RELIGION IS ABOUT MERCY

 

One of the hardest lessons that human beings have to learn about God is that we do not control anything that God does. The mystery of God is above and beyond us. God is like the prairie wind: it blows where it wills; we never control it!

 

This is why the Gospel story for this Sunday, the woman taken in adultery (John 8,1-11) is such a challenge. Simply put, this is about mercy, not misery! We are more than just a little challenged by what Jesus actually did. Where there is rightfully to be judgement (i.e., punishment by death) he does mercy. I am sure the woman in the story could not believe her ears!

 

The enemies of Jesus were working a set-up. (Hopefully this opens the eyes of the overly-pious that think that Jesus had no enemies or people out to get him!)  They bring a woman caught in the very act of adultery. This was always a crime against the husband because it defaced his property, i.e,. the marriage! If Jesus approved the death by stoning he would have run into serious conflict with the Roman authorities,  who prohibited the Jews from executing anyone. If he gave permission, he would have discredited himself as a teacher of peace and mercy. The enemies thought they had a sure-fire trap for Jesus!

 

Jesus turns the whole event on his enemies. Go ahead! Let the one without sin cast the first stone! These men stood there, caught naked in their guilty plans. You can feel each one of them slinking away like a dog caught stealing food from a picnic table!

 

Jesus brings mercy to this woman who had failed. He did not ignore her failure but he brough the mercy, the healing and the freedom that only God’s mercy can bring.

 

Now, this is not a polite story for Christians to read in their Sunday liturgies. It is an event that each one of us must wrestle with: do I accept the mercy and goodness of God toward the sinner? How well am I able to live and practice the mercy and goodness lived by Jesus Christ. Where do I put into practice the command of mercy: “Neither do I condemn you. Go forth and sin no more!

 

How am I bringing mercy and compassion toward the nephew (age 34) who is struggling to keep drug free and sober? Our memories  of his life during the past ten years are not good. Is the spirit of God’s mercy active within me to support and nourish him in his recovery? Is there mercy here or just some rough evaluation of his past and miserable history? Can I be merciful toward this nephew?

 

Take this story of the woman taken in adultery. Work through it once again. How is the mercy of Jesus (i.e., the challenge) affecting your daily life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUT WE ARE SO FLAWED!

There is a insightful story told of the man who was looking for the perfect woman.

At last, he found her!

People asked him:  “Well, if you found the perfect woman, why didn’t you marry her?”

A long pause. “She was looking for the perfect man!”

 

All human beings are a combination of great strengths; but they can also be so flawed!

 

The wonderful story-teller can be the life of the party. People enjoy this person – but they can also be so boring because they focus all the attention on themselves and are poor listeners!

 

We have all be let down by people we thought we could count on. When we were in trouble and needing assistance, they were no where to be found! We know the world of broken promises.

 

It is very difficult to live with such flawed persons. But then, they will say the same thing about us. We may not be aware of our weaknesses and faults, but everyone else suffers through the flaws of our personality.

 

The observation has been made that if we honestly knew ourselves for who we really are, with all our strengths and weaknesses, we would all be humble. We may be quick to be offended when someone criticizes us, but if we felt the full impact of our criticism of the faults of others, we would certainly walk in humble shoes. 

 

This is how we come before God: we are loved, wanted and chosen – but oh how flawed!

 

Take a look at the women and men that Jesus choose to be part of God’s great work of salvation. Peter was boastful – but he denied knowing Jesus at a very crucial moment. The disciples were guilty of arguing about who was the most important (talk about an ego trip!).

And then there was Judas who sold him down the river for money! Could you find a group of human beings who were less flawed than the disciples?

 

And this is the great mystery of our redemption. God walks with us, chooses us, who are such flawed individuals. This is not the height of humanity – but it is the plodding of weak human beings who have so many weaknesses. 

 

If you turn to the fourth Gospel in the New Testament, the gospel fo John, and you hear the story of the woman taking in adultery. The Jewish law was correct: her punishment was to be stoned to death! 

 

What does Jesus do? He gets down, writes in the sand, “Whoever is without sin, you cast the first stone!”

 

And they all slinked away! They were caught in their own evil trap!

 

Today, spend some time reflecting on your own weaknesses, your own flaws. What are they teaching you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHERE OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH LEADS US.

 

When was the las time that you were looking for a particular address and had to stop a stranger on the street and ask for directions? 

 

Some of our new developments have streets, lanes, alleys and roads in the same corner. How do I find the right one? From time to time, we need a helpful person to point us in the correct direction. 

 

This season of Lent is a moment to see that all parts of our Christiaan faith lead in only one direction. Religion is not about doing the right things: i.e., ‘see what a good person I am by what I do!” Religion is not about feeling good and secure. Religion is not a power-trip to make us feel successful.

 

Simply put: the closer we draw toward God, the closer we will draw to our fellow human being. What was the name of the Russian writer who said: “that to love another human being is to see the face of God”?

 

Prayer should never be about manipulating and pressuring the divine to bend to our biding. Prayer is opening our own lives to the heartbeat of God. We want to be shaped, strengthened by the love and compassion of God. 

