The Defense For Religion

Mark 1: 29 - 39

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And immediately he left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.30Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her.31And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.33And the whole city was gathered together about the door.34And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.35And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.36And Simon and those who were with him pursued him,37and they found him and said to him, "Every one is searching for you."38And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out."39And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

"My religion teaches me to pardon my enemies and all who have offended me."  -Paul Miki

We live in some very hostile times when it comes to faith in God and religion.  There are plenty who say, "the problem of the world stems from religion!"  This usually gets played out by people saying, "I am spiritual, but not religious."  This is like saying, 'I am human, but not a being.'  All it reveals is a persons inability to commit to a religious tradition.

"Oh...but look at all the wars religion has caused!  The crusades in the medieval period, and 9/11 in recent times.  This is all the evidence you need to see that religion is the problem.'  What they fail to point out is that religion had very little to do with the Iraq war.  World war I and II were not started over arguments over Christ's divinity.  Religion had nothing to do with the Korean or Vietnam war.  This is not to say that religion has never been dragged into the problem of war.  However, the notion that "The world would be as one" without religion, as John Lennon sang, is naive at best.  This begs the question, if you take out religion what do you replace it was?  Not even the new athirst can answer this question. 

What we see in the gospel today is Jesus, who is the founder of our faith and religion, relieving the suffering and pain of the people by driving away the evil that oppresses them -what an interesting concept!  To believe the problems of the world stem not from goodness and right faith in God; not from religion, but from the evil that engulfs it!

The evil one is like that person who causes all kinds of problems and heartache, but never seems to be held accountable and always gets away with things.  "They pursued him and on finding him said, 'Everyone is looking for you."  Everyone is still looking for him today.  Most are looking in the wrong places: inside a bottle, inside wrong relationships, inside a secular world that wants its spirituality, but not religion ...anything but that!

We need to pursue Christ and let him into our lives and when we do let Him into our lives, some-thing-good-is-going-to-happen!  For Peter's mother in-law it was release from a fever.  For the whole town, it was a cure for those who were sick with various diseases.  For those possessed by evil, they had their demons driven away.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Christ can still heal, renew, and transform.  He is the only one who can defect our demons.

Peter's mother in-law experienced healing and responded by serving Jesus.  You can find Christ anywhere.   You can pray to Him in the privacy of your own home or room, but to serve Him, you must commit to a religious tradition.  To serve Christ this way is to preach with our very lives which is what Christ has called us to do.

Fishers of People

(Mark 1:14-20 ESV)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

What we see in the gospel today is Jesus ushering in the Kingdom of God by proclaiming the Good news.

There is a story of a man made of salt, who lived in the desert, and he wondered who he really was.  So the Salt man decided to take a Journey to find out.  He come across different creatures in the dessert like the scorpion  and he  ask, “Who are you?”  The scorpion would replay, “I am a deadly Scorpion.  Don’t come to close to me or I will sting you to death.”

Next he came upon a rattle snake, and asked, “Who are you?”  The Rattle snake replied, “I am a deadly rattle snake, don’t come to close or my bite will kill you.”  As he walked and walked, and walked, he came in contact with some very dangerous situations.  He finally came upon a vast ocean and was startled by the tremendous body of water which he never saw before.

The Salt Man said to the ocean, “Who are you?”   The ocean replied back, “Come and see.”  So the salt man started to walk into the ocean and as he did he began to dissolve into the ocean.  Finally, just before the salt man was completely dissolved he said, “I know now...who I am,”  and then he became one with the ocean.  The salt was made for the ocean and he knew who he was by dying to himself, and letting himself become what he was called to be.

In scripture today is the beginning of the journey for the disciples who have an encounter with Christ who says to them, “Come follow me.”  They let go of what was familiar to them.  They turned and followed Christ and embraced who they were called to be - Apostles.

It is in that relationship with Christ that we came to know who we are, and learn what it is that we are meant to be, but we have to let go of what we are about and let ourselves be dissolved by surrendering to Christ’s call in our lives.

