Hello folks--
It's been a long time since I posted a RENEWsletter. And it will be another long time before I post another one. But I DO plan to take up the RENEWsletter mantel again someday. Big changes are afoot in my life... the biggest of which is: I got married a year ago and, WOW! What a change THAT makes in a man's life! Sally is the most amazing and wonderful thing that has ever happened to me! This is what I always thought married life was supposed to be like.
I retire from the newspaper in a year and a half. Then I will have time to devote to the RENEWsletters again. And I may even deviate some from the monthly liturgical calendar stuff. Watch this space for something new.
--Randy
Those who hear not the music think the dancers mad!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
RENEWsletter for August 22, 2010 - 21st
Dear Renewed People--
The readings this week will shake some of us up, but others of us will be comforted. For "narrow is the gate", and few will find it. The rest will be wailing and gnashing their teeth. Why? Because no one told them the way? Because they were tricked in to believing something false? No. Because they thought they knew better than God and considered the restrictions on entrance into Heaven as too... well, restrictive. They lobbied for looser criteria. But the border guards at the boundaries of Heaven are unerring in their accuracy. NO ONE gets in except by Narrow Gate!
This is the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. You can read the following on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/082210.shtml, or in your Bible in:
Isaiah 66.18-21
Psalm 117.1, 2 (with Mark 16.15 as the response)
Hebrews 12.5-7, 11-13
Luke 13.22-30
The First Reading has some very far-reaching implications. The references to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan (Is. 66.19) give the impression of far distant and very foreign lands. God will send "fugitives" or missionaries to those places and win converts. The missionaries will bring the converts to "Jerusalem, my holy mountain" (v. 20). I take this to mean these far-flung people will learn of God and be brought into his Family. That is the unique thing about Judaism... the God of Israel is not just a tribal God. He is God of all nations and every language. He hears and understands prayers made in Hebrew, English, Greek, Arabic, Farsi, Thai, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese... Wycliffe Bible Translators has figures on the number of spoken languages on this planet. There are upwards of 5000 last time I checked. And God is fluent in every one of them!
The Responsorial Psalm is a short one, only two verses. But it embodies the underlying message in the other three readings. The Lord's love for us is strong and he's forever faithful (Ps 117.2). And not just to us, but to all nations! (v. 1).
But is this gathering at the holy mountain of the Lord going to be just a big party where everybody can bring their own beliefs? their own baggage? their own gods? No. The Second Reading tells us that whom the Lord loves, he chastens (Heb. 12.6). We are exhorted by the writer of Hebrews not to treat the Lord's discipline lightly. That is, we must learn from it (v. 7). We must learn that there is One God who allows no other gods in the hearts of his children. This chastening may seem painful to bear at the time it is being administered (v. 11), but God knows what he's doing, and he doesn't inflict us with anything that he didn't already inflict upon his own Son. Therefore, "Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees!" (v. 12). Physical therapy is good for an injured muscle... spiritual therapy is good for an injured soul.
And, according to the Gospel Reading, we dare not dilly-dally! The door to the Lord's holy mountain won't stay open forever, and even while it's open, it's narrow. We're not going to wander into God's house by accident. Jesus says, "Strive to enter in at the narrow gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13.24). Then there will come a time when the door is closed. It'll be too late then. People will knock and it won't be opened, because the Master will say, "I don't know who you are. Go away!" (v. 27).
So, yes, God invites all people to his house. He offers to personally make us worthy to enter into his presence. And we must RSVP by the deadline. But when is the deadline? No one knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24.42). It'll sneak up on you like a thief in the night (2 Peter 3.10). No one knows the Day of the Lord, but NOW is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6.2). The good news is, once you're inside, you'll never be kicked out, no matter what (John 10.28).
So why wait? Introduce yourself to God now and be sure he knows who you are. Come to the mountain of the Lord and start getting better acquainted. And have a great week! :-)
Randy Jones
Those who cannot take discipline say the rules are bad!
The readings this week will shake some of us up, but others of us will be comforted. For "narrow is the gate", and few will find it. The rest will be wailing and gnashing their teeth. Why? Because no one told them the way? Because they were tricked in to believing something false? No. Because they thought they knew better than God and considered the restrictions on entrance into Heaven as too... well, restrictive. They lobbied for looser criteria. But the border guards at the boundaries of Heaven are unerring in their accuracy. NO ONE gets in except by Narrow Gate!
This is the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. You can read the following on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/082210.shtml, or in your Bible in:
Isaiah 66.18-21
Psalm 117.1, 2 (with Mark 16.15 as the response)
Hebrews 12.5-7, 11-13
Luke 13.22-30
The First Reading has some very far-reaching implications. The references to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan (Is. 66.19) give the impression of far distant and very foreign lands. God will send "fugitives" or missionaries to those places and win converts. The missionaries will bring the converts to "Jerusalem, my holy mountain" (v. 20). I take this to mean these far-flung people will learn of God and be brought into his Family. That is the unique thing about Judaism... the God of Israel is not just a tribal God. He is God of all nations and every language. He hears and understands prayers made in Hebrew, English, Greek, Arabic, Farsi, Thai, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese... Wycliffe Bible Translators has figures on the number of spoken languages on this planet. There are upwards of 5000 last time I checked. And God is fluent in every one of them!
The Responsorial Psalm is a short one, only two verses. But it embodies the underlying message in the other three readings. The Lord's love for us is strong and he's forever faithful (Ps 117.2). And not just to us, but to all nations! (v. 1).
But is this gathering at the holy mountain of the Lord going to be just a big party where everybody can bring their own beliefs? their own baggage? their own gods? No. The Second Reading tells us that whom the Lord loves, he chastens (Heb. 12.6). We are exhorted by the writer of Hebrews not to treat the Lord's discipline lightly. That is, we must learn from it (v. 7). We must learn that there is One God who allows no other gods in the hearts of his children. This chastening may seem painful to bear at the time it is being administered (v. 11), but God knows what he's doing, and he doesn't inflict us with anything that he didn't already inflict upon his own Son. Therefore, "Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees!" (v. 12). Physical therapy is good for an injured muscle... spiritual therapy is good for an injured soul.
And, according to the Gospel Reading, we dare not dilly-dally! The door to the Lord's holy mountain won't stay open forever, and even while it's open, it's narrow. We're not going to wander into God's house by accident. Jesus says, "Strive to enter in at the narrow gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13.24). Then there will come a time when the door is closed. It'll be too late then. People will knock and it won't be opened, because the Master will say, "I don't know who you are. Go away!" (v. 27).
So, yes, God invites all people to his house. He offers to personally make us worthy to enter into his presence. And we must RSVP by the deadline. But when is the deadline? No one knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24.42). It'll sneak up on you like a thief in the night (2 Peter 3.10). No one knows the Day of the Lord, but NOW is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6.2). The good news is, once you're inside, you'll never be kicked out, no matter what (John 10.28).
So why wait? Introduce yourself to God now and be sure he knows who you are. Come to the mountain of the Lord and start getting better acquainted. And have a great week! :-)
Randy Jones
Those who cannot take discipline say the rules are bad!
Monday, August 9, 2010
RENEWsletter for August 15, 2010 - Assumption of Mary
Hi, folks--
Every year on August 15, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. Many people, I’ve discovered, think of Mary's Assumption in terms of Jesus's Ascension, where he was taken living into Heaven. However, it is recorded that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles between 3 and 15 years after the Ascension. It was about 400 years after that, according to John Damascene (St. John of Damascus), that the Emperor Marcian desired to possess the body of the Blessed Mother and sought out her tomb. When the tomb was opened, it was found to be empty. God had invited Mary to the Resurrection early, before the rest of us living and dead join them.
The readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary are found on the web at:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/081510a.shtml and in your Bible at:
Revelation 11.19a; 12.1-6a, 10ab (It won't hurt to read through from 11.19 to 12.10)
Psalm 45.10, 11, 12, 16
1 Corinthians 15.20-27
Luke 1.39-56
The First Reading would make little sense without our knowledge of Mary. A glorious woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, a twelve-star crown on her head is about to give birth (Rev 12.1). A terrible monster awaits the birth to destroy the babe, but God intervenes when the Lady gives birth to a son, and saves the child (vs. 12.4-5). Later, this very Son conquers the monster (v. 10). When this passage is read with Mary and her Son Jesus in mind, it makes perfect sense.
The Responsorial Psalm is a love song, a "nuptial ode for the messianic king". The Queen stands at the right hand of God (Ps 45.10). She is to be wed to the Messiah. Tradition holds that this refers to the Bride of Christ, or us, the Church. Thus we take part in the royal feast and become part of the Heavenly Family of God.
The Second Reading from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians paints a picture of this Wedding Feast. Christ at last will "put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Cor. 15.25), and the last enemy to be destroyed is Death itself (v. 26). When that happens our life together with God begins, and it will not be "till death do us part". No, it will be forever!
The Gospel Reading is filled with familiar words. Mary, with the Messiah Child already being knit together in her womb, visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is also with child, a little farther along. Because Elizabeth's son starts dancing in her womb when Elizabeth hears Mary's voice, she knows that a very special event is coming. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" she sings (Luke 1.42). It's all becoming clear now to Mary and she sings her timeless hymn. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed" (vs. 46-48).
We do indeed call Mary blessed, and have for these countless generations; and will for all generations to come. She is a type of God's love. A lowly handmaiden raised to the level of Queen of Heaven, not through her own merit, but through God's favor. Through this same favor and mercy of God, we too, who have put our faith in Christ, will be raised to the level of "relatives of the Boss", that is members of the Holy Family, brothers and sisters of Christ himself, heirs of the Living God.
With a perspective on the future like that, how can anything on this earth shake our faith? If things get tense or scary this week, remember what it says in the Bible.... "And it came to pass..." It didn't come to stay -- it came to pass!
