Tag Archives: Strength

July 30, 2013

18th Sunday of the Year – A Life Without God Is No Life At All

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Under Construction

Study:  Recall a time when you were in difficulty and called upon God for help.  How did your faith give you direction and strength?

Pray:  Ask for the direction and strength you or a loved one needs right now.  Be specific and pray for guidance.

Serve:  Who in your life is struggling with faith right now?  How can you help them face their challenges?

18th Sunday Readings

The readings today offer some powerful thoughts for our reflection:

* Life (without God) is vanity [1st]
* Our life on earth is but a moment [psalm]
* Think of what is above [2nd]
* What good is treasure on earth? [gospel]

These points revolve around a single thought; namely, that a life without God is no life at all.

The first reading reminds us that without God no action or effort has meaning.  All of life appears as vanity when there is no purpose to our daily work.  If this world is all there is and death comes for everyone, then what is the point of trying at all?

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus we now have hope both in life and eternal life.  We no longer see death as the end; indeed, it is but a step that leads into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The psalm today teaches us that our lives on earth are brief; too often we can take for granted this moment, assuming that there will always be another day, another opportunity.  In the end we acknowledge that we are just pilgrims – traveling through this world as we journey toward the world to come.

The second reading shows us how to stay focused in our pilgrimage:  “Think of what is above.”  When we keep our eyes fixed on our ultimate destination it becomes far easier to stay the course.  By directing our attention on Jesus Christ we know who we are (His disciples) and where we are going (His Kingdom).

This focus on what is above helps us in two ways.  First it gives us the ability to recognize when we encounter situations that are not in harmony with our faith.  Simply put, we see temptations, sin, and evil for what they are.  Second, it allows us to call upon the one who helps us in our moments of trial.  Indeed, the one who died and rose for us gives us the strength we need.

Finally, in the Gospel reading Jesus draws out all these ideas through the parable of the greedy man.

* God is not a part of his life.
* He has no thought of his own mortality.
* He has no value greater than possessions.

And when put to the test he has nothing to show for his life; the last time I checked, there will be no moving van for our possessions at the cemetery.

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Ordinary Time

May 13, 2013

Pentecost – Finding our Strength

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Holy Spirit - St. Peter's

Study:  Reflect on a time when you felt God’s strength.  Was it with the help of others or in a particular situation?  How did God help you?

Pray:  We all need strength to face challenges in life.  Ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to face what lies ahead.

Serve:  How might the Holy Spirit be working through you to help another?  How might the Spirit call you to serve someone else?

Pentecost Readings:

Where do people find their strength?  As a priest I have had the privilege of walking with families during moments of trial and difficulty.  At times when pain and struggle seem too difficult to bear, I often witness people who face incredible obstacles through their faith, which sustains them in truly amazing ways.

Faith gives life, guidance, meaning, and strength.  Yet what makes our faith possible?  How does God empower our faith in the midst of the activity and demands of daily life?  The answer is simple:  The Holy Spirit.

The feast of Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church after Jesus ascended into Heaven.  Through this coming the Apostles were transformed – their hearts were on fire, blazing with a desire to live as Christ taught, and sharing what they had received with others.

Pentecost was an amazing event!  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Church gained courage and strength that it had not previously experienced.  Disciples (who had formerly been afraid and doubtful) were now fearlessly proclaiming the Good News – facing even persecution and death.

Something happened.  Something powerful and life changing.  Something that could not be attributed to a human cause.  Through Pentecost God intervened in the lives of people, and from this moment the Church has been on fire.

Yet Pentecost was not a one-time event.  Indeed, the power of this feast continues through the whole Church.  The Holy Spirit, promised to us by Jesus, is sent by the Father so that this same strength is ours as well.  It is the Spirit which dwells within us, guiding and empowering us in our moments of need.

Every saint, every person of faith, every heroic and Christ-like act of goodness – is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.  For whenever we open our hearts, asking the Spirit to dwell in our lives, God will send the Spirit to give us the strength we need.

This is our promise!  We stand in the same tradition as the Apostles, and we seek God to be with us.  Just as God sent the Spirit upon the early Church, so too will God send the Spirit upon the Church today.  What is needed is an invitation:
Come Holy Spirit!
    Kindle in our hearts the fire of your love! 

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Easter

April 16, 2013

4th Sunday of Easter – Joy, Hard Work, and Conviction

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Fr. Ed

Msgr. Ed Meulemans – my friend and mentor

Study:  Who are your role models?  Who are the people in your life who work hard, live by their values, and are loyal in the face of difficulty?

Pray:  What do you need to ask God for strength for this week?  What is going on in your life that requires direction, guidance, and grace?

Serve:  Who is struggling in your life right now?  Can you help them or perhaps direct them to the assistance they need?

4th Sunday of Easter Readings:

Lit with the fire of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles Paul and Barnabas boldly proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in the first reading today.  They travel to the city of Antioch and their story follows a pattern that occurred frequently in their ministry:
1.  They speak about Christ
2.  Some heard their message and followed
3.  Some DID NOT
4.  Pressure mounted against them, forcing them to leave

We know that Paul had success as a preacher; yet it is easy to take for granted his efforts.  Each city was a challenge – telling the story of Jesus, setting an example of faith, working to provide enough money to live on, and dealing with opposition – and he endured this situation for years!

Clearly this ministry was difficult.  It required a lot of hard work.  Paul exerted enormous effort in his time and personal energy.  He was tested in body, mind and soul.  There were times when he felt alone and abandoned; there were times when he wondered if he was getting through to anyone.

We know, however, that Paul had a fire inside of him that could not be extinguished.  He had been transformed by the Lord on the road to Damascus.  He had been healed of his blindness, and he had experienced the witness of other disciples whose lives had been reshaped by the resurrection of Jesus.

Yet through all this hard work and conviction, many people did not accept the message of Christ.  They listened and walked away.  Some insulted Paul, others mocked him, and still others followed for a time and then went back to their old lifestyle.  Each time must have cost something to Paul; to work so hard and have to let people go….

What sustained him?  What gave him strength in his times of need?  We are told that the disciples were filled with joy; the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit blessed them.

Like Paul, we are called to follow the Lord.  It is not always easy.  There are times when hard work appears to show no results.  At these moments we look to the example of the Apostles, who persevered with conviction and joy.  After all, the Good News needs to be proclaimed – yet each one of us must decide if we will listen and follow Christ.

1 Comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Easter