How To Eliminate Fear

Fear is a strange thing. Our fears affect our every day lives. We fear embarrassment and so we exaggerate or lie in order to avoid being embarrassed. In fear of angering a friend, sometimes we fail to give him/her the advice that we know he/she needs. We fear being criticized, and so we are hesitant to present our ideas to others. In extreme cases, people have such great fear that they take their own lives.

No one wants to live a life of fear. This week's Gospel speaks of fear and how to overcome it. Would you like to know how to overcome fear? Read this brief gospel.

Gospel

Mk 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
"Let us cross to the other side."
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
"Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!"
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?"
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
"Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"


The disciples were lifetime fishermen. A squall came up that was so violent that the disciples were TERRIFIED. This squall, which was violent enough to TERRIFY professional fishermen, must have been pretty serious. When they awoke Jesus, he sad to them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?". In these few words, Jesus suggests that if they DID have faith, they would not be terrified.


Jesus says here that fear comes from lack of faith. How does lack of faith make us afraid? Why don't we have faith? How do we get faith and how do we hold on to it? Before we answer these questions, we must see what/who controls everything.


The Power of God


Most people understand the power that water has. For instance, in hurricanes it is flooding (water) that causes most of the deaths. Over 100,000 people were killed in the 2004 Tsunamis in Asia. Yet ironically, water is also necessary for life to be sustained. In the Gospel and in the first reading, God makes it quite clear that he has power over water and in doing so, he communicates to us that it is HE who has power over all things including life and death.


The disciples knew that Jesus was powerful. After all, Jesus had already cured many people at this point in the Gospel of Mark. He had also showed that he had power over demons and even the power to forgive sins. It was a known fact among Jews that only God could forgive sins.1

Doubt

And so, perhaps it was not Jesus' power that they doubted, but rather Jesus' concern for them. After all, the disciples accuse him of not caring when they ask," do you not CARE that we are perishing?" We Christians do the exact same thing today. Terrible things happen including the deaths of our loved ones and because we can't see God, we ask "do you not care Lord? Where is God? (perhaps he is asleep?)"

But our Christian faith tells us that "the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addresses men as his friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into his own company."2 We often doubt God during hard times and wonder just as the disciples wondered about Jesus saying, "is he going to help us?" Our faith replies, "of course God is going to help us! God CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN SPECIFICALLY TO HELP US!"

This is a great of example of how lack of faith creates fear. If we truly believed what our faith professes, namely that God loves us and wants to save us, then there is NOTHING to fear. Our faith assures us that God cares about us. And not only does he care, he has the power to help us. Our faith says that God has power over life and death. That's what he is expressing to both Job and the disciples in this week's readings.

How Lack of Faith Creates Fear

The Catechism says that in faith, we believe EVERYTHING that God has revealed to us.3What has God revealed to us and how does this relate to fear? Let's use the Apostle's Creed as a guide to our faith:

* "For us men and our salvation he came down from heaven"- If we do not believe these words, then we believe that we are alone. Or else we believe that God does not "care" about our salvation. And where does that leave us? It leaves us alone and AFRAID. We must believe our faith and our fear will subside.

* "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead"- Remember how we fear embarrassment and being criticized? Our faith tells us that God will come in glory as our judge. If God is our judge, why the heck should we fear the criticism and judgment of others? We shouldn't! God is our judge, we needn't fear the judgment of men. Our faith in God protects us from this irrational fear.

* "We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins". Did you ever notice how everyone hates to see themselves on camera? Most of us are afraid of others seeing us on camera. But even greater than that this fear is the fear that others might find out the terrible things we have done. Would we not be terrified if everyone knew our darkest secrets and sins? Our faith tells us that the only real judge that exists offers the forgiveness of sins. Our faith tells us that our sins can be forgiven. God himself offers us forgiveness of our sins and so again our faith shows us that there is nothing to fear. If we DON'T believe this, we remain afraid.


And so, if our faith (which is a gift from God) wipes away our fears, then why are we still afraid? We are afraid to the extent that we do not believe what our faith professes. Our faith is a gift from God. Just like any gift that a person gives, it can be rejected by the recipient. The reason we are afraid is because we reject our faith which is a gift from God.

As Catholics, we believe that we can sin against our faith. As Paul says in 1st Timothy 1:18-19 "Some, by rejecting conscience, have made a shipwreck of their faith." Each time we sin, we profess to God that WE DO NOT BELIEVE. Again, we reject our faith by sinning. The next time I am about to commit a sin, I should ask myself, "do I really want to do this? My faith gives me courage. While this sin will only bring me fear. I would rather do the right thing and stay close to God, my protector"

There is great news ahead...faith. But,how can we get it?

Faith

Through our baptisms, we have been given faith. We already have it! We are afraid because through sin, we have rejected our faith. The solutions is extremely simple- we must say sorry to God NOW. We must stop sinning now! We will sin again. Every time we do sin, we must say sorry to God and return to him. And therein lies the ultimate solution to fear-remaining with God. Remember that God is all powerful. He loves us. Without him, we are so very AFRAID. We must stick with God. We can stick with him (have him in our boat) by obeying his commandments. In obeying the commandments, we profess WITH OUR ACTIONS that we believe. And what does our faith do? It wipes away fear. Isn't that what we want?

The Catechism offers us practical advice about faith: "To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our faith." In other words, we can nourish our faith by reading the Bible and the Catechism (which contains the entirety of what Catholics believe). I have to ask myself these questions: "How often do I read the Bible? When is the last time I read the Catechism? Have I ever prayed to God for faith? When was the last time I did that?"

Summary

* Fear rules the lives of MANY people
* Fear is caused by lack of faith
* God loves us and he wants to save us. That's why Jesus came
* Faith comes from God as a gift
* We can either accept or reject this gift of Faith
* Now that we have faith (the key to erasing fear) we must not sin against our faith
* In order to nourish our precious gift of faith, we must read the Bible and the Catechism
* We should ask God to increase our faith


God DOES care about us. In fact, he loves us. Do you believe?



1-Mark 2:7
2-Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 162
3-CCC 150

Welcome to Your Real Family

Have you ever seen the movie "August Rush"? In the movie, a little boy longs to find his parents and ultimately finds them with tremendous joy. Every person wants to belong to a happy family. Every person wants a home. This week's Mass readings speak of the family that every soul longs for, and reminds us how to enter that family. Please read the 2nd Reading and the Gospel. They are both very short. Commentary follows the Gospel. The first reading and the Psalms are after the commentary.


Reading II
Rom 8:14-17

Brothers and sisters:
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a Spirit of adoption,
through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!"
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.


Gospel
Mt 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
"All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."


God's Greatness and Love


In the first reading, Moses talks about how incredible it is that God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by miraculous means. He says that, "This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other." Moses has a pretty good point here. The 2nd Reading on the other hand, reminds us that God does something even more extraordinary than a rescue by miracles. He offers to adopt us into his family.

Some people want to be a part of a great family. Perhaps they want to be members of powerful political families or members of the royal family in England. But God offers us something much greater than this. He welcomes us into the GREATEST family. The head of THIS family did much more than create an Earthly kingdom like Rome or the English empire. He created the universe! Is there another family whose head created the universe? Paul reminds us of how to enter God's family in the 2nd Reading when he talks about "those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God". Here, he makes a reference to baptism. In baptism, God adopts us into his family.1 It is only through baptism that we are literally changed and then live anew "led by the Spirit".

Through baptism we become God's heirs. When we think of the word "heir", what comes to mind? "Heir" makes me think of someone who will inherit something. So in baptism, what is it that we inherit? Through baptism, we are given the grace to enter heaven2 and we share in "the priesthood of Christ in his prophetic and royal mission."3 In other words, through baptism we inherit Jesus' MISSION.


The Great Mission

Here we clearly see Jesus calling the baptized to the "priesthood in his prophetic and royal mission". It is not necessary for us to be the original apostles to understand this. In fact, we ARE apostles of God today. In the Gospel, Jesus clearly reminds us of what God's intentions are for mankind when he says, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". God intentions towards all people is that they be joined to him as adopted sons and daughters. We, who have inherited Jesus' mission are expected to make disciples out of everyone.

Take Courage

Just as the 2nd reading says, the Holy Spirit whom God has given us is not a spirit of fear. In other words, we are members of God's family, and in God's family, there is no reason to be afraid. And since we are truly adopted children of God, we can call God "Father" as Paul says in the 2nd reading.

The good news about joining Christ's priesthood and mission is that we don't have to be scared about being ill-equipped. God himself equips us for our Christian mission through the sacraments. In the second reading, Paul speaks of us "suffering" with Christ and being "glorified with him". The Catechism says that "Believers who respond to God's word and become members of Christ's Body, become intimately united with him: "In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe, and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his Passion and glorification." This is especially true of Baptism, which unites us to Christ's death and Resurrection, and the Eucharist, by which "really sharing in the body of the Lord, . . . we are taken up into communion with him and with one another." (paragraph 790). All this means is that we CAN undertake this mission because God helps us through the sacraments.

The Highest Purpose

God's evangelical mission for us is a great mission and the best we could ever have. Christ's request that we bring others into his loving family is the highest purpose that any person can have. As Christians, we must be thankful for this honorable mission and we must take courage because God gives us the equipment (the sacraments) to undertake this great mission. Jesus says in the Gospel, "behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Let's keep that in mind when we go to Mass. Let us remember our mission every time we make the Sign of the Cross. Let's think of how God keeps his promise of remaining with us each time we take the consecrated host in our mouths.

In the Gospel reading, the disciples saw Jesus after his crucifixion "but they doubted". At Mass, let us not doubt but rather believe that Jesus is "with us always, until the end of the age." We belong to the holiest, most powerful, most loving family EVER because................

