The voice of love...

"If today you hear God's voice, harden not your hearts."

Psalm 95:8

 

As often as I have heard (and even sung) this Psalm, today was the first time I really considered this: it presumes we hear with our hearts.  Actually, we hear with our ears, but respond with our hearts.  So, eventually, our hearts need to be open and pliable to respond to God's voice, not hard and closed off. Just hearing the voice of God with our ears won't cut it, because God's voice always calls us to action. God's voice calls us to mercy and forgiveness, love and compassion, justice and peace.  God's voice calls us to serve others, not just considering our own interests or well-being.  God's voice is often very hard to hear because it makes us look beyond ourselves into the bigger universe.  God's voice points out to us that it is not about us.  And that may be a difficult song for us to hear.  So, if today you hear God's voice to love the difficult ones, to forgive the bitter hurt, to reach out to the one who is suffering, harden not your heart.  It's God's voice you are hearing and it is a voice of pure Love.  Love, heidi

The law of Love...

  "Jesus said to his disciples, 'Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets...'"

Matthew 5:17

 

As often as Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees to task for their misunderstanding  and misuse of the law, he understood that the laws of Moses were there to help people live together in peace.  I remember a homily likening the laws to the structures of a huge suspended bridge, that one was very grateful to see holding the bridge up!  They were necessary for people to live and work together, caring for each other and not mistreating one another.  Jesus knew that these commandments were necessary for the people and he sure didn't want to topple that underpinning structure.  But Jesus also knew the Spirit of the law and he was able to condense the commandments into two Great Commandments: loving God and loving each other..  Gracious God, you give us all the tools we need to live with each other peacefully.  And that is, simply, living the law of love.  Please help us to love better every single day!    Love, heidi

Another chance to bear fruit!

"Sir, leave it (the fig tree) for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.."

Luke 13:8-9

 

We had the Gospel of the non-productive fig tree on Saturday evening and, let me tell ya, it was a relief to me! The week had ended with me feeling quite inept in my job.  Not necessarily the mechanics of the job, but what I am learning is the real purpose of my job: to love others.  I had loved dismally. There, I said it.  There was the lady who called at 4:45 on Friday afternoon, needing me immediately.  I didn't love her well at all.  And the lady with less-than-perfect hygiene earlier in the week.  I couldn't even begin to love her.  It's a grace that I can recognize these failures in myself. But, an even greater grace is the fact that I will have another chance with both of them this week! Just like the fig tree, given another chance to produce by the gardener in this Gospel, God cultivated me over the weekend and now, with God's grace I can love better.  Thank you, Great Cultivator! Love, heidi

Nothing is too small...

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord."

Jeremiah 17:7

 

Sometimes the stuff we go through is just too big and difficult for us to bear.  We feel very small and powerless.  Things spin out of control. That seems to be when we turn to God, when, actually, we should probably turn to God long before then! God wants to be involved in our lives, in each seemingly insignificant little detail, not just when things run amok. In good times and in bad, in difficult times or in easy, God desires us.  Nothing we go through or deal with in our lives is too small for God to care. Let's think about that as we go about our Thursday! Love, heidi 

Who is it not about? Me!

"Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant..."

Matthew 20:26

 

I woke up in the night with a very powerful thought on my mind.  "It's not about you, Heidi, it's about others."  It was as clear as a bell and, as I snuggled in, back to sleep, I prayed I'd remember it.  As it happens, it fits in nicely with today's Gospel.  James and John (and their mom) ask Jesus if they can have positions of power in his Kingdom. It's about them, you see.  Jesus realizes what's ahead for them all and replies, "Well, it's not about you guys...it's about others."  That seems to be  message for me this Lent and maybe even this year.  Throughout the whole flood saga at my place, I kept getting the message to be kind. ("Only kindness matters," remember the Jewel song?) It's not about me, it's about others.  Fr. Bentz's homily, at BSU in January, too, not to ask what should I do with my life, but how can I best help others? How can I best serve others?  This is all very exciting, Gracious God!  Thank you for waking me in the night and whispering to me.  (And I caught Tebow sleeping on the spare room bed! The rascal!)  Love, heidi

Mind your tassels!

"(The scribes and Pharisees)...All their works are performed to be seen."

Matthew 23:5

 

Pray-As-You-Go asked, as part of the reflection on this reading, "What are your hopes for today?"  In thinking about that, I mentally scrolled through my calendar.  It's a really busy day, even with a night lesson tonight.  It makes me tired just thinking about it. Gracious and loving God, let me be your hands and feet today.  The people on my calendar are put there for a reason, and it may not just be because they need mobility instruction! Help me to be a servant for you, doing my job with love, compassion and for Your glory.  Help me to take control of my "tassels," (v. 5) realizing it's not about me, but only about them. Thank you and Amen! Love, heidi