Blindness & Its Causes (2024-10-27, Sunday-30)

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Homily –  Oct 27, 2024  /  30^th Sunday (Year B)  ● Jeremiah 31:7-9 ●   Psalm 126 ● Hebrews 5:1-6 ●  + Mark 10:46-52  ●

[__01_]    This gospel is about the healing of the blind Bartimaeus. I'd like to connect this idea of blindness to darkness and other causes of or lack of visibility or vision.

A couple of years ago, a professional NFL football team, the New York Jets, were looking for a new quarterback (QB), the key player responsible for throwing the ball and leading offensive plays. There was a rumor they’d recruit Aaron Rodgers, a celebrated player and MVP, who was leaving the Green Bay Packers and considering playing in NY.

Aaron Rodgers, now with the Jets, had a decision to make and sought clarity. Though I don’t know if he’s religious, he did something that suggests a prayerful mindset: he went on a “darkness retreat” in Oregon—four days of isolation in a small cabin, without electricity, Wi-Fi, or outside contact.

At the time, Rodgers hadn’t yet decided where he would play football. This retreat was part of his process. Darkness retreats, like this one, are often done to rest, reflect, or gain insight.

Afterward, Rodgers signed with the Jets. However, in his first game, he injured his Achilles and sat out the rest of the season. Even with all that preparation, challenges still arose.

 

[__02_]    I bring up this idea of DARKNESS and “being in the dark”  in connection with the blind Bartimaeus of the Gospel this Sunday.

          Bartimaeus is blind. He cannot see. This healing miracle reminds us also to turn to Jesus for his healing power and also to recognize his holiness which we sometimes miss or we are blind to it.

          It is very common for you to be told by a biblical commentator or teacher or by a priest/deacon from the pulpit that we can be physically “seeing” but spiritually “blind”.

          I have been told this many times. What does this statement mean?

          Do I need contact lenses that only Jesus the optometrist can provide? Should I sign up for a “darkness retreat”?

 

[__03_]      Reflecting on this, I would like to touch on the causes of physical blindness and how they can be also a spiritual experience as well:

[ 1^st. Darkness. ]

[ 2^nd . Brightness ]

[ 3^rd . Woundedness OR Injury ]

 

[__04_]      1^st. DARKNESS causes blindness. If you are in a place without proper illumination or lighting, you may lack mobility and visibility.

          For this reason, in anticipation of hurricanes and other storms, we stock up on batteries and flashlights because we cannot count on PSE&G or Con Edison to provide power.

          We may further have to plan activities or meals that do not require electricity. We also may choose less fancy forms of entertainment such as listening to the radio (with battery power), since Comcast and Verizon FIOS and internet may also be “down”

          These are things we do to combat the darkness. But, none of this makes the lights go back on.

          In parallel, we may find ourselves among people who live in the darkness in terms of their lack of charity, their lack of faith, their dishonesty or their disdain for our religious faith.

          We may find ourselves among people who are angry or anxious and maybe discouraging us in our own practice of the faith.

          We may have tried to bring them the light of the Gospel and been rejected.

          In this regard, they are blind to religion and maybe even anti-religion or anti-Christian.

          Jesus does call us to imitate him as the light of the world, but this does not mean others will plug into Him or to us immediately.

          We may have to endure the darkness of rejection, even as a form of quiet martyrdom.

          We are called to pray for and be good examples to others even if we cannot make the lights go on everywhere.

          Darkness is a cause of blindness.

 

[__05__]    At the other end of the visual spectrum, BRIGHTNESS is also a cause of blindness.

          This time of year, if you drive your car at certain times of day when the sun is low in the sky, you may experience a blinding and dangerous glare.

          Paradoxically, the sun can  be so bright that we cannot see anything.

          As New Jersey state philosopher and composer Bruce Springsteen wrote, we can “blinded by the light”.

          I can also be blinded by own light. You can be blinded by your own light.

          Jesus warns of this blindness vis-à-vis the scribes and Pharisees and anyone who claims to possess superior knowledge of God or intellectual knowledge on its own.

          Our faith does not grow by collecting all the correct answers but by continuing to ask the right questions.

          By questioning God, we can bring him our petitions and difficulties while still acknowledging is sovereignty and goodness.

          It is good, in our lives, when we experience trouble to reflect, gather, pray and seek the truth.

          Sometimes, our pursuit of knowledge and access to many forms of media, internet, images, encyclopedias, A.I., is not really enlightening us with virtue but simply enabling our vices and becoming occasions of sin.

          The brightness can be blinding.

          As a response, I am suggesting we all need some regular retreats away from this brightness and into darkness and peace.

          And, I recommend this for some time every night – especially for you – young people – to turn off your phones and tablets and give them to your parents all night long.

          If you need an alarm clock, get an alarm clock. Do not rely on your phone which with its many pixels is blinding you to your real path and human relationships and talking and listening.

          Brightness is blinding.

[_06__]    3^rd. Woundedness or injury can be blinding.

The 3^rd form of blindness can be woundedness or injury. It's not clear what has caused Bartimaeus, physical blindness. I remember an experience several years ago where my neck was bothering me, and I couldn't turn my neck as far as I wanted, and in a sense, I was blinded in certain directions, in certain angles.

I needed to go for physical therapy so that I could move my neck again.

There are physical things that can prevent us from seeing, but there are also woundedness, wounds or hurts that we experience that prevent us from seeing.

Have you ever been hurt by somebody so deeply that you don't want to look the other person in the eye? Or perhaps you hurt somebody and you can't look the other person in the eye?

In a sense, it's a form of blindness, and at such times we need prayer, fasting, we're called to repent, to confess our sins so that we can begin again with a clean heart, with a new vision, and to turn back to Jesus As Bartimaeus does, to follow him on the way   [__fin__]    

Correction. James, John (Election 2024) (2024-10-20, 29th Sunday)

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[]   Homily – Oct 20, 2024  /  29^th Sunday (Year B)  ● Isaiah 53:10-11 ●   Psalm 33 ● Hebrews 4:14-16 ●  + Mark 10:35-45  ●

[__00-a_]       What we observe today in the Gospel is about 2 disciples, James and John, who are pushing their own agenda.

This surprises the other apostles and leads to a RISK taken by Jesus in correcting them.

I’d like to conclude – later – the meaning of this risk (or danger) in “correcting” someone.

[__00-b_]      What we observe today - right now - nationally, in the presidential and electoral politics leading up to November 5, are two candidates crisscrossing the country, especially to get their message out, to put to announce and push their own agenda and to speak the language, as they hope, of the local people. This is especially true in the so-called “swing” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and other states.

In case you didn't know it, we are not living in a “swing state” that could be swing either between Republicans or Democrats on presidential election day.

However, this does not mean that your vote does not matter. Every vote and voter can send a message, and even if the presidential election, electoral votes in New Jersey are likely to go to one particular candidate.

In addition, you can also cast  your ballot in congressional and Senate elections, and in state and local elections that also matter. Your vote counts. Every vote counts.

 

[__00-c_]       Are we not all interested in having a president and and elected leaders who not only speak with truthfulness, justice and charity but also listens and serves with humility? We want leaders who really listen, who hears the voices of people crying out for help and for justice.

          We pray for leaders who will work for the right to life and protection of those who really need government help.

          I'm not here to tell you who to vote for, but to remind you that the Catholic bishops, our pastors, have already taught us to vote, not for a person, not for a particular party, but to vote our consciences based on certain principles. These principles are published and available in the front and back of church in a 4-part document on faithful citizenship.

If you need this document mailed to you or emailed to you, please call or email me at the address on the bulletin or on our website. I will send it to you

In this document, our bishops

Identity preeminent issue as the protection of life and the sanctity of life for the unborn child, the terminally ill person.

In other words, we are called to vote for this pro-life stance and against policies and candidates which would advance legal abortion and legal euthanasia.

In this effort, we may have to choose simply between the candidate who is not exactly 100% pro life, but at least relatively anti abortion, or relatively anti euthanasia.

We are also called also to pray for all of our leaders that they will truly learn that the biblical truism that the last shall be first and the first shall be last and learn to govern in a humble way.

 

[__00-d_]        This Saturday October 19 coincides with a Catholic feast day known as the Feast of the North American Martyrs, referring to the  Jesuit priests like Isaac Jogues, John DeBrebeuf, and their companions who gave their lives in service to the Gospel. These men left France in the 1600s to bring the message of Christ to the indigenous peoples of North America, traveling to Quebec and the English colonies. At a time when indigenous tribes were being exploited by French fur traders and British imperialists, the Jesuits sought to protect and serve them.

Isaac Jogues and John DeBrebeuf didn’t embark on a political campaign; instead, they crossed the country on a mission of peace and evangelization. Unlike many settlers and colonizers, they took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, dedicating their lives to teaching the Gospel. They played a crucial role in mediating between the indigenous Huron tribe and European settlers, advocating for peace and protecting Native Americans from violence and exploitation. Jogues, in particular, gained a deep understanding of the Hurons’ culture and customs, which helped him communicate more effectively and advocate for their needs.

Their lives reflected the Gospel teaching that "the last shall be first." Isaac Jogues and his companions had their lives taken, however, by the very people he sought to protect, caught in the political conflicts between indigenous tribes and European colonizers. He wasn't promoting his own agenda, unlike James and John in today’s Gospel (Mark 10:35-45), who sought personal glory by asking for privileged positions in the Kingdom of God. Jesus corrected them, teaching that true greatness comes from serving others, not from seeking power.

 [__08_]  Jesus took a risk in offering correction in Mark 10:35-45. Similarly, when we offer guidance or correction to others, we face risks. Before, during, and after giving advice, it is good to pray that it will be lovingly received. Practices like going confession, fasting, prayer, and charity help prepare us to offer advice with love, but 3 challenging outcomes may still arise.

1^st, I  might be wrong. I know you are saying, “But, Padre how could you be wrong?”  Yet, it has happened ! I could misunderstand the situation or the seriousness and overreact. St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that correction must come from love, not arrogance. Even if we might be wrong, that doesn't mean we should remain silent. We just be ready to listen with both ears !

2^nd, we might be right, but still be rejected.       There is a verse in Proverbs that is helpful here. Proverbs 15:1 indicates the importance of our tone, our posture, whether we sit or stand during these conversations all send a message. I recommend sitting with arms open rather than standing with arms folded.

          We send a lot of messages by body language.

         

          Proverbs 15:1 reads “A soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

          Use your soft, “inside” voice. Raising our voices does not inspire respect.

          I need to remember this. I tend to get over-excited and anxious and speak faster or louder.

          Then again, we might do all of this and still get rejected.

Even when we are gentle and loving, we might still face rejection, as Paul advises in Ephesians 4:15—speak truth in love, regardless of the outcome.

          3^rd, offering correction may lead to RECIPROCATION – i.e., receiving feedback ourselves—something we may not want to hear. Are we ready to accept correction as well as give it? Living in a community that fosters mutual correction requires humility and openness.

In all these situations, love, patience, and prayer should guide us.

 

[__09_]       It is a work of mercy to take the risk of loving and speaking the truth in love. Doing this, we might note awarded the comfortable seats which James and John were demanding and expecting.

          But, as we know there were no comfortable seats when Jesus was on his most important throne and presidential palace on earth.

          Jesus governed ultimately form the cross and the places at his right and his left were reserved for the 2 thieves.

          Nevertheless, James and John and other apostles would learn about the value of their suffering at other times and locations.

          As Jesus said about what is true risk and reward of governance, government, leadership, love and service:  “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them,

and their great ones make their authority over them felt.  But it shall not be so among you.  Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.   For the Son of Man did not come to be served  but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many   (Mark 10:___-45)

10 Percent. 10 Commandments

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 Homily –  Oct 13, 2024  /  28^th Sunday (Year B)  ● Wisdom 7:7-11 ●   Psalm 90 ● Hebrews 4:12-13 ●  + Mark 10:17-30●  Title: 10 Percent. 10 Commandments

 [__01__]  In the Gospel, we read about a man of some prestige and status asks Jesus the ultimate question:  “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He has followed the Commandments, so he says, and heeded the call to follow Jesus.  Jesus’ response disappoints him and he leaves “shocked” and “grieving.”  How hard is it to follow Christ?

          I’d like to address this in reference to:

 ·       Man in the Top 10 Percent.

·       God’s Word in 10 commandments

·       Our call to give the first 10 percent

 [__02__]  In the Gospel, we refer to this man as the “rich young man” or “rich young ruler”

          Can we too be considered “rich?”  Richness or excellence can be measured in many ways – being highly educated, wealthy, connected. Perhaps he is all of the above.  We are told that this rich man has many possessions.  But, how much does this matter?

          I read a study that suggests we tend to over-estimate our own capabilities and competency.

There is survey showing that that a large majority (90%) of business managers and leaders believe their performance is in the top 10%, hinting at a tendency to overestimate their abilities.

At times, I am inclined to over-estimate my own capability to consider that when things go wrong that other people are to blame.

I can relate to this Gospel and the “survey results”. I might also include myself in the top 10%, in my humble opinion (IMHO) ! J “insert smile emoji here.”

Does the rich young man – do I – do you perceive myself as a faithful follower just based on “performance”?

The young man likely understood temptation and the need for repentance. Jewish prayers and temple sacrifices focused on atonement for sin, and the Law provided a clear measure of righteousness.

But, even this can be turn us into being very materially focused and even self-righteous.

This man is in the top 10  percent.

 [__03__]  God’s Word is given to us in 10 commandments      

The rich man in the Gospel fancied himself “good” since he believed that he had followed the 10 Commandments throughout his life.  First,  Moses, in receiving these 10 commandments, received 2 stone tablets. 

So how many of the TEN commandments were on each of the TWO stone tablets?

What's the distinction between the 2 tablets? The distinction is that commandments, # 1, # 2, # 3, on the 1^st tablet. And, these first 3 are all about love of God:   ___ thou shalt have no other gods before me, ___ Keep holy the Sabbath day. ___ Don't take the name of the Lord's God, name Lord in vain.

The 10 Commandments are given on these 2 stone tablets, with this distinction. The 1^st tablet focuses on love of God.  

The 2^nd tablet contains commandments 4 through 10, focusing on love of neighbor, such as honoring thy father and thy mother, not killing, not committing adultery, and not stealing. 

The rich young man mentions that he has excelled at observing the commandments on the 2^nd tablet—those related to loving his neighbor. 

[__04__] Jesus, however, mentions something else, and challenges him regarding the 1^st three commandments, asking if he truly puts God above all else. The question isn’t just about avoiding penalties, but about love—loving God with all one’s heart.

Isn’t it true that we often follow laws primarily to avoid trouble, fines, or punishment? We avoid lying, cheating, or stealing not just because they’re wrong, but to avoid negative consequences. But is fear of punishment the only reason we follow the commandments?

 [__05__] Jesus reminds us that all the commandments are fundamentally about love of God. Consider how our ethical values, such as the protection of life—whether the life of an unborn child or a child we do not know—are grounded in love of God. When Jesus said, "The kingdom of God belongs to such as these," He reminded us that our love for vulnerable people stems from recognizing that all life belongs to God, a truth that is particularly pertinent during this Respect Life month of October. Even those who don’t believe in God can still love others, but the straight line to protecting life comes from acknowledging that life is not solely created by us. 

[__06__] Jesus is challenging the rich young man to see that the commandments are not just rules for success or achieving a high rank. They are about protecting human life and recognizing the God-given value of each person. We are protected not merely by laws written in our cities, states, or nations, but by God's law, which affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. In summary, all the commandments can be summed up as loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. 

Thomas Merton wrote, in his prologue to *No Man Is an Island*: 

[__07__]   Having been rich and obedient to the Commandments of God, the rich man is then confronted by Jesus with his love of material possessions. 

This essay by Thomas Merton reminds me of a biblical principle that we are called to give – always – our first 10 percent to God.

          In charitable giving, this relates to 10 % of our money to charity or tithing.

          But, what about the first 10% of our day. Consider that if we need approximately 2 hours to “get going” in the morning – that’s 120 minutes.

          We might need 2 hours total to get dressed, commute to work, have some breakfast, check our messages.  That’s 120 minutes.

          Can we give 10% of 120 – or 12 minutes – each day – for prayer?

Often, we can give more, but how about a minimum of 12 minutes per day?

          And how about in our love for others deciding to give the first 10% - the first ten minutes of time, attention to our loved ones.

          By giving our first 10 % we also learn not to adore ourselves but to adore and worship God:

 [__08__]       Thomas Merton:  It is of supreme importance that we commit ourselves to love, not simply to love ourselves, but to love others. The rich young man is being asked to give up his possessions because real change begins with giving ourselves away and being generous. When we love others, we can more easily accept our own limitations. 

Maybe I’m not in the top 10% of pastors, but I can live with that, knowing that I am loved by God and have inherent value that transcends any statistic. 

As long as we secretly adore ourselves—and I admit, I’m guilty of this—our flaws will haunt us, and we’ll never be satisfied with ourselves. But if we love others and truly live for them, we’ll realize that no one expects us to be “God”.

We are human, with weaknesses and deficiencies, and those very imperfections can lead us closer to God. 

[Concluding example__09___]

Do you want the blessings of eternal life with God?  Would you like to be in the top 10%? Or to have 10% more wealth, success, or return on your investments? Jesus warns that such desires can pull us away from God, just as they did for King David.

David, despite his material wealth as king, fell into grave sin and had to seek God’s mercy. He prayed in Psalm 51: "Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness; in your compassion, blot out my offense." Today’s Gospel also reminds us that “nothing is impossible with God.”

This psalm teaches us that true greatness and worth come not from material things but from seeking God’s help with a humble and contrite heart: 

“A humble, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.”   (Psalm 51)

Our connection to God through humility and prayer is where true greatness and salvation and our hope of inheriting eternal life.   [___end____]

 

 

All of the Above (2024-10-06, Sunday - 27)

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Homily –  Oct 6, 2024  /  27^th Sunday (Year B)  ● Genesis 2:18-24  ●   Psalm 128 ● Hebrews 2:9-11  ●  + Mark 10:2-16●

“All of the Above”  Gospel reference: Mark 10:2-16

 [__01__]    In October, traditionally dedicated to the Rosary and the Blessed Virgin Mary, we reflect on how God reveals His plans to us through prayer. Mary, our Blessed Mother, was constantly called to prayer, particularly as she pondered the mystery of God’s Incarnation. We too are called to pray, whether we are courageous or fearful. While prayer doesn’t erase fear, it helps us understand its source. In silence and meditation, we discern God’s will.

 [__02__]    In Catholic Church circles to speak of being “called”  and knowing one’s “vocation”.  As a child, I noted a prayer for this theme and asked “why is there a prayer for VACATIONS?”

          It’s “vocation” …not “vacation”. (I was quickly corrected).

          I still was in the dark! Ok, so what’s a vocation?

          A vocation – is this      

idea of being called by God , we designate this especially – articulate this especially – for those who are officially religious and members of the clergy – religious sisters –, religious brothers and priests.

          Is there any similarity between being religious in this way, or just living as a disciple of Jesus Christ and being married, in the sacrament of matrimony?

          One similarity is that all of the above – a bride, a groom, a sister, a brother, a priest – all take vows, make promises before God in church. Likewise, promises in the profession of faith are made by parents and godparents for children being baptized.  All of the above are called. All of us – you and me – are called by God.

 

 [__03_]   The common denominator in every vocation—whether as a bride, groom, priest, or religious—is the need to look, listen, and discern God’s will amid life's distractions. This listening isn't just for special occasions like weddings but is a daily practice. God’s call is ongoing, asking for our attention in both joyful and challenging moments.

 

[__04_]     Regarding a “vocation” or a calling, people sometimes ask me when I knew I wanted to be a priest.

Part of this journey was understanding not what I wanted but God wanted of me. Would I participate?

          I myself became gradually aware of this, and entered the years after college graduation. Typically, priests have a college degree and then 4 years of theological studies. I thought about this for several years starting around age 30 and entered seminary at age 35.

          Even while entering the seminary, I knew there was no guarantee I would discover this as my calling, but I was going to give it a try. I left my job in New York City which was perhaps the biggest change / step for me as these studies were full-time on campus at Seton Hall University in South Orange.

          But, I always figured I could get another job if things did not work out.

          In the first full week of my first semester, on a Tuesday, a classmate walked into the classroom and said a plane had just crashed into the World Trade Center. It was 9/11/2001. Witnessing this, I shared in the mourning and devastation, but also wondered [in a self reflective way] – did the world just change in a dramatic way such that I cannot go back to NYC. It was an early moment of reckoning, one that I  had not planned on.

 

[__05_]         There may be events- or may have been events that happened to you – in the days leading up to or the days following your own commitment to marriage, to family, events outside your control – in which you wonder, what to do next?

 

 

[__06_]       In these moments of uncertainty, we are called to ask, “Where is this relationship going?” This question applies to both religious life and marriage. It’s about cooperating with God’s grace, which He freely gives to help us grow and flourish, despite our unworthiness.

[__07_]        For those of you who are married, the question remains: where is your marriage headed? We are all called to navigate conflicts—whether personal, political, or global—with grace and patience. Reflecting on 9/11, I now realize how fortunate I was to be in seminary rather than enduring the long-term aftermath in NYC. At the time, I felt like I was missing out, but in retrospect, I see how I was sheltered and spared.

 

 

[__08_]      Today’s Gospel reminds us of God’s invitation to a lifelong commitment, much like marriage. Peter Kreeft, a professor at Boston College, writes that matrimony models enduring love. The greatest joys of love, he notes, often come later in life, after years of shared experiences and God’s grace.

 

          For example, as grown-up children, can we not delight in and enjoy our parents in older years in a way that we could not or did not when everyone was younger and stronger and apparently better looking?

          This is our Profession of Faith, credo, leading us to heaven and reminding us that our greatest joys are not here on earth but in heaven and part of our journey is not just to store up treasure for withdrawal in heaven later, but also to deposit and invest in relationships now so that we can be there for each other in the bad times as well as the good.

 

[__09_]       A 2015 [New York Times] article explored the idea of how love develops through shared vulnerability. The author recounted a psychological method and experiment in the article “To fall in love with anyone do this”.

The psychological study was designed to create romantic love in a controlled scientific setting of 36 questions answered by strangers to each other. Then, the writer had her own experience trying the 36 questions.

So the procedure is fairly simple. 2 strangers take turns asking each other 36 increasingly personal questions, and then they stare into each other's eyes without speaking for 4 minutes.

She also heard that that was the rumor that 2 of the participants had gotten engaged and married and they'd invited the entire lab to the ceremony! Sound romantic?

She herself was so intrigued that she did the study with someone and – guess what – fell in love.

          But her central point that now she had answered all the questions, fallen in love, she and her future spouse would have to answer  a new and important question.

          She made a video about this called “Falling In Love is The Easy Part”.

          The question is not “do I love you” … ”do I like you”… because the questions are often distorted by our moods and wavering tastes and distastes for the how the other person looks to me, or what the other person says. Or, how I look or what I see.

(https://www.ted.com/talks/mandy_len_catron_falling_in_love_is_the_easy_part?subtitle=en)

          Yes, the do-I-love-you question remains but another fundamental question emerges: “do I choose you?”

          And,what other people or projects must I put aside in order to choose you each day?

          This does not just apply to those who are married. What about the person causing us difficulty? Can we not just love the person from a distance, but also choose to love, choose to pray for, choose kindness …

 

[__10_]        Are you in happy relationship? A happy marriage ? Are you going through a rough patch?

          Based on this biblical verse and message about ancient “permissions” for divorce, are you thinking about what it would be like to be NOT married …

          You and I – in whatever vocation or calling we are in – is to consecrate ourselves to God, to pray for strength and also to pray for the strength not only to love with emotion but to choose with real intention – for me to choose the ministry of being a priest each day, for you to choose the Christian mission of discipleship in being a sister, brother, son, daughter, a wife or husband, father, or mother.

          Choose, because God has also chosen you.

          As we read in the 139^th psalm:

“LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; … You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made;

wonderful are your works! My very self you know.” (Psalm 139: 1, 13, 14)

          These verses also inform our understanding and respect for the sanctity of life at all stages, including the unborn child, the terminally ill person. It is a profession of faith based on the essence and existence of a person, on a person’s inherent value.

          Human respect is built on this sense of inherent value which is the foundation of true civil rights and liberty.

 

[__11_]        Years ago, a friend told me of his continued visits to his terminally ill mother who – over the years – had lost the ability to recognize him or any family member by name. She did not know who he was.

          He told me, “I don’t go because she knows who I am. I go because I know who she is.”

          It is part of living out our calling by God to recognize who others are – even when – especially when – we are troubled by what they are doing or not doing.

          Jesus, in his calling marriage covenant to you and me gave up his life not because we recognized him and waited for him.  He died also for those who did not know what they were doing or he was.

          But still he know who they were, who they could be.

          He knows who I am.

          He knows you are .

          Love is all of the above.  Repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15)  [__fin__]