Making a Joyful Noise through Lent 03/26/2014

Making a Joyful Noise through Lent – 03/26/2014

“The Gospel offers us the chance to live life on a higher plane, but with no less intensity: “Life grows by being given away, and it weakens in isolation and comfort. Indeed, those who enjoy life most are those who leave security on the shore and become excited by the mission of communicating life to others”. (Fifth general conference of the latiati n american and caribbean bishops, Aparecida Document, 29 June 2007, 360)  When the Church summons Christians to take up the task of evangelization, she is simply pointing to the source of authentic personal fulfilment.” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the Gospel)

Pope Francis’ joyful words today speak to our readings. They challenge us to live life to its fullest. As Pope Francis quotes from a meeting of bishops, “Life grows by being given away…” Life grows by being lived with joy. Live grows by doing the maximum whenever we can, not the minimum!

Sometimes we see laws, rules and commands as unnecessary. Sometimes we think they are burdensome. At times we look for ways around them or think, what is the least we need to do to follow them. Take going to mass as an example, people often ask me for what parts of the mass do they need to be there for in order to fulfill their obligation? Well, as I was growing up it was often said you had to be there before the Gospel and stay until Communion was given out. Certainly if you go to church on Sunday you can see the people who observe the law, the rule of going to mass in this way, they show up just before the Gospel and they are out the door at Communion. The letter of the law!

However, I do not think that is what Moses and Jesus (Deuteronomy 4: 1, 5-9 and Matthew 5: 17-19) are speaking about today. They are talking about living a life of faith, living a relationship with God that does not seek to do the minimum. It seeks to live the maximum. Moses tells the people to live their relationship with God and pass that living on. Jesus tells the people he has come to live his relationship with God, to be an example to the fullest extent of this relationship.

Often people ask what they can do to get their adult children to return to their faith. How can they get them to live a life of faith? My answer to them is to pray for and love their children and grandchildren, but most importantly to live their faith. The best was to make God present to people is by living out our relationship with God as authentically as we can, no short cuts! If we are fully invested, if we live out our relationship with God each day, we become an example; we pass on the gift sometimes not even knowing that we do.

Yes, rules, laws, regulations and commands can be bothersome they can place us in opposition to culture and society. They can seem hard to live out. They can frustrate us. But in living by the rules, in being faithful to our relationship with God we keep the story alive. We enhance the community of faith. We bring the gift of God's presence to all we meet. We pass on our faith!

Have a blessed Wednesday everyone and don’t forget to make a joyful noise with your life today!

Daily Lenten Prayer: Loving God, nourish us with your Word this day. Teach us your statutes and decrees. Enliven our hearts with a spirit of joy and love for you and your presence in our life. Challenge us to be more than people who do just the minimum. Grace us with the strength to do and be our very best selves for you. Make our lives true examples of your loving compassion in the world. Help us to live lives of joyful noise for you. Amen!

A Runner's Thoughts: Remember running can be a kind of medicine that helps us to change physically, emotionally and spiritually. Running can be an elixir that enlivens our life with health, hope and the presence of God!

Daily Blessing: Good morning everyone! I hope this day has started well for you and you will find many blessings as you journey through your day!

No snow here in Yorktown Heights and unless there is some on the way that I don’t know about I think this winter storm thankfully passed us by!

My prayer of blessing today is that all will be touched by the joy and love of God as you journey through this day. I pray that you will recognize the richness of your life and share it with others. And may we all be blessed with the strength to live the fullness of live not the minimum! Many blessings on everyone today especially my niece and nephew, Mindy and Paul! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul