Podcasts

give me THIS water

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

We read in John 4:5-42 about Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. You know the story about how Jesus asks her for a drink, and in their back-and-forth, He teaches, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst.” She replies, “Sir, give me this water so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water (13-15).”

I get it. The Samaritan woman doesn’t want to have to schlep that heavy bucket anymore. She wants her physical thirst sated. So do I. But, when we base our happiness on what we can draw from the well of stuff, our sense of security and contentment on things such as housing, cars, entertainments, and increasing financial balances, they will never be enough.

The world lures us with its enticements of wealth, power, contentment, prestige, and pleasure. We’re told these are the things we need to be happy. But Jesus reminds us that material things never truly satisfy us. We find that even when we get what we want, we always want more. Ecclesiastes 5:9 tells us, “The covetous are never satisfied with money, nor lovers of wealth with their gain; this too is vanity.” Instead, we are to seek the Kingdom of God first above all things. When we seek the kingdom of God first, then we will have all else besides (Mt. 6:33).

Markets crash; cars get dents and scratches. More stuff usually just adds more stress in our lives. True joy and peace come only when we follow Jesus, drinking the water He provides by receiving Him in the Eucharist and being obedient to His word. By being humble, other-centered, and self-sacrificing. Trust that God loves you and wants the best for you. Trust that He knows your needs and will give you this water, His water. Put Him first in your life, including first in your spending, and gain all else besides. 

“Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.”   St. Dominic

                                                                                                                                                               Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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Live a Holy Life

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Did you know we are called to live a holy life? In 2 Tim 1:9 we are told that, “He saved us and called us to a holy life.” How do we live a holy life?

We are given the template in the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These are the building blocks, the brick and mortar we use to build a legacy of a holy life.

  • Pray first. First thing in the morning; first before everything—before that next appointment or that next call.
  • Fast from worry and gossip and doubt. Fast from the drive to achieve at all costs.
  • Give alms to help the poor, declaring your solidarity with them. Give first – the very first expense in your budget.

It may be scary to live this way every day, stopping to pray first – especially in public; giving alms – especially to the beggar on the street. It is certainly counter-cultural. St. Francis de Sales said, “Nothing makes us so prosperous in this world as to give alms.” It takes pluck and fortitude. But we are called to live this holy life if we are to be a disciple of Jesus Christ!

That is what stewardship is about, being a disciple. Stewardship is about living according to God’s design for us as the verse in Timothy goes on to say. It is about putting God first in our everyday lives throughout the day.

So take courage, be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord (Ps 27:14). Living a holy life is transforming. Pray for wisdom and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit to live this way, to live the holy life He calls us to.

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The Season of Lent

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Mature disciples of Jesus Christ are serious and intentional about legacy. The Season of Lent provides us with the potent fertilizer we need to grow the seeds of legacy that we plant. That fertilizer consists of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

  • Prayer purifies our intentions and relates everything we do to God.
  • Fasting detaches us from ourselves and our comforts.
  • Almsgiving is giving to the needs of the poor. Sometimes that means giving direct help. Sometimes that means giving money. Almsgiving always means imitating the generosity of Jesus.

Giving alms reminds us that our wealth is not in things. Rather, we are wealthy because of the love of God. Here are a few Bible verses on giving alms:

  • Matthew 19:21   Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
  • Luke 11:41   But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.
  • Proverbs 22:9   The generous will be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
  • Sirach 7:10   Do not be impatient in prayer or neglect almsgiving.
  • Sirach 35:4   One who gives alms presents a sacrifice of praise.

Take some time this Lent to reflect on your discipleship and your legacy. How will your legacy demonstrate that God is first in every facet of your life?

First in your Time – every morning offering your day to God in prayer.

First in your Talents – fasting from self-serving intentions and instead, using them to serve others.

First in your Treasure – giving alms to help the most vulnerable amongst us.

St. Alphonsus Liguori said, “The heart of the Christian is the heart of one who gives.”

May God bless you this season of Lenten season and always.

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Salt of the Earth

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus tells us “You are the salt of the earth..you are the light of the world.

This is great! I love my salt, especially if it is Tony Cachere’s Creole Seasoning! Down in New Awlins where the blues was born – a quick side-shout to Frankie Adams and Lou Welsh who wrote Mardi Gras Mambo that made that line famous, down here anyway – Here in south Louisiana, that’s how we do it. We season everything! I sprinkle Tony’s on everything from pastas to popcorn. Fr Nile brings Tony’s with him everywhere he travels. And poo-ya, it’s hot. It lights up the dish, y’all.

But seriously, How do you season your world?  How do you bring light to your environments? Jesus goes on to tell us, “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” So – how do you shine your light?

Many of us view our faith-life as private. We are uncomfortable sharing our faith or giving our testimony. We cite passages like Matthew 6:1-4 about not letting our right hand know what our left hand is doing so that our almsgiving is secret. What are we to do?

We are to first acknowledge that God is the source of all we are and all we have. He owns everything. And so everything we have are gifts to us from God. In overwhelming gratitude, we give back to God. We praise and we give. In other words, we shine our light. We do this by supporting the mission of the church with our Time, Talent, and Treasure, helping the poor and most vulnerable amongst us with clothing, housing, food, and education. We season our environments and the larger community when we help young women with the support they need to choose life. 

When we shine our lights by putting God first, others see the good we do and it influences them to want to do good, too, bringing them into a closer relationship with God. Isn’t that what’s most important?

How does your giving and the way you live bring light into the community?

                                                                                                                                                      Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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Actions Speak Louder than Words

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

“Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God,” we read in John 1:34. Giving our testimony, like evangelizing often cause tremors in us. These are scary things. Still, we are called to give our testimony (2 Tim 1:8). How do you testify to your faith? Words are important, but we know actions speak louder than words.

I can hear that refrain from the NO funk band Chocolate Milk, “Actions speak louder than words.” Drawing of a trumpet in a doodle style Drawing of a trumpet in a doodle style, Vector illustration. free music notes stock illustrations

What actions can you take to testify your love of Jesus? Living a Stewardship Life is the best way to testify to your faith in God as the great provider of everything in your life, all that you are and all that you have. Living stewardship means putting God first by using your time, talents, and treasure to serve others. We do this when we are about the works of mercy: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, providing housing, visiting the sick, helping the prisoner get reestablished, and I add, educating children from families of lesser means. Doing these things proclaims your faith to others. 

Living a Stewardship Life evangelizes others. They see the good work that you are doing and they want to be a part of it (Mt. 5:16). How does your stewardship, the way you spend your Time, Talent, and Treasure – in other words – how you live your life, testify to your faith?

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