We Are Chosen

Unlike other rabbi’s of His day, Jesus didn’t wait for disciples to come to Him.  Instead, He invited specific people to follow Him.  Consequently, Jesus’ disciples were a very diverse group.  It’s really clear that He picked unlikely people to be His followers.  It’s also clear that He avoided holier-than-thou types.   

So Jesus’ disciples include tax collectors, fishermen and public sinners.  He welcomes people of ill repute and a few whom He’d healed of demonic possession. He even has a follower who was a Samaritan woman with 5 husbands. (John 4:17-18) (Incidentally, Jesus was also the only rabbi of that era who had women disciples.)  

Why did He choose these people? My guess is that Jesus simply loved down-to-earth folk whose lives were messy, but who also had good hearts.

Remember: In Baptism you were also chosen by Christ.    

Why do you think Jesus chooses you?  What does He see in your heart?  What makes you an unlikely follower of His?  

                                                                        Blessings

My father wasn’t the kind of dad who said “I love you.” And I followed suit.  So our conversations were normal everyday kinds of things.  But we didn’t say the things that I thought fathers and sons should say to each other.  And I regretted that.

He had heart trouble.  At one point he was in the hospital and he was scared. And he asked me to shave him…a thing I’d never imagined doing. There was something intimate in doing that for my dad.  So I seized the moment and blurted out the words that were stuck in my throat for many years. “I haven’t said this for a long time, but I love you dad.” 

Dad didn’t/couldn’t say anthing in return.  I was hoping he would.  

A week later I visited him at home. He put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed it...a hug really. And that felt so good.  I knew it was his way of saying “I love you too.” A couple of weeks later he died.  I’m so glad we blessed each other before it was too late.

Blessings can be words or gestures.  Who blesses you and how?  Whom do you bless and in what ways?  Think of someone you’d like to bless this week.

                                              What’s the Picture God Wants You to See?

Two weeks ago I had a horrible dream. I was a passenger in a car that was rounding a curve on a mountain pass.  The tires, on my side of the car, hit loose gravel and we started sliding off the cliff.  My heart was racing when I opened my eyes and realized that I’d been dreaming.  It took me a while to calm down.

Why did I dream that? I think it has to do with my fears/worries as I face the ‘cliff’ of retirement. A part of me is happy to retire, but another part of me fears the unknown. 

It comforted me to write about that dream and to remember that Jesus had fears too.  But the best insight came when I wrote a prayer about this. The concluding line was: “Lord, help me see the picture that you want me to see.”

When I look back at the dream, I realize what I hadn’t noticed.  I hadn’t seen who the driver was. In hindsight, I think it was the Lord. And that’s really the best part of the picture. So, even if I’m going off a cliff…the Lord is with me and everything will be OK.

What is difficult in your life right now?  Ask God to help you see the picture He wants you to see in that difficulty.  What do you think you will see?  

                                                                 A Spiritual Exercise

Control is an issue for me.  Recently it caused me/others grief. So I followed a spiritual exercise that helps me.  Here’s my method:

1. I write down everything I can think of regarding the issue.  It includes a description of my current situation, the problems that my control causes, and the origins of my need to control so much.  I write until I have nothing more to say.   

2. Then I try to recall an incident in Jesus life when He dealt with the same issue. And I write down what comes to me.  So I remember the wedding at Cana.  Jesus doesn’t want to solve the ‘wine’ problem because “His hour had not come.”  But Mary pushes Him into it.  Jesus lets go of control and does what Mary wants. And the most wonderful thing happens.

3. Remembering the Cana story helps me realize that Jesus understands my problem.  He lets go of control and that leads to something unbelievable.  Then I write a prayer.  I thank Jesus for understanding me and ask for His help with my problem. This exercise helps me.      

Are you struggling with an issue in your life right now? Try this exercise.  Maybe it will help.