Neither Do I Condemn You

Sadly, I was called to provide grief support to a staff who care for homeless veterans. One of the veteran’s committed suicide. The staff shared their shock, frustration and anger. They struggled with their sadness and broken spirits. Some might rashly judge this action as the worse sin to take away the gift of life. This week’s Lenten Gospel story shows how our Teacher helps a desperate person who has committed a grave sin.

It is a scene from a nightmare. Yet it turns out well.

Pretend that you are the woman in Sunday’s Gospel. You have been “caught in adultery.” Note, the man involves is never mentioned. The officials shove the woman into a mob of people.

They recite the ancient law of Moses: “The sacred law says you must be stoned to death for your crime.”

Remember, you are that woman, and you stand in humiliation

There was a man everyone called the “Teacher.” He had been captivating the crowd just before you were dragged in. Now you, the woman, have become the center of attention.

By means of your disgrace the accusers try to trap the Teacher and shame you. They are using you for this purpose. They question the Teacher. Doesn’t he agree you should be stoned to death? They have him in their snare, this "teacher," this dreamer who always preaches about forgiveness and love. If he defends you for the sake of his so-called love, he will break the law of Moses! If he does not defend you, he must follow the law, pick up a stone and throw it.

This teacher leans down and scratches absently in the dirt. People hold their breath, and the accusers worry. Why is he silent and what will he say?

“My Abba has loved each of you through all ages, no matter whether you were sinners or not.”

For “Father” he uses an Aramaic word that expresses both familiarity and respect, “Abba.” Abba always begged them, “be my people. Love one another. I love you, and I forgive your sins.” But hatred is their motto, not love. They want death to happen.

They shout again. “What is your answer? Shall we follow the law and stone this sinful woman?” Remember, you are that woman, and you stand in humiliation, cheeks hot and tears falling. Your heart says in terror, “the accusers are right!”

Now the teacher lifts his head. He utters a sentence that sums up the Gospel and all of Lent.

“Let the one among you who is without sin throw the first stone.”

The crowd creeps away quietly, submerged in their own consciences.

Now you stand alone before this quiet Teacher, and your terror has subsided. There is something about him that brings you relief from the nightmare of being stoned to death.

“Well, where are they,” he asks. “Has no one condemned you?” You say, “No one, sir.” Then it is as if he also asks, “Do you condemn yourself?” You, the woman, spend a long time on this answer because it is so very hard. Finally you whisper, “I do not want to condemn myself, Teacher.” “Neither do I condemn you,” answers Jesus. “Go and sin no more.”

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that the response of Jesus could refashion the whole earth. If we could each accept our own sinfulness as well as the forgiveness that surrounds it, we would have peace. We would drink in the compassion of God, who has been there all along, tracing in our souls. We stammer at last, “I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.”

 

 

Confirmation-Competition to be the Best Disciple

I had agreed to travel with Bishop John to San Antonia Texas and Las Vegas Navada to confirm 28 young adults. Sadly, I found the online Confirmation messages were pretty much boring.

In San Antonia, Bishop John wanted to show me the famous “river walk” in downtown San Antonia which seemed more like a tourist attraction.  Instead, I convinced the bishop to uber me to Braunfels, Texas the location of Cypress Bend Park. To our surprise, the majestic cypress trees were a landscape photo dream. However, we had also stumbled upon a unique event being held at the park the “North America Tree Climbing Competition” 

From all over the world, professional arborists have come to this unique cypress grove to display their passion, skills and appreciation for these amazing trees. 

I wrote the following story for the bishop to share his thoughts to inspire our young people who came to receive their Confirmation in San Antonia and Las Vegas.

Confirmation is about receiving the grace and love for Jesus. We receive 7 gifts like “fear of the Lord.” However, this is not about being afraid of God but more about celebrating an appreciation for our gifts where we grow into a personal friendship with the Lord who sees us at our very best.

The event we had stumbled upon was the rescue competition. The arborist’s had to have “knowledge” of their equipment that included clamps, belts, ropes to save a victim who had an accident and was hanging in the tree limbs. 

“Understanding” is about learning that you have the potential to make a difference in another person’s life because the love of God is in your heart to serve and help those in trouble. 

