, God GIVES us to Jesus and Jesus wants to claim us and take us with Him if we are willing to go! He does not want to leave anyone behind. He wants to bring us into eternity with Him and raise us up on that last day! 

Sometimes I am pretty full of myself and think of myself as special, but seriously, to think that we could possibly be a gift to Jesus is beyond mind blowing! To think that Jesus won't reject us if we go to Him is a promise that gives us life! Where else in life do you get a guarantee like that? So many of us have a fear of rejection whether we see it and verbalize it or not. We let that fear of rejection keep us from far too much in this life. 

Jesus won't reject us, in fact, He wants to draw us close to Him!