Monthly Archives: November 2016

Saint Andrew, Apostle
Romans 10:9-18 | Psalm 18(19):2-5 | Matthew 4:18-22

I started my daily scripture blog 8 months ago, and in that time, I’ve noticed a pattern forming: The words flow like a brisk mountain stream on some nights, and sleep-inducing molasses on others, but no matter what else I was doing that night, I was never reluctant to sit down and ponder the next day’s Word.

It was as if I was called to this activity, just as Jesus called His first four apostles in today’s Gospel. No hesitation, no “but I’ve got XYZ left to do”, just a quiet commitment to follow the Word of God wherever it would lead me each night, or (for the apostles) to drop everything and follow Christ.

That said, I’ve occasionally wondered if I should perhaps cut back to a weekly blog post, to allow for a deeper reflection like that offered by Fr. Peter Musset and Scott Powell on each Sunday’s readings in their Lanky Guys podcast.

After repeated pondering, I’ve decided to continue following my heart and posting nightly, despite it taking up to two hours to finish each entry. If pressed for a rationalization, I can only offer the following:

✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞

The Bible is the ultimate story of God’s relationship with man – flora, fauna and even a mighty flood only play bit roles. Penning my thoughts on each day’s Word helps me think about my own relationship with God through the lens of many colorful characters: the apostles, St. Paul, Moses and Zacchaeus the tax collector, just to name a few.

All were flawed, yet God played a critical role in each of their lives. I too am seriously flawed, but seeing how each person acknowledged their weaknesses, then let go and let God, gives me great hope for each day, and helps me recover from the guilt of not being the best person I could be.

To know through scripture that everyone lets God down at some point, and some more often and more gravely than others, yet He’s always there to offer forgiveness and redemption, and the strength to do better…that gives me the strength to soldier on in love, despite frequently failing to show such love.

And reading and re-reading the beautiful parables narrated by Jesus during his earthly ministry, helps open my eyes to the daily parables enacted before my eyes,

the elderly cleaner overcoming his creaky joints and weak bones, cleaning each table slowly, methodically and conscientiously

the bus driver waiting for each elderly passenger to be safely seated before moving off

the young girl pausing in wonder at the wailing toddler, then offering him a hug and a bite of her ice-cream

✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞

Just as every priest’s daily sermons inevitably vary in quality and impact with his current health in mind and body, so I’m well aware that my daily entries run the gamut from High Church to borderline crap. As the prolific bard John Denver once said:

Some days are diamonds, some days are stone.

But the Lord calls me every day, not just on Sundays. Sticking to a daily schedule of scriptural blogging, forsaking the equivalent of the Sistine Chapel ceiling for a more pragmatic “One Day at a Time“, helps keep me firmly rooted in the here and now, with just enough courage and conviction to address the world’s troubles, one woe at a time.

Amen.

Tuesday of the 1st week of Advent (Year A)
Isaiah 11:1-10 | Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,12-13,17 | Luke 10:21-24

Isaiah’s vision of the Kingdom of God in today’s reading is bizarre by human standards. Who’d have thought of young children and animals playing safely with vegetarian predators which “do no hurt, no harm”? In our world, it’s dog-eat-dog-eat-meek, and even while you’re preying on some blissfully naive person, you’re watching for tricksters and other ne’er-do-wells who are out to cheat you in turn.

Such is the power of God, the epitome of justice and love.

I think we should be reminded by this passage to deal with others fairly, to work towards a “rising tide that floats all boats” strategy rather than a zero-sum “me win, you lose” game.

And while we’re not likely to frolic with straw-eating lions or tame vipers in our lifetimes, we could stand to not abuse our general mastery over nature. Instead, let’s be frugal in our consumption and conscientious in our activities in the great outdoors.

After all, we are called to be stewards of the world, not plunderers.

O God, You bid us tend and watch over the earth, just as You bid Adam tend and watch over Eden. Give us the abilities and the desire to lovingly care for Your kingdom and each other, to “do no hurt, no harm”, so that when Your Son returns, He may see that in nature as in humanity, all is very good indeed. Amen.