God loves us

Real Life

I just returned from Vietnam, where I met my mom's side of the family for the first time. They were so loving to me from the first moment they saw me. My older cousin (whose face I'd never seen before) was glowing when she greeted us. She hugged us as though she had known us for a long time. She later showed me her poor home. My heart ached when I saw her little shack, which sits atop a pool of dirty, foul-smelling water. She cried as she told me about how water enters her house when it rains (it rains nearly every day in Vietnam). She also wept as she told me how unacceptable her house was for her 17-year old daughter to live in.

In the end, a Catholic family decided to buy a house for my cousin and her family. You see, my mom's family has not been baptized (they are Buddhists). During my trip, I constantly thought about how I wanted them to be baptized. I pray that my poor relatives in Vietnam see the face of God through the people who are helping them financially. I do have great confidence that my cousin's new sponsors will remain strong because those sponsors are sustained by God through the sacraments.

some kids outside of my cousin's house

the interior of my cousin's house


my cousin holding my 2nd cousin

me with some kids near my cousin's house


me in my cousin's house


my brother and some kids

me about to eat a strange Vietnamese fruit

1- Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1270 & 804
2- We can still destroy our opportunity to go to heaven by sinning seriously (persistence in mortal sin to the end of our lives)
3- CCC 1268

Reading 1
Dt 4:32-34, 39-40

Moses said to the people:
"Ask now of the days of old, before your time,
ever since God created man upon the earth;
ask from one end of the sky to the other:
Did anything so great ever happen before?
Was it ever heard of?
Did a people ever hear the voice of God
speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?
Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself
from the midst of another nation,
by testings, by signs and wonders, by war,
with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors,
all of which the LORD, your God,
did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
This is why you must now know,
and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God
in the heavens above and on earth below,
and that there is no other.
You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today,
that you and your children after you may prosper,
and that you may have long life on the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever."


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22

R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
For he spoke, and it was made;
he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

How To Stay Close To God Forever

For most of my life, I was not a religious person. I was happy and pleasant to most people. Yet I do recall a yearning inside of myself for something meaningful. I yearned for goodness. I wanted peace. Despite the fact that I had nearly everything that I wanted, including good relationships and a decent looking future, it felt like something was missing.

That feeling never went away until I began a relationship with God. Now, my happiness has changed into a more permanent JOY. I do not fear death. I am at peace. I feel more in touch with reality than ever before. Even though life is not perfect, I no longer feel as though that "something" is missing from my life.

And so, God has blessed me because I feel as though I am closely joined to him. This week's readings speak of being joined to Christ. Why would any person want to be joined to Christ? A few good reasons are listed above. So do you want to be joined to Christ? Do you want to live a life in which you are close to God? If so, what does a person need to do in order to stay joined to the Lord? This week's readings offer the answer. The Mass readings are below after the commentary.

If we want to be close to God we must first be baptized so as to receive forgiveness of our sins and to be born anew. This week's commentary will focus on life AFTER baptism. The Gospel reading and the 2nd Reading talk about "remaining" in Christ. In other words, the message in the readings focus more on those who are already connected to Christ. And so, the 2 readings tell us explicitly what we must do to remain in Christ and have him remain in us.

The 2nd reading says that "Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them". So if we keep the commandments, we will remain close to God? Yes! It really is that simple. Why is it this simple?

Reasonable Requests

Many people view God's commandments as rules similar to the rules they must follow at work like "show up to work on time" and "don't use the company car for personal use". But the commandments are not like human "rules". They are more like reasonable requests and invitations made from one person to another. For example, say that I am married. My wife says to me, "I will be 100% faithful to you, please remain faithful to me. I promise to never cheat on you. Do not cheat on me. I promise to never steal from you. Do not steal anything from me. I promise to always tell you the truth. Do not lie to me."

Although her requests can be challenging, they are very reasonable. And what would happen to my relationship with my wife if I always told her the truth? What would happen to our relationship if I never looked at other women lustfully, but rather I looked at my wife with great admiration and respect? Our relationship would grow. Our relationship would strengthen. I would be a happier man. That is God's intention in his commandments.

The commandments are not like human rules. They are reasonable requests from God. Unlike humans, God is 100% faithful and honest with us. God's commandments invite us to love him and each other.

Purpose and Fulfillment

The commandments also fulfill a great longing inside of every human being. Human beings will always inevitably ask this question "what am I supposed to do with my life?" To this, God answers "follow my commandments". When we carry out and live the commandments, our desire for meaning and purpose are answered and fulfilled because when we obey the commandments we are answering a call from God himself. This is why Jesus says, "my yoke is easy, and my burden light."1 His request to us is very simple and reasonable. In our hearts, we wrestle and we dig with great pain searching for meaning and purpose. Jesus responds with great simplicity: "keep my commandments". Paul echoes this is the 2nd reading "Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them." And this is why we feel fulfilled when we obey the commandments- because in doing so, our relationship with God strengthens, and that is the desire of every man, whether he knows it or not.

Let us remember that in following God's commandments, our desire to live meaningful lives is fulfilled. Only after we are baptized and only after we follow the commandments does this feeling of "missing" something in life disappear and is replaced with peace and fulfillment.

Hell and Disconnecting Ourselves From God

Although keeping the commandments and remaining in God fills us with happiness and joy, we can still destroy our relationship with God. In the Gospel reading, Jesus says "Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned." This situation of hell is described throughout the Gospels. Usually, Jesus describes it with words like, "wailing and grinding of teeth", "burning", and descriptions of "fire" and such. In the above paragraphs, I wrote about the happiness and joy of having a relationship of faithfulness, honesty, and righteousness. This happens not because God likes us more when we follow the commandments. It happens because as we follow the commandments, WE draw closer to the Lord.

When we disobey God's commandments (sin), we separate ourselves from him. When we commit serious sin (mortal) we willfully disconnect from God completely.2 Let's go back to this analogy of me and my wife. Suppose I cheat on my wife. This act by its very nature destroys our relationship. The act is a serious offense against my wife. If I persist in cheating, no kind deed will make up for it. It doesn't matter if I buy her flowers, take out the trash, and write happy songs about her. And so, this is what is meant by Jesus in the Gospel reading. This situation of serious sin against God is described in the Gospel where Jesus says, "without me you can do nothing." Mortal sin separates us from God completely and often causes the worst heartbreak a person can feel.

Fortunately, God offers us forgiveness. All we have to do is ask for it and stop sinning, just like the man who stops cheating on his wife. For Catholics, we must go to confession in order to receive forgiveness for our mortal (serious) sins, and fortunately, confession is free of charge.

There is a very popular notion these days that if you are a good person that's all that matters. But make no mistake about it. If I feed the poor, go to Church, and I'm nice most of the time, while committing serious (mortal) sin without an intention to quit, my soul is lost, and no pleasure in the world will make up for it.

Heartbreak

Now most people know the feeling of heartbreak. People have been writing songs about heartbreak since writing started. That's because heartbreak hurts so much and it's unforgettable. THE WORST HEATBREAK THAT A PERSON CAN FEEL IS WHEN A PERSON DIVORCES HIMSELF FROM GOD.God is the perfect spouse. The Bible describes Jesus as the bridegroom and the Church (you and me) as the bride. Nothing is worse than being separated from this perfect bridegroom (God). Nothing that a man does to bring himself happiness will make up for this, the highest form of heartbreak.

God is the perfect spouse. He is perfectly honest and perfectly faithful. He invites us to have a perfect relationship with him. He is the vine, we are the branches. All we have to do is follow his very reasonable commandments. God reveals himself through his commandments. He reveals his desire for us. He desires that we love him and each other for eternity- with happiness and joy.

God loves us!

1- Matthew 11:30
2- CCC 1861

P.S. One of the most common mortal sins I can think of is the sin of premarital sex. Please read about this in the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2390. If you had sex outside of marriage and have not confessed, I beg you to go to confession right now, and vow to never do it again until marriage. No fleeting physical pleasure is worth an eternity without our beloved God- the only true BEST FRIEND we have.

Reading II
1 Jn 3:18-24

Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.
Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.


Gospel
Jn 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Reading 1
Acts 9:26-31

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Faith and Romance- Divine Mercy Sunday

Yes, I'm going to talk about romantic love a little bit this week. This week's readings speak of faith. But what is faith? How can I be a better believer? And oh, is it okay to make out with your girlfriend? I'm going to talk about that too. There is commentary after the 2nd Reading and the rest of the readings are after the commentary.

Also, you can now follow this blog by clicking on the "follow" button on the left. Basically, it will help you meet others who have similar reading interests, learn about other blogs, and tell others what blogs you are reading. Perhaps one of your non-Christian friends will see that you are reading a Christian blog and will follow you here...

Reading II
1 Jn 5:1-6

Beloved:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and blood.
The Spirit is the one that testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.


Science and Faith

Why does faith in Jesus Christ conquer the world? First of all, faith is certain (Catechism of the Catholic Church 157). Faith is certain because faith comes from the mouth of God. God is the creator of Earth. He created me and you and everything else. He understands the reality behind and in everything. He is the only person who understands EVERYTHING perfectly. He is the one who wrote the laws of science. If you look at scientific laws like the “laws” of physics, motion, gravity etc., you will recall that no human invented these laws. No human invented gravity for example. Mr. Isaac Newton merely OBSERVED gravity, he didn’t INVENT it. All science and all truth originates from God.

Faith is an adherence to God and complete reliance and belief in ALL that God professes (CCC 150). At first glance, it seems crazy to believe EVERYTHING that someone says. But God is not like any mortal we’ve met. He is the one who created everything. From a logical standpoint, it makes sense to trust the knowledge and teachings of the one who created everything, everyone, and all of the laws of nature and science.

