The story is told of an elderly couple who lived together in a nursing home. Though they had been married for 60 years, their relationship was filled with constant arguments, disagreements, and shouting contests. The fights didn't stop even in the nursing home. In fact, the couple argued and squabbled from the time they got up in the morning until they fell in bed at night.

It became so bad that the nursing home threatened to throw them out if they didn't change their ways. Even then, the couple couldn't agree on what to do.

Finally, the wife said to her husband: "I'll tell you what, Joe, let's pray that one of us dies. And after the funeral is over, I'll go live with my sister.

Anxiety

Do not let anxiety sabotage

your search for God.

You know well that when

you search for something too anxiously

you can come upon it a hundred times

without ever seeing it.

Anxiety masquerades as true spiritual energy,

even as it wearies out mind,

drains our enthusiasm,

and deadens our soul.

It pretends to stir up our soul,

but all it does is dampen our spirit.

It pushes us until we stumble over our own feet.

We need to be on the watch for this impostor

that would have us believing

that our spiritual life

depends completely on our efforts,

so that the more panicked we are,

the more anxiously we search,

the more likely we are to find God.

Let God do his part.

Be patient.

Not even our best efforts

can earn the blessings of God.

Our role is to be ready

to receive God’s gifts

with an open heart -

carefully, humbly, and serenely.

Set Your Heart Free -

The Practical Spirituality

of Francis de Sales

by John Kirvan

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reality shows have dominated television in the United States for decades. It appears that we, as a nation, are obsessed with other people's trials, tribulations, conflicts, suffering, and occasionally their successes and failures. Few of us enjoy having our own faults, flaws, inadequacies or mistakes pointed out to us or to others. However, if we use TV ratings as our guide, clearly, we enjoy watching the public humiliation of others. Public humiliation as entertainment is big business but it has no place in the kingdom of heaven.

In the Gospel this Sunday from Matthew 18: 15 - 20, Jesus provides some guidelines on how to deal with grievances tactfully, seeking reconciliation rather than punishment or retaliation. The object of this process is not to abuse, ridicule or humiliate our sisters and brothers in faith. Rather, the purpose is to bring them back into God’s loving community. In the Jerusalem Bible translation Jesus says “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves.” If that does not work, “take one or two others along with you.” Then, if that does not work, take the issue “to the community” and let the community decide how to handle the situation.

Too often, we are quick to judge others without knowing all the facts or we condemn the person rather than condemning the action. Ultimately, it is God who judges all of us. In his book, God and the World: A Conversation with Peter Seewald, Pope Benedict XVI, commenting on Matthew 18 said, "we should always recall that we are going to be judged and that we will be judged according to the standards that we ourselves have applied. In this way, it exhorts us to use a true standard, to keep a limit, to have a proper respect of others. Thus, Jesus gives us an inner standard for making those judgments that are indispensable. It consists of always recognizing these final limits of what God reserves to himself"(p. 287).

Our challenge in reacting to grievances no matter how hurtful is to respond with love. St. Paul tells us in Romans 13:10, “Love can cause no harm to your neighbor, and so love is the fulfillment of the law.” And in Colossians 3: 12 – 14 St. Paul says, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection."

O God, whose Word is life,

grant us a bold and faithful spirit,

that we may proclaim your truth in love. 

 Grant us a new heart

so that we can become people

whose law is love for one another

and whose peace and reconciliation is Jesus

who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

Before you ...

 

Judged on Love

 

I Came to Church Today

Hello God, I came to church today

To talk a little while
I need a friend who'll listen
To my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own
I need your love to guide me,
So I'll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep,
My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence
For whatever fate they're bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things
I can't change in any way.

I thank You God, for being here
And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall!

Your true presence, God, is the only one
That answers every time.
I never get a busy signal,
because I know your are mine.

So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow.
Thank you God for loving me
and dying for all my tomorrows.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

One of my mother’s frequent admonitions was “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” I heard this phrase a lot when I was in my teens, usually when I said or did something I thought was well-meaning without thinking about the consequences; or when I intended to do something but forgot. I suspect that most of us have had similar experiences. There are many times when we intend to say or do what we think is right and it turns into a muddle. This is especially true when we hear something we don’t like, we don’t understand or is painful.

In today’s gospel from Matthew 16:21-27 Peter got caught in this trap of good intentions. Having just been told that he is the rock upon which Jesus will build his church and that he will receive the “keys to the kingdom of heaven,” Peter muddled it. When Jesus delivered the news that he would suffer, be killed and “on the third day be raised” Peter did his usual knee-jerk reaction. Without thinking his very human response was, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." The author of Sirach wrote, “Do not find fault before making thorough enquiry; first reflect, then give a reprimand” (Sirach 11:7). At this stage of his life, Peter was not reflective.

Jesus’ statement about his suffering, death and resurrection was far beyond Peter’s capacity to understand. And when we reflect on this situation, we have to ask; how could Peter possibly have understood what Jesus meant? Peter’s understanding of the Messiah or Christos in Greek was the king of Israel, someone like King David or King Solomon who would rule a Jewish empire that was established by God. He did not understand that Jesus’ victory could only come through sacrifice, suffering, death and resurrection. He would not grasp Jesus’ meaning until after the resurrection.

St Paul tells us in today’s second reading from Romans 12:2, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” If all of us follow St Paul’s advice, we will be less likely to pave the road to hell with our good and not so good intensions. Ultimately, St Peter learned this lesson. We can too.

Father, help us to seek the values

that will bring us lasting joy in this changing world.

in our desire for what you promise,

make us one in mind and heart.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God, forever and ever.

Amen