THE GIFT OF WOMEN IN MEDICINE

Rarely do I go to the doctor. I am an old New Englander when it comes to that. To set up a doctor's appoint or to get a prescription instead of relying on a natural remedy requires a situation where something is really, really wrong and it has become quite obvious over a period of time. Two recent examples over the past two year are when I contracted Mercer (almost losing my foot) and entering a detox (almost losing my life to alcohol). A third example, though not at dramatic, just happened and caused me to write this small but maybe important blurp about experience with women in medicine.

The women I have encountered at the hospital, treatment center, and doctor's office were not only professional, knowledgeable, and courteous, but they had something that many of their male counterparts do not have: empathy. I feel that this truly does come from the nurturing aspect of a woman that cannot be taught or learned. It is a natural trait that is connected with motherhood but also extends to the entire family unit. When women enter the workforce, they bring this empathy and nurturing trait with them and it makes them shine in so many different ways. 

I feel these qualities that women bring to the medical profession are instrumental in the well-being of all patients. The majority of nurses, including Nurse Practitioners, are women. When under any type of medical treatment the person that we all will be seeing the most will be a nurse. So it can be argued that the real face of the medical profession is the nurse and they should get the recognition that they deserve daily as being the ones on the front lines regarding health and well-being. Yes, women are doctors, clinicians, and many other postitions in the medical field, but I feel that the nurse is the one who is in the forefront and at center-stage in comparison. 

This state of being can also be extended to all of the Social Sciences where it appears that woman are in the majority of rolls and thankfully so. They bring qualities and a demeanor that is non-threatening and non-critical which can make all the difference when someone finds themselves in treatment. They can be forceful in there own way that does not put someone on the defensive and it causes one to listen more closely. They are able to take control of a situation and espouse their wisdom without causing someone to become defensive. It takes a lot of wisdom to do this and God knows that they have it. 

I just wanted to give a shout out on this little blog to the average 100 readers a month in the entire world who take time to read it.

Even though it is not much, I like to thank all the professional woman who have kept an old New Englander healthy and joyous over the years. You have also kept me alive!

Deacon Tom

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 81

Reading 1 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

In those days, Saul went down to the desert of Ziph
with three thousand picked men of Israel,
to search for David in the desert of Ziph.
So David and Abishai went among Saul’s soldiers by night
and found Saul lying asleep within the barricade,
with his spear thrust into the ground at his head
and Abner and his men sleeping around him.

Abishai whispered to David:
“God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day.
Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear;
I will not need a second thrust!”
But David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him,
for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?”
So David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head,
and they got away without anyone’s seeing or knowing or awakening.
All remained asleep,
because the LORD had put them into a deep slumber.

Going across to an opposite slope,
David stood on a remote hilltop
at a great distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops.
He said: “Here is the king’s spear.
Let an attendant come over to get it.
The LORD will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness.
Today, though the LORD delivered you into my grasp,
I would not harm the LORD’s anointed.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Reading 2 1 Cor 15:45-49

Brothers and sisters:
It is written, The first man, Adam, became a living being,
the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
But the spiritual was not first;
rather the natural and then the spiritual.
The first man was from the earth, earthly;
the second man, from heaven.
As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly,
and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly.
Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

Alleluia Jn 13:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say,
love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give, and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 We are revolutionaries in that we are not expected to adhere to the teachings of this world and the expectations of society. We are called to something higher that, at many times, goes against all that we have learned and all that we have been encouraged to do since we were able to make independent decisions. From early on, we were taught that there was an expected reaction to our relationships with other people be they enemies or friends. When we were threatened, we were expected to react to that threat by defending ourselves to the best of our abilities, oftentimes eliminating that threat through acts of violence out of self-preservation. When we were asked to give something to someone else, a cost could be demanded in return so as to make the exchange profitable to us. Giving our money or something that had value for us to someone else would only be done when receiving something of equal or more value. Being of good character enabled us to correct the actions of others using ourselves as the standard of conduct to be looked up to. The more we rose in stature enabled us to be viewed by more people in a positive light and thus could allow us to be the standard which others needed to conduct themselves by. Through the teachings of Jesus Christ and the message of the Sacred Scriptures it can be now understood that what has been offered through these messages and code of conduct is completely wrong.

Those who find themselves acting in the aforementioned way are in no way bad people but ones who have been misguided in their concepts of living. No one person is beyond making this mistake when so many others have told him or her that it is the proper way to act. It can be argued that everyone is in danger of doing these things daily if we do not keep our relationship with Jesus Christ central in our lives.  It is through Jesus Christ and a spiritual relationship with Him that a better way is revealed.

A relationship with Jesus Christ starts with love. It is through His love for us that we have been given the gift of salvation. It is here, with this concept of eternal love that our relationship begins. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, this love flows through us and outward throughout God’s creation. We first receive it then we exude it naturally when we recognize its presence. It is spread through us by us reacting to its presence. We are first loved then we love in return. The only thing that can prevent ourselves from spreading that love is our own unwillingness to let it work through us and our actions. Our greatest asset, our free will, can be our greatest impediment if our will does not coincide with the Will of the Father. When this happens, we tend to revert back to complying with the lower standards of society which include acting with an acceptable level of selfishness instead of selflessness.

David serves as an example to all of us to follow. King Saul had made it his mission to pursue and kill David out of jealousy and hatred. When David has an opportunity to end the threat on his own life by killing Saul, he chose not to but exercised mercy instead. He did not know what the future would bring with this act of love but it bore no consequence to what he did in the moment. In that moment he displayed love and mercy in the same way the Father shows us love and mercy through His gift of salvation. David was not concerned with the preservation of his own life but more he was concerned with the value of the life of another. As Christians, our lives are not our own which means that there is no need for self-preservation. All life comes from God and has been created by God. Created out of love means that all life serves as a vessel of that love which means in turn that all of it is precious and none more important than the other.

Jesus wants us to concentrate on the preservation of all life through acts of love and mercy. All of our actions should reflect the presence of Jesus Christ and our relationship with him. This is indeed difficult, especially with all of the other outside influences that constantly bombard us on a daily basis. A good exercise would be for us to rate these influences by level of importance then compare them to how important God should be in our lives. If we do in fact believe that God is the creator of all things and it is through His Son that we achieve redemption and eternal life, then how important should we rate what God says in comparison to the opinions and thoughts of other people? This is where we can be challenged. How important is our relationship to God in relation to the daily opinions and thoughts of other people? Do these other people actually have our best interests at heart in comparison to the one who created us?

Two parts of us are struggling against each other: The flesh and the spirit. When we encounter something that is physical or mental in nature the flesh reacts and wants to immediately take charge. What comes from the flesh is always finite and is based in Natural Law, its action dictated by the limitations of this world. The spirit cries out to the Father, embraces the Son, and is moved by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The spirit is eternal and reacts to all that is eternal. Here we are in the middle struggling to see if we want to dwell in the material or rise to the eternal. Decisions made with the flesh in mind, dictated by the flesh, and guided by those who dwell in the flesh will lead to a definite end which is always rooted in this world: a world that will with all that it holds end. Decisions made with the counsel and desire of the spirit have no limits and no boundaries. Nothing can limit them or hold them back.

It is exciting to be different. It is fascinating not to conform to something just to conform. Jesus wants us to act and be different; that is the key to a fruitful and joyous life. For every wicked act we should react with a joyous act. With every act of hatred kindness should be returned. Acts of charity should come with no expectation of repayment. Lend without interest, give selflessly, and love with abandon. There are no limits when these things are practiced with God in mind and the Holy Spirit in our hearts. That is why we are told to love our God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and body. From that love will come more love and everything else will be forced out.

We don’t need anything else anyway.

Deacon Tom

VII Domingo Ordinario
Leccionario: 81

Primera lectura

1 Sam 26, 2. 7-9. 12-13. 22-23

En aquellos días, Saúl se puso en camino con tres mil soldados israelitas, bajó al desierto de Zif en persecución de David y acampo en Jakilá.

David y Abisay fueron de noche al campamento enemigo y encontraron a Saúl durmiendo entre los carros; su lanza estaba clavada en tierra, junto a su cabecera, y en torno a él dormían Abner y su ejército. Abisay dijo entonces a David: "Dios te está poniendo al enemigo al alcance de tu mano. Deja que lo clave ahora en tierra con un solo golpe de su misma lanza. No hará falta repetirlo". Pero David replicó: "No lo mates. ¿Quién puede atentar contra el ungido del Señor y quedar sin pecado?"

Entonces cogió David la lanza y el jarro de agua de la cabecera de Saúl y se marchó con Abisay. Nadie los vio, nadie se enteró y nadie despertó; todos siguieron durmiendo, porque el Señor les había enviado un sueño profundo.

David cruzó de nuevo el valle y se detuvo en lo alto del monte, a gran distancia del campamento de Saúl. Desde ahí gritó: "Rey Saúl, aquí está tu lanza, manda a alguno de tus criados a recogerla. El Señor le dará a cada uno según su justicia y su lealtad, pues él te puso hoy en mis manos, pero yo no quise atentar contra el ungido del Señor".

Salmo Responsorial

Del Salmo 102

R. (8a) El Señor es compasivo y misericordioso.
Bendice al Señor, alma mía,
que todo mi ser bendiga su santo nombre.
Bendice al Señor, alma mía,
y no te olvides de sus beneficios.
R. El Señor es compasivo y misericordioso.
El Señor perdona tus pecados
y cura tus enfermedades;
él rescata tu vida del sepulcro
y te colma de amor y de ternura.
R. El Señor es compasivo y misericordioso.
El Señor es compasivo y misericordioso,
Lento para enojarse y generoso para perdonar.
No nos trata como merecen nuestras culpas,
ni nos paga según nuestros pecados. 
R. El Señor es compasivo y misericordioso.
Como dista el oriente del ocaso,
así aleja de nosotros nuestros delitos;
como un padre es compasivo con sus hijos,
así es compasivo el Señor con quien lo ama.
R. El Señor es compasivo y misericordioso.

Segunda lectura

1 Cor 15, 45-49

Hermanos: La Escritura dice que el primer hombre, Adán, fue un ser que tuvo vida; el último Adán es espíritu que da la vida. Sin embargo, no existe primero lo vivificado por el Espíritu, sino lo puramente humano; lo vivificado por el Espíritu viene después.

El primer hombre, hecho de tierra, es terreno; el segundo viene del cielo. Como fue el hombre terreno, así son los hombres terrenos; como es el hombre celestial, así serán los celestiales. Y del mismo modo que fuimos semejantes al hombre terreno, seremos también semejantes al hombre celestial.

Aclamación antes del Evangelio

Jn 13, 34

R. Aleluya, aleluya.
Les doy un mandamiento nuevo, dice el Señor,
que se amen los unos a los otros, como yo los he amado.
R. Aleluya.

Evangelio

Lc 6, 27-38

En aquel tiempo, Jesús dijo a sus discípulos: "Amen a sus enemigos, hagan el bien a los que los aborrecen, bendigan a quienes los maldicen y oren por quienes los difaman. Al que te golpee en una mejilla, preséntale la otra; al que te quite el manto, déjalo llevarse también la túnica. Al que te pida, dale; y al que se lleve lo tuyo, no se lo reclames.

Traten a los demás como quieran que los traten a ustedes; porque si aman sólo a los que los aman, ¿qué hacen de extraordinario? También los pecadores aman a quienes los aman. Si hacen el bien sólo a los que les hacen el bien, ¿qué tiene de extraordinario? Lo mismo hacen los pecadores. Si prestan solamente cuando esperan cobrar, ¿qué hacen de extraordinario? También los pecadores prestan a otros pecadores, con la intención de cobrárselo después.

Ustedes, en cambio, amen a sus enemigos, hagan el bien y presten sin esperar recompensa. Así tendrán un gran premio y serán hijos del Altísimo, porque él es bueno hasta con los malos y los ingratos. Sean misericordiosos, como su Padre es misericordioso.

No juzguen y no serán juzgados; no condenen y no serán condenados; perdonen y serán perdonados. Den y se les dará: recibirán una medida buena, bien sacudida, apretada y rebosante en los pliegues de su túnica. Porque con la misma medida con que midan, serán medidos''.

MIS HERMANOS Y HERMANAS,

 Somos revolucionarios en el sentido de que no se espera que nos apeguemos a las enseñanzas de este mundo y las expectativas de la sociedad. Estamos llamados a algo superior que, en muchas ocasiones, va en contra de todo lo que hemos aprendido y todo lo que nos ha animado a hacer desde que pudimos tomar decisiones independientes. Desde el principio, nos enseñaron que se esperaba una reacción a nuestras relaciones con otras personas, ya fueran enemigos o amigos. Cuando nos amenazaron, se esperaba que reaccionáramos ante esa amenaza defendiéndonos lo mejor que pudiéramos, eliminando a menudo esa amenaza mediante actos de violencia por preservación propia. Cuando se nos pide que le demos algo a otra persona, se puede exigir un costo a cambio para que el intercambio sea rentable para nosotros. Dar nuestro dinero o algo que tenía valor para nosotros a otra persona solo se haría cuando se recibe algo de igual o mayor valor. Ser de buen carácter nos permitió corregir las acciones de otros que nos utilizan como el estándar de conducta que debemos observar. Cuanto más nos elevábamos en estatura, más personas nos podían ver desde una perspectiva positiva y, por lo tanto, nos permitían ser el estándar que otros necesitaban para conducirse. A través de las enseñanzas de Jesucristo y el mensaje de las Sagradas Escrituras, ahora se puede entender que lo que se ha ofrecido a través de estos mensajes y el código de conducta es completamente incorrecto.

Aquellos que se encuentran actuando de la manera antes mencionada no son de ninguna manera personas malas, sino personas que han estado equivocadas en sus conceptos de vida. Ninguna persona está más allá de cometer este error cuando tantos otros le han dicho que es la forma correcta de actuar. Se puede argumentar que todos están en peligro de hacer estas cosas diariamente si no mantenemos nuestra relación con Jesucristo en el centro de nuestras vidas. Es a través de Jesucristo y una relación espiritual con Él que se revela una mejor manera.

Una relación con Jesucristo comienza con el amor. Es a través de Su amor por nosotros que hemos recibido el regalo de la salvación. Es aquí, con este concepto de amor eterno que comienza nuestra relación. A través de la presencia del Espíritu Santo, este amor fluye a través de nosotros y hacia afuera a través de la creación de Dios. Primero lo recibimos, luego lo exudamos naturalmente cuando reconocemos su presencia. Se propaga a través de nosotros reaccionando a su presencia. Primero somos amados y luego amamos a cambio. Lo único que puede evitar que difundamos ese amor es nuestra propia falta de voluntad para dejar que funcione a través de nosotros y nuestras acciones. Nuestro mayor activo, nuestro libre albedrío, puede ser nuestro mayor impedimento si nuestra voluntad no coincide con la Voluntad del Padre. Cuando esto sucede, tendemos a volver a cumplir con los estándares más bajos de la sociedad, que incluyen actuar con un nivel aceptable de egoísmo en lugar de desinterés.

David sirve como ejemplo para que todos lo sigamos. El rey Saúl había hecho su misión perseguir y matar a David por celos y odio. Cuando David tiene la oportunidad de poner fin a la amenaza en su propia vida matando a Saúl, él optó por no hacerlo, pero en cambio tuvo misericordia. No sabía qué le depararía el futuro con este acto de amor, pero no tuvo consecuencias en lo que hizo en el momento. En ese momento él mostró amor y misericordia de la misma manera que el Padre nos muestra amor y misericordia a través de Su regalo de salvación. David no estaba preocupado por la preservación de su propia vida, sino que más bien estaba preocupado por el valor de la vida de otro. Como cristianos, nuestras vidas no son las nuestras, lo que significa que no hay necesidad de autoconservación. Toda la vida viene de Dios y ha sido creada por Dios. Creado por amor significa que toda la vida sirve como un recipiente de ese amor, lo que a su vez significa que todo es precioso y ninguno más importante que el otro.

Jesús quiere que nos concentremos en la preservación de toda vida a través de actos de amor y misericordia. Todas nuestras acciones deben reflejar la presencia de Jesucristo y nuestra relación con él. Esto es realmente difícil, especialmente con todas las otras influencias externas que constantemente nos bombardean a diario. Un buen ejercicio sería que evaluáramos estas influencias por nivel de importancia y luego las comparáramos con lo importante que debe ser Dios en nuestras vidas. Si de hecho creemos que Dios es el creador de todas las cosas y es a través de Su Hijo que logramos la redención y la vida eterna, entonces, ¿qué tan importante debemos calificar lo que Dios dice en comparación con las opiniones y pensamientos de otras personas? Aquí es donde podemos ser desafiados. ¿Qué tan importante es nuestra relación con Dios en relación con las opiniones y pensamientos diarios de otras personas? ¿Estas otras personas realmente tienen nuestros mejores intereses en el corazón en comparación con el que nos creó?

Dos partes de nosotros luchamos unos contra otros: la carne y el espíritu. Cuando nos encontramos con algo que es de naturaleza física o mental, la carne reacciona y quiere hacerse cargo de inmediato. Lo que viene de la carne es siempre finito y está basado en la Ley Natural, su acción dictada por las limitaciones de este mundo. El espíritu clama al Padre, abraza al Hijo y es movido por la presencia del Espíritu Santo. El espíritu es eterno y reacciona a todo lo que es eterno. Aquí estamos en medio luchando para ver si queremos vivir en lo material o elevarnos a lo eterno. Las decisiones que se toman con la carne en mente, dictadas por la carne y guiadas por aquellos que viven en la carne llevarán a un fin definido que siempre está arraigado en este mundo: un mundo que con todo lo que tiene fin. Las decisiones tomadas con el consejo y el deseo del espíritu no tienen límites ni límites. Nada puede limitarlos o retenerlos.

Es emocionante ser diferente. Es fascinante no conformarse con algo solo para conformarse. Jesús quiere que actuemos y seamos diferentes; Esa es la clave para una vida fructífera y feliz. Por cada acto malvado deberíamos reaccionar con un acto alegre. Con cada acto de odio se debe devolver la bondad. Los actos de caridad deben venir sin expectativa de reembolso. Presta sin interés, da desinteresadamente, y ama con abandono. No hay límites cuando estas cosas se practican con Dios en mente y el Espíritu Santo en nuestros corazones. Es por eso que se nos dice que amemos a nuestro Dios con todo nuestro corazón, alma, mente y cuerpo. De ese amor vendrá más amor y todo lo demás será expulsado.

No necesitamos nada más de todos modos.

Diácono tom

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 78

Reading 1 Jer 17:5-8

Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
it fears not the heat when it comes;
its leaves stay green;
in the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked,
nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
that yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Reading 2 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20

Brothers and sisters:
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Alleluia Lk 6:23ab

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad;
your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the twelve
and stood on a stretch of level ground
with a great crowd of his disciples
and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 Take a moment and contemplate why do we pursue certain things in this life? Usually there is a particular goal centralized in a particular want or desire which then motivates us to begin pursuing it. The word pursuit indicates the presence of a drive which causes the object to be the main priority at the expense of other area of interest and responsibility. It becomes an obsession of sorts where the majority of time and energy is thus spent on this one thing. Depending on the individual, the object of pursuit can vary and can be influenced by our personality and experience. What pleases us and what we will do to get it can ultimately define us. At first glance this can be viewed as a positive thing: to be focused on a particular goal with the intent on obtaining it; a good quality when it comes to career, family, or the acquiring of certain goods that guarantee a comfortable lifestyle. It can also lead to negative consequences when the things focused on can ultimately do us harm; especially when those things can be misconstrued as positive things at first. How we spend our time and what areas we concentrate our efforts can define us and shape us more than we realize.

The words of the Prophet Jeremiah remind us that trusting and hoping in God gives us constant nourishment and constant satisfaction which cannot be gained in a singularly material existence. Relying on ourselves and that which society offers to give us satisfaction will always lead in dissatisfaction and a lack of fulfillment. When we eat, we are only full for the moment. When we drink, our thirst is only quenched at that particular time. When we obtain anything that is linked to a desire which is rooted in the physical or mental part of our being that desire is only fulfilled for the moment and will return; often stronger than before. Not only are we consuming it but it is also consuming us and everything about us. In a very disturbing way we can actually take on a description of the thing that we are consuming. There is nothing positive about being defined by what we are indulging in when it comes to this world because whatever we are consuming ends and ultimately leaves us empty.

With God and a relationship with Him there is no pursuit because there is no goal. He is eternal along with us. This relationship is centered in being nourished with intent to fulfill a spiritual satisfaction which becomes a constant instead of something in the moment which will then need further pursuit and further satisfaction which will eventually lead to emptiness. It starts with an offer from God followed by a receiving of what is being offered. There is no need for pursuit only a willingness to accept what is already there. The reason why we even have to approach a relationship with God in the terms of us seeking or pursuing Him is because we were the ones that ran way. What we are actually doing in these instances is backtracking back to where He was in the first place; waiting for us the whole time. Once we choose God, we are planted next to Him and have the ability to be nourished by Him all the time. Pursuing Him is actually means receiving Him; exactly the opposite of what we do regarding physical and mental desires.

In the Gospel Reading today, Jesus came down from the mountain with His disciples. In the same way, He comes to us to dwell within us and to abide with us. Our relationship with Jesus was always initiated by Him as it was by God when He created us. From then on, they all have been waiting for a response from the presence of their love. The act of Jesus coming down from the mountain to preach to the multitudes also signifies that He meets us where we are as we are and not as we are supposed to be. What we are supposed to be comes later when we allow His presence to shape and mold us into a more perfect being. It is from this interaction that it is revealed that what we perceived as weakness and failure are actually our greatest assets: the poor are raised up to the highest of heights,  those who hunger are nourished, the sorrowful are comforted, and those who are viewed as outcast are actually great in the eyes of God. Those who are more broken receive the greatest attention and love for they are the ones in the greatest of need. 

The same can be said for us: the more desperate for God that we become, the more apt we will be able to see His presence. When the world turns against us is when we are able to see society for what it is: lacking in the presence of Jesus Christ and broken by evil. This is not because of the people within but by the choices that are made and the decision to follow the flesh instead off the spirit. It is there where nourishment is lacking and desolation can be found.  Jesus Christ is the Living Water that can make everything fruitful again, including us. To experience Jesus Christ to the fullest is to first experience His creation without Him. When this is witnessed, then His creation with Him and we with Him becomes all the more beautiful

Deacon Tom