Making a Joyful Noise through Lent – Friday
at Ash Wednesday 03/07/2014
“There are Christians whose lives seem
like Lent without Easter. I realize of course that joy is not expressed the
same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy
adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of
our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are
infinitely loved.” (Pope Francis – Evangelii
Gaudium – The Joy of the Gospel)
Pope Francis reminds us that there are
many ways in which joy is expressed that it depends on the circumstances and experiences
of life. However what is most important and most helpful about his word today is
that no matter what is taking place in our lives, even if we are in the midst
of profound struggles – joy is there. Perhaps our challenge is to find it!
In our scriptures today we are confronted
with the question who shall know the mind of God? No one really, God's thoughts
are not our thoughts; God's ways are not our ways. I find the reading from
Isaiah (Isaiah 58: 1-9a) rather interesting today. It confirms for me something
about my faith that I have struggled with for many years, the idea of doing
things to be seen rather than doing things to make a difference.
In recent years there has been a
movement among some to kneel down or bow profoundly when receiving communion.
There are those in high places who commend this practice and there are others
who think all should be doing this. However, if we apply Isaiah's words to the
situation it might sound something like this, "Do you call receiving
communion in this way what I want? This rather, is the receiving communion that
I want, I want you to receive and then take me into the world, help others, be
the presence of God everywhere you go!
However we receive communion is not the
point or the importance it is what we do once we receive the Lord. It is how we
treat people that makes all the difference. God does not put a lot of
importance in the "show" of things, in the "how" we do it,
in the "what" we look like when doing it, in how many people see it,
in the how reverent it is. God puts value in the way we live our faith, the way
we interact with the world, the way we treat others, the way in which we bring
God's compassion and joy to the world.
In the Gospel (Matthew 9:14-15), the religious leaders are once again hung up
on the rules, regulations and rituals but Jesus in about the living of life,
the joy of life. Jesus is about recognizing God in our midst. Lent keeps
reminding us that our thoughts are not God's thoughts and our ways are not
God's way, yet we have the opportunity to recognize the presence of God in our
life and change the way we think and the way we act so that we are about God
and not ourselves, so that we are about making a Joyful Noise!
Have a great Friday everyone!
Lenten Daily Prayer: O God, help us
to walk in your ways, help us to make a joyful noise today. May our lives be
about the gifts of your love and may our words, actions and works bring life and
joy to others and ourselves. May we never do anything for show but for the
honor, glory and joy of the kingdom. May what we do always reflect a concern
for others. Be with us always and when we struggle may we always hear your
voice say "Do not fear, here I am!" Rejoice! Amen!
Runner's Thought: As we run today
let us think of our breathing as inhaling God and exhaling extraneous thoughts,
ideas and struggles. Let us allow all those thoughts that are buzzing about in
our heads to move through our bodies and be expelled through our breath so that
God has more space to be within us!
Daily Blessing: Happy Friday
everyone! I hope you have had a good week. I hope you have had a good beginning
of Lent, because it is going to be a long journey. I am looking forward to
getting back on the road after an unexpected week off. Tomorrow I head out to
my next mission at St. Elizabeth Parish in Rockville, MD. So as you journey
through your weekend and into next week I ask your prayers for the faith
community at St. Elizabeth Parish and for their mission preacher.
A special shout out to my niece Sarah
and her husband, my nephew, Dominick, who are headed to the doctor today to
check on the newest member of their family who will join us sometime in July.
They are hoping to find out whether the little one is a she or a he. May she or
he most importantly be healthy! Let us remember all mothers and fathers who are
on the journey of waiting for a new family member to arrive, we thank them for
bringing life into the world, we pray for a healthy child and we ask God’s
blessings for a wonderful family!
I pray today for God’s blessings on all
of you who stop to journey with me through this life, may today be a good end
to the work week and may it be the beginning of a restful and relaxing weekend.
Blessings on our Lenten journey of Joyful Noise be with all of us! Peace in
Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment