Podcasts

When One Suffers – All Suffer

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

This past Sunday we read in 1 Corinthians 12: 26 that when one part of our body suffers, all of the body suffers. Am I living that out now. I’m suffering from a sinus infection. My nasal passages are jammed up. My eyes are puffy. And so my entire body drags through the day. This has been going on for three weeks now. I went to see the doctor and he tells me, “Mr Joe, at your age…” He obviously flunked the class on bedside manners in Medical School.

Isn’t it interesting how a tiny ailment – a hangnail for example – can affect us. It seems our entire body is in pain. In this cold weather season, I get little fissures at my fingernails. Man they hurt. How can something so small and seemingly insignificant cause such aggravation and distraction? 

We know from practical experience that if one part suffers, all parts suffer with it. If you’ve ever had a kidney stone, You know what I mean. This is true for our bodies, and it is Biblically true for the Body of Christ. 

The Great Commandment – Love

Jesus gives us the great commandment to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. When a neighbor suffers, we suffer. When someone suffers homelessness and unemployment, our community suffers. Those suffering addictions, our community suffers with them. Young women struggling to figure out how to have and keep that baby, only to find no help – we all suffer. How can we, as good stewards, alleviate their suffering? How can we disciples of Jesus step up and make a difference in the lives of those suffering? How can our stewardship of all the blessings God gives to us, in turn, be a blessing to those in need?

Let’s pray about how we, as good stewards, as disciples, can make an impact on our families and our community for the good of God’s kingdom, “Lord, give me the wisdom to know how to serve, and the courage to do it.” Amen.

 

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Filled with Expectation

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

People had high expectations of John as he baptized them. We read in Luke 3:15, “Now the people were filled with expectation.” What are your expectations of God, the church, yourself? What are your hopes for this new year? May I suggest – transformation. 

We see in that passage in Luke 3 how the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to us constantly, relentlessly. We have only to receive it. The Spirit has the power to transform us even now if we let Him. Let us pray, Come Holy Spirit!

Because we are baptized, we become members of God’s family. As family, we are called to love each other as Jesus loves. When we do that, when we love others as Jesus loves us, we transform the world. It is all about God’s love of us. When we bring God’s love to others, we give them the hope that this world so desperately needs.

I love the reflections of Dn. Arthur Miller on the USCCB site. He tells us of how he wakes up each morning and prays, “Lord, what are we gonna do today? What do you want to do through me today?” To that, I add, “Lord, give the wisdom to know what that is, and the courage to do it.” 

Let’s add that morning prayer to our NY resolutions. Every morning let’s ask God to show us who to love and how to engage the works of mercy – feeding, clothing, housing, visiting the most vulnerable amongst us. By trusting the Spirit, acting courageously, and giving generously of our Time, Talent, and Treasure, God’s love will flow through us. We will bring forth justice and transform the lives of those most in need. We will change the world.

                                                                                                                                                                   Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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All is Gift!

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

God is outrageously generous. As God owns everything (1Chron 29:11-14, Col 1:16), then everything we have is a gift to us from God (Dt 8:18, Acts 17:25). Truly, what do you have that God has not given to you? He gives us everything – every moment of time, every ounce of talent and ability, and every dime of treasure we earn by employing our talents in the time allotted to us. All is gift. Everything! How blessed are we?!

Acknowledging this truth forms the proper mindset that who you are as a person and all that you have is from God. This overwhelming truth invites a response. Our best response is in humble praise, we receive His gifts gratefully, manage and develop them to the best of our abilities, and we return them to God by using them for the good of others. That is what St. Paul is telling us in Ephesians 3:2, “You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit.”

This is the essence of stewardship. When we embrace the astonishing truth of God’s lavish gifts to us and how blessed we are, it is awe-inspiring. We must respond. What will your response be? How will you be a better steward this year? 

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Rejoice Always!

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:4-7)

Divisive politics. Systemic racism. Inequitable economic opportunity. War and global instability. Hunger and homelessness. All this we hear on the nightly news. This on top of what might be going on in our own little worlds at home: health issues, relationship and job challenges. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless in light of the turmoil in our world. We are tempted to put our Scrooge on and just say ‘bah’ to it all. 

But, that’s not the way of a Christian. Paul tells the Phillipians, and so us, to rejoice always and have no anxiety at all. Paul told this to the Thessalonians, too, saying to give thanks in all circumstances. Sure, no sweat! But, how are we to be joyful in the midst of the strife and turmoil that twirl around us? 

I think it comes down to trust. Paul goes on to instruct us to make our requests known to God in prayer and thanksgiving. We can trust God that He will guard our hearts and minds and give us His peace. Joy comes of trust. We can trust God to provide and follow John the Baptist’s advice to give generously, act justly, and be satisfied with what we have (Luke 3:10-14).

So yes, be joyful! Gaudete! Let us rejoice and give thanks to God for all the blessings and opportunities He gives us. Let us show kindness to all. Ian MacLaren is credited with saying, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Trust God, give courageously, and have His peace and joy this Advent and always. Trust that He wants the best for you. Let us pray without ceasing, lifting our hearts and thoughts to God, and asking for the wisdom to know His will and the courage to do it. This is who we are as Disciples of Jesus. 

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Prepare the Way of the Lord

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

On this 2nd Sunday of Advent we read in Luke chapter 3 verses 1 through 11 how John the Baptist went around crying out, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” How do we prepare the way of the Lord? How will you receive God and bring Him to your family and to the world? John the Baptist tells us in verse 8 that we pave the way for God by producing good fruit. In verse 11 he says we are to share what we have with those in need. Generosity lies at the core of how we receive Christ and bring Him to others.

Our intentional giving to the needs of the poor, then, is how we receive God in our lives. It is how we exercise our trust in Him to provide. Giving courageously and sacrificially is the loudest “Yes” we can shout, the most thunderous cry we can call out to make straight the pathway of the Lord in this desert of a world we live in. Giving is an act of worship. Giving alms is a way to praise God as we read in Sirach 35. It is one of the best expressions of gratitude we can make to God for all the blessings He gives to us. 

December is the giving season. It was either R L Stevenson or Victor Hugo, but one of them is credited with saying. “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” We give to who we love. Take a look at your giving budget this Advent. How will you use your resources as a tool to build God’s kingdom by loving and serving the poor? How can your spending and giving be a tool to help you grow closer in your relationship with Jesus now and into next year?

                                                                                                                                                                                              Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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