Reaching, Preaching and Teaching

Good Morning, dear reader! We have completed another joyous week of Easter! I'm going to start with John's Gospel this morning because it is one we are all familiar with...Jesus walking on water. 

So, picture this, winds are blowing, the sea is roiling. You're out in your little boat being tossed around. You look out at the ocean and all of sudden, here comes Jesus, strolling along ON TOP OF THE WATER!!! While the disciples are fearfully staring at Jesus, He basically says to them "Hey, it's me! Jesus! Nothing to be afraid of!". Yeah, ok. How many people have you seen walking on water in the middle of a roiling blow!?!? This is just another ordinary day for Jesus. Talk about your signs and wonders!! This has to be His all-time best miracle!! But, then again, this is the same Man who could raise people from the dead! Yup, Jesus is definitely amazing!!  

As we leave this absolutely incredible story, we enter into a slightly more complicated one. We see some new people here, the Hellenists. The explanation given in my bible is as follows:

The Hellenists were not necessarily migrant Jews, but were more probably Palestinian Jews who spoke only Greek.The Hebrews were Palestinian Jews who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic and who may also have spoken Greek. Both groups belong to the Jerusalem Jewish Christian community. (Hiesberger et al., 1995)

As the number of believers increased, the efficiency of the ones in charge decreased. The Apostles could only do so much. In such great numbers of people, someone always gets overlooked. This seems to be what happened with the Hellenists. It was just one more group that needed help. So Peter came up with a plan. He would come up with a group of seven men who could aid in the service of the people. This way, it would free up others to help where they were needed most. This was the beginning of appointing deacons and elders within the church body who would oversee the various missions. 

Think of how many people it takes to run a church. You have the priest, the associate priest, eucharistic ministers, altar servers, and so on. Everyone has a specific task. This is so that all the members of the church, and the community, are reached and their needs met. Without all these people the church would quickly become inundated with the needs of others and would not be able to efficiently and effectively run. If everyone gives just a little bit, a lot can be accomplished. 

The next time you are at church or a church gathering, find out ways in which you can help. It could be something as simple as passing out the church bulletin or serving at a community supper. There is always a need for a helping hand, and it is always very much appreciated. As the old saying goes, many hands make light work. Just think, donating your time ensures that you will always be a nice human. 😇

Father Bill's reflection on today's readings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XSZEd15w9s

Reference:

Hiesberger, J., Breen, C., Lucinio, J., Marcheschi, G. and Mazza, B., 1995. The Catholic Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, p.193.

On Unity and The Greater Good

Good Morning dear reader! Today is our last Saturday of Lent. Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, and thus will begin our progression into Holy Week.

Well, our reading in Ezekiel is really something. God is saying that He wants unity among His people and His nations. I'm sure that present-day Israel is still praying for this. And I'm sure that God is saddened by what it still happening there. His idea of peace for this nation never really came to fruition. If you take a look at verse 22 where God says "Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms", yet Israel is still divided to this day. I often think that if the Palestinians and the Israelis sat down together and opened a Bible, it would be the end of any war. There is no disputing what God's intention was for these people. Oh, if only it were that easy. 

What is astounding, though, is that despite the constant attacks, the constant war, millions of people STILL make a pilgrimage to Israel every year to walk where Jesus once walked, to see the places where Jesus taught and travelled, to touch the waters that Jesus once touched. The Jews and Muslims seek the same things. To walk in the places where Abraham and Mohammad walked, to soak in that holiness of that place, to visit consecrated ground and to just experience the immense history that is Israel. We need to realise that we are all one people, Christians and Jews and Muslims all speak of God, just in their own way. I pray that one day peace will come to those areas. That the three major faiths can worship in peace and safety. 

On to our Gospel... to start with, the Sanhedrin, they were the Jewish Supreme Court. They were much as our Supreme Court is today. They had the final say in rulings, both political and religious. As word of Jesus began to spread, as testimony of His works took hold, the Jews started to worry. What would happen if all the people started believing in Jesus and stopped believing in Abraham and the teachings of the God of the Old Testament? They felt threatened. It was easier to get rid of this Jesus than try to fight the people. Sacrifice one for the good of all. 

Jesus knew His days were numbered. He knew what was coming. He also knew the significance of sacrificing The One for the good of all. This was His destiny. So,

Jesus left the city and went to some place quieter where He could prepare for what was to come. To spend time with those closest to Him. He also knew that He had to leave because if the Jews spotted Him, He would be arrested, but it was not His time, yet. He needed to follow His Father's plan. And His being arrested at that time was not part of the plan.

Do you know what God's plan is for you? Are you following it? For those of you who, like me, have absolutely no clue what God's plan is, are you being patient and waiting to see what His plan is? Are you talking to Him? Are you actively paying attention to any signs He may be trying to show you? Take some time this week as we take that final walk with Jesus. You just might find your own resurrection story. 

Be blessed, dear reader. And, as always... be a nice human. 😇

Father Bill's reflection on todays readings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Qs1M5mwLo