How Do I Live?

“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.”

Ez. 18:31

In today’s gospel reading Jesus told his followers to listen and to obey whatever the Pharisees and Scribes teach, but do not follow their example because they do not practice what they teach and preach. They place heavy demands and burdens on the people but do not lend a helping hand. They may point out faults and mistakes but do not offer solutions. At the heart of this are pride and self righteousness. 

Why do we do things that we do? How is it that we choose to live our lives? What are our priorities, our values? Do we do or say things primarily to impress others or to come across as well versed and knowledgeable? I sometimes struggle with this. Worrying about what others may think of me and allowing that to rob me of my peace. It comes so naturally but I know my worth and value isn’t really rooted in that. Yet, I allow others and the affirmation of others control my life. God doesn’t care about those things. He also doesn’t care about our past. What matters most is what we decide to do right this minute.  Will we renounce our past sins and turn back to God or will we continue to allow the world to manipulate us and draw us deeper into its fleeting pleasures? Now is the moment.  How will we choose to live our lives?

You Called Me

In this past Sunday’s first reading we hear about Samuel’s call. Three times the LORD called out to Samuel, but he ran to Eli instead, thinking it was him calling. Three times the LORD called him, and each time Samuel responded with “Here I am. You called me.” We are told that “Samuel did not yet recognize the LORD, since the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him” (1 Sam. 3:7). How about us? Do we recognize the LORD? Do we hear the voice of the Lord or do we allow the voice of the world to lead us astray and away from His love and truth? Whose voice do I listen to?

When the Lord calls us, how do we respond? Even when the Lord had not revealed his word to Samuel, He called him. God does not call us because we have it all together or because we have all the answers or because we have the perfect skillset to pull of the “job” God might have for us. God calls us because He loves us. He calls us as we are with all our strengths and weaknesses. And He calls each one of us. God calls everyone. Do you believe that? God calls me. Just as I am, God calls me.

Samuel simply said “Here I am. You called me.” He didn’t say “Here Lord, I’m ready” or “Here I am Lord, I did all the prep work and I’m ready to go.” In fact, Samuel did not even recognize the Lord and he said “Here I am. You called me.” It’s not about our preparedness, readiness, or even worthiness. It is simply about saying, “Here I am,” being open to what the Lord has in store for us. If the Lord has called us —and He has — He will give to us all that we need, not all at the same time, but along the way. He will give us what we need at each and every moment. With each passing moment, as the Lord “reveals His word” to us, He will give us the graces that will allow us to not only receive those words but also to be transformed by them, bearing fruit that lasts. We must be open. Can you hear Him? God calls me and reveals His word to me. To me?

Will you allow the Lord to lead you and accompany you on this most amazing adventure, up the mountains and through the valleys, across the oceans and along the rivers, into the jungles and across the plains, all to a destination that is out of this world? The Lord seeks us to lead us not to a destination that leaves us unsatisfied but to a destination that is more than enough and that is forever — eternal life.

The Lord calls your name today. Can you hear Him?

Calling on the Lord

“Seek the LORD while

he may be found;

call him while he is near.”

Isaiah 55:6

Memorial of St. Francis Xavier, Priest

Thursday of the First Week of Advent

The Prophet Isaiah implores us to “seek the Lord while he made be found” and to “call him while he is near.” It is not enough to know that God is present among us or to know that He loves us. We must not only listen but we must act on it. If we know that the Lord loves us then we ought to go to Him and run to Him even. We must cling to Him because there will be times when we will be tempted to rely on ourselves and turn away from God. May we allow ourselves to always seek the Lord and call on Him at all times so that when we are downtrodden we will remember that we are not alone and may ask for the grace to call out to Him.

We are in the Season of Advent and Advent comes from the Latin meaning “coming towards.” But who is coming towards who? God is coming towards man. Jesus is coming towards us. But it doesn’t stop there. Because God has become man and Jesus has come towards us we may dare go towards Him. In fact Jesus came to show us and lead us to the Father. This Advent may we come to see that because the Lord has come to seek us and call us we may have the courage and confidence to seek Him and call out to Him.