Blessed are the Salty

I'm a salt guy. I will eat a pretzel just for the salt. And when I'm done? I'll eat all the spare salt. And then eat some cheese, with extra salt on top. 

Aside from leading to future hypertension, salt is a necessary ingredient in our lives. It teaches us the value of hard work as everyone tries to be worth their salt. Salt is also a major part of any recipe, even if it's just a pinch. Sometimes a pinch is enough. 

Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth. We are meant to do great things, even if we ourselves sometimes feel less than even a pinch. On those days when you are a dash, or even a smidgen!, you are still a necessary ingredient in whatever God is cooking. 

Our Lord warns us also about salt losing its flavor and becoming useless. What is salt without its saltiness? Small white rocks ? A sugar costume for the youth wrapped in sticky tape on Halloween? Perhaps, but it certainly cannot do what salt is meant to do- make things saltier. 

God also tells us very challenging things in the gospels that sometimes seem impossible- be pure of heart, be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. Whoa! I'm just a little gradual of salt here man! Not enough to purify any heart, especially not my own. And perfect? I'm not even iodized! 

But that's kind of the point. We aren't perfect; we aren't pure of heart. We are made to be like our Father but fall very much short. Jesus however does not. He is pure of heart, He is like the Father, He retains His flavor. 

Purity demands perfection. You can't have something be mostly pure- it's extreme and demanding by its nature. And purity is demanding because it is something special. Something pure is something set apart. Why does God tell us to be pure and perfect? Because we are special; we are set apart; we are necessary. We are salt, and we must stay salty. 

Joy in Disappointment

Today started out very sad for me.  After months of waiting to hear back from a company I'd interviewed with several times, and being told the prospects of a job were very good, I was informed that the position went to someone else.  

After months of unemployment, this was the closest I had gotten to a full time job.  This was the job I was hinging my future hopes on: the job I thought I may keep when I was married and the job that may launch my career.  But it did not happen and that may be for the best.  

Unemployment really does take a toll on you.  It makes you feel worthless, empty, scared, and not good enough.  That's how I felt this morning, "I'm not good enough.  They didn't want me".  Of course this extreemly personal statement of rejection is unwarranted and for the employer business is business.  But in the moment you never can phrase it that way to yourself.  And, even more untrue, is saying that you're worthless.  Realizing this is a falsehood is what leads to today's joy. 

The truth is that I am a person of value.  I am a child of God: a human created in the image of the Father, reborn in the baptism of the Son's passion and resurrection, and confirmed in the Holy Spirit.  My life is valuable because God says so.  That's a lot more important than whatever job I may have not gotten today.  God has made all of us because we all are valuable to Him, even the unemployed, the homeless, the undesirable to others.  Especially them in fact.  The Lord hears the cry of the poor and loves them as they give back to Him even out of their want. 

During last Sunday's mass I was mediatating on Christ's wounds and the deep suffering he faced in His Passion.  As the priest consecrated the Host and I saw the Blessed Sacrament raised above the altar, Body seperated from Blood, I reflected (as best as I could) on Christ's death.  We don't neglect this now that we are in Easter.  We don't consecrate all the hosts on Holy Thursday and leave out the sacrifice of the mass through the Easter season.  No, in order to celebrate Easter weekly we still must remember Christ's suffering.  Though He died only once, for His sacrifice is so complete and perfect no other sacrifice is necessary for salvation, we still remember His death every mass.  

And so too does our suffering combine with Christ's in our struggles as members of His Body.  My suffering is miniscule compared to other peoples.  A few months unemployment is typical of many people nowadays and I am happy to be so blessed as to not be struggling even more financially.  I have a home and a family and a fiancee who love and help me.  I am truly grateful for these daily gifts God gives me.  But I also need to thank Him for this suffering, for the burden of unemployment.  For, in my life, this is a way I can share in the wounds of Christ.  I will never be a martyr or a great hero of the Church but I strongly desire to lay down my life for God, and in this small way I can.  All of our little sufferings are opportunities to share in the Passion of Our Lord.  I am glad this day that my unemployment and this disappointment can be offered to Jesus and I hope this suffering finds profit in the salvation of a soul: one in purgatory, one here on earth, maybe even my own. 

God, please bless those who are contintually unemployed this day.  Especially those with families to support, those who are homeless, and those who are sick and in need of healthcare.  May this small, obsolete sadness in my heart be but an atom in the drop of your Precious Blood that will restore them to true life in You.  I offer this discouragment, disappointment, and all the feelings I have towards this current moment to You God that they may be made useful for the healing of a family, the reuniting of a person with the Church, or the salvation of a soul.  

God Love you,

~OneCatholicGuy

Peter's Swimming lesson

Today, St Peter gives us a lesson in discipleship that's very fitting as we prepare for the canonization of two of his successors this weekend. 

What joy would we have if we saw the resurrected Lord for the first time? How greater still the joy for the second reappearance ensuring our minds without a doubt this is true?  

Perhaps Peter was doubting the true resurrection when he told the other apostles he was going fishing? Or maybe he simply didn't know what to do yet. He hadn't yet received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and so maybe, without Christ physically present to follow he had no idea what to do except go back to fish old livelihood, fishing.

And as the leader of the apostles the others follow him. Several other apostles are in the boat with him when they hear a cry from the shore, "Children have you caught anything?" 

That should've been there first clue this dude about the sand isn't your average beach bum. Usually one doesn't call a group of 30-40 year olds children unless the person is really old. And even then, they'd be more likely to say "youngin" or "whippersnapper" than Children. This is a father calling and, like a good father, he gives them advice and takes them fishing. 

They cast te net off to the side as He says and soon the net is so full they cannot even reel it in.  John is the first to say that it is The Lord, just as he testified to Jesus' resurrection by arriving at the tomb. But in an effort not to lose another race, Peter jumps into the water and speeds off. 

Peter may look pretty silly doing this since they're only a hundred feet from shore, but his love for Jesus is so fierce  that he cannot contain his joy. He gladly will look the fool to get closer to Christ!  And him diving in the water is almost a sacramental reminder of baptism, he dives in the water with his eyes on Jesus, full of faith and vigor. 

When the other apostles arrive on shore Jesus asks them to bring their catch to Him and Peter alone drags the net of 153 fish to The Lord. He really must have been working out since John beat him in the foot race because 153 edible fish has got to be heavy! (I'm not ichtiologist but I have read One fish two fish red fish blue fish a few times). 

But it is at Christ's command he leaps into action! Peter's joy is to do the Lord's will and his enthusiasm and strength is an inspiring show of love. 

As we prep to canonize John XXIII and JPII this weekend, let us look back even further to Peter, asking in the glow of the miracle and mystery of Easter, and pray for all three of these great pope's intercession 

What is man? What's in a name?

PThis reflection on Easter joy is based on the daily mass readings  for today.

What particularly struck me about today's readings was one line in the Psalm:

What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him? Ps8:4

What is man that God should care for him?  Who are we to the Father?

From the very first mention in the Bible, we know we are made in the image of God, both man and woman showing that God contains the fullness of humanity in Himself.  And this Psalm continues that same message of Genesis that man was given a privileged position above the creatures of the earth.  But man had barely existed yet, how could he earn that right above the creatures?

The answer is that we were chosen because we are made in God's image.  Not, as the serpent tried to convince Adam and Eve, or our ego tries to convince us daily, that we are like gods.  None of this isn't by our merits but is a gift from God!  Even if man were to hold dominion over all creation, he is still a creature.  So, like the Psalm said, "What is man?"

Going back to the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see Peter addressing a large crowd that has formed around him and John amazed at their power after they have healed a disabled man.  The healed man himself clings to them, looking up in adoration and gratitude.  On some level this must make them happy, after all Peter is the rock of the church, the chosen one by Christ Himself!  And John, he had argued with his brother over who was to sit at the Lord's side.  It's only human to feel some pride at their accomplishment, having helped that man and most of us might bask in the glow of that crowd's admiration.  I venture I would.
But that is not what Peter and John did.  Their pride was not the victor that day for, at this point, they had already received the Holy Spirit, and filled with the Spirit Peter asked,

When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?^e  Acts3:12

He then points to the true reason the man was healed, a truth echoed in the psalms refrain,

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

It is because of the disabled man's faith in the name of Jesus he is healed!  Peter testifies to the name and life of Christ, the author of humanity who Himself became human.  What is man that God should become incarnate in our weak flesh?   That is the mystery and joy of Christmas, the Incarnation, but we see it here in the Easter season as well.  Jesus is human and Divine, man and God, Incarnate and Ressurected.

The Gospel for today shows that He is a true man in His resurrection.  He sees the apostles are frightened of Him and his supernatural power, just like they were when they saw Him walking on the water years earlier.  But He shows them his side and his hands and feet, the wounds of the crucified man they buried in the stone tomb.  He asks them for food and they give fish which He eats.

Once they see He is a man and not a ghost, once they accept the truth of Christ's dual nature, only when they see Christ as He is can He reveal to them the truth of that Jesus fulfills the prophesies and Psalms.  And he tells the apostles,

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.    Luke 24:46-47

Which is exactly what the Psalmist says, "how wonderful your name" and what Peter preaches to the crowds in Jerusalem.  Jesus answers the question of the Psalm when he tells the apostles,

"You are witnesses of these things" Luke 24:48

That is what man is: a witness.  Our abilities and faculties as a witness to the Father who's image we are made in and our vocation as Christians is to witness to Jesus Christ and proclaim the wonder of His name to all.  We are witnesses of God's love and believe in Him.  

Our highest calling is not to become like gods but to worship and testify to the one true God in the Blessed Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! In Him is our glory, and may all our work be done in love for God and offered to Him!  The beauty of this revelation tonight surprises me and leaves me with few words except those of today's Psalm: 

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! 

Alleulia, Christ is Risen!  Glory, honor, power to You forever and ever!  Amen

God Bless, 

~onecatholicguy