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Joni's Reflection

4/9/2017

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Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord Matthew 26:14-27:66
On Palm Sunday, we patiently await to receive our palms that we will take home, and symbolically place in a vase as reminder of our Lenten journey.

After the procession, we will prepare ourselves to listen with open hearts and mind to the Gospel account of the Passion (from the Latin passio, which means “suffering”) of Jesus, from this last meal with his disciples to this death and burial.  The effect of the long reading is that we are with Jesus through it all.  Of course, each of the gospels tells us the story of Jesus’ suffering and death, and as we would expect, there are many similarities among the four accounts.  This consistency tells us that these stories were well-preserved in the early Christian community.  They were considered central, core truth.  They were told and retold, preserved and passed on.

But of course, there are differences among the four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ Passion,as well.  Most scholars think that Mark wrote his gospel first and both Matthew and Luke used Mark as a reliable guide, working with Mark’s structure and stories and adding their own traditions and sources.  Matthew’s account of Jesus’s suffering and death closely follows Mark’s.  This account give use a clear picture of the humanity of Jesus – his vulnerability, his dread at the death he saw coming, his agony on the cross.  A wonderful book to use to see the similarities of the Gospels is a book titled “Synopsis of the Four Gospels.”

The final words of Jesus on the cross are a powerful example of how Mark and Matthew help us understand the reality of Jesus’ humanity.  In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ final words are “It is finished” (John 19:30), a clear declaration that Jesus has done what he intended to do, and fully in control of himself, he is surrendering his life.  In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’ final words are “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46), another controlled and purposeful given over of himself.
​

But in Mark and Matthew, Jesus’ last words are the excruciating words of pain and abandonment: “My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34: Matthew 27:46).  Although it has rightly been pointed out by scholars that these are the first words of Psalm 22, a psalm that ends in hopeful triumph, this does not diminish the fact that Jesus chose these words to express what he was feeling in those moments.  Although Jesus never stopped having faith in his Father, he felt abandoned in the enormous suffering of that moment.  Mark and Matthew have preserved this experience and it’s very natural human emotions.  There is a powerful Gospel song titled “I Give Myself Away.”  As we prepare to enter into the Triduum, this would be a good time to reflect back over your Lenten journey, to see where you have given yourself away to serve others, and to be still with God.  At the Easter Vigil Mr. Anthony Sierengowski, an active member here at Nativity will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Anthony has a wonderful spirit of joy and compassion.  It has been a humbling experience to journey with him at this point and time in his life.  His sponsor is Mr. Thomas Davis; please continue to pray for Tom’s speedy recovery.
Amazing Peace, Joni S., Director of Religious Education
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Joni's Reflection

2/19/2017

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My Command to you is: Love your enemies, pray for your persecutors.

The last two readings taken from the Sermon on the Mount deal with love of enemies.  We should not look at “an eye for an eye” as an inordinately strict punishment.  It actually meant to limit acts of revenge by making sure the punishment is not excessive but fits the crime.  However, Jesus asks his followers to take a different approach by resisting retaliation altogether.  If we are honest this is very difficult at times to do, and that is why it is so important to reconcile with one another.  Take a moment to think about times when you have said some things that you really wished had not come out of your mouth, or even been part of your thoughts.  At times, it is quite obvious that decisions are motivated by greed or fear.  Racism, ageism, sexism, and those other attitudes of intolerance towards immigrants may by subtle or blatant.  Whether in our own homes or across the globe, we have many opportunities each day to forget who we are.  In this world of mass media, we are consumed daily with news reports that keep putting one human being against another.  If we are not mindful we can develop an attitude of “forgetting” who God is and our knowledge of how God acts in our world.

Psalm 85 is one of my favorite psalms as it gives you’re the blue print for forgiveness, peace, and justice.  A dear friend of mine used to end each of his letters and documents with a paraphrase of the psalm, “Kindness and truth shall meet, and justice and peace shall embrace.”  Take some time this week to reflect on this psalm or even the psalm in today’s readying.  Psalm 103: 1-4, 8,10, 12-13 “Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and bounding in kindness.” Then ask yourself these two questions: “Who have you show kindness and mercy to?  Who has been kind and merciful to you?  There is the kingdom of God.

​February is Black History Month, and in honor of the hundreds of African Americans who have contributed to making our country a better place, I would like to offer words of love from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his reflection, I Have Decided to Stick With Love. “I’m concerned about a better world.  I’m concerned about justice; I’m concerned about brotherhood and sisterhood; I’m concerned about truth.  And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence.  For through violence, you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder.  Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate through violence.  Darkness cannot put our darkness; only light can do that.”

“And I say to you, I have also decided to stick with love, for I know that love is ultimately the only answer to humankind’s problems.  And I’m going to talk about it everywhere I go.  I know it isn’t popular to talk about it in some circles today.  And I’m not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love; I’m talking about a strong demanding love.  For I have seen too much hate […] and I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear.  I have decided to love.  If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love.  And the beautiful thing is that we aren’t moving wrong when we do it, because John was right, God is love.  He who hates does not know God, but he who loves has the key that unlocks the door to the meaning of ultimate reality.”  The entire document can be found on the awakin.org website.  Ask yourself this question, how can I show love for someone who is opposed to me in some way?

Amazing Peace,
​Joni, DREthjr

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Joni's Reflection

1/15/2017

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​2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time   John 1:29
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
 
Today, we enter into the third week of the New Year, and I’m still enjoying all of my Christmas decorations, especially the lights that illuminate my tree.  I love the liturgical seasons of Advent and Christmas. They are symbols of hope, peace, joy, and light, themes that we should live with 365 days of the year. “The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.”  This sentence from the Gospel acclamation summarizes our reason for joy and hope. 
 
Today many people in our nation will celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We celebrate his life for many reasons.  My reason may be different from yours but what we may be able to agree on was that he was a man that taught us how to love in some of the most difficult situations in our nation.  His Six Pillars are as challenging, remarkable, and relevant today as they were when Dr. King wrote them over fifty years ago.
 
An Experiment in Love:  Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Six Pillars of Nonviolent Resistance and the Ancient Greek Notion of ‘Agape’.  Find the entire document here:
http://www.dailygood.org/story/1098/an-experiment-in-love-martin-luther-king-jr-on-the-six-pillars-of-nonviolent-resistance-and-the-ancient-greek-notion-of-agape-maria-popova/
 
“Along the way of life, someone must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate.  This can only be done by projecting the ethic of love to the center of our lives.”
In the first of the six pillars, Dr. King addresses the tendency to mistake nonviolence for passivity, pointing out that it is a form not of cowardice but courage. “It is not passive non-violence to evil; it is active nonviolent resistance to evil.”
Second Tenet: “Nonviolence…does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his friendship and understanding. The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, while the aftermath of violence is tragic bitterness.”
In considering the third tenet, “Dr. King appeals to the conscientious recognition that those who perpetrate violence are often victims themselves.”
Fourth tenet: ‘Nonviolent resistance [requires] a willingness to accept suffering without retaliation, to accept blows from the opponent without striking back…”
The fifth tenet turns the fourth inward and arrives at the most central point of the essay – the noblest use of what we call “love.” Here, Dr. King turns to Ancient Greek philosophy ‘agape.’ Agape means understanding, redeeming good will for all men.  It is an overflowing love which is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless, and creative. King argues that at the heart of agape is the notion of forgiveness.
The sixth and final principal of nonviolence King sees as a force for justice: Nonviolent resistance...is based on the conviction that the universe is on the side of justice.  Consequently, believers in nonviolence have deep faith in the future.
 
I believe that each of us has a moral obligation to continue to roll up our sleeves each day to work for justice and peace. Keeping the dream alive with hope.
“Kindness and truth shall meet; Justice and peace shall embrace” (Ps 85: 10)
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Joni’s Reflections

12/25/2016

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4th Sunday of Advent Matthew 1:18-24

​“And they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means God is the with us.”

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent and for many of us we may be wondering how fast this season of light, hope, joy and peace has come the lighting of the fourth candle.  Advent is a challenge as it calls us to slow down and be still in the waiting and longing for the birth of Christ.  Slowing down and being still gets to be more and more difficulty each year as the marketing industry pushes the season of Christmas further into the month of July instead of December. So what can we do to save the moments of Advent?

Well for me I try to spend time re-reading on of my favorite books titled Watch For the Light Readings for Advent and Christmas.  What I love most about this book of reflections by numerous authors is that each year it is as if I am reading the reflections for the very first time.  Honestly, I find great mystery and grace in this simple joy of accepting that, because when you thing about it our lives are constantly evolving into something more; and words and prayers can offer different experiences according to where you are at that time in your life.

If you were to look back over the past three weeks, can you see where you have taken time to be still?  If you have been distracted by the busy chaos of shopping for gifts, decorating your homes, planning meals for your special guest, crowded malls, unemployment, underemployment, failing health, anger, a sick love one, disappointment, political issues of immigration and war, and the struggle for justice as we listen to the pain of families across America that have lost their love ones to violence.  The I would like to suggest this short meditation from Psalm 46:11 “Be still and know that I am God.”  Take the time to slowly release each word until you are at the word “Be” now in total silence be embraced by God.

At today’s mass we have the wonderful opportunity to enjoy the gifts of our children in grades K-7th Religious Education program.  They are the hope and joy of our future church and world.  In place of Bro. Ray’s homily the children will read a very beautiful poem written by Dr. Maya Angelou titled A Christmas Poem.  This poem tells the simple story of a family who join in with their community—rich and poor, black and white, Christian, Muslim, and Jew—to celebrate the holidays.  On Christmas Eve at the 5:00 pm mass our teens in the Confirmation program will share their gifts; as they too are the future hope of our church and world.  Their program will include the Posadas.  Posadas is a Spanish word meaning “shelter.”  This tradition is most often attributed to the Hispanic people; however it is a celebration for everyone.  The Posadas reenacts the story of Mary and Joseph as they searched for a place to stay in Bethlehem.  In today’s world, full of people who are displaced in one way or another, Posadas offers an opportunity to reflect on where we are going in our life.

As you discern where you are going in your life here is a prayer for Peace on this fourth Sunday of Advent, Light four candles and sit for a moment in silence.  You can even include Psalm 46:11 with this prayer., “Christ our peace, Glow brightly in each moment.  Enlighten our vision so that we see the illuminating light of your love that shines so brightly in the evening stars.  Lord relieve us, if just for a moment, of our worries and stress.  We await your coming with abundant joy.” Amen.

Amazing Peace,
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Joni's Reflections

11/21/2016

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Autumn, a Season for Transformation
Right now I’m staring at my computer because I am praying that I can cover three very important beauties about the season of autumn and about the month of November in our Catholic tradition.


Part 1 A short reflection about autumn by Sr. Joyce Rupp & Macrina Wiederkehr

​“As the hemisphere of the planet slowly continues to tilt away from the sun, the season of autumn comes on stage.  Autumn has a distinctive change of personality from spring and summer.  This is the season that has often been associated with melancholy.  Its mood is mysterious and nostalgic.  The reason autumn is often called fall is not necessarily because leaves fall from trees. This is the season when the Earth slowly falls away from the sun and light rays are lessening.  Autumn holds fragments of the other seasons in transformative arms.”

“The season of autumn will not stay with us forever.  It will fall into the womb of winter.  In this dark resting place another dimension of growth will reveal itself.  Each season’s entrance and departure is part of the gracious turning of the circle of life.  Autumn will return to the land and to our lives when it is time.  The wheel keeps turning.”
Just a few days ago as I was leaving my friend’s house, I was immediately attracted to this beautiful ruby red oak leaf.  I slowly began to bend over to observe its beauty and then picked it up. My girlfriend laughed with joy as she said only ‘one’. I have been raking all day, so please take another. So I did and then she said and here is one from me, now you have a trinity. Those leaves have now been tucked away in one of my favorite books to dry and become a memory of the beauty of friendship and the autumn season.  *Take some time to embrace the beauty of autumn.
     
Part 2 November is Black Catholic History Month: An Invitation to Remember.
Bro. Robert has helped to create some beautiful handouts about the influence of the history of Black Catholic saints and Black Catholics that are awaiting sainthood.  To learn more go tohttp://www.hopesingssobeautiful.org/index.php/2014/11/13/black-catholic-month-... 
http://www.uscatholic.org/church/2008/07/timeline-black-catholic-history
 
Part 3
Today is the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Today is the last Sunday of Ordinary time.  It is also the last Sunday in the Year of Mercy – this year during which we have remembered that Jesus is the Face of the Father’s Mercy.” (Pope Francis). We have a King and he is Jesus. The Mercy of our God will always be with us, to accompany us.  Nothing can really separate us from his love and mercy.  We are about to enter a Season in which we will exercise our longing for the Light in the midst of all darkness.  And, when we get dis-couraged – that is drained of all of our courage – we can run to Jesus and let him look at each of us – as King of the Universe- and say, you are not alone in this.                                      Amazing Peace, Joni

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