30 ago 2011
Pequeño resumen de la JMJ 2011
Estas últimas semanas no hemos publicado nuestra reflexión semanal del Evangelio pues hemos estado completamente involucrados en la preparación y participación de la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud (JMJ) Madrid 2011.
El Papa Benedicto XVI confirmó que la próxima celebración de la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud será en el 2013 en Río de Janeiro.
Eduardo Paes, alcalde de la ciudad elegida, se encontraba entre los asistentes cuando se confirmó la noticia que no por esperada, dejó de ser menos emocionante para él y los miles de jóvenes brasileños que acudieron a la cita.
En declaraciones a la prensa local Paes dijo: “Es un evento de dimensiones mucho mayores de lo que se puede imaginar. La multitud que he visto hoy en la celebración de la misa y que ha tomado las calles de Madrid me emociona y me hace pensar en las proporciones que un encuentro como ese tendrá en nuestra ciudad”.
EL PAPA FRENTE A LOS OBSTÁCULOS
Una parte del millón y medio de peregrinos que asistieron a la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud no pudieron asistir a la gran fiesta final del sábado por la noche y el domingo en la mañana en Cuatro Vientos, en las afueras de Madrid.
Según fuentes oficiales del Vaticano, la fuerte tormenta que obligó al Papa a acortar su discurso, aunque “Benedicto XVI estaba decidido, incluso extremadamente decidido a quedarse en el lugar, al igual que los jóvenes. No tuvo la menor duda. Esta tormenta es una parábola de la vida cristiana, en la cual, los momentos de dificultad se superan con la tenacidad de la fe”, dijo el portavoz de la Santa Sede, Federico Lombardi.
Fue tal la cantidad de asistentes, bajo un fuerte sol de 40 grados, que muchos jóvenes invadieron también la avenida por donde debieron circular los vehículos de emergencia e incluso el Papamóvil para que muchos peregrinos vieran al distinguido visitante de cerca.
La tormenta dañó muchas carpas de la explanada acondicionadas como capillas y la policía ordenó clausurarlas por temor a derrumbes. Esta medida obligó a inutilizar las miles de hostias guardadas allí para la comunión del domingo. La Iglesia por su parte declaró que en este caso de fuerza mayor, la “comunión espiritual” es válida.
El tercer contratiempo, el más importante, es el de decenas de miles de peregrinos inscritos en las JMJ que llegaron a pie a Cuatro Vientos a última hora del día y no pudieron acceder al recinto después que los organizadores habían dejado entrar horas antes tanto a los inscritos como a los que no lo estaban.
Estos jóvenes fueron acomodados en un terreno adyacente que no disponía de pantalla gigante para seguir la ceremonia, y además recibieron el “picnic del peregrino” a altas horas de la noche.
Durante la tormenta, el mayor problema en el escenario gigante desde donde habló Benedicto XVI fue una enorme avería de los amplificadores de sonido. Los allegados al Papa preguntaron a éste en varias ocasiones si quería abandonar la vigilia y éste insistió en quedarse, según Lombardi.
14 ago 2011
REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel
20th Sunday A
Fr James McTavish FMVD
Intercessory Prayer.
In the gospel today we meet a remarkable woman. She was a Gentile, a non-Jew, who approached Jesus with a request. She calls out “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon" (See Matt 15: 21-28). In the Marcan version she falls at the feet of Jesus. She asks the Lord to have pity on her, not for her own sake, but for her daughter who is possessed by an evil spirit. What catches our attention is the apparent indifference of Jesus who did not say a word to her. How can this be seeing as Jesus is always presented as caring and compassionate? The disciples then try to send her away but she is so very persistent. Jesus tells her that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The woman responds by kneeling down in front of Jesus! Jesus then delivers what seems to be the killer blow – “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."
Once I had a little dog called Dougal. He was a West Highland terrier or what sis typically known as a “Scottie dog.” He had white fur and was very cute. My brother and I would feed him at the table. After we had eaten we would pass him the scraps but our parents told us not to feed him at the table. Once I did not want to eat my dinner so I passed some if it secretly to Dougal under the table. However he gave the game away when he started whining for more! Well anyway this image helps us understand the custom of feeding the children first before the dog! What Jesus is saying is that his priority is first to the Jews and not to the Gentiles. To call them dogs (actually the Greek word used, kunariois, means little dog or puppy) was a Jewish term of contempt, along with swine, for Gentiles. But the woman in a beautiful response turns the tables and says to Jesus “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." Wow, touché! Well done girl! And Jesus is impressed. He commends her not for a smart answer but for her faith. He said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour.
What can we learn from this episode? Well this woman is an example of prayer and perseverance. She does not give up! Jesus ignores her at first and it seems that at times the Lord does not answer our prayers. Well actually sometimes he does and the answer is “no”! We have to accept that. It depends on what we are asking. One missionary brother told us that he would bargain with the Lord when praying about his lottery win – he was asking the Lord to win 50 million pesos. He prayed hard for the winning numbers with the promise that he would give 10% of the winnings to the Church. He persevered and upped the stakes, “Ok Lord, 25% to the Church and the rest to me.” He finally settled for a 50:50 split. He did not win! God will only give us something if it will really benefit us. Anyway don’t wait for the lottery win to start to be generous!
It is like the friend who asked his mate if he would give him a Ferrari if he had two. His mate insisted of course he would. So the friend said if he had two houses would he give him one. His mate confirmed with certainty. “And what about if you had two cellphones?” His mate said “Wait a minute. I did not promise.” The friend was a little confused and asked “How come if you had two Ferraris you would give me one, if you had two houses you would give me one, but if you had two cell phones you would not give me one?” His mate responded “Well, I actually have got two cell phones.”
God will answer our prayers in his own way. He knows best and we have to humbly accept that. Persistence and perseverance are very necessary as Jesus reminded the people in other moments with the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18, 1-7) where Jesus declares “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?” What is touching in the gospel of today is that the woman is not asking for herself but for her daughter. It reminds us of the importance of intercessory prayer, when we come in front of the Lord just simply with our own needs but also with those of others. There is a saying attributed to St Augustine which says “Nothing will give us a more firm assurance of being eventually saved than to help as many people as we can to attain salvation.”
Once I was talking to a man who was really struggling to maintain the faith of his brother. His brother was living a dissolute life, far from the Lord, not seemingly interested in anything vaguely spiritual, or anything other than money! This is a situation faced by many wives too whose husbands do not go to Church and do not seem so immediately interested in spiritual things. When I was speaking to this man, the phrase of Pope Pius XII came to me - the salvation of many depends on the sacrifice and prayer of the few. Wow! This was the light the man needed. He looked at me, his eyes widened and he said “Repeat. I must write that down.” He took out a ball pen and a piece of paper and carefully noted it. I never bumped into him again but the Holy Spirit spoke to him that day. Let us have faith in the power of our prayer especially when we intercede for others. And in that line, don’t forget to pray for me and our mission as Verbum Dei to spread the Word of God.
I close with the life of St Maximilian Kolbe who the Church also remembers today. He gave his life for another in the concentration camp. He interceded for a stranger, a father with a family, and gave his own life instead. Maximilian Kolbe gave an incredible example of faith and courage and helps many Christians today to take steps forward in their faith amidst challenges and even persecutions. Let us pray for his intercession and ask that he inspire us to intercede for others also. Amen.
8 ago 2011
REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel
19th Sunday A
Fr James McTavish, FMVD
Begin well and end well
Have you ever started something, like putting an initiative into practice and halfway through losing courage? Last Sunday we had a youth activity with about 40 youth. Many of them were from poor backgrounds and were slightly shy to speak to me in English. I decided to celebrate the mass in tagalog as a way of being closer to them. When the mass started one teenager came to read the first reading in tagalog. However she instead started with the introduction and then began to recite the penitential rite. I had to go over and point out where to read from. The second reading was read by a boy who much preferred English and stumbled over the long tagalog words like the word for faith – pananampalataya. “oh dear,” I thought “things are not going too well!” When it came to the homily I was wondering whether to give it in taglish (tagalog and English) or just plain English. I remembered my previous option to try to reach out to the youth and decided to go for taglish. It worked out just fine. It is easy sometimes to lose courage on the way.
Something similar happened to Peter in the gospel today (See Matthew 14:22-33). With the other disciples, he was caught up in a storm. Jesus came walking towards them on the water. By the way I remember reading a report on National Geographic a few years ago that Jesus did not actually walk on water but instead made use of freak weather conditions to perform his stunt. Give me a break! Do we honestly think that the other disciples would not have worked it out if it was just some natural phenomenon? They were fishermen. Just tell me this, who would know the sea and all its nuances better? A fisherman or a carpenter? The answer is so obvious that I felt sorry for National geographic for being so obtuse and naive in making that suggestion. Come on! Anyway sorry for that ranting but it was important for me to get it off my chest.
Ok, back to Peter and seeing Jesus walking on the water. The disciples were terrified and started to scream that they had seen a ghost (phantasma in Greek). Peter then does a crazy thing. He says to Jesus “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." How spontaneous is Peter. Jesus tells him to come and Peter begins to walk on water. Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" It happens to all of us. We can start off in God but lose sight of him or lose faith on the way. Once St Paul reproached the Galatians in a similar vein “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3).
It is very helpful for us every so often to stop and have a time out. As Socrates reminded us “an unexamined life is not worth living.” To reflect on the steps that we have taken. To see where we are and take stock in a way. In this way when challenges come we can be more clear of which direction we are going in. A fortnight ago we went to celebrate a mass in a school and felt it was an ideal moment to meet new people. After the mass there was a program and it seemed a challenge to carry out our initial goal. I gathered the missionaries together again and we reminded ourselves of the aim of our visit and encouraged each other to go for it. Within 5 minutes we were all sharing with different people and I must say I enjoyed so much the people I met that afternoon. In actual fact a week later I caught up with some of them again. What can I learn from that experience? That entering into situations it can be helpful to live with intentionality as opposed to just doing what I always might do, called ‘habituation.’ Then reviewing the progress and seeing what needs to be done to correct it. Perhaps many are used to doing this in their business or professional life but often do not put it into practice in their personal lives.
The Lord is always ready to help us when we call out to him. In Romans 10,13 we find “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Peter calls out to the Lord for help. What happened? Well he started off well and was even managing to walk on the water but on the way he noticed the strong wind. He lost sight of those words of Jesus – “Come!” He started to drown and cried out "Lord, save me!" How did Jesus respond? By saying “I will let you drown a bit more so you will learn the hard way”? No! Matthew the evangelist records that “immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him.” Thank you Jesus because you are so close to us and so willing to help us when we fall or are sinking in our sea of doubts and lack of faith. Imagine that strong hand of Jesus hauling him out of the foaming sea. It is very comforting and reassuring to know that we have a God who understands our humanity and our weaknesses.
Why did Peter sink? Jesus tells him "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" We need faith to do what Jesus asks us. How is my faith Lord? Even George Michael recognized that “you gotta have faith!” Faith in what Jesus is telling me. Lord, where are you inviting me to walk on water? Where are you inviting me perhaps into situations that I find daunting or challenging, where I do not control everything as the ‘ocean’ or situation is too powerful. How to recognize where God is inviting us? Well the first reading is helpful. God speaks to Elijah, not in the strong and heavy wind, nor in the earthquake or fire. Instead God spoke to him in a tiny whispering sound. The tiny whispering voice of a well formed conscience, the tiny whispering of God in his Word, in the experience of the sacraments, in the life situations, in the advice of others.
Let us open our hearts and ask for the grace of perseverance. To begin well, to continue well and to end well. Lord help us keep our eyes fixed on you in the storms of life. May we not lose our courage or faith and always remember that you are close to us, ready to grab our hand and save us when we start to sink. Amen.
2 ago 2011
18th Sunday A
Fr James McTavish, FMVD
Show the food to bring out the hunger!
There exists a very common gastronomic experience among people of all races and nations. I have not done a detailed anthropological or cultural study on this but I have seen it repeated in various cultures in different nations. To what do I refer? Going to a house and discovering that they are serving food. At first one might say that they do not feel hungry or even insist that they are not hungry at all. What happens? When you see the food, its colours, its shape, the smell...you lick your lips, the stomach juices start to swirl, the pupils widen...in a word you experience hunger! In the end you eat more than the others at the table. Apply this very human experience to the spiritual realm. A person or most people today are not immediately or apparently in need of anything spiritual. They are doing just fine. They do not go to Church perhaps and even may never make much effort to pray. What is the verdict? That they are not hungry for spiritual nourishment? That would be a premature conclusion without bringing out the food. You need to show the food to bring out the hunger!
This week I celebrated a mass for 150 parents of a school, where the pupils are aged 2-5 years old. I was told beforehand that many of the parents do not seem so interested in spiritual things. I gave the homily and with the help of the Holy Spirit, delivered an animated sermon, full of personal experiences and the Word of God. Afterwards what a response. Some people told me that normally they do not listen much to the homily, another lady told me it was the best homily she had ever heard and other couples were asking where they could hear more. Why am I telling you this? As publicity for my forthcoming book of homilies? Yes. Just kidding although it is true I am looking into the possibility to publish a book of my preaching and some parents there even pre-booked a copy! Actually I am telling you this to show that when you produce the spiritual food the person discovers their deep down hunger for God, their deep seated need for what is spiritual. You need to show the food to bring out the spiritual hunger.
Isaiah talks of this hunger in the first reading “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life” (Isaiah 55:1-3). The prophet Amos also talks of this – “Yes, days are coming, says the Lord GOD, when I will send famine upon the land: Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the LORD. 12 Then shall they wander from sea to sea and rove from the north to the east In search of the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. 13 On that day, fair virgins and young men shall faint from thirst” (Amos 8:11-13).
Dramatic stuff! We can easily pass over this and think it is too much, a little exaggerated. Have you seen a youth passing out from hunger? Last week I was talking to a youth who was addicted to computer games. He was so hungry that he was eating them or playing them for 18 hours a day. He was fainting in his studies and the only “friends” he had were virtual ones. How many youth are trying to satiate their hunger and thirst in pornography, alcohol, drugs, promiscuity both heterosexual and homosexual. Can we not see how hungry this world is or are we just blind?
It is not just to talk about Jesus but it is to give him. Jesus said “I am the living bread.” It is to give the living bread to this world and to discover that modern man is more hungry than ever for this. This weekend in Manila we are having a retreat for teenagers. More than 40 have signed up. One of them, aged 15, was very keen to attend. Not because his parents forced him but because he wanted to go. I asked him why. He was very honest – “I need a break. So many studies but I need to know the why of it all.” Well done young man! Actually the theme is “Young one get up!” which is what Jesus told the lifeless young man.
In the gospel today there is a big hungry crowd and the disciples want to send them away. But our Lord is very clear - Lord is very clear – “You yourselves give them something to eat!” (See Matthew 14, 13-21). It is easy to think or hope that others will do it. This is called omission. Often a great sin is the sin of omission. I always relate omission to o-mission or zero mission or no mission. Anyone who knows the right thing to do and does not do it commits sin said St James (James 4, 17). How great when the Holy Spirit is the one moving you, prompting you to reach out to others. I experienced that this week on the feast of ST James. One nun texted me to tell me that she needed to speak to me, in a crisis. I had a busy day, but I told her to come in the afternoon. She texted me back “too urgent Father, I am in crisis. I will come at lunch.” I was very concerned. She arrived and I said we could talk in the chapel. “No need,” she replied looking very happy. “I am not in a crisis. I just said that to make sure you would see me. You see I made a dessert for you and the community. Happy Feast day!” When I recovered from my surprise I started to laugh. She really got me! The dessert, a mango float was delicious. The other missionaries said that they would pray she would have another “crisis” soon!
This Sunday I will celebrate the mass in tagalong in a poor neighbourhood. I will close now because I want to prepare a wonderful dish for the people, a sumptuous fare that will nourish them – my homily in Tagalog. I hope it tastes as good as the mango float! Let us pray for the grace this day to be able to offer Jesus to others. Show them his face, reveal to them his love, give them the living bread of the Word of God and see how hungry the people will become. Amen.
31 jul 2011
REFLEXION Evangelio
“Dadles vosotros de comer”
P. Luis J. Tamayo
Jesús se marchó a un sitio tranquilo y apartado. Al saberlo la gente, lo siguió por tierra desde los pueblos. Al desembarcar, vio Jesús el gentío, le dio lástima y curó a los enfermos. Como se hizo tarde, se acercaron los discípulos a decirle: «Estamos en despoblado y es muy tarde, despide a la multitud para que vayan a las aldeas y se compren de comer.»
La Palabra dice que Jesús sintió lastima al ver a la multitud, pero también vemos que los discípulos también estaban preocupados por la multitud: “…es muy tarde, despide a la multitud para que vayan a las aldeas y se compren de comer…”; pero jamás se les había pasado por la cabeza que ellos mismos pudieran hacer algo más por esas personas. A nosotros nos pasa lo mismo. Pensamos que nada podemos hacer, en nuestra cabeza está que eso es tarea de los curas… o recomendamos a un psicólogo, leemos horóscopos buscando la fortuna, etc.
