Tag Archives: Service

December 23, 2013

Christmas – The Nativity of the Lord

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Nativity

Study:  Reflect on your life right now.  Is there something difficult that needs God’s grace?

Pray:  Take a moment in your prayer to accept the love of Jesus.  Pause on the readings of Christmas and allow his grace to touch your heart.

Serve:  Share the love of Christ with another – a gentle word, a kind deed, and tender thought.

Christmas Eve Readings:    Vigil Mass    Mass at Midnight

Christmas Day Readings    Mass at Dawn    Mass during the Day

The titles are endless:

* King of Kings   * Lord of Lords   * Prince of Peace

* Rod of Jesse   * Key of David   *Desire of Nations

* Wonder Counselor   * God Hero   * Emmanuel

* The Messiah   *Christ the Lord

Yet the Savior of the world did not stand on his title, did not presume his glory, and did not claim power.  He was born homeless in the midst of poverty and the threat of violence.  Simply put, the Lord came into our world in the most humble way – to remind us that nothing, NOTHING is out of reach of God’s saving grace.

Born like all of us as a vulnerable baby, dependent on others, he would grow to teach us about his Father in heaven and how we are called to love and serve.  Again, the Lord did not claim his power, but rather invites us to hear his voice and follow.

Have you heard the bells of Christmas?  Some are tiny ornaments on the tree.  Some are massive that hang in belfries and call us to worship.   Some are on the sleigh.  Others are rung by hand.  In many ways the bells remind us of Jesus – the sound we hear is an invitation to act.

No matter where we have been and what we have done, Jesus Christ comes into our world – in the messy, challenging, difficult, stressful, and chaotic parts of our lives – and he calls us gently and lovingly.  Do we listen?  Do we respond?

He knows us, he shares our nature, and he reaches out.  There is nothing to fear – he understands us better than we understand ourselves – and he loves us completely.  This Christmas let the love of the Savior touch your heart.  Hear his call and respond with love for the Lord and the people God has put in your life today.

Merry Christmas!

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas

September 29, 2013

27th Sunday of the Year – A Good Servant

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Adoration

Study:  How can I share the time, talents, and treasure that God has given me?

Pray:  Where do I hear the Lord’s voice calling me today?

Serve:  Who has the Lord put in my life?  Who can I help today?

27th Sunday Readings

What does it mean to be a good servant?  The Gospel parable offers a simple illustration for our reflection today.  Each of us has work to do; our vocation (whatever it is) leads us to particular tasks and duties.  Let’s break it down:

* What does it mean to be a good person?
* How am I called to live in the world?
* How does my faith direct me to live?
* Who are the people I care for in my life?
* What tasks are set before me to do?

The fact is, we all have a part to play in this life.  We all have people to serve, work to do, and examples to offer to those around us.  These tasks may vary with our age, gender, education, and resources – but they are all part of God’s call to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The point of the parable is that we should not think that the work we do has special merit.  Just because the Lord blesses us with unique resources or gifts does not entitle us to privilege.  We are called to do our work, mindful that it is our part in God’s plan.

This means that we do our work with care, attention, and purpose.  We do this not because we seek special treatment, but because the Lord invites us to share our talents for the greater good of all.  It is not enough to go through the motions; we offer the best of our lives that we might make a difference!

As servants of Jesus Christ we are commanded to follow the Lord throughout this life until we are called home.  And when we stand before the Lord we will discover both what we did with our lives and what we failed to do.  In all this we live that we might be good servants – willing to carry out the task at hand.

We turn to our faith in our moments of need.  We pray that God will assist us in our times of trial, that we will offer the best we have in our service.  We look to the Lord for guidance and strength.  We trust that the Christ will never leave us.

It is this faith that sustains us when doubt and fear surface in our hearts.  It is this faith that supports us when we feel alone.  And it is this faith that becomes the bedrock for our service – that we might be good servants, following the Master’s call.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Ordinary Time

August 27, 2013

22nd Sunday of the Year – Humility

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

iPhone 032

Study:  Consider people you know who relate to others in a humble and open manner.

Pray:  Where in your own life can you ask God for the humility to address a situation or concern?

Serve:  How might you be able to humbly help another, without thought of reward or recognition?

22nd Sunday Readings

The first reading and Gospel today invite us to practice the virtue of humility.  This is a good reminder, especially since this virtue often gets little or no attention.  Let’s face it – humility is not the sort of idea that sells advertising or readily leads to promotions.  Often humility is viewed as an outlet for the weak and pious.

So what does it mean to be humble?  Here are a few things it is NOT:
* we do not grovel or belittle ourselves
* we do not pretend that we are worthless
* we do not ignore our blessings or talents
* we do not adopt a self-debasing attitude

Humility is a virtue that is fundamentally rooted in our faith.  It is based on these points:

1.  There is a God; I am not Him!

2.  I am made in God’s image & likeness

3.  God does not make junk

4.  I have sinned and made mistakes

5.  God has redeemed me through the Cross

In this light we are called to two essential elements.  First, we need to gain an accurate sense of PERSPECTIVE.  We recognize God’s presence in our lives, and we see and acknowledge our own sin and weakness.  We must truly examine ourselves in the light of the Lord’s grace and love.

Second, we are called to a faithful and healthy RESPONSE.  If I see and understand myself with honesty, then I will act in a manner that reflects my need for God’s forgiveness.  I treat others according to the teaching of Christ:  with love, forgiveness, mercy and hope.  Knowing our own sinfulness thus allows us to respond to others with compassion…… and humility!

Humility thus requires a few basic ingredients.  We are asked to honestly know our hearts; we discover and trust in the Lord’s grace; we respond to our brothers and sisters with heightened awareness; we recognize that our lives have meaning – as we share the gifts and talents (given to us by God) for the good of our world.

When these ingredients are present we discover a profound freedom and joy.  God loves us!  We are invited to see clearly and act accordingly, thus allowing our lives to honestly reflect our faith in Christ.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Ordinary Time

July 7, 2013

15th Sunday of the Year – Like Riding a Bike

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

How to ride a bike

Study:  Consider one area in your life that you could improve living your faith.  What would it be?

Pray:  Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to stretch and grow.

Serve:  How might the Lord be calling you to be a Good Samaritan today?  Right now?

15th Sunday Readings

My first bike was lime green.  It had a banana seat with curved handlebars (NOT designed for comfort).  The fenders were made out of industrial steel and it weighed more than I did.  In time I made a little wooden box to fit behind the seat that was barely big enough to hold chewing gum.  I thought it was the most awesome set of wheels in the world.

I still remember learning to ride it.  My family lived out in the country and we had a fairly long driveway.  I started with training wheels until one day my dad took them off.  He walked beside me a couple of times as I practiced and then watched at a distance as I rode (and occasionally fell) on the driveway.

Do you remember when you learned to ride?  At the time it is an exhilarating feeling.  The wind rushes by, the speed is great, and a new found sense of freedom appears.  What a moment!

Yet this discovery happens through trial and error.  Learning to ride a bike takes diligence and determination.  You can’t read it in a book or learn about it by watching television.  Riding a bike happens when we get on the seat and start pedaling.  It happens when we act, and in the process we learn by doing.

In the Scriptures today we are reminded that all the learning and teaching of our faith is only good when it is put into action.  The commands are not difficult to understand, and they do not require extensive explanation.  Yet without hard work, time, and steadfast application they are meaningless; only through action does our faith become real.

The Good Samaritan is a wonderful example.  As this Samaritan – filled with compassion – tends to the wounds and sores of the beaten man, he differs from the Levite and Priest (who knew better and still walked by).  He was a stranger and foreigner, yet he practiced his faith in God with a sincerity that serves as a sharp contrast to the “religious professionals” of his day.

We have opportunities every day to practice our faith.  Kindness, charity, forgiveness, patience, hope, and understanding are but a sample of the ways we show to others the faith we profess.  In the end our faith is not complicated; the challenge is to live each day with the conviction that God calls us to holiness and invites us to live the love of Christ with one another.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Ordinary Time