The 2011 Bible

Do you ever find yourself shaking your head at people in the Bible?

I do all the time.

I shake my head at the people around Jesus for taking so long to realize who He was and what He was sent to do ... even though He gave them all the answers. 

I shake my head at the people who condemned Jesus despite all the good He was doing among them.

I shake my head at those who refused to believe Him - like some of those in today's Gospel that did not believe He gave sight to the blind man.

I shake my head at those who did not listen to Him, those that did not thank Him, and those that just couldn't be bothered with Him.

And then I remind myself that the Bible is a compilation of specific events that are pulled - and highlighted - from the rest of daily life.  

So I can only imagine what the 2011 Bible would look like, had the Evangelists written about specific events from my life and the world we live in now ...

John 148:29   "Despite the poor and suffering in his own town, Michael sat on his couch and watched a mindless FBI TV drama.  Others watched a show about twenty somethings worrying about how good their tan looked.  And still others, a show about rich women arguing over what to serve at their cocktail party."

Mark 79:1  "The Bible sat on Michael's coffee table while he read the latest issue of Sports Illustrated.  Worse yet (but not much), many people in that town did not even own a copy of this Blessed book.  The Word of God was among them to read, and they looked the other way."

Luke 100:3-8  "... Jesus suffered greatly so that sinners could be forgiven.  And yet Michael grumbled through one day of fasting, and was only half focused as he prayed the Rosary ...."

I can just imagine how badly future generations will be shaking their head at me...

God Bless.

Well, well, well ....

Water.

Breaking down barriers.

Life.

There are many themes in today's Gospel story (John 4:5-42) about Jesus and the woman at the well.  But today I saw a new theme in this reading ...

Time.

For example, did you know that this passage represents the longest one-on-one conversation recorded with Jesus in the Bible?   (And we don't even know the woman's name!) 

Then, of course, there is the obvious mention of time when Jesus tells the woman that the "hour is coming, and is here now, when people will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth."   Can you imagine being hit with that information?  Being told that the Messiah you've been waiting for your whole life was standing right next to you?

And let's not forget the reference to Eternal Life.  That is time without human boundaries. 

But the time element that really struck me today was when John tells us that Jesus "stayed there two days."

It is a simple, passing statement that I have blown past hundreds of times.  But today it got my mind racing...

Two days.  That town had just two days with the Son of God.   How did they spend it?  What did they learn?  Did they truly believe he was the Messiah ... or just a prophet?  What questions did they ask?  What did He tell them?  Who did He eat with?  How long did He preach?  And how fast did those 48 hours fly by? 

It got me thinking about how I would spend 48 hours with Christ.  

But it also made me value the quiet time I spend with Him this Lenten season.  No longer will I view it as an endless supply of time I can take whenever I want.  

No.  Instead, I will view it as precious and as limited as that time the Samaritans had with our Lord.


I hope you are all having a Blessed Lent.

What if The Good Thief Thought it Over (A Lenten Reflection)

No surprise that Luke 23 contains one of my favorite scenes in the whole Bible.  

But what if the Good Thief waited?

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Criminal One: (to Jesus) Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us?

Good Thief:  (to self) Hmmmm.  What should I do?  I've done a lot of bad things in my life.  I wonder if I should ask Jesus for forgiveness?  Should I tell him I hope he remembers me when he gets to His kingdom?  Or should I wait?  Maybe I can just ask Him in the afterlife.  Or maybe the things I have done aren't that bad after all.  God probably knows I'm sorry, right?  Decisions decisions. What ... should ...I ... do ....

Jesus:  (to Heaven)  Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

Good Thief:  (to Jesus' body)  Jesus?  Jesus?

Good Thief:  (to self) Uh oh...

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Lent is the perfect time to remember that Jesus is right here next to us, waiting with open arms to forgive our sins.


We just have to repent before its too late.

What if Cana Went Like This (A Lenten Reflection)

You know from my Fly on the Wall post that the Wedding at Cana is one of three biblical scenes I would love to go back and watch. 

But what if that event went like this ....

Mary:  They have no wine.

Jesus:  Woman what does your concern have to do with me.  My hour has not yet come.

Mary (to servant):  Do whatever He tells you.

Jesus (to servant):  Fill the jars with water.

Servant:  No.

Imagine that?  Imagine if the servant flat out refused to follow Christ's request?  Told Him no.  Turned away from Him.   Decided to do his own thing instead.

Crazy right?



We do it every day.

Ash Wednesday is When??

Well, Lent has gone and snuck up on me again.  

I guess in the back of my head, I knew it was late this year and kept telling myself I had more time to prepare.  But alas, it is now right around the corner.

So, in a panic, I decided to Google "preparing for Lent" and I came across a theme that stopped me in my tracks:

Listening.

Paraphrasing my findings:  Preparing for Lent means preparing to listen to what God wants to tell you during this blessed time. 

I didn't realize it, but I've always viewed Lent as a one way street between me and God.  Me giving stuff up to let Him know that I understand the sacrifice He made. Me doing good works to show Him that I am thankful.  Me going to confession to tell Him that I am sorry.      

But listening? 
  
Who knew I was supposed to stop and listen?

I mean, I might actually learn what He wants that way!

God Bless.

Two Things I Learned This Week

Two little things I learned this week:

1)  The Presentation of the Gifts during mass is more than just bringing up the bread, wine and collection.  

Those members of the congregation are not just bringing up our monetary offering.  They are symbolically bringing up our spiritual offerings and requests as well. Which makes it a good time to silently let God know our prayers and requests, and give him our thanks.  (Instead of sitting there aimlessly tapping your feet to the hymn like I have been guilty of doing...)

2)  During the Liturgy of the Eucharist we are, of course, celebrating the sacrifice Jesus made for our sins.  But in early Biblical times, Jews would grab hold of a goat, "transfer" their sins onto it, and then sacrifice the animal by slaughtering it.
  
That part I knew, from both Leviticus and a scene in the Nativity Story.

What I didn't know, is that that is where get the term scapegoat from.
  
Luckily for me, that ritual longer exists.

I don't think they could find a big enough goat to hold all my sins!

God Bless.

If you could ask God one question ...

... what would it be?

(Rule: No asking a question about yourself  "what do I need to do?", "what is your plan for me?", etc) 

God Bless.