Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:44-46

The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

What are the treasures that you hold most dear to your heart? What treasures really matter in your life? In today's gospel reading Jesus tells us that "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field…" If you were to find the Kingdom of Heaven today, would you be able to give up everything you own for it? This question is difficult to answer honestly because we all want the Kingdom of heaven, but when we find it, it is difficult for us to give up all our earthly treasures for the only treasure that matters. If we look around, the Kingdom of heaven is forth coming today.  We do not need to wait.  In the Lord’s Prayer, we say “Thy Kingdom come” recognizing that the Kingdom of heaven is truly present before us.  The real question is – “Are we a part of the construction crew or the wrecking crew?”

When we do charitable work or make sacrifices for others, it is easy to see the Kingdom of heaven in the work that is being done. When we have the opportunity to sacrifice our own time and talent, the joy we experience is truly the joy we will experience in the Kingdom of heaven.  If you stop and take a look, you will see that the Kingdom of heaven is all around you in the love that is given unselfishly to help others experience God. Unfortunately, because of our selfishness and unwillingness to surrender the treasures of this world, fully discovering and embracing the Kingdom is a different story.

To embrace the Kingdom of heaven means to sacrifice and to suffer for God. Sometimes those sacrifices may mean giving up friends who lead us away from the Kingdom. It may also mean making difficult decisions in which you must choose between church and a movie or a retreat over a football or soccer game.  Church must come before everything else – no exceptions. If you truly discover Christ, you will discover the hidden treasure contained in Kingdom of heaven. The Kingdom of heaven is here and now. It is being built around you. The song lyrics, “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die” is never more true a statement.  We want the Kingdom without making the sacrifices and dying to the world.  If you want to go to heaven, don't wait, it's here. When you help someone else, when you give freely of the talents you were provided, when you give up this worlds treasures for the treasures of the Kingdom of heaven, you experience the joy heaven today.  You experience the greatest love of all, a love for both God which is expressed through our love for neighbor.

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, help me reveal the kingdom of heaven.

Help me lead others to your gates.

Help me give up the earthly treasures for the truly eternal treasure.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”

Gospel Reading: John 11:19-27

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

What is it that we all hope for but to share in the eternal resurrection with Jesus Christ?  Today’s Gospel message talks about the joy and the hope of our own resurrection. Martha approached Jesus with great confidence. She had no doubt that Jesus could raise her brother from the dead. She did not say if you can - she says I know you can, but will you… We too need to approach Jesus Christ with the same level of confidence. Jesus tells us that he is “the resurrection and the life,… and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” This is our hope, that through our faith we will find eternal life. Martha recognized in Jesus this hope of eternal life. She says to Jesus, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Again, her statement is made without doubt. The grace of hope which was given to her allows her to realize the eternal salvation which awaits her. When Jesus asks her if she believes she replies, “Yes Lord; I have come to believe…” She realizes that Jesus is the Christ and the kingdom of heaven which is “coming into the world.” The miracle of Lazarus is a sign of Christ’s power to give life to people. Therefore, as Christians, we believe and hope that death is not the end, but simply a step into eternal life. The Roman missal says, “Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.” What are you willing to die for? Do you believe in the resurrection and the life of the world to come? Do you believe that Christ is the source of eternal life? It is through our hope that we are saved.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Christ, you are the resurrection and the life.

Give me the strength to die to the worldly treasures so that I may know the eternal treasure of heaven.

I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:31-35

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.” He spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.

Today’s gospel reading talks about growing the Kingdom of heaven.  The Kingdom, as Christ describes it, starts as a very small seed planted within our heart.  Through proper nourishment it grows into the “largest of plants.”  The mustard bush becomes so big that the “birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”  As our own faith grows within us, it can attract others to the Kingdom just as the mustard tree attracted the birds of the sky.  They too want to eat the seed of life.  By your example, you attract others to the faith.  However, our faith cannot grow on its own.  It must be fed to grow and fill us.  Christ equates our faith to flour, without the yeast, it just remains a pile of flour.  But once the flour is stirred with the yeast, it grows.  It transforms the simple pile of flour into leaven bread.  Once we mix Christ into our lives, our lives begin to transform like the flour with the yeast mixed in with it.  In both parables, we must take action to grow the kingdom of heaven.  We must either plant the seed or mix in the yeast.  If we do not take action, the tree will not grow nor will the bread rise.  We must be willing to take action so that we too can lead others to the seeds of life.

A Simple Prayer

Lord God, You have filled me with the Holy Spirit.

May your Grace overflow in me; May it nourish my body;

May it grow within me so that I can provide shelter and security for others.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 20:20-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

When I read today’s Gospel reading, I think back to my childhood when my neighbors and I were always fighting over who was the King of the backyard.  Sometimes this argument even turned into a small fight between good friends.  Nobody wanted to be second in the pecking order.  The apostles John and James were no different. They were beginning to realize that Jesus was the head of the playground, the Messiah, and they wanted to position themselves at the right and left hand of the new king-of-the-hill. Jesus asks them if they can handle the pressure. He tells them that it won’t be easy being his follower and that life on the playground is tough. They tell Jesus not to worry, that they can handle the playground. When the rest of the apostles hear that John and James are jockeying for position, they become agitated and upset. So Jesus calls them all around to explain the rules of the playground. He tells them: “that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.”

Jesus was sent to this earth to be our Lord and savior, not to lord over us. To be at the right hand of the Father, we must not be the master but be the slave. We must be willing to do for others. We must be willing to make great sacrifices for the benefit of those in need. Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, we too must take on a life of service for others. Jesus’ service to mankind was exemplified in all his actions and his teaching. His mission was one of enduring love and compassion for all man, not just those that believed. He reached out to the sick and to the sinner; to the Jew and the Gentile. Jesus lets us know that for us to have any true authority, we must sit in the back and humble ourselves to those that need us. He tells us that we must be last to be first. God gives each of us so many graces not so we can hold these powers over people, but so we can use these powers to create the Kingdom of God right here on earth. We must be a community for others. We must be willing to be generous with our gifts, our talents and our time for everything that we own was given to us by God above. Even the life that we breathe is a gift from God. We do not own anything. We may not always be popular nor seen as the king of the playground, but we will always be loved by our Father in Heaven. Are you willing to commit to God? Are you willing to drink from the same sacrificial cup? For us, the sacrificial cup means a daily commitment to Christ, daily prayer, a daily renewal of our faith and most of all, service to others.

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, Jesus, make me a servant; humble and meek.

Lord let me lift up those who are weak;

And may the prayer of my heart always be - Make me a servant.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:10-17

The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?" He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and I heal them. "But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

What is it that we seek from the gospel? To know Christ and to become more intimate with our Father in Heaven. Today’s Gospel reading conveys a very simple message. Many of us are present, but not many of us participate. The Holy Spirit is all around us. Miracles happen every day before our eyes. Yet we go on ignoring the wonder and awe that the Lord has placed before us. We must open our hearts, our ears and eyes to the message of Christ. Both faith and understanding are gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to know God more fully. We should ask God to allow these gifts to expand our mind. Allow our reasoning to reveal God to us. More importantly, we should ask God for the strength and wisdom to share the Gospel with others so that they might hear and see the Word of God. For many people, their spiritual eyes are closed because their hearts are closed and they are unwilling to let God in to their lives. Jesus spoke in parables to simplify the message so that all could understand. If He could turn their ears to the simple message, hopefully He would turn their hearts. We must be willing to humble ourselves before God. In our humbleness, we will see God. We must be willing to learn and submit to the wisdom and truth which only comes from God. You can only hear the message if you want to hear the message. Open your heart, your eyes and your ears.

A Simple Prayer

Lord God, I submit to you.

Give me wisdom and understanding to hear your word.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

What were you doing when Jesus called out to you, "Follow me"? Jesus has called each of us to follow him. All of us were called.  The question is, “Were you listening?” Matthew, a tax collector, rose to the challenge and became one of the twelve Apostles. We too are called to leave the comfort of our normal everyday lives to become Disciples of Christ. There is not one person on this earth who has not been called to serve. Are you ready to be one of his disciples?  You might be saying to yourself that I am not worthy of his calling.  But if not you, then who? 

Jesus called forth Matthew, a tax collector and a sinner.  In the days of Jesus, the tax collectors were considered some of the most evil and corrupt men on earth as they would pilfer and steal from others. The tax collector was put on par with the thieves and prostitutes. They were the worst of individuals. So why would Jesus call Matthew? He was not like other apostles called into service. In fact he was probably strongly hated by the townspeople in the village he lived. Matthew was chosen because he experienced the salvation shared through the grace of God. The simple command “follow me” was all Matthew needed to abandon his sinful ways and become a true disciple of Christ. Matthew became a loyal and dedicated servant of Christ at such a simple request.

So why would Matthew become an apostle? Matthew, a greedy tax collector, must have realized after simply experiencing the presence of Christ in his life that the treasures of the Kingdom of God were far greater than the treasures he pilfered from the local Israelites. Jesus did not have to tell Matthew any long parable or convince him to be an apostle. He just simply looked into his heart and said, “Follow me” - two words that must have translated into “You’re forgiven” or “You’re loved.” Two words completely changed the life of Matthew forever.  It was this inner grace from God that completely changed Matthew’s life.

After Jesus called Matthew into service, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. Matthew’s calling opened the door for other sinners to come to God. However, the Pharisees were not happy that Jesus would sit and break bread with such men. They say to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus hearing their complaints responds, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” Jesus came not to heal the righteous, but to heal the sinners. We are all sinners, and yet we are all called into service to spread the word of God. There is no sin so great that you cannot repent and become a missionary for Christ. In two words, Jesus healed Matthew. In two words, Jesus can heal you too.

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, our Savior and Light, I hear your calling to “Follow me.”

Give me the strength and wisdom to let go my sinful life so I can follow you.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whom are you looking for?”

Gospel Reading: John 20:1-2, 11-18

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what He had told her.

In today’s Gospel reading, Mary Magdalene is seeking out Jesus at his tomb. It says that she was weeping outside the tomb and when she looked inside the tomb she saw two angles. The angles wanted to know why she was weeping. She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid Him.” In response to her sincere desire to see Jesus, He appeared before her, but she did not recognize Him.  How many times are we seeking Jesus in our life but do not see Him standing there with us?  He never abandons us, we abandon Him.  To find the kingdom of heaven, we are called to constantly seek out Jesus Christ in our lives. Mary Magdalene was looking for Jesus and He was right there in front of her. Finally, when Jesus calls her name, she recognizes him. Being filled with the joy of the encounter with Him, she goes and tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”

It is not enough for us to know about the Lord, but we must encounter Jesus Christ in our lives. You must experience Him when He calls your name. You must be willing to go to others and say, “I have seen the Lord.” An encounter with Christ is the very foundation of the Christian faith. To be truly Christian is to have experienced Christ first hand. It is through your faith that you can see the power of the resurrection and eternal life. It is through the eyes of your faith that you encounter the Kingdom of God here on earth. Celebrate your encounter with Christ and shout out, “Alleluia, Alleluia, I have seen the Lord!”  A true encounter with Christ is life altering.  It is through the grace of God that you encounter Christ in your life.  We have the choice to accept that grace or to deny it.  Your eyes will be opened and you will be given the light if you accept his grace.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus, Father in heaven, You are the risen Christ.

It is through you that my sins are forgiven.

It is through you that I find eternal life.

Give me the eyes of faith to see you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 12:38-42

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here."

Are we no different a society then was present at the time of Jesus? I think that Christ would still call us an “evil and adulterous generation.” Society still wants proof or scientific evidence of the existence of God. People still try today to prove that the historical Jesus existed through ancient writing and artifacts. Why is it that we still demand proof that Jesus was around? Instead, we should be focused on living the life of Jesus and not trying to validate his existence. It is simply a matter of faith. In today’s gospel message, the Pharisees and the scribes demand to see a sign from Jesus so they can validate that he is the messenger from God. So why does Jesus call the Pharisees adulterous? He calls them adulterous because of their spiritual infidelity. Not only did they question God, but they demanded God give them a sign. Jesus tells them that he is the sign and they should need no other. However, the Pharisees and the scribes rejected Jesus as the sign. They could not accept him as the Son of God because they were looking for someone who was a military leader who would defeat the Romans. Jesus did not fit the mold of the person they were seeking.  Unfortunately, healing people, freeing them from their internal demons and bringing people back from the dead was not enough to convince the Pharisees that he was truly the Son of God.  To believe in God and recognize the signs which He so clearly provides should be enough for us as well.  However, at times we still demand more. We say to him, “If only …, then I would believe.” Can we not open our eyes and see God in the little flowers that bloom in the fields?

God performs miracles right before our very eyes so we can witness his greatness. What other signs do we need? Instead, we allow the darkness of evil in the world to blind our vision. When we witness a miracle, we should fall to our knees and praise the blessing which he has bestowed upon us; that he has provided a sign so we may believe. Jesus told the Jews that “Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth.” This would be the ultimate sign proving that he is truly the Son of God, the Messiah. It is ok to have doubts, but do not let your doubts become demands of God. We should seek the answer and not allow the doubts to grow into demands of our God. We just need to open our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with wisdom and he will show us his glory. Miracles occur every day. If we wish to have the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in us, we must humble ourselves to the Lord.

A Simple Prayer:

Lord Jesus, fill my soul with the Holy Spirit so that my faith may grow.

Give me the strength to shed my doubts so that I can truly see you as the Son of God.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Gospel Reading: Matthew 12:1-8

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

What is Jesus trying to tell us?  We no longer need to keep holy the Sabbath.  Jesus’ disciples were chastised by the Pharisees for not keeping the Sabbath. According to Jewish Law, the Sabbath was set aside as a time of rest and the Jews were not to do any work or labor. Today, conservative Jews take this day very seriously. They go as far as to even limit the number of steps one takes, everything they eat on this day is prepared the day before and they go to great lengths not to expend any labor. The elevators are set to stop on every floor so they don’t even have to push a button.  While this may seem extreme, they believe this is what God commanded them to do.  However, Jesus is telling them this is not what His Father had in mind.  This day was set aside to honor the greatness of God’s creation. In the gospel story, the disciples were hungry and therefore were harvesting and eating corn. This action was forbidden on this day. Jesus explains that these actions are not in violation of the Sabbath and that when men are hungry, it is okay for them to eat. Jesus says that God “desires mercy, not sacrifice.” He is telling the Jews while the ritual of the Sabbath is important, compassion for man’s basic human needs are more important. Jesus was trying to tell the Jews that they were missing the truly important meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is truly about honoring the greatness of God’s creation. If we allow God’s creation to suffer on this day, then are we really honoring this day. If God is Love, them would God want his servants to starve when food was sitting right in front of them?  If we see a person who is hungry, should we not feed them? Allowing him to starve would be dishonoring this day. Feeding our fellow man shares the love and compassion that God shared with us through his Son.

But have we gone too far in the opposite direction.  Modern Christians have lost the meaning of honoring the Sabbath. Stores are now open on Sundays. Most of us work on Sundays or are involved in activities that take us away from the greatness of this day. Many Catholic Christians do not even go to Mass anymore or Mass is second to all the other activities in our lives. We are so busy that we forget the importance of this day. We are still called to keep holy the Sabbath day. This is still one of the commandments. Dishonoring this commandment is a sin. This means that we are called to rest and to reflect on this day. We are to go to church, to pray and give thanks for all the things that God has given us. Many of us are so busy that this day goes on like any other day. We should take the time on this day to cherish what God has given us. We need to take time to smell the roses. We should celebrate the graces that God has bestowed upon us. We should spend time with our family and most importantly, we should spend time with Christ thanking him for the sacrifice he made to save our souls.

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, thank you for all of creation.

Thank you for the mountains and thank you for the seas and the oceans.

Thank you for all the living creatures on this earth.

Give me the wisdom to know the Sabbath and to honor it.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” 

Today, we learn about surrender.  So often we want to take on the world ourselves.  We think that we are strong when we do it on our own.  However, Jesus calls us to “come to me.”  To be strong, we must be meek and humble of heart.  Our strength is in our weakness.  Our strength comes from putting all our burdens in the hands of God.  This is not what we do well. The world tells us that to surrender is to be weak.  But when we surrender ourselves to God, we acknowledge that He is in charge and not us.  So often we face trials and tribulations in our daily lives. God allows us to experience these situations so that we can learn to become dependent upon Him. We can actually find true peace and happiness even in the face of resistance and hatred by others when we surrender to God. Jesus tells us that he will help us with the burdens of our load if we will take up his yoke. He has a tailored made yoke designed to free us from the heavy burdens of life. Yokes are made for two. This makes room for both you and Christ. There is nothing we can do without the aid of Christ.  The sooner we accept this, the sooner we will realize that he truly does lighten our load.  Only if we are willing, Christ joins in to help us with our life which sets us free from the heavy burden of sin. Any other load is crushing and weighs us down. It is through Christ that we find our worries removed and we can truly experience the joy of being united with Christ.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, my yoke is heavy and my load is burdensome.

Help me free myself from the burdens which hold me back

And give me strength to help free the burden placed on others.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Gospel Reading (Matthew 11:25-27)

At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

I took last week off trying to think about what to reflect upon for my daily meditations.  I have been struggling with findings another book such as the Imitation of Christ or going back to the daily Gospel Readings.  After reading the Gospel, I have decided, at least for now, to continue  with the Gospel Readings.  As I reflected upon the Gospel reading, it became evident that I needed to continue my encounter with Crist through the Gospels. Because without encountering Christ in the Gospels, how will we know him. So for now we will continue with the daily Gospel readings. Enjoy.

Why would God hide things from adults and reveal them to the babes? I think back to the time when I was a little boy and I believed everything that my mom and dad told me without question.  There was no doubt that God existed and that everything I learned about Jesus was true.  I was totally in awe about his presence. I was in total awe and amazed at the wonder of Jesus in his works on earth. I can remember sitting there listening to my religion teacher or looking at the children’s bible in the doctor’s office and being total amazed by Jesus.

A child is simple and tends to think in simple ways. This simplicity allows Jesus to be revealed to a child in his full glory without the doubt we apply as adults. A child is naturally humble with no consuming pride which prevents them from seeing God as our creator, Lord and master. The questions and the comments that young children ask are from their innocence and reveal to them the greatness of the Father in Heaven. Yet as we grow in world knowledge and understanding, we somehow let this new found intelligence cloud our vision of the reality of God. We begin to rationalize his existence and justify his being. We try to use science to confirm his miracles instead of just simply accepting Jesus for who he is. We want the physical evidence to explain the unknown and to eliminate the mystery.

We are all called to have a childlike belief in the Father and the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only does a babe express unconditional belief in our Father in heaven, they also express unconditional love. The clearest example of this is a child’s loves for their parents. This love is unbounded and without limitations or conditions. Jesus Christ expressed this same unconditional love when he walked on the earth saving us from our sins and lastly when he died on the cross to defeat evil. Jesus expressed love perfected and without blemish. Jesus tries to reveal himself to us through his teachings.  Because of the cloudiness of our vision, He performed miracles so we would believe.  Yet we still ask for more evidence. We must become childlike in our belief to fully grasp the unconditional love that was expressed by Christ for us. We must humble ourselves. It does no good to brag about our intelligence if this intelligence keeps the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit from being fully revealed to us.

A Simple Prayer

Lord I ask for childlike belief and understanding so that I can see you in your true glory.

May this childlike expression of love fill me with a deeper relationship with you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Book 4 Chapter 18: That People Must Not Curiously Search into This Sacrament, But be Humble Followers of Christ, Always Submitting Their Senses to Holy Faith

“Beware of curious and useless searching into this profound Sacrament, if you do not wish to sink into the depths of doubt.”

Today is the final chapter in The Imitation of Christ.  Thomas a Kempis provides a warning so as not to lead us into a position of doubt.  Sometimes things with in the church are so complex they are considered a mystery because they are beyond human comprehension.  The Eucharist is the greatest of all mysteries within the church. Thomas is trying to telling us not to waste the effort trying to understand this mystery because it’s only fruit is doubt.  We must learn to accept these gifts purely for what they are because “God’s powers are greater than humans can comprehend.”  You should always seek the truth and seeking the truth in the Eucharist can lead to a deeper longing for God.  However, seeking to fully understand this mystery is trying to fully comprehend God.  We have to realize that God is beyond comprehension because he exists beyond our reality.  It is good to meditate on his majesty as long as we do it in a “humble and docile way”.  We must be willing to be drawn into the mystery so we can experience the wonder and awe of His majesty.  Unfortunately, many people have lost their way because they are unable to comprehend this mystery.  Because it does not make sense, they abandon God and what they knew in their heart to be true.  If we cannot fully understand the universe, how can we fully understand God who exists beyond the universe?  This is a tool of Satan.  He knows that we feel the need to know all.  This desire to know all is the pride that lead our first parents to each the fruit of knowledge.  Because they wanted to be God, they ate the fruit.  We must learn not to worry or to “argue with our thoughts”.  We must denounce this temptation.  Instead, we should focus our thoughts on the Word of God, believe in the heroic nature of His Saints and Prophets.  These are where our faith will grow. Studying His words will allow you to understand why the Saints and the Prophets developed an unconditional love for God.  “All reason and natural inquiry must follow faith, never precede or question it.” We only need to know that faith and love are the fruits of the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.  These fruits work in and allow us to accept His mysteries.

A Simple Prayer

O Lord, You are God and I am not. absolutely mysterious and hidden way.  The eternal and incomprehensible God is incomprehensible.  It is our faith that

Allow me to accept this so my faith will grow.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon  

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Book 4 Chapter 17: On a Burning Love and Eager Desire to Receive Christ

“Blessed Lord, eternal love, my highest good and never-ending joy, I desire to receive You with such longing as any of the Saints have had.”

Ultimately, it is what is in our heart that drives us.  We must develop a deep burning love and desire for Christ.  It is in the desire that we develop our devotion.  How can you develop a devotion for something you do not desire?  The deeper the desire, the greater the devotion. The greater the devotion, the deeper the longing to receive Christ.  One builds upon the other.  Without this longing and desire the heart will grow weak and become easily distracted by the world.  We should desire to receive Christ every single day whether we can go to Mass or not.  We should long for the time when we can process to the Altar of the Lord and say Amen, I believe.  We should desire to receive Him with “great affection, reverence, praise and honor, with such gratitude, worthiness and love.”  It is how we approach the Eucharist that determines the depth of our faith.  The Blessed Mother of God gave us the greatest example when she said yes to the Angel Gabriel.  It was in her yes that she allowed Christ to fill her womb.  We must follow Mary’s example if we want the Blood of Christ to flow through our veins.  We must also be like John the Baptist who leap for joy when he was still in his mother’s womb.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he was overcome with the desire to receive Christ and to become the messenger that prepared the way.  We must offer the all the praise and glory that rests in our heart to our Father in Heaven so that He may be glorified now and forever. By your example, you become the witness to others so that they too can develop a deep longing for Christ.  With my prayers and dispositions, I invite and implore all the heavenly spirits that have gone before me and all the faithful people who receive Christ to join me in thanking Christ for the great sacrifice He made for us.  It is in this communion of souls that I enjoin You, my heavenly Father.

A Simple Prayer

O Lord, when I obtain the devotion I so desire and the spiritual union with You at Your holy and heavenly altar – being greatly refreshed and consoled – may You remember me, a poor creature and servant of God.

 

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Book 4 Chapter 16: That We Should Reveal Our Needs to Christ and Ask His Grace

“I come to You for remedy and I pray to You for consolation and relief.”

In my desire to receive Christ, I develop a deep longing for Him.  It is in this longing that I must humble myself before Him. It is on my knees that I find the strength to ask Christ for help.  Last night prior to Adoration, Father discussed the idea of pride versus humility.  He showed us a picture of Pope Francis on his knees in confession.  It is in this posture that most would assume is a position of weakness.  But for Catholic Christians, this is a position of strength.  It is in this position that we realize that He is God and we are not.  It is in this position that we surrender ourselves to His mercy and grace.  When we surrender our self to Christ, He will reach out, help us and comfort us.  I kneel before Him, “destitute and naked, begging for His grace and imploring His mercy.”  What better way to surrender yourself to the power and strength of the arm of God. Christ feeds the hungry beggar and inflames our heart with the fire of His love.  It is in His love that we will find the strength we need to battle Satan and free ourselves from the traps of this world.  He will give us the patience and the courage that we need to go into battle.  It is through Christ that all our needs are provided.  It is He who provides the daily bread that nourishes our body.  Therefore, we should lift up our eyes to heaven and cry out for His help and implore His mercy.  It is in Christ alone that we will find eternal happiness and joy.  He is the ultimate source of happiness. Last night in Adoration, we were called to abandon ourselves, to open our arms and to accept Christ.  Father said it was in our posture that we either receive Him with open arms or reject Him by closing ourselves off. 

A Simple Prayer

O Lord, “How marvelous it would be if I were to be completely inflamed by You and die to myself, for You are the eternally burning and never-failing fire, a love which purifies the heart and enlightens the understanding!”

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Book 4 Chapter 15: That the Grace of Devotion is Obtained by Humility and Devotion

“You must seek the grace of devotion with perseverance, waiting for it with patience and confidence, gratefully receiving it, humbly keeping it, and carefully using it.”

I am currently on work camp with several young adults and high school teenagers.  Last night they had the opportunity to share something that they wanted or needed in their faith life. Almost every single person asked for the grace to be more devoted and connect to Christ. The general theme of their comments focused on doubt and the need to be more connected to their faith.  Their desire to be more connected came with great passion from their heart longing to be united with Christ.  If only they knew just how beautiful their desires where. Many of them felt that their faith life was flat and that they were struggling with their beliefs.  The fact that they were able to humble themselves to ask for this grace in front of their piers was exceptional beyond words.  If they only knew that we all struggle with our faith lives.  It is through their humility and the desire to become closer to God that they will walk in His footsteps.  They only need to know that through their struggles, they are actually becoming more closely united with God.  Through their brokenness, they have opened themselves up to the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is through their struggle that they will realize that faith is not an easy journey, but that it is filled with many trials and tribulations.  The theme for this week at work camp is “A Beautiful Mess.” We are all a beautiful mess full of faults and weaknesses.  In the brokenness of our beautiful mess, God will pour out His grace upon us to strengthen us and to bring us closer to Him. We must be willing to abandon the world for God.  This is the struggle that these young souls are struggling with. They realize that they must abandon their own pride and self-love if they are to become close to God.  More importantly, they understand that they must become a servant for others. It is in the sacrifice that they will find the rewards of their desire.  This is not easy for any of us to give up. Yet we must to become truly devoted to our Father in Heaven.

A Simple Prayer

Father God, Creator of this great universe.

Open the eyes of your humble servant

Give me the grace to seek you with all my heart.

Help me fulfill this deep longing to be united with You. 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon