26^th Sunday Ordinary Time — September 26, 2009

Treasure Box:

In today’s gospel Jesus is confronting human natures ability to create a captivity and control box, a jail.  When we are young our human capacity to understand God is limited yet we automatically try and wrap our arms around this God of ours.  In doing so, we unknowingly create a treasure box for God and others.  Unfortunately some are locked in and some locked out.  Later in life this treasure box can to limit our spiritual growth to the size of the box we chose.

Did you know we all have such a treasure box?  Some have a little bitty box and some of have a bigger box.  Let me assure you each of us has their own box.  At some point in our life, we settled on, who we think God is, how he operates and we then put God in our box and lock some folks out.  Then we tend to keep him there because we are comfortable with who we decided he was.  But eventually in life the good Lord will place us in a situation where we he makes us uncomfortable because God wants us to understand he cannot be contained within our limited understanding or box.

Get out of my Box:

From the book of Numbers we hear the Lord came in a cloud, took some of the spirit of Moses and bestowed it on the seventy elders.  Joshua, Moses longtime closest aide was one of them.  We hear Joshua, one of the chosen ones complain.   Eldad and Medad, two who were outside the gathering had prophesied in the camp – stop them!  Please Moses get them out of our box!

Stop them!

Again in the gospel of Mark, we hear John, the beloved disciple, tell Jesus. Teacher someone is driving out demons in your name.  We tried to stop him because he does not follow us, tell them to get out of our treasure box! 

Human Nature Versus the Holy Spirit:

In these readings we see human natures reaction to a confrontation with this treasure box, pettiness, arrogance and envy.  Times like these are teaching moments.  Jesus wants us to know those of good will who are not against us, are to be treated as being with us.  We are being called to tolerance and openness.  Jesus wants our limited human created box to be stretched.  One day we will find ourselves in a situation that will make us uncomfortable so we can see clearly the arbitrary human limitations we place on him.

Break open your box, set me free from your confounded self defined box which in truth is purely an illusion that exists only in our mind.

Road Blocks:

This week end, we are also holding our parish stewardship fair.  Guess what is true about Catholic stewardship?  Yes each of us also has a stewardship captivity box.  This box may have been defined long ago and over time some of us have added an iron reinforced concrete layer to protect our inner self from any penetration!  Some are putting up road blocks as I speak.

God Stretches Box’s:

The spirit of God cannot be contained.  Release God and he will open your spirit and stretch the size of your box beyond your wildest imagination to the degree we open our hearts!

I have a promising antidote, a box expanding opener.  It has the potential to spring God lose from our self limiting captivity box and begin to cut a hole in the concrete reinforced walls of our stewardship box!  Let’s call this a kind of spiritual box a cash for clunkers program.  We will be trading in the stubbornness of the human heart for joy now and salvation later.

Say Yes Lord: Stretch my Box:

Are you willing to take a risk and give this antidote a try?

I have some lyrics I will say the words first and then I want you to sing the refrain after me.  Are you ready for the antidote?

I’m trading my sorrow — I’m trading my shame — I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord
I’m trading my sickness –I’m trading my pain — I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord

Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord.

There is a positive impact from saying a simple yes to the Lord.  As the Yes travels from the tips of the tongue down it startles and wakes up the spirit of the soul triggering a natural opening and stretching of the size of the box to handle the possibilities of the hazards of the risk just spoken.  As the reality of yes reaches the living, beating chambers of our heart it expands to transform our box into a spirit filled room of potential unending capacity.

No one gets bumped out as new travelers fill the room.

21st Sunday of Ordinary Time

Trap Question:  Who are we going to Serve:

I am going to set some traps for you today!  Let’s see if you get caught in them

We hear the nation of Israel had journeyed form slavery in Egypt and were now conquerors.  They had lost their land because of sinfulness.  The question of that day was, now that we are free what God will we serve?  The God of Moses that lead you out of slavery and bondage or Baal the pagan God of the Amorites.  Who will you serve  – the God of darkness or light?  It is this same stark question Jesus is asking in the Gospel of John.

Cultural Use of Words:  Ring any Bells?

How easily it is for us to get caught up in the cultural use of words and totally miss the central critical spiritual point of the message.

In the Gospel of John today, his community was immersed in tension and conflict.  If we are not careful, we can easily get caught up in the trap of emotions which crowd out and overwhelm our spiritual eyes and ears.  Have you noticed every issue is a crisis and we must act immediately?  A new language art form has immerged to create a self fulfilling understanding by the hearer, while the message delivered can have a meaning we may not detect.  We have politicians who claim to be roman Catholic’s speaking to us using the language of faith, freedom, choice and liberty while aggressively supporting abortion and proposing laws that can lead to euthanasia.

Image Corporation / Government Same Human Sin?

Are we awake America?  Let me ask what God do we want to serve?  Is there any tension and conflict in our nation today?  Oh my!!!  Fannie Mae, Freddie Mack, are social security and Medicare in trouble, do we have a banks, mortgage and housing crises, global warming cap and trade, single payer universal health care, bail out mania, increased taxes, tarp, deficit spending, illegal immigration, government motors, anger at CEO’s flying corporate planes while congress purchases 5 new private jets, abortion, death panels for euthanasia, cash for clunkers and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan have become side issues?  The greed and corruption of corporate America is condemned while government corruption is somehow better?

Who are we going to Serve?

Jesus words today are going to startle us.  It’s time to make a decision!  Now let’s see if I can get real personal.  How about today’s cultural upheaval of the roles and equality of men and women in the United States of America.  How did Paul’s letter to the Ephesians go over today?  How did we feel when we heard Paul’s words?  Wives be subordinate to your husbands.  The husband is the head of his wife.  Wives should be subordinate in everything!  Be totally submissive and give up your life.

Emotions Trap:

How’s Paul doing?  Did your emotions rise up and begin to walk yourself into a trap?   Is it possible some of us are falling into emotional traps and becoming powerless to hear the spirit of the word spoken preventing the truth from being grasped?

Take a deep breath.  Count to ten or maybe 100.  Are we still caught up in our emotions?  Let me suggest your freedom and more importantly our salvation are at stake – we need to be able to hear the truth – the word of God!

One Flesh Maybe?

Look at the balance of what Paul calls the wife and the husband to!  Both, two not one, two that become one.  It is important to begin to understand Paul is not speaking to us about each of us individually but jointly as people who are journeyers together.  Paul is doing his best to teach us about a beautiful relationship, full and complete, mutual unqualified love where two become as one.  Did Paul’s words of subordination conjure up those emotions?  Two individual people freely choosing to die to their individual selves so they can become one, act as one because they serve the one true God.  This is unconditional love.  Paul’s point  „ do not miss it!

Relationships that Unite:

It is the kind of relationship that Jesus is calling us to today!   We as the Church and Jesus as Joshua leading us to His Father.

Did you fall into any traps?  Let’s now examine Jesus Bread of Life words of truth in the Gospel.  Just yesterday his disciples were witnesses to his miracles of healing and feeding the 5000 and already we find them murmuring – this saying is hard.  They fell into the trap for though they saw with their own eyes they could not overcome the blindness of their spirit.  Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you do not have life within you!  The words I have spoken are spirit and life!  But there are some who do not believe.

Are we going to turn away?

Many of the disciples who followed Jesus returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.

Jesus wants to know folks what is our decision?  What is our decision today!  Are we going to be like those who saw his miracles, ate the food he blessed, begin to murmur and then leave.  Or are we going to recognize the spiritual truth and wisdom of Peter’s words.  Master to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  You are the Holy One of God.

What is the relationship between people within this room?

Lent Year A March 2009

Anyone one here feeling, anxious, fearful, uncertain, lost, abandoned or forsaken?  Anyone here ever felt like we are the odd one out or the black sheep of the family?  These are indeed stressful times in our nations history.  It’s like having a back cloud following us around every minute.  A black cloud that occupies our sub conscience and as such exists uncomfortably close to the surface.

Here’s Mud in your eye!

Anyone wants something to clear up the mess?  Well here it is!  Here’s mud in your eye.  Isn’t that what we need to hear — Strait from our Savior – Here’s mud in your eye.  We humans are made of clay.  Clay is made of earth and water.  Not just any water but the spit of divine essence.  Ever heard it said that way.  This God of ours will use anything to save us.  So here’s mud in your eye.

Water the Wellspring of All Life:

Water, clay and oil cannot heal the blind and yet we know the breath of God passing over the waters created all life.  Water can not heal, yet the water of baptism heals because blessed water contains the Holy Spirit.  Oil can not heal, yet the sacred oils of the Catechumens and Chrism heal because they too are blessed just prior to the Easter Triduum each year where they are filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Elect / 2nd Scrutiny – becoming a new creation:

Today’s scripture have some really good news for all of us, especially those who who have that black cloud surrounding them!  In fact within the 4th Sunday of lent we have a spiritual bonus, we celebrate the 2nd Scrutiny with the Elect who are journeying through the RCIA process on their way to entering into full communion with the Catholic Church.  We call them the  Elect.  It is a special church name used to identify those who are walking across the threshold of becoming a new creation.  Don’t we all yearn to be reborn again for the very first time with our slate washed clean?

Let’s see if we can open up scripture and let the light of Christ escape and shine into the darkness of the world we live in.  In the reading from 1 Samuel we hear the story of Samuel who was sent out to anoint the hoped for new King of the Jews.

Samuel fill your horn with oil and be on your way!  Woo wait a minute, could this message be directed at each one of us.  The Good Lord is making a clear statement.  Take action!  Be on your way!  Why we are hesitating?   Get on with it, you have been graced with a spirit of hope!  I have given you the tools you need for your journey!  Your horn is filled with the oil of your Baptism – be on your way!  God has something he wants you to do and only you can do it!  Step into the light, get over the anxiety, fear, lack of worthiness, uncertainty and the doubt.

Samuel is sent to the house of Jesse where Jesse presents seven sons.  Did anyone notice the Good Lord is playing a trick on us!  Seven, isn’t that the perfect number?  Surely God’s anointed is among one of these seven!  Oh but God does not see as we see.  God does not look at appearance but looks into the heart.  There is hope, especially for those who think it can’t be me!

It was the eighth son, the odd one out, who was out tending the sheep.  One who apparently didn’t command any consideration of his father Jesse.

No one is left out of this calling!  And our Baptism is indeed the seal of eternal life.  We the baptized have become “living stones” being “built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.”   Paul tells us we were once darkness but now we are light in the Lord.  Awake oh sleeper, arise form the dead, Christ will give you light in the middle of the worst nightmare.

By Baptism we share in the priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic and royal mission.  Get it — We are chosen, a royal priesthood and a holy nation, We are God’s own people, that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.”  We “Reborn as sons of God, [the baptized] must profess before men the faith they have received from God through the Church” and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity of the People of God.

Now if we are still in doubt, the Gospel of John give us new spiritual sight in the midst of darkness.  Jesus saw one who was blind from birth.

Jesus disciples question him about the cause of the mans blindness!  And they get an unexpected answer.  No one is guilty – the purpose of the blindness is to serve as a trigger for God works to occur through his blindness!  So we have problems and fears — Go!

Jesus made mud to teach us – we too are called to be sent

Jesus spit upon the ground, took the earth and made clay which he smeared on the blind mans eyes.  Blind and mud smeared all over his eyes, Jesus then had the nerve to commanded the blind man to go wash in the pool of Siloam (which means sent).  The blind man went and washed.  What are we waiting for – we too are sent and our horn of oil is full.  We are already ready for the journey we face today, tomorrow and every day to come even when we do not know what we are ready for!

Whatever comes, no matter the gravity or muddiness of the situation we are ready.  Stand up and go.  Do not be afraid, do not be fearful, for the darkness will be shattered by the light of Christ who proceeds us.  We are not a cowardly people.

Music to our ears – Our Name – to hear the Spirit Speeking in a Dream:

Does anyone here, hear the Lord Calling you by name, while you are awake or in your dreams?  Can anyone see the light of truth in our nation’s crises?  Does anyone have an answer to the mess?  Be faithful to Jesus’ message of repentance and believe in the good news.

Martin Luther Kind:  I have a Dream:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.  I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

Fulfillment of a Dream of Hope:

The inauguration of Barack Obama, as President of the USA, marks the fulfillment of hope of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.  While our heads are high up on the mountain top with the clouds of promise we find our feet standing deep in the valley of turmoil.  This great nation is in the midst of a great economic crises, caused by human greed in almost every sector of our society and a lust for power that blinds the spirit.  These sins have built up a mountain of anxiety and made us vulnerable to American quick fix we see on TV.  Do we recognize the evil that has creep into our nation and it’s vulnerability to corruption?  The FOCA is upon us.  Will we lose our way, will we lose our freedom of conscience?

A War / Rebellion against God’s Plan:

Today we hear of the conversion of Saul. Paul’s persecution of the Christians did not sit well with the Lord.    Resistance and rebelling against God doesn’t work.  What’s it going to take for each one of us to begin to cooperate with God’s plan?

Saul was blinded by a great light and thrown to the ground.  A blinded Paul made an about face, he turned around, he made a 180 degree turn as if he hit geese in mid air and needed to make an immediate emergency landing to get his feet back on solid ground.  Paul made a radical decision that broke with the past.  We need to stand up to change our nations’ course!

Are our Eyes Open and Do our ears work?

Are our spiritual eyes open as we depart on the new road we are traveling to our destination?  Are we ready for a ride we have never experienced before in our history?  Our hope rests on embracing the blinding light of the spirit and the message of the Lord as we work to regain our footing as we embark on this new journey.

The message of scripture today is clear.  As we and our nation embark upon this new journey do no ignore God.  Jesus promised us abundant life!  Abundant life is not about waiting for the current storm to pass, it’s about learning the proper spiritual dance in the midst of the lightning, thunder and the driving rain!

Do not be deceived by the Lures, Eloguence and Image:

Live in the spirit of Paul’s message to the Corinthians.  Can you hear the Lord calling?  We are called to act like Christ’s second coming is imminent.  One must literally run away from the lures of the world.  One must begin to filter through the eloquence of words to discern the truth through observance of the action of the deliverer.  Oh Lord open our ears to your words from 1 Corinthians.  One with a wife must act as not having a wife, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning.  Paul’s word today for us is wisdom.  Do we get it?  Do not be deceived by the lures, the eloquence and the images the world provides.  Instead, be faithful to Jesus message of repentance, believe in the good news and courageously engage and fill the world with abundant life.

Have Courage Brothers and Sisters – Use His Name:

In the Gospel of Mark we have a powerful promise.  Do we have the courage to live it?  Do we have the courage to even consider trying it?  Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.  These signs will accompany them by using my name.  They will cast out demons, they will speak in foreign tongues, they pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing it will not hurt them, if they lay hands on the sick they will recover.

We have the promise.  The question is will we but try!

Pray Always:

As the third grade class lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic school for lunch they encountered a table with a large pile of apples.  The nun had made a note that said, “Take only one, God is watching.”  Moving through the line, to the other end was a another table, with a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.  When the first child reached the cookie table the student told the rest, “Take all you want, God is watching the apples.

This is a lite hearted story to remind me, to tell you, we are living in the midst of the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And when we turn to Jesus in prayer we will find the good news in every circumstance.

This week I received an E-Mail from an unknown author and in light of the weariness of this war I want to share with you..

Max Lucado a pastor and Christian author, is very popular for his many  books about the Lord.  A few weeks ago, Max was invited to have lunch at the White House (along with several other preachers) with President Bush.

At this meeting the ministers sat down to lunch and waited for President Bush to appear.  Max said he was expecting G.W. to walk into the room looking tired, serious, and depressed.  When the President came in, Max said he looked totally the opposite… he was energetic, joyful, and very focused on his talk with the ministers.

President Bush was asked how he could seem so peaceful and calm in the midst of all the tragedy.  The President’s reply was, “I’m feeling stronger now than I’ve ever been in my life. And the reason is, people in America are praying for me.  When I stay on my knees, that is when I have power.”

Let us hold fast to our faith, it is the rock Moses sat upon.  Listen to the words of Paul.  I charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power:  proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.  Sit upon that rock and proclaim your faith with enthusiasm.

We are charged to encourage with patience whether convenient or inconvenient!  A charge not to be taken lightly by Christians.

Be Persistent:

In the Gospel of Luke we heard Jesus tell us about he necessity to pray always without becoming weary.  We hear of the persistent widow and the judge who neither feared God or respected any human.  A widow in Jesus time was one who had no one to care for them, they faced danger and had few resources to influence such a judge.  But this widow recognized her source of strength and courage.  She remained persistent in seeking justice.  She repeatedly went to the judge to say, Render a just decision for me against my adversary.

Eventually we know the judge delivered a just decision because he himself grew weary and began to fear she would do him harm.

Jesus tells us.  Will not God secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night.  I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done speedily.

Faith and Trust

Then Jesus concludes with a most essential question each one here must ponder.  When the son of man comes will he find faith on earth.  Faith is the rock our prayers are founded upon.

True faith will result in prayer and the Christian life becoming inseparable.  One prays unceasingly who unites prayer to good works and good works to prayer.  As individuals of this community we are called to increase in faith, prayer and good works.

Ask in Our Fathers Name — Love One Another

As this new war against terrorism continues into the foreseeable future, we are charged to be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; to pray day and night unceasingly as individuals and to come together in unity as a community to support one another in an unceasing prayer for justice, mercy and peace.  Remembering the good news.  Whatever we ask in our fathers name, he will give to us. –  This I command you – love one another.

John the Baptist is the BRIDGE

To Help us build a Bridge between Judgement to Tender Compassion

Begin

At the first gathering of our second year I told you a story about my first summers ministry.  Do you remember?

Do you remember Bill Lange’s last reflection when he described  his encounter with a man with AIDS.  I can still remember his description of the man coughing and spewing in his car.

We are a unique group of people on a special journey.  We are a people who remember.  This is the season of Advent.  As Lou Ann told us we are a people who are watching and waiting.  We are longing, we have a longing in our hearts for the completion of this formation program, for the new beginning in ministry it will represent.

The reading from Luke this morning is one where the people of Luke’s time would have remembered the prophecy of Isaiah, the Angel Gabriel, and the father of John, Zachariah.  This reading quickly drew me into my memories,  of my encounters with my ministry to HIV positive and AIDS victims.

My Story

As some of you may know, for the past two and half years, I have been in a struggle, frequently founding myself in a debate with my Lord about my ministry to HIV+ and AIDS victims.  I seem to automatically take up the cause of homosexuality with members of this class, with people in my church, with my fellow workers and  peer supervisors.

I have, often asked the Lord, why me?  Why do I regularly find myself in the middle of this debate?

Why am I defending people who are homosexual, whose lifestyle I abhor, whose very presence make me tense.  Why do I find myself defending them every time someone attacks them?

I have asked God!  I have asked my spiritual director?  And I want each of you to know I would really prefer to choose to not argue this issues!  Yet I persist in defending them against others judgement.

I can still recall my first encounter with a large group of homosexuals, HIV + and AIDS victims at the meal served on Tuesday night at the Shrine.  For me being this close to homosexuals and people with the HIV decease was like being in a real desert.  I clearly remember how uncomfortable and out of place I felt.  I remember how straight and tall I stood.  My behavior must have communicated very effectively to everyone my discomfort at being there.  My body language was saying loudly, don’t get too close to my space.

As I watched, I can still visualize the gentleness, kindness, the tenderness, and compassion with which I observed others minister to the those whom we would consider the lepers of 1994.  Most of these other ministers were obviously gay men.

After several encounters at the Shrine and regularly attending a support group meeting at the Good Samaritan Project, a strange thing began happening to me on my home.  These great big crocodile tears would well up in my eyes and roll down my cheeks as I drove my truck home.

I kept asking myself Why the tears?  Why the tears?  I don’t relate to gays or homosexuality or the HIV decease.  I really didn’t want to be near them.  I didn’t support their lifestyle.

I disliked observing their behavior.  What was it?

Finally I realized that I had been standing as a witness to the awesome love God has, for even these lowly lepers of today.  An awesome love being extended far beyond my capability by those whom I would judge to be abhorrent and detestable.

I realized that it was I, who had the haughty heart.  It was I who was unable to love these people of God.  The tears were the reflection my sadness of my ability to truly love my brothers unconditionally.  How awesome is God’s love for his people.  I was a witness and it had touched my soul.

“In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from high shall break upon those, who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death and guide our feet into the way of peace”.

Luke’s Story

This morning’s Gospel from Luke is about God’s logic and God’s will and plan.  Luke’s message is about God’s His plan of salvation.  His plan will be done and nothing can stop God’s plan of salvation from being made available to all.

Today, we hear about John in the desert.  As Flo told us, the desert is a powerful symbol, a place of common ground, no one owns it.  The sand is blown all around from place to place and the terrain is in a constant sate of change.

We hear the story about John the Baptizer who we are told hears a herald’s voice in the desert crying.  “Make ready the way of the Lord, clear him a straight path, every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be leveled.  The windings shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth, and all mankind shall see the salvation of God”.

It is a story about John’s call and mission to prepare the way.  We know that John is last and the greatest prophet.  He serves as the transition.  He serves as the bridge from the old testament to the new testament covenant.

John is a profit who does not belong to the period of promise but inaugurates the period of fulfillment.  John fulfills God’s prophecy, that of Isaiah, Gabriel and his father Zechariah.  John serves as a model for the church.  He serves as a model for this class as we approach the end of this year 1994 and enter the final days of our formation.  He prepares the way.  He is a prisoner leading others to the frontiers of faith in Jesus as we also are called.

John freely choose to live in the desert.  A place where drawing a line in the sand and finding it later is a waste of time.  The desert a no man zone because man has no power or control or influence over the desert.

The desert symbolizes a common ground where man can find God.  John hears and responds to Gods’ voice calling for repentance.  A  baptism of repentance which leads to the forgiveness of sins.

Think about the symbology of the desert and Baptism with water.  water in the desert is a scarce and precious commodity.  In the desert water a rich symbol of death and life.  John, the desert and baptism serve as a powerful symbols to cleans away the sins of many.

Return to My Story:

Through my AIDS ministry experience I have been hearing a herald’s voice crying in the wind.  A voice proclaiming a baptism of repentance and not of judgement.  A voice that won’t leave me alone when the topic of homosexuality and HIV with all its judgement comes up.

Isn’t Luke calling us through John the Baptizer to serve as the cleansing water of baptism today, to help led all God’s people to the forgiveness of sins.  Even people who most of us may not prefer not to encounter.  Yes, people who are HIV positive or who have AIDS.  The lepers of 1994.

These people have a more urgent need to hear the herald’s voice crying.  They are people who are indeed in life’s desert and on a  fast track to death.

Make ready the way of the Lord!  Clear a straight path, fill in every valley, level every hill and mountain, make the winding road straight, the rough ways smooth and all mankind shall see the salvation of God.

This passage form Luke is speaking to us.  At least to my human instincts to run for cover and to jump into the comfort zone of judgement?

Have I been called by a herald’s voice, a voice that I would prefer to be heard by someone else?

As I struggle with these revelations and reflect on this reading I ask you to join me in praying to the Lord Jesus Christ to help each of us to;

Pray that we make straight our attitudes through prayer,

Pray that we fill in the valley of our inabilities through positive action,

Pray that we level and temper our tendency to judge through the control of our tongue,

Pray make we make the way straight for those who may seek our council.

Pray that we can smooth the way for all God’s people to see the salvation of God!

As a class we have traveled far and have much to share and remember.  This Advent, this time of the church year, we are a people who are reminded that we are watching and waiting.  In one week we will finished 1994 and will begin the final leg of our formation program.  Indeed, we are a people longing for a new beginning in ministry to God’s people.

This morning when we pray the Canticle of Zachariah remember;

Remember the words anew, and with the longing of Advent in your heart.  That we may join John the Baptist as Baptism of water that cleanses the way for sinners.

The canticle of Zechariah.  “And you my child shall be called the prophet of the most high; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins”.

Amen