If Today You Hear His Voice ...

If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.

The readings at morning mass are getting a bit tedious.  From Numbers we hear the Jewish people complain to Moses:  Give us water; give us food; give us meat; get us out of here!  Moses was considered one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, but in hearing the reactions to his “greatness,” I don’t envy him.  God gave the Jews everything they asked for --- but not before they asked, but still, in ways better than they could even have THOUGHT to ask --- still, they complained.  They complained because they were not like God, getting what they wanted, when, how, and where they wanted.  Poor Moses, a shepherd with not one lost sheep, but with 99 lost ones, all searching for what they want, unable to pray as they should:  Lord, what do YOU want?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells Peter he is the rock Jesus will build His church on (Mt 16:13-23).  Peter, like Moses, will be a shepherd of God.  But the Gospel passage isn’t even complete when we hear Peter complaining to Jesus: “No, it can’t be that way, Lord.  I want it my way.”  And then Jesus then tells Peter, who He just had rated so highly: “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a hindrance to Me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.”  Good grief!  The first thing the “leader” Peter says, in effect, is “Okay, I’m in charge; so here, God, is what I want You to do for me.”  Peter was blessed to be in charge all right, but he didn’t understand of who, how, when, and why he was in charge.  He didn’t understand because he couldn’t stop demanding his ways; he didn’t understand because he didn’t ask, didn’t listen, for God’s ways.

If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.

The Jews couldn’t listen; Peter couldn’t listen.  I guess it shouldn’t be any surprise when I look in the mirror and see that I am not listening either.  But that’s the whole point of these readings and Gospels, repeated over and over again at mass --- and in my own readings, if I am persistent in prayer --- they are all saying over and over again:  Listen!!

And do I?  Or am I only hearing what the Jews and Peter said: “Okay, Lord, here’s what I want.  And I want it now!”

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Today is the feast day of Saint Dominic, who gave us the rosary prayer.  It grates me whenever I hear someone complain that they can’t pray like that, repeating the same words over and over, rattling them off.   Do they really think that Saint Dominic said: “Here are some words I want you to rattle off over and over again; they’ll be good for you.”  Really?  You think he said that?  Listen!!  What he said was to “meditate” on the mysteries of the rosary.  Do you think the word “meditate” means rattle over and over again the same thing?  You need a dictionary.  There are words to the rosary which you can put on your lips, the Hail Mary prayers, but you could just as easily substitute “Jesus, I love You, or Jesus I trust You,” or just “Jesus”.  Then with these words on your lips, in your heart you meditate, you pray, you speak to Jesus, you reflect on those mysteries of His life and what they mean.  THAT is the rosary prayer.  It is a conversation, which means not that you say rattled off words, or that you say “Here’s what I want You to do, God,” it means that you meditate on the mysteries.  Mysteries, things without simple “Here’s what I want” answers.  Things of God, which are beyond our understanding.  Things we need to listen for, over and over again, to take them into our heart.  The reflections are trying to understand not what WE want of God, but what God wants --- of us.  The European Union and leaders of this country are saying that they’ll treat everyone the same and give everyone what they want ---- but we are NOT all the same, and even if we want similar things, they are not the SAME thing.  We are each a unique son of God, with a unique purpose in life.  And what is that?  What is MY purpose?  Why do I exist, uniquely, in this world?  How can I find out? 

“Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”  We need to listen, and find out.  Really listen. And then,

If today you hear His voice; harden not your hearts.

My Purpose

A man in the crowd said to Him, “Master, tell my brother
to give me a share of our inheritance.”  “My friend,” He replied,
“who appointed Me your judge or the arbitrator of your claims?”
--Lk 12:13

My prayer time tonight (Saturday) began with thoughts of the world.  I let my mind wander to the temptations and sins of power, whether political or priestly, power over others.  The temptation to use that power for self is huge, to direct the lives of others to get what we want, not what they need (and sometimes what we want is sinful).  And I thought whoever can’t resist that temptation should resign from the position of power over others --- but then, I thought, who would be left?

The Gospel today (excerpt above), and reflections in The Better Part, brought my mind to a better track.  Jesus says “my friend”, and then says I’m not going to lead your life for you.  The “friend” asked for help, and Jesus said no, giving us an example of how we should lead our lives. 

“He directs all His words and actions to laying the foundations of His Eternal Kingdom.  We too are called to make the Eternal Kingdom our first priority … Was He just being polite by saying “friend”?  Maybe.  But maybe He was saying exactly what He meant: ‘I have come to be the true Friend and Savior of your soul, which doesn’t always include managing your bank account for you.  You can count on Me to give you light, guidance, and strength, and to walk with you along life’s path, but still you must walk.

Christ in My Life.  I get sidetracked too easily.  Sometimes I feel like the salvation of the whole world, the resolution of every conflict, the righting of every wrong is up to me.  But it’s not --- it’s up to You, Lord.  And You give me a share of Your work.  Help me to be serenely and energetically focused on my mission as You were on Yours.  Teach me to do Your will …”

Those reflections from The Better Part seemed a continuation of my thoughts of yesterday, on Peter’s words saying how we need to build a good spiritual foundation in our lives, and then use that foundation to go out into the world with affection and love, to better our spiritual lives and those of whom we meet.  A good spiritual foundation doesn’t set us up to “for their own good” take from others, or lead their lives.  Those are really just temptations to do things for ourselves, even as Satan fell to the temptation to try to be like God.  Living lives with affection and love is living Christ-like lives, for the benefit of others.  But, as this Gospel and reflections point out, it is not affection or love if we try to lead others’ lives.  They “must walk” and bear the responsibilities of their lives.

But what if they can’t?  There’s that temptation again: “But I can direct them to lead better lives” --- in my opinion.  And what if I have the power to do that; shouldn’t I?

I coordinate a caregiver’s support group meeting each month.  The question is often asked, especially by new members of the group, about how independent should I allow my mentally or physically ill loved one to be, versus taking control of their life.  And equally important is the question other attendees must ask themselves before they respond: “I’ve been a caregiver; I’ve walked in this person’s shoes; should I tell them ‘Here’s what you must do?’”  Over the years the group has come to a general consensus on how to relate to one another, and the question of controlling others’ lives.  That issue of controlling is such a temptation that there is a commandment about it.  The Fourth Commandment says to “Honor thy father and mother, that you may have eternal life.”  At a certain point, it is an obligation to take control of our parents’ lives, when they cannot, in honoring them and loving them.  Other commandments speak to loving God and neighbor, and limiting things we might want to do for ourselves, if we had the power to do so.  But none commands us to be as successful or rich as we can be, or as powerful, nor controlling.  I have reflected and written before about how the blessings of intelligence, money and beauty are also curses, in that they create great temptations to use those blessings to take control over others’ actions, to get what we want, to do “what I know is right”, to acting like God.

It certainly is not controlling someone else’s life, and feeding our sense of power, to stop them from walking off the edge of a cliff.  It IS controlling, however, to prevent them from walking out into the countryside, because of risks there, perhaps even cliffs.  And sometimes it may be hard to judge how close to the edge they are.  This Gospel and St. Peter’s words give us some targets and boundaries to reflect and pray upon, and ask:  Lord, what is Your will?  How should I love my neighbor?  What is my purpose?

Affection

To be honest, sometimes the men’s Bible Study group seems a bit tedious; they talk about golf and vacations and children, and my mind wanders.  For the past few weeks, however, we have been stuck on a single sentence said by St. Peter --- and still are not through it --- but the time spent has been anything but tedious.

For this reason, make every effort to supplement your faith
with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,
self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion,
devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.
-- 2Pt 11:5-7

The first part of that sentence talks about building ourselves to be more Christ-like; this morning we finally spoke about “mutual affection.”  Having laid our foundation, now comes the first action part of the statement: stand on that foundation and DO something, and that something is to have affection (like?) for our neighbor.  The guys spoke, this morning, about levels of commitment to affection.  If each of those earlier words of Peter were a step along the way, “mutual affection” was really several steps up.  “Mutual affections” is really a series of steps, each higher, each more difficult to achieve.  Sometimes we can’t bring ourselves to care about people at all; we have to work at it.  Sometimes the step seems tall; sometimes we think the person is not likeable, to justify our failure to step up.  We need to remember that there were lots of “un-likeable” people that Jesus bore with, and even loved!  Peter is talking to his followers here when he says they need “mutual” affection; he is telling Christians to love one another.  I heard a very good talk yesterday on preparing for funerals and burials --- and not at the last minute.  One person questioned who could have a Catholic mass and funeral; their children had fallen away and did not practice any faith.  The answer was all of them qualified if they’d been Baptized.  God welcomes all who are His, even if they haven’t led (in our estimation) good lives.  It made me consider, relative to the discussions on mutual affection, why do we so quickly judge others, yet think we are following the example of Jesus?

Growing close to people; bearing with the things we don’t like about them yet still being their friend is something worth working at.  Oh, there are these many levels/steps of affection, and perhaps we are blessed if we really have only one true friend.  Still, regardless of how much foundation we have in our Christian faith, reaching out in affection to others is the whole reason for building that foundation.

I told the guys about some characters in a novel I am reading.  A woman detective has a life-log friend who she meets with each week for lunch.  She discusses her cases, and her friend discusses her husband and children.  The detective years for the life of her friend, and all the love it entails.  And then, one day, her friend says she is leaving her husband and kids for another man.  She looks at the detective and says: “And so now you hate me too.”  And after a time of quiet, the detective lady says: “Talk to me.”  It’s only a fictional novel, but I asked the Bible Study guys: “Who of us has friends like that?”

Affection, friendship, respect, limits/boundaries, these are difficult topics, and the men haven’t even gotten to the final words of St. Peter: “with love”.

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Why then, man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet
so precious to God?  Why render yourself dishonor when you
are honored by Him?  Why do you ask how you were created
and do not seek to know why you were made?
-- St. Peter Chrysologus (feast day July 30^th)

On Thursday, one of the regular deliver guys was on vacation, so I was asked to deliver groceries to two additional homes.  At the first, I knocked on the door, but no one answered, so I knocked louder.  I could hear a television playing.  I tried the door; it was unlocked, so I went in carrying the groceries.  “Open Door Ministry groceries,” I spoke loudly.  There was no answer, but I turned and saw the young man, perhaps 12 years old, laying on the couch watching television, clothed only in a diaper, rocking gently back and forth while sucking on a baby’s pacifier.  A woman walked into the room, and seeing me thanked me and told me where I might lay the groceries.  She thanked me again, and I wished her a nice day.

The second home was much nicer than the first.  Again here, my knock was not immediately answered, but I could see someone slowly approaching the glass sliding doors I stood before.  The black lady was tall and stately, smiling --- and blind.  After I identified myself, she asked me in, and directed me to put the groceries on her kitchen counter.  It, like the rest of the house I could see, looked clean and well-ordered.  How many people must be helping her keep it clean and orderly, I wondered.  In just the few moments I knew her, however, I could guess it must be a great humility for her to depend on others, yet insist on living alone as she does.  After I put the groceries down, I quietly closed the refrigerator door which had stood wide open for who knows how long.  She thanked me again, and I wished her a good day, as I left and closed the sliding glass door.

Two people God put into my life, even if for just a few moments.  I pray I treated them with some level of affection, and really meant it.  It is so easy to judge lives that are different from ours.  It is so hard to enter into lives like those, and treat the with some level of affection, without judgment.  And yet, even some silly detective in a dime store novel could show us how it’s done.

And my Bible Study friends and I continue to discuss, how can we bear those the Lord puts into our lives.  It is something to work at, and pray over.

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Finally, on a related matter, I couldn’t help myself, nor stop my somewhat un-affectionate response to recent events in this country.  Here is a letter I wrote to the editors of the Wall Street Journal.  I’m sure it won’t reach print (thankfully), but it is an example of how we all feel frustration, not affection, “for THOSE people” in our lives:

Subject:           Money is Worthless.

FACTS:  The WSJ reported the impact of 15 years of free college for residents of Kalamazoo Michigan: no significant increase in graduation rates, college participation, or happiness, regardless of ethnic group, social class, or income.

FACTS: Eight million people got free Obama-healthcare:  Emergency room visits skyrocketed, but there is no data on increased healthy living, disease elimination, obesity reduction, or happiness among these people.

FACTS:  Throwing money at big city crime, killings, joblessness and general unhappiness for over 50 years has resulted in little change in our big cities.

People in poor African villages are happier than most Americans.  How about instead of throwing money at problems we start focusing on individual people and communities to make them feel wanted, to bear their problems with them, to share happiness with them, not just throwing money at them which they are not prepared to handle well.  How about more college courses not focused on making students rich or happy, but focused on teaching them how to make their neighbor happy, courses teaching that a successful life is not about how much you get for yourself, but how much you give of yourself.

Money has proven worthless in fixing the big problems of this country.  Where are the politicians who will talk about these facts? Where are the success metrics which show not how much money was spent, but which programs made people healthier, made them better a family, neighbors, church community members, and made them happier.  These are success stories I want to see.

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We who are strong in faith should be patient with the
scruples of those whose faith is weak; we must not be
selfish.  Each should please his neighbor so as to do him
good by building up his spirit.
-- Romans 15:1-2