Refraining from Passing Judgment

Greetings fellow Network of Love Lovers!

Thursday. It has been one long and tiring week for me here in seminary. But today is a day I look forward to. We celebrate "St. Joseph's Day," in honor of Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus. I look forward to the day because there are several priests from the Milwaukee Archdiocese coming down to visit me (on this feast day our seminary community annually invites priests who have helped guide us along our path of discernment). Amidst the grind of this week, this day, I hope, can bring some kind of soothing consolation to all of us here.

Reflection:

This is taken, yet again, from Action, a prayer book written by Jesuit priest Mark Link. I'm actually going to quote the page verbatim and use it as the reflection for today (pg. 95 in the Action book...not that I should worry about plagarism!) I thought the excerpt worked well as a follow up to a previous posting I wrote regarding trying my best to stop judging other people during Lent. Needless to say, I'm still judging people. But this is a journey...

Jesus was driving out a demon....
The crowds were amazed,
but some of the people said,
"It is Beelzebul, the chief of the demons,
who gives him the power." (Luke Chapt. 11: 14 - 15).

A retired couple was neither well off nor financially strapped. Their hobby was raising chickens and vegetable. Whenever someone came to buy fresh eggs or vegetables, they always charged full market price. They didn't give a penny discount---This caused some people to accuse them of being greedy. Later it was discovered that the retired couple gave all income from their vegetables and eggs to two poor families living nearby.

How prone am I to pass judgment---especially negative judgment---on the actions of other people? How might I improve in this area?

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." (Mother Theresa)

Breathe in Forgiveness

Greetings fellow Network of Love Lovers,

Today it is sunny and 70 here in Chicago! I hope the weather is well wherever you are. I hope that you are able to enjoy a little bit of the sunshine and warmth today. “Breathe, breathe in the air! Don’t be afraid to care"…a little Pink Floyd quote from Dark Side of the Moon for your mid-morning pleasure.


Reflection:

“Peter came to Jesus and asked,
“Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” answered Jesus,
“but seventy times seven.” (Matthew, Chapter 18: 21-22).

Forgiveness is a process. It takes time, energy, our entire being. To forgive is an action that requires patience, endurance, strength, courage, and an entire sense of trust in the healing power of forgiveness. Why else would we forgive someone who has done a terrible thing to us or to a loved one if we don’t believe that that reconciling act will bring about a greater good?

Sometimes, as we all know, forgiveness is an incredibly uphill battle. We feel as if climbing the hill to allowing our hearts to forgive the person or place or group that has wronged us will be just too difficult an ascent to event attempt. But, drawing strength from the experiences where we have forgiven another person, OR from those times when we have been forgiven after a failing, we come to know that it actually IS worth the effort to reconcile hurts.



To forgive, to love, we have to let go of our fear that this whole forgiveness thing is unrealistic–––that there can’t be a kind of redeeming quality about extending the boundaries of our human hearts. To forgive, to truly embark on a journey of forgiveness, I argue, involves undergoing a purification process where we come to realize that we are not alone–––that there is some kind of divine presence working behind the scenes after all, gently persuading us to advance towards ultimate forgiveness. To give forgiveness, we can receive a reconciliation in return that will allow us to expand our friendships, spread goodness and real love to others, and continue to persuade us that indeed there is a God who loves and works side by side, intimately holding our hand when we don’t think we have the courage to go through with it. If we forgive, we walk closer to the light that we are all seeking.

If the gospel message from today encourages you, please consider allowing it to bring you further strength in whatever kind of forgiveness journey you feel called to walk. Whether you have to forgive yourself, another person, a place, a group, a government, an institution–––whatever rock is hardening your heart, toss it aside and rest perched on the rock of God–––unmoving, all-loving, forgiving, gently whispering.

Peace and blessings!

With love,

Your friend bob.

God, Patient with Humanity

Greetings fellow Network of Love Lovers,

TGIF! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, spring is lurking. I wish you all the safest and happiest of Friday the 13th's (resist the urge to be superstitious!).

