Podcasts

The Gospel Calls Us to Live Differently

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

The Gospel calls us to live life differently. We see an example of that in Luke 5:11 where Jesus calls Peter, James, John, and Andrew to follow Him, to make them fishers of men. They dropped their nets and did just that. They left everything to follow him. They lived their lives differently from that point on. 

The overarching theme for discipleship in Luke’s Gospel is complete detachment from material things. That is counter-cultural in our society where we tend to measure success and happiness by how much stuff we have. We seem to place our trust and our sense of safety and wellbeing in the home we live in, how nice a car we drive, how many shirts and pairs of shoes are in our closet. 

We see in the example of the disciples and the lives of the saints that that’s just not important. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we’re to be different. We are to detach from the consumeristic drive for more and more stuff, drop it, leave that stuff behind like Peter and his brothers left their nets, and put God first. This is living stewardship. Stewardship is the call  to live simply, be vulnerable and humble. To acknowledge that doing God’s will and loving our neighbor is more important than accumulating assets because, in fact, we do leave it all behind.

What are you proud of and what do you hang on to that gets in the way of putting God first in every area of your life? Jesus calls us to leave everything behind and follow Him. What cultural expectations stop you from leaving your safety nets, giving courageously, and trusting Him to provide all that you need? How can you detach? Whatever it is that you cling to so tightly, bring it to the Cross, leave it there, and receive God’s love and mercy. Then give thanks to the Lord with all your heart. Sing His praise (Psalm 138:1-2). Put God first ahead of everything. Embrace a life of stewardship and declare along with the prophet Isaiah in Ch. 6:8, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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the Presentation

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

This Sunday we celebrated the Presentation of the Lord. We read about it in chapter 2 of Luke’s Gospel where Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem for the presentation, to consecrate their first born to God. Good Jews, they were being obedient to the Mosaic law. 

Can you envision the scene? I think of a place like St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Cavernous. Beautiful. The aroma of incense floating in the air. People milling about while others are kneeling and praying. Here comes this young couple with their infant approaching the altar, probably a bit awestruck. An old man rushes up to them and grabs the baby. Mary’s in shock. Joseph is about to punch the man. Of course, baby Jesus is unphased. But Simeon cradles Jesus in his arms as his eyes follow the smoke of the incense rise to the highest arch above the altar. He blesses God and shares his prophecy. He tells them of Jesus’s destiny and of Mary’s calling to care for God’s gift to her of this baby, and how she herself will be pierced by a sword. I imagine Mary and Joseph standing there, agape, asking, “What did you say?” Verse 33 says they were amazed.

Are you amazed at God’s call on you? God calls all of us. He gives each of us unique talents and abilities. As obedient disciples, we are to receive them gratefully, develop and manage them well, and use them to serve others and build His kingdom. Do you acknowledge God for all your gifts and talents? Do you strive to use them in ways that honor Him? When you do, you are building your legacy. You are making a difference in the lives of your loved ones for the good of the community. You are being the disciple God calls you to be. 

Praise God for all the blessings and benefits He gives to you. Give in return out of gratitude and love to honor God for His gifts to you. 

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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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