Carry On Jesus

I just came home from a long, 7-hour music rehearsal. It is always great to get together with my group SIGN, Singing In God’s Name. We are preparing for Mass next week and our church Harvest Festival at the beginning of October. We were putting in some new material and going over many of our original and contemporary Christian cover songs.

As I sit here to write, I know how blessed I am and how unworthy I am. I have read tomorrow’s readings and all I can think about is my unworthiness, my sins and all the suffering I personally have caused Jesus. He suffered all the way to the cross for me and I thank Him by continuing to be the sinful person I am. Sometimes my attitude is so bad and I must beg for his mercy.

So no reflection. Just sharing a song I wrote and sang with my group for our Living Stations on Good Friday. You can tell I am old because of my 1950’s style of music. It is called Carry On Jesus which He did just for me, an unworthy sinner, that He loves so much that He died for me. Thank you Jesus.

Mike Burke; Monday, August 22, 2016

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Comfort In My Struggles

Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! 

His mercy for us is strong; the faithfulness of the LORD is forever. Hallelujah!

Psalm 117:1-2

I have been so tired this last week. I am working many hours and my desire to do things well causes me much stress. I stay longer at work to wrap things up efficiently that really do not need to be done. I do the same in my desire to follow Jesus and when I fail to live up to my expectations of what it is to follow Jesus, I judge myself harshly. No matter how many times I pray “Jesus, I trust in you”, my prayer at times seem to be just words because in actuality, do I believe He loves me as the sinner I am? I know that He loves me. He is faithful and I am not, yet His mercy endures forever. Our God is an amazing God!

Thanksgiving, Praise and Glory is what I offer to my Savior today. Taking all of my struggles with me to Mass and realizing I am with hundreds of my brothers and sisters with their own sins and struggles, I find so much comfort hearing the Word … “The faithfulness of the LORD is forever.” We are all works in progress. May God, in His faithfulness, have mercy on us all. Amen, Hallelujah!

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Mike Burke; Sunday, August 21, 2016

Works Performed To Be Seen

Scripture, in the power of the Holy Spirit, has taught me much in my life. Like today, when I read the words of Jesus speaking, I can pick out the negatives in my life, my struggles and sometimes accomplishments through God’s grace. These words from the Gospel of Matthew 23:1-12 bring to mind a great character flaw in me. Jesus says in talking about the Scribes and Pharisees … “All their works are performed to be seen.”

I have learned through life as a people pleaser, how to manipulate my way around. Want an A in class, be the teacher’s pet. Always know where the authority and people of influence are and act, say the right words, help someone and make others think you are God’s gift to the world. When they are not around, screw you. Sounds harsher than I want it to be because you would have liked me. I would tell you exactly what you wanted to hear and I know where the lights, eyes and cameras are.

In sports, I was pretty good so I would just beat up on you and then shook your hand after you lost. I did not brag but found ways to stay in the limelight so you would tell others how great I am. If I ever lost, it was that injury or sickness but I gutted it out so people would be talking about how great my losing effort was.

God has humbled me greatly, especially in my own mind. I seek to see good in everyone and no longer want the spotlight. Even in music where I would always seek to leave people in awe with my talent, it is now for the Glory of God. Every compliment or thank you for me is Glory to God. I mean that sincerely. I still have to fight myself in many ways from going back down the road of ego and not follow the examples of the Scribes and Pharisees, but with God’s grace, mercy and love, I am confident of winning that battle. The Gospel ends today with … “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” I will strive for the latter. Amen.

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Mike Burke; Saturday, August 20, 2016

Ego, Music & Love

I had a choir leaders meeting at church. It is always good to get together with friends who love music and to share their gifts from God. It was a good efficient meeting and much was accomplished. In my journey to Jesus, music has been a constant love for me. Music has also brought out in me an ego that has no place in glorifying the Lord in song.

When I am around these wonderful servants of God, I can be very uncomfortable. I find myself making all kinds of mental judgments. My group I consider to be very professional.
We are older with professional experience. We take our music seriously and practice much. I think others do not and I think that by what I see and hear at church. I silently shake my head. I expect so much more from them. Tonight I was thinking, what if everyone is giving all they have to glorify God and I am thinking they should be giving what we give to glorify God. They actually could be giving more to God than us. Tonight’s Gospel was an ego check for me. My attitude at this meeting was void of love. Who do I think I am? Matthew 22:34-40 reminds me …

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Humbly regard others as more important than yourselves is a part of Philippians 2 that I pray each day. It is a tough one but important and tonight my ego got in the way. I love the Lord who reminds me in so many different ways but especially through His Word, that love of God and neighbor is His will. And thinking about music and Sister Act, I sing out loudly … “I Will Follow Him”

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Mike Burke; Friday, August 19, 2016

Create In Me A Clean Heart

It’s been such a long day. It’s move-in day at the University I work at. Many students and parents are on campus and we in our office are given the opportunity to be helpful and answer questions. We get used to answering the same questions over and over with a smile. Maybe we get to experience a snippet of what Jesus experienced with His disciples.

Anyway, the Gospel again has a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven and being prepared. But the Responsorial Psalm 51, one of my favorites, spoke to me as I sit here finished with work getting ready to make my way home. The response is from Ezekiel 36:25 and it says … “I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.”

I really try to do my best each day. Today I am physically and mentally tired and not so sure I was pleasing to my Lord all day. I will trust in His mercy, love and Word. I love you Lord Jesus. Have mercy on me, a sinner. Glory and Praise to our God. Amen.

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Mike Burke; Thursday, August 18, 2016

Fair is Fair?

I have discussed today’s Gospel passage from Matthew 20:1-16 with several people and usually the jest of our discussion comes out as not being fair. So Jesus says that the “Kingdom of Heaven is like” before he tells the “Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.” My goal as a Christian is eternal life in heaven with the hope of bringing as many people as I can with me. The provoking thought and question of today for me would be, if heaven is like this parable, will I be able to accept its terms?

A landowner goes out to hire laborers in his vineyard. He hires some at 9am, at noon, at 3pm and at 5pm. At the end of the day, he first pays the ones that started at 5pm and continues in reverse order. He paid every one of them the same wage. The ones who worked longer grumbled and thought they should get paid more. What do you think? Today’s society would tell you it is not fair and the ones working longer hours should get paid more. I guess it was not a union job!

Here is the landowner’s response to the grumblers … “My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous? Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

If heaven is like this, I am thankful that we, first of all, have a Heavenly Father that is so generous. I realize that this passage has some deeper and significant meaning to the Jewish leaders and people of this time, but it speaks to me about always doing my best and eliminating my pride. If someone gets credit for something I worked long and hard for, I must be humble and thankful for accomplishing the goal regardless of not being honored or recognized for my work. God knows and He permits it for His reason. If this is like heaven, I need to get used to it. God’s will be done, not mine.

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Mike Burke; Wednesday, August 17, 2016

“What Will There Be For Us”

Let us be honest with ourselves. Through our journey of life, how often, while thinking about making a decision, have the thoughts, “what’s in it for me” played a large role in the decision? That is what I heard in today’s Gospel from Matthew 19:23-30 when Peter said to Jesus … “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?”

Jesus just told Peter and His disciples that it is hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven that it was impossible for men but for God, all things are possible. So like many of us in our human nature, Peter wants to make sure that God knows he and all the disciples are not rich and have given up jobs, family and all ties to the world, to follow Him.

What say ye Jesus? “When the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

My conclusion would be that it is worth giving up “everything” for Jesus. We all must discern what “everything” is in each of our lives that hinder us from following Jesus completely. Then, we must be willing to give “everything” up to inherit eternal life.

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Mike Burke; Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

It is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and another beautiful day to tell the world that I am a “mama’s boy”. I have a wonderful devotion to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God and to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. How the Virgin Mary could ever be a division between Christians is mind boggling to me. Everything Mary says and does points to Jesus. It is only Jesus that we adore and worship. He is God, Mary is not. She is honored only because of God.

Listen to some of the words of today’s Gospel from Luke 1:39-56. Mary travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is six months pregnant with John the Baptist and Elizabeth says to Mary … “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

Again, it is all about God, all about Jesus, all about the Holy Spirit that the words of Elizabeth would praise God and honor Mary. Now with the Holy Words of Scripture just spoken to Mary, one might think to feel pretty important. Here is how Mary responded in her Magnificat … “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name.”

So from that day over 2000 years ago to this moment in time, all generations will call the Virgin Mary blessed. Why? One, because the Holy Spirit said so and two, because God chose her to be the Mother of God, the Mother of Jesus. If you continue reading her Magnificat, you will see that everything Mary says is about the greatness of God and as you just read, she considers herself a lowly servant. I have learned a lot about humility from the lives of Mary and Joseph. They intercede for us each day that we will draw closer in love and in relationship with Jesus. It is all about Jesus.

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Mike Burke; Monday, August 15, 2016

Eyes Fixed On Jesus

Jesus says today in the Gospel of Luke 12:49-53 … “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” 

Well, the Prince of Peace has done a splendid job of division. There is division everywhere we turn. There is division in our church, families, workplaces, government and I guess one can list anything here and we could find division. I heard a homily today that reminded me to seek the understanding of what Jesus meant by division. Simply, we have been given the freedom to choose God or the world. We can choose to do good or to do evil. By those choices, there will be division.

What I will add from my own experience is that in choosing Jesus, even in division within family, church, work or the likes, I am at peace. St. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews gave me some good advice as to how to stay at peace when he said … “persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.” In the spirit of the Olympic competitions we are witnessing this summer, I will keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, compete and persevere in the race of following Him to the finish line of eternal life in heaven, God willing.

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Mike Burke; Sunday, August 14, 2016

Touched By God

Can you imagine a bunch of children, jumping around, noisy, carefree and bugging the disciples of Jesus? Imagine the parents, who know about Jesus and want Him to lay hands and pray over the children. The disciples want to get rid of them. Jesus would have no part of that. He rebuked His disciples and in the Gospel of Matthew 19:13-15 said … “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” And Jesus placed His hands on the children.

I think we look at children with love and they can bring us so much joy. They can also be a great pain in the neck to have to deal with them. Some children think they know it all and some struggle to learn. There are children that only want to play and there are children who want to help their mommy and daddy. A question comes to mind, how do I view children that are in my life?

I cannot help but think that our Heavenly Father looks at me like that same annoying and loving little child. A 3-year-old child might ask me to help wash the car. Do I need my child’s help? Of course not. Most likely, the child will make a mess. But we give our child a little task, we teach and we love that child who now feels a little more important by helping daddy. Does not my Heavenly Father do the same for me? He surely does not need my help but He permits me to participate in building the Kingdom of God as His child. In some sort of mystical way, I imagine that His hands are upon me now as I write and in some way, He will make good out of my feeble attempt to share my reflection. How awesome is the touch of God. Amen.

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Mike Burke; Saturday, August 13, 2016