A Way Forward - Week # 1

This Lord’s Day Weekend we begin a four week Message Series called “A Way Forward”. Any journey, long or short, is just a series of steps which we take seeking to find a way forward. Faith, as is often said, is a journey and it all comes down to simple steps moving us in His direction. We think there are basically four steps that the Bible teaches us to take toward greater maturity in our Catholic faith. To kick off the 2015-2016 year we’re offering an all-new series taking a fresh look at those steps as we seek to discern A Way Forward. It’s all about doing what disciples do and, in the process, finding our way to more successful living

There are so many different responses to Jesus, the Messiah, and many of them are firmly rooted in our religious tradition. This very fact causes much of our misunderstanding and explains our inability to relate to the person of Jesus. The people of Jesus’ time held various views as to who he was. They commonly expected Him to act in a certain way, and almost always misunderstood him. Even the disciples were confused by what he said, and they too misunderstood him. Can we be so sure that we have the kind of insight they lacked? Can we claim to understand him? Or are we more like the people in James’ community (2nd reading): people who professed faith in Jesus but who did not always live it out; people who often spoke pleasant words to others and said the right things but often failed to back up their words with how they lived their lives—their good works? 

Our focus on this first week of our message series is to remember that our call is foremost to be “Of God”. St James is saying as much in today's Second Reading: "Faith without good works is dead." It is one thing to make a verbal declaration of faith weekly, to pray piously daily but if both are not backed up by a lifetime of authentic service and charitable outlook then it becomes – well odd! Our mission as Christians to build up the reign of God; it is quite clear what God requires of us: to be compassionate as Jesus was, to take care of the poor, to forgive each other, to welcome your enemy as a brother or sister. In other words, all our religious behavior is intended to get us to the starting gate of good works. But it must not end there!

When the journey of faith seems too difficult, when we are prone to experience to fatigue before the sea of human suffering, it seems that there are times when we really struggle to believe in the person of Jesus. At such times it is good for us to remember the wrenching struggle of the apostle, Peter in the Gospel.

Peter heard Jesus’ words about suffering and that is all they could comprehend. Hence Jesus for the moment became a stumbling block for them. Jesus knew their thoughts; He turned to them and sharply rebuked Peter in the hearing of everyone. “Get behind me, Satan!” By trying to dissuade Jesus from the cross and death, by trying to deflect Him from His divinely appointed purpose, Peter was renewing the vicious temptations Jesus had experienced in the desert. Jesus reacted to this TEMPTATION as He had done elsewhere to temptation with a fierce and determined reflex: “Get behind me, Satan!” Peter, and eventually all the disciples, must proceed to a deeper and holier understanding. Jesus wins for them the grace to realize the folly and the glory of the mystery of the cross. It is only then that they are truly able to say “You are the Messiah, the very Son of God.” In today's Gospel Jesus, asked the disciples "Who do you say that I am?" Peter then makes a great act of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. This is precisely what Jesus is now asking of us!

At thispoint please use the video Message for this series – Week # 1

Youmay also as a group wish to listen again to the Audio of the Lord’s Day Message

LISTEN: "In Common So We Can Listen" (Together)

We are in this series called Listen - a journey to better hear God’s voice. Before beginning consider listening to the Message from this Lord's Day. and then reading the further reflections below. Each week will also offer a small follow up which you can consider doing - something short - about 15 minutes per day.

It is the most amazing thing -  God - the creator of the universe is personal (we can know Him). He wants to communicate with us in ways that thrill our hearts and bring us peace & surety of purpose

• in critical moments we can get the guidance that we need.

• in decision moments He teaches us so that we have insights and leads us so that we know the path away from trouble.

• in affirming moments He reminds us “I am here”.

When we hear God’s voice it is a life changing experience - remember Moses - his very face changed. God is always there but sometimes we are moving so quickly that we miss the moment.

So far we have we learned two of the three things we need in order to listen

• TIME - to designate time (each day) and a place so that we can listen to God speak.
• TEXT - that God is texting us each day with His word - God is messaging us - do you know it, are we reading it, to do we “take time with the text”.

This week all we have been talking about is affirmed as in the Gospel. St Mark reminds us that Jesus says “come away to a deserted place” for without such we are “like sheep without a Shepherd” - we are LOST. His word leads us to the final step in listening to His voice in the midst of all the world’s voices. That is to do it Together. For it is together that we can listen to God in community and here we are better able to hear Him. God does this in three distinct ways

First He speaks to us in COMMUNION.  Second He speaks to us in COMMON. Third, He speaks to us in COMPASSION. He heals, He provides, He directs, He determines and calls us to listen with the Text, the Time and Together.

Let’s discuss this as a family:

1. Describe the last time you “rested” with God.

2. Was the experience hectic because of the tasks at hand or was it peaceful? Why?

3. Who are the shepherds in your life? Who do you listen to? Where are they leading you?

LISTEN "Stillness for Listening" (Time)

Over the remaining two weekends we are embarked upon a small Summer Series called “Listen”. Every day, the world promises to meet our needs, flooding us with messages and even telling us how to live and pack for this journey of life.  But with so much noise in the world, how can we really hear anything? We’ll begin to distinguish the world’s voice from God’s so we can find out what it is we truly need. Together we will explore and I am going to suggest that the Lord is inviting us to “pack and prepare” as we “listen to His ways and seek to comprehend His voice”. Over next three weeks I would like to use the Sunday scriptures to say THREE THINGS we should pack in order to better listen.

Before beginning consider listening to the Message from this Lord's Day. and then reading the further reflections below. Each week will also offer a small follow up which you can consider doing - something short - about 15 minutes per day.

Jesus said - “my sheep they listen to my voice and follow me” (John 10:27). I think all of us would agree that following Jesus and doing His will for our life is the goal of each Disciple of Jesus. Last week we embarked upon a small Summer Series called “Listen”: with so much noise in the world, how can we really hear anything?  Last week we learned we need the Text to Listen. This week the Time to Listen.

We look around our world today and we may think everything is falling apart. War, death, despair is everywhere. We human beings have declared all these things, not God. As we hear in the Responsorial Psalm, God declares Peace.

The Gospel today seems clear enough, yet there are many subtle messages. Jesus gave the disciples authority to speak and act in His name and at the same time told them to travel light—one tunic and a pair of sandals. No extra baggage charges for them! The point is we have a tendency to get caught up in our “things”, our possessions and we’re taught to be self-reliant. Our focus often becomes our “things” and they can get in the way of answering Christ’s call.

God speaks - He does not scream. He does not say - be loud,  and know that I am God, be busy, and know that I am God, be stressed, and know that I am God, be distracted and know that I am God, power up and know that I am God. He says - be still - quiet. For it is in that still stillness that we connect to God more than we admit.

If you think of it - in our daily lives - conversations that impact us, mold us, direct us are not usually happening in the loud clutter of a party but in the better conversation of when you slow down. I hope you have that in your life - A place, a time each day, where life is quiet. For if you are in a hurray all the time - you will not Hear His voice - it will be tough to listen

For me it’s the morning - I connect with God - I have a room in my home that I have changed into a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament present and there I begin my day - still - it is there that my direction for the day is given and where I have the energy to launch forth into my day - my stillness leads me to activity. It is there that I listen

Jesus sent His disciples out two by two. Why? Perhaps so they had someone else for support or perhaps to send us the message that we, too, need each other. Church is community and we all succeed together, not as solitary individuals. Thus the power of the Lord's Day and the stillness of gathering for Mass each week.

The message this week is: Take Time to for Stillness and Keep Listening. 

Let’s discuss this as a family:

1. How do you survive when “the waves are high” in your life or in the world around you? How are you finding time for stillness?

2. Explain the difficulty you face in balancing the world’s “Things” versus keeping focused on Jesus and his mission. How are you finding time for stillness?

Some points to remember and consider:

1. Take the time to pray. No matter how you pray or who you pray to, it can be difficult to find time for prayer during busy times. One way to deal with this is to make prayer part of your daily routine, such as praying as soon as you wake up in the morning, right before you go to sleep, or before every meal.

2. Find a good spot to pray. You will find that you can pray anytime, anywhere, anyhow. It may help to be in a place where the focus is on spirituality (such as a church or even an Adoration Chapel) or where the environment reminds you of your spiritual bond (like a natural setting, or a spot with a big view).

3. Know your purpose. Understand that prayer does not have to involve crafted, reflective silence. It does not have to ask, plead, question or thank; all it must do is appreciate.

There is no wrong time to pray. Many people pray during emotional times, like when they feel sad, scared, or happy. You can pray at any time of day, and as much or as little as you feel is sufficient for your spiritual life. Some people make it their goal to maintain a state of prayer all the time by remaining conscious of their spiritual connection throughout the day. 

LISTEN: "Packing for Listening" (Text)

Over the next three weekends we are going to embark upon a small Summer Series called “Listen”. Every day, the world promises to meet our needs, flooding us with messages and even telling us how to live and pack for this journey of life.  But with so much noise in the world, how can we really hear anything? We’ll begin to distinguish the world’s voice from God’s so we can find out what it is we truly need. Together we will explore and I am going to suggest that the Lord is inviting us to “pack and prepare” as we “listen to His ways and seek to comprehend His voice”.

Over next three weeks I would like to use the Sunday scriptures to say THREE THINGS we should pack in order to better listen.

Before beginning consider listening to the Message from this Lord's Day. and then reading the further reflections below. Each week will also offer a small follow up which you can consider doing - something short - about 15 minutes per day.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Familiarity breeds contempt”? It often seems like the better we know someone, the more critical we are of him or her. Who would have thought that when Jesus returned to His home town of Nazareth that His message would be rejected - much like a text message being refused or remaining unread.

People scoffed at Him wondering how the carpenter’s son could claim to be a prophet. They missed the message because of their preconceived notions of who He should be, not who He really was. This can happen even today in our lives when we replace Him, re define Him or re figure our need for Him in our lives. The people of Jesus' home town did that with the "Word Made Flesh", we do that sometimes with His word - scripture. 

We do so, as they did, because we can perceive the message as difficult. In reality however what is difficult is making decisions without Gods’ word - then living with the repercussions for years to come. Spending time with His word is actually easy - about 15 minutes a day in God’s word will help us know Him better. The second reason that people did not accept Jesus in His hometown  was because they were having trouble believing everything He said. Sometimes we don't read the Word because we don’t believe everything in bible. Guess I would ask this- do you instantly believe everything that you read-everything on the internet, in the newspaper, every report, - even every text?We read things all the time you don’t believe - yet we read - to decide if we can believe it! Yet God’s word has more truth, clarify and wisdom - then most of what we read each day.

All three readings today talk about preaching the Word of God but being rejected. From Ezekiel to Paul to Jesus himself, the people that knew them best rejected them and rejected God’s word. But all three stayed true to themselves and their mission. Isn’t that a lot like the lives we live? We’re trying to please everyone at the expense of giving up who we really are. We think others will accept us more if we become who they think we should be. 

As disciples of Christ we may experience the same rejection but we shouldn’t change who we are because of what others may think or say. Jesus’ message to those who rejected Him was basically, you are not my family but those who hear the Word of God and believe it are my family. Jesus knew who He was. He didn’t need someone else to affirm Him. He didn’t need to become something He was not to please others. He didn’t need to say anything other than the truth and that is what He’s telling us today - the text He is sending you!

Jesus knew who He was because He spend time in the Word! He listened to the Father in the Word and that helped Him handle it all. The first thing we must "pack" into our travels in this journey is God's word (time with Scripture). It is like a text message received, read and acted upon.  His message today is: WHO ARE YOU? Are you listening for the text? are you seeking to respond to it ? What you packing into your day? 

Here is the text message.....are you listening? will you respond?

RYBT  (Read Your Bible Today)

Choose one of the passages below for each day this coming week - what is His Message to you? Use the questions below daily and apply them to the scripture below.

• You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11
• But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! Amos 5:24
• For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21
• Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2
• "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
• Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
• Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:5
• The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

1. As you reflect on the words above, who are you? Where is your heart? (Everyone answer this)

2. Have you ever been afraid to really be yourself and why?

3. How do others see you? How is God's word (His text) calling you to listen more?

What Are You Afraid Of ?

Gospel Mark 4: 35-41

Jesus calms the storm at sea and calms His disciples in the process

As 4-year-old Tommy watched his mother prepare their evening meal, she asked him to get a can of tomato soup from the pantry. Tommy was afraid and didn’t want to go in the pantry. “It’s dark in there and I’m afraid.” But she asked again, and he responded the same way. Finally she said, “It will be alright—Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it, saw the darkness and with fear he started to leave when he got an idea, and he said: “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?”

We all fear something: Flying, bugs, roller coasters, heights, you name it. We probably would not be human if we didn’t fear something. Today’s Gospel tells us about the disciples—fisherman, for heaven’s sake—petrified with fear when a storm raged at sea. Jesus, asleep on a cushion, is awakened and commands the winds and the sea to be quiet.

How many storms have we faced in our lives? How often have we felt our boat would be capsized? We, too, may have been petrified with fear until we realized that putting our faith in Jesus is the only thing that would calm the storm—not make it go away, not prevent another one from happening, but calm the storm—giving us exactly what we needed at the time. Faith in God always conquers fear.

Let’s discuss this as a family:

What is your biggest fear? 

Why do you fear that? (Everyone answer this)

What can we do as a family to help conquer that fear?

What role does your faith play in conquering that fear?

Today is also Father's Day - so a prayer for all dad's:

God Our Father,

We thank you for giving us Dad

and for the many ways he shows us your fatherly care.

On this special day we ask you to bless him

with your peace and joy.

Give him the strength and the understanding

that he needs to care for us as a family.

Help us to appreciate more all he does for us

and to show him how much we love him.

Amen

IT’S TIME FOR AN UPGRADE

Well, we’re back to “Ordinary Time.” 

Vestment colours have changed to green and the first Gospel we hear is Mark’s account of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed. We might find ourselves saying, “I’ve heard it before just like I’ve heard other stories in the Gospels over and over. What’s the point?” Good stories bear repeating. How often have we read the same bedtime story to our children or grandchildren? How often have we seen the Wizard of Oz? The Gospel stories, however, are not meant to entertain but to CHALLENGE us! 

So, we’ve heard the story before, we say. Does it mean the same as the last time we heard it? If so, perhaps we haven’t grown in our faith. Growing means moving forward. To move forward, just like the mustard seed needs water and sunshine and good soil, we need something for our faith to grow. Last Sunday we heard what that was—the Eucharist. But we also heard Eucharist is a way of life—not just something we receive on Sunday and forget about. If that’s the extent of our faith-life: coming to Mass on Sunday, listening to the readings, and going home, then just like the mustard seed would die, so would our faith. We have to change. We need to be UPGRADED. 

Think about the evolution of cellphones from the 5-pound monstrosity we saw in the 1980’s to today’s iPhone 6. Now that’s an UPGRADE! Every other week it seems we’re asked to download the latest upgrade—software designed to make it better.

Let’s focus on our faith like we focus on our phones. There’s a text message waiting for you: “It’s time for an UPGRADE. It’s time to UPGRADE our FAITH”

Let’s discuss this as a family: 

•Describe the last time or the incident where your faith was UPGRADED. 

•Did you keep the latest UPGRADE or did you revert back to an older version? Why? 

The Eucharist: A Way of Life

Today’s Gospel reading mentally takes us back a couple of months ago to Holy Thursday and the Last Supper. We’ve heard it before from each of the Gospel writers and our focus is on the institution of the Eucharist—the bread and wine becoming the Body and Blood of Christ. 

Eucharist is not something we do right before the priest dismisses us each Sunday. Eucharist is something we live. In Mark’s account today, the disciples ask Jesus, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” Today we would ask, “Where do you want us to go and celebrate Eucharist?” The meaning here is much deeper. We’re not talking about being “fed,” we’re talking about “feeding.” 

Eucharist stretches far beyond the Mass. Eucharist is how we interact with those that are hungry, homeless, naked, sick and imprisoned. Eucharist is the way we obey the two great commandments—love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. On this Feast of Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ), the message is this: Thank you, Jesus, for giving us your Body and Blood in the Eucharist. Now where do you want us to go and share it with others? 

Let’s discuss this as a family: 

1. What was one of your most favorite meal times together with your family? What made that meal together so special? 

2. What difference does the weekly celebration of Mass make in your life? 

3. What simple things do you do to “feed” others on a daily basis?