Running with the Devil or walking by faith?

Comedian, Flip Wilson, played a character by the name of Geraldine as part of his routine. One of his/her tag lines was, "The Devil made me do it!" While Flip Wilson was a funny comedian, and Geraldine's tag line got plenty of laughs, the Devil actually wants us not to take him seriously.

In the Gospel from the first chapter of Mark this weekend, we hear that the demons, in the possessed man in the synagogue in Caperaum, were the ones in the crowd who identified Jesus as God's Son and the Christ. This is a big theme in Mark's Gospel. Throughout the Gospel only the demons and people who are thinking wrongly identify Jesus for who He is. Even St. Peter is called "Satan" by Jesus, after Jesus tells His Apostles that He has to suffer, die, and rise for Him to be the Messiah. Only when Jesus is dead on the Cross does a Roman Centurion get away with saying, "Surely, this man was the the Son of God!" and not being rebuked by Jesus. Jesus did not refuse the title because He was not God's Son. He merely resisted the common notion that the Messiah was going to be identified as a wonder worker and worldly ruler. In the Gospel of Mark we are introduced to the Messiah of God who would save us by His self sacrifice. Completely emptying Himself is the trademark of God's Son and our Lord and Savior. (Total abandonment is also the call for us, Jesus' disciples.)

Pope Francis is being quoted and sound bit a lot in all of the media. Most of what he is doing, that shows a new openness and a gentle mercy from our Church, is what is being broadcast. And that is very good. It is hugely encouraging, and a great example to us, to see the Vicar of Christ being compassionate and merciful like Christ. However, if you get the chance to read the entire transcripts of his sermons, talks or letters, please do. Pope Francis definitely talks a lot about the Devil in his speaking and writing. And he takes Satan seriously. Part of this might be from his Jesuit upbringing. Some of the focus of Ignatian spirituality is to see how the power of evil is trying to keep one from being the person that God needs one to be. Those who follow the daily Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius examine how Satan is trying to overpower and infiltrate one's life. With God's help, in prayer, we are called to continually re-examine ourselves so that God may increase and the Devil (and we) may decrease. In this sort of prayer we are to ask for God's help to see find out how we are being lied to by the Devil.

The Prince of Lies is one of Satan's titles. He wants us to believe that little lies and improprieties are no problem; that taking care of ourselves is always the first priority; that it is all okay if it makes us happy; that power, wealth, and stuff can satisfy us; that human life is dispensable if it gets in our way, and much much more. The Devil is real and wants us to listen to his lies more than we listen to the Way, the Truth and the Life. Satan wants our lives and our souls for eternity. So he lies to us in order to convince us that God's Way is the lie and his way is the truth. He is insidious and persistent.

Only by intimate relationship with God by and continually seeking God's help and mercy, do we identify the liar and give God power over him. Jesus constantly resisted the Satan's temptations to perform selfishly and devilishly. He did so because of His intimate union with His God and Father. Jesus was able to recognize the lies of the demons around Him and point them out. With a deepening relationship with our God and Father, and regular honest inspection of how the the Devil is trying to convince us of his lies, will we be able to laugh at Satan, because our God is bigger and more powerful than his nonsense.

Peace and Prayers,
me

I want it all! I want it now!

My experience in buying new stuff is that stuff never really satisfies me as much as I anticipated that it would. Whether it comes on four wheels, in a bottle with amber colored liquor in it, with a picket fence around it, or it has a bunch of zeroes behind it, stuff is only stuff. We mistakenly believe that stuff is going to make us happy. We also falsely believe that we can make our self happier by procuring more stuff. It is also pretty clear that the same can be said about my plans for my life. My plans are just more stuff, actually. We think we know best what is best for us. Wrong!

All three readings this weekend are fun but serious reminders that our ways (and stuff) are not God's ways. The short peek into the life of Jonah in the first reading is just enough to encourage me to ask you to find your Bible and read the whole Book of Jonah. It is a very short story that you can probably read while that rerun of NCIS is on. Jonah thinks he knows better than God what he needs to do with his life and what the people of Nineveh need to get right with God. He is wrong on both accounts. And God is quick to correct him (in a comical sort of way). I think the Book of Jonah is the funniest book in the Sacred Scriptures. The whole story is about one episode after another of Jonah trying to prove he is right, while us readers understand pretty quickly that only God is the One in the know here. The story of Jonah is still a pertinent and wise parable for us in 2015.

Paul's first letter to the Corinthians sounds like something we may read as the Church year closes. Here it is only the third Sunday of Ordinary Time but we are already reminded that this world is temporary and passing away. That means our time and our lives here are also temporary and are also passing away. St. Paul asks us to not risk our lives on stuff and relationships that are not eternal.

In Mark's Gospel story of Jesus announcing God's Kingdom for the first time, and then His calling His first disciples, I am struck about the urgency of His call and the immediacy of the response of His first followers. "The time is NOW! Repent and believe NOW! Be my disciple NOW!" The humorous part of this story to me is how Peter, Andrew, James and John all said "Adios!" right NOW to their fishing businesses, their plans, and their families; and how they started following this new preacher right NOW.

These disciples gave up their stuff, their plans, and their relationships. And it turns out that God's Son knew best what stuff, plans and relationship was more important for them. Because of God's call and their response the Church is here after 2000 years. This call and response "roller coaster" has been the history of the Church and its Saints since Jesus' Resurrection. We are a history of people who have taken the words that we pray "Thy will be done" seriously and joyfully.

So, how attached are you to "your" stuff? Are you ready for the adventure of your life? The heck with God being your co-pilot! Are you ready to let God in complete control? Can You pray, "Teach me Your ways, O Lord!"

peace and blessings!
Fr. Chuck

Come and See!

I used to think that my Mom had superhuman powers. When I would come home from sneaking into a neighbor's pond from a forbidden swim; or when I had gotten reprimanded at school for talking, clowning or disobeying; or when I had stopped to play tag or baseball with friends while on an errand for her to the store; she would always know that I was lying to her when I told her that had not done those things. She would say, "Charles DeWayne Walker, I can tell when you're lying to me!" Now, she may have just been testing my veracity. But I thought that she knew that I had lied to her (which I usually had). I don't know if she could tell my untruth by the expression on my face, or the tone in my voice, or some other give away posture. But, the bad news was I always got caught (evidenced by "time out", grounding, or spanking). And the good news was that I always got caught. In retrospect, it is good news that I got caught by my "superhuman" Mom. If she didn't love me, she would not have cared that I had told the truth or a lie. If she didn't love me, she would not have seen the subtle difference between my honest voice tone and body language and my dishonest expressions. If she didn't love me, I probably would have tried to "lie" myself through life. If she didn't love me, I am definitely sure I would not be the man and the priest I am today.Today I thank God that Mom had "superhuman" listening skills.

Listening seems to be the theme of the Old Testament and Gospel readings for this weekend. Specifically listening to God's invitation to have a life changing relationship with God is the theme of the two Scripture stories. Eli tells Samuel how to listen for God calling to him in the 1st Book of Samuel. Jesus invites His first disciples to come and see where (and how) to live in the Gospel story from St. John. In the Gospel Jesus and John the Baptist's followers enter a conversation. The dialogue is short and seemingly tame:

"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 you will see.”
NAB, Revised Edition: John 1: 38-39a

It sounds like my friends and I discussing where we want to go eat supper tonight. ("I don't care. Where do you want to go?") Yet, this conversation is jammed with life changing words with eternal implications. "What do you seek?" "Where do you live?" "Come and See!" This is the conversation that God has with every prospective believer and is at the heart of every prayer with God.

He asks us. "What are you REALLY looking for in life? What is ultimately going to satisfy you?" He knows the answer. And, so do we.

We ask Him. "How do you want me to live? Where do I need to let You live in me? How can I follow You?" The words may be formed by us in as many ways as there are of us. But, that is the question behind every prayer we pray. "Where are you, God?" Again, Jesus tells us later, in the Fourteenth Chapter of the Gospel of John, that He, The Spirit and The Father wish to live in us and us to live in God. So, we have the answer to our prayers. That answer is, "Abide in God!"

The toughest one is the last one, I believe. Jesus invites us all to, "Come and see!" This where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. This part of the dialogue requires action on our part. "Come and see!" means that we have to change, at the very least, some direction we are heading. "Come and see." means going where God wants us to go in life rather than going where we want to go with our lives. "Come and see." means risking God's unknown adventure rather than what we think is safety. "Come and see." means REALLY trusting God.

Do you trust that God loves you and knows you better than Mom, Dad, spouse, sibling, or intimate friend? Are you ready to let go of your plans, ideals and dreams and follow God's dream for you?  After seeing what kind of life and death that His Son and most of His Saints endured (including Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., whom we honor this weekend), why would we want to trust our lives to God? Can we believe that God's reward is worth our risk?

If we believe in the witness of Christ's Resurrection; if we believe that God, Father, Son and Spirit are still actively loving and guiding us individually and in the Church, in the Sacraments, and in the Scriptures; if we believe in the witness and work of millions of saints in our past and present; we can believe that Christ's invitation is worth our risking all for Him.

He calls to us, "Come, and you will see!" The next step is yours!

peace and blessings,
Fr. Chuck

Dive In!

I've secretly hoped that the Church would change the wording of the Ritual for Baptism. The rite is okay the way it is, BUT I wish it included one other line before an adult or infant is baptized. Right after the questions about what we believe to be baptized Catholic Christians, and after the minister asks the parents or the person about to be baptized, "Is it your will to (or, that your child) be baptized in the Faith that you have just professed?"; I wish that the person to be baptized would yell, "CANNON BALL!" Then the person would be baptized "in the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Actually, I've tried to coach children and others to yell "CANNON BALL!" when they enter the Baptismal pool. In thirty-three and one half years, so far, I've gotten no takers. For you see Baptism is about making a splash!

Jesus had to be a learner prior to His Baptism in the Jordan. He learned the practices of His faith from Mary, Joseph and His extended family. He and His family attended synagogue and traveled to Jerusalem for the different High Holy Days throughout His years of growing up. He probably learned carpentry from Joseph as well as how to read the Torah and pray the Jewish rituals that He was taught. I'm also sure that He was aware of some growing knowledge that He was also the Son of God and what that meant. Some of the unused gospels of ancient times picture Jesus as performing miracles for His childhood friends, like making pigeons out of clay and sending them off alive and flying. But before His Baptism there is not a lot of real evidence that Jesus taught, healed or ministered in any other way. He had no disciples and even was probably was a disciple of His cousin John the Baptist.

His Baptism changed His life. After He was baptized He rapidly became immersed in a life of service to God. He was able to tell Satan who He was and who His Father was in the temptation scene following His Baptism. He then began gathering disciples, healing the sick, caring for God's people, expelling demons, speaking God's Good News and Kingdom, and confronting those whom opposed the Truth of His Divine purpose. After His Baptism He became the Messiah and Christ completely.

Pope Francis is asking all of us to "jump in" to living our Baptismal calling as well. The world is starving for compassion, healing and truth telling. We are God's only ministers capable of loving, forgiving, and speaking God's Good News in this time we are here. When we were baptized we were issued a Mission from God. Be God's Body on the Earth. Now is the time for us to love those in our world as Christ would love them.

Are you willing to live your faith in the ways that our world and our God needs you? Can you be bold enough to look into this needy pool called God's Earth and yell, "CANNON BALL!"?

Peace and Blessings!
Fr. Chuck

The Gift that Keeps Giving!

Happy New Year!

We begin this first weekend of 2015 by celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany. I loved this weekend at St. James Parish because of the multicultural celebration that the parish has on the Saturday evening of the Feast of the Epiphany. St. James is the most diverse multicultural parish that I know of. Thanks to its proximity to Ft. Knox, Hardin Memorial Hospital and the many businesses that have located near Elizabethtown, St. James parish has folks from all around the world that call the parish their home. At the Saturday evening Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany people come together to celebrate their diversity. The music and the readings are in various languages. People are dressed in their native garb from India, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Central and South America. The parish is united by its common faith and by their Communion with God and one another in the Church. After the Mass is a wonderful meal with great food from every cultural group in the parish. Home made spring rolls are served right next to fried chicken.  One can munch on sausage and kraut and then follow that up with an enchilada. Luscious apple pie makes the palate smile as does flan and strudel. It's enough to make one's taste buds explode from sheer excitement.

St. James does this because of what we celebrate this weekend with the Feast of the Epiphany. All of the readings and prayers celebrate gloriously that the Birth of our Savior, and the Salvation that He brought us, was not for just a select group of people in a tiny corner of the World. He came for all of us, no matter our skin tone or how we like our chicken prepared. He came for folks who with nothing (like the shepherds who tended other people's sheep) and for those who think they own it all (the wise men from the East). He came for doubters and believers. He came for Mary, His Mother, and for Herod, who wanted Him destroyed. He came for you, no matter how worthy or unworthy you think you are of Him and His great Love.

One of the things that struck me this week, as I looked over the Gospel reading from St. Matthew, was that the visitors from the East came to pay Him homage by bringing Him extravagant gifts. Gold, frankincense and myrrh may have been symbolic of the respect that these visitors had for Jesus. Or the gifts may have signified the treasure that Jesus was and is to us and the human race. But the truth is that, no matter their extreme value, the gifts that they brought were very humble compared to gift that Jesus is to us.

As disciples of Him, our lives are meant to be gifts back to Him who saves us and loves us. Whether we think we are worthy or worthless; whether we consider ourselves blessed or cursed; whether life stinks for us, or we consider ourselves fortunate to be alive; our lives are meant to be entrusted to the One Who gives us life, who is also the One Who accepts, loves and redeems the lives we have.

I challenge you at the beginning of this New Year to make an effort to give something of your life back to God. Whether it is by dedicating a few minutes of the day to be in a prayerful relationship with Him, or by volunteering some of your time, resources and skill to serve Him through others who were made in His image and likeness, please give a gift to God. You will soon find out that the gift you give is nothing in comparison to the Gift the He will be to you.

Peace and many blessings!
Fr. Chuck