Antes de ayer una persona de la parroquia me pidió si tenía tiempo para hablar con una chica. Decía que estaba muy desanimada, 30 años, estaba en el paro, sus amigos se iban casando y ya no llamaban, se encontraba sola, etc. Quedamos en una terraza del barrio a tomar una cocacola. Hablando, abriendo ventanas, mostrando posibilidades… Ayer mañana recibí un email de la chica de la parroquia diciendo que salió aliviada y mucho más animada.
La enfermedad de nuestra sociedad es el individualismo. Vivimos en una sociedad individualista. No tenemos tiempo para los demás, no queremos comprometernos pues solo miramos por nuestros intereses, no queremos complicarnos. Pero en el fondo no nos damos cuenta que con esa mentalidad nos vamos cerrando el circulo y nos asfixiamos, puesto que estamos hechos para los demás, somos seres sociales.
Tenemos sed de los demás, de servir, de amar, de ayudar… la primera lectura nos lo dice (Isaías 55, 1-3): “Oid, sedientos todos…” “¿Por qué gastáis dinero en lo que no alimenta, y el salario en lo que no da hartura?” ¿Por qué inviertes tiempo en aquello que no te llena? ¿por qué tanto mirar solo lo tuyo y al final no sales satisfecho? Cuantas veces uno gasta tanto tiempo en el televisor… y que poco tiempo en el servicio a los demás, en el compromiso con tu comunidad parroquial.
Pero hay una solución: Leemos en la carta a los Romanos (8. 35. 37-39): Solo el amor de Dios cura, sana, ensancha el horizonte, te hace salir de ti mismo… el amor que pasa por el compromiso y el amor al otro… el amor que se traduce en servicio, disponibilidad, actos generosos, participación y comunidad… una clase de amor que no es sensiblería, que cuesta, pero que es el que más satisfacción da.
Seamos sinceros: La gente deja de creer en la Iglesia no sólo por que el cura pueda ser un rollo, sino por que los cristianos de a pie no dan testimonio de preocupación por los demás, de compromiso, de ofrecerse desinteresadamente al otro... Sólo mirar cómo funcionan las sectas… Tienen muy trabajado el Network, el fellowship, grupos de acción y apostolado.
Estos días atrás que estuve visitando varias Parroquia en USA me impresionó ver algunas comunidades muy vivas con voluntarios para todo… en la acogida, ministros de la eucaristía, los que visitan a enfermos, aquellos que ofrecen oraciones por las necesidades de otros, os que organizan la exposición del santísimo, etc.
Todo hay que decirlo, en nuestra comunidad parroquial, preparando la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud (encuentro de los jóvenes con el Papa: http://www.madrid11.com/es) soy testigo de personas que se han ofrecido con una maravillosa generosidad para ayudar en lo que sea, ofreciendo su casa, su tiempo, su ayuda, su disponibilidad, etc. El Evangelio de hoy se está cumpliendo en estos días entre nosotros:
“Jesús les replicó: «No hace falta que se vayan, dadles vosotros de comer.» Ellos le replicaron: «Si aquí no tenemos más que cinco panes y dos peces.» El les dijo: «Traédmelos.» Mandó a la gente que se recostara en la hierba y, tomando los cinco panes y los dos peces, alzó la mirada al cielo, pronunció la bendición, partió los panes y se los dio a los discípulos; los discípulos se los dieron a la gente. Comieron todos hasta quedar satisfechos.
24 jul 2011
23 jul 2011
up side down / dale la vuelta
Overcast from Cartoon Brew on Vimeo.
Sometimes negative things may turn out a good thing... Dont fight, but accept!
A veces cosas negativas pueden volverse a favor nuestro... No luches, sino acepta!
REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel
17th Sunday A
Fr James McTavish, FMVD
Searching for treasure!
Recently the BBC news reported a spectacular find of treasure. What was discovered was an intact Roman bronze helmet, one of only three ever unearthed like it. It would have been used as a ceremonial mask in the circus and games. The famous auction house Christie’s sold it for 2.3 million pounds! It really was a rare find. Sometimes in the UK you her stories of treasure hunters making spectacular finds with their metal detectors. Beep, beep, beep...BEEEEEEPPPPPPPP! Bingo! The metal detector helps them find the treasure.
In some ways our hearts have a capacity to detect treasure. They can easily latch on to things that will bring enjoyment. We can fall in love with Scrabble, chess, skydiving, knitting, origami and a host of other pastimes. The heart can fall in love with objects of all shapes and sizes! Thankfully our hearts can be guided by reason too. This week I have met businessmen in love with pistol shooting and longing to buy a $5,000 dollar target pistol, a businesswoman in love with Korean soap operas and a college student in love with computer games (18 hours a day!) Sometimes our hearts are not too picky and need to be educated.
In the first reading today we hear of the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 3, 5. 7-12). I first heard of the “wisdom of Solomon” from my dad. One day I was fighting with my twin brother over the chocolate cake and who would cut the biggest piece. The solution of my father? One could cut, but the other would choose. Perhaps that is where I first started to learn how to cut with surgical precision! I knew that if I did not cut the cake exactly in half my twin would choose the bigger piece and I would lose out. It was then my father said “See, your dad has been given the wisdom of Solomon!” What was the real reason for the wisdom of Solomon? God speaks to King Solomon and tells him to ask for whatever he wants. Solomon, being wise, does not ask for a target pistol, a new computer game or a DVD of Korean soap operas. Instead he prayed “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” God was very pleased with this and gave a heart so wise and understanding like none ever before.
What can guide our hearts to make good choices? Sometimes they need guidance. How lucky we are to have the gospel and the Word of God, to be a light for our path and a lamp for our feet (and intellect!). The Word lights up and shows us the way. It purifies our intentions and we are indeed “made clean by the Word” (John 15, 3). Pope Paul VI reminded us that the Gospel must affect and upset “mankind's criteria of judgment, determining values, points of interest, lines of thought, sources of inspiration and models of life, which are in contrast with the Word of God and the plan of salvation”(Evangelii nuntiandi, #19). That is why the psalmist today pronounces “the Law of your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces…I love your commands…wonderful are your decrees…the revelation of your word sheds light giving understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119). We are so lucky to have the gift of the Gospel and the Word of God!!! It is like a metal detector which can point us towards the real treasure. But we have to listen to it and put it into practice.
Sometimes we struggle to know exactly where the Lord is leading us and sometimes he leads us by ways unknown. If it good to experiment sometimes. Our hearts are generally well made – “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139) and where your heart is your treasure will be. Our hearts have been made restless until they rest in God so if we follow their GENUINE signals it should lead us to God. If we are honest it is not easy to trick our hearts. They have been well made but of course we should discern well. After that don’t procrastinate too long but to try to put into practice what we know. St Paul reassures us in the second reading that God works in all things for the good of those who love him (See Romans 8, 28-30). Sometimes when you look back on an experience you can really see God’s hand working there. At the time maybe it was not clear but later you see it. Sometimes even in a difficult experience you later come to realize the work of God. It reminds me of how a pearl is formed. A beautiful pearl is formed when the oyster gets a bit of sand under its skin. The sand causes great irritation when it cannot be expelled and so the oyster reacts. Layers are formed over it under a beautiful pearl is formed! Sometimes we have irritations and we want to get rid of them immediately. Maybe a task or even a person can irrigate and get under our skin. But hold your horses! Maybe God is making a beautiful pearl out of it because He works for our good in all things.
In the gospel Jesus compares the Kingdom of heaven to a merchant finding a fine pearl and a man finding treasure (Matthew 13, 44-52). What moved them to search? Certainly one huge motor is prayer itself. Listening to the Word of God gives an incredible dynamism to a person. Otherwise the tendency is to stagnate or to have a following that is static. But as Christians, Jesus says “Follow me” and he is moving. We need to have as our theme song “I like to move it, move it! I like to move it, move it!” When the man finds the treasure out of joy he goes and sells all. When one really discovers the treasure things like target pistols, Korean soap operas and computer games lose their taste although a bit of chocolate cake is still fine! Am I following Jesus and making options for him out of joy or because “I have to”! How wonderful, praying with the Word of God, being guided towards the treasure and enjoying the quest and discovery more and more. It puts you in a real dynamism to keep running the race.
Let us be wise like Solomon and ask for a wise heart, one that is capable to recognize the real treasure. Remember that all that glitters is not gold but if we listen in sincerity and truth our hearts, which are well made, our genuine desires can lead us towards the love of God and guide us towards Jesus, the true treasure of our hearts. Amen.
