From the Responsorial Psalm for today’s Mass…

Gift:  Counsel (Right Judgment)

Reading:  Better one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. Better the threshold of the house of my God than a home in the tents of the wicked.  (Psalm 84:11)

Observation:  This was an exultation for the Israelites that were going to the dwelling place of the Lord.  I am hearing this morning a renewed call to give glory to the one who brings me to the table of the Lord, because without Him I would never make it.  So, I will rejoice that I have this one day in his courts…

Personification:  Self-Control  I am still feeling the need to display the fruit of self-control in my life.  Things have been rather hectic lately, but I need to use that as a rallying point for continuing to improve in the way of controlling my desire to use my time and energy to follow this world, rather than the will of God in my life.

Prayer:  In Jesus name I pray for…

Nanna and Poppa’s spiritual well being, a start for Poppa and a renewal for Nanna.  My joyful wife. Michael Walker’s walk.  Opening my Dad’s eyes to the truth and watching over him.  In the name of Saint Alice, I pray for the blind to see or an increase to their other senses.  For the recently passed family members, especially Derek Burge Sr, Linda Lanier and Alicia Tillman.  (I pray for the repose of their soul…)  For the recently unemployed from Wachovia, Register Guard and others, may they find work to support their families.  Sarah, Robert, Brandon and Alexis, your grace to deal with a terrible situation.  Help me to do your will.  For Ed Weber’s faith.  Father Roy’s preaching to continue to reach out to more people.  My sister Sarah’s continued receipt of wisdom.  Sarah Palin and her family to endure and to be strengthened by the prayers of a grateful nation.  Congress and the President to get our health care system fixed in a way that respects life.  My brother Jeremy getting to a church to worship and being able to come out to Oregon to visit.  I pray for the KLOVE radio ministry.  Derek Burge to continue to be strengthened in the Lord to live with purpose.  Jason Bandy getting in touch with his faith.  Joshua and Sheldon to be strengthened in their faith.  Lee being open to understanding his faith more completely.  Grandma Maria and Grandpa Ray to be made stronger in health by your grace.  Luis Avila and Azalea Lopez to be strengthened in their journey toward the Sacrament of Confirmation.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Putting the call into action…

I posted this video to give a sense of the place where they landed in the land of Gennesaret…

Gift:  Piety (Reverence)

Reading:  After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there.  (Mark 6:53)

Observation:  Yesterday, I heard the reminder of how God called me and today it is the call to action that came along with that calling.  Jesus did not just call twelve apostles to sit on their butts and pontificate about how much God loves them.  He called them to go into the world and preach the Gospel and repentance of this world in favor of the next.

Personification:  Love (Charity)  It is my hope that I can display the fruit of love/charity today in every area of my life.  By the grace of God I will be able to share that love and make everyone around me lives a more joyful life.

Prayer:  Lord, create in me a heart that is filled with love for everyone today and for the rest of my life.  Please help me to follow your example of loving everyone unconditionally.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

How did he call me?

Lake of Gennesaret

Gift:  Fortitude (Courage)

Reading:  While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.  When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything ² and followed him.  (Luke 5:1,11)

Observation:  I chose the first and last verse from the Gospel reading from Mass today, because I heard the call of James, John and Peter in the reading of the Gospel today and was reminded of my own call.  To make a long story short, I heard God calling me to ministry when I was working as a salesman for a manufactured home company.  Unfortunately, I have not seen a miracle of Jesus calling me to cast out my net and bring in a bunch of houses, but maybe I have and I just missed it or maybe I am still waiting. 

Personification:  Joy  I will make it my focus today and for the rest of my life to act with the fruit of joy in my life.  Joy in the knowledge that God would call me, a worthless sinner, to do his work with his children.  It is wonderful that I have been given the chance to pass my faith on to my children in a real way, since I get to spend so much time at the church.  The challenge is to listen to the wisdom filled words of my wife who tells me not to get too wrapped up in my work to spend quality time with my family.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be joyful and all times with my family and your church family.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Wisdom does not cover our sinful nature…

At least it didn’t work for King Solomon…

Gift:  Wisdom

Scripture:  I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.  (1 Kings 3:12)

Observation:  This morning, I loved reading the story of Solomon’s request to God for wisdom in the first reading today.  However, I was haunted by the thought that as wise as Solomon was, why did he have more than one wife?  Never mind all the issues about the foreign wives with the false gods, how could you even contemplate being with more than one woman for the rest of your life?  Don’t get me wrong, I love women and their insight and compassion in all situations is very important in all parts of our lives, but to think that you could be bonded in marriage to more than one person is ludicrous.  

Personification:  Chastity  I will use the story of King Solomon this morning as a reminder to live out my life with the fruit of chastity displayed prominently for all to see.  Even as God graces me with his wisdom, I will try to never forget that I must continually return to him to cleanse me from my sinful nature and allow his grace to guide me toward right relationships with everyone that I come in contact with today and for the rest of my life. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me to build loving and caring relationships with the men and women that I come in contact with today, which will help me to live out your call for me to act appropriately with my gift of sexuality.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Don’t forget the sacrifice…

On the left side of the Church is the traditional place where St. James was martyred when King Agrippas ordered him to be beheaded (Acts 12:1-2). St. James’ head is said to be buried under the altar (left).

Scripture: He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.  (Acts 12:2)

Observation: The note in my bible says that James, the son of Zebedee, was beheaded by Herod Agrippa in A.D. 44.  It struck me when reading it this morning that it almost seems like a side note to the miracle of Peter being freed from prison by an angel later in this chapter.  It seems to me that we should remember the sacrifice of all of the Apostles that died in the service of the Lord, no matter how much they are given press in the bible.

Application: Knowing that these men gave their life in the service of sharing the Gospel as the Lord had commanded them to do, how am I going to speak, act and live differently because of their sacrifice?  If they just died without effect on our heart, mind and spirituality, God would be left to wonder why he allowed them to be sacrificed for us.

Prayer: Lord, help me to remember always the sacrifice of all of the martyrs and prophets who came before me.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Be a man…

Gift:  Fortitude (Courage)

Reading:  I am going the way of all flesh.  Take courage and be a man.  (1 Kings 2:2)

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He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.  (Mark 6:8)

Observation:  This morning, I see that as David is dying in the first reading he tells his son Solomon to take courage and be a man.  He is telling him to follow the will of God in his life and follow the statutes that were handed down to him by Moses.  In the Gospel reading, I focused on the fact that Jesus sent out his apostles with no money or food or even a sack, yet they were still able to work miracles in his name.  For me, I feel like the wisdom of the past shows us how things will go wrong, if we stray from the path and how things will go amazingly right if we listen to how God is calling us and completely rely on him to supply our needs to accomplish his will in our lives.

 Personification:  Self-Control  I am hearing the call today to be a man by displaying the fruit of self-control in my life today and for the rest of my life.  It is not just by scheduling my time more effectively, but by understanding that the schedule will have to change at times and accepting that I must be willing to change myself, however slowly the change may be happening, in order to truly do the will of God in my life.

Prayer:  Lord, create in me a new spirit of love and forgiveness for myself and those around me, so that I can see the path more clearly that you have laid out before me.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Who is counseling us? Jesus should be our strength…

Gift:  Wisdom

Reading:  Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, please, and lop off his head.”  (2 Samuel 16:9)

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Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, ³ Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”)  (Mark 5:6-8)

Observation:  In the first reading, I hear the call to be careful where I am receiving counsel, because they could not be concerned about following the will of God and their path may not be the same path that God has chosen for you.  David’s repentant heart is evident in this reading because of his willingness to suffer the shame of the slanderous comments.  In the Gospel reading, I am left with a sense of the fact that the Apostles must have felt 10 foot tall and bulletproof walking around with Jesus.  Although as Father Michael Manning says in the video reflection today, they must have been a little scared knowing that they were going to meet up with the possessed man, they had to be amazed to see the demon possessed man laying prostrate before him with the knowledge that Jesus was about to destroy them and they were pleading for their chance to stay in the territory.

Personification:  Long-suffering (Positive Attitude)  This is the fruit that jumped off the screen to me today.  I think the reason is because it has been difficult to deal with so many youth in the youth ministry that don’t seem to be getting it, and by it, I mean that our faith is not being passed on to them.  I am hearing this morning the call to remember that my job is to support the parents in passing on their faith to their children, and not to be the sole proprietor of their faith formation.  As a church, we can only do so much for them and I can take solace in the fact that because of my job, it is much easier for me to focus on passing our faith to my children…

Prayer:  Lord, help me to remember that the work that you began in me is a marathon and not a sprint and hopefully I can see today in the light of that truth and act accordingly.  Please help me to seek your counsel in all things and never lose faith that you will see me through all things.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

A still more excellent way…

Gift:  Piety (Reverence)

Reading:  Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.  Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.  So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  (1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:8,13)

The full reading, minus the 31st verse of the 12th chapter…

  The sound is a little off but the message comes through, I think…

Observation:  I apologize for being all over the second reading today to pick the verses that were speaking to me.  Hopefully, it makes some sense what I ended up with.  What is going through my mind is, of course, the youth that will hear this reading today.  Specifically, a young man that I recently gave this reading to in order to calm him down from a break up.  He had heard a voice telling him to read the book of Corinthians, but he wasn’t able to focus past his grief to actually read it.  When he came to me, I read him essentially the second reading from the Mass readings today.  The one part that I did not have which I think was lacking, was the last verse of the 12th chapter, which was in the first choice of the second reading for today and I believe clearly sets up the beginning of the 13th chapter.

Personification:  Love (Charity)  I will be striving today and for the rest of my life to quickly sense the needs of others around me and react to their needs out of charity, rather than obligation.  To me, this way is the more excellent way that Paul is talking about when he sets up the 13th chapter in the first book of the Corinthians.  A truly loving heart is not something that you are necessarily born with, although my wife may have been, it is something that takes effort to grow in your heart and the more you become like love, the more you become truly who you are supposed to be.

Prayer:  Lord, I know that I have failed to keep a lid on my temper this week and I hope that I did not do any major damage to the people that you have brought close to me in my life by my anger over present situations.  Please help me to show them the spirit of love that you are trying to build in my heart and keep me out of your way.  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Today’s first reading…Not for the faint hearted…

Gift:  Understanding

Reading:  The elders of his house stood beside him urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor would he take food with them.  (2 Samuel 12:17)

Observation:  I decided to pick just the last verse of the first reading to journal on today, because of the feeling I had after I finished reading it today.  I don’t know if the church intended us to have a reaction to the first reading like I did this morning, but I certainly felt like the church was saying that I need to read the rest of the story to find out what happened to David’s son.  I guess I will leave my observation about the verse there, so hopefully anyone reading this will have the same reaction I did, and maybe read the rest of the story in the book of Samuel.

Personification:  Humility (Gentleness)  I am aware of the fact that I am being called to display the fruit of humility in my life today and for the rest of my life.  I hope that I will follow the will of God for me today as it is revealed to me and allow the Holy Spirit to continue to be my guide to act with the gentleness that is attributed to Jesus.

Prayer:  Lord, I know that it is only by your grace that I am able to do anything good in my life.  Please help me remember to give you thanks at all times for everything that you are doing in my life.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

I need to get out of the way…

This video is not specifically on the verse that I chose, but it illustrates the point well enough…Look down below for a video from yesterday’s Gospel reading…It illustrates exactly how I heard the Gospel speaking to me yesterday…

Gift:  Fortitude (Courage)

Reading:  Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.  (Mark 4:28)

Observation:  I am hearing this morning a specific call to let God do the work that he is doing and make sure that I am not standing in the way of His progress.  Too many times, I think I try and out-think God and work hard to show Him that I know what I am doing.  The reality is, I have no idea what I am doing without Him leading the way for me.  The first reading today was about King David’s indiscretion with Bathsheba and how he covered it up by making sure her husband was out of the way.  As far as I know, I have never done anything that bad, but the reality is that I have definitely fallen short of the glory of God many times in my life.  It is not by my actions that I will be given the grace I need to live the eternal life.

Personification:  Peace  It was as if the word Peace was jumping off the page at me when I went to search for the fruit of the spirit to focus on today.  I will let the definition speak for itself, because it says exactly what I need the grace of God to be able to display in my life today and for the rest of my life.  Peace is a quiet, inner confidence that keeps us from feeling uptight and anxious.

Prayer:  Lord, watch over me today and for the rest of my life, so that I can be at peace with whatever direction you are leading me in my life.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Yesterday’s Gospel…