Gospel, Homily and Coffee

of course LOVE is to see the good in others (and to let others see the good in us) and to give so that this goodness is realized.

How do we know we are “Saved”? This is a dangerous question.  Martin Luther asked that 500 years ago, and look at what happened! How do we know we are saved? Actually, the first part of this question is really to ask ourselves “What is Salvation?”  And as many of you know, I preach about this ad nauseum. Salvation is to know and experience the Love of God.  Salvation is to know and experience our identity as a Child of God.  Salvation is the freedom to love and be loved. Salvation is how we see. Jesus, in the gospels, says to people “Repent!”  Or the Greek word “Metanoia”, which means change direction, change the way you see! Did he not change how the man born blind sees? Jesus sees the man as he is, a child of God.  He sees past the blindness, and certainly beyond the baggage of the people who think it is through sin that he is blind. Since he sees the child of God in front of him, he heals him. This man experiences the Salvation in Christ. Then the Go

sorry for being a little ranty

God is ALL POWERFUL.  This is our faith. God created the heavens, the earth, and all that is. God FORGAVE humanity for the execution of his Son (Resurrection). Therefore Power = Forgiveness. So if I/We want to truly be powerful, it is through forgiveness; not revenge, passive aggressiveness, nor violence of war.

To be fulfilled as a person, to be human:  what does it all mean? People search for it;  people want to “Search for themselves” so they will eat their way in Milan, or visit an Ashram, do all these exotic acts.  They buy lots of books, take classes. Catholics...well, fulfillment is in part what this Gospel scene is about. We know that Jesus is the Son of God, announced at his birth, baptism, and at this transfiguration.   The transfiguration It is a moment when his divinity literally shows through within his body.   And as amazing as this event is, it is not what Jesus is about.  The church, the salvation of humanity does not remain on Mt Tabor. This is why he does not want to stay up there with Peter and the guys. No, Jesus’ fulfillment as the Son of God, as human and divine is not in this moment... He knows that his fulfillment will be in the cross and resurrection. In that supreme moment when he trusted in the Father’s love for him, which he gave all for all.

No es una secreta que hay muchas tribulaciones y aflicciones en el mundo y en nuestras vidas. Es más allá de los políticos y gobiernos, terrorismo.. Hay persons sufriendo mucho. Por este dolor y sufriendo, no podríamos ser verdadero a nosotros mismos. Quizás faltemos la capacidad a vivir y amar. Hay la tentación a crear que Dios está probandonos.  O Dios está castigandonos.  O personas a veces tentado a decir que Dios solamente nos de lo que podremos manejar.   No es la Buena Nueva de Jesucristo. Jesús reveló, por sus hechos, sus palabras, y por su ser que siempre Dios está con nosotros. Él reveló que la Buena Nueva es que el Padre nos ama, completamente, y que al fundo de nuestro ser es que somos los hijos amados de Dios. Recuerde que evangelio, antes esta historia, Jesús fue bautizado, y él oyó la voz de Padre declarando él como su hijo amado. Este era su ancla Era su fortaleza a resistir el Satanás. Él no cayó dentro de las trampas del poder, materialismo,

It is no secret that there are a lot of trials and tribulations going on here our world and in our lives. This goes beyond politics, the government, terrorism...people are truly hurting in our world.  We are hurting. This pain and this suffering can keep us from being true to ourselves; from being those persons capable of so life, of so much love. The temptation is to believe that God is testing us, that God is punishing us, or my least favorite saying “God only gives us what we can handle.” This not the Good News of Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals, by actions, by his words, by his very self, that God is with us. He reveals the Good News that the Father loves us and that the very core of who we are as persons, is that we are all children of God.   We are all his beloved sons and daughters. In the Gospel, what precedes Jesus going into the desert is his baptism and that pronouncement that He is the beloved Son of God. This is his anchor.   He knows and has experience