“Wisdom” is the acquired knowledge how to make such a dangerous climb to help others. This wisdom is a gift the Lord gives to us when we are open to allowing the Lord to use our skills for good.  

Counsel” as the competition began meant this arborist had 5 minutes to complete the rescue. The life of the accident victim was literally hanging in the balance. As the arborist made his ascent he shouted out his every movement and what he observed. This “counsel” recorded was all the wise choices he had to make during this rescue mission. Just like the Lord gives us the ability to know right from wrong. Confirmation is the invitation to accept the mission that the Lord gives to us to make this world a place where all people live in peace and love.

“Fortitude” is another gift of Confirmation, and I remember the arborist propelling and ascending hundreds of feet into the tree limbs to rescue the victim. To be a follower of Jesus requires the same courage when faced with difficult moments in life.

“Piety” is not about thinking you are special or better than other people, but understanding that God has blessed each of you with unique gifts. Your vocation in life is about doing something with your life in which you may save someone from falling out a tree, or from a serious disease, or from a broken heart.

As the arborist propelled himself down to the ground with the accident victim, his fellow arborists cheered his efforts that he had accomplished the rescue in less than the 5 minutes allotted. That’s what Our Lord will be doing for you when you are anointed on your forehead with the “holy oil.” Jesus is cheering you on today and everyday that your passion, your gifts and enthusiasm bring a smile to your best friend Jesus who is very pleased that you have chosen to be his buddy and best friend forever.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that whether hanging from a tree or planted firmly on the ground, we offer our service to come to rescue folks in danger and bring them Your compassion, comfort and peace. 

Fr. Marcus Ordination

 My Sonshine this week features the ordination ceremony of Fr, Marcus who was ordained to the Priesthood at Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Lancaster, New York. Perhaps you never had the experience of witnessing this unique and profound service. As part of your Lenten practice, you might review the images of this ordination and offer a prayer for all men and women who serve leadership positions in your churches.

 

 

 

 

Giving Your Life Away

 

Today’s Sonshine photo is an image of Death Valley. As an amateur landscaper photographer, I had contacted a motel outside the park who offered free lodging if I would take photos of their motel for a new brochure. That adventure reminded me of this Sunday’s Lenten gospel where Jesus is tempted by the devil in the desert.

Temptation's not a fun place to visit? Temptation's a lonely place, a difficult place, a place of testing. But that's where Jesus is in the gospel reading today. He's already been tempted for 40 days, and then Satan goes straight for his soul. He plays hardball. Satan comes back with three final temptation doozies after 40 days of temptation. If Jesus - think about it - if Jesus, the Son of God, is opposed by the strong forces of evil, if he's not exempt from them, who is? 

Satan's message is clear. "Get all you can, Jesus. Look at the splendor, look at the sparkle. It's all yours. Don't worry about God, don't worry about pleasing Him. Please yourself, Jesus. That'll make you happy. Simply worship me." Because the devil is all about getting. He's about getting because the more we focus on getting, what we think life should be, the less and less life we actually have. You can call it acquisition; you can call it purchasing; you can call it consuming. Call it what you want, but you and I live in a culture of getting. It is we. Getting, getting even, getting my way, getting what's mine, getting while the getting's good, getting all I can, getting what I want out of life, getting, getting, getting. And no matter how much we get, we still want more. We get what we want, and life's still not right. Our soul's not settled, our heart's not satisfied. We want more revenge, we want more assets, we want to get more pleasure. We are a culture of getters.

Plenty is just never enough. There's just something in our souls that always wants to get more. The devil is about getting. Jesus is about giving. "Don't try to get life," Jesus says. "Give your life away, and when you do then you'll find it." Because life is not about us. It's about God. As long as we focus on ourselves, our needs, our wants, our passion, our spirit, our desires, we'll never actually find what life is about. That's the irony, isn't it?

So when Satan offers the world, Jesus replies, "Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him." Because Jesus understood you can only have one master. You can serve whatever you choose, your passion, your desires, all the world's stuff, or you can serve God. "Just know," Jesus says, "that to serve anything other than God is to choose Satan." To serve Jesus, God, is life itself. In other words, do you want life? Give it away. That's why Lent's just so powerful. It's about these simple habits: pray, fast, give. Habits that help you give your life away to God. When you invest your heart, when you invest your money, when you invest your life in God, then you will find life.

It's funny who understands that. I had stopped by the Death Valley Visitor Center to get directions to the best photo sites in the park. The young ranger pointed out several locations like Artists Pallette, Zabriskie Point and Great Salt Basin. That evening, the hotel manager shared that his wife was going to the hospital in the morning for tests because she was diagnosed with cancer. I offered to give her a blessing and anoint her with the Sacrament of the Sick. Her husband cried when I prayed over her and most  grateful that someone would pray with her for comfort, courage and strength. Yes, life is about giving. The following morning I took pictures of their motel for the brochure. The devil is about getting. Jesus is about giving.

 

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that during Lent a lot can happen. How are you going to use yours? What are you going to do with your 40 days? Jesus is inviting you to give your life away, and when you do, you just might find that you have more life than you ever had before.

 

 

Rededicate Yourself in Prayer

 

What do we do when we’re facing an upcoming big event, celebration, or special occasion in our lives? We prepare for it. Holy Week and Easter are “big events” in the liturgical year of the Church and in the spiritual life of a Christian. So, as Christians, we prepare spiritually for these through the forty days of Lent. This means that, during Lent, we rededicate ourselves to prayer.

There are as many ways to pray as there are pray-ers in this world, but a few prayer methods can help us in particular to spiritually prepare ourselves during Lent:

1. Make your abstinence a prayer-in-action.

On Ash Wednesday, I suggested that you give up something for Lent. Chocolate, coffee, that snack before bedtime, one less hour of video games or steaming the news networks—whatever it is, you can make what you’re giving up for Lent a prayer as well: a prayer-in-action. Whenever you encounter the thing you are abstaining from or the time of day that you would normally enjoy it, take a moment to say a prayer in recognition of your wholeness in God even without the thing you have given up. Thank God for the freedom to be wholly yourself without this and, at the same time, acknowledge the gift of its existence in the world.

2. Renew yourself through personal reflective prayer.

Take a moment and click to review the following online resources. Lent is a time of spiritual renewal. One easy step you can take is to use the many free online resources to jump-start or reinvigorate your prayer life. A few such resources are Loyola Press’s popular 3-Minute Retreats and Seven Last Words of Christ guided meditation, or try the prayer reflections offered by the Irish Jesuit site Sacred Space. If you’re seeking more traditional support for your personal reflective prayer, consider a book specially designed to nourish you during Lent, such as Praying Lent.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, especially the following family and prayers:Mary Z in hospice in San Antonia, TX (Robert G. grandma), Pope Francis in Rome, Ted in Farmington for successful medical procedure, Baby Rhett recovering at home and improving daily-dad thankful for all your prayers, Stacey & newborn Merlin in Las Vegas, Luz L in hospice Las Vegas, Tim in Nashua, NH cancer in remission, Tina in Strykersville cancer in remission, Patty’s parents Madeline & George W in Buffalo, Sandy in North Java, Patti in Florida, Beau in Spain, Sister Ann Marie and Sister Miriam in IL. Monastery, John in North Java, Mary Hills in Toronto, Jane in NC, Ricki & Marina in Brockport, Jerry in Lancaster, Fr. Donald F in Florida, Shelia in Webster. Bob in Buffalo, Matt in Batavia, Melanie in Attica, Cheryl in Florida, Alivia and her dad Art, Bob & Kathy in Macedon, Beth in Massachusetts, Stan In Greece NY, Steve in North Java, Will in Canandaigua, Ruth in Rochester, ospital, Fr. Don & Yvonne in Batavia, Sherri in Lancaster, Mary Jane in Rochester, Brad in Akron, Tony in Greece, Diane in Virginia, little Henry in Ohio, Paul in Lancaster, O B in North Carolina, Jane in Lockport, Maggie in East Bethany, Kathy in Farmington, Nelson in Buffalo, Joe & Carol in Rochester Bob G. in Lancaster waiting for kidney transplant donor.

 

 

What Should I Give Up for Lent?

 

When was the last time you had a really memorable Lent? Or even a life-changing Lent? So often we just give up something like chocolate like we always have, without giving it much thought. And we don’t really stick to it. Or if we do manage to get to Easter without eating said chocolate, we realize we haven’t really grown spiritually since the beginning of Lent. And isn’t that actually the point?

The point of giving something up, of fasting, is to cultivate the inner life. When we fast, we realize how truly dependent on God we are. We open our hearts, our minds, and our bodies to God’s love in our lives. We look at the ways that we need to grow, and dedicate ourselves to becoming a-better-version-of-ourselves. And when we make ourselves available to God, incredible things can happen. That’s what can make Lent so powerful.

But you can take it one step further. Don’t just give something up. There is also great value in doing something for Lent. It’s the perfect time not only to abandon self-destructive habits, but also to form new life-giving habits, habits that can extend beyond the 40 days of Lent. Give something up, eliminate a bad habit from your life, and then fill that gap intentionally.

I invite you this Lent to pick one thing from the following to give up for Lent.  Give something up, then fill the gap.

Give something away—every day

It doesn't need to be money or material things—though giving these away can be a powerful experience. Try complimenting a stranger, teaching someone how to do something, spreading a positive message, helping someone who is in a hurry, or simply smiling at someone generously. You don't need money or material possessions to live a life of staggering generosity! Give something away—every day.

 

Don’t interrupt people

We could probably all do well to spend more time listening, and less time interjecting.

 

Stop complaining

Have you ever stopped to think about how many times a day you complain about something? What if, instead, you find constructive ways to talk about your difficulties? What if you look for the good in people instead of focusing on any inconvenience we experience?

 

Don’t waste downtime

You don’t have to give up social media or the like entirely, but you can be intentional about not using it during specific times. Take that time instead to pray, to breathe, to reach out to someone around you. You’ll be amazed at the difference it can make in your day.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that we focus this Lent on being generous and give something away. I am grateful to Michael who taught me floral design many decades ago. Yesterday, I decorated our home to bring the promise of Spring inside and share online for you to enjoy. Go ahead and use as a screen saver or forward to your friends and family to bathe in the love and comfort of Our Lord.

Blessings for a wonderful Lent. Fr. Matt

 

 

 

East to Find Fault

 

It's very easy to find fault with things and people.  For instance:

• I enjoy an invitation eating with a friend at a Thai restaurant, the menu looked tasty, but the ingredients were not authentic nor well prepared.
• There goes the pastor, complaining that the pews are empty but never offers a sermon about protecting legal immigrants and the poor.
• Everyone extends themselves for their senior neighbor, but the neighbor never says thank you for their help.
• The snow plow driver plows your street but it piles the ice and snow at the end of your driveway.

No matter how good a person or a thing may be, it is easy to find some fault with them.

And while it is easy to find faults in others, it is just as easy to overlook our own faults.  Or as Jesus says in the gospel: "We see the speck in another's eye, but we don't see the log in our own."  And notice the difference, a speck compared to a log.  A little fault compared with a really big one. Why are we like that? Is it because we are naturally jealous? or envious? or basically negative and critical?  and we have lived with our own faults for so many years that we have grown accustom to them, or perhaps have never known that we had the problem. We live in a bubble of misinformation or delusion that we are OK. Really!

Once a disciple came to Socrates ready to gossip about someone. Socrates stopped him and gave him a “triple filter test” about what he was going to say. “Are you sure that what you are going to tell me is true?” The disciple wasn’t sure. ”Is it good?” No, it wasn’t. “Is it useful?” He wasn’t sure. Socrates said: “If what you want to tell me isn’t true, good or even useful, why should I hear it?”

When we are tempted to speak ill of the other, it is good to apply this filter to our thought: “Is what I am going to speak really true, good, and useful?” If any one of the three conditions fails, we better keep our mouth shut, or still better, say a silent prayer for the other.

Today's gospel from St. Luke follows immediately upon his beautiful explanation of unconditional love whereby we are to love even our enemies. This kind of love is not natural.  It can come only with the grace of God and as a result of much work and effort.  But this is precisely the challenge of the gospel for each one of us.  To be so positive of all other people that we can accept them for who and what they are, that we can overcome those occasions when we tend to misjudge others, that we can stress the good in others and hope they can do the same for us.

It sounds like a kind of Christian utopia, doesn't it?  But Christ came to change the work, to transform the world according to the will of His Father. This gospel is a challenge, a bold challenge for each one of us followers of Jesus.

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends give us an appreciative heart so that we may speak only words that build up the other.