Remain in Me

Friends of Faith:

Simply put: Remain close to Jesus.

“Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”” Jn 15: 1-8

After Jesus was born, died and rose he commissioned the apostles to form the Church and elected Peter to lead it as the first pope. Apostolically the Church has continued despite many dissensions and divisions brought on by the sin of human nature. The sin of greed which cause some to want to keep the Church to themselves; the sin of selfishness which may cause someone to make themselves greater than God; the sin of pride which cause some to form their own church; and/or the sin of anger and hatred which cause some to leave or deny the Church.

Yet the Church remains as do its many followers. And we are constantly being pruned (reminded that we are sinners and granted mercy); and asked to bear fruit by being evangelists for Jesus Christ by learning and spreading His truth in word and deed.

Do we constantly seek the wisdom to learn and understand His truth and teachings so that we remain attached to the solid branches of Christ? Do we allow him to lead and prune us so that we too can bear good fruit?  

By my baptism I have been attached to the vine and I continue to grow despite my own sinfulness which could distance me from the roots of my faith. In those times and times of suffering I have the choice to wither, or to remain in Him, so that I may come back even stronger and hopefully bear His fruit by my witness for Him.

Heavenly Father: The trunk, Your tree, the Church, is far reaching. May I remain attached and with You always. Help me to remain strong in my faith, constantly growing, so that I may bear fruit for You. Thank You for allowing me Your forgiveness and healing so that I may be pruned by You. And when I grow weak, in times of suffering or stress, help me to remain in You so that I may be strengthened by the nurturing roots (grace) of Your life. Amen.

My hope is that you are next to me and joined with me in His Church to bear fruit, or that you are the next fruit which will be born and joined so that together we will remain with Him.

Blessings,
Charlotte

 

Tied Together

Friends of Faith:

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The simplest of prayers. They are said at each Christian baptism (which is why all Christian baptism is recognized by the Church), but yet associated with Catholics when we make the Sign of the Cross.

I often wonder if we realize just how powerful these words are when we use them to bless ourselves; when we invoke the Trinity into our lives; when we tie together our baptism and Christ’s death on the cross: our birth into the Christian life and our redemption into everlasting life. A sign and a signing that we are given life thru Him.

“As followers of Jesus Christ, we are united to his passion death and resurrection. We take the sign of his cross on to our own bodies. This central symbol of our faith becomes the beginning point of our prayer, and its conclusion. It’s how we place boundaries in time and space that say, “Now I’m praying; this time belongs to God.” Our actual words, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” reflect this delineation of sacred time and space, and recognize that all we are and all we do is connected to the mystery of the Trinity.

“In addition to beginning and ending prayer, the Sign of the Cross is used at other times as well, for example, when receiving a formal blessing, receiving absolution, and entering a church and blessing oneself with holy water. Generally speaking, it’s appropriate to make the Sign of the Cross any time you hear the words, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (from USCCB, For Your Marriage.org)

This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son. 1 Jn 5: 1-19

Each time I hear this reading I am reminded of a decorative wedding plaque which says: “May our lives be bound together, made stronger when bound together by God, while two can be undone, three cords cannot be easily untangled.”

Three of one accord – Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Husband, Wife and God—our unity made stronger, made lasting, and bound together as one in prayer, thought and deed.

May we prayerfully and thoughtfully make our lives stronger, bound together with Christ in all we do,

Blessings,

Charlotte

www.morningreflection.blogspot.com

Centered

Friends of Faith:

I know there are certain things that I do regularly (pray, go to church, and serve others) which give me a sense of joy, a sense of freedom and even a sense of accomplishment. But I also know my intention and goal to do these simple things more often, to say yes to God’s call, is often followed by the realization a couple of days later that I have fallen short of my promises and my goals.

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order.  He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him." Mt 21: 28-32

But yet even the tax collector and the prostitute were able to make lasting changes that allowed them to enter the kingdom of heaven.

So what attitudes are central to a believer’s life and what commitment to change brings about those attitudes and simple yet practical changes?

Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others. Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus. Phil 2: 1-5

Yesterday Father suggested these 6 attitudes, goals and questions to accomplish our “yes” goals:

1)       Love the Word of God. Pray one verse daily. If God’s word isn’t the center of my life, who’s word is?

2)       Sacraments. Encounter Christ’s presence often. If God’s presence isn’t central to my life, than the only other possible center is me, myself, and I.

3)      Worship. Spend time with God regularly. Going to Church on Sunday isn’t enough, keeping holy the Sabbath means more. Doing what is right is not always convenient, but to do God’s will even when we don’t “feel like it” means that I have made God bigger than me. Is God’s will central to my decision making? For if I do not DO the WILL of God, who’s will am I doing?

4)     Stewardship. God has given us the gift of life and the gift of time. Do we give thanks to God for being able to breath and for having the time to see his creation? How much do I have that I take for granted? Do I thank God for life, and God’s “stuff” or am I constantly seeking more of the world’s stuff?

5)     Prayer is listening to God. God may hit me over the head with fire and wind, but more often he is a whisper I need to listen in the silence for. We live in a noisy world that constantly tries to get our attention and if I am not listening regularly to God it probably means I am listening to the world.

6)     Baptism is the doorway to grace. Do I keep the door of my heart open to His grace? Do I see the choice to choose God’s way as a burden or as an opportunity? Not all of life’s journey will be easy or without sacrifice – even Jesus had to suffer and die on the cross in answering yes to God. Is my yes to serving God bigger than my yes to serving myself?

If God isn’t bigger than us, than that means we have made ourselves bigger than God. Will I say yes to God and am I willing to make the commitment to change for Him?

Heavenly Father, You are bigger than life itself. I know you should be the center of my life in everything I choose to do, to see and to be. Help me to hear you, yearn for you, listen for you, spend time with you and give back to you. Thank you for ALL You have given me. Help me to choose to see that it is enough. Amen.

So why am I excited to give and to share the center of my life with others? Because I said yes to making God my center!

May you center your life on His word, His creation and His presence.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Baptized

Women of Faith:

I have this picture of a small child in a high chair, confined yet happy, with their little mouth open like a birds waiting for their parent to put in the next spoonful of oatmeal—faces covered by the excess and still smiling as they await the next bite.

I think it is very significant that we baptize infants—because they are our example of total need, total desire and total trust—they are the way God intended us to be for Him. In a babies innocence they trust blindly enough to wait, want and to fully reach their outstretched hand for someone to quench their thirst and their hunger.

Thus says the LORD: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. “I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness. Is 42: 1-4, 6-7

The Lord puts his Spirit upon us, he lights our way, but he does not shout, he whispers. He often leaves us at least somewhat hungry and often wanting until we fully answer his call, until we trust enough to blindly reach for his outstretched hand.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” … Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Jn 3: 3, 5-6

God made us in his own image. And Christ tells Nicodemus that we must be born of water and the Spirit so that we can enter His kingdom. Being baptized as infants claims us for Christ and says that our parents accept that we are made in Christ’s image and that they will raise us as Christians. And then later when we reach an age of reason where we can make our own decision for God, we confirm that we accept what our parents decided for us at our baptism—that we will live according to God’s plan and by Christ’s example.

When was the last time you thought about what your baptism and subsequent confirmation meant?

Heavenly Father, you are the victor waiting for justice. You have formed us and given us the choice to answer your call, to do your will. Help me to see your light, to reach for your outstretched hand. Thank you for waiting patiently for my answer. Amen.

We are baptized by water and the Spirit. God has claimed us as His own. He is waiting patiently for us to make Him our own to use our gifts to claim those who have not yet had their eyes opened.

Be a beacon of light to the world,

Blessings,

Charlotte

Oneness

Friends of Faith:

I have always had a great desire to be one: to count everyone around me as a friend (by relationship) and to make them a part of our family (I believe we are truly all connected as relatives).

I was struck this weekend by several of those “one”connections—by weddings of two “family” members, family “relatively” and thru “relationship” (although I am positive we must somehow be connected relatively.) Congratulations to Lexie and Chad and Janelle and Justin!

And Sunday, I was again awe struck by what is the desired “oneness”of the universal church community, as we baptized into the Christian family the newest member of our nuclear family, our granddaughter, Avery Lynn Staker.

We profess, in the beginning of our faith, at our Christian baptism: “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, …I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, I believe in one, holy, catholic [universal] and apostolic Church. I confess oneBaptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. (Nicene Creed).

At their weddings it was spoken: “the two shall become one.”And because those vows were fulfilled in a wedding just over two years ago, the two were joined and were given the Godly gift of a child. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” Gen 2: 24

We are unified as witnesses when we are baptized into the Christian church given to us through his one son, Christ Jesus. We are unified by marriage (of two persons who become a family) or by a marriage of God and person (at ordination or death). And we have one common goal and that is to be with God in heaven as revealed to us through our faith and by the grace of God.

Whether we know it or not we are constant witnesses of the oneness God intended when he created our human family in the first family, Adam and Eve.

But sometimes this unity seems terribly short lived. It doesn’t seem to be very many years into our lives when differences appear: divisions and distances made through our own choices and the reactions of others to those choices (conflicts and disagreements which ultimately end in some form of divorce or war).

Am I truly striving to remain and to become ONE with Christ, with an entire Christian family, as was professed at my baptism when I was made a child of God and as I confirmed through my own choice at confirmation? Am I striving to become and form a unified family (and the joining of two distinct families as in-laws) as I vowed I would strive to do on our wedding day? Or is my vanity causing me to want to be right, to win, to make my own path, to become my own god, or even to form my own “church”?

“Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune. For what profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest.This also is vanity.” Ecc 1: 2, 2: 21-23

Heavenly Father, You are THE unity and THE oneness I desire. Give me the patience and the perseverance to continue to search and to respond to Your one, holy and apostolic truth. Help me to be Your servant: a servant which heals division, which unites the divided, and which seeks peace amongst our Christian family. Take my vanity and change it into the humbleness needed to surrender my entire being to You. Amen.

May we be ONE in Christ,

Blessings,

Charlotte

 

Brand Me

Friends of Faith:

Do you go out of your way to search for a certain brand name?

Have you ever thought about “Kleenex” for example? All tissues –regardless of their “brand” are associated with Kleenex. I can’t ever recall asking someone for a “Puffs.”

Brands become our identity, our label. Good or bad. We can even change that label if we want with a new ad campaign, by promoting ourselves differently to those around us. But there are also many “imitators” of those brands, imitators which can also become good or bad.

We are given our “brands” at our baptisms as Christians. We are marked with our identity. We are given a name, chosen by our parents, and accepted by God as His child. He has called each of us by name.  

Have you ever looked at the meaning of the name you were given? I find it interesting and surprising how often that name, chosen when we were infants, chosen before we had personality, even sometimes chosen when we were still within the womb, can have such truth in its meaning.

We celebrated Jesus Christ’s baptism this weekend. His baptism was the public revealing of his ministry here on earth. But his name, like ours, his eternal identity, was given to him by God before he was conceived.

“Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,^* because he will save his people from their sins.” Mt 1: 20-21

Jesus means God Saves, Emmanuel—God is with Us.  

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” Mt 1: 22-23

And whether he is denied, or he is embraced, he is known. His brand “is with us” through our own baptisms, so that we to might be saved.

There is only one Jesus, true God, true Son, and true man.

His brand has stood the same test of time. 2013 years!

So what makes a brand as timeless and enduring as Jesus Christ? TRUTH! Truth that can’t be denied, truth that can’t be changed, and truth that doesn’t wear out its welcome, truth that is “identifiable.”

And the Church Jesus instituted has also stood this same test of time. It too is branded, named Catholic, universal and one. “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.” Nicene Creed 325 A.D.

A brand, yes, but like Christ instituted by God: an institution to join us to Him, to unify us and to help us through a community and in communion with him, understand His truth.

Jesus Christ cannot be “disproved” or disgraced in the eyes of the true judge, God. Jesus Christ was put here on earth to help us to better identify God himself. Jesus was put here on earth to help us “see” God’s brand of love. The kind of love which chooses a path of sacrifice, of service, and of humility, even to give to those whom we have never met, or for whom we do not yet personally know.

Will our “brand” say that to others—I have given up everything for you? Will we be remembered for all eternity? Or will our brand be short lived and pass away without having left its mark? Do we need to change our identity with a new ad campaign?

God gave us life so that we would be “imitators” of Jesus, imitators of himself. But just like Puff’s is to Kleenex, when we are asked to serve God, we are asked to be “Jesus” to others.

This is what I promised at my baptism, and renewed at my confirmation: to live as Jesus did, with the same service, the same sacrifice, the same compassion and the same repenting and forgiving mercy as He lived for us.

Heavenly Father, You gave us your son, Jesus, to show us the way. You have branded me as Your child, to be Your imitator, to be You for all eternity. Help me to live my baptismal promises, by serving my spouse, my family, my neighbors, with my whole being, without thought as to what I must give up, but rather with the grace and strength, the courage and the wisdom, to live up to Your brand, to be a true “Christ”ian. Thank you for claiming me, for branding me, as Yours. Amen.

Let us be a brand that others desire. Become, and be, an asked for brand, a Jesus, this week.

Because it is in Jesus, through Jesus, and for Jesus, that we are blessed,

Charlotte