Monday of the 1st week of Advent (Year A)
Isaiah 4:2-6 | Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9 | Matthew 8:5-11

Matthew 8:8 seems to recur quite frequently in my reflections, and while I was contemplating a new spin to an old passage, this old Advent song suddenly came to mind.

It’s obviously inspired by the well-known response to the Ecce Agnus Dei (“Behold the Lamb of God”), and while my choir has since moved on, it’s still a poetic reminder that we should seek the Lord at all times, for our good and the good of all mankind.

Come down, Lord, my son is ill,
Wracked with fever the livelong day.
He is life to me, if you will
Drive death away, drive death away.
Lord, do not come to my house, I’m unworthy,
Speak and the promise is sealed.
For when your Word, O God, is spoken
He shall be healed, he shall be healed.

Come down, Lord, my soul is ill,
Wracked with anguish the livelong day.
All my sorrowing will be still
If you but say, if you but say.
Lord, do not come to my house, I’m unworthy,
Speak and the promise is sealed.
For when your Word, O God, is spoken
I shall be healed, I shall be healed.

Come down, Lord, the world is ill,
Wracked with bloodshed the livelong day.
Man must struggle for peace until
You show the way, you show the way.
Lord, do not come to our house, we’re unworthy,
Speak and the promise is sealed.
For when your Word, O God, is spoken
We shall be healed, we shall be healed.

Amen.

1st Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Isaiah 2:1-5 | Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9 | Romans 13:11-14 | Matthew 24:37-44

The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. (Romans 13:12-13)

Most of us have had the creepy experience of wandering into the kitchen for a drink of water at night, flipping the light switch…and seeing cockroaches, lizards and other nocturnal denizens scurrying for cover.

St. Paul reminds us that we are people of the light, that we should not be skulking in sin. Instead, we should be boldly going forth, secure in the knowledge that we’re doing what the Lord asks of us – to love one another as He has loved us, in thought, word and deed.

This way, when Jesus’ words for today come to pass:

of two men in the fields one is taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left (Matthew 24:40-41)

we’re more likely to be the ones taken off to paradise, while the ones left behind will partake of eternal suffering.

And because I can rarely resist the urge to write a parody, and because it’s the start of Advent…

Roaches in the night, running for cover
Finding nooks to hide, to not encounter
Lethal pesticide before the night was through

Let’s not be that guy who’s so conniving
Let’s not be that gal who’s prostituting
We desire, O Lord, to always be with You

Dangers in the night, temptations left and right
There’s dangers in the night, we’re weak and burdened, Lord
But You are always there, hearing every prayer
Love is all You’ll ever be, come to our hearts and set us free

And…

Now amidst the light, we tell our story
Joyous at the sight of Trinal Glory
Father, Spirit, Son…and banished is the night

Amen.

Saturday of Week 34 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Apocalypse 22:1-7 | Psalm 94(95):1-7 | Luke 21:34-36

The Lord will come to rule the earth. We will be reunited body and soul with Him, and everything will be made new. In this we believe, of this we profess.

Today’s the end of the liturgical year, and as we look forward to welcoming Christ the new-born King, let’s look back and take stock of the life we lived in Him. To accompany us on this mental journey, I can think of no better music than this familiar anthem from Ol’ Blue Eyes…sorta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egY8rUpxqcE

And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
It’s been a blast, no need to paiseh
Because, to tell the truth, I did it God’s way

Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
He told me what to do, I saw it through without exception
I let Him chart my course, each careful step along the byway
And so, I tell you this, I did it God’s way

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I prayed a lot and it worked out
I faced it all and didn’t fall, because it’s God’s way

I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh, no, oh, no, not me, I did it God’s way

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not for Christ, then he has naught
To share the Word from up above and kneel before the One who Loves
The record shows I took the blows and did it God’s way

Yes, it was God’s way

Amen.