Free Mustard Seeds

At a gathering of ministry leaders at St. Clare of Montefalco, the topic of living as a joyful missionary disciple is looked at...

In St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians, St Paul tells the Christians he is writing to, to have within them the same attitude that Jesus has.  Through grace, God offers us this very reality...

As children of our merciful heavenly Father, Jesus teaches us that we too must extend his mercy and forgiveness to those who have wronged us.  This can be extremely difficult, but by participating in His merciful love (His grace) we are able to forgive, which in turn sets us free from tangled webs of unforgiveness. 

"The love of Christ impels us" St. Paul once wrote.  It is the love of Jesus that can give us the courage to reach address the sin of another, not as their judge, but as their brother or sister in the Lord seeking to help them.  Disciples share in the very life of Jesus and the Church continues his rescue mission...

From the lofty heights of being called "blessed" and "the rock" upon which Jesus will build His Church, where hear Peter in today's gospel tumble to the depths of being called "Satan" and "a stumbling block" by Jesus.  What led to such different responses from Jesus?  Inspired thought vs. human thinking.  The Lord implores us to deny ourselves for His sake and to not be conformed to this age, but transformed by the renewal of our minds.

Two priests went walking through downtown Detroit at night agreeing to cooperate with God to bring the good news of Jesus to people in anyway He would see fit... +Alpha starts soon at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament!

God's heart desires that all would come to know Him, and as we pray psalm 67, asking God to let his face shine upon us, the grace is granted for us to become the revelation of God's love to those around us...heaven meets earth and signs and wonders abound. 

The image of Peter walking on water is an image of the supernatural life Jesus both calls us to, and empowers us to live.  Following the example of Jesus, who said "a son can not do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing" (Jn 5:19), we consider how pursuing and receiving the revelation of the Father's will, leads us to live moment to moment, the supernatural life...walking on the water with God.

Having traveled up Mt. Tabor with Jesus, Peter witness the amazing transfiguration of Jesus, the radiant manifestation of the divinity of Christ.  He, along with James & John, heard God the Father say, "this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."  Years later, Peter would write about how being attentive to God's Word (the prophetic message) allows the morning star (Jesus) to rise in our hearts...leading to our continual transformation in Christ.

In St. Paul's Letter to the Romans, we read "we know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" and that "those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son."  We look into these words now, guided by the Church, to further understand how we deal with the problem of evil, understand predestination, and seek to listen to God and live even now the Kingdom Life, bringing God's amazing love to all around us!

In the famous parable of The Sower, Jesus describes four responses to His gospel.  In the parable, Jesus is the sower and the seeds are His words.  In the great love letter with a heartbeat, the bible, we have a treasure chest of God's living Word just waiting for us!   Considering the simple and effective WRAP method of Lectio Divina (divine reading), Pope Benedict's "secret" to the springtime of the Church is made readily accessible to all!

Jesus said, "come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mt 11:30).  The offer stands...

After calling the 12 Apostles to himself, Jesus sent them out to preach, letting them know quite clearly they would experience persecution.  Nevertheless, Jesus told them to fear no one, for God cares intimately for them and us (knowing even the number of hairs on our heard.)  In the midst of challenge, temptations to fear and anxiety, the apostles lived with hope and courage, the Lord invites us to the same freedom in the Spirit..

A sacrament is a sign that points to something else, making present what it points to and thereby communicating the grace of the reality that it points to and makes present.  In the gift of the Eucharist, we receive the gift of Jesus body and blood, the gift of Jesus himself who comes to give himself freely to us, as he gave himself freely for us on Calvary.  Recognizing, revering and responding to this reality sets souls on fire with divine love!

When Jesus said, "for God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son"  He revealed that God the Father longs, out of magnificent love, to draw the world into His embrace.  God is in love with His creation and desires to conquer sin, darkness and separation one soul at a time.  Will we enjoy His embrace?  Will we share His desire?

The Ascension of Jesus Christ, body and soul into heaven, marks a definitive turn in the story of salvation history, leading to the outpouring of the Spirit that brings us to a new level of intimacy with God.  In this intimate union, we are equipped and empowered by the Spirit to do what He said...."Go and make disciples!"

In Chapter 14 of John's gospel, Jesus teaches us that if we love Him, and keep his commandments, that He & the Father will come and make their dwelling in us (Jn14:23).  As disciples of Jesus, He calls us to walk in the power of the Spirit and expect to both see and work signs and wonders in His name...

Motherhood:  God's Amazing Design 5th Sunday of Easter, Year A In the gospel of John we hear Jesus tell the apostles, and the world, that "I am the way the truth and the life".  On Mother's day we consider the unique gift of motherhood and the critical role mothers have in both showing, and teaching, their children the way, truth and life of Jesus.

Living Joyfully in God's Love 4th Sunday of Easter, Year A The Good Shepherd brings us into intimate communion with God and desires to lead us in a life lived in the depths of God's love!

Hearing Jesus Third Sunday of Easter, Year A As with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus walks with us.  As we journey with the Lord, learning to hear his voice makes all the difference.