Daily Bread – May 2008

You will grieve, but your grief will become joy. In some areas of the United States, the solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today. For believers, the joy that Jesus foretells is fulfilled in the Resurrection and Ascension. All sorrow and misery fade away. All suffering disappears. The disciples come to understand and recognize that Jesus’ words of approaching despair will be followed by his promise of remaining with them through the Spirit. The time for weeping has passed. Jesus goes before us and shows us how to leave the earth and its grief behind and makes way for all of us to follow him to everlasting glory. Christ, our joy and our hope, give us the grace to join you in your heavenly kingdom, we pray. PR

On that day you will not question me about anything. It’s easy to ask "Why?" when it comes to Jesus’ suffering and death. Further questions, big and small, abound. We question the darkness and despair of our world and wonder why tragedies happen when our God already suffered so greatly. We ponder life, death, heaven, hell, salvation and countless other mysteries. It is natural to question when we are away from God. When we meet Jesus in the kingdom, however, there will be no need to question. We will simply see, feel and know the wisdom of God, accept it and rejoice. Show us your ways, O, Lord, we pray. PR

The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if others proclaimed this about us? What greater compliment than for others to hear our words and witness our lives and recognize the Father at work? The apostles Philip and James gave their lives in order to proclaim Christ’s mission to the world. They gave witness to the Father dwelling within Jesus and courageously took up the call of discipleship. Christ promises that we, too, can do great works if only we seek to do so in his name and to the glory of the Father. Let us call upon the Lord to work through us and offer him a dwelling place within us. Loving Father, let us be the instruments through which your work is done, we pray. PR

‘Take courage, I have conquered the world.’ Is this not a message for our time? There are so many who have lost their faith — or have set it aside — before the challenges of this world: the starving of little children, the violence against the innocents, the culpability of our leaders, the seeming ineffectualness of our church. And yet, Jesus is risen, has conquered the world, has promised that we are not deserted, that we are not alone. Perhaps this is the clearest, most needed message we can convey to our congregations who are worried about many things. Let us pray for the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit and that we can perceive this action of the Holy Spirit hovering over the waiting, needy world. Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle, inspire, renew, we pray. pbs

‘The hour has come.’ Today’s readings speak of courage in the face of the suffering that is inevitable. Paul takes leave of his beloved community at Ephesus, resolutely turning his face toward Jerusalem, just as did his Lord and Master, Jesus. It is a struggle for most of us to imagine the willing acceptance of suffering. Ours is a generation that seeks, above all else, comfort … and distraction. And we have the ready means of both. Yet we belong to Christ, and our purpose must be his purpose — to seek after holiness, speak the truth, worship God and love one another. During these final days before Pentecost, let us encourage our congregations to pray for the Holy Spirit’s action in their lives. Come, Holy Spirit, arouse, encourage, strengthen, we pray. pbs

‘Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock.’ Paul is speaking to the presbyters of the community in Ephesus, warning them of the temptations to come, begging them not to let themselves be distracted by false teaching or the riches of this world. Likewise, Jesus prays that his disciples will be protected from worldly enticements. We live in a time when the veracity of leaders is in constant question. In all fields of endeavor —government, church, sports, business, media, entertainment — leaders are brought low by a combination of a hungry press, a populace eager for scandal, and the leader’s own weakness. Perhaps today we should pray for leaders and for awareness of our own complicity in the failure of leadership. Come, Holy Spirit, inspire, enlighten, protect, we pray. pbs

‘… that they may be one.’ We pay attention to the last wishes of our loved ones. If Mom says, "Bury me in my blue dress," we move heaven and earth to make it happen. "That they may be one" is a last wish of Jesus. It’s an odd wish, in a way. Odder still is that we apparently ignore it. Work for unity among Christians is not a priority of most pastors, who are busy about the needs of their own congregations. Yet how effective Christians can be when united in a common cause. It is possible that the church cannot be effective without the unity that is symbol and sign of the unity between Jesus and his Father. Come, Holy Spirit, bring us together, create community, join our hearts and our lives as one, we pray. pbs

‘When you grow old ...’ The Gospel includes the tender dialogue between Jesus and Peter. "Do you love me?" asks Jesus three times. Peter, after his thrice-denial, asserts his love, but no longer makes a claim as to his own steadfastness. He was found wanting when the trials came, and there will be future trials. When we’re young, we think we are the masters of our own fate, but when we grow old we face limitation and diminishment. A chaplain friend advises those who are afraid of the loss of freedom brought on by old age to go for a regular massage. He said that when we submit ourselves to the capable hands of another and allow what at first feels like an assault on our dignity, we become more pliable, ready to embrace the uncertain, not unlike the infant who relishes loving hands. Come, Holy Spirit, surround us, envelop us, gently knead our souls into submission, we pray. pbs

‘What concern is it of yours? You follow me.’ We do not need to know the fate of others. Our only concern is following Jesus as conscientious, faithful disciples. Attempting such a life will take up all our available energy. On this last day before Pentecost, perhaps we should pray for the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructed the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation. Come, Holy Spirit! pbs

When you encounter various trials … ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given. James issues a bracing wake-up call as we face our daily lives of Christian discipleship. We encounter difficulty and frustration in cooperating with divine grace to build God’s kingdom of justice, peace and love, but Jesus, our risen Lord, has not left us helpless and alone. We have only to ask in his name, and he will give us what we need, along with light to discern where the help lies and how it can best be used. Lord Jesus, teach us the wisdom of asking each day for the help we need to seek you first, follow you closely and love you above all else. mew

Each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his [or her] desire. We so enjoy finding someone or something to blame for our moral shortfalls. One striking feature of the post-original sin conversation in Genesis is the wriggling that takes place: Adam blames Eve; Eve blames the serpent. But St. James warns us against false reasoning. I am a sinner, and no one is responsible for my tragic predicament but me. Not my spouse, parent, child, in-laws, employer or next-door neighbor. Me. But God understands our weakness and will always help us if we sincerely repent our sins, ask for God’s help and act on it when it is granted. Dear Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. mew

The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles. We know very little about Matthias, apart from his being chosen by the Holy Spirit to replace Judas. He was not chosen at first, but he was chosen at last to fill the demanding honor of completing the Twelve. We too are called by the Spirit to work for the building of the kingdom, sometimes in surprising ways. No one is more important or more loved by God because of his or her office. Each of us has only one privileged position: to mediate the love of God to the person before me on the path. Lord, teach me to be grateful for the privilege of touching others with your love. mew

If you show partiality, you commit sin. Time for spiritual spring cleaning! The Epistle of James is every bit as embarrassing to read now as it was when it was written, back in about the year 65. When I examine my conscience, I often find the same old sins, probably because I’m looking in the same old places. James says, "Hey! Are you a snob?" Do I avoid uncomfortable hands-on contact with the poor, whom the scriptures repeatedly indicate are the special focus of God’s concern? Do my views and actions show that I take the preferential option for the poor seriously, at home as well as globally? Lord, remind me that what I do for the least ones, I do for you. mew

Faith, if it does not have works, is dead. No matter how seriously I study the faith, meditate on it, or defend it, if I’m not actively involved in living a life of uncompromising fidelity to the Lord, learning to see and hear the sorrows of others as he does, and allowing his love to move me to action, my faith is dead. If I truly want to follow Jesus, there must be nothing lukewarm in my commitment. While I may not be called to die for the Gospel, I am certainly called to live for it, to commit all of my life, with nothing held back, to the Lord and his kingdom on earth. Lord grant that I may give myself without reserve to you and your work of love. mew

‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’ The wonderful gift of speech can lead us to shame or glory. God needs only one Word to express the divine Self perfectly, and that Word has become flesh to save us and call us into the very life of God. How we speak can lead us away from God’s call and into sin through gossip, lies, spreading and compounding dangerous errors, and simple cruelty. We can do lifelong, perhaps irreparable, damage to a young person by using demeaning speech. How faithfully we should listen to God’s beloved Son, his one perfect Word, who speaks of love, truth, justice and hope. Dear Lord, be always on my lips, so that I may sing your praise and speak your love. mew

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. As we seek peace — both for ourselves (personal, inner peace) and for our world — we will do well to follow the teaching of Pope Paul VI: "If you want peace, work for justice." Let us notice the many opportunities we have each day to work for justice: through our respect for the life and dignity of each person; as we include outsiders, foster community, and strengthen families; whenever we stand up for what is right or act responsibly; in the work that we do, in our care for our planet, and most especially in our compassionate service to the poor and vulnerable. For the peace that comes from doing justice, we pray. ecw

Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? James’ barrage of questions for the early Christian community challenges us to consider how internal quarrels arise, the harm they do, and how they might be avoided. Certainly, infighting can devastate a faith community. Pride and selfishness can alienate members from one another. Some may leave, others may lose heart, and the whole community suffers. Let us seek to be reconciled within our family of faith. If we have become uninvolved or apathetic, let us vow to let go of old hurts and begin anew. May we come to cherish our faith communities, contributing to their health and vitality by generously giving of our time, our gifts and our resources. For healing and unity in the church, we pray. ecw

You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. Most of us can look at our lives and say, "This is not at all what I had planned!" This is James’ point: He is not denigrating the value of the individual but highlighting the futility of making plans without regard for God’s will. We are all precious in God’s sight, but none of us knows precisely how God intends to use us. Our part is simply to seek, for this day, knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry it out — and to do the same tomorrow. As we do so, we can trust that God’s plan for us is far better and more glorious than anything we could devise on our own. For humility and complete trust in God, we pray. ecw

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. It is hard to think of prosperity and wealth as anything but a blessing. Yet time and again we see how wealth is the downfall of those who do not accept the responsibility that attends this blessing. Wealth becomes a curse. We experience this blessing-curse phenomenon on a large scale within our affluent culture, in a host of physical, social and psychological afflictions and addictions. By our extravagant lifestyle, we have brought untold misery upon ourselves, our children and our world. Let us amend our ways, beginning today. What personal actions can I take to help undo the social sins of overconsumption, waste and greed? What concrete thing can I do for the poor to ease their suffering? For healing, compassion and conversion, we pray. ecw

Do not complain, brothers, about one another, that you may not be judged. Prudence demands that we examine our behavior regularly. But we can slip easily into the habit of taking moral inventory for others, as well. We may, in fact, be unwittingly devoting time and energy to how others behave so we can avoid scrutinizing our own lives. The problem calls for a proactive solution. Let us develop the habit of focusing more intently on our own behavior, seeking each day to know God’s will for us alone, striving earnestly to carry that out, and ending each day with a sincere examination of conscience. Gratitude coupled with kindness will also help us remember that everyone we meet carries some heavy burden. For prudence, discipline, gratitude and kindness, we pray. ecw

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. We believe in the power of prayer, for we have experienced guidance, solace, hope and strength through it. Prayer has helped bring meaning to our lives. And yet sometimes prayer is a painstaking endeavor — dry, dark and empty. We wonder what it is all about. Surely God knows our needs. Let us persevere in this mysterious enterprise, even when it is difficult. As we seek to improve our conscious contact with our God, may we grow in understanding and appreciation for prayer as a way of life — the way of justice, service and love. May it ever teach us who we are: individually, beloved children of God; and collectively, the body of Christ. For fervent prayer and righteous lives, we pray. ecw

‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ How do we measure wealth? If we surround ourselves with material possessions and make them our primary focus, we may have a difficult time seeing the trove of riches God bestows on each of us. There is nothing inherently wrong with wealth. Problems arise when we are unable to satiate the desire for more and more. It is rather difficult to focus on the simplicity and sacrifice of Jesus when we are busy accumulating earthly treasures for ourselves. Equally dangerous is adopting an attitude of entitlement. Regardless of how hard we work or how financially savvy we are, we don’t deserve a greater share of material wealth than others. We should be grateful for our many gifts and successes and be eager to share them. Then we will know how to enter the kingdom. In gratitude for the wealth of blessings we have received and for those who give of themselves for others, we pray. PR

‘We have given up everything and followed you.’ Truly knowing God requires certain sacrifices. It requires putting God’s will before our own and following God’s plan although its message may seem out of step with the ways of the world. Augustine of Canterbury offered himself as a missionary, leaving behind home and possessions in service of the Lord. We may not venture far to proclaim the glory of God, but we can make an effort to ensure that every step we take follows in the footsteps of the Lord. Generous Lord, everything we have comes from you. May we willingly return it through our pursuit of your will, we pray. PR

Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him. Jesus recognizes the disciples’ fear and anxiety and clearly spells out for them what will take place in the coming days. Although what he has to say is shocking and horrific, he does not share this information to cause further uneasiness. Jesus acknowledges and accepts what he must endure on behalf of us all, and he forewarns the Twelve of what demands are placed on them through their discipleship — specifically James and John, who ask to share in his glory. We need not fear, either. Jesus likewise tells us what lies ahead for us and how to participate in the splendor of the kingdom. For the courage to embrace our role as disciples, we pray. PR

He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. The blind Bartimaeus, reduced to begging by the roadside, would not be deterred when he heard that Jesus was coming. Despite countless rebukes from bystanders, he repeatedly cried out for Jesus’ mercy. He did not hide in shame as those around him expected. There is no disgrace in constantly petitioning the Lord. We should not be put off by others’ opinions or discouraged when there appears to be no immediate response to our pleas. We must be persistent and cast aside all distractions and obstacles and focus on God as the source of all mercy and goodness. Let us approach Jesus confident that he will heal every illness. For the faith that saves, we pray. PR

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. In adopting the yoke of deference to Jesus’ word and example, we find comfort and love. We are freed from the bondage we and society create. In learning from Jesus, the emblem of love, and following his teachings, we eliminate pettiness and hatred within ourselves and approach those around us differently. We return love for love. In this way, Jesus lives in us and works through us. May we emulate his humility, patience, holiness and mercy. That we may be more like Christ, we pray. PR

‘Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.’ Blessed indeed! Faith is an amazing gift. It quells fears and moves hearts, minds and hands. Anything is possible if we truly believe. A virgin conceives the Messiah and greets her expecting cousin, who was long thought barren. Each opens herself to God’s plan and participates in a miracle. Imagine what promises can be fulfilled: peace, justice, unity, love. Let us look to Mary, humble and unassuming, whose profound faith gave birth to our salvation. May unbelievers open themselves to the promises and the possibilities of the Lord, we pray. PR