photo taken 2005

 

Aug 11 2006

Memorial of Saint Clare, virgin

Na 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah,fulfill your vows! For nevermore shall you be invaded by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed. The LORD will restore the vine of Jacob,the pride of Israel, Though ravagers have ravaged them and ruined the tendrils. Woe to the bloody city, all lies, full of plunder, whose looting never stops! The crack of the whip, the rumbling sounds of wheels;horses a-gallop, chariots bounding, Cavalry charging, the flame of the sword, the flash of the spear,the many slain, the heaping corpses,the endless bodies to stumble upon! I will cast filth upon you,disgrace you and put you to shame;Till everyone who sees you runs from you, saying,“Nineveh is destroyed; who can pity her? Where can one find any to console her?”

Deuteronomy 32:35cd-36ab, 39abcd, 41
R. (39c) It is I who deal death and give life.
Close at hand is the day of their disaster,and their doom is rushing upon them!Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people;on his servants he shall have pity.
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
“Learn then that I, I alone, am God,and there is no god besides me.It is I who bring both death and life,I who inflict wounds and heal them.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.
I will sharpen my flashing sword,and my hand shall lay hold of my quiver,“With vengeance I will repay my foesand requite those who hate me.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.

2 Pt 1:16-19
Beloved:
We did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father
when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory,
“This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Mt 16:24-28 Jesus said to his disciples,“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

There are crosses that come in many forms. The gospel means to me to embrace the suffering of the cross and be willing to accept many crosses if it is part of the journey that God has called me to. The worldly comforts are often available and seem to be an easy path but to follow Christ means to be able to readily put those nonessential worldly wants aside when called to.

For me often, a cross that I carry is feeling compelled to speak the truth of my vision of what has occurred and what is rather than conceal anything or alter it. This is not a popular or politically astute act to be straightforward and state my view of truth uncensored and unedited. I strive to be judicious in my use of language but open to the Spirit. If I feel the Spirit is calling me to speak, I will. There is a price to be paid for being honest and truthful and there are times that there is a suffering in speaking rather than remaining silent. The Gospel speaks in many areas about bringing the truth to light and that it is the way of Christ.

Living the Gospel is very much a here and now daily conversion. I pray for peace and kindness and love of others as I turn this new day again my face to the Lord and renew my journey to the kingdom. I pray for a willing heart ready to give all for the way and love of Christ.

I have some special intentions this morning in prayer also for those who struggle with anger in their lives that the love of God may wash their hearts clean and they may see this day in light and peace.