As a kid I was taught that there are certain rules of life that I should follow. I was taught that I should always do what is right and always do what I say. I was taught to be respectful toward everyone. I was taught that hard work will always be rewarded. I realize that I don’t always do what is right, although I try; an affliction we all possess. I have also learned that hard work is not always rewarded. However, I understand that the first rules are not negotiable, but are commanded by God. I understand that doing the right thing is always the right thing to do, even if I am not rewarded. These are some basic rules for living.

     The rule of love was given to us by Jesus Christ. When asked which commandment in the law is the greatest, Jesus replied: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40, et al)
     By practicing these two commandments and all that they embrace, we are doing our best to live according to the law and the prophets. We will not always get it right. Yet, the rule of love tells us that we must practice certain responsibilities. The rule of love demands that we accept everyone as a beloved child of God. It reminds us that we are all longing to be accepted, and that we have no right to reject others. The rule of love frees us from the burden of judgement.

     The incredible weight of judging others can crush our own spirit. I don’t want to carry the weight of judgement. It is dark and dreadful. It keeps us from fully experiencing the beauty and diversity of God’s creation. We must celebrate our differences, not separate ourselves because of our differences. The rule of love tells us to uphold the dignity of one another, even strangers and our enemies. It is a tall order, but it is a commandment, not a suggestion.

     When Jesus was teaching His first disciples to pray, He included the phrase, “Forgive us our sins (debts, trespasses, shortcomings, differences), as we have also forgiven others of their sins.” (Matthew 6:12). Then He goes on to say, “If you forgive (accept, respect, value) others, God will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, God will not forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14-15). It’s a give and take proposition.
The weight of judgement is lifted from our shoulders when we decide to forgive, accept, and value others. Everyone wants (needs) to be loved and accepted. If there were ever a time to begin practicing the rule of love, the best time would be now. Wouldn’t you agree?

Blessings and Peace to You All,
Fr. David+

     Jesus’ disciples had been arguing among themselves about who was the greatest among them. Jesus told them that whoever wants to be first must be last and the servant of all. Then, he took a small child into his arms and said, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:33-37)
     Children are our future and we, in many ways, have not been good stewards of our future. Decades of nationwide cuts in education funding have proven disastrous for many of our young people and the entire educational system. Child abuse and neglect cases are widespread and on the increase. Juvenile delinquency is rampant. Mental health issues are an increasingly common occurrence among adults and young people. Bullying is a daily problem for Junior High and High School students.
     And yet, we are also surrounded by honest-hearted, hard-working young people that often don’t get as much attention. These young people are a testament to parents, caregivers, teachers, and counsellors that have devoted themselves to the upbringing and training of the children in their care. These adults are living into the covenant they have willingly accepted.
     If you were to ask, you would likely find that these adults and young people are active in church. Where else can you learn true respect and honor? Where else can you hear the Gospel message consistently taught? Where else can you learn the value of study and duty to others? I recently heard some of our top-ranked High School students speaking at a Rotary Club meeting. I was quite impressed with their clear articulation and razor-sharp focus.
     All baptized Christians have entered, through baptism, into a Covenant with God. That Covenant includes these instructions from Jesus, just before His ascension to heaven: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20, NRSV)
     It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Gospel message and invite, welcome, and connect with the world around us. Have you invited your neighbors to church lately? Are your children and grandchildren attending church regularly? How might you assist in making both of those happen? What could you do to assist in the education and training of happy, focused, and productive children and young adults? Ask God these questions in prayer and listen for the answers. Then, take action! May the Lord be with you.

Blessings and Peace to you All,
Fr. David+

     The Gospel According to John reports an encounter between the newly-called Philip the Apostle and Nathaniel. When Philip tells Nathaniel that they have met the promised Messiah and He is from Nazareth, Nathaniel asks, “What good can come from Nazareth?” (John 1:43-51) Nazareth was, to some, on the wrong side of the tracks.
     This story emphasizes the seemingly unlikely event of the Messiah coming from a small town in the Northern Kingdom, and from a family of simple means. Joseph was a carpenter, and Jesus worked in the carpenter shop as a boy. They were not royalty, as some had expected.
I wonder how often we might think of ourselves in a similar way. Perhaps you are from what some consider the wrong side of the tracks, or from a family of simple means. You may feel that nothing good can come from you. It is a common problem for many people, even if they are from notable families and glamorous places. Self-image, the way you see yourself, determines to a huge degree what you can achieve in your life.
     Bullying and belittling have always been present in human society (consider Cain and Abel, and the entire Christian story), but the long-term effects of bullying are now being more fully understood. Sometimes, it only takes a few poorly-chosen words to permanently damage the self-image of another person. Many people have been damaged by their own families and friends. Many have been damaged by the society around them.
     I want you to know that no matter what anyone else thinks of you, or what you have been taught to believe about yourself, here is the truth: You were created by the one and only true God. God made you unique and gave you many gifts. Your gifts are not the same as the gifts others have been given. The people that have made you feel like less than a beloved child of God, are all wrong.
     You are not a wretched sinner, but you may be a wandering sheep. Jesus the shepherd loves all of the sheep, and lays-down His life for them, including you. What good can come from you? Ask God that exact question: “What good can come from me?”, then listen and watch for what the Holy Spirit tells and shows you.
     Ignore the voices that try to keep you down, because with the power of God, you can do anything (See Philippians 4:13). In fact, when you are in communion with God, this is what happens: You will be crowned with power and glory, and everything in creation will be subjected to you. (Hebrews 2:5-12)
     Okay, child of God. What will you do to live into your potential? Search for the Kingdom of God and find it. It is not far from any of us. Look in the mirror and see what a beautiful child of God looks like.

Blessings and Peace to You All,
Fr. David+

     Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.“ (John 15:1-2a) After reading this again this morning, I started thinking about the idea of removing branches that bear no fruit. Unproductive thoughts that do not bear fruit, at least no good fruit, need to be removed from our lives.
     Unproductive thoughts include any form of negativity, fear, doubt, anxiety, anger, greed, selfishness, low self-esteem, or a host of other detrimental thoughts or actions. I cannot think of any good that could come from negativity. I recall a story about a man that operated a truck garden and a roadside stand for over 40 years. That little vegetable stand made enough money over the years that the owner was able to send his son to college to study business.
     After graduation, the young man came home for a visit. He told his father, “I learned all about sales and marketing in college, and you have been doing it all wrong. You don’t have any signs on the main highway, you don’t have a computer accounting system, and you don’t have any employees. Based on those facts, you don’t have any chance of being really successful.” Upon hearing the grim news, the man decided it was best to close-down his vegetable stand and do something else for a living. Not long after, the man died. If the son hadn’t put negativity in the mind of his father, who knows what might have happened differently.
     How often has someone put negative thoughts in your mind? Have you been told that your ideas would never work? Has your creativity been stifled or even killed by the words of others? It is highly unfortunate when a person thoughtlessly instills negativity in the heart and mind of another person.
It is time to cut-away any negative “branch” that is causing you pain or discomfort. It is time to cut-away anything that may be keeping you from reaching your highest potential and experiencing true happiness. If you need permission to leave negativity behind, here is your source: “I want you to know all about Christ’s love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is.” (Ephesians 3:19, CEV) I want you to be filled with all that God is, because in Him, there is no room for negativity.
     Cut-away those negative branches that have been keeping you down. Rise-up with Christ to all that God has made you to be. Be “you”, not what someone else thinks you should be. Put on a Teflon suit, so that all negativity slides off and falls to the ground. Onward and upward!

Blessings and Peace to You All,
Fr. David+

     “…to all who received [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12, NIV) Believing gets more difficult every day. As a society, we don’t believe in each other as much as we used to. It seems that we are disappointed daily by the inconsiderate and outright selfish choices made by people beyond our control. Innocent people are usually the victims of the selfish choices of others. Liars, abusers, and scoundrels of all kinds are being revealed in the press. For increasing millions of people, it gets more and more difficult to believe in much of anything.
     Believing in Jesus begins with believing that He existed; that one is easy. The secular historian, Josephus, was not a follower of Jesus, but recorded in his historic writings that there appeared in Galilee a prophet named Jesus of Nazareth; a prophet like none other, able to heal the sick and raise the dead. Josephus also records that the tomb was empty and that Jesus appeared to his closest friends. I do not know of any reputable experts that can disprove the existence of Jesus of Nazareth.
     Believing in the name of Jesus, in this context, means believing in who He was and is, and what that means for us today, for the rest of our lives, and beyond. St. John clearly identifies Jesus as the pre-incarnate Word of God and fully God (John 1:1). John then describes Jesus (The Word) as the creator of heaven and earth (John 1:3). John continues to explain that “The Word became flesh and lived among us … [with] the glory of the One and Only …” (v. 14).
     But none of that is truly convincing without the Resurrection. That is what makes the story so powerful. His disciples saw His body, nail marks and all, three days after they saw him dead on a cross with a spear hole in His side. In fact, St. Paul, in writing to Christians in Corinth, said that after His resurrection: “[Jesus] appeared to more than five hundred of the [believers] at the same time …” (1 Cor. 15:6).
     If that is enough to make a believer out of you, what does that mean for your life now and forever? After all, none of us get out of here alive. What will happen and where will you go when your body stops working? Jesus gives the answers in His teaching. Here’s hint: He wants all of us to be happy and at peace with ourselves and everyone else, and to live forever in His heavenly Kingdom. How does that work? Tune in again next week.

Blessings and Peace to You All,
Fr. David+

     Imagine finding a room in your home that you didn’t know existed. As you enter the room you notice that the floor is solid glass, glowing with pure white light. All the walls of the room are covered with bookshelves full of books. There is a chair in the middle of the room, and the entire room is glowing with pure white light. The light does not blind you but brings you peace and comfort.
     You are confused how this room could have been in your home all along, and you never knew it. When you leave the room, you notice how your life outside the room appears somehow different, but you are not sure why. All you can think about is going back to room, so you do. This time, you sit down in the chair.
     Your feet are flat on the floor, and your arms are resting comfortably on the arms of the chair, which is soft, with a tall back. Still bewildered, you ask aloud, “Why am I here?” Then, a comforting voice replies from the room, “You are here because I love you.” “Who are you?”, you ask. “I am your Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer”, the voice replies.
     “What is this room, and what are all these books?”, you ask. The voice replies, “This room is the inner space of your heart, where I find it best to meet people. These books contain all the wisdom of the universe and beyond.” “But, why have you picked now to show me the room?” “The room has always been here; I put it in your heart when I created you. You discovered it when you finally took time to let me in to your busy life.”
     Each time you leave the room, you get an ever-stronger feeling that your life will never be the same. The things of this fleshly life seem so much less important. Loving relationships become a stronger focus for you. The room becomes less startling and more comforting with each visit. In fact, you find yourself thinking about being in the room while you go about your daily activities. You are growing in Christ.
     When we spend serious time in worship, prayer, meditation, reading & studying Holy Scripture, and fellowshipping with true Christians, we enter the room. How much time we choose to spend there is our choice. I can tell you this; the more time you spend there, the more peaceful and productive your life will be.
     If you suffer from fear, doubt, negativity, depression, anxiety, recurring difficulties in life, or any form of darkness, you need to find the room in your heart for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. Your new life can start today. The voice in the light asks, “Why not join me in church this Sunday?”

Blessings and Peace to You All,
Fr. David+

     As part of our Easter celebration, we shout, “Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia!” The Light has come into the world! “… God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses from all sin.” (1 John 1:5b-7, NRSV)
     I am especially touched by the phrase, “…if we walk in the light … we have fellowship with one another …” The fellowship of Christians is a vital part of being the Body of Christ in the world today. Walking in “the light” means walking with Christ in all parts of our life. There is no part of the life of a Christian that does not include God. Every decision a Christian makes must be based on understanding, to the best of his or her ability, what the will of God is for us in our life, the life of the community, and world we share.
     Look at what is happening in the world around us. The world needs more Christ! Wounds that will not heal, can be healed by the love of God in Christ. The love of God reveals the will of God by shining a blazing white light on darkness, revealing the emptiness of the devil’s lies. Once darkness has been revealed, we are each faced with some decisions. Do we tolerate the revealed darkness, or do we turn from it; even struggle against it?
     Spiritual and mental darkness bring fear, doubt, anger, frustration, division, hatred, violence, addiction, and every other negative emotion or outcome. Anything that causes humans pain, comes from darkness. God revealed the emptiness of darkness and replaced it with the light of Christ.
     All of the Body of Christ; every person that has accepted the call to be an heir with Christ, must now see the need to rally under the same banner of Christ. The difficulties in our world today cannot be healed without Christ, and I believe that now, perhaps more than ever, we are being called to drop the barriers that separate us. We can and should respect and honor our various traditions, but we cannot continue separating ourselves at the expense of the world around us.
     “By this everyone will know that you are my people, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) It is time for a worldwide revival of the Jesus Movement! It is time to rise-up and change this world! We can do anything through Christ who strengthens us!

Blessings and Peace to You All,
Fr. David+