Why did you say " I do" ?

Last week while walking on the school yard of one of our schools I noticed in the distance the obvious body language between two Grade 8 boys that indicated they were about to re enact a royal rumble! Power walking over to the site of what could become the next World Wrestling Federation Match I stumbled upon two young men angry at each other. When I asked them - so why are so angry at each other - they both in unison replied “ I don’t know!” and then the telling comment “we have never liked each other.” My replied was instant “Why?”. Their reply very telly “ we don’t know”.

Can you relate? Do you have anyone in your circle of life who well - you just don’t like them - and you don’t know why? Or you had an argument with them - years ago - and to be honest - you can’t even remember over what or maybe even now see how unimportant it really is!

For the last two weeks - since the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord - we have been focussing on the invitation listed by God’s word to “Accept the Challenge”.  Sometimes we have accepted the challenge, or are even being told to accept the challenge - that - well we forget why!

To Accept the Challenge - we have been discovering - is to well - be Alive - show signs of Christ’s life in us; its been about ensuring that others know Christ is still alive because of us.

• Christ Himself accepted that challenge as He accepted “Who He Was and Whose He Was”
• Christ Himself accepted that challenge by often praying in order to stay close to the Father.
• Christ Himself accepted that challenge by not living in coincidence but by seeing moments of life as “God winks” occasions when He was called to give hope.

This is the challenge of discipleship which we are called to live - it’s the call we are challenged to accept - to be His hand when another needs it as we build the Church. For, as we know - this is no Holy Huddle - but a place of Holiness, in the presence of Holiness, to become a people of Holiness.

But I guess, now we come - to the How? Well today’s Gospel (Luke 1:1-4,4:14-21) has Christ going into the synagogue on the Sabbath and proclaiming that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him. These are pretty strong words of acceptance!

• Christ, who at His Baptism accepted Who He was!
• Christ, who in His Mission sought times to pray.
• Christ, who in His daily walk of life - looked for moments not coincidences - but when He could make a difference in the life of another and share hope.
• Christ, who on His Sabbath gathered among the faithful in the place of worship to grow in holiness.
• Christ who says to you and me that the reason He was able to do these things was because He accepted that God’s Spirit was upon Him! - do you ?

Do you believe that God has invited you with your gifts to be someone unique?

Do you accepted that God has infused you with a talent that will make a difference?

Do you accent to the fact that God created you not only to know Him, and love Him, and serve Him but to make a difference in the life of at least one other person - in His name !

That is what Christ believed - are we not His followers, disciples? Should we not believe that? Is that not the challenge we are called to accept?

O, but Father, you might say, I am doing that - been a member of a group for 40 years - done that - I checked that off my list long time ago?

Really now - so when Jesus healed the first blind man, when He made the first deaf person hear, when the first man who was lame walked away after His miracle - was He done? Did Christ check it off His list - or did He keep looking?

That is what Christ did - are we not His followers, disciples? Should we not do that? Is that not the challenge we are called to accept?

We must build into our lives moments to stop and think ! To not always just “get it done”, “finish it off”, “just do it”, but occasions to allow the scripture to be fulfilled in your hearing! To allow His will for us to be accomplished - His challenge to not only be accepted - but met and fulfilled!

This week had occasion to go to our local nursing home. Following Mass I went and visited one of our residents who did not come down for Mass. Lovely lady who was feeble. Her husband was in the room and soon her daughter came as well. We had a nice visit, but during it the elderly lady became physically ill. As she recovered and all was well again the daughter began to call for the nurses to come and clean up a bit. The husband got up and began to clean. The daughter said - dad - stop that - no need for you do clean up after mom - that is what the nurses are for. The husband paused - “really, they did not say I do - I was the one who did - and this is what I meant.”

When you say “I do”, when you accept the challenge of discipleship - what do you mean?

“ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4:14-21)

That is what Christ said. Are we not His followers, disciples? Should we not do that? Is that not the challenge we are called to accept?

This week - will you try and make a difference - allow the Spirit of the Lord to work thru you - don’t check it off when you think it has been done - just keep doing it - cause if you do - not only will your remember why you said “ I do” - but it will be full filled in your presence.

Is God Winking ?

Does anyone know Christ is alive because of me ? That was the question we were invited last week to ask ourselves everyday this past week as we looked at whether or not we are still alive in our commitment to Christ! Hope you did it ! Hope you are alive !

Being alive - well - is what we accepted at Baptism - to be alive in our commitment to serve Him, to love Him, to know Him. Remember - we can’t be that cool uncle who says yes to everything - we have to stand for something ! We have to “Accept the Challenge” - apply the truths of our faith to family, friendships and future. Last week we touched on how we must know who we are and whose we are and we must make sure we pray often in order to stay close to the Lord.

A classmate of mine got a new book for Christmas! “ When God Winks at You.” He has not read a page of it - well because, fascinated by the title, I’m reading it ! It is a book of stories about amazing coincidences that happen in people’s lives. The author makes the assertion that there are no coincidences. There are only "God winks."

God winks are those moments when God is sending you a direct personal message. It is a fun book to read. There is power in a wink. When someone winks at you, it is a sign, a form of communication, a non-verbal message: “I am with you, I am thinking about you.” Sometimes a wink says, “Trust me; it is going to be alright.” Coincidences are really God’s way of winking at you and me, reassuring us, guiding us, comforting us, speaking to us, or giving us hope. We often use the phrase “that was just a God thing,” meaning “that had to be more than just a coincidence.” We have all had unexpected moments of insight, direction, reassurance, and comfort. Those are God winks.

In the Gospel of today (John 2:1-12), Jesus is an invited Guest at a wedding. Now the unimaginable happens - especially if your Portuguese - they run out of wine ! Goodness Gracious ! So He ministers to the family - is there for them - performs His first miracle. Now here is my question - was that a coincidence that He was there? Is it a coincidence that we are here ?Is it a coincidence that you work where you do? Is it a coincidence that people come into your life when they do? Is it a coincidence that your best friend is who he? Or a coincidence that your children have been entrusted to you?

We are here, at this time, in this moment, on this occasion - well not by coincidence - but for a reason! Thing is - we have to accept that - we have to will that ! See Last week when Jesus heard (Luke 3.15-16, 21-22) “ You are my Son the beloved, with you I am well pleased”. Well, He had to accept that ! He could have walked away from the baptismal site - well that was odd - thought I heard a voice from heaven!

We could walk away from Church today saying - well that was alright - got to see and sing with friends! Sometimes we can’t help but want to hear the words “The Mass is ended” in order to be first out the door! Remember we meet on the Lord’s Day Weekend not in a Holy Huddle: but in a Place of Holiness in the Presence of Holiness to become People of Holiness. Or we can say - I accept - the challenge - to be alive this week ! To make Him know, to make a difference, to make His name know - to stand for something !

“Do what ever He tells you” - was Mary’s words in the Gospel of today - are they ours ? Are you alive enough to want to learn what He tells us ? Or do you just think - well - it something I have to do - and life - well its all a coincidence ?

This past week I had the great joy of spending a full day with the young people in our Grade 1 classes of our two parish elementary schools. Over 120 young faces, full of energy and smiles. It was amazing, it was elevating, it was stimulating, it was inspirational - - it was exhausting !!!

That evening as I was staring at the television screen, my mind went to the first time I visited Grade 1's as a priest. It was in Georgetown and the young teacher was so amazing to me in her kindness, gentleness and yet firmness with her class of students. I walked in and was greeted with smiles, a few hugs and just before beginning the teacher took me aside and said “ O, Father, we have a new student, Noah." Then with a very low voice and close to my ear ; “ He has only one hand Father, and this is his third day here."

I spoke with the children, joked with them and I got carried away with the visit, the moment, thinking this is awesome, that I played a simple game that forever changed how I see a wink. You know the game, when you put your hands together - clasp them - this is the church, this is the steeple, open them up, here are the people. As I was playing it, showing it, and then were following, it dawned on me. Noah! One hand! O Goodness Gracious ! Glancing over, hoping he was ok. I was the one humbled! A little girl had snuggled over to him, classmate, new friend of only three days had lent her hand and they were doing it together. A coincidence? No! That was a God wink.

Are you alive ? Have you accepted who you are and whose you are? Are you willing to permit God’s naming of you as His beloved child to make a difference in your life, and are you willing to learn about Him so that you can do what He tells you ? Pay attention to things you call a coincidence. It may be God winking at you. Accept the Challenge and Him!

You Alive ? Are you alive ?

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. At Baptism we begin a journey that opens our hearts and lives. There is an old joke told about St. Peter who we traditionally have said greets all the new arrivals into heaven. Well one day he was greeting, and got a bit tired of the usual questions and so decided to ask instead the following question:

“What would you like your family to say about you at your funeral service?”

The first person said : “I would like them to say I lived a most useful life as a doctor and dad.” The second person replied: “I was an excellent school teacher, wife and mother.” The third person quickly stated:“ I did my best, loved them and cherished them. That they appreciated me.” The fourth person indicated: “ I was wonderful, in fact totally perfect, and never made a mistake.”Then came the last person: “I would like them to say, ‘Look! He is still alive!’”

There is always evidence of life if we are moving. As Christians, there should also be signs of Christ’s life in us. That Christ left the splendor of heaven, to endure the squalor of earth, is a sign; A sign of His love. A sign of His life. But what are the signs? The signs of our love for Christ?

In the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord we are reminded that at Baptism - we “Accept the Challenge” to apply the truths of our faith to family, friendships, and future. The challenges they present, and the call to accept they beckon, will give us all true wisdom. So over the next couple of weeks I wonder if we could review what we accepted - The Creed - and ask ourselves - are we still alive ? When it comes to our faith - are their signs of life ?

I have to share with you the best email I received this Christmas Season. To be fully honest - it went into my spam folder at first - and I was checking in it and found this one. It came from a visitor who was with us several Sundays around Christmas:

“I wanted to write and thank your parish for the wonderful welcome I received. It started in the parking lot. (You need a new parking lot by the way Father). It was full - someone walked my car and I over to the pool parking lot and said - you can park here. Then it was when I came in. The Church was full, one of the ushers gently said - we have a large Parish Centre, you can sit there - they walked me over. What a wonderful place for me and my kids - bit loud - but an adventure. Then it happened after Mass. You wanted to know my name. You said your new, then the following week you remembered me. When I came to St Mary’s - well let’s just say it had been a lot of years since I came to a Catholic Church. I wasn’t looking for Church ... I was looking for Christ, and I found him in your parish.”

We should exhibit signs in our lives (public / private) that show our love and that demonstrate Whose life we seek to model. Prayer, Small Groups, Adoration, Bible reading, our offerings, resisting personal temptation. But how do people recognize that we are God’s Ambassadors in the world? That is what Baptism calls us to It is not enough to serve in secret. We have to live the lifestyle.  We meet on the Lord’s Day Weekend not in a Holy Huddle: but in a Place of Holiness in the Presence of Holiness to become People of Holiness.

So the Gospel of Today (Luke 3.15-16, 21-22) tells us three quick things and I want to touch one two of them this week and the last next week

1. Jesus knew who He was. At His Baptism in the river Jordan He heard: “Your are my Son, the Beloved” We have to accept who we are, and whose we are. Sure we want people to say nice things about us - after we have died - and even while we are living. We all have that temptation. But our faith, and religion, can not be like that cool uncle who let you do whatever you wanted - smoke, drink, take out the car even though mom and dad said no. We loved him as a kids or a teen, but when we got older and see life for what it is - we realized how lame he was because he stood for nothing but went along with everything.

Sometimes we have to say - “I can’t”, “ I won’t”, “ Not now”. The Nerve to Serve, but also that never to stand up for whom we serve. We have to know who we are and what we are ! Plain and simple. We have to live the lifestyle of Christ - do you ?

2. Jesus prayed often. Now I have often wondered, why would the Son of God - the Font of Holiness - need to pray?” Only one reason: To stay close to the Father.

Luke’s Gospel records 9 times Christ prays. He wanted time: At His Baptism, After a Day of Miracles, Before Choosing the Disciples, Before the Prediction of His Death. On the Mountain at the Transfiguration. Before Teaching the Disciples the Lord’s Prayer. While the 70 Returned from their Missions. In the Garden of Gethsemane. On the Cross before His Death. In the daybreak ... At the sunset ... Great achievements were preceded by prayer. Great sorrows were met with prayer. Jesus died praying! If the Lord of Glory needed prayer ... What does that say about us? We don’t have the capacity to deal with life outside of prayer (Luke 18:1). Are you losing heart? Is it because you are not praying?

Ok - so - You Alive ? Are you alive ? I want to ask you to try something this week: It will not hurt and will take only a bit longer than a flu shot ( but less painful). I want you to ask yourself one simple question for 15 minutes everyday this week: Does anyone know Christ is alive because of me ? Maybe even write down the answer. Pray with it, allow the answer to help you know who you are and whose you are.

Years ago at Ontario Place in Toronto a large ship was docked and people use to go for tours on this. The engine was gone. A souvenir shop was on the deck. Actors were the officers and crew. One of the greatest ship that ever went to sea, was now the greatest ship to come and see. But what I remember about that ship most was a simple plaque that read “ The great things that used to happen here.”

Do they say because of us in our private lives that, as far as Christ is concerned, great things use to happen with Him, or do they say because of us - “Look! He is still alive!’”