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….