 

God is always a God who is self-giving. When we pray we share in the  outpouring  of the love of God. If we are sharing in the divine life; we will become self-giving as God is self-giving. 

 

Religion is life in friendship with the divine life and power.  Understand this beginning   from a very human level. Healthy human friendship influence, shape and challenge each other. A good friend always become a part of our own life and personality. 

 

Now, what happens when God becomes a part of your personality, your life and values?

 

A beautiful sign is the food donations that so many of our parishioners bring for the food bank. Grocery prices are very high for anyone on a fixed income. Every donation arises out of a nudge from God to bring your struggling fellow human being into your circle of concern. 

 

The respect that so many of our nursing personnel bring to the care of the elderly is remarkable. They could do they job of feeding, moving and cleaning up people with their dementia but they are patient, gentle and respectful with the feeble elderly. There is a touch of God right here in this wheel chair!

 

It is also remarkable how many Church people are involved in the Meals on Wheels program. They volunteer their time and friendship to bring meals to so many elderly shut-ins. Is this not another unspoken grace of God in action?

 

A lived religious faith does make a difference. Our Christian faith is never centered on the self, but rather sharing the out-pouring of God. And God is so magnificently generous; and so generous we become when we share the divine heart!

 

 

 

CANADIANS ARE A LITTLE MORE THAN UPSET!

Canadians are upset and angry. And they should be! We are experiencing much disrespect and putdowns from the present president of our neighbor to the South. We fear that tremendous suffering that could be unleashed upon our citizens and countless other peoples in the world with the threat of onerous tariffs. We are being treated \badly and we react!

 

One telling picture of this strong reaction was a brief interview that was done with a white-haired grandmother. This little woman looked into the TV camera, raised her clenched fists and proudly said: “And we are angry!”

 

Today, take the practice within our Christian faith and pray for our country. Pray that the blessing of being Canada are shared, protected and valued with all the people who comprised this country. 

 

Be thankful to God (and all the other citizens) for all the Canadians who are concerned about the plight of the homeless in our cities. Sometimes these concerned Canadians are strong and loud about the actions our governments should undertake for the  homeless. But these concerned citizens are not ignoring the plight of the homeless and treating them as people of no worth. In some of the angry words that you hear from these concerned citizens, hear the honest compassion and sense of justice they are seeking toward the people who live literally on the edges of our society.

 

Give gratitude to God and to all your fellow citizens for the harmonious ways that Canadians can live with people who are different from themselves. The people in the high Artic, in Tuktoyatok for example are different from the people in St. Anthony’s, Newfoundland (the northernmost community). And these people are different from the people who live on Vancouver Island. So many different ways of living and yet we all get along. We can live and function with so much diversity. Socially, we make many compromises. Is this not a great strength?

 

We jealously guard our national health care system. We pay high taxes but we want to have a country where no one is excluded from health care because they cannot pay for it. The health care system is far from perfect, but it is a strong indicator of the values we hold and want to put into practice for everyone,; especially for those without power and money. 

 

Examine the ways that we have been able to accept and integrate refugees and newcomers into our society. We do not give sufficient recognition to the service our schools give to educating our children into the Canadian society. We must also recognize the strong education that our children are receiving to accept and live in harmony with people who are different: children who have limitations, speak a different first language and eat different foods. Express your gratitude at how Canadians who can integrate so many differences and live without friction.

 

Like any family, our country is not perfect. We all have our uncle Fred’s who are difficult to get along with, but when it comes down to the wire, Canada is worth fighting for!

We should be upset from the abuse from are taking from the South. Elbows up!

 

May your prayer life always embrace and protect our country and our national sovereignty.

 

 

 

WHY LENT HAS SUCH HOLDNG POWER?

 

What do you do with an unexpected gift? 

 

One of your co-workers whom you find difficult to work with, hears that you have hit a patch of black ice on the highway and you are in the ditch. He jumps in his truck and goes out to rescue you. How does it make you feel? 

 

Life does have such unexpected moments of giftedness. Often you will discover something that you have grown up with to flower forth in giftedness and meaning. Lent will prove to be such a gift to your spiritual life.

 

In the Bible people felt the need to disassociate themselves from the pressure of life and they moved out into a space where they could seek God. They put themselves into a framework where they could focus on the things of God and work toward responding to whatever God was asking of them. This was the foundation of the forty days of Lent. It is a time of spiritual hunger, of seeking and of risk-taking. This spiritual journey could also end up in failure!

 

Through the centuries our ancestors in the faith have entered into this spiritual seeking for the movements of God. People feel within themselves the need to work harder at their spiritual life. They want the ‘more of God.’ 

 

As we begin Lent on March 5, Ash Wednesday, move your foot forward in a spiritual seeking. Move out of the comfort of your present religious practice and work to be alert to the movements of the Holy Spirit in your own life and the life of your church.

 

During these forty days of Lent, we are offered each day a stimulating part of the Scriptures. We are  called to meditate, pray over and wrestle with the Word of God. Each day we can take the Scripture readings for that particular day and bring it into our lives. The Word of God may be very challenging, or it may give us a new insight, a new direction to follow in our lives. 

 

This is a season of fasting. But fasting always means different things for different folks. Maybe your fasting is to put your phone down and be attentive to the concerns and hurts of other people. Maybe your fasting is to turn away from your phone and turn toward the poor and the suffering.

 

Lent is always a time for charity. Maybe this is the time to help with the volunteers of your city who prepare food for the homeless. Making sandwiches for the hungry is one of the wonderful works of Lent.

 

Lent always looks forward to the great celebration of Easter. We are seeking a stronger conversion to the life and the works of Jesus Christ. May the risen Lord happen in us!

 

May you discover that Lent 2025 is a dynamic gift to your life!

 

 

 

 

 

HOW LONELY WILL YOUR GRANDCHILDREN BE?

In my years of growing up I never heard my grandparents say that they were lonely. During most of my adult life I did not hear any serious discussion about loneliness. But in the past ten years we have heard serious medical reports that ‘loneliness is as determinantal to your health as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day.” There has been no scientific or medical position that rejects that observation. 

 

Can loneliness be that serious a threat to our healtl?

 

Loneliness is not accidental. We humans can enter lifestyles that lead us into an existence where we do not feel that we are wanted. We can become so isolated that no one picks up their phone to ask how we are.  We may go to work five days a week but who breaks into smiles when we come back to work in the morning or asks us out for coffee on a statutory holiday? 

 

One executive who worked for one of our large banking corporations spelt it out this way. “It like this. You count like this. Stick your finger in a pail of water. Pull your finger out of the water. The water will never remember that you were even there!” You count for so little!

 

How can our grandchildren prepare themselves to enter into a lonely adult life? 

 

Be strongly individualistic. You are on your own and you have got to make it through life on your own strength and your own wits. Move where the job promotion and salaries are most beneficial to your future. This is all about your survival and you must thrive on your own.

 

Do not belong to any volunteer or service organizations. There are almost no one of these groups functioning and the ones that still exist are all composed of grey hairs.

 

Only support those groups, such as unions and career related organizations  that will benefit you personally. Work with these groups only as long as they serve your future career prospects.

 

Wherever your house is located do not make an effort to know or connect with your neighbors. We can all look after ourselves; do not allow your neighbors to cause you any stress.

 

Remember in an individualistic society it is all about your well-being. Try to avoid any sense of responsibility for your fellow human man. 

 

Things will only change when people feel the pain of loneliness and isolation. Our grandchildren will need to rediscover how essential it is to care about our fellow human being and be connected. We will only thrive if we are responsible for each other.

 

Here is where the Church needs to rediscover that it is meant to be a community, a faith family where people feel they belong and are wanted. We must reach out to help people rediscover what it means to belong. We need to rediscover what it means that we are meant to belong to the much greater reality, our God!

 

 

 

 

WHO SETS THE TONE?

 

 

When you consider any working group of humans, you can look at them at how well they produce? Do they accomplishe their work? Are they efficient?  Are they inclusive to having new Canadians, different ethnic groups and woman working in their structures? 

 

But we also need to look at the ‘tone’ that the leadership sets for the group and the way that the social/working group will permit the leader to influence them.

 

One insightful leader spelt it out clearly: “I cannot define tone in words but I certainly can feel it when I begin to work with these people.” You will recognize the tone by living it.

 

The best place to begin with tone is your family of origin. Most probably it was your Mother who set the tone how the family would function. This was not a policy paper that she sat down and developed. She just did it! The family functioned and moved along, and she adjusted to each child --- and you changed along with her!

 

You probably could not have put it into words when you were growing up. You just did it and got along well with everyone. But when push came to shove, your Moher set the tone! 

 

Take a few moments. Look around at the tone that exists in your workplace? With the parents and organizers of your child’s hockey team? your in-laws? Your small group of close friends? Your parish church?

 

Leaders do make a difference. The real leaders (who may not be the person out in front) set the tone.

 

This is why the leadership of Pope Francis is significant. Did he change anything? Are there new rules to follow under his leadership? We are having to work to gather up any definite change in church practice and teaching that he implemented.

 

What he did change was the tone. He is moving the Church to become a Church for the poor. He is turning our gaze toward the poor and the forgotten of this world. Everything that the Pope does and says has symbolic meaning. It also carries political meaning.

 

His first visit was to the island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean. This tiny island is the first landing  place of countless poor people (i.e., undocumented) trying to move into Europe. These are people who are trying to build a better life for their children and find security from the turmoil and civil unrest that they have experienced in their countries of origin. 

 

The first people he went to engage with were the poor of this world. What kind of tone, what kind of response was Pope Francis seeking to create by visiting the migrants (i.e., the poor) of this modern history?

 

He teaches that he wants Christians to come to church with dirty shoes because they have been out on the streets caring for the poor. Can you think of a better image to express compassion and respect for our fellow human beings who so often disappear into the shadows? This is a Church that cares about the well-being of the people with little power and income.

 

The tone that Pope Francis is setting will bear fruit many generations hence. Being challenged to be a Church for the poor is  a  blessing.