But this scientific reason for believing is still not reason enough. Ultimately, our faith (which comes as a supernatural gift at baptism) allows us to believe EVERYTHING that God professes. Is it irresponsible to do this? It is VERY irresponsible to do this with ANYONE other than God. We are hesitant to believe everything that someone says because we have been lied to so many times. For instance, we are hesitant to believe some salesmen because are salesmen are paid to sell, not to tell the truth. We are sometimes hesitant to believe people who claim to love us because many times in the past we have been hurt and lied to by people who claimed to love us.

Trusting Bus Drivers and God

But, God is unlike ANY human and the ways of God are far above the ways of man (Isaiah 55:8). The reason we believe in the truths of God is “because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, who neither deceive nor be deceived.” (CCC 156) This gift of faith in his authority is something we receive at baptism. Now why should we trust someone in this way? Well, I trust my life to the judgment of bus drivers and taxi drivers all of the time, even though I don’t know them. But, God is someone that we can come to know. In looking at what he does, we can see WHO he is. God humbled himself to become a lowly man (Jesus). Then God suffered true human humiliation, torture, abandonment and death as a service to us. In his actions, we can see his pure motivation, which is simply- to love us. Ah, now only God is capable of loving PERFECTLY and COMPLETELY, and so it makes perfect sense to trust God much more than we trust bus drivers or taxi drivers who also hold our lives in their hands.

Yes, I trust my life in the hands of bus drivers and even more so, I trust every word out of the mouth of God. Reality and logic backs up my belief in God. It makes sense to trust a person who never lies, and has my best interest at heart at all times. It makes sense to put faith in the one who created everything and who knows everything.

Conquering the World

And so this is what is meant by John in the 2nd reading when he says that faith conquers the world and that the one who believes in Jesus is victorious over the world. If we rely on the ONLY person who loves us perfectly (God) and we have faith in the only person who knows him completely (Jesus) WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR. We needn’t fear death (we will rise along with Jesus) we needn’t fear poverty (Jesus lived happily as a poor man) we needn’t fear abandonment or humiliation (if we are abandoned or humiliated we have a chance to imitate Jesus). And so with this well-placed confidence, we will be “victorious” as St. John says. This is how even today, faith in God conquers the world.

In a practical sense, faith in God is practically achievable. Baptized Christians already have the faith given to them by God through baptism. We must cooperate with our faith by believing everything that the Holy Catholic Church professes to us. We are talking about the same Church started by Jesus Christ 2000 years ago and whose Pope can trace his office back to Peter himself who used to hang out with Jesus and fish with Jesus. Yes, I’m talking about the same Peter who was the only guy who recognized Jesus for who he was.

St. John is extremely practical in the 2nd reading when he says, “love of God is this, that we keep his commandments.” That’s easy to understand isn’t it? We must love God with all of our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. We must musn’t lie, steal, cheat, or kill etc. Our reliance upon God will bring us victory. With victory comes joy, fulfillment, truthfulness, security, and HEAVEN among other things.

Believing Without Seeing

In the Gospel, Thomas refuses to believe unless he sees first. So why is it that “blessed are those who have not seen and have believed”? Believing in God without seeing is a blessing because, God is always right and good. However, our own “eyes” are not 100% right or trustworthy . Life has taught us that some things are more (or less) than they seem. We are often sure of OURSELVES only to find later that we were wrong.

This problem originated in the garden of Eden. God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit. Yet they thought the fruit was “pleasing to the eye” and they sinned against God and against themselves. So the truth is, we cannot trust our eyes completely. We cannot even trust our own judgment completelely. The only person worth trusting in all things is God. So blessed are those who believe without seeing. Blessed are those who believe EVERYTHING that God professes through his Catholic Church even if they “have not seen”.

Real Life

Once upon a time, I loved a girl. We liked each other a lot. Not long after we started dating, we were kissing, hugging, and holding hands. We didn’t commit any sin so far as I can tell, but it seemed like we grew more and more physical until we started to get dangerously close to sinning. Soon, I started to get concerned. I noticed a strange movement in my heart. I felt a small fear that God would take the “fun” out of my relationship if I consulted him. And so I had a brief time of distrust in God’s plan of chastity for me. I remember thinking “God, I don’t want you to take this physical intimacy away from me!” I also noticed that thoughts of sexual immorality began to pass through my head a lot more since I became physically intimate with my girlfriend. This also bothered me.

I went to confession and asked the priest about this. He told me that I should talk to my girlfriend about my concerns. The priest told me that I should decide along with my girlfriend where to draw the line when it came to physical intimacy.

So I talked to this young lady whom I loved. She told me that she had been concerned about this exact same issue. She also told me that she had been avoiding confession because she was afraid of the same thing as me-that God would take something away from her.

Ultimately, we decided that we would never kiss again unless we were married. I felt at great peace about this decision. I remember thinking “I would rather nudge my girlfriend towards heaven rather than hell.”

Chastity is part of our Catholic faith and it is discussed in detail in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Why does God want us to be chaste? Why does he want us to believe EVERYTHING he professes about chastity? Because he loves us. He wants us to be happy. We are his beloved. And, he wants us to go to heaven.

God loves us.

Reading 1
Acts 4:32-35

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

R. (1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained."

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

Does God Want Me To Suffer?

Sunday Mass Readings are at the bottom.

Bad Weather

This week's readings talk about suffering and obedience. Speaking of which, it has been quite cold today(Wednesday) here in New England. Last year, I was in the American Southwest in the Spring where this Sunday it will be 80 degrees and sunny (wow). The 34 degrees here is quite a contrast. The point is, this cold weather causes me and my fellow New Englanders some pain. Not only that, but people around here seem to be losing jobs and suffering seems to be upon us. But what does all of this suffering mean and what is the point of it anyway? This week's readings are going to explain it for us whether you live in the Southwest, in New England, or in Europe.

The Purpose of Suffering

The second reading says that Jesus "learned obedience from what he suffered." Okay, so Jesus learned from HIS suffering. What about me? What can I possibly learn from being stuck in traffic for 2 hours? WHat is there to learn from having my heart broken? What can I possibly learn from losing my job?!!

The truth is that the suffering itself is not enlightening. It is how we REACT to suffering that determines whether suffering teaches us, helps us, or destroys us. For example, Matthew 26:39 makes it very clear that Jesus expressed "the horror that death represented for his human nature" when he said "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."1 In other words, Jesus knew that suffering was coming, but he didn't run away from it. He accepted it. His obedience was part of what made him "perfect" as the 2nd reading says. And, so I am quite sure that even if Jesus had to deal with 2 hour traffic jams and lousy weather (he slept during a life-threatening storm and was constantly barraged with crowds of people) he would have endured it all.

Jesus' Lifestyle

What if Jesus was obsessed with his OWN pleasure just as we often are? We would be in deep trouble. In truth, we would not have been born if Jesus was obsessed with his own pleasure. If he was, he would have never created us.2

This Sunday's Gospel says,"whoever serves me, must follow me". In the context of Sunday's readings, "following" Jesus means to do as he does. It means to "hates our life in this world." In contrast, to "love our lives in this world" means to do as popular culture teaches. Popular culture teaches us to get as much pleasure as possible and to avoid as much pain as possible. Jesus, on the other hand says that we should serve one another. To focus on personal pleasure as the highest value in life would truly be a life wasted- a life "lost".

Meant To Imitate Jesus

Romans 8:29 says that "For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son" We are meant to be "conformed" to the image of Christ. One definition of conform is "to make similar in form, nature, or character." And so, we are meant to be made similar to Jesus. How does Jesus react to terrible upcoming suffering that is far worse than bad weather or losing one's job? Let us recall that Jesus was innocent. Are ANY of us innocent? Do ANY of us know what it is like to be completely INNOCENT and yet be sentenced to death? Jesus knows. In the face of this terrible upcoming, undeserved suffering he says in this week's Gospel "I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour." In other words, Jesus does not run from suffering because he was born to serve and to save us. He knew that to save us and to serve did not mean to seek personal pleasure. He knew that to serve meant to sacrifice of himself.

So the next time I am faced with suffering, maybe I should remember that I am "predestined to be conformed to the image" of Jesus. Maybe I should consider that the purpose of my life is NOT to enjoy as much pleasure as possible. Maybe I should keep my eyes on my role model Jesus and seek to be like him. It's likely that if I seek to be and to act more like Jesus, I will notice the weather and all the pleasures of this world less and less.

We are meant to be like Jesus. And what an honorable name and an honorable life to imitate.

God loves us.

1- Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 612

2- Incidently, this reminds me of abortion. Most abortions are performed because the pregnant couple had just planned on having sex and not having a baby. The baby is inconvenient to the parents. The parents care about their own pleasure more than the innocent life they have already created. On the other hand, God gives us life even though we might not love him in return.

Reading II

Heb 5:7-9

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh,
he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears
to the one who was able to save him from death,
and he was heard because of his reverence.
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.


Gospel
Jn 12:20-33

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them,
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.

"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name."
Then a voice came from heaven,
"I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus answered and said,
"This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.


Reading 1
Jer 31:31-34

The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers
the day I took them by the hand
to lead them forth from the land of Egypt;
for they broke my covenant,
and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD.
I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives
how to know the LORD.
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15

R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

How to Be the Greatest

Are you important? Are you great? Do you want people to think you are great? What does it mean to be great? This week's commentary will explore this. The readings are after the commentary.

Love Compared to Recognition

Last night, I read Matthew 20:20-28. This passage is the story of the lady who asks Jesus to let her sons sit at the right and left of Jesus. Jesus responds "you do not know what you are asking..." He then tells the disciples,"whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve..."

