Monday Morning Meditation #128: Jesus Ate with Sinners

Following Doah's confirmation last Sunday, I was back on the road again this past week -- to Omaha, Nebraska. Donnie got to spend time with our house guests, whom I had to abandon, in order to take a redeye from Cali to Nebraska via Chicago. Two layovers en route in the middle of the night took a bit of a toll. In fact, the only relaxation I had was walking to Iowa. Not that this was much exercise; it was just walking over the bridge that spanned the river that divides the two states and then walking back, but it was relaxing, at least. Dinner with colleagues afterward at a boat house on the river brought the evening to a slow, peaceful climax, and I enjoyed a restful sleep afterward.

This week, as over the past month, I continued to read Matthew. It is such a beautiful book that one can simply not rush through it. The chapter I focused on this month was chapter 9, in particular the following verses:

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.

¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Reading: Matthew 9:9-13

Meditation:  This passage called to mind a recent conversation I had with a friend. I had loaned her a copy of Can You Drink the Cup? by Henri Nouwen. What she had picked up on was that Nouwen spent the end of his life working in a facility for disabled adults and felt that this was too lowly a position for such a famous Catholic priest. That placement seriously puzzled her. Although the value of the placement was clear to me as a parent of disabled children (now adults), I could not explain well enough, I guess, to convince her that this was a positive, not a negative, placement. I wish I had come across this passage a little earlier for it explains a lot. There were no people "too lowly" for Jesus's companionship; in fact, He preferred the lowly to the high and mighty (or at least those individuals that the people of the time adored as "mighty"). Who, then are we to consider anyone "below" us -- and besides, are we not all sinners, and are we all not disabled in some way?

Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I now retire to private prayer to praise Jesus for setting such a remarkable example for us. I will ask God to help me grow more like Jesus, and I will repent for each time I have even had a fleeting feeling of superiority of any kind. As always,  I will thank God for caring for all of us, including the sinners, the lowly, and the lost lambs.

I will leave you now to your prayer and contemplation. First, though, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:

Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I think you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too, as do readers of this blog who have taken the stroll over to his blog.)




For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs on my sidebar and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.

A Little Boy, Cancer, and an Angel

Worth sharing, from the Internet--

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care anymore? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said goodbye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. "Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked. 

Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.
 

The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.'" She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.

  

She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

  

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

Dear Mom,
I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say "I love you." I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Some day we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.

Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him: where was He when I needed him? God said He was in the same place with me as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.
 Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.
 Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore; the cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore, and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent the Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?
Signed with love from God, Jesus & Me

-- Author unknown

Monday Morning Meditation #127: Let Faith Overcome Fear

For a stay-at-home (mostly) month, it has been a very busy week. Doah's special education teacher from his Ohio days is visiting, along with her son. Doah came over and has stayed with us during the past week also, returning to his group home last night. Mostly we have toured and exhibited San Francisco and, of course, our own little San Ignatio, where the weather has been fully cooperative: balmy and sunny. Yesterday culminated the purpose of the trip here: Doah's confirmation, beautifully done by our priest.

This week, as in the last couple of weeks, I finally made it past Matthew 7 to Matthew 8, where a number of miracles of Jesus are recited. While all of the verses merit attention, the one that grabbed my attention the most is a well known one that Jesus spoke before he calmed a storm that had frightened the disciples: "Oh, you of little faith, why are you so afraid?"

Reading: Matthew 8:26

Meditation:  So, how does one develop the level of faith that one is not afraid when threatening events enter one's life? I remember asking that of a priest during confession when I was afraid of a task facing me when I was going to be going to a war zone for a short stint, and he gave me some good direction to simply pray the simple prayer over and over, "Jesus, I trust in you." (Ironically, when I arrived at Camp Julien, I felt no fear at all.) Other times, I have taken a problem that truly frightened me on a professional (not physical) level and then worried about, only to be told "let Me have it," which could be interpreted as "Oh, Beth, of little faith, why are you so afraid?" I am getting better at this, learning these lessons one after another, but there is still that little fear gremlin that occasionally jumps out at me at high-stress teams.

Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I now retire to private prayer to praise Jesus for these parables that teach us so much. I will ask God to help me grow my faith to where no fear gremlin can draw my attention even for a second, and I will repent for each time I have given that gremlin any attention at all. As always,  I will thank God for never giving up on me even when my faith has not been top notch.

I will leave you now to your prayer and contemplation. First, though, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:

Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I think you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too, as do readers of this blog who have taken the stroll over to his blog.)



For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs on my sidebar and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.

Monday Morning Meditation #126: Beware of False Prophets

It looks like, with the exception of June 19-22, I will be home for the entire month. Yippee! Wow, I don't know how to handle that. I have not been home that long literally in years. What shall I do? Oh, so much remains untouched week after week. Maybe some better house organization, catching up on reading, catching up on posting. Of course, there is always the annoying fact that in spite of being home, I will not be spending all day in San Ignatio. Nope, no chance of a staycation. Too many things going on in the office. So, I have asked off only two days this coming week because Doah's special education teacher from Ohio is coming to town to spend a few days with us and be with him at his baptism-first communion-confirmation on Sunday. (Needless to say, Doah is very, very excited.)

I had looked forward to a retreat this weekend, but at the last minute it was cancelled. Well, I did need the time to start the preparations for Doah, visitors, BBQ after baptism, and so on. On Saturday afternoon, though, I was able to take a few hours for contemplation and just "hanging" with God -- my own, private, mini-retreat, right here on top of the hill we live on. It was a great respite and much needed. Now I am ready to face the week with renewed energy.

This week, as in the last couple of weeks, I continued to read Matthew 7. I continue to spend a lot of time on this particular chapter; it is so rich. The next set of verses are well known ones, but they continue to tell us something valuable. Here are the verses; I am sure they are equally familiar to you, too:

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Reading: Matthew7:15-20

Meditation: The Catholic magisterium is certainly coming into my readings this month very frequently. Sure, let's beware of false prophets, but how do we know who they are? I imagine that many good people over the centuries have been led astray by those who claim to speak for God, on behalf of God, or about God -- yet are focused on something quite different (nowadays that would probably be money). While some "prophets" are clearly into money-making and not into sharing the gospel in the way God intended, in some other cases, the questioning takes a more subtle turn. Fr. Thomas Dubay warns about illuminism and thinking that we are so smart that we can come up with our own answers, particularly in those cases where the answers that have been given to us by God are uncomfortable. Here is where members of the Catholic Church have an advantage: it is a little more difficult to be led astray because the Church generally thoroughly investigates claims of "prophets."

Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I now retire to private prayer to praise God for sending us St. Matthew: such wonderful words of guidance. I will, of course, also ask God to help me stay aware, and I will repent for each time I have come to conclusions on my own without seeking God's help. As always,  I will thank God for watching over me in all instances, false prophets and everything else.

I will leave you now to your prayer and contemplation. First, though, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:

Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I think you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too, as do readers of this blog who have taken the stroll over to his blog.)



For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs on my sidebar and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.

Spiritual Sunday #42

For more Spiritual Sunday posts, I recommend that you wander over to the website of Charlotte and Ginger, who host the Spiritual Sunday meme.
I truly think my life is getting ahead of me! I was unable to link up last Sunday's spiritual Sunday, Temptation -- my own fault for waiting too long to upload -- so I hope that perhaps I can catch up with myself this Sunday.

Because I do not blog on Sundays -- keeping it as the sabbath, a practice started by Fr. Christian Mathis (Blessed Is the Kingdom) -- I usually use older posts (forgotten perhaps but hopefully still interesting) from one or another of my blogs that seem appropriate for this meme. It seems to work to bring out the older posts that many have not read before or ones from other blogs I maintain that readers of 100th Lamb may not know about.

Work issues have been on my mind this week, including the constant tug to leave for something less stressful and then remembering that this is the job God put me in, so I decided to share something I posted in 2009: The Extra Manager at Today's Meeting. Sometimes it helps me to go back to earlier posts and see God's involvement in my work life. Then I know what I have to do: stay the course (which, sometimes, frankly, feels more like drinking the cup than staying the course).

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday!

Oh, the Temptation! Oh, the Arrogance!

I am always among the first to enter an aircraft—if I am running on time, that is. That is because I travel so much that I have become a frequent-frequent flyer. Therefore, in returning from Prague a couple of weeks ago, I sank into my seat on the Lufthansa Frankfort-San Francisco flight many more minutes before anyone else in the economy plus cabin. Often, I receive a complimentary upgrade to business class or first class, but that did not happen this time. So, I entered with all the business class and first class passengers but trekked down into the main cabin. 

As I arranged my pillow, blanket, sweater, books, computer, and purse—certainly not the way St. Francis would have traveled (I have to work on austerity a bit more), I noticed the individual television on the seat back in front of me but found no headset in the pocket. Looking down the row, I noticed that all four other seats did have headsets, and no one was on board yet.

I was quite tempted to grab the headset in the seat pocket beside me. That person would never know that s/he initially did have a headset and I did not. What would it matter really? So, I removed the headset.

Then that little “do-the-right-thing” spirit  slapped my hand, and I put the headset back. Why did I deserve that headset more than the passenger who would be sitting in that seat? Probably there were spares somewhere, and I could ask the stewardess for one. However, I have been on a few flights with no spare headsets. So, once again I eyed that other pocket. By now, all the seats in the row, except for the one beside me, had been claimed. I decided to read the email on my Blackberry (this was definitely not a Franciscan journey) to divert my attention from that headset that now seemed to be calling my name.

After another ten minutes or so, the stewardess came by to close the already stuffed overhead bin, and I asked if she happened to have a spare headset she could bring me when convenient. She wasn’t sure but would look. It took some time before she reappeared, but she had indeed found a headset.

A few minutes later, the rest of the passengers had loaded, and the doors were ready to be closed. Two friends, obviously traveling together, chatted animatedly as they arranged their bags. One was across the aisle from me (19B) and one in the seat immediately in front of me (19C). Clearly, once everyone sat down and the plane started moving, I would be separating them. I asked the lady in front of me (18C) if she wanted 19C so she could talk to her friend. She jumped at the opportunity, thanking me heartily, and we both quickly settled into our new seats. The young man beside me (18D) showed me his electronic toys, and the plane was ready to depart. We began rolling down the runway.

At that point, I noticed two things: (1) the young man beside was mildly ill (Just a cold, hopefully. Where were my Airborne tablets when I needed them? Oh, right, I had stopped taking them a couple of years ago because their heavy salt content sent my blood pressure soaring.), and (2) the passenger in 19D never had shown up. I could have had an empty seat beside me and an easy, roomy flight. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished! Nonetheless, there was something about foiling Temptation that left me with a good feeling that a filled seat beside could not spoil. Besides, why did I deserve an easy, roomy flight more than the person from 18C? 

And so started the next round of reflective ruminations—ten hours of them, punctuated with eating, drinking, computering, reading, and, oh, yes, movie watching.

Spiritual Sunday #41: Temptation

For more Spiritual Sunday posts, I recommend that you wander over to the website of Charlotte and Ginger, who host the Spiritual Sunday meme.

Two months have passed since I have posted a spiritual Sunday comment. Seems impossible. Sometimes my life, with all the travel and all the family goings-on, seems a bit unreal to me, but then, since I have never walked in anyone else's shoes, perhaps everyone has moments of feeling that their lives are unreal.

Because I do not blog on Sundays -- keeping it as the sabbath, a practice started by Fr. Christian Mathis (Blessed Is the Kingdom) -- I usually use older posts (forgotten perhaps but hopefully still interesting) from one or another of my blogs that seem appropriate for this meme. It seems to work to bring out the older posts that many have not read before or ones from other blogs I maintain that readers of 100th Lamb may not know about.

This week I decided to post something earlier from a double-posting on my Modern Mysticism blog. It seemed appropriate, mainly to remind myself that I am right where God wants me to be, given that there is a lot of noise being made at work recently to reduce the higher salaries by 25% (I would be in that group, and it would really make it difficult for me to help Shane with his million-dollar baby) and perhaps even to change the position itself (which would require me to come to a different location -- more time and expense in getting there because it is farther from my house). All that, of course, is nervous-making, and since I travel a lot, I miss out on many of the details of the current discussion and thinking (although that may be for the best). Remembering that God put me here has kept me from following up on the temptation to run out and get another job with the same benefits and fewer hassles. If I were to guess, the reason I am here is to help everyone else survive those hassles and to be a conduit for God to reach those dealing with them (seems to be working that way, anyway). So, here is the post: Temptation.

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday!

Saturday Evening Post #12

Elizabeth Esther used to run a meme in which on the first Saturday of the month bloggers selected their favorite post of the month and shared it with other bloggers. It has been months since I have participated. Too much travel. Too much work. Too much busyness. However, today I managed to find some time (mainly by cutting back on sleep -- not a good approach, really), and so I have been able to go back and make a selection for this month: The Hungry Man and Mass. And after doing that, I found out that she is no longer running her meme! Sheesh, the faster I go, the behinder I get. In any event, I have already made this (last) attempt, so post it I will.

A blessed Saturday to all of you.