Tag Archives: teaching of jesus

How many Catholics started to build but didn’t finish? Sunday 23, Year C, September 08 2013

Be sure to read the Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33

The first thing to say about that piece is; it’s about us and God. But since God by his very nature is not interested in Himself (he doesn’t need to be) we can take it that it’s really about us, about our good.

Without hating my father, mother, wife … What could that mean?

Hating in this piece means second place, any place but not first place! So Jesus Christ gets first place, everybody and everything else comes second …

Jesus is saying; put me before parents, wife, husband, children … Why on earth would you do that?

Jesus Christ is suggesting He’s the true source of happiness. This is radical stuff, completely counter cultural.

What’s the goal of our culture? What’s our cultures vision for you, for the human being? Consume, so that you will be happy! That’s it, nothing more. It’s the biggest lie ever told on the face of the earth.

Jesus says; I’m your true goal.

By the way, anyone who thinks there is no basis in the teaching of Jesus for priestly celibacy needs to have a look at this!

The king going out to war is you and me, indeed particularly priests, going out against an enemy that’s far greater than us, the world and all its allure, (ultimately it’s a spiritual war) and very often we sue for peace, meaning we compromise, sometimes we give up altogether.

How many priests have gone that road? How many ordinary Catholics? How many started to build but couldn’t finish – it’s a tough environment! Don’t you get it? It’s war, spiritual warfare, like one King marching to war against another King!

Why practice religion? If you practice with your heart it’ll take you into the Divine Life. But so many never even start! Others get side-tracked along the way. Some object to others and leave …

Behind this radical call, this seemingly crazy task of putting Christ first there resides the most important truth often unknown to humankind; life in Christ (grace) is our true goal. He is our happiness, knowing Him, loving Him.

God alone can satisfy the human heart!

Twenty Second Sunday (C): Jesus insults the guests, then the host!

Luke 14:1,7-14

Twenty Second Sunday, Year C, September 01 2013

A leading Pharisee – a person of standing in the community, in society generally – hosts a meal, inviting family and friends and among the guests is Jesus.

So here’s the scene; a host, guests and God all rubbing shoulders!

And the guests are more interested in their personal standing, in themselves, than they are in God and Gods Kingdom. There’s nothing new there – even to this day!

Their religion is about themselves rather than God and neighbour. Or perhaps their religion has had little impact on them. Their religion hasn’t converted self – which usually means self has converted, indeed, corrupted religion! Which is what we’ve got today; no, yes?

They’re full of self rather than God and neighbour.

And if something, indeed, somebody is full then you can’t get anything more in. She or he will have to be emptied before God can enter.
Really Jesus is asking; are you so poor inwardly that you must compete outwardly for position at a table, for recognition, for honour, for contentment, for meaning?

It’s the classic Jesus question: Do we find ultimate meaning in the material or the spiritual? It’s an important question – especially in a time when the material has failed and so many have lost meaning.

And given their self centredness it’s not likely they had the humility to hear Jesus call to a much deeper love, a more radical service, to forget self and put God and neighbour first.

Without that humility it’s most likely they felt insulted by Jesus.

In the end it comes down to who is dominating us, deep within?

Is it self or is it God?

Inside; who is in charge?

You’ll be much happier when God rules inside!

Divorce, Politicians, Priests, Police, Bankers and Original Sin!

Divorce: The death of pledged love, a dark, dark place to be. Because the death of pledged love involves people so personally, so deeply, it is seldom looked at without blame, without trying to blame somebody.

At the very start of life the Church invites us to Baptism following the directive of Christ. There is something truly shocking in the Rite of Baptism for infants – a prayer of exorcism! Why?

Well, because from its earliest days the Church has taught that all human nature is fallen; wounded is the actual word used in the documents. It does not mean we’re corrupt but that the human nature we receive at conception is “weakened in its powers” and “inclined to sin.” This is the Catholic doctrine of Original Sin and I believe Vatican II quite rightly observed that “what revelation makes known to us is confirmed by our own experience.”

Again the words of Vatican II reflect human experience: “The whole of man’s history has been the story of dour combat with the powers of evil, stretching, so our Lord tells us, from the very dawn of history until the last day. Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God’s grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity.”

But Catholic teaching goes further believing that through Original Sin “the devil has acquired a certain domination over man, even though man remains free.” This is a radical statement suggesting that humankind cannot succeed without God.

It is therefore:

A wounded nature that marries …

A wounded nature that becomes a politician …

A wounded nature that becomes a priest …

A wounded nature that joins An Garda Siochana (Police) …

A wounded nature that becomes a banker!

And this wounded nature cannot and will not be fully overcome without Gods grace. Is it any wonder we’re in the state we’re in?

That’s what the Church teaches – take it or leave it – but never be surprised by corruption; without God we can’t win!