July First Reflection

This Nation was based On Faith in God
A Reflection for the first Sunday of July, 2007 by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus, Holliston, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry


Sunday begins the great get-a-way of the Summer with schools out and the United States celebration of the 231st birthday of its founding I find it especially gratifying and fitting that we can find in The Good News of Salvation, the Gospels, the basis upon which this nation was formed.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” (Constitution of the United States)
“We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL PEOPLE are created equal, that they ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR with certain unalienable rights, that among them are LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS” (Declaration of Independence)
In the book of Wisdom and it says, “Love Justice, you who judge the earth think of the Lord in Goodness and seek Him in integrity of heart” (Wisdom 1:1) “God does not rejoice in the destruction of the living for God furnished all things that they might have being…ALL the creatures of the world are wholesome” (Wisdom 1:14-15) “Through the envy of the devil death and evil entered the world” (Wisdom 2:24) “It is the wicked, the sons of Satan who with hands and words invited death and destruction considering it a friend” (Wisdom 1:16) We are also told in Wisdom 15 “Justice is undying”.
The truth is that JUSTICE is undying unless the devil has taken control of those persons who are commissioned to uphold it and guarantee that All people receive the same treatment and rights.
JUSTICE is the root of all freedom, if there is no JUSTICE there is no true freedom. JUSTICE is undying when it is coupled with a sense of FAITH in a superior being, the creator Almighty God. This nations founding fathers had a deep-rooted sense of faith in God. In the Declaration of Independence, they refer to Him as THE CREATOR and THE SUPREME JUDGE OF THE WORLD.
Today we have many people who are attempting to remove any mention of Almighty God from everything in this country; this was not the intent or purpose of our founding Fathers. They had a deep-seated FAITH and A STRONG BELIEF in Almighty God.
In recent years a small minority have prevented prayer in the schools, forbidden the reading of the Bible, are trying to remove and would deny that our rule of laws were established with the commandments in mind.
At the same time we have another segment of our society that use Religion to justify discrimination against people because of their ethnic origin or whom God created with a same sex orientation.
Sadly, some of these people are religious leaders of denomination that call themselves Christian or followers of Jesus Christ..
According to my understanding, Jews, Muslims, and all Christians worship the same God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David or Jesus Christ.
The Bible teaches us how FAITH is powerful. There is the story of the woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years and an official of the Jewish synagogue, Jairus, had FAITH and TRUST that Jesus could cure her, and He did.
Having FAITH can as Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:20 “If you had faith the size of a tiny mustard seed, you would be able to say to that mountain, move!, and it would move”
JUSTICE is undying when it is coupled with Honesty, Trust, Faith, Generosity or compassion and the same freedoms for all the people.
ALL people should be able to pursue their life by having the same rights and benefits of all other citizens and none should have greater rights than any other regardless of their social, ethnic, religious denomination or financial position.
In order to accomplish this we need to respect and embrace the diversity of God’s creation and nurture it according to it‘s lawful purpose.
Every child of God has been given special gifts and just as the various parts of our body look different and have differing functions they are all part of the same body. So it is with all God’s children, they might look different, may have differing celebrations and customs but they are all our sisters and brothers in Christ which is the underlying message of this weeks second reading from Galatians 5:1-18 “When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. My brothers, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one another, rather, in works of love, since the whole of the Law is summarized in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself. If you go snapping at each other and tearing each other to pieces, you had better watch or you will destroy the whole community. Let me put it like this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence, since self-indulgence is the opposite of the Spirit, the Spirit is totally against such a thing, and it is precisely because the two are so opposed that you do not always carry out your good intentions. If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you.”
We have seen examples of how one individual, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfry and others by stepping forward and using their wealth and fame have made a difference and are living examples of the message found in Second Corinthians 8:12-14; “The willingness to give should be in accord with ones means, not go beyond them...there should be certain EQUALITY. Your plenty now should supply their needs so that there surplus later might be able to supply your needs, with EQUALITY as a result”
As we celebrate the birthday of the United States on Wednesday I urge each and every one who reads or hears this message to think about our freedom, think about how you are contributing to the ideals upon which this country was founded.
Are you being GENEROUS, TRUSTING, HONEST, FAITHFUL? Are you working to insure that EVERY citizen is accorded the same rights and privileges as all the others? Are you accepting the unique differences of races and beliefs that have come together from all over the globe seeking the promise of Freedom and hope that America has become?
As long as each and every person is respecting the RIGHTS of all the others, and reaching out to all with the same LOVE that Jesus demonstrated to all He encountered, there is a chance that we might find ways to end the violence that is killing our youth on the streets of our cities, end the prejudice and hatred that separates us from each other and address the poverty that so many endure all over the world. All these terrible things as well as the desire for vast wealth and power are the tools of Satan injected into people to keep the world confused and unbalanced and casting doubt in peoples hearts and minds about Love of Almighty God and if the God proclaimed in the Holy Scriptures actually exists.
I pray that Almighty God will send His bountiful blessings upon each and every one of us through the Holy Spirit’s guidance so that the leaders of this nation and the nations of the world and the world’s religions can find peaceful and compassionate ways to bring about a more perfect world, end the violent conflict that has killed more than 3600 of our young men and women and hundreds of thousands of innocent people all over the globe through genocide and starvation guiding them to institute laws that insure equality, justice, honesty, truth, trust and the pursuit of happiness for not only the citizens of this great nation but for all the children of God all over the globe, and guide the religious leaders to find the common bond that they all have in order to guide and lead their followers toward understanding and a deeper love of Almighty God by whatever name they call upon Him by.

AMEN

Living In Peace and Harmony With All People

Reflection for Third Sunday after Epiphany
Living in Peace, Harmony in Compliance With God’s Will
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus, Holliston, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry

From Romans 12:16-21, Psalm 101:16-17, Matthew 8:1-13,
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position, do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord.” On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 16-21)
These powerful words from the Epistle of Paul to the Romans seem to have fallen on the deaf ears of the powerful world leaders if one looks at their actions. Instead of attempting to live in harmony they prefer to cause strife and war. Their actions cause pain and suffering and huge loss of innocent lives.

The same can also be said of some leaders of the Christian churches who it seems would rather exclude whole sections of people because they feel that they do not fit their life style and reject the truth that God creates all things and people for purposes known only to God alone.
It is also clear that many of the hierarchy of churches did not pay attention to the section of the reading that says; “Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody”, for if they did they never would have allowed pedophile priests to continue in positions where they could abuse children by transferring them around.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord.” On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Instead of adhering to this teaching people seem quite willing to live by the adage “Revenge is Sweet”.
The time has come, if we ever hope to actually know a time of peace and brotherhood, for all people, especially those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, to stop traveling the road leading to strife and misery, the road that causes suffering and pain to so many parents and children by the loss of their mother, father, sister or brother. We need to stop using bombs and guns to bring about peace and begin using food and medicine, education and diplomacy to promote stability and peace. The road we have traveled is not working, it has not worked in the past and it certainly is not working now.
The time is now for us to be more mindful of the needs of others who have not been as blessed as we have. We need to learn to appreciate the cultural artistic and religious differences of countries and stop trying to make all carbon copies of the US. We need to search for the things we have in common with each other and not focus on the differences; this applies to all the religious denominations that claim to believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
All around us we see the glorification of excess. Ads promote treatments not for disease that are killing people like cancer, Parkinson’s, AIDS but for the search for the fountain of youth and beauty or to enhance ones sexual pleasure. Every other advertisement in the papers, television, magazines, radio and now over the internet promotes items that pander to the carnal nature of man or greed. People put themselves in debt to acquire things like 60” flat screen home theater systems so they can impress their neighbors.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The final sentence of Paul’s letter to the Romans implores us to not allow ourselves to be overcome by evil but for us to overcome evil by doing good. As we reflect on this reading I suggest that we look within ourselves and seek out the places in our lives where we can make a difference. What can I do to make a change for the good in my personal life, in my families’ lives, in the neighborhood and in the world?
I will close with this prayer:
Almighty and Merciful God instill within me the knowledge and truth of your teachings, guide me in all my actions, thoughts, words and deeds through the gifts of the Holy Spirit to better serve you. Inspire me as to ways that I can make a difference in my own live and in the lives of all those with whom I touch. Help me to better serve you and all your children each and every day. Forgive me for any transgressions I may have committed in though, word, deed or action in the past and lead me on your road to eternal life. I ask this through your beloved son, Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior who lives with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN