Friday, October 01, 2004
Lectionary for Oct. 2: Feast of the Guardian Angels"
Ex. 23:20-23; Mt. 18:1-5, 10
our lectionary for saturday is for the feast of the guardian angels. we romanticize angels, make pretty pins, and basically put them aside. they are not a part of our theology for the most part. but the sciptures are full of angels. in our ot we read of the angel going ahead of the israelits, and then in matthew of the children;s angels in heaven.
19 year old stevo calls me "my guardian angel" because i am always around for him. when i think of angels of think of my namesake in my order, Damien of Molochai, who is present with me in my work, of my mother, dad, and all others close to me who have gone on. i believe we are called each to be a guardian angel to others. i believe that is what i do day in and day out. as i covered up a young man sleeping in a door way last night, or listened to another young man;s journey with a severe disease, to me that is being a guardian angel.
today my mind is on sr. cindy, a member of my religious order who died two days ago of lung cancer. her journey has been that of my kids, she was hiv +, a drug abuser. and she got her life together and dedicated it to God. she died at 47. one might think her life was short, but in her years she has been an angel to many in her witness to the grace of God, and tonight i feel her presence with me, her presence of one who knows what suffering is about, and who cares deeply for those who suffer, and we celebrate the hope of the resurrection for cindy tonight. she is my guardian angel tonight. deo gratis! thanks be to God! Amen.
*****************------------------------*****************
Luke 10:13-16 (will be doing current days gospel each day now for that day)
Tonight we fed close to a hundred people in hemlock alley. many have been on the streets for years and will die there, one might wonder what success we are having. one of the common questions asked me when i do presentations is : tell us a success story. my response is i see success in terms of being faithful to the Gospel and to relationships. that always throws people because they see success in terms of people have jobs, making money. our gospel speaks to success--if success for Jesus is measured in terms of response to his message, than he certainly failed here, but i believe that for Jesus success was simply being faithful, he was faithful to his call, come what may ultimately that is what matters. and for me the that is the ultimate to be faithful, day in, day out, in season and out of season.
i spent several hours listening at various times to two young men today. both struggle with drug use, and both talk constantly of getting off the street--they think in big ideas of success--ultimately all i can do is listen, and to simply hold the hope, as well as point out their own faithfulness in their lives in their own ways. and to me that is what the Gospel is telling us--not to measure success by response, but in terms of faithfulness. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!
*****************------------------------*****************
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
September: 27
Lk. 9:46-50: Stepho, 19, was at my door for food; face scabby, and bleeding, m, 20 speed psychosis was at my door for food-like children in the New Testament they are nobodies, no good to anyone else. but to welcome them is to welcome Jesus.
September 28 Lk. 9:51-56
In 10 years I have been refused acceptance, been talked about, not given donations, have people seek to destroy me--all because of my ministry. I have gone without food, phone, but always i h ave learned to be thankful for i always have what i need. so no matter what i am thankful.
September 29: Jn. 1:47-51, Revelaion 12-7-12
today i have been in a deep depression, very dark mood. my best intensions are always misunderstood and then there are the angels unawares who come like the email from a friend who had someone when seeing the temenos t shirt say "u know christian river sims"--so there are always those who accept me for me.
September 30: Lk. 10:1-12:
I find myself under fire and misunderstood, always some rumor, and i let it get to me,but then i am reminded by this scripture that to do ministry means to be exposed, to be vulnerable, and i am vulnerable in the way i relate to people. but it is in the suffering of that vulnerabkility, in the entering of that pain that i find i can inner into the lives of others more fully and to know my self, and more importantly to know God. we are sent out as sheep among wolves--for people for the most part are insensitive, selfish and uncaring. we are called to be the love of God and that means we place ourselves out there--and that means open to the crucifixion--and then we have resurrection. Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!
*****************------------------------*****************
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Am.6:1, 4-7; I Tim 6:11-16; Lk. 16:19-31
"Fight the good fight of faith and win everlasting life to which you were called when u made the good profession of faith in the presence of so many witnesses." I Tim 6:3 ff.
How often we let ourselves be bruised by institutions. i have a priest friend who is talking of giving up his ministry because of recent problems in his church. he has a full time job, and does ministry part time and has a very secure life. how often i have wanted to fold my tent, but the words of scripture are clear: Jesus requires us to persevere, not to be perfect, but to strive for perfection, to fight the good fight, to be faithful to the good profession of faith. And so for me there is no retirement, that is until God retires me, the call remains to fight the good fight in season and out of season.
i too am bruised, sad, and grieving over severing a relationship with the denoimination i have been with for four years, but ultimately we are not called baptists, methodists, catholics, we are called by Jesus, in his eyes those labels don't matter--what matters is that we have fought the good fight and run the race.
Deo Gratis! Thanks be to God!
*****************------------------------*****************
|
HOME
