Welcome to our marvelous community, Clare & Joe, from Hilton Head. Clare is Rosemary's sister (but not her twin sister).
Readings:
Zechariah 12, 10-11, 13, 1, I pour out on the house of David a spirit of grace.
Psalm 63, My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Galatians 3, 26-29, Through faith you are all children of God
Luke 9, 18-24, If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily.
Genevieve, too, not to be outdone in hospitality, says, "Hi, Joe & Clare. Welcome. And Welcome, Everybody."
Zecheria observations :
Who:
one of the 12 minor prophets. Why? Small work. Only 14 little chapters. Vs the Big 3, who have chapters numbering into the 60’s. Zecharia is really the author of this work.
Time:
post Babylonian Captivity, therefore, after 555 before Christ. How do we know? Reference is made to Darius, the king of the Persians.
Content:
part 1 involves visions about the restoration of Jerusalem. Part 2, our part, talks about future prosperity. Maybe a slightly forgetable book. I have not one line highlighted in my bible.
Sources: Good News Bible, Wikipedia
Kevin, also, says, "Welcome in, Joe & Clare, and Welcome, Everybody?
Deny Myself and Take up a Cross Daily
This morning I would like to talk about this notion of taking up my cross daily. Every time I hear this it creeps me out. It is so depressing and gloomy. I have known people who have followed this scrupulously and they were not happy. In fact, I could describe them as psychologically infirm.
I think there was some of this in my original decision to enter the Jesuits to be a priest in 1958.
Our Professional Candle Lighter of The Week, Brandon.
Certainly in those early years of Jesuit training, we practiced this. We took up the cross daily. We lived in silence most of the time, worked hard on the beautiful Jesuit farm at Grand Coteau, and we never went back to our original homes, even for Christmas or weddings. A really regimented monastic life, up at 5:00, lights out at 10:00, every day, month after month, year after year.
Times have certainly changed since Vatican II and I have obviously changed. I think there is a healthy way to understand taking up one's cross. I have three positive comments.
Buddy, Is that a little mouse admiring you?
First, it can be a invitation or a challenge to self-improvement. I see a lot of this every morning I go to work out at the Jewish Community Center. These people are healthy and not depressed.
Secondly, the self-improvement involves obvious things, like the big three:
Healthy eating, that is, watch out for salt, sugar, and fat or butter, the major seducer ingredients of fast food places, like McDonald’s.
Hannah, who is that loving up on you?
Exercise, that is, keep moving. 2 a days are coming for high school football players. You want to see self discipline? 27 days from now I will join 15 thousand other wakos to ride across Iowa in a week, about 500 miles. I’m exercising, getting in shape.
I know a couple here who will remain nameless, who when the husband was discovered to have the beginning of Diabetes 2, he decided to eat healthy and exercise. He did it, lost a good bit of extra weight, and controlled his diagnosis. Following his example, his wife joined him and she, too, lost weight and got into shape.
Folks, that seems to be Victoria who loves Hannah.
Thirdly, taking breaks, days off, vacation periods. A day off a week
or 3 once a month. Contemplate and reflect during the breaks. Contemplate what? My blessings & gifts & joys. Number one, number two, and on.
The final comment, the goal of all this discipline & self-improvement? Be fully alive. This is what it means to take up a cross in a healthy way.
Where are you being invited by God to become more fully alive?
Sez Genevieve, "Is it not my turn to play that guitar?"