7-8-20 Midweek Musings

14th Ordinary Sunday
July 5, 2020
“Bearable with Jesus”

Zechariah 9:9-10
Romans 8:9-13
Matthew 11:25-30

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord –

The COVID-19 Shutdown certainly has changed things for Americans and for the world. No one’s life has not been affected. Some will suffer economically for a long time to come. And who really knows how many physical, emotional, and social problems the shutdown caused – and is still causing – in many places and in many lives.

However, I think that there has been a real blessing that has come from the crisis that the pandemic caused. It is that it forced millions of people to re-evaluate their own lives and the way they live. It helped many to truly appreciate what most, if not all of us, take for granted.

It helped us make value judgments about what things are important and about what things are not. It forced us to explore and discover other ways of doing things. And if we used some of the time to reflect honestly and to look within ourselves – it would have brought us to a new and better relationship with God and with our loved ones!

These have been truly hard and stressful times. And for many, the hard times and the stress will continue well into the future!

Fortunately, the scriptures for today bring much to bear upon our present situation and how to grow in spiritual stature in the days ahead.

Zechariah tells us, and a broken, exiled, and captive people, that the Lord God is still in charge. Nevertheless, God is not like the warrior kings who overpower and exploit everyone else. Our God is a king of peace. He is not interested in or dependent upon all the instruments of warfare, past and present. He will conquer evil and the enemy with His kindness, His patience, His non-violence.

We know now, that Jesus was the one who was sent to teach us the ways of God – and the way that we should live. In fact, Jesus was the Son of God who actually rode into Jerusalem – not on a warhorse, but on a donkey – a symbol of gentleness and non-violence!

Jesus rode into Jerusalem to conquer the enemies of love. He would do this by his suffering and death on the cross. His suffering and death actually conquered death itself – because the Father raised him up as the champion of all that is true, beautiful, and good!

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus assures us that it is not university degrees, financial cleverness, or political astuteness that help us discover God or what is important in life. No, not at all! It is our simplicity and openness to God – in ourselves, in others, in the scriptures, and in the world around us that leads to true wisdom and to ultimate lasting peace.

But there is even more. Jesus tells us that if we trust in him – and throw in our lot with him – he can make life bearable for us. God has all the answers – Jesus is our guide through the mystery of suffering and the mystery of life. If we yoke ourselves to him, he will guide us through whatever hardships we experience now – and through those that the future will bring. Furthermore, he will be with us at every step of the journey!

Finally, St. Paul teaches us how important it is to live in the Spirit of Jesus – and not in the spirit of the world. The spirit of the world lives only in the here and now.

It idolizes youth – It glorifies the human body – It worships lust, wealth, and power as its gods. Just look at many of the designer fashions – the face lifts and the body sculpting – the glamour magazines and the youthful makeovers – None of these prolong our life or prepare us for meeting God at the moment of death! Even our accomplishments mean nothing if they don’t serve others and bring them closer to God.

Brothers and Sisters, we are not “debtors to the ‘flesh’ ” – to the false values of the world. If we are – then this life is all that we have. However, if we live in – and by – the Spirit of God and put these lesser things to death, we will live forever – starting now and infinitely beyond any time we can measure.

So, let us pray that we always walk with Jesus who can help us to make our journey into the infinite presence and glory of God!

Amen.

Msgr. Russell G. Terra, Parish Homilies, 5 July 2020
Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Redding, CA

Dear KAG: 20200708 Open Thread

Hot enough for ya?

I like mine crispy, how about you?

And now for something completely different.

That just popped into my feed and I thought y’all might like it.

And now for the obligatory message from our sponsors:

Here at the Q tree we believe in the concept of CIVIL open free speech and the discussion that fleshes out ideas. When commenting and participating in the OPEN discussion on this thread all comments MUST NOT CONTAIN personal threats, baiting, name calling, or other anti-social words fomenting hate, violence or destruction. Our host Wolfm00n has strict rules about that.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

  1. No food fights.
  2. No running with scissors.
  3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

In addition, it is requested that there be no swinging from the chandeliers, celebratory gunfire, messing around with the nuclear weapons, and, please, everyone wash your hands.

Please, do not forget to apply sunscreen after a sensible amount of time in the sun so as to beef up the level of vitamin D in the system.

Please remember to remain locked and loaded and ready for trouble should the insurrectionists try to invade your space.

Those who have things to say that do not fit the generally accepted limits of “civil” discussion, Wolf has provided a venue known as the UTree which is currently going through its water cooler/canteen phase. Please, venture over there for any such thoughts and comments. This sort of thing is always a possibility on that site:

American mainstream media sorts are holding out on some really interesting information of what’s going on in the world. A pox on them.

A few other vital notes:

Please, review these rules that our host Wolfm00n outlined toward the beginning of the growth of the tree itself. it won’t take long.

Ridiculing the other side, on the other hand…well….

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The beginning of Psalm 105

Alleluia. Give glory to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. [2] Who shall declare the powers of the Lord? who shall set forth all his praises? [3] Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do justice at all times. [4] Remember us, O Lord, in the favour of thy people: visit us with thy salvation. [5] That we may see the good of thy chosen, that we may rejoice in the joy of thy nation: that thou mayst be praised with thy inheritance.

[6] We have sinned with our fathers: we have acted unjustly, we have wrought iniquity. [7] Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt: they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies: And they provoked to wrath going up to the sea, even the Red Sea. [8] And he saved them for his own name’s sake: that he might make his power known. [9] And he rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up: and he led them through the depths, as in a wilderness. [10] And he saved them from the hand of them that hated them: and he redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

[11] And the water covered them that afflicted them: there was not one of them left. [12] And they believed his words: and they sang his praises. [13] They had quickly done, they forgot his works: and they waited not for his counsels. [14] And they coveted their desire in the desert: and they tempted God in the place without water. [15] And he gave them their request: and sent fulness into their souls.

[16] And they provoked Moses in the camp, Aaron the holy one of the Lord. [17] The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan: and covered the congregation of Abiron. [18] And a fire was kindled in their congregation: the flame burned the wicked. [19] They made also a calf in Horeb: and they adored the graven thing. [20] And they changed their glory into the likeness of a calf that eateth grass.

[21] They forgot God, who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, [22] Wondrous works in the land of Cham: terrible things in the Red Sea. [23] And he said that he would destroy them: had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach: To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. [24] And they set at nought the desirable land. They believed not his word, [25] And they murmured in their tents: they hearkened not to the voice of the Lord.

[26] And he lifted up his hand over them: to overthrow them in the desert; [27] And to cast down their seed among the nations, and to scatter them in the countries. [28] They also were initiated to Beelphegor: and ate the sacrifices of the dead. [29] And they provoked him with their inventions: and destruction was multiplied among them. [30] Then Phinees stood up, and pacified him: and the slaughter ceased.

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

Please include: President Donald Trump, the Q team, our soldiers in the field, special forces, tactical units, members of the Cabinet, first responders and those working behind the scenes.

Can you tell it’s summer?