Randy Jones
Those who cannot look ahead say the enemy is gaining on us!
Every year on August 15, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. Many people, I’ve discovered, think of Mary's Assumption in terms of Jesus's Ascension, where he was taken living into Heaven. However, it is recorded that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles between 3 and 15 years after the Ascension. It was about 400 years after that, according to John Damascene (St. John of Damascus), that the Emperor Marcian desired to possess the body of the Blessed Mother and sought out her tomb. When the tomb was opened, it was found to be empty. God had invited Mary to the Resurrection early, before the rest of us living and dead join them.
The readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary are found on the web at:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/081510a.shtml and in your Bible at:
Revelation 11.19a; 12.1-6a, 10ab (It won't hurt to read through from 11.19 to 12.10)
Psalm 45.10, 11, 12, 16
1 Corinthians 15.20-27
Luke 1.39-56
The First Reading would make little sense without our knowledge of Mary. A glorious woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, a twelve-star crown on her head is about to give birth (Rev 12.1). A terrible monster awaits the birth to destroy the babe, but God intervenes when the Lady gives birth to a son, and saves the child (vs. 12.4-5). Later, this very Son conquers the monster (v. 10). When this passage is read with Mary and her Son Jesus in mind, it makes perfect sense.
The Responsorial Psalm is a love song, a "nuptial ode for the messianic king". The Queen stands at the right hand of God (Ps 45.10). She is to be wed to the Messiah. Tradition holds that this refers to the Bride of Christ, or us, the Church. Thus we take part in the royal feast and become part of the Heavenly Family of God.
The Second Reading from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians paints a picture of this Wedding Feast. Christ at last will "put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Cor. 15.25), and the last enemy to be destroyed is Death itself (v. 26). When that happens our life together with God begins, and it will not be "till death do us part". No, it will be forever!
The Gospel Reading is filled with familiar words. Mary, with the Messiah Child already being knit together in her womb, visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is also with child, a little farther along. Because Elizabeth's son starts dancing in her womb when Elizabeth hears Mary's voice, she knows that a very special event is coming. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" she sings (Luke 1.42). It's all becoming clear now to Mary and she sings her timeless hymn. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed" (vs. 46-48).
We do indeed call Mary blessed, and have for these countless generations; and will for all generations to come. She is a type of God's love. A lowly handmaiden raised to the level of Queen of Heaven, not through her own merit, but through God's favor. Through this same favor and mercy of God, we too, who have put our faith in Christ, will be raised to the level of "relatives of the Boss", that is members of the Holy Family, brothers and sisters of Christ himself, heirs of the Living God.
With a perspective on the future like that, how can anything on this earth shake our faith? If things get tense or scary this week, remember what it says in the Bible.... "And it came to pass..." It didn't come to stay -- it came to pass!
Randy Jones
Those who cannot look ahead say the enemy is gaining on us!
Monday, August 2, 2010
RENEWsletter for August 8, 2010 - 19th
Dear Friends of Renewal--
The theme this time seems to be one of choices and promises. God has made a choice. He has chosen us. We can respond by choosing him... or not. By faith we can believe that God will keep his promise, or we can choose to doubt. Sometimes it’s a tough choice to keep believing. But it couldn’t be much tougher than it was for Abraham. He’d been promised that his descendents would become a multitude, yet Sarah had reached and passed menopause, and when she did conceive and bear Isaac, God asked Abraham to sacrifice him. Start all over again? At Abraham’s age? That was a very tough choice.
The readings for this coming Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time can be found on the Web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/080810.shtml, and are in your Bible in:
Wisdom 18.6-9
Psalm 33.1, 12, 18-19, 20-22
Hebrews 11.1-2, 8-19
Luke 12.32-48
The First Reading from the Book of Wisdom speaks of God summoning his people through the Passover (Wis 18.8). They responded by following the instructions for being spared the loss of their firstborn. Even in one captivity after another some continued choosing to follow God's instructions. In secret they were offering sacrifices and keeping the law (v. 9), waiting for the salvation of the just (v. 7).
In spite of the hardships and setbacks those Hebrews faced and endured, the psalmist of the Responsorial Psalm still can sing, "Blessed are the people the Lord has chosen to be his own" (Ps. 33.12). These chosen people of God have put their hope in the LORD (vs. 18, 22). And he delivers them from death and famine (v. 19), helping and shielding them (v. 20).
The Second Reading from Hebrews carries this idea a little deeper. God chose Abraham to make a promise to (Heb 11.9). But Abraham had the choice of obeying God to claim the promise. And to obey, guess what Abraham had to have. Faith (vs. 8, 9, 11, 13, 17)! He had to believe in order to receive God's promise. Does this mean we have to earn our salvation? No, God chose us first. (See John 15.16.) But it means we have to believe. Believe that God will keep his promise, choose to obey his word, have faith.
The Gospel Reading in Luke makes this concept plain. Jesus says, "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (v. 32). There's the promise. What do we have to do? Obediently collect treasures in heaven (v. 33). And how do we do that? By making sure our heart is in the right place (v. 34). In other words, by having faith.
But faith falters, obliterating obedience, precluding promises. What if we're not ready when the "bridegroom" returns, or when the "thief" comes? Well, that's why Jesus came. He was perfectly obedient, had perfect faith, and God kept his promise and raised him from the dead. Because of Jesus' obedience, we are healed of our faithlessness, we are washed of our disobedience, and we become beneficiaries of the promise of eternal life.
A good way to stay close to God and ready for his coming is to talk with him every day. Here's an easily memorizable pattern for prayer based on the first letters of the days of the week. See what you think of this....
Monday: pray for Ministries and Missionaries
Tuesday: pray for people in Trouble
Wednesday: just Worship God
Thursday: give Thanks for all your blessings
Friday: pray for Family and Friends
Saturday: pray for the Sick and Sinners
Sunday: pray for yourSelf
Of course, urgent needs get prayer anytime regardless of what letter the day starts with! But remember, God is unbounded by time. He forgave all our sins 2000 years ago, and we hadn't yet committed our first one! He can answer prayers in arrears as easily. So pray, even when it's "too late." If you forget or miss a day, don't worry... what day is it? Pray for the corresponding item. Keep doing it. Pretty soon it'll become habitual.
Randy Jones
Those who cannot believe say the promise is bad!
The theme this time seems to be one of choices and promises. God has made a choice. He has chosen us. We can respond by choosing him... or not. By faith we can believe that God will keep his promise, or we can choose to doubt. Sometimes it’s a tough choice to keep believing. But it couldn’t be much tougher than it was for Abraham. He’d been promised that his descendents would become a multitude, yet Sarah had reached and passed menopause, and when she did conceive and bear Isaac, God asked Abraham to sacrifice him. Start all over again? At Abraham’s age? That was a very tough choice.
The readings for this coming Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time can be found on the Web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/080810.shtml, and are in your Bible in:
Wisdom 18.6-9
Psalm 33.1, 12, 18-19, 20-22
Hebrews 11.1-2, 8-19
Luke 12.32-48
The First Reading from the Book of Wisdom speaks of God summoning his people through the Passover (Wis 18.8). They responded by following the instructions for being spared the loss of their firstborn. Even in one captivity after another some continued choosing to follow God's instructions. In secret they were offering sacrifices and keeping the law (v. 9), waiting for the salvation of the just (v. 7).
In spite of the hardships and setbacks those Hebrews faced and endured, the psalmist of the Responsorial Psalm still can sing, "Blessed are the people the Lord has chosen to be his own" (Ps. 33.12). These chosen people of God have put their hope in the LORD (vs. 18, 22). And he delivers them from death and famine (v. 19), helping and shielding them (v. 20).
The Second Reading from Hebrews carries this idea a little deeper. God chose Abraham to make a promise to (Heb 11.9). But Abraham had the choice of obeying God to claim the promise. And to obey, guess what Abraham had to have. Faith (vs. 8, 9, 11, 13, 17)! He had to believe in order to receive God's promise. Does this mean we have to earn our salvation? No, God chose us first. (See John 15.16.) But it means we have to believe. Believe that God will keep his promise, choose to obey his word, have faith.
The Gospel Reading in Luke makes this concept plain. Jesus says, "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (v. 32). There's the promise. What do we have to do? Obediently collect treasures in heaven (v. 33). And how do we do that? By making sure our heart is in the right place (v. 34). In other words, by having faith.
But faith falters, obliterating obedience, precluding promises. What if we're not ready when the "bridegroom" returns, or when the "thief" comes? Well, that's why Jesus came. He was perfectly obedient, had perfect faith, and God kept his promise and raised him from the dead. Because of Jesus' obedience, we are healed of our faithlessness, we are washed of our disobedience, and we become beneficiaries of the promise of eternal life.
A good way to stay close to God and ready for his coming is to talk with him every day. Here's an easily memorizable pattern for prayer based on the first letters of the days of the week. See what you think of this....
Monday: pray for Ministries and Missionaries
Tuesday: pray for people in Trouble
Wednesday: just Worship God
Thursday: give Thanks for all your blessings
Friday: pray for Family and Friends
Saturday: pray for the Sick and Sinners
Sunday: pray for yourSelf
Of course, urgent needs get prayer anytime regardless of what letter the day starts with! But remember, God is unbounded by time. He forgave all our sins 2000 years ago, and we hadn't yet committed our first one! He can answer prayers in arrears as easily. So pray, even when it's "too late." If you forget or miss a day, don't worry... what day is it? Pray for the corresponding item. Keep doing it. Pretty soon it'll become habitual.
Randy Jones
Those who cannot believe say the promise is bad!
Monday, July 26, 2010
RENEWsletter for August 1, 2010 - 18th
Hi, all--
The transitory nature of life and wealth wasn't lost on the writer of Ecclesiastes. And over the past few years here in Silicon Valley, it hasn't been lost on us, either. How many fortunes were lost in the "Dot Com" bust? How many lives are lost in senseless violence? How many hopes are ruined by disease, downsizing, and death? I guess there really is "nothing new under the sun!" (Ecclesiastes 1.9). But there's an alternative to putting all one's hopes and bets on earthly stuff...
This coming Sunday is the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the readings can be found on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/080110.shtml, and in your Bible in:
Ecclesiastes 1.2; 2.21-23
Psalm 90.3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 with v. 1 as the response
Colossians 3.1-5, 9-11
Luke 12.13-21
In the First Reading, Qoheleth, the writer of Ecclesiastes, has a dim view of life: "All things are vanity!" (Eccl 1.2). He laments that though we labor all our lives to build up a good, sound retirement, it is gone in an afternoon, like a vapor in the hot sun (ch. 2, v. 21). (The word translated "vanity" means "breath" or "vapor".) There are many people in the world, in this country, indeed right here in our own Parish, who have watched their retirement dwindle alarmingly. Gone in an afternoon? Some fortunes disappeared with the click of a mouse button! Have you ever lost any sleep worrying about the future... or the morrow? (v. 23). I have! Tell me about vanity!
The Responsorial Psalm gives God's perspective on the days and treasures of this world. A thousand years to the Lord are as but yesterday (Ps 90.4). This psalm was written as a general communal lament... perhaps after the stock market of 1000 BC crashed? Or invading hoards carried off all the brokers? The point is, there is nothing new under the sun. We need to learn to "number our days aright" (v. 12) to keep things in perspective. And "if today you hear his voice, harden not your heart" (v. 1). We may not hear his voice tomorrow.
Paul in the Second Reading admonishes believers to adopt a different perspective on wealth. Wealth is fine, but we should be thinking about what is above, not how our portfolio is doing (Col. 3.2). Our energy should be expended doing God's work. And what is God's work? It's our attitude, our perspective, our behavior when we've taken off the old self and put on the New Self (v. 9-10). In other words, when we've died to the old perspectives and risen to a new life in Christ. This can be very hard to do sometimes, and we might tend to rationalize saying "Well, the Lord helps those who help themselves!" But there's no reference in the Bible for that quote... we've made that up ourselves. In point of fact, God helps those who are helpless! See, Matthew 11.28, Proverbs 28.26.
Jesus, as recorded by Luke in the Gospel Reading, also dealt with retirement issues. Someone came to Jesus because he thought his brother was cheating him out of part of his inheritance, and he wanted Jesus to step in. (You suppose that guy's brother was the "prodigal son"?) Jesus dodged that issue by saying it wasn't up to him to arbitrate that kind of dispute (Luke 12.14). Instead he gave an illustration of God's perspective on inheritance. And what is God's perspective? God snorts and says, "You fool! Tonight your life will be required of you. And who will spend your retirement then?" (v. 20).
"Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God" (v. 21). If you are "rich in what matters to God" it won't matter if you have a good retirement or not. It becomes immaterial. And what are the things that matter to God? Go back and read the Colossians passage again. And remember, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16.26).
We can trust God this week -- and the rest of our lives -- to take care of us. So let's try to view things from an eternal perspective. But if we can't, we don't need to worry about that either! God does take care of us, even past the time our lives will be required of us.
Randy Jones
Those who cannot see past the end of their nose fear they’re going to bump into something!
The transitory nature of life and wealth wasn't lost on the writer of Ecclesiastes. And over the past few years here in Silicon Valley, it hasn't been lost on us, either. How many fortunes were lost in the "Dot Com" bust? How many lives are lost in senseless violence? How many hopes are ruined by disease, downsizing, and death? I guess there really is "nothing new under the sun!" (Ecclesiastes 1.9). But there's an alternative to putting all one's hopes and bets on earthly stuff...
This coming Sunday is the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the readings can be found on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/080110.shtml, and in your Bible in:
Ecclesiastes 1.2; 2.21-23
Psalm 90.3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 with v. 1 as the response
Colossians 3.1-5, 9-11
Luke 12.13-21
In the First Reading, Qoheleth, the writer of Ecclesiastes, has a dim view of life: "All things are vanity!" (Eccl 1.2). He laments that though we labor all our lives to build up a good, sound retirement, it is gone in an afternoon, like a vapor in the hot sun (ch. 2, v. 21). (The word translated "vanity" means "breath" or "vapor".) There are many people in the world, in this country, indeed right here in our own Parish, who have watched their retirement dwindle alarmingly. Gone in an afternoon? Some fortunes disappeared with the click of a mouse button! Have you ever lost any sleep worrying about the future... or the morrow? (v. 23). I have! Tell me about vanity!
The Responsorial Psalm gives God's perspective on the days and treasures of this world. A thousand years to the Lord are as but yesterday (Ps 90.4). This psalm was written as a general communal lament... perhaps after the stock market of 1000 BC crashed? Or invading hoards carried off all the brokers? The point is, there is nothing new under the sun. We need to learn to "number our days aright" (v. 12) to keep things in perspective. And "if today you hear his voice, harden not your heart" (v. 1). We may not hear his voice tomorrow.
Paul in the Second Reading admonishes believers to adopt a different perspective on wealth. Wealth is fine, but we should be thinking about what is above, not how our portfolio is doing (Col. 3.2). Our energy should be expended doing God's work. And what is God's work? It's our attitude, our perspective, our behavior when we've taken off the old self and put on the New Self (v. 9-10). In other words, when we've died to the old perspectives and risen to a new life in Christ. This can be very hard to do sometimes, and we might tend to rationalize saying "Well, the Lord helps those who help themselves!" But there's no reference in the Bible for that quote... we've made that up ourselves. In point of fact, God helps those who are helpless! See, Matthew 11.28, Proverbs 28.26.
Jesus, as recorded by Luke in the Gospel Reading, also dealt with retirement issues. Someone came to Jesus because he thought his brother was cheating him out of part of his inheritance, and he wanted Jesus to step in. (You suppose that guy's brother was the "prodigal son"?) Jesus dodged that issue by saying it wasn't up to him to arbitrate that kind of dispute (Luke 12.14). Instead he gave an illustration of God's perspective on inheritance. And what is God's perspective? God snorts and says, "You fool! Tonight your life will be required of you. And who will spend your retirement then?" (v. 20).
"Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God" (v. 21). If you are "rich in what matters to God" it won't matter if you have a good retirement or not. It becomes immaterial. And what are the things that matter to God? Go back and read the Colossians passage again. And remember, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16.26).
We can trust God this week -- and the rest of our lives -- to take care of us. So let's try to view things from an eternal perspective. But if we can't, we don't need to worry about that either! God does take care of us, even past the time our lives will be required of us.
Randy Jones
Those who cannot see past the end of their nose fear they’re going to bump into something!
Monday, July 19, 2010
RENEWsletter for July 25, 2010 - 17th Ordinary
Hello Renewers--
Well, the summer is flying by. Can it be the end of July already? Everyone has been flying away on this vacation or that visit. Relatives are coming and going. And many relatives will be arriving next month to attend Sally’s and my wedding in a little over 3 weeks. Then we’ll be floating away on a cruise up the Alaskan coast for our honeymoon! The sun is shining, the land is green, the sky is blue. I imagine the sun was shining when Abraham encountered the messengers of God on their way to find out what was going on in Sodom. So let's be on our way to find out what’s going on in the readings this week.
The readings for this Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time are found on the web at http://www.usccb.org/nab/072510.shtml and in your Bible at:
Genesis 18.20-32
Psalm 138.1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8
Colossians 2.12-14
Luke 11.1-13
The First Reading is the famous story of when Abraham bargained with God. The Lord was off to judge Sodom, and Abraham knew full well what the people there were like. His nephew, Lot, lived there, so he must have got regular reports of debauchery, crime, alcohol, drugs., prostitution, violence of all sorts... Abraham knew what the Lord would find. And so he persistently pleaded with the Lord to spare the whole city for the sake of a few. Fewer and fewer and fewer! You notice, God didn't complain or whine or even roll his eyeballs (Gen 18.26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32). His beloved Abraham was asking for a "fish", and he wasn't about to give him a "serpent".
This is a good segue into the Gospel Reading, so we'll take the readings out of order this time. Luke gives us first the small economy model Lord's Prayer (Luke 11.2-4) then illustrates that it isn't wordiness or eloquence or cleverness that moves the Lord, but persistence. What father would deny his son when he asks for food? What God would deny his children when they ask for help? (v. 13)
And that is a good segue into the Responsorial Psalm which fits in with the theme of God's love and patience with his children. When has there been a day when you called on the name of the Lord for help, and he didn't answer? "When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me" (Ps 138.3).
I can envision a scene in heaven where Jesus is pleading with his Father to spare the world. "What if there are 50 righteous people on earth?" says Jesus.
"I will not destroy the earth for the sake of 50 righteous," the Father responds.
"What if there are only 10 righteous?" Jesus persists.
"I will not destroy it for the sake of the 10," the Father concedes.
"What if there is only 1 righteous person on earth?"
"I will not destroy it for the sake of one righteous person, but you know what? 'There is none righteous, no, not one!' (Romans 3.10)"
"Then I will be that righteous person!" said Jesus and he humbled himself to take on human flesh.
And what of today? Christ has lived, died, was buried, rose again, and ascended into heaven. Why is not the earth destroyed now? Perhaps a clue is in the Second Reading. "You were buried with him in baptism... and he brought you to life... having forgiven us all our transgressions..." (Col 2.12-13). We are the righteous, through the work of Jesus Christ, for whose sake the world is not destroyed. We are the 10 righteous people in Sodom... not righteous because of anything we have done, but only through the work of Christ on the Cross.
All our transgressions are continually forgiven by God the Father. We are answered when we call upon the Lord. Because of Christ, the world is not destroyed. There's still time to reach our lost, unrighteous neighbor with the Good News of God's love for them. Think of this each time you recite the Lord's Prayer...
And have a great week.
Randy Jones
"Those who do not care say, Go ahead and destroy them!"
Well, the summer is flying by. Can it be the end of July already? Everyone has been flying away on this vacation or that visit. Relatives are coming and going. And many relatives will be arriving next month to attend Sally’s and my wedding in a little over 3 weeks. Then we’ll be floating away on a cruise up the Alaskan coast for our honeymoon! The sun is shining, the land is green, the sky is blue. I imagine the sun was shining when Abraham encountered the messengers of God on their way to find out what was going on in Sodom. So let's be on our way to find out what’s going on in the readings this week.
The readings for this Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time are found on the web at http://www.usccb.org/nab/072510.shtml and in your Bible at:
Genesis 18.20-32
Psalm 138.1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8
Colossians 2.12-14
Luke 11.1-13
The First Reading is the famous story of when Abraham bargained with God. The Lord was off to judge Sodom, and Abraham knew full well what the people there were like. His nephew, Lot, lived there, so he must have got regular reports of debauchery, crime, alcohol, drugs., prostitution, violence of all sorts... Abraham knew what the Lord would find. And so he persistently pleaded with the Lord to spare the whole city for the sake of a few. Fewer and fewer and fewer! You notice, God didn't complain or whine or even roll his eyeballs (Gen 18.26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32). His beloved Abraham was asking for a "fish", and he wasn't about to give him a "serpent".
This is a good segue into the Gospel Reading, so we'll take the readings out of order this time. Luke gives us first the small economy model Lord's Prayer (Luke 11.2-4) then illustrates that it isn't wordiness or eloquence or cleverness that moves the Lord, but persistence. What father would deny his son when he asks for food? What God would deny his children when they ask for help? (v. 13)
And that is a good segue into the Responsorial Psalm which fits in with the theme of God's love and patience with his children. When has there been a day when you called on the name of the Lord for help, and he didn't answer? "When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me" (Ps 138.3).
I can envision a scene in heaven where Jesus is pleading with his Father to spare the world. "What if there are 50 righteous people on earth?" says Jesus.
"I will not destroy the earth for the sake of 50 righteous," the Father responds.
"What if there are only 10 righteous?" Jesus persists.
"I will not destroy it for the sake of the 10," the Father concedes.
"What if there is only 1 righteous person on earth?"
"I will not destroy it for the sake of one righteous person, but you know what? 'There is none righteous, no, not one!' (Romans 3.10)"
"Then I will be that righteous person!" said Jesus and he humbled himself to take on human flesh.
And what of today? Christ has lived, died, was buried, rose again, and ascended into heaven. Why is not the earth destroyed now? Perhaps a clue is in the Second Reading. "You were buried with him in baptism... and he brought you to life... having forgiven us all our transgressions..." (Col 2.12-13). We are the righteous, through the work of Jesus Christ, for whose sake the world is not destroyed. We are the 10 righteous people in Sodom... not righteous because of anything we have done, but only through the work of Christ on the Cross.
All our transgressions are continually forgiven by God the Father. We are answered when we call upon the Lord. Because of Christ, the world is not destroyed. There's still time to reach our lost, unrighteous neighbor with the Good News of God's love for them. Think of this each time you recite the Lord's Prayer...
And have a great week.
Randy Jones
"Those who do not care say, Go ahead and destroy them!"
Monday, July 12, 2010
RENEWsletter for July 18, 2010 - 16th Ordinary
Hi, all--
"Preparation" seems to be one of the threads of a theme that stitches these passages together. In each case there is a result that brings the one being prepared closer to God. The Navajos have a concept called hozhoh: beauty, harmony, and the interconnectedness of the natural world. A person who experiences hozhoh walks in beauty with nature, their fellowman, and reality in general. Christians sometimes describe this state as the "peace that passes understanding".
This is the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the readings can be found on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/071810.shtml, and in your Bible in:
Genesis 18.1-10a
Psalm 15.2-3, 3-4, 5
Colossians 1.24-28
Luke 10.38-42
In the First Reading, we find Abraham hurrying to prepare a meal for some visiting angels. These guys appeared as the day was beginning to get hot. That's why Abraham was sitting outside his tent under the terebinth tree. He was trying to keep cool (Gen 18.1). What's a terebinth tree? Maybe it was like an oak, because Mamre, where this story takes place, was famous for its oaks. Anyway, Abraham somehow knew that these three were sent from God, and so he went out of his way to feed them. And kept Sarah in the hot tent baking bread for them, too! But for their trouble they got the incredible news that elderly Sarah would get pregnant and bear a son (v. 10). More than anything, Abraham and Sarah wanted this. Peace descended on them and they experienced hozhoh.
The psalmist speaks of another kind of preparation in the Responsorial Psalm. If we do justice (Ps. 15.1) we will live in the presence of the Lord. Read the list of things the person needs to do to feel comfortable in the presence of the Living God (vs. 2-5). Some of the items on the list are easy, like not accepting bribes. Some might be a little harder, like thinking truth in one’s heart. But for your trouble you'll get to be comfortable hanging out with the Lord, and experience hozhoh.
In the Second Reading, we find Paul diligently preparing the body of Christ (the church... us!) to be wise and perfect in Christ (Col. 1.28). Perfect? Us? Yes! It is truly a mystery, but through Christ's work, we have hope of glory (v. 27) and all the rich spiritual benefits that go with that. Paul was a diligent steward, ministering to Jew and Gentile alike, striving to bring to fruition the mystery of God's love for his church. For his trouble he gets all the persecution, suffering, and affliction that there wasn't time to inflict on Christ himself. And he rejoices in it (v. 24) because it brings hozhoh!
In the Gospel Reading we find Martha in a flurry of activity trying to prepare and serve a meal to her guests all by herself. Can't you just see her, getting more and more exasperated as pots start to boil over, things fall to the floor, the table remains unset, and Mary, bless her thoughtless heart, just sits there at Jesus's feet (Luke 10.39), totally oblivious of what needs to be done. Martha finally can't stand it anymore and goes straight to Jesus. "Mary has left me to do all this work by myself," she expostulates (v. 40). "Can you please tell her to help? She won't listen to me!" For her trouble she gets a mild, loving rebuke from the Lord (vs. 41-42). Sometimes it's better to just sit and listen than to get all the trappings right and on time. Mary had found hozhoh.
Let’s try to keep in mind this week to daily prepare ourselves to live in the presence of the Lord, to hear him when he speaks to us through his Word, through the natural world, and through the Holy Spirit communing directly with our hearts. May we all live in harmony, walk in beauty, and know hozhoh.
Randy Jones
"Those who are unprepared say there is no harmony!"
"Preparation" seems to be one of the threads of a theme that stitches these passages together. In each case there is a result that brings the one being prepared closer to God. The Navajos have a concept called hozhoh: beauty, harmony, and the interconnectedness of the natural world. A person who experiences hozhoh walks in beauty with nature, their fellowman, and reality in general. Christians sometimes describe this state as the "peace that passes understanding".
This is the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the readings can be found on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/071810.shtml, and in your Bible in:
Genesis 18.1-10a
Psalm 15.2-3, 3-4, 5
Colossians 1.24-28
Luke 10.38-42
In the First Reading, we find Abraham hurrying to prepare a meal for some visiting angels. These guys appeared as the day was beginning to get hot. That's why Abraham was sitting outside his tent under the terebinth tree. He was trying to keep cool (Gen 18.1). What's a terebinth tree? Maybe it was like an oak, because Mamre, where this story takes place, was famous for its oaks. Anyway, Abraham somehow knew that these three were sent from God, and so he went out of his way to feed them. And kept Sarah in the hot tent baking bread for them, too! But for their trouble they got the incredible news that elderly Sarah would get pregnant and bear a son (v. 10). More than anything, Abraham and Sarah wanted this. Peace descended on them and they experienced hozhoh.
The psalmist speaks of another kind of preparation in the Responsorial Psalm. If we do justice (Ps. 15.1) we will live in the presence of the Lord. Read the list of things the person needs to do to feel comfortable in the presence of the Living God (vs. 2-5). Some of the items on the list are easy, like not accepting bribes. Some might be a little harder, like thinking truth in one’s heart. But for your trouble you'll get to be comfortable hanging out with the Lord, and experience hozhoh.
In the Second Reading, we find Paul diligently preparing the body of Christ (the church... us!) to be wise and perfect in Christ (Col. 1.28). Perfect? Us? Yes! It is truly a mystery, but through Christ's work, we have hope of glory (v. 27) and all the rich spiritual benefits that go with that. Paul was a diligent steward, ministering to Jew and Gentile alike, striving to bring to fruition the mystery of God's love for his church. For his trouble he gets all the persecution, suffering, and affliction that there wasn't time to inflict on Christ himself. And he rejoices in it (v. 24) because it brings hozhoh!
In the Gospel Reading we find Martha in a flurry of activity trying to prepare and serve a meal to her guests all by herself. Can't you just see her, getting more and more exasperated as pots start to boil over, things fall to the floor, the table remains unset, and Mary, bless her thoughtless heart, just sits there at Jesus's feet (Luke 10.39), totally oblivious of what needs to be done. Martha finally can't stand it anymore and goes straight to Jesus. "Mary has left me to do all this work by myself," she expostulates (v. 40). "Can you please tell her to help? She won't listen to me!" For her trouble she gets a mild, loving rebuke from the Lord (vs. 41-42). Sometimes it's better to just sit and listen than to get all the trappings right and on time. Mary had found hozhoh.
Let’s try to keep in mind this week to daily prepare ourselves to live in the presence of the Lord, to hear him when he speaks to us through his Word, through the natural world, and through the Holy Spirit communing directly with our hearts. May we all live in harmony, walk in beauty, and know hozhoh.
Randy Jones
"Those who are unprepared say there is no harmony!"
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