On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, Or
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 5:17-30
We do not live our lives on our own. We are in relationship with other people. God’s law needs to find a new home in the person of Jesus.
Here is my interpretation of the second of our three churches.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Manitou Springs, CO. Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC
I recently painted each of three church buildings. Here is our chapel in Cascade, Co. I will post the others next week.
Holy Rosary Chapel, Cascade, CO Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC
“Don’t turn your back on your own” Finger Painting: Ronald Raab, CSC 2016
Read our parish bulletin: CLICK HERE
Dear Believers in Christ our Light,
Several weeks ago when the winds blew strong in Colorado, many people experienced power outages. Many food items were lost when freezers got hot. Many people struggled to heat their homes for their infants and ailing parents. Many were not prepared to walk around in the dark in their own homes without bumping into things. Light became important again when we were without such a necessity.
Jesus has called us to be light and salt to the world (Matthew 5:13-16). These are strong images of survival and life. We know how quickly darkness comes when we cannot see what is right before us. We know the natural ability of salt to preserve and taste our food. Salt and light are ingredients that not only make life worth living, but ultimately are ingredients that we cannot live without. Jesus needs us to show others the way.
In these past few weeks, Jesus has called us again to follow him in the gift of the Holy Spirit in our baptism. This gift of the Holy Spirit fuels our ability to be salt and light for the world. I know these are just images, but they tell us a lot about how we are to respond to the call of mission and service in our world.
Jesus is inviting us to see ourselves as light. This means Jesus is relying on us to show people the beauty, love and hope that God has to offer us. We are to step out of the darkness of doubt, rudeness, laziness and apathy. We are to show the world that our faith means something.
This integrity of light comes to us from the fountain and source of our faith— the power of our connection to Jesus who is the light of the world. When our children don’t participate in faith, they lose the ability to show others the miracles of Jesus. When we grow old and think that we already know what to do and the rules to follow in the Church, we lose the light of faith that gives us purpose and connection to Jesus. We need one another to reveal the light of faith in the world. We need people’s voices to speak up for those who cannot help themselves.
We need one another’s talents to show the world that life in all of its forms has meaning. We need to pursue our faith through continued learning, personal growth and prayer, and through acts of compassion and justice for people in poverty. We need one another to be light! People are relying on us!
Perhaps there is a serious power outage within the hearts of many people who are already Christians. We hide our light under the bushel baskets of ignorance, what others think of us, and even under our own anger and rigidity. We need a new vision of who we are as people of light, people of hope and people who reveal the salt and light to those who need it most.
Here are a few things to pray about this week: How are you light and salt to your family and friends? Who reveals light and hope to you? How does your prayer keep you directed to the Light of Christ? What are those times in your life that you have felt incredible darkness? How do you find hope in your relationship with Jesus?
Blessings to all of you,
Fr. Ron
On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time: February 5, 2017
We are salt and light. We are given what we need to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven in our world today. We take light for granted. Light shows us the way and gives people hope for a life to thrive.
CLICK HERE for this week’s art and parish bulletin
Dear Followers of Jesus,
In our Christian tradition, the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) are the roadmap to sainthood. This blueprint to living the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth is not unattainable in our own lives. We already possess the nature and heart of God through the gift of our baptism. We already belong to God. We already possess the nature of goodness or blessedness in God’s continuing creation.
Jesus announces these blessings for people who live in “the kingdom of heaven.” These aspects of our discipleship include: being poor in spirit, mourning loss, being meek, seeking justice, being merciful, being clean of heart, being peacemakers and bearers of insults and persecution. The Beatitudes are amazingly countercultural. Our happiness comes in letting go of our rigid and judgmental attitudes, our demands and certainties, and instead, learning to rely on God. We are given happiness from the Kingdom of God when we finally let go our ego and self-assuredness.
These Beatitudes are really a formation process for a life of gratitude. Perhaps as we listen and reflect on this week’s gospel, we can take to heart this message of gratefulness. This is another good posture, to turn toward gratefulness, as we begin the year of 2017.
Many of us can easily turn away from blessedness. Life can get us down. We easily lash out and blame others for our misfortunes and problems. Living this kind of life only leads to bitterness, envy, fear and loneliness.
God invites us to a different kind of life than foul-mouth blaming and finger pointing. Jesus is suggesting to us that we take stock of our lives and learn to be grateful. Thankfulness is a spiritual practice. This practice is often overlooked. For many people it seems frivolous and a waste of time, especially when a parent has lost a job or a youth has been rejected entrance into his first-choice for college.
Gratefulness is an act of blessedness. Unless we become humble enough, we will never find the Beatitudes. We may never discover a life of sheer grace, beauty and freedom. Here are some thoughts about living a life of gratefulness:
Allow yourself to find some moments of silence in the early morning. Make a list of blessings and gifts that you were given in the past twenty-four hours. Recall every conversation and feel the memories in your heart. If there are things you regret in those conversations, offer that regret in prayer. If there are aspects of anger, ill will, judgment or bitterness, offer those things to Jesus. Take stock of your relationships, family, work, talents, gifts, creativity and past. Be with God in silence and simply be grateful. Thank God for everything.
This is a life of Beatitudes. This is a life of gratefulness and thankfulness.
Blessings to you,
Fr. Ron
On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 5:13-16
This show does not have the usual opening and closing and is unedited
The Beatitudes are very counterculture. Humility and weakness are bold and strong. This is the place where Jesus really lives. How do we live the life of Jesus once we are called into the life of Jesus? With hope and love!
Here is an interview from this afternoon with Relevant Radio, Oak Ridge, IL.
My portion of the interview is in the last half hour.
Topic: Corporal Works of Mercy
“Jesus withdrew” Pastel: Ronald Raab, CSC
CLICK HERE for our entire parish bulletin
Dear Followers of Jesus,
Today’s gospel (Matthew 4:12-23) reveals the call of the first disciples. Simon and Andrew were brothers. Jesus saw them and invited them to follow him. With no second thoughts, they left everything behind to follow Jesus. Wow! There must have been more to this story! Imagine that a stranger comes along and invites you to follow his ways and you leave everything you have ever known, including your livelihood, to follow him.
Jesus asked the same of two other brothers, James and John. They even left their father, Zebedee, to follow Jesus. Jesus then performed miracles along the way, curing every disease and illness among the people, and establishing his authority among them.
One thing strikes me in this gospel. Jesus saw the best in people. He recognized their potential. He overlooked many of their weaknesses and foibles. I believe that Jesus does the same for us. I want to hold on to this from Jesus’ encounter with his disciples.
So many times when I hear people talk about their relationship with Jesus, they start off by saying that it is a negative relationship because of what people have done in their lives. I don’t believe that anything really stands in the way of our relationship with Christ Jesus. Life is a journey. I think we need to take this gospel to heart. Jesus wants the best for us because he sees the best within us. Perhaps we can learn to carry this example into other aspects of our lives. Examine how many times you put other people down or speak negatively about them when you meet someone new or hear rumors about their lives.
Perhaps we can let these negative things go and begin to see the positive aspects of people’s lives as Jesus did. Whether in parish communities or politics, in our family lives or with people in authority, we tend to condemn first and ask questions later.
The gospel today suggests that Jesus saw the best in these two sets of brothers. Let’s examine our lives so that we, too, may follow in the path of Jesus seeing the best in one another. When we can do this, all kinds of new miracles will flow into our lives.
Let’s build a community where we can see the best in people and believe the best about what people do.
Here are some questions to consider: How can I realize that I am loved and accepted by Jesus? How can respond to his call in my life? How can I take a minute to reflect on Jesus’ ways so I don’t respond negatively to other people? Can I start the New Year by seeing on the good in others?
Blessings to you all,
Fr. Ron
On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 4:12-23
Jesus calls his disciples and calls us as well. Jesus sees the best in them. They leave everything to follow. What do we need to let go of in order to follow Christ?
Broken But Not Divided 