Accomplishments

"He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, 'Young man, I tell you, arise!' The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother." - John 7:14-15

Too often I get caught up in my own accomplishments. Whether it's recognition at work, making an awesome dessert or helping out others, it's very easy to focus less on God and more on "me". It's times like these that Jesus' accomplishments dwarf anything I could ever dream of doing. 

Thankfully, life with Christ isn't about accomplishments. It's not about what I've done, who noticed or how much it was worth. Our lives living as Christians should be focused on purpose - not accomplishments. In the story this week, Jesus brings a man back to life. We don't know much about who this man was, or who he turned out to be. But I'm sure he never looked back and felt any of his accomplishments up to that point were so great that they triumphed over what Jesus accomplished. I am sure that he, like many others before and since, refocused his life on what his purpose should be, rather than what he simply wants to get done.

Certainly an example I can learn from...

Photographs

"And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, 'Isn’t this the son of Joseph?' " - Luke 4:22

A few days ago, my wife and I were looking at pictures from (more than) a few years back. There were pictures from when we had three kids, two kids, one kid and, for a short period of time, no kids. And as we're looking through these, laughing at how funny some are, I'm reminded of the different spots we were in when each picture was taken. When it was just the two of us, but we were living off a graduate stipend in the middle of Iowa - making finances tight. When we had just our son, but it felt so busy. When we had our son and daughter, and thought we'd never get sleep again. And when we had all three of our kids, and really didn't get to sleep again - at least for awhile. But in all pictures, I'm reminded of how easy those times were, when compared to our very busy, very active lives we lead now.

Much later, Jesus will be in front of the Sanhedrin, just after being betrayed and arrested. I sometimes wonder, as he's standing in front of the men who will eventually call for his death, if he thought back to the time he impressed (and was later escorted out) a temple full of people he had known throughout his childhood. If he too had the same thoughts as we do - reminiscing about the times it was easier.

One thing I've found in life is the past always seems easier than the future. Maybe it's because we choose to remember only certain parts of the past. Maybe it's because we gain in strength as we get better at practicing "life". But as a good wine, we all get better with age. Our experiences, our hardships, our opportunities taken and our opportunities lost all shape and prepare us for what's to come. And we can look to God, and the life and teachings of Jesus, to help us down this road - so when we get to the end of it, we're where we need to be - in the loving arms of our Creator, our guide and our friend.

Research

"I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus" - Luke 1:3

Luke was one of the four authors of the Canonical Gospels. We don't know much about his early life, but we do know he spent a number of years with St. Paul of Tarsus evangelizing across the Roman empire. He is known as a physician, and of one of few close friends with St. Paul. While both did not know Jesus during his ministry on earth, Paul later on had an encounter with the resurrected Jesus, turning him away from his previous job of capturing, torturing and killing early Christians.

I've always enjoyed reading Luke's account. Perhaps it's because it's written more in a biographical sense than an evangelical sense. From Luke's description to Theophilus, he's taken great care in getting the facts correctly - investigating it on his own without influence from other writings. Its from this single verse that I can calm any doubts that surface in my mind about the accounts of Jesus. Not only did Luke spend years interviewing others to get a deeper understanding of who Jesus was - but he did it in a vacuum, knowing that his work was going to be as accurate as possible. And he did it in an environment that was, in many cases, openly (and physically) hostile to Christians.

I also enjoy Luke's writings in Acts, learning how the first Apostles took over Jesus' ministry after his death. It provides an interesting contrast to what he documented about Jesus, and shows just how perfect Jesus was.

While it will be a long time before I see Jesus in his glory, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have writings that clear doubt from my mind - and remind me of the hope that springs forth from my faith in Christ.

Big Picture

"When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.' And Jesus said to her, 'Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.' " - John 2:3-4

Every time I hear this passage, I'm taken aback by Jesus saying "how does your concern affect me?", a more polite way of phrasing "So?". I'm reminded of my kids, when telling them something I think is important (like "the trash is full"), and them giving me a similar response. And from Jesus' perspective, running out of wine was the least of his worries - in fact, he fast-forwards (without anyone realizing it) to his eventual death by saying "My hour as not yet come". Which is obviously way more important than taking out the trash...

But for the people of Jesus' time, running out of wine at a wedding was a big deal. And with some assistance from his mom, he decides to pitch in and help, by changing jugs of water into wine. His miracle is a big hit - impressing the headwaiter and confusing the groom when they find out the wine is better than the stuff they served earlier.

For Jesus, this ends up being a win-win. Not only does he help make the wedding a success, he impresses a number of people so much that they want to start following him. In essence, his first disciples. There will be many more to come - some staying on for a short time, chased away by the thought of how much they have to change - and others sticking around until after his death and resurrection, becoming the founders of the faith.

So while Jesus was initially thinking about the big picture, he also learns that "little" things - like changing water into wine - go a long way in sparking a fire within the souls of those around him.

Not Quite

"The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ." - Luke 3:16

The other night I started watching a show about ghosts (hang on, I'll get to my point here in a minute!). The show explored the ideas of why people think they've encountered them, the psychology behind it (and the supernatural in general), and near the end it made a very interesting point. Many people want to believe, because it helps support the idea that, once you die, there's something else. Somewhere else to go (well, except for those poor souls condemned to roam the earth, spinning chairs and making noises).

While most of it seemed pretty far-fetched to me, I couldn't help thinking about that last point - that we're constantly searching for proof that something's next. Proof that there is a God, there is a Heaven, and there is a reward for us once we've passed on. 

The people of John and Jesus's time were quite similar to us, in the sense that they needed something - some physical proof - that the Messiah has come. They knew deep within that something was about to happen, they just didn't know who or when. So when John comes along, it's only natural that they start focusing in on him as the Messiah. He even starts to gather a following of his own disciples - but he spends time reminding everyone that, despite their longing for a savior, he's just not that guy. 

Thankfully though, John does know who it is. He's known who it is even before his birth.

 

An Inspired Journey

"When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.' " - Matthew 2:1-2

So a little disclaimer on this one - this marks one full year of using this blog to practice Lectio Divina. On January 6th of last year, I wrote my first entry, using the quote from Origen Adamantius as my inspiration. One year and 124 posts later, I've felt like I've grown quite a bit in my own faith, by providing a reflection and perspective on parts of the Gospel readings for the week. And it's been quite the experience!

There's been many times I've had to research various topics and people before trying to make sense of what I was reading - I learned a lot about the background of the various people Jesus interacted with throughout his life. It's felt a bit like walking in the dark - not sure about what will come in studying the background and history of these people. Today's Gospel is no different - except, other than the shepherds and his parents, the Magi are one of the first people to see Jesus. 

But the Magi are much different than the shepherds. While busy in the fields, the shepherds were visited by an Angel of God and told where to find the baby Jesus - a relatively short trip for them. But for the Magi, the trip was one of complete faith - the simple appearance of a star is all they had to go on for direction and meaning. Only until they made it to their destination did they get a glimpse at the King they sought after. 

I sometimes feel like the Magi - especially while practicing Lectio Divina. Often I'm not sure what to think (and thus write) about when presented with a small portion of the Gospel. Often I just start typing out my thoughts. But as long as I keep looking for God in these small passages, I feel that I grow closer to Him. That all I need to do is put trust in Him, and it'll work out - maybe not in the way I expect, but in the way He expects.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope you continue on with me throughout the next year.

Family Trip

"After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers." - Luke 2:46-47

Ever since I became a parent, this particular story has made me wonder what it was like for Mary and Joseph. Yes, they knew Jesus was special - after all, the Angel of the Lord came down and told Mary that Jesus "will be great and will be called Son of the Most High". So expectations for Jesus were already pretty high.

But as a child, Jesus would have been like most boys his age. He had friends, played in the dirt, ran around, came in for dinner, and had chores. As Mary and Joseph's first born, he would also have been expected to learn his father's trade (carpentry), learning how to make various goods to sell - in turn helping support the family.

In this story, we get a glimpse into what it was like being Jesus's parents. While he was like a regular boy in many senses, Mary still knew her boy wasn't like the others. After all, the Angel of God came down and told her "He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High". So as much as he was trying to follow in Joseph's footsteps as a carpenter, he was also being called by his other father (God!) to start fulfilling his destiny. 

And it starts in his Father's house, listening and asking questions of those with deep knowledge of God.