A lot of times we don’t have it easy, but we continue on

Dear Church Family

I certainly enjoy the month of June.  It is the beginning of summer.  Already it is the 10^th of June.  It is a time to relax in the Lord and pray and discern special messages that come to us from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we reflect on the gospel, especially today, we might say that Jesus did not have it easy.  Even his own family thought he was being a little too radical in His proclamation of His message that would definitely get Him in trouble with the authorities.  He might also be in trouble with the religious leaders, the scribes and pharisees.  Even as He sort of gives a new extension of family, not just being His mother, brothers and sisters, but all who live and do the word of God are mother, brothers and sisters to Him.  So, Jesus didn’t have it easy.  A lot of times we don’t have it easy, but we continue on.  Alleluia!  So, we are reminded today to place our total confidence in God.  Despite whatever difficulties we may experience, we center our lives in God and His protection will be upon us. Amen!

Take a moment and enjoy the image of yourself playing peek-a-boo with a toddler.  The little one hides from us but “wants to be found”.  When they move their hands, we gaze into their eyes and smile.  With all our being, we let them know that they are special and loved just as they are.  In a word, “precious”.  They often fall into our arms with giggles, hugs and l love you.  Now notice that something has gone wrong in Eden.  Adam and Eve ignored God’s protective word.  That pure delight in God’s presence is over.  Their free will has gone against God’s intentional will that all His creatures should live in innocence, harmony with creation and pure peace and love with each other.  We like Adam and Eve now learn how to hide in fear and maybe even blame others.  We feel the pangs of separation from God and our own most intimate love ones.  Sometimes we are hiding, and we blame others.  We learned that from our youth.  It is hard to say we are sorry.  It is hard to see ourselves as we are with a fault now and then that is hard to come to peace with everyone around us.  In a way we don’t want God to find us.  We avoid quite moments of prayer and we concentrate on our feelings of being hurt or rejected because of whatever we hide from.  The Son assures us that the Lord is there with His mercy and fullness of redemption. Alleluia!  If we keep on hiding in little ways we trust our God with our sin and brokenness and our disobedience, our own foolishness.  We continue to hide.  But, Jesus enters in to all these foibles of life.  Jesus sort of knows the feeling of being rejected by His family, by the religious leaders and even His disciples.  He keeps centering His life and His mission that God had given Him.  Today, we claim that we are renewed.  St. Paul tells us that it is God’s ultimate will that our inner selves are renewed day by day as preparation for eternal union.  We come to know how precious we are before God and let Him takes delight in us and, we take delight in one another.  So, hear the word of God today as we approach the table of Jesus’ body and blood.  Let us come revealing ourselves, admitting our faults and renewing ourselves with our relationship as we come before the Lord and say, Amen!  As we desire total love with God and one another, Alleluia!