When we empty ourselves, letting go of all the things we think are going to make us happy; all the things we think will bring meaning to our life, we find that when we embrace Christ’s call we discover, in the end, who we really are, and what we are called to be.

Letting ourselves be dissolved into the will of God is much like the doctrine of the cross, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his own cross and follow in my steps.”  There are a lot of instances in the gospel where people were called, but didn't follow.  The rich young man who couldn't give up his wealth.  The disciples who couldn't accept the teachings of the Eucharist and turned away.

So we need to look into our own lives and ask what is it that I cling too, that I can’t let go of, which keeps me from following Christ.  Sometimes we follow, but look back like the person who put’s their hand to the blow, but looks back saying, 'Well…I had these career plans or I had this plan or this project.'

And Jesus says, ‘Let go, you put your hand to the blow, don’t look back,” but the things we had in the past nag at us, and we turn, and lose sight of God’s kingdom.

If we lose sight of God's Kingdom then we put ourselves in danger of all the traps of this world.  The sing of addiction to drugs and alcohol, the dangerous bit of temptation, the surging waves of depression and meaninglessness, the loss of God and the endless wanderings in hopeless night.

We will never find ourselves in these things, we can only lose ourselves in them.  What Christ offers us are His nets of mercy and as we fall deeper, and deeper into them we will find who we really are and what we are called to be.

The gospel is the bait. The hook is His church, and the catch is eternal life.  Only we can decide if we are going to allow ourselves to be caught by the gospel message, but if we do we will find not only ourselves but the very meaning of our existence.

The Call To Discipleship

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamp of God."  The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.  Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?"  They said to him, "Rabbi" - which translated means Teacher-, "Where are you staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day.  It was about four in the afternoon.  Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.  He first found his own brother Simon and told him. "We have found the Messiah" - which is translated Christ - Then he brought him to Jesus.  Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" - which is translated Peter.

Today we hear in the OT and NT what has become known as, “Call Stories.”  There is nothing more fascinating then hearing about someone being called by God and how it changes everything in a person’s life.

Much of what is written about the 'Call Stories' today is missing one vital element: resistance! The disciples where happy they discovered the Messiah.  Little did they realize at the time when embracing the call of Christ the cost and demand it would place on them.

We live in a culture which impacts us in every way with relativism, extreme religious world views, and the corruption and abuse of power within every institution that exits, one is challenged on a daily based to keep the call of Christ from being drowned-out by the noise of the world.  Yet, reassuringly Christ, in the gospel, is always calling us to discipleship.

This past Christmas, all the church’s in the Rutland Vermont area were packed, (as I am sure every diocese in the country was).  Now we have entered ordinary time, and I have to ask where are all the people who packed the churches just a few weeks ago?

The baby Jesus is easy to admire and adore.  Jesus in his infancy makes not demands on us.  He is not a threat, and does not make our lives uncomfortable.  But today, we meet the adult Jesus – all grown up – who looks at his disciples in the eye and says, “What are you looking for?”

What separates a true disciple from one who is simply along for the ride?  The answer can be found in the response of the disciples?  “Where are you staying?”  Discipleship is about relationship!  Once they have entered the relationship with Christ, the relationship is no longer on their terms.  Being at home with that reality is where they will learn how to live, how to love, and how deal with the messiness of relationships even with the one they are were now staying with - the Messiah.  

I am always amazed how quickly people who do not have faith or believe in Christ walk away from relationships, friendships and even marriages once they become difficult.  (This is not to say Christians never do this, but the speed at which it happens I believe is different)  Yet, what we see in the Christian story are two things: Christ's relationship to us and our relationship with Christ.  He chose us and we blow it.  There is no one (outside of Judas, who I believe would have been forgiven had he held on) who makes more mistakes than Peter.

It is interesting that after the resurrection Jesus asks Peter three times “Do you love me.”  Finally Peter responds by saying of course I love you.  And Peter probably was expecting Jesus to say, 'What a wonderful person you are Pete, I knew you didn't really mean it when you denied me,’ but this is what Jesus tells him,

"But I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him “Follow me.”

Not what Peter wanted to hear I am sure!  He wanted to hear something else like, 'That-a-boy Pete' but Jesus spoke truthfully about the price he would pay for following Him.  As I approach my forty-sixth year and reflect on twenty-five years of discipleship, I amazed at some of the sacrifices that this vocation has demanded of me.  Looking back, I know that I must have been given Divine strength to give up everything, to minister in places I did not want to be or go, and yet, I know I am right where I am supposed to be.  Christ has not asked me to literally die for Him, but I have died in many ways to do what he has called me to do today. 

When I talk to married couples they sometimes share with me the price they have paid in order to say faithful, to have a family and children and it is not that much different than my own vocation.  What Christ is going to ask of me and you this year, I do not know, but one thing I do know is: to do the will of Christ, to be his disciple is the greatest meaning one can ever find. "What are you looking for?" Christ asked his disciples.  If you are looking for a comfortable, selfish lifestyle, you come to the wrong place, but if you are looking for meaning, truth, and real transforming love, then you have come to the right person, Jesus Christ.

The Birth of Christ

It is a wonderful thing that the birth of Christ, and the announcement of that birth should come first to lowly shepherds.  Although these shepherds, quite unable to keep the details of the Judaic laws; take a special role in salvation history. 

They could not observe all the meticulous hand-washing, rules and regulations of the law.  Their flocks made far too constant demands on them for that.  Undisciplined in the ways of Judaism, uneducated, in the reading of the Torah, what they possessed was a sincere, simple, faith.  A faith which made their response of seeking out Christ possible.

When they found Christ they returned to shepherding changed people.  They now knew they were counted, valued, and loved by God.  Despite their lowly circumstances, despite the fact that most people didn't even know they existed, they had real joy and meaning because of their relationship with God.

What started out as a fearful event, turned into a joyful one.  A sense of isolation shattered by a sense of the sacred.  God is making a statement to all of us in the birth of Christ.  We who feel overlooked, neglected, fearful and feel of little importance.  The God of the universe not only knows how you feel, the God of the universe, the Creator of all things visible and invisible has experienced rejection on every level.  From the stable to the grave; Christ’s life is marked by rejection.

The apologist and author Ravi Zacharias bring us a good point when speaking about rejection and meaning when he states, "The quest for meaning, the pursuit for meaning, all over the world, humanity has this one, particular, aspect about them, whether they be atheists, agnostic or skeptic.  Somewhere in a person’s life is a drive to find meaning and to understand their existence.  My  question is this:  What does it take for a person to say, I have legitimately found meaning?"

For many people, meaning is not important.  What is important is that they be left alone.  However, when that wish is fulfilled, simply existing becomes utterly unbearable.

The shepherds didn't find meaning only in being Shepherds. They didn’t consider themselves special visionaries of angels.  They weren't looking to be the first apostles.  They simple wanted to share the news about this Child to others and then went back to their lives rejoicing.  What was there to rejoice over?  The simple fact that God is here to save.

The plan God is using to save is the same today, as it was yesterday, and it’s just as effective as it was two thousand years ago.  As the prophet Isaiah proclaimed: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

With the reality of such good news: God with us, who is for us and living inside of us, how could we not go back to the workplace like the shepherds - changed people?

Repentance And The Spirit.

 Is 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.  A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.  Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.  Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news!  Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God!  Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care

Gospel Mk 1:1-8

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."  John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Jourdan countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.  John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist.  He fed on locusts and wild honey.  And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 

To understand the Prophet Isaiah and his message of comfort, we really need to look at the prophet Jeremiah, and his message of warning to Israel about sinning against God.  Time and time again Jeremiah warned the people of God that if they continued in their sins they would find themselves in exile.  Instead of heading Jeremiah’s message, they killed him and decided to listen, instead, to the false prophets who said, “Peace, peace.”

As a result, the people of God found themselves in exile in Babylon.  Only by God strong hand did they return.  Historians still scratch their heads wondering how a captive people simply walked away from Babylon without one shot being fired.  Now instead of saying, “I told you so” or “See what happens when you don’t listen!”  Isaiah’s message is surprisingly different, "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”

The people of God must have looked pretty haggard walking back to Jerusalem, but that is what sin does to us, and if we think there is no consequences to sin we are only fooling ourselves.  John the Baptist is shouting in the desert - why is he in the desert feeding on locus and honey?

The metaphor of locus & honey is to represent the notion that life is both bitter and sweet.  If we except life to be nothing but sweet all the time we will find ourselves living in bitter disappointment.  I think it is safe to say we are living in some pretty bitter times, and no matter how the economists and experts try to give a reasonable explanation for the cause and effects of the recession the one thing they never mention is sin; individual sin, corporeal sin or structural sin. 

The bottom line is that sin is the cause for most our troubles, but we do have hope, and in reality the only solution available to us is to live by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  However, that requires willingness to turn away from sin and to trust in the power of the Spirit.  A terrifying prospect for some because it means giving up control. 

Father Marie-Eugene was a Carmelite friar who lived in France in the early 1900’s.  His father was a miner who died unexpectedly in 1904 when Marie-Eugene was not yet ten.  The family then experienced the hardships of poverty, but his mother managed to raise all five children by herself.  Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Father Marie-Eugene wrote, “Before enlightening your heart, The Holy Spirit sheds light through events and situations, light in darkness; you don’t know where it’s going, you don’t know where it’s coming from.”  When he came to the end of his life, a life dependent on the Spirit, he was able to happily state, “The Holy Spirit has always foiled my projects, but for the better.”

That cannot ever be said of sin which will not only ruin our projects, but our lives as well.  Instead, the better alternative is to be willing to open our hearts and minds to the Spirit so as live better, freer lives in Christ as children of God.

The Advent Fast

It has become a costume of mine to fast during Advent.  I not only fast, but I take this time to detox my system as well.  I am always reluctant to speak about fasting because I am conscious of the fact that Jesus in the gospels exhorts his followers not to let people know when they are fasting.  (I wonder who takes fasting seriously anymore today?)  Of course, when speaking about fasting all kinds of ideas come to mind on how to fast - what does it mean to fast - what should one give up?  I know a fellow brother Capuchin who told me when he sees food he eats it fast and that was his idea of fasting.  I would imagine most people think fasting is about bread and water. 

I all I can say is how a person fast is really up to them.  Because I have been fasting during Advent for years my body knows what is coming: for the first week of Advent, I drink nothing but fluids and have one salad for lunch.  The second week, I have vegetables and fruit, and the third week I include fruit.  By the end of Advent, I am feeling in such great spiritual shape that I long for Lent to do the process all over again.  Prayerful waiting and watching is what makes all the fasting possible, so that is why I am grateful it is the first Friday of the month when I simply get to put myself in from of the Lord in adoration and thank Him for all the wonderful things He has done for us.  For me, fasting is all about staying awake and being watchful.    

Using The New Translation

Today, on the feast of St. Leo the Great, pope of the church in the fifth century, I decided to use the new sacramentary during morning mass.  There were just a few parishioner's and I think they were okay with me starting a little early than November 27th.  I don't want do it 'cold turkey' on the first Sunday of Advent without some practice and familiarity with the new translation.  So, I decided today would be as good as any to start.

For the most part, it still feels like the mass, and not a whole lot has changed.  It will take a little getting used to, but the parishioner's who were there seemed to be okay with it.  Change is never easy, but I feel better knowing, as a universal church, we are all using the same translation.  I still wonder how well this will take place in other diocese's?  I guess time will tell.