Ordinary Time

There's a lot of misunderstanding about judgement, hell, and purgatory. So many of us hold an unhealthy guilt and fear of what judgement is going to be; that all the sins you've confessed will be held against you at the end. But God's mercy is everlasting and directed at each of us. Holding firm to that; understanding what hell and purgatory are, as defined by our faith, and practicing now the language and values of the Kingdom of God is the key.

We don't have to look far beyond the visible reality in which we live to find God and the hidden truths contained in day-to-day life. What's important is to adopt the practice of thinking about our life and experiences with the conviction that God is present, somehow, in all of it.

As you encounter the little (and the big) things of brokenness in life, remind yourself: This is not heaven. . . but heaven is going to blow my socks off.

How many of us can really see, spiritually speaking? In one sense, we're all blind beggars like Bartimaeus; we're blind to the light of faith. Like Bartimaeus, we need to ask the Lord for the gift of faith - not just for ourselves and our families, but for the world and all who walk in the darkness of not knowing who Jesus is.

We are not powerless when it comes to anxiety. Jesus is with us when we call on Him, and He gives us timely help to help us live fully and not get sucked in to that black hole of anxiety, fear, and depression.

When we read scripture, we encounter Christ in His inspired word. There is an infinite, inexhaustible character to it; it's deep. But there's also a quality in it that adapts to the person hearing or reading it. You'll be able to see what you need in it at a given time, but its contents will also grow with you as you grow in your spiritual life.

Every single one of us, as disciples of Jesus, are called to die to self; to take up our cross; and to live our lives fully and deeply, honoring God, because God is the one who has given us that life. Everything in each of our lives is entrusted to us and belongs to God; it came from God and is to be used in a way that honors God. Sit quietly with that word entrust and ponder how that fits with everything in your life.

The world thinks of wealth as ours; something we’ve earned; something we possess. But in God’s eyes, money is ultimately not a possession, but a trust. A trust is something given to me for a purpose; something for which I’m accountable. God entrusts us with wealth, but He then expects us to use it for His glory and for the welfare of His children - for our neighbor and those most in need.
Revisit this simple exercise that Fr. Dave gave us some time ago, to help us consider how well we’re putting our wealth at the service of God and neighbor. Find a quiet space, invite the light of the Holy Spirit, and then ask yourself honestly: right now, is my giving too much? Too little? Or is it just right?