April 2008 - Daily Bread

The community of believers was of one heart and mind. Given today’s political, religious and social climates, such an idealized image of any community, religious or not, seems unlikely. It’s easy to dismiss such a picture as a remnant of the past, only possible in the very early days of the church when believers were filled with zeal and urgency. But we’re only saying that to let ourselves off the hook. We think that working for the good of all is impossible, so we don’t even try. We accept divisions as inevitable. We focus on our own narrow interests, rationalizing that we’ll take care of ourselves and others can take care of their own. We are reluctant to impose our views or our will. But we are not called to do those things; we are called to deny ourselves, to reject antagonism and to reconcile. We will never achieve a unified community when competition and individuality are the norm. That we may glorify God in one voice, we pray. PR

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned. God did not offer the sacrifice of the Son in order for us to perish. The gift of salvation is ours. We simply must believe and accept it. We do not work for it; we can not earn it, but, sadly, many choose to reject it. If we are condemned, it is not through God’s will. It’s our own choosing of damnation through denying the precious gift of God’s love. We must not take this gift for granted, however. Each day we must choose to accept God’s grace and to testify to what we have seen and heard. Our Messiah came to eliminate the darkness. We must conduct ourselves in a way that reflects the light. That we may gratefully, continually accept the gift of salvation, we pray. PR

He does not ration the gift of the Spirit. Our God is generous beyond our comprehension. We receive more than we need and surely more than we deserve. We cannot measure the Father’s love, but we can certainly see evidence of how giving our God is. John tells us that everything has been given over to the Son; in our belief in the Son, we receive the greatest gift imaginable: eternal life. May we always strive to use the many gifts given us for the glory of God. In gratitude for all good things that come from the Father, we pray. PR

But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them. If we act in Jesus’ name, we need not fear failure or rejection. God’s light and truth will prevail. If we speak the words of God and testify to his power, we will share in the glory of the Resurrection. We cannot be timid. We can do anything with God at our side. Who better than Jesus to calm our fears? What better than the strength of our convictions and unwavering fidelity to guide our ways? If we truly believe what we profess, we can depend on God to guide and to protect us. God is our only source of unfailing hope. Nothing can destroy that. Relying on Christ, we pray. PR

‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ We waste a lot of time in needless worry and fear. There are certainly legitimate reasons to be afraid, but we tend to fear many things over which we have little or no control. When we are caught in the turmoil and tumult of such fear, we need only look to the Lord and to trust in his goodness and mercy. The Lord hears our prayers and knows the secret terrors of our hearts. Through the Resurrection, Jesus conquered fear and death. We need to surrender our fears to Jesus and to be courageous in faith. In letting go of our anxieties, we open ourselves to a deeper relationship. We acknowledge that God is with us in our times of chaos. We may still find ourselves in frightening situations, but if it is God who calls us there, we must trust that we are safe. That all who live in fear may find peace and comfort in the Lord, we pray. PR

They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. The story of Stephen, the first martyr, continues today. Last Saturday we heard that he and six others were chosen to tend to the material needs of the community. They were the first deacons. Suddenly Stephen is not only working in the first-century food pantry, but his preaching has caused him to be brought before the Sanhedrin. Commentators point out that Luke is intent on showing Stephen to be like Jesus, even down to the charges brought against him: blasphemy, threatening the temple, challenging Mosaic law. This first martyr was not a great scholar or a priest. He was one who told the simple truth and ministered to the poor. We’re called to do the same. O God, bless those called to be deacons and inspire all of us to testify to the truth when we speak and serve others when we act. pbs

You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it. Stephen’s story continues. The Lectionary doesn’t include his great speech in Acts 7, in which he provides a quick summary of Jewish history — Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David — and a scathing commentary on those who persecuted the prophets, right down to those who murdered Jesus, the one foretold by all the prophets, and who are now persecuting the disciples of Jesus. Enraged, they stone Stephen to death. Among them is a Pharisee named Saul. This is the beginning of the separation of the Christian Jews from institutional Judaism. O God, open our ears and our hearts to your truth so that we may recognize your prophets among us. pbs

Saul was trying to destroy the church. By his lights as a Pharisee, Saul was doing God’s will when he dragged those early Christian men and women out of their houses and sent them to prison. We know what happened on the road to Damascus as Saul-become-Paul saw the light. One wonders how this man trusted his own perception ever again. Perhaps the memory of those Christians he persecuted haunted him in his darker hours. Meanwhile, Philip was preaching in Samaria and those outcasts, the enemies of temple Jews, were joyfully turning over their lives to Jesus. If Jesus comes for outcasts and sinners, where does that place us? In pretty interesting company. O God, save us from complacency and self-righteousness and fill us with the joy of turning over our lives to you. pbs

‘Look, there is water. What is to prevent me from being baptized?’ This passage has a special place in my heart. I happened on the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch as I was trying to decide if I was ready for baptism. I wasn’t really, but it didn’t stop me or the charismatic priest who performed the honors. Too high a percentage of converts, including those who enter through the RCIA process, cease to practice their faith within a year or two. They join the second-largest religious group in the United States — lapsed Catholics. The church of the RCIA process is vibrant, relevant, meaningful to our day-to-day lives. Perhaps it is not the challenges of our faith, but the lack of challenge that allows so many to drift away. O God, give us the faith of our ancestors and the opportunity to live out that faith in our daily lives. pbs

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. Try to imagine the mind of Ananias. He, along with other disciples in Damascus, is waiting in fear for Saul the persecutor of Christians. The Lord appears to Ananias and tells him to walk into the arms of this terrorist, announce that he’s a Christian, and lay hands on Saul to heal him of his blindness. Who can blame Ananias for questioning: "Uh, Lord, you know who this guy is, right?" Ananias did as he was told. It was an act of faith and obedience that changed the course of history, an act of love and forgiveness that marks the disciple of Jesus. Lord Jesus, help us to hear your voice and follow your command to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. pbs

‘What God hath made clean, you are not to call profane.’ We sometimes act as if we know better than God. (We don’t.) How surprised, not to say shocked, Peter must have been to realize the major changes God was working in the way he had always lived! For most of us, change is often either much too sudden or much too slow. If we are to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in building God’s Kingdom on earth, we must remain open, attentive and malleable. Change for the better will come, in God’s time, not ours. Meanwhile, we should "Pray as though everything depended on God; work as though everything depended on us." Come Holy Spirit, remake us into the dynamic, active community of love that Jesus came to establish on earth. mew

My sheep hear my voice. Have I heard the radical Gospel message so often that I no longer take it personally? Do I truly consider the meaning of "I have come to cast fire on the earth" or "Love one another as I have loved you" or "Whatever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do to me"? The Lord not only speaks to me in the scriptures, but through the church, through the faith community in which I worship, and through the faces and voices of all people who hunger — for bread, for hope, for peace in the world or in the family, or perhaps only for a kind word. Lord, grant that I may see your face and hear your voice in all I meet. mew

The word of God continued to spread and grow. We do not know when Jesus will return for us in glory, but we don’t need to. We need, rather, to live each day attuned to the Gospel challenge. Missionaries are not just those heroes, past or present, who travel to distant places to spread the Gospel. The word of God within us burns to be heard everywhere, not only to the ends of the earth but to the height, breadth and depth of our spheres of influence. Today, I will read the scriptures prayerfully and ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to spread the Gospel where I find myself, if necessary in words, but especially in actions. Lord, shine in my life so that others may be warmed by your light. mew

‘Truly, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master.’ Rejection is hard to bear. Like John the Baptist, we often work hard to witness to Christ in word and action, but as often as not, find ourselves misunderstood, ignored, ridiculed or even in some way penalized for our fidelity to the Lord’s word. "It’s not fair! I’m trying to do the right thing. Why don’t people listen?" The answer to our perfectly legitimate question takes us to the cross, because that’s where it led our Master, and we are his servants. But if we are faithful, the same hard road leads us beyond the cross to the Resurrection. Dear Lord, teach me to follow you in all things and to trust you to bring me safely home. mew

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.’ Our heaven begins here in this life as we join Jesus, our Lord and brother, in the "family business" of spreading God’s Kingdom of peace, love and justice. Jesus reminds us that he wants us to be happy with him now on earth, on our journey in him who is the Way here as well as after death, when we join him with our loved ones in the fullness of the Resurrection. Let us take comfort and courage from this promise and continue working for the Kingdom with renewed strength. Lord Jesus, you are the Way that leads to eternal life. Remind me that my goal is perfect union with you, now and forever. mew

Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. The first Pentecost ushers in the last act of the Great Drama. The spread of God’s Kingdom is to be accomplished through God’s people — including me! The good words and deeds of my life, dedicated to Christ through the Holy Spirit, become part of "greater works" of which Jesus speaks, even though it might never seem so to me. Let us remain watchful, always ready to do the work of Christ. My word, my smile, my vote, the stand that I take can bring the Kingdom of God on earth closer to fulfillment. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. mew

‘Master, [then] what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?’ Our lives are steeped in mystery. We ask what seem to be legitimate questions of God. But what do we do when our questions are met with not-an-answer? We should listen carefully and humbly acknowledge what God knows about us: We don’t even have the right questions. Let us quit barking up so many wrong trees and, rather, keep our focus solely on knowing and loving God. With St. Anselm, let us pray: "O God, let me know you and love you so that I may find my joy in you; and if I cannot do so fully in this life, let me at least make some progress every day." For progress in knowledge and love of God, we pray. ecw

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. None of us wakes up in the morning and says, "I want to spend this day troubled and fearful." Yet for many of us, being fearful and troubled has become our habit, and finding and accepting the peace of Jesus may well depend upon our developing an effective practice of letting go of fear and worries. We may need to wake each day and tell ourselves firmly: "I will not be troubled and fearful today. I will remember to be happy and confident in the Lord." Let us seek the peace the Lord gives and replace bad habits with good ones. In Jesus, we can trade troubles for contentment and fear for gratitude. For the grace to let go of troubles and the fortitude to say "no" to fear, we pray. ecw

He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. Many a would-be athlete knows the pain of being cut from a team. Those who do survive cuts also may come to know more pain than they had anticipated. Discipleship, likewise, is no picnic, but everything worthwhile has its price. Once on the team, the athlete is expected to be part of a winning strategy. For the true disciple this entails remaining in Jesus. How do we maintain a strong, deep, abiding relationship with the Lord? Let us pray, study the sacred scripture, join in fellowship with other believers and work in service to others that we might bear much fruit and so glorify the Father. For ever-deepening love for Jesus, we pray. ecw

‘I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.’ "Joy is the surest sign of the presence of God," wrote Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and joyful people certainly convince us of this. Even in the midst of great difficulty, they are confident of God’s love and care. Joy is a holy fire within them, inexplicable strength. Moreover, their strong sense of God’s presence in their life is matched by a fervent desire to share that experience with others. We miss an important point if we think we will grow in faith by grim determination. Rather, our need is for greater joy in the Lord, joy that will help us grow ever more faithful to his teachings and obedient to his law of love. For joy that is complete, we pray. ecw

Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. To be human is to be acquainted with suffering. We may be afflicted with physical pain, mental anguish or emotional distress. Financial or relational difficulties may plague us. From within the dark holes of our pain we may easily imagine the whole world as happiness and light. But, of course, we are not alone in what we suffer. As we endure personal hardships today, let us pray for those whose suffering is especially grievous or intense. Let us also seek the intercession of St. Mark, evangelist, who highlights for us the suffering of Jesus and the cross as our means of salvation. For unity with Jesus in the trials we face … for the poor and the destitute, we pray. ecw

‘If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.’ The bad news about the Good News is that those who carry it inevitably become targets of persecution. We may think that we are the lucky Christians who deal with little or no overt hostility. Let us not be mistaken: We face real threats, but we are fooled by their subtlety. Hatred often wears the guise of seduction. Do we know where to draw the line on consuming and pleasure? Have we forfeited compassion in our pursuit of power? Generosity in our quest for wealth? Each new day carries the challenge to be in the world but not of it. Let us renew our commitment to be authentically countercultural followers of Christ. For strength to resist the seductions of wealth, power and pleasure, we pray. ecw

… and the Lord opened her heart. Amazing things happen when we allow the word of God to take root within us. Although she was considered a worshipper, when Lydia truly listened, the Lord prompted her to act on what she heard. Her belief was no longer merely internal. Her household was baptized, and she welcomed Paul and his company into her home, offering hospitality and waiting on them. Let this be our prayer today — that we, too, can open our hearts to all God’s people, that we may work for unity and healing, that we may offer peace and hope and that we may show hospitality, generosity and love. That we may graciously serve others, we pray. PR

For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. The apostles should rejoice, not grieve, at the imminent departure of Jesus. He has fulfilled the Father’s will and returns to him triumphantly. Jesus has risen in glory. What better way to prove the indictment against Jesus false than to conquer the death his accusers tried to impose? They are all witnesses to his victory. Death has no hold. Satan has no power. Come, Holy Spirit, teacher and comforter. Guide us in the ways of the Lord, we pray. PR

The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands. We will never fathom the immense power of God. It is fruitless to apply our inadequate imagination and vocabulary to such a task. In doing so, we only limit our understanding and trivialize whom we believe God to be. We cannot compartmentalize God as a Sunday endeavor or as a comforter in times of sorrow to be dismissed when something better comes along. We do an even greater injustice to our Creator, as well as to creation, when we lay claims to God. If God created the whole human race, then God is a part of all of us. Our God cannot be contained and must be shared with all. In awe, we pray. pr