Lost

Today’s scripture readings speak about things and people being lost. But before I share a reflection on the passages, today is 9/11 and on that horrible day here in the United States, many lives were lost. It will never make sense to me how anyone could have so much hate to want to kill in the name of a most loving and merciful God. My hope is that all who were lost are now found, living with our Heavenly Father, in His glory for all eternity. Amen.

In the first reading from Exodus 32:7-14, God’s children were lost. God had brought them out of their slavery in Egypt and they thank God by worshiping a molten calf. God is not pleased and wants to wipe them out but through the pleading of Moses, God relents from punishing them. Message to me: Never give up praying and pleading to God for the people we care about who seem to be lost and distant from God.

In the Responsorial Psalm 51, King David was lost in sin. He pours out his repentant heart to God in this amazing Psalm of repentance. The Response itself is the answer for us when we are also lost. It says … “I will rise and go to my Father.”

Saint Paul in the second reading from 1 Timothy 1:12-17 shares how he was lost prior to being called to be the Apostle to the Gentiles when he said … “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.  Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:”

The Gospel of Luke 15:1-32 talks first about losing one sheep out of a hundred. Jesus likens the lost sheep to a sinful person. He will search until He finds that one sheep and brings it back into the flock. Jesus then adds … “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep. I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.” 

A woman has 10 coins and loses one. She searches and searches and when she finally finds the coin, she calls her friends and neighbors together to rejoice with her. It sounds like a party to me. Again, Jesus likens this parable to a lost sinner who repents when He says … “In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Lastly, there is the story of the Prodigal Son. He takes his father’s inheritance, squanders it in sin, returns to the father for mercy and is completely forgiven and a great feast is thrown for the wayward son. Message to me: If I should get lost, I will rise and go to my Father. Amen

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Mike Burke; Sunday, September 11, 2016

A Firm Foundation

Praise the Lord! It is 12:30am as I finish writing for today’s scripture reflection. I started my drive to work yesterday morning at 6:30am, I just returned home at 11:30pm and I will be on the road to work today at 5am. I think how blessed I am. I believe there are many people wanting to work but do not have the opportunity. I have been given a great blessing to serve and I thank God.

Since it is late and I am very tired, I planned to write a very simple reflection of thanksgiving regardless of what I read. But as you would know it, my plans are not God’s plans. I am one that has been blessed to know my sins and realize that I am nothing without God and I need His love, grace and mercy to overcome my shortcomings. Tonight though, this passage from the Gospel of Luke 6:43-49 spoke to me in a way that is unfamiliar to me as I can see some growth in my desire to reflect Jesus.

This is what I read … “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built.” I feel like that man. I think I can take the abuse of those who speak ill of me. I can accept the criticism when people do not like what I write or speak. I can also continue to follow Jesus when people think I am foolish in my service to others.

Day in and day out I am in a position to serve. I look forward each day to whatever God wills for me to accomplish for His glory. I am going to stay positive because I can easily tell you the difficulties and challenges I face when I become selfish and not place others first but I will save that for another post. Today, I am filled with praise for my Lord, thanking Him again for every grace and blessing poured out upon me. Amen.

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Mike Burke; Saturday, September 10, 2016

Responsibility In Seeing Clearly

I believe so much in the love and mercy of God. His mercy upon me I cannot explain as I do not deserve it but I accept it with thanksgiving, praise and glory for our Lord. I think about today’s Gospel passage from Luke 6:39-42 as a reminder to share God’s mercy with others … “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?”

Focusing on this part of the scripture passage, I am lead to really look in the mirror before seeking to help correct others. This passage has humbled me as that wooden beam in my eye has been larger than me or Jesus would want it to be. My perception has also caused me to be much more silent and reflective upon myself rather than others. Today I realize that this type of behavior in me might be good if I stop right there in the passage. But if I continue on, I read … “You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

God is calling me to responsibility by removing the areas of sin in my life so that I will have a clearer vision of His Holy Will. Then, seeing much more clearly, I can gently help to remove the little splinter of sin in my brother’s eye. My goal would be to seek to see clearly, so I can help others in the difficult and sinful areas of their lives. I cannot just be silent but must also be active in sharing the truth with love.

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Mike Burke; Friday, September 9, 2016

Happy Birthday Mother Mary!

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the “Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” And as the Mama’s boy that I am, I have a profound love for Mother Mary and St. Joseph. I ask daily for their prayers and intercession, which I believe have helped bring me to the deep and personal relationship that I have with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, I praise God and thank Him for choosing Mary to be the Mother of God and for St. Joseph to be her spouse and foster father of Jesus.

The Gospel reading for today from Matthew 1:18-23 is very familiar but worth reading again and again for the glory of God … Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

Happy Birthday dear Mother Mary!

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Mike Burke; Thursday, September 8, 2016

Blessings vs. Woes

Sometimes when reading scripture for me, it just seems ordered as to how to be at peace serving the Lord. Today in Luke 6:20-26, Jesus shares the Beatitudes with His disciples with His Sermon on the Plain. He breaks up His Beatitudes with blessings and then woes. I thought it was interesting to put them side by side to reflect.

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.”

“Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.”

“Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.”

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Something to think about … poor vs. rich … hungry vs. satisfied … weeping vs. laughing … because of your love for Jesus, being hated, excluded and insulted vs. all speaking well of you. This keeps the theme alive, being a Christian and following Jesus is not easy.

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Mike Burke; Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Learning To Carry Crosses

I have been thinking much today, especially after reading some articles about St. Mother Teresa, that I cannot go wrong in my life if I do what I can out of love for God and others. It is too easy for me to think of me first and not what glorifies God by serving others. Opening today’s scripture passage from 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, St. Paul hit home with me. The jest of what he says on the surface made me think that he has a pretty low perception of lawyers and judges who are unbelievers when he makes the statement … “If, therefore, you have courts for everyday matters, do you seat as judges people of no standing in the Church? I say this to shame you. Can it be that there is not one among you wise enough to be able to settle a case between brothers? But rather brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers?”

St. Paul continues to tell us that it is a failure on our part to even have lawsuits against each other. The interesting part that spoke to my heart is what he says next … “Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?” I have spoken before about how hard it is to be a Christian and to carry our crosses. Isn’t that what Jesus did out of love for me? He put up with great injustices. He was cheated in so many ways. Any of us past the age of 33 have lived longer than Jesus on this earth.

So can I put up with things at work that tick me off and keep my mouth shut and put up with the injustice? Maybe instead of complaining and gossiping, I can find a more positive solution to what I consider an injustice. Can I love others who take advantage of my goodness? Can I love and care for others who do not care for me? The answer for me is that I better put up with injustice and being cheated if necessary. These are just some of my crosses I must accept to follow Jesus. Today is another opportunity, by the grace of God, to do my best to love and glorify God in my love for others.

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Mike Burke; Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Believing Holy Scripture

In the world I live in today, I believe it conflicts often with the message of Holy Scripture. St. Paul writes today in his first letter to the Corinthians 5:1-8 that it has been reported to him that there is immorality among the Corinthians. I wonder if a bishop, pastor, priest or minister wrote a letter concerning immorality, to be read among the people of God in our churches today, would we be open to listening and adhering to the message? The first thing that came to my mind is the common response I hear so often, do not judge me.

That seems to be what society today leans on. Scripture tells us not to judge lest we be judged. Scripture also tells us to admonish the sinner. We hear what we want to hear and reject what goes against what we do not like. If I am living in sin, my human nature would tell you to mind your own business and do not judge me. We will also add that God is merciful. Yes, He is and he is willing to forgive our sins, drowning each and every one of them in His ocean of mercy. But, He does ask us to sincerely repent of our sins. Do you remember the woman caught in adultery, when Jesus asks her has anyone condemned you? When she tells him no, He tells her neither do I, your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more. A lot of times we forget that last part. We hear the mercy of God but ignore the repentance.

Some of what is immoral in Holy Scripture is now accepted as normal in our lives. I think we have watered down much of what Jesus and the inspired Word of God has clearly taught us. I am guilty of that. When I choose to sin, I want to justify to myself that it is not that bad or even compare myself to others that I think are doing the same or maybe even worse in my opinion. That is a sin in itself and I just heap on more darkness in my life. If I could make any point today, it would be that if Holy Scripture says something is immoral, we ought to believe it and do what we can to avoid it.

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Mike Burke; Monday, September 5, 2016