Reflection:

Just a few thoughts. Today's gospel reading, from the later part of Matthew Chapter 21 is a parable about a man who owns a vineyard and leases out some of his land to tenants. When the man sends his servants to the land, the tenants kill them. He sends servants again, and again the tenants kill them. Finally, the man sends his son. Mercilessly, the son is also murdered.
Sounds familiar if you consider the Passion narrative. God sends his son, Jesus of Nazareth, and the people kill the son who is seeking to bring a new, controversial message.

We can also relate Jesus to the servants who were killed and we can in turn relate the servants to Jesus (or the son within the parable). As we know, there are still people killed ruthlessly, for no reason other than who they are or what they believe. We generally label these types of acts of violence, when carried out, hate crimes; someone taking another person's life because they hate them for who they are. One example: People tied to cars to be brought to death through slowly being dragged around on a rope, the killing of an innocent victim. This kind of stuff STILL happens. Only a month ago in New York City, an Ecuadorian man was dragged to death and cursed at. Anti-Hispanic and Anti-gay slurs were yelled at the man while he was tortured.

Martyrdom is not some outdated term used to describe early victims of faith---it continues every day of our lives---maybe not directly affecting us, but affecting our relationship, in some sense, with the body of humanity.

Despite the fact that, over the centuries, we have metaphorically repeated and repeated the killing of Jesus, the crucifixion of someone who peacefully accepted torturous death, God is patient with us. In the parable in today's gospel, God returns, in a sense, to the tenants. God wants to win over the hearts and minds of these people, to forgive them. They kill the son. But God is patient. God still works in their life, waiting for them to come home.

May we be patient, just as our God is patient. May we peacefully accept others and non-violently deal with our differences. When rifts become more than constructive conversation, we run the risk of crucifying Christ again. We can do this in a multitude of ways. But I suspect that if we put our stake in the fact that Christ can redeem and replenish us, that God is really patient with us beyond any of our expectations, then we can hope that non-violence---ultimately Peace and Love---can pave the way for a Christ-centered life full of resurrection and communal possibilities.

Christians continue our Lenten journey. It has been over two weeks since Ash Wednesday. As we move days closer to our celebration of the Resurrection, we fast in preparation for that feast. I hope that this season is preparing you to bring the peace and love of Christ to all. I pray that we may have the courage to be Christ-like with one another, no matter the difficulties or struggles we might face. JUNTOS SOMOS FUERTES! (together we are strong). Communion with one another, community, can move us forward like a ship on its way to the seas beyond the horizon.

Have a splendid weekend!!! Enjoy the warming weather and spending time hopefully with friends and family. God is with you : )

peace and blessings,

with love,

your friend bob.

Conversion, Peace.

Greetings fellow Network of Love Lovers,

A Prayer for Christian Conversion:

I seek constant, chronic conversion, the path to peace in G~d that brings peace to my neighbors.
Spirit of God, immerse yourself within my soul, reverse my sin and nurse me in desolate times.
Accompany me in my journey to pure, present LOVE.


peace and blessings to all of you,

your friend bob : )

I read the news today...

Greetings fellow Network of Love Lovers!

Today it's sunny but cold. Still, it is a manageable Wednesday. May we have a few minutes in our busy day to take time and know that God is present.

Reflection:

Jesus said, "If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest." from Matthew's gospel, chapter 20, verse 26.

Reading this passage this morning got me thinking a little like this...

Picture this: A society where newspapers abound with headlines that read: "Local man donates 8 hours of his weekly time to area Soup Kitchen," or, "Young girl writes letters to troops overseas," or "Retired woman, after husband dies, spends her days praying for those in need and volunteering at nursing home."

These not-so-random acts of kindness happen every day. There are people among us who give their time and effort to just, life-giving causes because they love their neighbor. If we come to find God in all things, all people (or at least strive for such), we can give freely of ourselves to anyone at anytime.

We have to be rebels with a cause, servants of the poor, the poor in spirit and all in need. We have to care for ourselves insofar as we have the strength to, in turn, care for others.

More often than not (and I may be climbing a worn soapbox here), our media sells the story that is the most controversial, most news worthy. What makes news? On occasion, it is the charitable giving of one person to another. For instance, Mother Theresa, in all her giving glory, became a person the media loved because people aspired to be like her and learn how or why she gave and gave. But, using the same woman as an example, it was also newsworthy when the public found out Mother Theresa seriously struggled spiritually---I recall hearing about her recently published journal excerpts that show a person who is not always so sure of herself and her own faith---a person constantly asking questions.

But her questions brought her---rather, called her---to a life of greater service. She became a servant because she found that the way to find true love was to see God in her neighbor. Everyone she helped was a child of God, the face of her Lord.

The media can be a place where stories are published that make us understand the potential good in each and every person on this planet. But more often than not, we read tragic accounts of people gone bad, students turned criminals, husbands turned abusers, daughters turned abandoning mothers.

However, there is hope. There are stories of people who even at an early age feel called to be a servant of sorts for their sisters and brothers. I think of a young girl at All Saints in Milwaukee, the church I spent my summer working and living at. She was 12 years old and she was setting up a fund that would help children in East Africa afford school. Having parents who had moved over to the states only several years ago, she felt compelled to give to her peers who weren't being provided the same educational opportunities as her. Opportunities that, as a person her age, I took for granted. Opportunities that you might have taken for granted as well.

She is being a servant. She deserves to make headline news. Her charity is a sign of hope, a message that there is light in this world. She shines on and her Christian example makes me proud to be striving to be a servant like her.

John Lennon wrote a song called "A Day in the Life." The opening lyric, you might remember, went like this..."I read the news today, oh boy..."

What if we could sing, "I read the news today, what joy!"

There is good news out there. We must search for it and once found proclaim it to the world.
I invite you to seek the Good News and to cultivate how it can move and shake you to be a servant for others.

peace and with love,

your friend bob : )

Mirror, Mirror---Prayer, Prayer

Greetings fellow Network of Love Lovers!

It's a dreary, raining mid-March morning here in Chicago. There is flash flood watches and warnings all across the area and yet, our day trudges forward. We look ahead to coming sunshine and Springy weather (and meanwhile try to find the beauty in this watershed of a rainfall).

Reflection:

The gospel reading today is one of my favorites. (Mathew Chapter 23: 1 - 12). I took out my Daily Roman Missal this morning (it's a book that has all of the collected readings the Catholic Liturgy uses in its yearly cycles and Seasons and whatnot) and noticed I had marked up much of the words in the gospel as I read it last year. In the reading, Jesus tells people to look beyond their outward appearance and pray from the heart, so to speak. He is condemning scribes and pharisees who make sure they look great when they pray but fail to actually act on the words they offer to God.

Jesuit priest Mark Link, in his daily reflection book Action poses a question that stems from the gospel reading. He asks, "Is any of my religious practice done to impress others?"

Reflecting on this, I come to the realization that yes, I do try to impress other people with some of my religious practices. It's natural to seek gratification and acceptance from other people. To conform oneself to teachings and ritual and practice can lead us to want to be a part of the group. But it is not the group that we ultimately seek to please–––we seek to please God in solidarity and service with the group. Together, we come to worship or work or play. Together, we can see the Lord face to face. But if we don't see God in our own unique way, what can we bring to the group that shows we have our own God given gifts to bring to the table? (and we ALL do possess such qualities).

If we don't realize the potential of God within ourselves, we run the risk of measuring ourselves against those around us. We fall into the trap of constantly judging our neighbors---and consequently judging ourselves. If we take the time to judge the prayer life of others, we are in jeopardy of removing some of the sincerity of our own prayer. It is one thing to care for others, to sincerely hope that they may find God in a deep way every day. But this care, this concern, can be cultivated in the form of a positive, optimistic prayer that brings us closer to the One we seek, while, in turn, providing our neighbors with an example of the power of a prayer sincere.

It's not always going to be easy and feel fruitful, this praying thing. And in terms of refraining from judging others, well, that's something we need to work on every day. I can't count the number of times in every day when I am either tempted to judge one of my brothers or when I see a person on the street and immediately jump to conclusions about who they are or what they do. And I think of judging that goes on in a broader sense, the judgments I make regarding politicians, government officials, church leaders, criminals. We judge the saints and the sinners. In a sense, we look in a mirror and realize that our own reflection is not always what we want to see. And so we judge, to try and clarify our own image. However, all that happens is a mirror on the wall lies to us and tells us we are the fairest of them all.

The fairest thing to do is to be like Snow White, to be a servant for others, living life for others and not trying to impress anyone. Prayer can be a tool to bring me closer to my desire to LOVE unceasingly. If I pray unceasingly, there is no room for judgment. There is no need to impress others with our prayer and our way of life when we come to realize that we are ALL called to holiness, all called to be saints. The potential is there. The power is in our ability to come together and realize how to minister using such a power.

We ask for strength in our God, who is Love.

peace and with love,

your friend bob : )

Being steered in the Right Direction by Rev. Robert (in Boston!)

Greetings fellow Network of Love Lovers!

I find myself in the middle of my spring break, in an area totally new and totally exciting for me. I am spending my last day in the Boston area, staying with a friend in a suburb named Scituate, a little south of the actual city. Yesterday, I went to Boston University to talk to some professors regarding a masters program that is of some interest to me. It is a one year intensive study in African American Studies that I have yet to propose to the Milwaukee Archdiocese, but am considering applying to and seeing what the diocese would say about the possibility of me spending a year studying in such a program. Only time will tell.

Anyways...my reflection is about my journey to Brookline, MA, to Boston University.

Reflection:

On the commuter rail toward the city (my friend Agnes had dropped me off and given me some great directions---but I'm bad with directions, so I was still a little uncertain as to how I was actually going to get to Boston U. And then, along comes Reverend Robert. An older man wearing a black full length coat, black trousers and black shoes and wearing a knit cap. He looked very English. I didn't actually know this man was a priest until I went up to him and asked for directions on how to get to Boston U. He was so very friendly, calm and friendly, and then I noticed he was wearing a clergy collar. Huh, I thought to myself. How interesting!

I find out, sitting next to him on the train, that he has been an Episcopal priest for 43 years and that his wife, who recently passed away, had also been a priest! Robert and I had much in common (besides sharing the same first name). We talked about many things, especially church related stuff. I was able to discuss seminary life with a person who has had a similar experience. It turns out that midway through Robert's first year, he had made a telephone cal home telling his mother he didn't think this whole seminary thing was for him. The wised words of a parent convinced him to at least stick it out for the rest of the year. He stayed for much longer of course.

We talked about his career, about where he has served (mainly around the Washington D.C. and Boston area), about his family (he has a daugther), and his brother, like his father was, is also a priest! We talked about the state of the church, briefly about Vatican II, about popes, about his time spent at Boston U. He shared a touching account of how he completed his wife's doctoral paper after she passed away and it was a rather rewarding experience for him that, I'm assuming brought a kind of peace and acceptance of the mourning that comes with losing someone so very near and dear.

I shared with Rev. Robert a little bit about my experience in El Salvador last may, and my upcoming return trip to El Salvador, scheduled for this May. I also shared a bit about my plans to see England and France this summer.

It was a very rewarding talk, to say the least, and I am blessed to have met the reverend and to, above all, have made another friend. His faith and life story were really inspiring to hear about and process, and his guidance (in the immediate future---about how to actually GET to Boston University via the subway) was incredibly helpful. But, his support, his encouragement, his words of wisdom and his presence also brought me a sense of hope for my own future discernment, my future as a seminarian and as a human person. I am happy to share my Christian faith with a friend like the Rev. Robert. May God bless him and continue to work through him.

peace to all of you! Hope you're able to successfully leap over the hump of Wednesday and look ahead to the coming weekend and coming (hopefully) warm weather!

with love,

your friend bob : )