Category Archives: Christianity

Temptations of the Desert and the Garden

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Dear Folks,
Today Jesus hits us with the beatitudes in the Gospel of Luke.
The Bible portrays God’s people being tested in the garden of Eden, and then in the desert after escaping slavery in Egypt (of course, we failed both times). Jesus was tested in the desert for forty days, then again in the garden of Gethsemane (and, of course, He succeeded). The temptation of the garden and the temptation of the desert each have their dangers.
When we are deprived, hungry, exhausted, and worn down, it is hard to resist temptation, thinking giving in will bring us the relief we desperately crave. In the garden, when we have eaten well and have so many comforts, it is easy to love the pleasures of the earth too much and think too highly of the importance of our desires. There are several stories of people who have won millions in the lottery, and in a few years they’re broke and they say it ruined their lives. The thrill of spending money is addictive, and we can easily lose track of what we are doing. Loving any of the goods of the earth too much We read in Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things I ask of you, do not deny them to me before I die: Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only
with the food I need; Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” Or, being I want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.” Both abundance and depravation bring challenges.
When Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor,” I suggest He is pointing to those who know that what the earth provides is not enough to make them happy. We are made for more, for eternal values, eternal treasures.
I have listened to the first episode of the podcast “He Leadeth Me” by Walter J. Ciszek S.J. It describes how the Soviets destroyed all they had built and took the prisoner to horrific work camps in Siberia. He later said that God allows such things to happen, and this teaches us that all we need is Him. Given his experience, he spoke with authority. I speak as one very accustomed to (and very fond of) indoor plumbing, central heating, and meals on a regular basis. I would have a very hard time losing those things, and I can’t guarantee you how I would react. I do know, however, that none of the goods of the earth are guaranteed for tomorrow, but the love of God is. If we attend to our relationship with God in good times and bad times (and medium times), if we make prayer and service to God a consistent priority, I think we would be more likely to react to hardship by clinging more tightly to God rather than giving up in despair. Things like fasting and doing penance can help us build our Say-no-to-ourselves muscles so we are better prepared to face hardship.
Both Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17 talk about people who put their trust in God and love His ways are like trees planted beside flowing waters, whose sustenance was consistent and sure. Let us seek to be rooted ever more deeply in God.
Blessings,
Fr. Jim

Calling Sinners to Action

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Dear Folks,
Our readings this Sunday show two people getting called by God (see Isaiah 6 and Luke 5). We think Isaiah was a priest, and we know Peter was a fisherman. They encountered God and His call while at work and gets their attention in a way that they would be sensitive to. Both have an experience of the divine, and it makes them powerfully aware of their shortcomings. God reassures them so they can answer the call. Notice especially they are not promised reward but given a task.
In fact, they both suffered much for their service. According to the ancient stories, Isaiah was put in a hollow tree and was sawed in half. St. Peter was crucified upside down. He said that he wasn’t worthy to die the way that Jesus died, and so the soldiers (who I presume thought they were funny) did it that way. They certainly knew that answering God’s call didn’t lead to an easy path, but I suspect they didn’t know how hard it was going to be. God strengthened them on their journeys so that they could be faithful even to their extreme endings.
I would suggest that God is testing our Church now, and our future as Church will pivot around our response to His call. Are we accepting the challenge to be coworkers in mission. We may get frustrated with the Church sometimes (I speak from experience), but rather than focus on what the Pope, various bishops and various priests should be doing (or not doing), we can focus on what we can do to further the mission in our little corner. There will always be things going on that we don’t like, that we think should be done differently. Coworkers in mission focus on how the Church can best respond to Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations, and how we can help make that happen.
We seek to grow in holiness not just for our sake, but so that God’s light might shine more brightly through us (Mat 5:13-15). If we want a better world, the first step is always to fall more deeply in love with Jesus.
Next, we consider how we tell the Gospel story. If you take a look at this Sunday’s second reading from 1 Corinthians 15 St. Paul relates the basic message of Jesus (called “the kerygma”). How would you sum up the Christian message? Christopher West says it’s “God wants to marry you.” Another way would be, Jesus brought perfect love into the world, and by the power of that love He can conquer evil in us.
How do we work together as community? Are we inviting and welcoming? How well and how lovingly do we resolve conflict in our midst? Does it show that Jesus is at work here?
How do we worship? Do our presence and our participation show that we are doing the most important work of our week? If we are focused on giving ourselves completely to God in worship it will show. How do we help those in need? Do we amaze the surrounding community with our love in action? Jesus invites us to come and fish for His people. How do we answer?
Blessings,
Fr. Jim

Presenting One’s Gift; Presenting One’s Self

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Dear Folks,
This is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, when Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple, a familiar story. We can easily skip over the text that talks about the Law that says,
“Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord” calling for sacrificing “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons (Luke 2:23).” What’s that about? In Exodus 13:2-12 we see the command to ransom the firstborn and connects it to the exodus from Egypt and God’s saving action. The firstborn belongs to him.
We know that in those days, it was common to sacrifice one’s child to the gods, notably Molech. When we look at bad things that were going on in the Old Testament, It’s important to remember that what was going on in the surrounding cultures was worse, much worse.
We all know the story of the testing of Abraham, in which God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac but stops him at the last minute. This showed first that Abraham was completely dedicated to obeying God, whatever the cost. Second, this was God rejecting the practices of child sacrifice. In the Law of Moses, God commanded, “you shall not offer any of your offspring for immolation to Molech, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord (Lev. 18:21).” In Leviticus 20:1-5, God will use stronger language and fierce sanctions. Ezekiel 16:20-21 and 20:26 tell us that the Israelites sometimes broke that commandment. Being surrounded by larger, stronger adversaries, it was tempting to think that imitating their practices would give them power. God rejected that, and in its place was the practice of redeeming the first born.
That is behind the practice of presenting the child in the temple. This foreshadows the day when Jesus sacrifices Himself for us. God Himself would give His only begotten Son for our sake.
I have already recommended Katy Faust’s book “Pro-Child Politics.” It is a series of essays claiming that many current practices sacrifice the wellbeing of children for the sake of adult desires. Each one is by someone knowledgeable in the particular area, so even if you don’t agree with every position taken, I suggest it would present a powerful challenge. If we have a hard time believing or understanding how the ancients could practice child sacrifice, let us ponder what our society accepts today.
As we reflect on Jesus’ presentation in the temple, how might God be calling for us to care for children today?
Blessings,
Fr. Jim

The Torah and the Gospel

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Dear Folks,
Our first reading this Sunday is from Nehemiah and describes when the Israelites came back from exile and had to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple. In the wreckage of the temple, they found a copy of the law. When the Bible talks about the law, it’s talking about the Torah. A rabbi told me that translating “Torah” as “law” does not really convey the meaning. He said that sin is missing the target and Torah is hitting the target. The Torah
is the first five books of the Bible (also called the Pentateuch) and is a central reference point in the Bible. Whenever it speaks of God’s precepts, statutes, and decrees, this is what they mean. When Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple in obedience to the Law of
the Lord (Luke 2:22-38), it is this law, which Mary and Joseph faithfully followed. When Jesus disputes with the Pharisees over picking grain on the Sabbath, they are arguing about the proper interpretation of the Torah (which is suspect is a longstanding rabbinic tradition). In the Old Testament, one was considered righteous (in right relationship with God) if one followed the Torah.
Psalm 1 (quite short) and Psalm 119 (somewhat longer, the longest chapter in the Bible) are hymns to the Torah. They both teach that the Torah is the way to blessedness in a way that Jesus invokes when He says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” This blessedness is the fullness of life to which God calls us.
For Christians, Jesus is the new Torah. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is modeled after the presentation of the Law of Moses Compare with Exodus 20: up on a mountain, starting with the Ten Commandment
(pocket sized version) then longer elaboration. Jesus goes up a mountain, gives the Beatitudes (pocket sized version) and then elaborates on them. St. Paul will argue that righteousness comes not from following the Law of Moses, but from faithfulness to Jesus.
We come to the fullness of life and right relationship with God through a love relationship with Jesus. This includes learning Jesus’ teaching, which is not just the four Gospels (John 21:25), but I would claim that the whole of the Catholic faith is the truth about Jesus (explanation and defense of that position is for another day). It would include spending time with Jesus, sharing ourselves. It would include encountering Him in the sacraments. It would include putting our lives into His hands, continually inviting Him to transform us however He wants and sending us to serve Him however He wants. This gives us the fullness of freedom (John 8:32), the fullness of life (John 10:10), and the fullness of joy (John
15:11; 16:22; 17:13).
Blessings,
Fr. Jim

The Bride and the Lamb

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Dear Folks,
This year most of the Gospel readings on Sunday will be from Luke, but today we slip into John to talk about the wedding of Cana. The Bible regularly uses the image of marriage for
God’s relationship with His people. We can see for instance Isaiah 62:4-5; book of Hosea, book Song of Songs, Psalm 45; Ephesians 5:29-32; Luke 5:33-35; John 3:29; Revelation 19:6-9, and Revelation 21:9-14. At the wedding at Cana, we see Mary coming to Jesus with
the problem of running out of wine. If you read Brant Pitre’s excellent book “Jesus the Bridegroom” he will explain that the responsibility for providing the wine falls to the bridegroom, so Jesus is being revealed as the bridegroom. John the Baptist will make this point in John 3:29, and then in the wedding of the bride (the Church) and the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9; Rev. 21:9-14).
Someone once said, “If you treated your friends the way you treat God, would you have any friends?” We could ask if you treat your spouse the way you treat God, how good a marriage would you have?
I’ve recommended John Gottman’s book “Seven Principles for making Marriage Work” before. He has empirical data to back up his ideas, and they are very interesting. I wonder how some of them could be applied to our relationship with God.
Enhance your love maps. Your love map is what you know about your partner, their likes, dislikes, favorite food, favorite TV show, etc. Are we curious to know more about how God has revealed Himself and interacted with His people. This would include stories from the Bible and the lives of saints, how God calls us to worship, and what He teaches. It starts with being curious.
Nurture your fondness and admiration. What do you appreciate about your spouse? How did you first fall in love? What were good times and what attracted you to each other in the early days? How did we first come to know God? What have we found good about
Him? What have been good experiences of His work in your life?
Turn toward each other instead of away. Gottman uses the example: if your beloved calls you to the window to see a cardinal (I presume the bird) in the back yard, do you come and look, or do you roll your eyes and move on? Those experiences make a difference. How do you connect in little ways with God throughout the day? Do we let Him have a bit of attention and interest in little ways? How do we connect Him to our world?
Let your partner influence you. Have you let your partner change the way you do something, look at something, approach something? How has our relationship with God changed the way we do things?
Build shared meaning. Take the two separate life stories and weave them into one story. What is your life story? God’s story, the story of salvation, the Bible story and the story of the Church is one big tapestry. How do we see ourselves woven into it? Love relationships can be nurtured. God loves with infinite love, and we have a lot of room to grow. How might we let God have more of ourselves?
Blessings,
Fr. Jim

Baptism of the Lord: New Beginning

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Dear Folks,
This is the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the final day of the Christmas season. I believe that Epiphany was the end of the season, and celebrated the coming of the Magi, the miracle at Cana, and the baptism of the Lord, butsomeone decided that the Baptism should have its own feast day.
I challenge everyone to read Luke chapter 3 and get a sense of John’s call to renewal. Notice his images of the axe and the tree, then the wheat and the chaff. Now if you read Psalm 1, then Luke
13:1-9. We see how the Bible reinforces lessons by the repeated use and development of imagery.
The Gospel of John does some interesting teaching on baptism.
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born* from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot
reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.e 7 Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind* blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but
you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (John 3:3-8).”
The word “born” can also be translated “begotten,” as in “Abraham begat Isaac. Isaac begat Jacob…”. In Biblical times, the seed of the father determined what you were and was the key to your
identity. We see Jesus talking about this in John 8:39-44, who your father really is makes all the difference.
It is in this light, we see that baptism changes who we are, and now we are children of God.
Jesus, of course, was already the begotten Son of God, so His baptism did not transform Him. He who was without sin, took on the mantle of sinner to suffer for our sins. “But he was pierced for
our sins, crushed for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5).” He reversed our journey to perdition so that we could be saved. We remember when people were created, they were first tested in a garden and
failed. Then with Moses, they were tested in a desert and failed. Jesus, right after His baptism, went to the desert to be tested, and passed. His journey would lead him to the garden of Gethsemane and He would pass again. Then he would be crucified to save us.
Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of His mission, and our baptism marks the beginning of our journey as disciples, children of God. Everything follows from that. How is God calling us to renewal? What form might that take in our journey of 2025?
Blessings,
Fr Jim

Seeking the Light

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Dear Folks,

This is the feast of the Epiphany. We celebrate the mystery of Jesus being opened to the larger world, and the Magi are a reminder that Jesus is for everyone. We are not meant to keep the Gospel for ourselves, but to share it with the world.

I would suggest that our future as Church depends on how deeply we understand that Catholics are not meant to be customers in the Church but coworkers in mission.

First, let’s recognize that passing on the faith to the next generation requires more than people have thought. Given that so many do not practice the faith when they grow up, it is clear that running them through the programs is not getting the job done. What does it take? Let’s keep asking that question.

Many Catholics are uncomfortable with the ideas of being missionaries and evangelists. We were not trained to do this. Two thoughts: First, how can you read the New Testament and think disciples of Jesus Christ could remain in their comfort zones? Second, we don’t have to be St. Paul. There are some simples things we can do that can start us on our way.

The American bishops put out a document called “Go Make Disciples.” I suggests three goals for sharing the faith: 1.) To bring about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm for their faith that, in living their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others, 2.) To invite all people in the United States, whatever their social or cultural background, to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ so they may come to join us in the fullness of the Catholic faith,

and 3.) To foster gospel values in our society, promoting the dignity of the human person, the importance of the family, and the common good of our society, so that our nation may continue to be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ. That is to say, we are to grow in the faith ourselves (continue to evangelize ourselves. We are not done getting evangelized until we get to heaven). We are to evangelize other people (Invite outsiders in,

and invite insiders deeper in). We are to transform society by the power of the Gospel (evangelize the culture).

I suggest four aspects of drawing people in. First, we tell the Gospel stories. We can hone our story telling skills. Our faith involves lots of great stories: Bible stories, stories of the saints, stories of our own walk with God or others that we know, stories of the history of

the Church. Stories engage people like lectures do not, and they have helped shape thinking and culture since the dawn of the human race. Second, we can work together as community. This includes how we invite, and it includes how we reconcile our differences. If we get good at that those two things, our faith community can be a very attractive haven in a hostile world. Third we can worship God. If we worship like we really mean it, like we believe we are touching the deepest transcendent reality and the core of the meaning of our lives it will show, and it will attract those hungry for deeper meaning. Finally, we can be a mighty force for helping people in need. The more we do to help those in need, and the more lovingly we do it, the more people can see the love of Jesus is at work here.

It begins by believing that the Gospel is meant for everyone, and that it is for us to bring it to them. If we accept God’s call, He can get us from wherever we are to where He wants us to go.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Gaudete Means Rejoice!

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Dear Folks,
This is Gaudete Sunday, and Gaudete means rejoice! In the midst of our dark season of anticipation and recognizing our need for a savior, we rejoice that He is coming.
Some people, of course, will not feel like rejoicing. They are going through a very hard time, and they are focusing on coping and surviving. Even in the midst of struggles, there is a meaning and a hope that cannot be taken away. “We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13).” When we suffer loss, we still grieve, but along with grief we have
hope, and the hope keeps us from getting crushed. When grief is intense, it can be hard to feel hope, but we know it is there. Our suffering is real, but not the final word.
I’ve mentioned before how St. Paul wrote a very joyful letter to the Philippians when he was living under harsh conditions. He did also have his crabby days (we see this in the letter to the Galatians). It is clear he had a full range of emotions and was quite honest about
them, but his disposition, his general approach to life was joyful. I suggest that this had to do with a deep awareness that both the good and the bad he faced were parts of a journey to his ultimate destination, which would be infinitely worth all the trials (Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight
of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).” We remember that what he called “momentary light affliction” was years and years of trials that would
crush many people.
We remember joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The Holy Spirit helps us attend to the bigger picture, in which God is doing wonderful things, and that what we are enduring is worth the journey.
If we exude joy that is authentic, even in difficult times, that bears witness that the power of the Gospel is greater than the evils of the world.
So today is a day to rejoice for all those who can, and there is much to rejoice about. For those who are overwhelmed with pain, grief, stress or other troubles so they cannot feel good about anything right now, they can know (even if they can’t feel) that the pain is
walking with Jesus, and this walking with Jesus is noble and fruitful in growing treasure in heaven. It is a gift that can be offered to Jesus, and one that He holds precious.
Whatever the situation, today we remember especially that what holds us down is no match for the One who is coming.
Blessings,
Fr. Jim 

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Road Construction for the Soul

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Dear Folks,

Our first reading for the Second Sunday of Advent is from Baruch talking to Israelites in exile. He talks about smoothing the roads “For God has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, and that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God (Baruch 5:7).” This is about Israel coming back from exile and doing so in safety.

Our sins exile us from God and from each other. They close our minds and hearts to His goodness, and we need Jesus to bring us back. In our Gospel in Luke 3 we see a text similar to Isaiah 40:3-4 being repurposed to the work of John the Baptist preparing for the coming of Jesus.

During the season of Advent, we are called to prepare the way of the Lord, first Jesus coming to us and then smoothing the path of Jesus to others, removing obstacles.

Critical point: we need a lot of clearing of obstacles. We tend to underestimate how seriously our obstacles are holding us back.

Jesus warns us not to be complacent. It is so easy to let our trust in the promises of God fade and trust more and more the promises of the world. “He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He answered them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter, but not be strong enough (Luke 13:22-24).’” We notice some things. First Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, which is on His way to the Cross. Luke 9:51 references His going to Jerusalem and tells us He is on His way to His death, the terrible price He will pay for our salvation. If you keep reading, Jesus tells a very sad story of someone who doesn’t make it and is surprised. Can anyone read this teaching, take it seriously, and still believe that their salvation can be taken for granted and that we can coast into heaven? I suggest He is telling us the opposite, and we need to be payingfull attention, for heaven’s sake (yes, for heaven’s sake).

This suggests to me that we need all the help we can get. I would say it does not mean we are to be in a constant state of fear, but to a love that drives out fear (1 John 4:18). However, St. Paul gives us a different model of attentive focus. 1 Corinthians 9 compares discipleship to training as an Olympic athlete. Serious athletes, it

seems to me, don’t live in fear (that burns energy uselessly) but drive themselves because they are determined, and seek everything that can give them the fullest advantage possible. Everything that holds them back has got to go, because that can make the difference between winning and losing.

During this Advent, how can we find some time to reflect? What sinful habits are holding us back? What are not themselves sins but set us up to commit sin? What are distractions that lead us to lose focus? How can we smooth the highway for Jesus to come into our

hearts?

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Hope

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Dear Folks,

We have begun the season of Advent, and that is the season of hope. Pope Francis has designated 2025 as a Jubilee year, and the theme is Pilgrims of Hope. It will begin December 24 with the opening of the holy doors at St. Peter’s Basilica.

If we are going through bad times, we need to believe there is something on the other side that will make it worth it. Otherwise we will likely be crushed. I suggest there are many people today who are crushed, depressed, and despairing because they found no

reason for hope. Sharing the Gospel brings the gift of hope to a world in despair.

At the priests’ conference, we were reminded that Christian hope is different from worldly hope. Worldly hope is basically a wish, like “I hope there will be good weather this weekend.” It might happen, or it might not, and it is always temporary. We might have good weather this weekend but bad weather the next. When “our” side wins the election, we know, if we understand the history, that our side will almost certainly lose an election in the future. Christian hope is based on the faithful promise of God. Of course, God did

not promise a life free of troubles, but called is to carry the cross, and promised to be with us. God’s promise involves salvation and a more abundant life. Even in hard times, if our lives have deep meaning and we have strong hope, we can find joy.

Our first reading is from Jeremiah, and he had a very hard life, but did not give up hope. St. Paul knew a great deal of hardship because if his service to the Gospel, but he was able to teach hope and joy with great confidence.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, for the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us (Romans 5:1-5).”

The letter to the Philippians can teach us much. He wrote it in prison (a very nasty place), but this letter exudes a powerful joy because his relationship with God was stronger than his circumstances: “I am confident of this, that the one who began the good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).” And also: “It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ [Jesus]. Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).”

This letter is a good resource during Advent, and is worth getting to know.

Our hope is part of how we prepare the way of the Lord.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim