The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.-Matthew 13:10-11
I have not posted a blog post in over a year. Things that have changed over the past year are many and a single entry cannot catch up the highs and lows and everything in between. But what has changed is that I have left Facebook and Twitter. So there will be no advertising this post. Congratulations if you find it.
Today, I had a great phone call and a very bad phone call. Not wanting to take the dessert, my mother called to tell me that my uncle had a massive heart attack. He did not die. He lives. I spent a long time developing an indifference towards him for many years. I can't even remember why he deserved such treatment. I thought and thought about it. My prayers are with him. I will dedicate my praise this evening to him.
Another call came this evening, from a FOCUS missionary I support. We spoke for almost an hour. She shared some of her stories of the past year. She asked about my life and what was going on in my world. What we shared with each other came as such a blessing. I remembered that relationships and friendships require effort. They require grace. They require a selflessness that I have failed to embody over the past year.
Today's gospel reading is a call to humility for me. I have spent many years boasting of a wealth of knowledge about the Church. Jesus' words to the disciples speak to me because I think that I may be among those whom he speaks of as not being granted knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. If I did, I would probably live a significantly more virtuous life. But there is joy in knowing that God's grace is more than my own selfishness.
The Church calls us to a fulfilling participation in the sacramental life of the Church. This also is an offer to receive the forgiveness and grace of Confession. I get to say I am sorry to God for my mistakes. This also means that I can say I am sorry to my friends and family too. I am offered God's forgiveness. I am also not guaranteed forgiveness from my friends.
Tomorrow, I hope I can have the same conversion towards grace as I have often encountered in the past. Love as I have loved you said the Lord. I hope that I can be loving to others. And definitely to myself.
"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.-Matthew 13:10-11
I have not posted a blog post in over a year. Things that have changed over the past year are many and a single entry cannot catch up the highs and lows and everything in between. But what has changed is that I have left Facebook and Twitter. So there will be no advertising this post. Congratulations if you find it.
Today, I had a great phone call and a very bad phone call. Not wanting to take the dessert, my mother called to tell me that my uncle had a massive heart attack. He did not die. He lives. I spent a long time developing an indifference towards him for many years. I can't even remember why he deserved such treatment. I thought and thought about it. My prayers are with him. I will dedicate my praise this evening to him.
Another call came this evening, from a FOCUS missionary I support. We spoke for almost an hour. She shared some of her stories of the past year. She asked about my life and what was going on in my world. What we shared with each other came as such a blessing. I remembered that relationships and friendships require effort. They require grace. They require a selflessness that I have failed to embody over the past year.
Today's gospel reading is a call to humility for me. I have spent many years boasting of a wealth of knowledge about the Church. Jesus' words to the disciples speak to me because I think that I may be among those whom he speaks of as not being granted knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. If I did, I would probably live a significantly more virtuous life. But there is joy in knowing that God's grace is more than my own selfishness.
The Church calls us to a fulfilling participation in the sacramental life of the Church. This also is an offer to receive the forgiveness and grace of Confession. I get to say I am sorry to God for my mistakes. This also means that I can say I am sorry to my friends and family too. I am offered God's forgiveness. I am also not guaranteed forgiveness from my friends.
Tomorrow, I hope I can have the same conversion towards grace as I have often encountered in the past. Love as I have loved you said the Lord. I hope that I can be loving to others. And definitely to myself.
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