Foolish Obedience

Mark 7:1-8:  In this passage Jesus tells the disciples not to pay attention to the religious leaders when they complain of them not following the religious rituals of washing hands etc.   It is not simply in keeping the laws of an institution that sanctifies us. It is in keeping good laws that matters.  And good law, Jesus is clear,  is what matters, both love of God and love of neighbor plain for all to see. Served meal, will do outreach. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

Mark 6:53-56:  I can identify with Jesus–being used to the point of exhaustion. I am exhausted. People grabbing at me, expecting so much, demanding so much.  There is no resentment whatsoever, it is my calling, and I am resting, and will begin again tomorrow, but the past few days–so many people expecting so much, and I give all I can. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

“Compassion and Solitude”

“Compassion and Solitude”; Mark 6:30-34.  “He had compassion on the crowd because they were like sheep without a shepherd. .”Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.”   I have spent today moving a young man into a hotel, and doing outreach to sixty plus people.  They are like “sheep without a shepherd,” and for now I am their shepherd, but I get very, very tired, and so I will go away for a couple of days to let off my public face, to pray, and to be alone.  That is my life–it is  a very busy life,  a life given to others, a life that I have been called to, and one that I have chosen, and I find much joy in it. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!”

“My Rock”

February 5, 2010:   Ps. 18:30, 46, 49-50 “. . .blessed be my Rock and exalted be the God of my salvation.. .”The image of God as a rock is common in the Psalms;  God is strong, immovable, safe and secure.This is the God in whom I put my hope.  For God is the one sure thing in my life.  God is the rock that never changes, is always there.  A friend expressed concern today that I seemed to be a “loner”. The reality is I am surrounded by people, but I need a lot of time alone–I never feel alone, for God is with me,  and also the reality is that my work is people. Cooked and served meal. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!

“I Do My Best”

Mark 6:6-11: Dom Helder Camera, the Brazilian Bishop, told his catechists, who where speaking to illiterate people: “Sisters and brothers, watch how you live. Your lives may be the only gospel your listeners will ever read.”  I have spent the day sending out the newsletter, seeing 65 people on the street, spending four hours with four people–one in grief over the death of a friend, one psychotic, the other two just needing to talk. And now I end the day with the Eucharist. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!

“Jesus Coming Close”

Mark 6:1-3–Rather then let our doubts, our fears, our questions push God away from us–why not open our hearts to letting Jesus come close to us?  These past days since the death of my uncle I realize more and more I am never alone–Jesus is always with me–the older I get the more I realize he is all that I have.   These past days since the death of my uncle I realize more and more I am never alone–Jesus is always with me–the older I get the more I realize he is all that I have.  The other area I realize is that I am always open to where God is in my life–my views are not fixed, and that I am more open to his presence in her many aspects.  Mailed newsletter, going to Haight and outreach on Polk tonight. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!

“Called”

Lk.2:22-32: “The Presentation of the Jesus”  Everyone of us is called–empowered–both men and women–to preach the coming of Jesus to the world, in fact, everyone of us is obliged to make the God we know known to others–for God is what gives meaning, purpose, and brings peace.  Cooking meal, went and saw Avitar last night–a reminder of how we humans are destroying the earth for our own profits–caring so little about life. We need be aware of how precious nature is–for we are losing it. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!”

“The Lord Sustains Me”

Ps. 3:1-6:  “I awake again for the Lord sustains me.” For the Psalmist, the personal experience of God’s loving care is the reason to hope for the rescue from all the sufferings that beat down upon him.  For me as I grieve my uncle, as I look at my own aging, my own mortality  it is God who sustains me with the hope of the resurrection.  God is all I have, God is all we have. Sunday was my off day–watching TV and reading and bed at midnight, but how it is 4 a.m. and the fears come to me and is God who sustains me. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!”

“Not Listening”

Luke 4:21-30:  My constant prayer is “forgive Jesus, for the times I have not listened to people with unwelcome messages and instead have judged them by association by their families or hometown or trade or whatever.” This is a prayer I am praying alot these days.  I Corintians 13 calls us to love without expecting anything in return, that is true love. I do that well with people ont he streets, but sometimes I fail so miserably with others. May God forgive me. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!”

“Peace Be Still”

Mark 4:35-41: “Peace Be Still”–I am in deep grief over my uncle–people never acknowledge it when I mention it and always turn to their own needs,  and I  have spent the day working–mass, outreach–and the only voice that makes any sense to me is “Peace be still!”  In the howling of the winds of my grief, and fear the disturbring noises that they bring–Jesus says “Peace be still!”  That is all I hear. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!