Everyone's Dream

Winning the lottery is everyone's dream.  Once you pay the taxes on it, you can retire and live a life of luxury.  My question today is, what was the equivalent of the lottery back in the time of Christ?  What was everyone's dream back then?

Jesus brought up the subject at least twice.  He knew what everyone dreamed about.  One was finding out that there was a great treasure buried in a field.  He said that when someone finds out about it, he would go and buy that field.  Another was a man who found a pearl of great price.  Even back then, it seems, everyone's dream was to become rich through no effort of their own.

But what point was Jesus making?  Was he making sure that everyone would be aware and pay the taxes?  No, he didn't mention taxes.  It was all about heaven.  Both parables begin with the words "The kingdom of heaven is like ....."  Yes, the kingdom is like that buried treasure.  The kingdom of heaven is like that pearl of great price.  Everybody wants to find it.  Today, Jesus would probably say that the kingdom of heaven is like that winning lottery ticket.  It would mean that our every wish and desire would be satisfied. 

No one knows what it's going to be like for sure.  Jesus assures us that it means eternal happiness.  People ask "Will my dog be there?"  "Will I be driving a shiny new Corvette in heaven?"  Such questions are the wrong questions.  The real question should be "How do I get there?"  Jesus wants you to have faith in him and his message. 

Here is another statement from Jesus:  "Blessed are you when people insult, persecute you, and utter every kind of calumny against you on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.  Amen!

Jesus and Martyrdom

Today, I'm thinking about holy martyrdom.  Recently, my family played a little game while traveling in the car.  We were to take turns naming a saint who is also a martyr and see if we could get to fifty.  My first thought was that it will be nearly impossible.  Fifty saints who were martyred?  But then I immediately thought of the apostles.  All the apostles were martyred except for Judas and St. John, right?  So I thought I could use most of my turns just naming the apostles.  Piece of cake!  But other family members, I found out, could name quite a few!  St. John the Baptist, Saints Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecelia, and others named in the first Eucharist prayer at Mass.  Then there were more obscure saints that some family members knew about.  St. Tarcisius, St. Maria Goretti, St. Isaac Jogues and his companions, St. Maximillian Kolbe, etc.  Surprisingly, we got to fifty in very short order.

A short while later, I learned about another martyr, one, who, like Maximillian Kolbe, died in a Nazi concentration camp.  His name was Blessed Franz Jagerstatter.  Talk about obscure!  I recently had the privilege of attending a play about his life produced by old friends back in Nebraska.  I drove seven hours to see it and it did not disappoint.  The stories of the martyrs can be really fascinating!

What did Jesus have to say about martyrdom?  The closest I have come to answering that can be found in the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 10.  Jesus seemed to address that very topic when he said "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gahenna."  (Matthew 10:28).  In other words, do not be afraid of being murdered for the Christian faith.  Other human beings can kill the body but not the soul.  The one who can kill both the body and soul is in Gahenna.  In other words, the Devil.  Yes, be afraid of the Devil, but not another human being.  Give in to the death of the body for your faith, but do not give in to temptation to sin.  Sinning results in the death of the soul and without repentance and forgiveness, it is eternal.  Fear the Devil and don't give in to his temptations.

What else did Jesus say?  A few lines later in Matthew, we read this:  "Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.  But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."  (Matthew 10:32-33).  Here is the scenario:  One, like a Nazi, points a gun at you and says "Deny your Christian faith!"  If you interpret Sacred Scripture like I do, we must say "no" and let him kill you.  Your body will be gone, but your soul will be in heaven.  If you feel that you would not have the courage, pray for strength and an increase in faith.  I recommend praying to  St. Maximillan Kolbe and Blessed Franz Jagerstatter for their intercession.  Two amazing saints!  Amen!

Unworthy, But Miraculously Healed

Have you ever noticed how many of the prayers that are part of the Mass have their origin in Sacred Scripture?  For example, take the following passage from the Gospel of Matthew:

“The centurion said in reply, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed ….’”  (Mat 8:8)

This closely resembles the words we pray immediately before receiving the Eucharist at Mass:

Lord“, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

In the case of the Scripture passage, the centurion had just asked Jesus to heal his servant who was suffering dreadfully due to paralysis.  But in his humility and because of his great faith, he knew that Jesus did not need to make the trek to his home to “enter under my roof,” but rather, he could just simply say the healing words right where they stood.  This, in fact, is what Jesus did.

So, too, at Mass, it is a prayer of humility … we are not worthy.  We are sinful beings and we acknowledge that Jesus can work the miracle of his forgiveness and we can receive him “under our roof" in spite of our unworthiness.  We have faith in Jesus' holy words and can then receive his body and blood in this wonderfully intimate sacrament while miraculously flooding our souls with the abundance of grace that accompanies it!  Amen!

The Doubting Thomas

I had a post all prepared for yesterday, but then I received what seemed like a message from God saying He did not want me to publish it and to come up with something else. So here I am, publishing My Thursday Thoughts on Friday!  I'm glad, because the Gospel from Wednesday's Mass gives me more important thoughts.

Wednesday was the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle in the Catholic Church and the Gospel from the Mass was the story of his doubt in the truth of Jesus' Resurrection.  He was not present when the resurrected Jesus first appeared to the apostles.  And he doubted the story,  saying "unless I put my finger into the nail holes and my hand into his side, I will not believe."  Well, when Jesus appeared to them the second time and invited him to do just that, Thomas didn't need to do it.  He fell on his knees proclaiming "My Lord and my God."   

Jesus' response was epic.  "Thomas, you believe because you have seen.  Blessed are they who have not seen, yet have believed."  Who are those who have not seen?  You and me!  Jesus is saying that we, you and me, are blessed because we believe.  Jesus said that!  It just makes me shiver with joy!  

If you  have doubts, my prayer today is that you will come to believe, because if you do, you will be blessed by God with awesome feelings of joy.  Amen!