Monthly Archives: July 2017

Morning Thoughts: To All Gathered in Thought and Prayer

1 Reply
by Howard Hain

.

Jesus Christ is Real.

He is not made of wood or ink or paint. He is not a distant figure from a distant past. He is here. We gather in His name—He is here. He is as real as each one of us. He is what makes each one of us real.

The message is simple:

He is the Son of God. He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. He is Love. He is Forgiveness. He is Humility. He is Boldness and Obedience.

He is Lord. He is God. He is Jesus Christ, crucified and risen.

He is Christ Jesus, and He is Real.

I see Him now in each of you. I say to Him, I say to you: “I love You, my Lord and my God.”

Now, let us go and tell others…

 

egon schiele conversion

Egon Schiele, “Conversion” (1912)

 

“And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

— Matthew 28:20

.

Joseph and his Brothers

Leave a reply

For the next few days we read at Mass from Genesis about Joseph, the son of Jacob, who’s betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt. He becomes one of Pharaoh’s chief advisors. When drought and famine strike the whole land,  Egypt is ready because Joseph has stored food to last through seven years of want.

When his brothers come looking for food, Joseph gives them food and saves them and their families from starvation. Eventually, Joseph brings Jacob, his father, and all his brothers and their families to ride out the famine in the safety of Egypt.

Like other Old Testament stories, the story of Joseph offers lessons simple and profound.  God saves his people, we’re reminded, even in a world of betrayals and natural disasters.  It’s also a story of forgiveness: Joseph forgives his brothers for betraying him and shows them God’s mercy.

It’s also a story to reflect on immigration and global solidarity. The Egyptians obviously let outsiders like Joseph’s brothers, nomads living beyond its borders, into their country. Why not build a wall around Egypt and keep strangers out?

Maybe an act of practical politics, some think. The nomads living on the borders of Egypt and on its trade routes were important allies to have in place with powerful empires to the north. You need to have good neighbors. One reason the Byzantine empire fell so quickly to Moslem invaders later on, historians say, was because it lost the support of Bedouin tribes on its borders.

These days, Pope Francis is stressing the “interconnectedness” of all life on our planet. The human family and nature are connected, for good or for ill. A story from Egypt has its lessons for today.

Mission

Leave a reply

By Orlando Hernandez

This Wednesday’s Gospel (Mt 10: 1-7) tells of Jesus’ commissioning of the twelve Apostles. In the previous chapter (Mt 9: 35-38) the Lord was “moved with pity” at seeing so many needy people, too many for Him to physically get to. So He empowers “these Twelve “ to spread out and perform miraculous deeds in His name. Each specific Apostle is mentioned, implying (to me) that God knows each one of His followers by name, probably every human being on Earth.

Then Jesus goes on to say, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”(Mt 10: 5-7)

The mission of the Twelve is more than just medical. They are to proclaim the Good News. Jesus also tells them to go specifically to the People of God, rather than the Gentiles. Are the Gentiles unworthy? Jesus gives much evidence to the contrary in the Gospels. But there were so many rules against contact with the Gentiles that perhaps it was better not to begin with them. The people of Israel were “lost” enough to start with, and at least they shared a common culture and spiritual background with the neophyte Apostles. It’s a good start. What about us, modern-day disciples of Christ?

Every time I pray, in some way or another I feel the summons of the Lord, to go out and do some good, to relieve the suffering of others. I also feel the urge to go out and share the joy of Jesus’ presence in my heart. The Kingdom of heaven is establishing itself day by day in my life, sometimes very slowly and painfully, sometimes in the most wonderful ways. I want to tell the world, but most people do not seem to want to listen.

I am so grateful for those special days when I smile at every stranger because I feel so full of the Spirit, without fear, and people actually smile back. Have I helped establish His Kingdom by this simple act? When I show sincere concern for those who are lonely, or afraid, or hurting, but who really do not want to hear anything about God, have I actually preached the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis? I have good friends that I care for, but they are Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, New Age searchers, or adamant atheists. With them, I guess, my best start is to act with respect and love, even acceptance, not disapproval or superiority. However, if I get the chance, I will not hesitate to tell them about how happy I am with my faith, and most importantly, SHOW IT.

With the “lost sheep” of Christianity it is a little different. With my Protestant friends, I always rejoice in out common love of Jesus, and do not get into arguments about who’s the “better Christian”. With disenchanted Catholics, I just do a lot of listening, and remind them that God loves us always, and He is ready to take us back. I tell them my own story, the lost years, my conversion, my joy and struggle with my faith, and how I could never live without the Eucharist. The important thing is to be sincere and respectful, because we love them with the love that Jesus has given us.

Then there is my family. My wife and I are constantly sharing our confusions and inspirations when we share our faith. The same happens with my son and daughter-in-law, who were so instrumental in our conversions. And with my grandchildren, I look for every opportunity to remind them that there is a God who loves them much, much more than even I do. Sometimes their eyes glaze over and they want to change the subject. Other times they seem interested and want to know more. I must admit that I should try and pray more with them.

And finally, there are the good people I interact with in the different faith communities that I belong to: my parish, the Passionist family, the prayer groups, the Knights of Columbus. Even if we don’t realize it we’re constantly proclaiming the Kingdom of heaven to each other by our words and deeds. It is such a blessing.

I often think that I am wasting my time writing for this blog, that I’m preaching to the converted, that everything I write has already been said in a much better way by so many other people. But here I am, still trying, in case someone’s heart might possibly be touched by God’s hand when they read something in here. I also do it because Fr. Victor has asked me to, and I love him so very much. And then today’s Gospel encourages  me to go on, my Beloved Lord does: no matter how clumsily “ make this proclamation : ‘ the Kingdom of heaven is at hand ‘. “

Have a blessed week, dear sisters and brothers in Christ.

Orlando Hernandez

Morning Thoughts: Prayer

1 Reply
by Howard Hain

.

I sat toward the back. Near the cooler. At the third table of three.

Looking through the line of bakery customers, I see out the storefront window, across the somewhat crowded street—that seems to be undergoing never-ending construction—a woman waking by. She passes before the window of the corner convenience store. She crosses herself. I don’t know why. But I believe.

I don’t understand.

But I trust.

I don’t desire. I don’t will. I don’t want.

I respond with faith.

She is good. She is like you—trying her best. She is like me—she could do better.

God loves her. God loves you. God loves me. Nonetheless.

The desire to love is love.

The will to union is union.

The Freedom of Christ is a Cuban pastry with three holes.

I eat away.

I taste and see.

My food is to do the will of Him who sent me.

Faith. Hope. Charity.

All else is a small pile of crumbs—gently laid to rest—the edge of the bakery table—on the well-worn tile floor.

.

“There is nothing more gracious than to think well of our neighbor.”

—Saint Therese of Lisieux

.

.

Friday Thoughts: Simple Awe

4 Replies
Picasso, The Blind Man's Meal, 1903

Picasso, “The Blind Man’s Meal”, (1903)

.

The ear that hears, the eye that sees—the Lord has made them both.

—Proverbs 20:12

———

It is the simple times. It is when we are doing life one dirty dish, one utility bill, one ordinary errand at a time that deepened faith creates an awe-filled stir.

For much is said of the bells and whistles of supernatural faith—but what is most supernatural is the presence of “all”, of “everything”, of “heaven and earth” in each dirty dish, each electric bill, each trip to the dollar store. What is most supernatural is the acknowledged presence of God in day-to-day life.

The deeper our trust, the more complete our surrender, the less “exciting” the external signs need to be. Or to express it differently: The least “exciting” times become so overwhelmingly profound that bells and whistles are hardly noticed.

We are told that we need an ear that hears and an eye that sees.

But what is it to have them?

Is it being still within God’s presence while the sponge soaks, the envelope seals, the cash register line slowly shortens?

The skeptic may see such a man as confined by complacency, dangerously satisfied, or simply numb. The skeptic may even call such a man “blind”.

That is certainly one way to look at it.

There is another:

Or is it that the mighty awe of a salvaged life has finally taken hold?

———

Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

—Luke 10:23-24

.

.

—Howard Hain

.

13th Sunday A

Leave a reply

For today’s homily, please play the video below: