Month: September 2015

Pharisee

On By runnergirl02In UncategorizedLeave a comment

…It took me many many many years to totally understand that in the story of the prodigal son…I was the prodigal.  I have spent most of my childhood and adult life agreeing with the older brother…and oh how I have seethed against Martha’s sister for sitting down and relaxing while Martha ran around making sure everyone was taken care of…so annoying….as you can see…therefore….I have absolutely no problem whatsoever seeing myself as the Pharisee…

I am soooo the Pharisee…alas and sigh.  My husband and I were talking about a story in Luke the other day, the woman who washed Jesus’s feet when he was invited to lunch with the Pharisee Simon.  Simon thought that if Jesus was really a prophet he would realize who this lady really was and after Jesus told her that her sins had been forgiven the other’s around the table, that would be me, started saying, “Who is this guy?”, maybe more like, “Who does this guy think he is?”

My husband pointed out something that I never really thought about.  Jesus is almost always talking to the prodigal, saying, “Come home son” or to the Pharisee, “Watch your step.”  It is a revelation to me this week that the prodigal has the easier time of it, I think, mostly because the Pharisee are too stupid to realize they are too stupid.  I am in serious trouble here.  While the prodigal just needs to ask forgiveness because they already know they are being ridiculous and that forgiveness is freely granted, the Pharisee, on the other hand, have to come to the realization that they aren’t as good as they think they are and that can take a really long time to happen, sometimes it may never happen.  Have you ever thought about whether or not you were a prodigal or a Pharisee?  If so which one do you think you are and why?  I’m trying to think of any good Pharisee in the bible and none are coming to mind…another concern for me today.  There are lots of prodigal and they are almost always redeemed, Pharisee, not so much…another long sigh…

…but since this is supposed to be a blog about being thankful I’ll pause and give thanks for a few things…

My daughter was on the sick side this weekend but thankful that it seems a mild illness and we were still able to have a little fun this morning before her fever returned.  Thankful for having a treadmill because I was able to do my 9 mile run anyway, since I could not leave my daughter with my mom while my husband and I do our long run.  Thankful for vanilla ice cream, sliced almonds and chocolate syrup:-)!!  Oh and sunflowers!  I got the most beautiful sunflowers at Whole Foods today:-)  They make me happy!

So for all these things…I Give Thanks!

KOR!

Be Opened

On By runnergirl02In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Well it’s been awhile…

School started and that’s always a busy time of the year, it started out kinda rocky but it’s mostly evening out now.

Today’s Gospel reading was from Mark 7:31-37.  “Ephaphatha” which means “Be Open”.  Our pastor, Father James talked about “being open” to God’s word.  It was interesting, he said, that a lot of times we are open to the “world’s word” but closed to God’s.  What I understood him to be saying is, it’s a lot easier to “be open” to the world’s words than to “be open” to God’s words because God’s words are tough.

Last night I was reading from Proverbs 1 “fools despise wisdom and discipline” I skipped over to James 1 and the message was perseverance.  I jumped over to Roman’s 1 and the message was about exchanging the truth of God for our own.  Roman’s is a tough letter by the way, if you’ve never read it, Chapter 1 starts off like gang busters, Paul was a tough teacher.  After I read the first Chapter I was like, “Whoa”

I’ve been contemplating James all week.  I’ve been reading and re-reading his letter and a few key phrases have come through loud and clear to me.  “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves”

Be “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”

I’ve got some work to do.  I am none of those things.  I am easily annoyed or “quick to wrath” as one might say. I kicked guests out of my own wedding.  I’d say at times I can be pretty wrathful.

My patience usually extends to the young people I teach but unfortunately not always to those in my family.

Perseverance…I can persevere, more so when it fits my personal needs. Perseverance and running kind of go hand in hand.

Starting December 8th is a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church, the theme is Mercy.  As I understand God’s mercy, it’s not something we need to or can earn, it’s something we have already been given.  The price has been paid, mercy extended to us when Christ extended his arms on the cross over 2000 years ago.

I read the bible nearly every day.  Some days I simply read the readings for the day and listen to the homily of the day and other days I sit and read and re-read and think and wonder.  I don’t always share, not even with my husband.  I’m not sure why, guess today I felt like sharing.

Father James today said we should “Be Opened” to God’s word, to God’s truth.  As I watch clips of Miley Cyrus and her MTV video award hosting, filled with reference to drug use and all kinds of other non-sense I am sad. The Kardashians?  Kermit the Frog has a new girlfriend?  Superhero movies marketed to kids under 13 but are PG-13?   What are we leaving for our children?  What messages are we sending them? What words are they listening to? In a world that has drowned out God’s truth because its not convenient or fun how do we make sure the right truths and ideas permeate our minds and soul? What are we doing?

There’s gotta still be a right and wrong, right?  I don’t consider the adjective “open-minded” a compliment.  I think it’s the symptom of a world that has swallowed a lie.  We are so quick to reject anything that has to do with God and even quicker if the message comes from someone with “authority”.  I understand Father James, we are “open” to so so many wrong things instead of being “open” to the one thing that matters.  If we can be open to all the negative the world has to offer, why can’t we be open to God’s word and his mercy?  It’s not really that hard.  Jesus told the man today “Ephaphatha” and he was healed.  I suspect it would be the same for us.

A good reminder for me today to Be Open to the opportunities God sends my way, chances to be quick to hear his word, to be a doer…that will be my phrase for this week.  “Be Open”

In other news training for half is picking up.  I will definitely need perseverance for the training runs coming up.  Enjoy your labor day and keep on running….