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Daily Scripture

+ 4th Week in Ordinary Time

Everyone needs a bit of ‘pocket time’

Readings: 1 Kings 3:4-13 Psalm 119:9-14 Mark 6:30-34

The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, “You must come away to some lonely place all by ourselves and rest for a while.” [Mark 6:30]

The notion of Sabbath rest is rooted in the third of the Ten Commandments, “Keep holy the Lord’s day.” For Christians, Sunday is our Sabbath because it was the day on which the Lord rose from the dead. Holiness is the state of being whole, i.e., fully integrated, mind, soul and body. It is the acknowledgment of God as the ground of our being.

In truth, God doesn’t need the Sabbath; we do!

However, I am of the mind that we need to build into our daily routine, a mini-Sabbath or two. I call it ‘pocket time’ or time out from the pressure of our daily schedule. Some folks call it down time.

Of course, there are different strokes for different folks. A good power walk also can be a great opportunity for conversation with God. It’s an easy script. God talks and I listen.

All of us, married or single and whatever our call and career need pocket time every day and in that way we learn to live in the present moment. As my cousin frequently reminds me, “Yesterday is a cancelled check; tomorrow may never come; the present is a gift.” How true. I’m still a neophyte.

Daily Scripture

Sunday November 4, 2007

+ 31st Week in Ordinary Time

But hospitality is more than providing a meal.

Readings: Romans 11:29-36 Psalm 69:30-31, 33-34, 36 Luke 14:12-14

“When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” [Luke 14:14]

Yesterday at the conclusion of Mass at Assumption Parish, invitations were extended to the congregation to consider contributing to two different projects designed to help people who may never be able to pay back what we were asked to contribute.

A young boy born in Guatemala soon thereafter adopted by an American family extended the first invitation. The project was established by Joe Collins, a New Jersey licensed private investigator who visited Guatemala with his son, Darron. Joe witnessed first-hand the devastating extend of poverty in Guatemala and soon after began volunteering for an organization that gathers service teams to build homes for the poor. In 2004, Joe established “From Houses to Homes” to provide individual families with a better home and a fresh start in life.

Tom Johnson, a parishioner of Assumption who spends three months every year in Sierra Leone, West Africa, extended the second invitation. His project is called ‘Africa Surgery, Inc. Tom first visited Sierra Leone as a member of the Peace Corps. With the help of the Knights of Columbus, he is able to get surgical treatment for severely handicapped children by a medical team in Ghana. The K of C finances his travel and expenses. 100% of all donations are used directly for patient treatments.

As I read the today’s gospel, I thought immediately of these two invitations to provide not just a meal, but a life!

“From Houses to Homes – Guatemala info@fromhousestohomes.org”

“Africa Surgery, In. – website: africasurgery.org (no ‘www’ in front)