Food for thought

"The main course at every real feast is the loving affection, laughter, and telling of stories with those we share the meal.  At any feast, the food, whether meager or magnificent, is only secondary."

Fr. Ed Hays, "A Book of Wonders"

 

As we make our grocery lists for next week's Thanksgiving feast, let us remember this wise truth from Fr. Ed Hays.  It is not the actual food on the table that makes the feast a celebration, it is the people around the table that give it its true "feast-ness."  Let us remember that "Where two or three are gathered, there am I in their midst." (Matthew 18:20) Which reminds us to be sure and invite Jesus to our feast!  And, finally, let us also remember those who may not have the means or people with which to celebrate this feast day.  Can we contribute to a community celebration? Donate to the food bank? Help St. Vincent de Paul? Can we gather people around our tables that may be alone? How can we make our celebration more about the people than the food? "Food" for thought, right?  Love, heidi

Save youselves! Oh, but you can't...

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

Luke 19:10

 

The Gospel today about Zacchaeus (didn't we have this not too long ago?) reminds us that Jesus chose to hang out with the people in the margins.  Jesus didn't hang out with the holy ones, but the people the holy ones had cast out--the sinners, tax collectors (like Zacchaeus), the marginal folks that the "good" people spurned.  Jesus says he came for the lost.  Aren't we all lost at some point or another? Don't we all go through times of confusion, despair, and frustration in our lives? Lucky us...Jesus came for us!  The sin of those who began to grumble that Jesus was dining with a tax collector, was not realizing their own "lost-ness." They thought they were doing it all correctly, therefore did not need a savior.  They mistakenly thought they could save themselves just by going through the motions of their religion.  People, like Zacchaeus, didn't feel as justified.  They were the ones who sought out Jesus to see what he had to offer.  Today, let's spend some time seeking Jesus to learn what he has for us.  We cannot justify ourselves, but Thanks-be-to-God, Jesus offers us his saving grace!  Love, heidi

$64,000 Question

"Jesus asked him, 'What do you want me to do for you?'"

Luke 18:41

 

The question Jesus asks the blind beggar in Jericho is a question I believe Jesus asks us every single day.  Each morning, as we begin our day, as we sit in prayer, Jesus asks us this question.  My answer has changed so much over the years that I really believe it is worthwhile to sit and journal with this question every six months or so, just to see where we are.  Many years ago my answer would have been something like, "Please take care of the kids..." A few years after that my answer may be something along the lines of, "Please help me have the resources I need to take care of myself."  More recently, as I grow on my spiritual journey, my answer is, "I want to be closer to you, Jesus! Please draw me closer!" The kids are fine, I have everything I need; now, all I want is Jesus.  Oh, don't get me wrong, there are times when my answer has more secular tones to it, but, blessedly, now, all I really want is to be closer to Jesus.  Let's take some time this week and sit with pen and paper and answer Jesus' question, "What do you want me to do for you?"  Love, heidi

The Kingdom of God starts now!

"For behold the Kingdom of God is among you."

Luke 17:21

 

Now? Here? With these people? This all seems puzzling to us, as it probably did to the disciples.  They were looking for a better life, out from under the Romans.  We are looking for a better next life, away from the suffering and sorrows that creep into even the finest lives here on earth.  So, Jesus, what gives with your statement--"The Kingdom of God is among you?"  In thinking about this, I realized that the Kingdom is not just our time spent in church.  It is not just our celebration times, when things are going well and we are doing well.  The Kingdom of God isn't even the times when our families are gathered and we think it just doesn't get any better.  The Kingdom of God is our work-a-day lives.  Hard to believe, the Kingdom is not just our time in church, but our time at the grocery store.  The Kingdom is not just our time with loved ones, but strangers and even those who may irritate us.  The Kingdom of God is our REAL time with REAL people.  Jesus showed us that when he dined with saints and sinners alike.  The Kingdom isn't something out there on another day. The Kingdom is today, in whatever we do today, whether it is in the classroom, on a bus, in an office, on a highway. We need to open our eyes to the Kingdom of God. It is on our calendar for Today!  Love, heidi

 

What to do, what to do?

"And when he saw them, he said, 'Go show yourselves to the priests.' As they were going they were healed."

Luke 17:14

 

One of the reflections I heard for this reading today, suggested we put ourselves in the place of these lepers.  Sitting, pondering this, there I was, hurrying to show myself to the priest.  Suddenly, I look down at my hands and notice they are healed of leprosy!  Whoa!  This is fabulous! What should I do? Well, the guy, Jesus, told me to go and show myself to the priest, so that is probably what I should do, isn't it? Maybe my staying healed is contingent on me complying with that.  Or should I go back and find Jesus again? Well, the priest will know what I should do so I will stay the course.  Now, I'm not defending the lepers here, at all, and I know the gist of this story is gratitude--a lesson I need to relearn daily.  But, after putting myself in the sandals of these lepers, I'm not going to point at them and say, "Wow, I sure would have done better than you guys! Didn't you know you should have returned to thank Jesus?"  Come to think of it, I'm going to try not to judge anyone harshly today...I could, so easily BE them.  Thanks be to God on this Hump Day! Love, heidi

Knowing Jesus

"Sheer scholarship alone cannot reveal to us the gospel of grace."

Brennan Manning, "Reflections for Ragamuffins"

 

I had the time to really study and ponder this yesterday and it was fascinating to me. Reading about Jesus doesn't mean we know Jesus.  I have read so much about Abraham Lincoln, but that doesn't mean I know Abraham Lincoln.  (I have high hopes for that in heaven, but that is another Heidi-Gram!) We can read and reread the New Testament cover to cover but that doesn't give us the experience of knowing Jesus.  And we need to know Jesus. How do we experience Jesus?  Fortunately, unlike Lincoln, Jesus can enter into our lives and make himself available for us to experience him.  As I have grown on my spiritual journey, I can see that happen more and more.  I seem to experience Jesus in many different situations; alone, most certainly, but also while gathered with friends, in the midst of nature, celebrating the Eucharist in community, snuggled under the covers in bed. To know Jesus and experience Jesus is to love Jesus.  We can read all about him, but we need to have the experience of Jesus as companion and friend, not just a character in a book...although it IS an excellent book!  Let's think about our relationship with Jesus as we go through our Tuesday-that-feels-like-Monday!  Love, heidi