The mother, along with her sons, wanted recognition. Even the other disciples wanted recognition, for they were offended at the 2 who sought to sit at the Lord's side. The disciples and the mother thought that greatness meant to be recognized. But Jesus said that to be great is to serve, not to be recognized. Being great means to give the most. Perhaps that means to love people who are hard to love. Maybe that means to give everything we have to someone who cannot repay us and will not thank us. To be great means to be a servant.

Serving Someone You Don't Like

Think of a person you don't like. Perhaps this person annoys the heck out of you or is just difficult. Yes, THAT person. What does this person do to annoy you or cause you difficulty? What is his/her name? Are you willing to serve this person? Are you willing to be perfectly loving towards this person with no promise of recognition or even gratitude? As Christians, we are called to do this.

The soldiers and most other people who Jesus was giving up his life for, did not even like Jesus. They made fun of him. They even hit him and spit on him. They tempted him. They hurt him. Even Jesus' friends abandoned him. Was Jesus still willing to love them and SERVE them? He WAS willing. Jesus was not RECOGNIZED for who he was (King and Lord of all). He was looked upon like a piece of trash. Jesus' people felt he was so inferior that he didn't even deserve to live. Yet he was still willing to love these same people with no promise of human recognition or even gratitude. That is service, and a picture of greatness.

A True Follower of Jesus

That is what Jesus meant when he said, "you do not know what you are asking" in Matthew 20. To be great means to give EVERYTHING to God. Are we willing to do this? I have to examine my life and ask myself, "do I live to serve myself? Or do I live a life of sacrifice for love of God and a life in service for anyone and everyone?"

* At work- do I work to serve myself or to serve God and others?
* With people- do I do things in order to serve myself, or do I GIVE and SACRIFICE myself for the benefit of others?
* My relationship with God- do I obey God because I want him to reward me, or do I obey him as a gift of of love to him?


Do I do things in order to be recognized or repaid, or do I simply SERVE and love?

God's Wisdom Versus Our Wisdom

Let's look at the contrast between Jesus' sincere gift of himself and the disciples' desire for recognition. With this in mind, we can better understand Paul's words in the second reading, "Christ crucified is foolishness to people [gentiles]. But to those who are called, Jew and Greeks alike, Christ [crucified is] the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." We human beings desire recognition and it looks foolish to pass up recognition and to focus instead on loving someone who cannot return the favor. But God's love is brilliant, pure, and perfectly REAL. What looks like weakness (Jesus does not fight back against physical abuse or insults) is really just love in its highest and truest form. God's wisdom is perfect and our common way of thinking is foolish in comparison.


The Call of the Commandments

The responsorial Psalm for this week (Psalm 19) says that "The law of the Lord is perfect......giving wisdom to the simple". This helps us to understand the first reading which lists the 10 commandments. We've heard the commandments since we were kids. Telling the truth (commandment 8) is a perfect way to speak and if we always tell the truth, we will be "wise" even if we are "simple". Paying for music instead of illegally downloading it for free may seem "foolish" yet it can be a loving act towards the musicians who worked to create it (commandment 7). If we take a look at the commandments, we will see that they are a detailed description of what it means to love PERFECTLY-that is, to serve and to be great.



Jesus does not impose the commandments upon us. He GIVES the commandments to us. He SHARES the commandments with us. If we want to know God's motivation for giving us the commandments, we need only picture Jesus carrying the cross. Despite ridicule, pain, and being abandoned, he carries his cross. He loves us and he wants to give us EVERYTHING. That's why he gave us the commandments. He wants us to live as he lives.He wants us to be happy and loving towards God and toward one another. We are given the commandments because God is perfectly wise and he wants to help us live lives of joy and peace. The commandments help us to do this. The person who obeys the commandments is happy and holy.

Real Life

I had a friend who loved me perhaps more than any other person has ever loved me. One day, my friend told me that maybe I should think about moving to a far away place in accordance with God's will ("he" was talking about a specific place). I knew that my friend enjoyed my company and I certainly enjoyed his. Yet, my friend believed that it was God's will for me to go to this far away place perhaps never to return. Eventually, I decided to go. In response, my friend told me that he thought it was the right decision.

I later realized that my friend loved me with a very special love. He loved me with the love of God. He was willing to give up whatever pleasure and benefits he got from having me around (forever) in order to let me do God's will. My friend loved both me and God perhaps more than anyone else I have met. This love reminds of God's love. God's love is self-sacrificing and self-giving. It is beautiful. It is real.

God loves us!

for more commentary on the commandments paste this into your browser

http://massexcitement.blogspot.com/2008/05/are-you-missionary-for-god-or-devil.html

Reading 1
Ex 20:1-17 or 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17

In those days, God delivered all these commandments:
"I, the LORD, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not carve idols for yourselves
in the shape of anything in the sky above
or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
you shall not bow down before them or worship them.
For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting punishment for their fathers' wickedness
on the children of those who hate me,
down to the third and fourth generation;
but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation
on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.

"You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
the one who takes his name in vain.

"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.
No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your beast,
or by the alien who lives with you.
In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
but on the seventh day he rested.
That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

"Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.


Reading II
1 Cor 1:22-25

Brothers and sisters:
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.


Gospel
Jn 2:13-25

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.

While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.

Don't Tempt Me!- Temptation- Why and How to Fight It

Temptation is more powerful than a locomotive. Sometimes we fall victim to temptation. This week's readings speak of the purpose of temptation and the means to fight it. The readings are after the commentary.

The Desert of Temptation

This week's readings speak of the desert. Mark's account of Jesus' time in the desert is not highly detailed. Mark speaks of wild beasts and of angels ministering to Jesus. Isn't it interesting that it was not the devil who brought Jesus out to the desert, but rather the Spirit? In other words, it was God's will that Jesus be sent to the desert to be tempted. I once heard someone say that each time we are tempted, it is an opportunity to tell God that we love him. When temptation comes, we say to the temptation, I love God more than I love you (the temptation). Although we should do our best to avoid temptation, it will come. When it does, God will use it to strengthen us in our relationshiop with him- if we remain obedient and faithful.

Jesus was tempted by the Father of lies, the master of deceit- Satan. Satan was cunning enough to deceive 2 people who didn't even suffer from original sin- Adam and Eve. Matthew Chapter 4 says that the devil waited until after 40 days to tempt Jesus- when Jesus was most hungry. We have something to learn from this, that when we are in great need, the devil seizes the opportunity to tempt us. When we feel the need for love, companionship, belonging, he comes in when our needs are greatest. In our times of great need, we must be aware of temptation and pray to God for help.

The Battleground of Life

In a sense, the story of the 40-days in the desert is the story of our lives. It is similar to the story of the Israelites' 40 years in the desert. Our lives are a spiritual BATTLEFIELD. On one hand, we have the God of the universe on our side. On the other hand, we have the dark tempter who knows exactly how to best tempt us. Yet, we can see here in this week's Gospel that Jesus has angels ministering to him. Do we have angels ministering to us? We do indeed. Matthew 18:10 says "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, 9 for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. Paragraph 336 of the Catechism says that we are "in the blessed company of angels". No matter how powerful the temptations we face, God gives us free will, but there are angels at our side fighting against evil.

Our lives are a constant fight between good and evil. But God offers us protection. In Isaih 43:4 God says he offers us protection, "Because you are precious in my eyes and glorious, and because I love you." Let's recall that the bible is the speech of God. His love and his desire to protect us is a real as it gets and we can hear out of his mouth.

Protecting Yourself

The Responsorial Psalm and Psalm readings this week show us how to protect ourselves from temptation. "Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior." David the Psalmist loves God. Here, David asks God to show David his ways. David wants to know God and he wants God to teach him. In this day and age, we are people with many years of education. People around the world are more literate now than they have ever been. Yet it seems as though we are more confused now than ever. In this week's Psalm, David shows us an example of who we should seek advice from.

In the practical sense, we are called to read the Bible. We are called to read the Catechism. Not only has God given us his angels to minister to us, his very speech is written down and he has given us a way to get to know him. Many of us spend more time reading the Mcdonald's menu than we do the Bible. Many of us read the newspaper far more than we read God's word. We are in the desert. We are in a war. Not only are our lives at stake, but our eternal souls are on the line. Will newspapers and magazines prepare us better, or the bible?

Temptation will come. Either the devil will use it to send us to misery, addiction, and hell, or we will use temptation as an opportunity to say yes to God, and say "I love God more" over and over.

Real Life

Not long ago, I was trying to figure out if God wanted me to a be a priest. Each night, I would ask God "do you want me to be a priest?" Night after night, week after week, I did not get an answer. I was frustrated with God because he wouldn't give me an answer. I was tempted to grow angry with God. I asked him "why won't you tell me? What is the point of me not knowing your will? How do you benefit from this lack of clarity?" In the end, God gave me the answer to all of my questions. He let me know whether or not he wanted me to be a priest. He even let me know why he didn't tell me at first. The reason why he didn't tell me at first was because he used this period of uncertainty to draw me to himself in prayer. Because I didn't have an answer to my question, I kept coming to God each night begging him for an answer. Despite temptation to grow angry with God, I was drawn nearer to him. He did indeed have a purpose in NOT answering my question. In all things, even uncertainty, God loves us.

Reading 1
Gn 9:8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
"See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth."
God added:
"This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth,
and the bow appears in the clouds,
I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings,
so that the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all mortal beings."


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (cf. 10) Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R.Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.


Reading II
1 Pt 3:18-22

Beloved:
Christ suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,
who had once been disobedient
while God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
It is not a removal of dirt from the body
but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.


Gospel
Mk 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."