16 jul 2011
16th Sunday A
Fr James McTavish FMVD
The Wheat and the Weeds
After the parable of the sower this week we have a related parable – the wheat and the weeds. "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn"'" (See Matthew 13:24-30). The young weed has a similar appearance to the wheat. One danger in pulling out the weed is that you might actually pull out the wheat instead. In this simple parable are many applications
Don’t be too quick to judge
When presented by the proposal of another, don’t be too quick to condemn or think negatively of it. We should not judge so quickly. Sometimes we are quite harsh especially in judging ourselves. It is quite easy to judge yourself very fast without first listening to all the evidence from the defence. Instead we pronounce ourselves “Guilty!” without a proper trial. Often here in the Philippines the judicial process is infamous for being so long at times. So how come we are so quick to judge ourselves and thus others too. The value of respect is important especially self-respect. The root of this term means to relook at yourself again. When we see what appear to be weeds go back and look again. We may discover that in fact it is a young wheat which if given care and attention can produce a rich harvest.
Discern well
It reminds us of the importance to discern well. They were three men in front of the firing squad. A Filipino, a British and ...an American. They had one last request. The Filipino, a man of discernment told the others not to worry but instead in the last moment to shout out the name of a natural disaster. This would distract the firing squad and in that moment to run away. He led by example and in the last request shouted “tsunami!” The firing squad wondered where, turned around to look behind them and the Filipino ran off. The British in the crucial moment shouted “Earthquake!” and managed to escape to safety in the ensuing melee. The American, a man little accustomed to discern was asked for his last word in this cruel life. He shouted out the first natural disaster that came to him “Fire!”
To be aware of our weak points
In modern psychology the terms consistency and inconsistency are used to describe the coherence and integrity of a person. Consistency is when all the parts are generally working together for the function of the whole and inconsistency will be when for example I have a goal (to pass an exam) but I do not put the means in place (I am lazy in my studies). In some ways we all have areas of inconsistency and we have to try to minimize their deleterious effects. If we say we will do something or pursue it then by all means we should attempt to fulfil that good resolution. What things are still outstanding in your life? What resolution do you still need to put into practice? Seeing as we all struggle in these areas we can be grateful that God has provided us with a Helper, the Holy Spirit. St Paul reassures us that “the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness” (See Romans 8: 26-27). Yesterday I was talking to a man who feels unsettled in their work and is not sure why. They felt more peace to know that it can also be a manifestation of the Spirit, who expresses in “inexpressible groaning” our desires to God.
If weed if obvious get rid of it
Whilst it is true that at times we have to take care to distinguish the wheat from the weeds it is also true that at times the weed is so obvious! At Easter I was in Australia visiting the family of some missionaries. They have a farm in the outback and were showing me around. In one moment, the dad, a farmer, slammed on the brakes of the pick up truck, jumped out and in one flash took a swipe at a big weed bush in the middle of his crop. Before I had even got out of the truck, he had uprooted the offending herb, thrown it into the back of the truck and was climbing back in again. Wow so agile! We need that same agility when we clearly recognize our sinfulness or wrongdoing. All our tendencies to sin such as selfishness, greed, lying, lust, jealousy, anger, impatience and the like are the weeds that need to be dealt with in our own lives.
God is patient with us
The first reading reveals the might of God and in fact mentions it three times! (Wis 12, 13. 16-19) “For your might is the source of justice; your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all. For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved; and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity. But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power, whenever you will, attends you.” God is the master of might but thankfully does not treat us as our transgressions deserve. As one commentator notes “What are we going to do with the weeds in our lives? Some must be pulled up, which means a lot of death to self as we learn to say “no” to the temptations in our lives. But some weaknesses cannot be pulled up even as we pray to have them taken away. We may pray to be patient, but situations arise and we find ourselves very impatient. God allows some weaknesses to remain. He knows what he is doing. If he removed all our weaknesses, we probably would not remember how much we need him” (See Anawim Community reflections). God is patient with us and this reveals his mighty love for us. But it is also true that he is just and the time for harvesting will eventually come.
Let us pray and work hard! To maximize the yield of wheat in our lives. To minimize the weeds and do all we can to remove them. How lucky we are that we don’t need to wait until harvest to remove those irksome weeds – we can go to the sacrament of reconciliation even now. Amen.