Making a Joyful Noise through Lent 03/20/2014

Making a Joyful Noise through Lent – 03/20/2014

“Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. To some extent this is because our “technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to engender joy”. I can say that the most beautiful and natural expressions of joy which I have seen in my life were in poor people who had little to hold on to. I also think of the real joy shown by others who, even amid pressing professional obligations, were able to preserve, in detachment and simplicity, a heart full of faith. In their own way, all these instances of joy flow from the infinite love of God, who has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ.” (Pope Francis – Evangelii Gaudium – The Joy of the Gospel)

Pope Francis goes on to quote Pope Benedict, “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction”. In other words being a Christian is how we live, how we encounter the world around us. Our challenge is to find God in our day to day experience, in the people we encounter and in the world around us. Our scriptures today reminds us not to look pass the next person we meet because they may be the very one who helps us to encounter God’s joy!

In our scriptures today we continue the theme that has been with us for the last few days; it is the theme of looking beyond ourselves. We have in the Gospel (Luke 16: 19-31) today the famous story of the rich man and Lazarus the poor man who sits at the rich man door. Lazarus is covered in sores. At first glance we might it seems to be the rich man wealth that is the problem and I am sure that many preachers have taken that approach in preaching about this Gospel. However, at closer inspection it is not wealth that is the problem it is the rich man's way of life, it is how he lives. It is how he uses his wealth. He fails to see Lazarus at his door and if he does see him he ignores him.

In the Gospels when Jesus talks about wealth it is never to condemn the person just because they have wealth it is always about what we do with it. Do we hoard it? Do we only care for ourselves? Or do we see the world and the needs of the world? Do we let our wealth work for the betterment of others? Do we help those in need with our wealth?  This not only pertains to money and possessions, it is also about the gifts and talents that we have that can not only help us but others. Once again like the last few days this is about service, it is about being humble because all that we have comes from God and needs to be shared!

In the first reading from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 17: 5-10) we are reminded that one of the important values of our life is trust, specifically trust in God. This value can help with the above challenge of service. If we trust in God, if we make God part of our life then our riches, our gifts, our talents, our resources are much easier to share, because we know that God is with us.

Once again our challenge is to think outside the box. Conventional wise says store up treasures for ourselves, make sure our life is comfortable, eat, drink, rest, be merry. But as people of faith God demands our lives. We are to be disciples, we are to be servants, we are to make what we have work for the good of others. We are to be people whose trust and hope is in God. We are to be rich in what matters to God. Remember "the Lord, alone probes the mind and tests the heart, and rewards everyone according to her or his ways, according to the merits of her or his deeds." Let us be people who trust and hope in God. Let us be people rich in the presence of God!

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

Daily Lenten Prayer: Loving God, direct our hearts this day to be your servants in all we do. Enliven us with the fire of your Spirit of Love. Grace us with a steadfast faith, a spirited hope so that all we do will be effective in helping ourselves and others experience your joyful presence. You are the Heart of Love, you are the Heart of Joy and we want to place all our trust in you. We know that we are not perfect, we struggle with our weaknesses but we place our hope in you to bring about the richness of life this day from your goodness. Amen!

Runner's Thoughts: Run without fear today, breathe, run and permit the spirit of God's loving presence to be in each stride you take!

Daily Blessing: Happy Thursday everyone and happy spring, though the second happy is a little hard to find these days!  Someday it will be warm it is just going to take patience and perseverance. However with the changing of seasons today we do get a little closer to the beauty and warmth of spring. I am certainly looking forward to all the new life that spring offers us!

The mission at OLPH Parish in Pelham Manor, NY end nicely last night. It was a wonderful three days and evenings and I think many good things happen. I thank you for all your prayers this week. I have a little break now before I head to St. Patrick’s Parish in Yorktown Height, NY on Saturday to begin a mission there. 

I pray for God’s blessing on everyone today that we will have a peaceful Thursday without too many struggles or problems. That today will be rich in presence of God especially in the people we encounter through this day. Blessings upon everyone today, have a great day and enjoy this first day of spring! Peace in Christ's Passion...Fr. Paul