Bob Metivier: A new direction in contemporary music

Ave Verum - new arrangement

2012-01-28T20:47:00.000-06:00

Finally, I've been moving forward on my new project. This is my latest "world music" piece, developed from Ave Verum by Charles Camille Saint-Saens. Romantic meets the lastest instrumentation and effects!
http://bobmetivier.bandcamp.com/track/ave-verum

A Martyr, A Monk, and Song

2011-11-22T23:07:00.000-06:00

Today is the Feast of St. Cecilia. But there is another person in history, the monk who invented the staff and solfege that we should also pay heed to:

http://www.catholicchapterhouse.com/blog/2011/11/22/a-martyr-a-monk-and-some-music/

Without his great effort, or someone later on like him, modern Western music may well have never existed!

Contemporary Christian and Catholic Music

2011-11-22T10:29:00.000-06:00

I haven't posted in awhile, but this was just a great article on Contemporary Christian music and Contemporary Catholic music that I could not pass up sending it along! :

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/blackwhiteandgray/2011/11/ccm-contemporary-catholic-music/#comment-253

Spotify

2011-08-21T19:29:00.001-05:00

I recently joined Spotify as a free user in the U. S. They are just now rolling out in the States. Apparently, in the next six months, the REAL model (not free) will be pushed even harder. Still not a bad deal. I will have to think about whether this should be a fee based or advertiser based plan. Remember when cable cost, but there were no adertisements. Things do change, don't they? And the music business is the midst of extreme change right now.

I get to witness this from both directions because I'm also an artist on Spotify and rather proud of my 1/10th of a cent spins! :-)
Spotify in US

New Yet Old Drums! Cajon Solo by David Kuckermann

2011-08-12T10:41:00.001-05:00

David Kluckermann of framedrums.net shows his style on this great cajon by Schlagwerk. Imagine this guy doing a drum circle with a group of beginning student players! What an uplifting yet challenging even that would be!

The cajon is also gaining tremendous traction in percussion for acoustic performance with flamenco, classical and acoustic ensembles.

Music Therapies for Cancer

2011-08-12T10:11:00.000-05:00

This is still such a new and only dimly explored area of therapy: music therapy for seriously ill patients. I believe that we will find that music plays a significant role also in development and restoration of faculties. What a great potential frontier for both preventative and restorative therapies!

Joining the Choir Invisible

2011-01-15T11:41:00.001-06:00

Joining the Choir Invisible

A friend of mine, Matt Gardocki, who is very involved with ministries to Contemporary Catholic Youth and Young Adults sent this to me yesterday. This is a very powerful explanation of how the Catholic faith expresses itself in the individual and within the Church, ever-present and ever-alive as a community! This is a wonderful article and well worth the read for all Contemporary Catholics.

Happy New Year - 2011 - The Difference in Cultures

2011-01-01T11:56:00.001-06:00

Happy New year 2011 to all! New Year's Eve is a time when most in our culture reflect back on the past year and all of its challenges and outcomes. This is usually with a hope that the new year will bring better and greater opportunities and blessings than the outgoing one.

Often this celebration is accompanied by drinking, dancing, and lots of distraction.

The Contemporary Catholic Church has room for all of this, but its focus is quite different. Each year, on January 1st, the Catholic Church rededicates itself to the care of Mary, the Mother of God and starts the new year with a Mass in honor of her Son.

I've always found the choice of the Psalm (Psalm 67) which is set to a Contemporary Catholic music chant setting below, to be very interesting. In this psalm, we ask that God will bless us in His Mercy. So the focus is God and His Mercy upon us in this new year, a stark contrast to the secular idea of what I'm gaining or missing each year.

Psalm 67 - May God bless us in his mercy

4th Sunday of Advent

2010-12-20T21:43:00.000-06:00

In Contemporary Catholic Circles we try very hard to keep Advent where it should be, a wonderful preparation for the coming of Christ. Catholic music for Advent was much more extensive in the past than it seems to be today. The Chabanel psalms, while Contemporary Catholic songs, draw from the rich past of both Hebrew and Catholic tradition.

So, in that spirit, as it is the the 4th Week of Advent still, I have left in my recording of the psalm for this week, but I've followed it up here with the Psalms for the Christmas Midnight Mass. I hope that you might listen to each one in its time ! :-)

4th Sunday of Advent Cycle A - Psalm 24

Christmas - Psalm 96

4th Sunday of Advent

2010-12-16T00:13:00.000-06:00

Let the Lord Enter; He is King of Glory!

Advent is a wonderful time to celebrate the wonderful chant found in both traditional and contemporary Catholic music!
Please give me your feedback of this Catholic music video! and have a Blessed Advent!

4th Sunday of Advent Cycle A - Psalm 24

Sing to the Lord a New Song!

2010-12-07T12:05:00.000-06:00

"Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds." The responsorial psalm for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is sung by Robert Metivier, with photos by Terry Modica, for Good News Ministries (http://gnm.org) in connection with podcasts of the Good News Reflections.

Immaculate Conception - Psalm 98

Have a blessed Advent!

2010-12-05T15:07:00.001-06:00

Here is my version of the Chabanel Psalm for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Advent is a very special time for Catholic music, distinct from Christmas, but in preparation for it.

2nd Sunday of Advent Cycle A - Psalm 72

Scattered Monkeys - “An Insiders Perspective on the Evolving Music Industry”

2010-11-19T11:32:00.001-06:00

The premise of this blog is that the landscape of the music industry has fundamentally and permanently changed. Christina sees musicians metaphorically as wolves who were accustomed to an environment where the means of survival (the prey so to speak, for lack of a better word) is gone and new potential "prey" abound, which we are incapable of catching alone. The new paradigm (sorry: 90's word there! :-) is to group together rather than being "lone wolves", to develop new niche markets in common with one another. Here is the article. You will enjoy it.

If you are Contemporary Christian or Contemporary Catholic musician and would like to see new ways of achieving this, please respond to this post! That's a good first start.

The Future of the Church

2010-11-14T14:01:00.001-06:00

The future of the Church has a great bearing on the future of liturgical music, but also on life and culture at large in our 21st Century! As a voice of God's presence in the world, the Catholic Church needs greatly to stay the course and finish the race

This particular sermon recently given by Fr. Thomas Rosica, (the CEO of Salt and Light Catholic media) on vocations so powerfully speaks to the future of the Church, the future of Catholic music, and on pastoral leadership. This is a full homily, so it is a bit long, but well worth the read!

James MacMillan and the new music for the Pope's visit

2010-10-28T07:48:00.001-05:00

Recently the Pope visited the British Isles. For this visit Scottish composer James MacMillan was commissioned to write the setting for a new Mass for celebration with the Pope. This is no minor event to be asked to compose for. Below is his story of the trials and tribulations of such an effort. It shows us some of the realities that we are currently dealing with in the Church and its understanding of how we move forward:

James McMillan

Mixing and Mastering

2010-10-17T20:20:00.001-05:00

I love this saying by Bob Katz, one of the best audio mastering experts in the music business. This is so true!

In an answer to a question on proper use of balance and reverb, Bob states: "Do I realize how much work it is? For sure, for sure---the last 10% of the job takes 90% of the time, all the time. So, if you think you're 90% done in your recording/mixing job, book almost the same amount of time to get it done if you want it to sound "good enough"! It's the basic principle of any artistic/perfectionist profession. Welcome to the club." So, when you hear that not quite optimized piece of music that is "90%", know what that final bit costs in effort!

InsideCatholic.com | Crash Call | Feature | Articles

2010-08-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

Among all the things, I decided to take a "forced" personal retreat at my home yesterday and today. The future of Contemporary Catholic music can wait for a day or two :). I don't think that it will fail without me! :-)

So, I'm sitting back after watering plants and flowers and I find this article. Hmmm.... maybe God really is trying to tell me something, and I really DO have to LISTEN. It's so ironic that Listen is the first song on my first CD, yet I have to constantly remind myself that this is where it all begins.

InsideCatholic.com | Crash Call | Feature | Articles

And listening does change perspective.

Rhema Marvanne

2010-08-18T18:33:00.001-05:00

Here is an amazing video of 7 year old Rhema Marvanne singing Amazing Grace! A friend sent this to me and it is astonishing! Take a minute, watch and listen! Let me know your thoughts!

Rhema Marvanne - 'Amazing Grace' REVISED 6/11 from Black Olive Media.com on Vimeo.

He's Catholic, a musician, and hopes his music leads listeners to silence

2010-08-12T14:03:00.001-05:00

Matt Maher is a Catholic and a musician, but he does not want to be known as a Catholic Musician. His Catholic faith comes through his music because he is writing from his authentic walk with Christ. Matt also understands the incredible ways that music can draw you into personal silence before God. Check out this page from CatholicSpirit.com and listen in for a minute!

I personally like his direction. Give us your thoughts and perspective!

K-LOVE - Matt Maher "Alive Again" LIVE

Catholic Music “Empowered by the Spirit: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives”

2010-08-10T10:38:00.001-05:00

The eXaudio and Contemporary Catholic Singer/songwriter Jesse Manibusan will be the featured musicians at the Catholic Youth Spectacular held on the grounds of the Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, CT. Check out the details at The Catholic Transcript. eXaudio is a new name to me, but they are very regarded by the promoters of the event. Jesse Manibusan is a well-known name among Contemporaty Catholic musicians.

Catholic Music- New Catholic Acoustic Rock

2010-08-09T20:41:00.001-05:00

There is a new Catholic Acoustic Rock duo by the name of The Jacob's Well Experience who are about to release their first 5 song EP. The duo is Paul Davis and Justin Combs. You can check out their new website at http://thejacobswellexpereince.com. Having worked on various music projects since 2004 and traveling with some well known Catholic musicians, you might find them interesting to look into !

Catholic Music- Catholic Woodstock in Calgary

2010-08-07T13:16:00.001-05:00

When Roman Catholic priest Father Krystian Golisz moved to St. Rita's parish in the Rockyford area about a year ago, he was struck by one thing.

It was the open spaces found in the village located northeast of Calgary, about halfway between the city and Drumheller.

"I was looking at the parish and I saw the open space. I said 'what a great idea to have a Woodstock here -- a Catholic Woodstock in Rockyford.' I was sharing it with other people and others started to think about it," says Golisz.

From there was born the idea of having the One Rock festival out there on Saturday, Aug. 21

Audrey Assad

2010-08-04T18:54:00.001-05:00

There is a new, young artist getting quite a lot of attention these last few weeks in Catholic Youth and Young Adult circles. She has a wonderful voice and musical presence. She reminds me of Amy Grant in her early days. (I guess that shows my age, and I still like Amy's music.

This new artist is Audrey Assad, and she was a big hit at the latest Steubenville conference in Georgia. I think she is going to be here for a long time to come. You might want to give her a listen!

New Life Whispers

2010-08-03T00:18:00.001-05:00

Awhile back I started a group on 4marks.com called Catholic Music. One of my acquaintances there is Matthew Baute. He just released a new video that I think is just wonderful. Check it out, and you also might visit his website, purchase his music and help support his wonderful ministry! It is entitled New Life Whispers and represents some of the best new Contemporary Catholic music for reflection.

Artists Find Spiritual Collaboration

2010-07-13T22:59:00.000-05:00

Artists Find Spiritual Collaboration

Their music and style is very different. The themes of the poems range from an unborn child to a man dying in the electric chair to the beauty of creation on a placid sea.

Poet, Dolores Thompson lives in the south, central mountains of New Mexico. Composer, Karsten Klemme lives in Salzbergen, Germany.

Their music and poems are exchanged totally through the means of the internet.

That their joy may be complete… «

2010-07-13T22:31:00.001-05:00

On the ever-developing discussion of what styles of music are appropriate for liturgy! A well thought out first step in this discussion that looks at what brings joy to each individual in their musical expression of faith.

This article is written by a Catholic young adult and youth director, who lives with these questions every day, and brings an interesting perspective to the mix.

That their joy may be complete… «

BBC - Christian Music News: July 2010

2010-07-13T21:50:00.000-05:00

New music releases coming out in the United Kingdom

The Catholic Herald recently reported that Marilla Ness drew crowds from near and far for her first ever event in Scotland - held in support of the persecuted church.

BBC - Christian Music News: July 2010

Blindness won't stop the music for Catholic Vikcy Kolman

2010-07-11T18:17:00.001-05:00

Vicky Kolman from Colorado Springs chooses to deepen her faith and her music ministry rather than dwell on her disability. She is an example of the way that new music can be encouraging and inspiring to others. Check out this article in the Gazette.

New Media and Evangelization

2010-07-09T10:12:00.000-05:00

New music is an integral part of the new media evangelization efforts of the Catholic Church. This interview with Rev. Robert Barron gives some interesting insights into a fruitful approach to that effort.

Fr. Barron comments on New Media and Evangelization

The New Music Seminar July 19-21, 2010 NYC

2010-07-04T14:35:00.000-05:00

If you are interested in where the world of music is going in the next few years, consider going to the New Music Seminar in NYC:

The New Music Seminar (July 21, 2009 in NYC)

In this time of very rapid and discontinuous change, this is the place to be to hear from the pundits of the industry and make new connections as an independent artist/

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke predicts end of music industry

2010-07-03T11:48:00.000-05:00

Thom Yorke, RadioHead's lead singer, is quoted in a Brit textbook as saying that the music industry may only have months to live, and that it will be no great loss when it ends.

What are your thoughts? Has the industry waited too long to respond to the market in ways that are compelling or have value? What was the last music that you bought, and how did you buy it? What would you like to see happen next?

Please leave your comments when you can. The future of music in the balance!? :-)

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke predicts end of music industry

Future of Music Coalition

2010-06-30T08:10:00.000-05:00

The Future of Music Coalition will have it Policy Summit on October 3-5, 2010 in Washington, D.C. In ten years of fighting for musicians, they, as so many, have noticed a tremendous change in the music landscape. This has created tremendous challenges and opportunities for musicians as they struggle to find access to the market. As old business models are disrupted, there is also a renaissance of new approaches that show promise.

The Future of Music Coalition celebrates it 10th Anniversary at this Summit, focused on the artists' development,so that their talent and creativity can find expression in emerging markets. Early registration for this event, being held on the campus of Georgetown University, is currently $169.00. Click here to register.

What are your thoughts on the future of music and efforts like FOMC to shape that future?

Digg!

2010-06-29T17:45:00.001-05:00

Just yesterday this blog moved to page 2 under contemporary music on Digg! Thank you to those who have such an interest in making a difference in the level of musical art in our culture!
I would invite all of you to comment on the directions that you would like to see us explore at:
Impacting our culture: a new direction in contemporary music.

http://digg.com/search/page2?s=contemporary+music

Ave Maria

2010-06-25T12:43:00.000-05:00

Our Ave Maria has crossed over the 1,000 views! Ave Maria Bob and Nancy Metivier w/ Terry Modica

Ave Maria

Incredible version of Ubi Caritas by Durufle by Choir of King's College

2010-06-25T11:59:00.001-05:00

The Choir of King's College is almost always wonderful in their presentation of sacred music. This performance of Durufle's Ubi Caritas is no exception!

Ubi Caritas

Technorati

2010-06-24T20:23:00.003-05:00

I've just registered and been approved on Technorati !

I'm very excited about being a part of this powerful engine for finding new and exciting ideas in the blogosphere!

Roman Catholic Religion blog: on Catholic Songs

2010-06-22T00:40:00.003-05:00

JUST when you think no one is listening and the new music is not what folks are looking for, you get a review from a blogger like Raphael's Helper
Thank you, James Pereira!

Harnessing the Restorative Power of Music By Carl Sherman

2010-06-21T15:44:00.003-05:00

This is an amazing story of the recent
developments in music therapy for restoring the brain.... SO I guess
music saved my life, huh?

Let me know what you know about this fascinating field after you check this out

Music and Stroke Recovery

2010-06-21T14:01:00.001-05:00

There is some very important work being done in the field of neurology in
Boston, Mass on the use of music to rebuild pathways in the brain for patients
suffering from aphasia. check it out!

Harnessing the Restorative Power of Music By Carl Sherman

2010-06-21T13:16:00.001-05:00

This is an amazing story of the recent developments in music therapy for restoring the brain.... SO I guess music saved my life, huh?

Let me know what you know about this fascinating field

Exploring How Music Works Its Wonders This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

2010-06-20T18:00:00.001-05:00

A small professional cohort of experimentally oriented researchers is studying music and musical behaviors. Their research is widely dispersed in dusty journals, but the aggregate ﬁndings are genuinely informative about how music works its wonders. check this out:

Ave Maria

2010-06-14T18:10:00.001-05:00

Someone has been prompting me to remember Mary and her role in the recovery of the Church and our culture. Many think that Marian devotions are outdated, no longer contemporary. And yet how can this be true? If she protects the Church in one age, she can do so in the current age. Maybe we have to look with new eyes, and understand what her meaning to our lives is today in our current culture.

Today is a sad day in Oklahoma with a lot of flooding. My nephew Michael was flooded out of his home, among many others. So, it seemed like a day to ask Mary to help us, her children, "contemporary" and "postmodern" yes, but still her children. So please watch me this video that we released earlier: Ave Maria. and pray it with me.

Ave Maria

Whole Life Videos on YouTube

2010-06-12T13:14:00.001-05:00

Check out this little video on the life story of Andrea Bocelli. Another of those surprises that we don't hear about enough:

Whole Life Videos on YouTube

Deacon Joe's Dialogue

2010-06-09T17:06:00.000-05:00

There is a friend and co-worker, Deacon Joe Forgue, that I turn to for many of my musings regarding the relevancy of particular musical expressions for liturgical and para-liturgical uses. We both believe, as Gabriel Moran has so elegantly stated, that God continues to reveal Himself to us in new, exciting and creative ways. I express this personally through my continuing work with music of all types from ancient to postmodern. I hopefully can in this process help others relate to this "Revealing God".

Deacon Joe expresses himself more directly in dialogue in theology, philosophy, and stretching other's ability to think and talk about God. I sincerely believe you will enjoy engaging him at his new blog: Deacon Joe's Dialogue.

Check it out sometime soon and let me know what your thoughts are!

Catholic Music Facebook

2010-06-08T23:25:00.000-05:00

Come join Catholic Music on Facebook and give us your thoughts and opinions on Catholic music within and apart from the Mass and other liturgical functions. We would like your opinions on where we are going in the Church and what might be most effective, especially for youth and young adults,but really for all of us!

Gregorian Chant

2010-06-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

f you are ever interested in Catholic blogs addressing Gregorian Chant and other Catholic music, check this out:

Gregorian Chant

2010-06-07T23:02:00.001-05:00

I've recently completed two compositions based on Chant, Puer Natus Est and Crucem Tuam; I'm strongly considering Adoro Te Devote and Veni Creator Spiritus . That would be 4, but I really want to eventually complete a 10 composition CD. They say that this is out of date these days, but I want to do it anyway. Please comment on the blog your favorite chants for me to consider. And I will keep you posted, as I continue to try to blend postmodern music with ancient chant.

Corpus Christi

2010-06-06T13:39:00.000-05:00

This is the feast of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi. Two members of our choir, Shirley White on violin and Kathy Kenney as soloist, performed Panis Angelicus by Cesar Franck accompanied by our organist, Nancy Metivier. the parish really enjoyed the song, and asked for more, saying that they felt that they were truly at Mass today. For a reflection on Corpus Christi and Transformation, please visit this blog. I hope that you the enjoy the blog as much as the parish enjoyed this song!

2010-06-06T13:35:00.001-05:00

There are new artists coming up, some musicians, others poets. This young man, Preston Michael Losack, is both.

http://www.facebook.com/bob.metivier#!/notes/preston-michael-losack/the-ship/406124946177

Are you a music producer?

2010-06-02T18:43:00.000-05:00

Check out this note from immitter.com and tell me: are you a music producer?

Gregorian Chant inspired compositions

2010-06-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

The songs Crucem Tuam and Puer Natus Est are new instrumental songs based on ancient Gregorian Chant. Listen in and see if you can tell the original chant from the newly composed parts. Sometimes I forget! :-) Check it out at Bandcamp.com

My facebook page for music is Bob Metivier's Music

http://ncronline.org/news/politics/robin-hood-sword-and-magna-carta

2010-05-29T14:22:00.001-05:00

http://ncronline.org/news/politics/robin-hood-sword-and-magna-carta

I've always been a fan of Russell Crowe's work, but this in particular should be very timely. The social justice message, whether you agree or not, of this story should be considered once again.

Musical Experiment

2010-05-25T00:38:00.001-05:00

Ok, here is a test to see where tastes are now. In the last few days, I've uploaded to my bandcamp site two of my original compositions. One you would call chant-inspired classical music, the other is psalm-inspired acoustic pop/Contemporary Christian.

You can find them both on bobmetivier.bandcamp.com at these addresses:
Puer Natus Est
Lord, Send Out Your Spirit

Then, if you like either or both, could you go to my facebook account and let me know! That would be wonderful and help me to determine what my readers see/hear as the future of their music tastes.

My facebook page for music is Bob Metivier's Music

Hypebot

2010-05-15T14:33:00.004-05:00

If you accept that music, art and media are effected by the environment in which they were created, then the quantum shifts caused by technology and the net are changing not just the way art is consumed, but also how it is created and the perspective of the creators. That's the premise explored in the forthcoming documentary PressPausePlay. According to the film's web site:

Technology Immitter

2010-05-15T11:26:00.002-05:00

Immitter is a new Internet Music Transmitter site. It was recently demo'ed by its CEO at a major conference in Los Angeles and is in alpha as we speak.

It is a first look at the future of new media for music. Immitter (i′mid·ər) is the first radio that any musician can contribute to and any listener can influence - A Social Radio. Look for the official launch in 2010. Here's a quick lighthearted explanation mocking the "plain english" series.

http://www.facebook.com/bob.metivier#!/video/video.php?v=560864775783&subj=45201456

Crucem Tuam

2010-05-07T18:10:00.001-05:00

I finally released Crucem Tuam as the first new song from an upcoming release entitled, Embraced by the Spirit. You can hear on the media player here or by checking it out bobmetivier.bandcamp.com or on my facebook account! Let me know what you think! It will also shortly be on Amazon and iTunes.

The Sixty One - site for listeners

2010-04-18T15:19:00.002-05:00

Here is another new site that I think you might find interesting!

https://www.thesixtyone.com/artist/bobmetivier/settings/password/?force_refresh=true&base_url=%2Fartist%2Fbobmetivier%2Fsongs%2F&per_page&page&song_position=0&cur_song_progress=121164.80725623583#/bobmetivier/

New internet radio options

2010-04-17T19:35:00.000-05:00

As terrestrial radio languishes, we are seeing all kinds of new ways to find new music. One I'm working with as an artist is in alpha I cannot disclose here yet, but keep watching. It is coming soon!

Then there are sites such as www.bandcamp.com and www.hypem.com that are fun to snoop around in for new music as well!

Richard Proulx and RIchard Hillert

2010-03-02T10:50:00.000-06:00

The recent passing of Richard Proulx and Richard Hillert has caused me to reflect on the extraordinary gifts that these two great men have given to us. Even though both wrote widely in many genres, I firmly believe that their greatest inspiration came in providing wonderful settings of liturgical materials for the congregation. Both of these men believed strongly that average, everyday people should sing the liturgy and that it shouldn’t just be left to the professionals. It makes me think of the way Paul Manz used to talk about inspiring the congregation to sing and how thrilling it is to sing with full voiced gusto on the great hymns of faith.

In many churches, I think we have shortchanged the congregation and have given more of our attention to the choirs. Educating the congregation and teaching them how to sing is no easy matter, but is certainly worth every minute we can give to helping them fully engage in the church's song.

Some helpful suggestions include:

· Print brief histories of hymns and tunes used in the service on an insert in the worship folder.

· Look for concertatos and descants that engage both the choir and the congregation.

· Vary the accompaniments from full organ to a cappella singing, and incorporate various instruments for introductions or descants.

· Use readings such as those in From Glory Into Glory to set up the hymn and give added thought.

These are just a few suggestions. There are obviously many more, but the important thing is to give congregational singing added attention and priority. If we follow the model of those who have recently gone before us, it is worth our very best gifts.

Mark W. Lawson,

President

MorningStar Music Publishers

Gerard Faucheux

2010-02-12T09:50:00.001-06:00

Gerard Faucheax was a wonderful father, a dedicated son, and an authentic voice. Though his style is far different from mine, the joy that is evident in his music is a gift to those who have heard him live or on recordings. We lost him way too soon, but, thankfully, he has left his music with us. Please take a moment and listen in. It would be greatly appreciated if you would help his family in this time of terrible loss by purchasing and sharing his music with your friends and family. Let it continue to be a blessing to many, and not be lost in the noise that is so abundant in our culture.

http://gfsongs.com
http://gfsongs.blogspot.com/
Technorati Tags: Gerard Faucheaux

The Future of Music!

2010-01-28T22:18:00.002-06:00

Emma, my granddaughter, says it all to me. Where is the future of music? In her hands and other little hands like hers. That 's the reason that it is so important to help them to fall in love with music that is meaningful and artful. Go, Emms!

Just thinkin'

2010-01-26T12:23:00.002-06:00

We just had our latest Exalt program today, a 3/4 hr of contemporary Christian music, play, video, etc. with all of the students at Rosary School. We have this usually once a month and it is a lot of fun for the kids. I think that it gives them some exposure to Christian thought, the Scriptures, and other things at a level that they can make their own.

I was wondering how many folks out there have similar programs in their church or in their schools?

new guitar

2009-12-19T13:16:00.003-06:00

Being a guitarist for the last 40 years and also being a "serious music" vocalist and director can be an interesting challenge. But every once in awhile I can find the bridges between the genres, and play around in the common ground of music for its own sake.

I've been on a "quest" to expand the capabilities of my outreach to orchestration, etc. with guitar. In fact, this process actually got me in the computer business for 17 years.

But now I may be on the brink of something with this new guitar, currently being custom built by Steve Benford in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This guitar is being developed as a semi-hollow body electric with acoustic and MIDI capabilities. In early 2010, I will attempt to put it through its paces on some new music, and would love your feedback!

This is the latest pic as it's being built.

What is contemporary

2009-12-19T11:59:00.006-06:00

I got a kick out of a priest friend's comment the other day: "Oh, someone told me that you have a blog on Contemporary Music?" This priest is very traditional and had assumed that I had gone to the "dark side" :-)

I explained to him my take on contemporary music, that it is music of the day. That it does not need to be a certain style or format, just "now". And if we don't like what we hear now, it is incumbent upon us to help bring about change by writing and delivering new, "contemporary" genres that we want to help define the future of music.

Sometimes that is with new styles, sometimes it's fresh approaches such as Owl City's Fireflies, which though it may not have tremendous lasting ability, has an interesting new variation on old styles and is entertaining. It is also uplifting and innocent, something you don't find much of in radio-play these days (Do you still listen to terrestrial radio anyway?)

I've been quiet musically for awhile now as I try to decide exactly how I can contribute to a meaningful music dialogue about where we are going and how in the world we plan to get there.

In the next little while, I should have some interesting things to share with you, I hope.

Great new video of children singing the Kyrie

2009-06-16T08:30:00.004-05:00

There is a must see video on Catholic online from a good acquaintance of mine, David Smith and his wife Teresa. This is a wonderful example of ancient music reborn in the voices of the youth in the Catholic Church! Check it out at: http://www.catholic.org/video/?v=2429

I will soon try to get an embed code for it right here. It is that powerful!

The Challenge

2009-05-29T15:35:00.002-05:00

As I look at the current culture and the impact that institutional Christianity has or does not have on it, I'm struck with some "odd notions".

The first is that our world is experiencing accelerating change, which in itself is a neutral thing. However, it causes a faster antiquation of new media ideas and deployments.

What this means to the Church is that, though it will never lose its core value, its perceived immediate relevance can be damaged by an outdated delivery of a message that is not core and foundational. Further, a lack of understanding of the latest use and methods of new media can well make the Church's message appear to be "last century" (which at least on its face it in fact is).

It has long been a joke in the media world that "Contemporary Christian" music uses styles that are 10 years behind the secular culture. Though this is really no longer true, as the secular culture has been in a process of deterioration for the last 10 years (sadly), its perception has remained entrenched. Contemporary Catholic music, a later media arrival, is even further behind.

Our current delivery method is in actuality speaking to the older generations, the ones still in the pews; but we've yet to learn how to speak to the younger generations in a manner that they would be interested in listening to. In a world that is increasingly noisy, wordbytes are what we have to start with. And most of our wordbytes have been negative: anti-this, anti-that... a message that falls on deaf ears, literally, in this generation that is looking for positive hope wherever they can find it.

C. S. Lewis once said that we need less Christian art and more Christian artists who are creatively expressing their art. The gist is that the Christian virtues are better spread by acting upon them in what you do rather than talking specifically about them. St. Paul says in his letter to the Phillippians: "Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things."

Lastly, St. Irenaeus said in the 2rd Century: Man fully alive is the glory of God.

So, if Paul and Irenaeus and C. S. Lewis are correct, then the proper function of Christians in the arts is to be fully alive and to pursue whatever is lovely and of good report to the fullest extent of their artfulness. Only then can we expect this generation to LISTEN. This is the current challenge, and we are up to it!

Bob Metivier
copyright 2009, Robert G. Metivier

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2009-05-27T23:43:00.004-05:00

Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter (Year 1)
May 28, 2009

*Today's Readings:*
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11
Luke 17:20-26

http://www.usccb.org/nab/052809.shtml

Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_28.mp3

*What is required to answer the prayer of Jesus?*

After I became Catholic in 1977, I read today's Gospel passage and said, "Wow Jesus, your prayer is taking a long time to get answered! The number of break-away denominations just keep multiplying." And seeing divisive behavior within the Catholic Church, I've said, "Wow
Jesus, your prayer isn't even being answered here!"

Or maybe I was just looking for the answer in the wrong places. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning", and that unity "subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose" (see para. 820). It's a gift. It's not something that we make happen; it's already ours. "But the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her."

The unity we have in the Catholic Church comes from accepting that Christ is the head and that he chose to lead us through Saint Peter and all the popes and bishops who came from his line of ordination; despite their imperfections and sins. Our unity comes from the Church Magisterium's protection of and explanations of the teachings of Christ, and if we choose to remain in unity with Christ by learning from the Magisterium, Jesus protects us from false teachings and worldly compromises.

We divide ourselves from the Church when we disregard or misuse Church teachings. Every teaching issued by the Magisterium has love as its goal and scripture as its foundation. More often than not, however, when we reject them, it's not to be divisive; it's simply because we don't understand their value. The most common example of this is the teaching against using artificial birth control. Many Catholics disregard it, because they fail to research it enough to discover how it enhances their ability to love, which includes, if we want to be Christ-like, self-sacrifice.

What about the ways that Catholics are divided from Protestants? Can Christ's prayer be answered even while we're divided from one another in worship and in doctrinal issues? Yes! Unity does not mean "agreement." His prayer is answered in the way we LOVE one another. As it says in the Catechism, para. 815, the bond of unity is the love that "binds everything together in perfect harmony (Col. 3:14)". Harmony isn't accomplished by everyone singing the same notes. Harmony requires diversity in mutual service under the guidance of the Music Director. And you know, Catholics and Protestants have the same Music Director!

See also the Good News WordByte on Pope Benedict's desire for unity (2005): http://wordbytes.org/pope/unity.htm

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

2009-05-26T22:32:00.004-05:00

Good News Reflection
Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
May 26, 2009

Today's Memorial: Saint Philip Neri

Pray for a spirit of joy and laughter
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/PhilipNeri.htm

Today's Readings:

Acts 20:17-27
Ps 68:10-11, 20-21 (with 33a)
John 17:1-11a
http://www.usccb.org/nab/052609.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_26.mp3

Finishing the work despite hardships

If we could foresee the hardships that lay ahead of us on our paths of service in the kingdom of God, we'd come up with good excuses not to do it. (Hey, we do that already, just by imagining possible hardships! No wonder there are so many of us who do so little ministry or volunteer services or fighting against injustices.)

As we see in today's first reading, St. Paul knew that going to Jerusalem would mean "chains and hardships", so why did he go? Wouldn't he be just as useful to the Lord if he stayed where he was accepted and appreciated?

Back in 1996, as I was praising God for the Good News Evangelization School that we were holding in my parish, I felt God ask me, "Are you willing to suffer to become a better minister for my kingdom?" I wrestled with him over that until he reminded me: "I'm safe. Trust me." And thus began a series of chains and hardships that have not yet ended. And today, I am very grateful for them all!

St. Paul trusted God, even while he knew that he was not safe from those who would imprison him and eventually kill him for preaching the truth. What makes a person willing to say yes to God's calling when it's a certainty that it won't always be easy and fun, when being safe in God does not mean being safe from persecution and hardships?

Paul answered this question. He said, "I put no value on my life. I only value finishing the service that the Lord Jesus has assigned to me." Jesus also answered it in today's Gospel passage: "I have given you glory, Father, by accomplishing the work you gave me to do."

Which matters more: your life (your comfort, your security, your freedom from problems) or God's work, which he gave you to accomplish and which no one else can do the way you can do it? — work that you were specifically designed to do, work that will fulfill you more than anything other activities.

We all have our assignments. You are in the middle of a very important one right now. Recognize the worth of what you're doing; notice how it glorifies God, how it makes a difference for his kingdom. If you don't see the difference yet, well, notice the difference it's made in you as it's helped to shape you more into the image of Christ. Realize the value of your hardships: how they're increasing your holiness, your compassion, and your ability to help others.

My sufferings, as distressing as they have been sometimes, have greatly enhanced the ministries I do now. They account for many of the insights that I share with you in these daily Good News Reflections. Don't focus on the hardships; keep your eyes on the goal — the finish line, heaven — and on the Lord for whom you're doing this. If we quit, we forfeit our souls to the world, where we are not safe at all. Only in God are we truly safe. He kisses our nail wounds and raises us above the trials into his warm embrace and cozy lap, where we are always safely loved.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica; All Rights Reserved.

To share this with others, see our copyright permission page.

Link to MP3s of The Lord Takes Broken Pieces

2009-05-22T13:25:00.003-05:00

You can find the MP3s for most (not all yet) of the songs at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/metivier

Spread the Joy

2009-05-22T13:03:00.001-05:00

Rarely do I get EXCITED about a Youtube video, but this is a wonderful video that you need to take 5 minutes and watch!

Mike Strickland wrote a song and his wife hired an animator
because she wanted to tell the story of Mike writing the song in a simple
line art animation. They hooked up with a talented animator and kept at
it here and there between their usual work schedules and finally got it
done. The biggest challenge was getting Mike to finish the mix on the
song because he kept thinking he wanted to add this or that and
definitely wanted a choir on it so that took a bit of doing. After it
was done she posted it on youtube and then in March of this year ABC Good
Morning America saw it and used it in a story they did on
"brightsiding". They had not known we were "brightsiders". The video is
at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y90-R9uyjIQ&feature=channel_page

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2009-05-20T08:09:00.000-05:00

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
May 20, 2009
*Today's Saint: Bernardine of Siena*
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/BernardineSiena.htm
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 17:15, 22--18:1
Ps 148:1-2, 11-14
John 16:12-15
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/052009.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_20.mp3
*Waiting patiently in happy ignorance*
In today's Gospel passage, Jesus says: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now." Oh please, Jesus, tell me now; send me an email!
We don't like feeling uncertain about the future. We want to know about God's plans about how or even IF our prayers will be answered. We want to know how things will turn out if we say yes to a new job or a ministry or a challenging donation of our time. We want to know how long we must continue trying to evangelize others before they finally wake up and repent, especially when their worldly ways are causing us problems.
In our chats with God, we say: "Okay, if I do what you're asking, what will happen?" or "Will this trial ever end?" or "Ahem, please explain further so I can base my decision on how logical this sounds."
Being ignorant of the details can be scary. We know there's a bigger picture, but all we've got to work with are a few small puzzle pieces. We're not in control. Ohhhmygosh, this means we have to trust God!
What seems to be a frightening silence is really a huge gift. Imagine if God were to sit you down in a nice quiet prayer room and display on the wall a movie that shows everything he's going to do in your life: everything he's asking of you, what you'll have to endure to accomplish it, all the hurdles you'll face, how he'll be stretching you beyond what's comfortable and familiar. Do you really want to know all this? Even though the movie would also show the fun of it, the good times, God's helping hand, the wonderful fruits and rewards, etc., wouldn't you freak out? I know I would.
We should thank God for our ignorance! It's a great relief to trustingly let the Holy Spirit have full control. Jesus says in this Gospel message: "The Spirit of Truth will guide you to all truth." The Holy Spirit will "announce" to us whatever we need to know, not when WE want to know it, but when it truly is the perfect time to know it.
Life's greatest adventures come from trusting God in the midst of ignorance. Have you ever ridden a roller coaster that has surprising twists and turns? It's popular with riders who like the thrill of not knowing where they're going, where's the next dip, the next spin, the next upside-down loop. The life of a Christian is just as thrilling! Don't worry. Even if you don't like roller coasters, it can be a safe adventure. God is your seat belt — he holds you in his lap very securely.
For safety, please don't try to climb out before the ride is over.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:

http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2009-05-19T18:29:00.001-05:00

Good News Reflection
Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
May 19, 2009

Today's Saint: Dunstan
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Dunstan.htm

Today's Readings:
Acts 16:22-34
Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8
John 16:5-11
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051909.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_19.mp3

The saving hand of God

Psalm 138:7 declares that "Your right hand saves me, O Lord." In biblical symbolism, the "right hand" of God means the power of God reaching out to help us. In Acts 16:22-34, we see how this helping hand of God works in unexpected ways.

God does not do everything that we want him to, when we want him to do it, the way we want him to do it. For Paul and Silas, God's powerful hand did not pop open the prison doors just because they asked for help. More was at stake than the lives of these two men. Notice the others who were touched by God's intervention.

God is always mindful of the bigger picture and the bigger purposes that can be accomplished in all situations. He cares about the needs and the souls of all those who are involved in our trials as much he cares about us. The question is, are we willing to wait for his help when others are slowing the process?

Paul and Silas cooperated with God's plan by remaining focused on Jesus through prayer and joyful hymns. They could have allowed themselves to be distracted by the terrible conditions of their imprisonment and the disaster that had stopped their ministry and might stop their lives. They could have been resentful and angry toward those who had put them there. They could have been lamenting that it was all so unfair.

Like we so often do.

However, they chose to trust God no matter what had happened or would happen. They believed that, since he was more powerful than the forces that had put them into prison, their current troubles had become part of a plan that would somehow benefit his kingdom. And because they wanted nothing more than to BE a benefit to his kingdom, they closed their eyes to the evidence of evil and opened their eyes to the presence of God.

We can do this!

Only when we're open to and focused on the presence of God are we able to know what to do next when the saving power of God manifests itself. If we had been in Paul's and Silas' sandals, would we have run out of the prison as soon as the doors popped open? In Acts 12, Peter was in a similar situation, and God (through an angel) had him do just that. But not this time. Through the predicament of Paul and Silas, God stretched his hand out to the jailer and his family. Because Paul and Silas were sensitive to his will, they cooperated with his saving hand and became the instruments he played to bring others to salvation.

How awesome to allow God to turn our problems into a plan that helps others!]

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica; All Rights Reserved.
To share this with others, see our copyright permission page.

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

2009-05-18T21:31:00.001-05:00

Good News Reflection
Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter
May 18, 2009

Today's Readings:
Acts 16:11-15
Ps 149:1b-6a,9b
John 15:26--16:4a
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051809.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_18.mp3

Testifying to Jesus

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus points out that the Holy Spirit "testifies" to Jesus. The Spirit of Truth, sent by the Father, speaks the truth (as God the Advocate) about who Jesus really is and what he is doing for us. This is why you responded to the truth when you heard it. On our own, all of us would have rejected it as something that doesn't fit with our earthly, sin-prone desires and expectations.

Whenever someone converts to Christ or grows in the faith, it's because the Holy Spirit has prepared the heart to recognize the truth. Only the Holy Spirit can reach a soul and teach it the truth. And we who have already accepted the truth are the books that God uses to make the lessons easier to understand.

How are you "testifying to Jesus"? We are witnesses of the truth whenever we act upon our faith in the circumstances of daily life. We advocate the truth whenever our behaviors reveal the advantages of believing in Christ. Everything we do and say should reflect who Jesus really is.

Are there any words that come out of your mouth that testify against Jesus? Have any of your recent decisions testified against his trustworthiness? Does the way you handle difficult people testify against his love?

Jesus goes on to say that "the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God." Applying this to today's troubles, is anyone killing your efforts to use your gifts and talents for the kingdom of God? Maybe you're trying to right a wrong or stand up for a truth that others don't want to hear and you're being persecuted by your fellow Christians.

When a new scandal or other problem arises, what is your testimony? Are you silent? Fearful? Negative? Complaining? Publicly expressing anger? These are normal reactions, but if we remain stuck here, we're testifying that evil is stronger than God. On the other hand, if we work with the Holy Spirit to be the Advocate of Christ, we can testify to his healing and redemptive power; we can become the advocate of justice and love.

Christian living is never easy. Testifying to Jesus means walking with him to the cross and suffering in unity with his sacrificial death. The greatest testimony of this walk, however, is the resurrection, the renewed life that always comes afterward, and the Pentecost of the Holy Spirit's empowerment.

Problems in the Church, in our relationships, and in everything else are all opportunities for God's glory to be revealed. They are purgings that lead to purity, trials that build faith, lessons that teach us to keep our eyes on Jesus, and dyings that raise up greater reliance upon God. We should never fear that exposing problems to seek a cure will only lead to disaster.

Let us raise our voices to declare the glory of God and testify to Jesus by being good examples of his truth and love! May every scandal and hardship end up reflecting who Jesus really is, amen!

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica; All Rights Reserved.
To share this with others, see our copyright permission page.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

2009-05-17T19:34:00.001-05:00

Good News Reflection
May 17, 2009
Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B

Sunday's Readings:
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Ps 98:1-4
1 John 4:7-10
John 15:9-17
http://www.usccb.org/nab/051709.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_17.mp3

Servanthood is the mark of true Christian living. Jesus emphasized it during the Last Supper, saying that he came not to be served, but to serve, and that likewise we should serve one another. In his parables, he often referred to believers as "servants" of the Kingdom. But in Sunday's Gospel reading, Jesus says that he wants us to be his friends, not his slaves. Is he contradicting himself?

Not at all! Friends serve because they care. Slaves serve because of duty and the fear of punishment.

Jesus said, "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love." Do we hear this as a friend or a slave?

Slaves are afraid of what will happen if they fail to keep God's commandments; they are self-protective. Friends are eager to find out what God commands, because they view the commandments from the perspective of love, as opportunities to serve; they are other-oriented.

Jesus said, "This is my commandment: Love one another the way I love you." It's the supreme commandment; call it the Commandment of Friendship. He says, "You know how I love you, my friends: I openly share with you everything that the Father tells me." His friends realize that what he shares (through scripture and through the Church) reveals the opportunities to love that we seek. Every commandment is rooted in love. Every Church teaching is based on love.

When we fail to obey, do we lose God's love? Never! Do we lose our place in his love? Yes. By living outside of his commandments, we feel unloved even while being loved.

This is slavery. We're enslaved by fear or by false beliefs or by our wounds that have caused us to think that we're not loved enough. God's commands then feel confining, and if we try to escape, we commit rebellion. Those who don't rebel accept their slavery and obey dutifully in the hope of winning God's love.

Friends, on the other hand, know that God always loves them, and in this love, they are free to serve one another joyfully.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Are you obeying God like a slave or his best friend? Do you eagerly and happily jump into doing the will of God or do you complain about it? Do you ever want to escape from God's will? What will you do this week to become more aware of his friendship?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
What raises our relationships with God from slavery into friendship? Describe the differences between obeying out of duty and obeying out of love. How do you define friendship with God?

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2009-05-15T07:01:00.001-05:00

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
May 15, 2009
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 15:22-31
Ps 57:8-10, 12
John 15:12-17
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051509.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_15.mp3
*Laying down your life for Jesus*
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus emphasizes that he has chosen us to be his friends. HE chose YOU! He looked at you and said to the Father, "I want to be close friends with this one!"
Slaves serve their masters out of fear and duty. Friends serve each other because they care. Jesus doesn't want us to serve him with the "do it or else" fear of punishment. Nor does he want us to serve him out of obligation and duty. Rather, he wants us to realize that he's here to serve us because he cares about us. Then, because we appreciate him so much, we want to serve him by helping him serve others.
In our enthusiastic love for Jesus, we love everyone whom he loves, and we want to serve them as he serves them. Jesus and you are friends who partner together to make the world a better place.
Jesus summarized all of the commandments of God in one sentence: "Love one another as I love you." Do you obey God because you love OTHERS? Do you obey Church teachings because you love others?
We are friends of Jesus to the extent that we love everyone whom he loves and to the extent that we serve them as he serves them, for he serves them not only with us but through us. This of course means doing good to everyone, even those who bring trouble into our lives. Jesus is our example of how to serve the sinner while being uncooperative with their sins.
Loving means caring; it does not mean putting up with evil. Do you pray for those who've made you suffer? Not this kind of prayer: "Punish them God the way they deserve. Make them suffer like they made me suffer." Instead, do you ask God to heal their souls and bless them with his mercy? If they don't repent, they will reap what they sow and suffer terrible consequences. Do you feel sad for them?
It can be difficult, but by uniting ourselves to Jesus and his way of handling sinners, we obey the Father just like Jesus did. Then, whatever we ask the Father in his name (i.e., while united to Jesus), it will be given to us. This is a fact, because when we're united to Jesus, we don't ask for anything that is not already the Father's will for us. And thus, Jesus gets another opportunity to serve us, to his great delight.
If we want to grow deeper in our love relationship with God, we will serve our friend Jesus by serving those around us, because he cares about them and so do we. In friendship, Jesus serves us as we walk the extra mile for others.
Love is the bottom line and top priority of every decision we make and every action we take, even if it doesn't seem right in our limited understanding and our wounded hearts. This is how we lay down our lives for our friend Jesus.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

2009-05-14T01:45:00.001-05:00

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter
May 14, 2009
*Today's Feast: Saint Matthias, Apostle *
Pray for vocations:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Matthias.htm
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Ps 113:1-8
John 15:9-17
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051409.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_14.mp3
*The winning lottery ticket*
Today's first reading shows how Saint Matthias became one of the "official" twelve Apostles or first bishops of the Church. Until this ceremony, he had been one of the many unnamed disciples who followed Jesus throughout his ministry. He watched the baptism of Jesus. He travelled with Jesus to learn from him. He was probably among the seventy-two whom Jesus appointed and sent out ahead of him (see Luke 10) to practice preaching the Good News.
He might even have been present at the Last Supper when Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist, although he wasn't one of the twelve who were seated at table with him. And apparently he witnessed the crucifixion, encountered the risen Christ, and watched him ascend to heaven after hearing Jesus commission all of his disciples to spread the Good News throughout the earth.
What can St. Matthias teach us today? We know very little about him, but in the way he was ordained we are reminded that sometimes our vocations come unexpectedly after a period of serving in a different kind of calling.
Did Matthias ever wish to become included in Christ's innermost circle? Did his spirit stir when he grew in grace and spiritual wisdom as he listened to Jesus for three solid years of training and education? Did this cause him to strive for a leadership role in the spreading of the Good News?
From the scriptures, we can only see that he responded to the call of the priesthood in one short day, when Christ inspired Peter to find a replacement for Judas, and he was nominated by his peers, and the lottery selected him instead of Barsabbas.
What has Jesus selected you to do? How many readers of this reflection have a calling to the priesthood or permanent diaconate without yet knowing anything but an inner stirring of the spirit? And those who are not called to be clergy: What is your apostolate?
The word "apostle" means "one who is sent". Vatican Council II produced a document, entitled /The Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity/, urging all lay people to realize that they been sent by Christ to spread God's kingdom throughout the earth. We all have unique but necessary roles connected to the ministry of Christ. In this decree, the bishops officially call us to contribute to Christ's mission by fully utilizing our particular gifts and talents and opportunities.
What are you waiting for? The winning lottery ticket? You already have it! Say yes to doing whatever Jesus is calling you to do next, whatever interest is stirring up within your heart. In the eyes of St. Matthias, taking action on your calling makes you quite a big winner.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Tuesday of the 5th Week of Easter

2009-05-11T22:43:00.001-05:00

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
May 12, 2009
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 14:19-28
Ps 145:10-13ab, 21
John 14:27-31a
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051209.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_12.mp3
*What do you want most from Jesus?*
Imagine what it would be like if Jesus were to visit you in person , visibly and audibly , and he sits you down next to him, holds your hands in his, and tenderly tells you that you're about to die. He says that soon he will take you home to live with him forever in heaven.
And further imagine that he smiles at you and then says that before you go, you can give a gift to the people you're leaving behind on earth — any gift at all, no matter what the cost or how impossible it might seem. It'll be your last will and testament. What gift would you choose?
Let's say that you want to give a healing to Uncle Joe, money to pay off the debts of your unemployed friends, and a soul-mate for your single co-worker. But Jesus explains that it must be one and the same gift that you give to each person, a gift directly from you, representing who you are. This gift is the legacy that you will leave behind. They'll mention it at your funeral and joyfully discover that they all received the same wonderful gift from you. It will comfort them in their sorrow.
The legacy that Jesus left behind — his gift to us, which he explained in today's Gospel passage — is peace. True and lasting peace. A peace that calms troubled hearts. A peace that drives away our fears. A peace that is heaven on earth.
If we accept this gift of peace, we have to trust God no matter what's going on around us. We cannot trust our own interpretation of what's best for us and how our problems should be solved. We have to trust in God's wisdom and limitless compassion. If we take our eyes off of Jesus, we turn away from this gift. Remaining in constant communication with him will keep us securely in his peaceful embrace.
Fear tells us not to trust God, which steals us peace by replacing it with troubled hearts. Fear always lies to us. Remember it this way: F.E.A.R. = False Evidence Appearing Real. To regain the peace that Jesus has given you, first identify the falsehoods that your fears are speaking. Then ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what the truth about it is. Listen carefully. If you need help discerning God's voice, talk to a spiritual director or a prayerful Christian friend. Once the truth becomes audible, trust it. AND ACT UPON IT before fear gets a chance to speak up again!
What gift do you want most from Jesus today? If you have his peace, everything else you want will either follow automatically, in God's perfect timing, or they will no longer matter.
Re-read this Gospel passage and put your own name into it. "My peace I give to you, ." Interpret these verses as a personal testament of love from Jesus to you. Receive the gift he has bequeathed to you!

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Monday of the 4th Week of Easter

2009-05-03T22:22:00.000-05:00

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter
May 4, 2009
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 11:1-18
Ps 42:2-3, 43:3-4
John 10:1-10
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050409.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_04.mp3
*The gate that leads to breakthroughs*
Are you at an impasse in your spiritual growth or emotional healing or a difficult relationship? Do you need a breakthrough? Do you feel stuck behind a fence that's keeping you on the outside of peace, joy, satisfaction, or healing?
Today's Gospel reading tells us that Jesus is the gate in that fence. He's an open gate. He opened himself to you 2000 years ago. He wants you to reach the heavenly side of the fence, where you can live outside the realm of earthly restrictions — not only when you die and enter eternal life, but now, here, so that you "might have life and have it more abundantly."
What breakthrough are you hoping for? What's frustrating you and seems hopeless? What's causing you to think that a problem you're facing might lead to disaster and destruction?
What will you do this week to follow Jesus more closely so that you can get through this with more abundant peace?
When our paths seem blocked, we can only make progress by letting Jesus shepherd us around and through and over the obstacles.
For example, when a relationship is hurtful and we try to improve it but the other person doesn't want to do the work that's required for growth and healing, Jesus is our open gate. Not only does he comfort us and cry with us, but he also gives us what we don't receive from the other person. Sometimes he leads us to a different pasture, especially if that other person is more like a dangerous wolf than a sheep who's following him.
When God commissions us to do something but others shut the door on us, Jesus is our open gate. He will lead us into a new opportunity for accomplishing the work. When a holy desire seems to have no outlet, instead of complaining or quitting, we must stay close to Jesus so we can follow him through the gate that he's opening wide, even though it will be in a location that at first is not what we expect. Until we get all the way through his gate, we must follow like dumb sheep.
There's a journey to take before we can reach the other side of the fence. The thief that comes to steal and slaughter can only reach us when we quit following Jesus because we've taken our eyes off of him.
Despair and worry are two common thieves. They rob us of peace, joy, satisfaction, and healing. But they're not as powerful as they pretend to be. They do not speak the truth. They are merely trying to make us forget that Jesus is our Good Shepherd and that he's safely guiding us into a life of abundant victory.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

4th Sunday of Easter

2009-05-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: May 10, 2009
Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B

Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
To distribute copies of this reflection, please order the
printer-ready leaflet from Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/May/Easter5.htm

Next Sunday's Readings:
Acts 9:26-31
Ps 22:26-28, 30-32
1 John 3:18-24
John 15:1-8
http://www.usccb.org/nab/051009.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_10.mp3

As we see in next Sunday's Gospel reading, all of us who belong to Christ are fruit-bearing branches of one vine. Jesus is the vine, and because we are all attached to him, we share the same calling: to bear good fruit. And not just any fruit that seems good, but the same fruit that Jesus produced.

However, most of us underestimate how important this is! Stop underestimating how necessary it is for YOU to produce Christ's fruit — and more of it — today. Too many Christians settle for mediocrity. As long as we get some personal satisfaction from being Christian, we feel all too satisfied. As long as we're helping some people with our kindness or generosity or love, we think God is satisfied with the good fruits we're producing.

Have you ever asked why there's so much evil in the world? Why doesn't God raise his almighty hand against war, against terrorism, against unemployment, against the greed of high-salaried managers who lay off their employees while giving themselves huge bonuses, against the perpetrators of physical and emotional abuse, against pro-abortion legislation, against poverty, against rising crime rates, or against any evil that's corrupting our world?

Why doesn't God do something?

Actually, HE DOES! However, he does it the same way he grows grapes. The energy of the vine (Jesus) travels through the vine to the little twigs (you and me and all Christians) that hold the grapes. The more open we are to receiving nourishment from Christ, the more fruit Jesus produces through us. But the grapes are not supposed to stay there!

We're nourished by Christ in order to take his fruits abundantly out into the world. We must grow strong and healthy, branch out, and use everything we've received from Christ for the sake of others.

Evil is stopped to the extent that we Christians continue Christ's earthly ministry. Victory over evil comes from Christ, that is, THROUGH us from Christ. Holiness in the world comes from Christ's Holy Spirit actively transforming it through our holiness.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Are you doing everything you can to grow the best grapes on your branch of Christ's vine? How healthy is your connection to Christ? What in your life needs to be pruned off because it's not producing full, abundant fruit?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
Name some of the things we do that fertilize the vineyard. What has helped your branch grow stronger and bear more fruit? How does ignoring the need to prune ourselves hinder the growth of good fruit — evil-defeating good fruit?

STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica; All Rights Reserved.
To share this with others, see our copyright permission page.

Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter - St. Joseph

2009-05-01T14:56:00.000-05:00

Good News Reflection
Friday of the Third Week of Easter
May 1, 2009

Today's Memorial: St. Joseph the Worker
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/JosephWorker.htm
Download for sharing: "Your Work Is Awesome!"
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/May/StJosephWorker.htm

Today's Readings:
Acts 9:1-20
Ps 117:1bc-2 (with Mark 16:15)
John 6:52-59
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050109.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_01.mp3

A more powerful experience of the Eucharist

In reflecting on what it means to eat the flesh of Jesus and drink his blood, consider this: Are WE not also his Body — his Flesh and Blood — for the world today?

Today's Gospel reading contains the Great Eucharistic Command. However, we must not look at this only from the perspective of "what's in it for me?", not if we want to be followers of Christ who said, "Those who feed on me will have life because of me." What kind of life? What's the difference between having HIS life and the one we were born with, the flesh and blood existence of physical bodies that eventually loses its life? The answer lies in who benefits: us or others.

Jesus gives us his body and blood during every Mass so that we benefit by consuming him, which unites us to him (to his love, his life, his ministry, etc.), which then should benefit others.

We also consume him outside the Mass. We draw him into us during our prayers, our interactions with others, and even by appreciating the beauty of nature. He feeds us through Christian songs and other inspiring music. He quenches our thirst for spiritual growth.

As we open ourselves to receive the presence of Jesus outside the Mass, we prepare ourselves more fully to receive what he gives us inside the Mass. Because the Eucharist is our divine Lord giving himself to us completely, in his full divinity and physical humanity, powerfully and miraculously, we leave church significantly changed — or rather, that's the plan; for it to really happen, we have to cooperate with God's plan by being fully involved in the Mass.

Consuming Jesus is supposed to transform us into his likeness. We become what we receive; we become the Eucharist, which means we're ready for others to consume us, or to put it more accurately, we give them opportunities to be nourished by the True Presence of Jesus within us.

When we give love to others, they receive God's love, and when they don't return our love in equal measure, they deplete us: We're being consumed! The same Eucharistic life happens when we give our time and skills and talents but are not paid or rewarded.

The more we're depleted and consumed by others, the more we need to consume Jesus. I can tell you from experience that the busier I am, the more I need to pray and attend daily Mass.

And remember this, which is absolutely essential: By ourselves, we are not the body and blood of Christ. The body has many parts. If you feel drained and depleted, crushed by stresses and worn down, it's because you haven't allowed Jesus to fill you with all of his body and blood, which includes the people he has given you within the Church community, for they are his hands, his smile, his embrace, and his encouragement that strengthens us and renews us.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica; All Rights Reserved.
To share this with others, see our copyright permission page.

Monday of the 3rd Week of Easter

2009-04-27T19:26:00.000-05:00

Good News Reflection
Monday of the Third Week of Easter
April 27, 2009

Today's Saint: Zita
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Zita.htm

Today's Readings:
Acts 6:8-15
Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30 (with 1ab)
John 6:22-29
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/042709.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_27.mp3

Becoming full of grace

Was the Virgin Mary the only human who was "full of grace"? In today's Gospel reading, we see that Stephen, too, was full of grace! Think of "grace" as the activity of God made present in a human person — including you — by God's choice. This activity or presence supplies us with whatever supernatural gifts are needed at that moment.

Being full of grace means being totally and completely open to these gifts and united to God's presence within us. When we're in a "state of grace", we are free of sin and detached from everything that is not of God.

We become "full of grace" during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The True Presence of Jesus comes to us in the form of the priest, who sits in for the whole community that was wounded by our sins. Jesus takes our sins, nails them to his cross, absolves us of the punishment we deserve, and begins to heal the divisions that our sins have caused.

The completion of the healing still requires action from us, but in this Sacrament, the action of God is a grace-filled and grace-filling experience: It empowers us to change and to make amends and to avoid repeating the same sins. It's a more powerful experience than seeking God's forgiveness outside of the Sacrament.

Another opportunity to become full of grace is during Mass. It starts when we accept the invitation of the presiding priest to recall our sins and seek Christ's mercy. It continues through the insights that the Holy Spirit gives us from the Word of God and from the homily that explains it. The "Our Father", prayed in unison with the community, furthers the healing. Giving each other the "Peace be with you" handshake or hug helps to heal us from the brokenness of community life that our sins have caused.

By the time we see the miraculous True Presence of Jesus on the altar, we have encountered his grace in many ways. We open ourselves to the fullness of this grace by honestly praying, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but say the Word and I shall be healed."

Then, receiving the Eucharist is receiving our full unity with God and with the community.

If you cannot receive the Eucharist due to special circumstances, and if you're not stuck in an on-going, unrepented sin, your prayer of "Lord ... say the Word and I shall be healed" is your moment of being filled with grace. You receive Spiritual Communion. But do everything possible to receive the fullness of Christ in the Eucharist. Talk to a priest about remedies for your circumstances. The Church has ways to help you open yourself to all that God offers.

Whenever we consciously remain stuck in sin, we're choosing division over communion. Please don't continue pretending that you're not really sinning. Purifying our lives is hard, but God gives us supernatural help through the awesomeness of his grace.

Friday of the 2nd Week of Easter

2009-04-23T22:24:00.001-05:00

Friday of the Second Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Friday of the Second Week of Easter
April 24, 2009
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 5:34-42
Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14
John 6:1-15
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/042409.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_24.mp3
*Joy under trial*

There's a line in the story from today's first reading that does not make sense: They left rejoicing because they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of Jesus. How could anyone derive joy from being misjudged and dishonored? Even for Christ's sake!

When I'm on trial, being judged by others, criticized, misunderstood, or rejected, and my reputation's under attack, I want to grumble about it, to say the least. What if someone in a position of authority were to order me to stop distributing these Good News reflections because he doesn't approve of non-clergy writing them? Well, I don't think joy is what I'd be feeling.

The fact is, no matter where we live, we're all on trial for our faith every day. Some of my readers live in countries where Christians are literally being persecuted like the first apostles. They face real danger if they're caught reading this. However, who hasn't been put on trial for their faith? Only those whose faith is so invisible that it has no impact.

We are whipped with words. We're hauled into the court of people's minds where we're unfairly judged and prosecuted. We're sentenced to a change of subject so that we cannot freely talk about Jesus. It happens when we speak up for children who are in danger of being aborted. It happens when we compassionately embrace homosexuals while promoting chaste living without sexual activity. It happens when we use the gifts and talents and education the Lord has given us when others think we're not qualified.

Think of any time when someone took away your freedom to do what God called you to do. Did you feel full of joy — or angrily frustrated? So, how DID the early apostles find joy as they left the Sanhedrin?

The joy of persecution comes from being so in love with God that nothing else really matters. When we're more in love with our reputations, the disapproval of others makes us miserable. Joy comes from making God our focus instead of what happens to us. And by keeping our eyes on Jesus, we remember that even our crosses become resurrections. Even our denied freedoms are new opportunities for divine intervention, because God cannot be stopped and his will cannot be deferred for long. THAT is a huge reason to feel joyful.

It's not easy to keep our focus entirely on God. It takes great effort and continual, conscious decision. The more we work at it, the more we will enable our trust in God, and that's when we experience amazing joy. With the Holy Spirit's help, it's not impossible at all. And if we feel even just a wee bit of joy, we can ask Jesus to multiply it and he will, just like he did with the bread and fish in today's Gospel reading.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Thursday of the 2nd Week of Easter

2009-04-22T23:00:00.003-05:00

*Receiving your full portion of the Spirit*
Has the Father rationed the gift of his Spirit to you? Do you have a portion of the Holy Spirit or the fullness of the Spirit? In today's Gospel passage, Jesus says that the Father did not ration ("limit") the Spirit to him. What about us?

In the first reading, Peter says that the Holy Spirit has been given to all who obey the Father. You and I do not obey God all of the time like Jesus did. Does this mean that the Father gives us less of his Spirit than he gave to Jesus?

Try this question: Is the Father's love ever limited? Can he partially love anyone? Of course not! There is no such thing as "partial love". Love is love! God who is love fully and completely loves you. So why does it seem like he gave Jesus the fullness of the Spirit but only a portion to us?
The Son stayed fully in touch with the Father and was therefore open to receiving everything that the Father wanted to give him. When we were baptized into the life of Christ, the Father gave us his Spirit fully. The problem is, we're not fully in touch with the Father. Our worldly attachments and busyness distract us. Our sins build a dam that holds back the waters of the Spirit.

Countless saints experienced the power of the Spirit in amazing miracles, because they worked hard daily at breaking down the barriers between this world and heaven. They worked hard at purging out all the sins and distractions that disconnected them from God. "But I'll never be THAT holy," we point out. We give up before we try long enough. We become content with the progress we've made and so we sit down on a cozy wayside bench. We see hard work ahead, and so we turn onto paths that look pleasant and easy.

Thus, we lead mediocre lives instead of miraculous ones. Big dreams become fantasies instead of realities. And instead of making great accomplishments that change the world, we severely limit our potential.

The most important priority of our lives should be the nurturing of our communion with God. Do you care enough about your personal spiritual development that you'll work hard for it? Daily? The Father is not the one who rations the Holy Spirit to us. We limit the extent of the Spirit's powerful affect on our lives by neglecting to center ourselves more fully in God. We let distractions pull us off-center. We let sins pull us even farther away.

Observe the decisions that you make today (and each day) while asking yourself: "Am I choosing the way of holiness? Am I staying centered on God's love for me and my love for him?" Each and every moment! Making the right decisions — the holy and loving and soul-nurturing decisions — will flood your life with God's Spirit.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Easter

2009-04-22T22:54:00.000-05:00

Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
April 22, 2009

Today's Readings:
Acts 5:17-26
Ps 34:2-9
John 3:16-21
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/042209.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_22.mp3

Living free of condemnation

Today's Gospel passage makes very clear a truth that many of us don't fully believe: Jesus did not come here to condemn anyone. Yet we feel condemned whenever we feel guilty about a sin. Why is that?

It's because we are harder on ourselves than we are on others. On the surface, it seems that we're supposed to do that. To be easy on ourselves (e.g.: "I'm okay, I'm not really sinning.") would be self-indulgent, which is rooted in the sin of pride, right? Yes, but usually the reason why people rationalize that their sins as really not sins is because they're afraid of feeling condemned, which translates to feeling unloved, which translates as proof that they are unlovable.

Have you been unable to forgive yourself? Are you trying to find your happiness in how others treat you because you don't feel happy about yourself? Do you feel like you don't get enough affirmation, but when you do get it, you feel embarrassed and unworthy?

These are typical results from failing to grasp the full meaning of this scripture. They are the normal consequences of believing that we're not good enough no matter what we do.

When we sin, guilt confirms that we deserve to be condemned. When we innocently make a mistake, this too seems to confirm that we deserve to be condemned, and so we condemn ourselves for making the mistake instead of seeing it as just another learning tool. And every unjust, unfair, unkind situation that happens to us also triggers this feeling of being condemned.

The truth is: You were freed from condemnation when you accepted the idea that Christ sacrificed his life on the cross for YOU.

When we sin, we are guilty of doing something evil, and when we repent, we return to the freedom gained by Christ. But too often guilt becomes shame, which is the false assumption that WE are evil. Shame continues long after we've been forgiven. Jesus doesn't condemn us, but shame does. Shame won't free us from guilt, won't allow us to enjoy the forgiveness of God, won't enable us to forgive ourselves.

Guilt tells us the truth about ourselves and invites us to grow from it; shame lies to us and paralyzes our growth.

The truth is: There is no shame in realizing your sinfulness, because facing it frees you to become who you really are. Who are you really? Thanks to your baptism and the presence of Christ's Holy Spirit within you, you are holy!

The good we do is the earthly ministry of Christ as he serves today's world through us. As repentant Christians, we live in his light and our works are seen as done in God. Therefore, God delights in you. Don't let shame hide this truth from you.

Thursday of the 2nd Week of Easter

2009-04-22T22:52:00.004-05:00

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
April 23, 2009
*Today's Saint: George*
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/George.htm
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 5:27-33
Ps 34:2, 9, 17-20 (with 7a)
John 3:31-36
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/042309.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_23.mp3
*Receiving your full portion of the Spirit*
Has the Father rationed the gift of his Spirit to you? Do you have a portion of the Holy Spirit or the fullness of the Spirit? In today's Gospel passage, Jesus says that the Father did not ration ("limit") the Spirit to him. What about us?

In the first reading, Peter says that the Holy Spirit has been given to all who obey the Father. You and I do not obey God all of the time like Jesus did. Does this mean that the Father gives us less of his Spirit than he gave to Jesus?

Try this question: Is the Father's love ever limited? Can he partially love anyone? Of course not! There is no such thing as "partial love". Love is love! God who is love fully and completely loves you. So why does it seem like he gave Jesus the fullness of the Spirit but only a portion to us?
The Son stayed fully in touch with the Father and was therefore open to receiving everything that the Father wanted to give him. When we were baptized into the life of Christ, the Father gave us his Spirit fully. The problem is, we're not fully in touch with the Father. Our worldly attachments and busyness distract us. Our sins build a dam that holds back the waters of the Spirit.

Countless Saints experienced the power of the Spirit in amazing miracles, because they worked hard daily at breaking down the barriers between this world and heaven. They worked hard at purging out all the sins and distractions that disconnected them from God. "But I'll never be THAT holy," we point out. We give up before we try long enough. We become content with the progress we've made and so we sit down on a cozy wayside bench. We see hard work ahead, and so we turn onto paths that look pleasant and easy.

Thus, we lead mediocre lives instead of miraculous ones. Big dreams become fantasies instead of realities. And instead of making great accomplishments that change the world, we severely limit our potential. The most important priority of our lives should be the nurturing of our communion with God. Do you care enough about your personal spiritual development that you'll work hard for it? Daily? The Father is not the one who rations the Holy Spirit to us. We limit the extent of the Spirit's powerful affect on our lives by neglecting to center ourselves more fully in God. We let distractions pull us off-center. We let sins pull us even farther away.

Observe the decisions that you make today (and each day) while asking yourself: "Am I choosing the way of holiness? Am I staying centered on God's love for me and my love for him?" Each and every moment! Making the right decisions — the holy and loving and soul-nurturing decisions — will flood your life with God's Spirit.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

2009-04-20T23:29:00.001-05:00

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
April 21, 2009
*Today's Saint: Anselm of Canterbury*
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Anselm.htm
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 4:32-37
Ps 93:1-2, 5
John 3:7b-15
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/042109.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_21.mp3
*Flying high in the Spirit*

What does it mean "to be born from above"? In today's Gospel passage, Jesus explained that it means being led by God even when we don't know where he's leading us. It means being free to float in the Spirit at any time in any direction, because we are not attached to this world even though it's what we can touch, smell, see, hear audibly, and control.

Life in the Spirit means living as a feather on the wind, offering no resistance to being picked up and transported by a gust that we cannot see, having no sense of alarm when find ourselves in an unexpected place. However, being a light-weight feather that's blown around by the Lord's invisible breath is more likely to freak us out than to relax us, because it challenges our "need" to be in control.

We see in the first reading that the community of believers were detached from their possessions. They were so high on the Spirit, so fully trusting in God that everyone made themselves available to be used by God to meet each others' needs. Why can't we become like that? It is possible — this is God's design — but it can only happen within the context of community.

By ourselves, we cannot be that generous, supplying everything that another person needs, but we think we should, and so we feel overwhelmed and inadequate and therefore we don't do much at all. We get stuck in our inadequacies because we live such individualistic lives that we forget that we are part of the earthly Body of Christ, which is the whole Church in community. Individually, the Holy Spirit shows us which particular needs of the community he wants us to address, and in community, Christ's Spirit joins our helpfulness to others who can also help. Thus, everyone's needs can get met.

To measure your freedom of spirit, examine how attached you are to this world. Test yourself with the collection basket at Mass. In scripture, God repeatedly asks for a tithing, i.e., 10% of our total income (which can be split between the parish and other charities). If we're so attached to our possessions that we can't give five percent of our money to our own parish, how free are we to follow any other leadings of the Spirit?

What if the Lord makes you aware of a parishioner who cannot get employment because he has no car? And what if you're about to trade in your old car for a new one? Could you give it to him? What if he attempts to pay you for it but his check bounces? Would you demand payment or forgive the debt? Or would you instead thank God for the opportunity to experience one of the wounds of Jesus as you continue to float along wherever the Spirit blows? (It really is possible; I speak from experience.)

St. John of the Cross said, "It makes little difference whether a bird is tied by a thin thread or by a cord. For even if tied by thread, the bird will be prevented from taking off just as surely as if it were tied by cord -- that is, it will be impeded from flight as long as it does not break the thread....This is the lot of a man who is attached to something; no matter how much virtue he has, he will not reach the freedom of divine union."

/*For an inspirational PowerPoint presentation on Life in the Spirit* to show in religious education classes, RCIA, and prayer groups, please visit Catholic Digital Resources at http://catholicdr.com/TrinityRetreat and scroll down to see the last one on the page where you can preview it./

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:

http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Monday of the 2nd Week of Easter

2009-04-20T21:54:00.003-05:00

Good News Reflection
Monday of the Second Week of Easter
April 20, 2009

Today's Readings:
Acts 4:23-31
Ps 2:1-9 (with 11d)
John 3:1-8
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/042009.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_20.mp3

Is the Holy Spirit alive and active in you?

Have you ever been asked, "Are you born-again?" Skip that question! Go directly to: "Is the Holy Spirit living within you, activating your faith, inspiring you to holy action?" Converting to Jesus Christ is not enough. A personal relationship with his Holy Spirit is what makes the difference between a sinful person and a holy person.

As we celebrate the risen Lord throughout the Easter season, the Church repeatedly reminds us that after Easter comes Pentecost. We see the disciples intoday's first reading praying so fully in the Lord that they become overflowingly filled with the Holy Spirit.

It was the Holy Spirit who gave them unfettered boldness to proclaim God's word; without this, they were scared and ineffective. Does your faith in Christ free you from what seems intimidating or frightening? Does your faith give you powerful boldness and confidence, causing you to take action for the sake of continuing Christ's ministry?

It was the Holy Spirit who filled the first Christians with rejoicing when they faced persecution. Are you able to rejoice in the midst of troubles? It was the Holy Spirit who inspired them to pray and then deepened their prayer. Is your prayer life in need of help? It was the Holy Spirit who shook the room in which the disciples were gathered, not an earthquake. Does your faith shake up your life? Do you sense the powerful presence of God when you gather in community?

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus puts the baptism of the Holy Spirit on equal level with baptism by water. The two work together. Baptism by water cleanses us from sin. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be holy and resist new temptations to sin. Does your faith enable you to overcome repeated tendencies to sin? By water, God's holiness has replaced your fallen, sinful nature. By the Holy Spirit, God's holiness has become your true nature.

The Holy Spirit is the key that unlocks our holiness: "No one can enter into God's kingdom without being born of water AND Spirit.... Spirit begets spirit." We can only be Christ-like when his Holy Spirit is alive and active in us. We can only stay on the path to heaven when the Holy Spirit is our guide.

We lack nothing that's needed for salvation and eternal life; the Holy Spirit was given to us FULLY during our Baptism, and this was confirmed in the Sacrament of Confirmation. To succeed in God's plan of salvation, all we have to do is unite our spirit to the activities of Christ's Spirit.

Here's a prayer to the Holy Spirit that you can use in your daily prayers while preparing for the celebration of Pentecost: http://wordbytes.org/prayers/HolySpirit.htm. If you want copies of this to distribute in your parish, please see the published version at Catholic Digital Resources: http://catholicdr.com/faithbuilders/prayers/HolySpirit-Prayer.htm.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:

http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Second Sunday of Easter

2009-04-18T19:37:00.003-05:00

Good News Reflection
April 19, 2009
Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle B

Sunday's Readings:
Acts 4:32-35
Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
1 John 5:1-6
John 20:19-31
http://www.usccb.org/nab/041909.shtml

Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_19.mp3

"My Lord and my God!" This exclamation of Thomas in Sunday's Gospel reading used to be our exclamation at the raising of the Eucharist during Mass. It was a tradition that many Catholics have forgotten in recent years. We should renew this habit. It's an awe-filled, humble recognition of Christ's Lordship AND of the reality of his presence in the form of bread and wine.

Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical on the Holy Eucharist, Ecclesia de Eucharistia: "To contemplate Christ involves being able to recognize him wherever he manifests himself, in his many forms of presence, but above all in the living sacrament of his body and his blood." (You can get to know the entire amazing document by taking my online course that covers it: http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/Eucharistia.)

Notice how Jesus convinced the disciples that he'd really come back to life in the flesh. They thought he was a ghost, or they didn't know what to think. They found the miracle of the resurrection too incredible to grasp.

Jesus revealed the truth of the miracle through his wounds. He does the same for you and me in every Mass.

Through the use of our logic and our senses, it's difficult to grasp the truth that the bread and wine miraculously become the actual body and blood of Christ — the same broken and bleeding body that died on the cross 2000 years ago. It's even harder to see and understand that the resurrected Jesus is also there!

During Mass, we enter the timelessness of eternity to benefit from the living Christ. When we realize that we personally need the sacrifice he made on Good Friday, because we've sinned, we begin to look at his wounds from a crucial perspective. It is then that we begin to understand the truth about the Eucharist.

The first step toward believing in the miracle of the Eucharist occurs when we want Christ's death to save us from our sins and his resurrection to take us to heaven. The final step occurs when our desire to unite to Jesus is so thorough that we yearn for him to consume our lives with his presence. We want the divine Jesus to come to us in the flesh — in whatever manner he chooses — to transform us into his likeness.

It is this desire that makes us exclaim whenever we see the Eucharist, "My Lord and my God!"

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Have you ever doubted the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? How do you feel when you look at the Eucharist? Does your spirit exclaim, "My Lord and my God"? Why or why not?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
How has Jesus revealed himself to you in surprising ways — "in his many forms of presence"? When have you found him incredible, difficult to grasp? What helped you accept the truth of his presence in that situation? And how has Jesus revealed his presence to you in the Eucharist?

Friday in the Octave of Easter

2009-04-16T22:44:00.005-05:00

Friday in the Octave of Easter (Year 1)
*Good News Reflection*
Friday in the Octave of Easter
April 17, 2009
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 4:1-12
Ps 118:1-2, 4, 22-27a
John 21:1-14
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041709.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_17.mp3
*Moving forward into mature spiritual growth*
Recall a time when you had no problem recognizing that Jesus was ministering to you through another person or some unusual circumstance. You had no need to ask Jesus, "Who are you?" or "Is that you, Lord?" because you knew the answer.
Prior to the incident in today's Gospel reading, whenever the resurrected Jesus visited his disciples, they either didn't recognize him or they thought he was a ghost. Now at last they have reached enough spiritual maturity to know Jesus when they encounter him.
What convinced them that this man standing on the lake shore was the Lord? Was it the miracle of the super-abundant catch of fish after a night of frustration and disappointment? As a repeat of what had happened at the beginning of his ministry, this might have been a clue. Or had they learned to sense his nearness?
How do WE recognize Jesus?
Today's first reading reminds us that we reject the presence of Jesus when we fail to recognize him in the people around us, or when we fail to accept what he's doing in our long-suffering hardships. What seems like the wrong way to solve a problem actually is the cornerstone of God's plan. What seems like a reason to doubt God's love turns out to be the cornerstone of new spiritual growth. What seems like the loss of a relationship can become the cornerstone of a new and better friendship. What seems like a day of disaster is really "the day the Lord has made", a day to "rejoice and be glad in it", as today's responsorial Psalm proclaims.
Every time we give up, every time we despair, every time we lose hope, we are misunderstanding Jesus. He is always — always! — busy caring for us and working for our benefit (and for the benefit of everyone else who's involved in the situation). He's always fulfilling the Father's plans for us — plans for our good, a loving plan. It's impossible for him to do otherwise!
Spiritual maturity comes from learning to recognize Jesus and keeping our eyes on him. We mature as he reveals himself through scripture, the Eucharist, in our hearts, in the love of the people around us, in the gifts and talents that God has given us, in the way circumstances fall into place and our prayers are answered, in the circumstances that DON'T seem good, in the people who are difficult to love, and in the dark where we can't see God at all.
When we ask: "Where are you, God? Who are you? Is that you?" — that's when we're on the cusp of new spiritual growth. The next step is to trust that God is right here beside us doing much good.

Thursday in the Octave of Easter

2009-04-16T22:41:00.002-05:00

Good News Reflection
Thursday in the Octave of Easter
April 16, 2009

Today's Readings:
Acts 3:11-26
Ps 8:2ab, 5-9
Luke 24:35-48
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041609.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_16.mp3

Discovering who we really are

Today's Gospel reading makes a point of calling our attention to the physical nature of Jesus' resurrected body. Why is it important to know that Jesus could still eat? Or that people could feel his skin?

Christianity is the only religion that has a savior who is fully divine yet fully human like us. Until the birth of Jesus, the world was divided between heaven and earth, the eternal and the temporal. God could bridge the gap and touch us, but due to our sinfulness, we could not exceed the limitations of earth and touch him. Since Jesus was the only sinless human who was also divine, he became the bridge that united heaven and earth.

Today, we don't have the opportunity to touch his hands and dine on fish with him like the first disciples did, and so we easily forget just how human Jesus continues to be and will always be throughout eternity. As a human, he was the first physical person to reach heaven. As a human, he comes for us when we die. As God, he embraces all those who want to be united to him eternally and takes them to heaven. Jesus leads the way — physically as well as spiritually.

Eventually, we'll all have "glorified" (i.e., eternal) flesh-bodies like the one Jesus told the disciples to touch. We won't be bodiless spirits floating around. We'll be able to eat fish and double-chocolate fudge brownies (without getting fat of course). I suppose that those who enjoy baking here on earth will be able to continue this scrumptious ministry in heaven, and the rest of us will partake of their goodies! Okay, okay, don't take my food-filled description of heaven too literally; the earthly mind cannot begin to know what heaven will really be like, and I'm only using my limited understanding to explain what I can't really explain.

Are there any wounds in heaven? Yes — the wounds of Jesus. He showed them to the disciples, so we know he's still got them. Will we take our wounds into heaven? No — by his wounds we are totally healed! This would not have been possible if God had not become one of us.

There's a bad excuse we sometimes use when we sin: "Oh well, I'm only human." Only what? Being human means being like Jesus! If we've been baptized, we've been raised up into his humanity and his divinity. Therefore, when we sin, it would be more accurate to say: "Oops, I forgot to be human like Jesus."

Our flesh-nature has been redeemed, but in its weaknesses we often succumb to an animalistic sub-human nature. Or we give ourselves up to non-human demonic influences. Either way, it's not who we really are. Jesus made a big deal about the physical nature of his resurrected body so that we could discover who we really are.

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

2009-04-15T20:58:00.003-05:00

Good News Reflection
Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
April 15, 2009

Today's Readings:
Acts 3:1-10
Ps 105:1-4, 6-9
Luke 24:13-35
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041509.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_15.mp3

Recognizing Jesus when he comes to us

Mary Magdalene did not recognize the risen Jesus until he called her by name. In today's Gospel story, the disciples on the road to Emmaus do not recognize him until they (1) listen to him explain the Word, and (2) break bread with him.

When Jesus gave them a new understanding of scripture, these two unnamed disciples did not recognize him consciously (in their heads), but their hearts definitely did. Their heads caught up with their hearts at the end of the journey when Jesus gave them a eucharistic sharing of the bread.

The Masses we celebrate today are meant to be a similar journey of rediscovering and recognizing Jesus. First, we have the Liturgy of the Word. To get value from the scriptures as they are read at Mass, we must listen with our hearts.

Then we move into the Liturgy of the Eucharist. When the presiding priest consecrates the bread and wine, it is actually Jesus who is doing it. Christ who dwells within him is doing for us what he did for those two disciples at Emmaus.

If we have opened our hearts to Jesus during the first part of Mass, we will have the faith to see much more than a piece of bread and a cup of wine. We know with our hearts AND our heads that the Eucharist is indeed truly the body and blood of Jesus — not symbols, not what our eyes or our taste buds tell us, but what faith tells us.

Those who still cannot believe with their hearts that the bread and wine are transformed into Jesus himself need only ask Jesus to help them recognize the truth and continue asking until they experience the truth. The desire to believe is the starting point of full belief.

When Jesus comes to you in the Word, is your heart quickened? Do the scriptures touch your heart and change your life? And when the bread and wine miraculously become Jesus, do you fall onto your knees in awe because you are in the presence of God Almighty? Do you feel unworthy to receive onto your lips one so holy as Jesus? When you pray, "Lord I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and I shall be healed," are you changed by the experience? Do you become holier, purer, and more determined to live the way Jesus asks you to?

Finally, are you so moved by your encounter with Jesus in Mass that you leave church like the two disciples in Emmaus? They set out at once and returned to Jerusalem to tell others what Jesus had done for them. They became evangelizers. They did not keep the news to themselves; they shared it so that others could benefit.

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

2009-04-14T23:00:00.003-05:00

Good News Reflection
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
April 14, 2009

Today's Readings:
Acts 2:36-41
Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22
John 20:11-18
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041409.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_14.mp3

Experiencing heaven on earth

Why did Jesus tell Mary Magdalene to stop clinging to him in today's Gospel reading? Was he against hugs? Don't you wish you could feel him hugging you right now? How could Mary's embrace interfere with Jesus ascending to the Father?

In Jerusalem, the Chapel of Mary Magdalene in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has a bronze sculpture depicting this scripture. It shows Mary full of joy in the discovery that her dearest friend has risen from the dead. One hand of Jesus is gesturing for her to stop. His other hand is raised toward heaven, and his gaze is following this hand upward. It's as if he's saying, "Look toward heaven; what's earthly doesn't matter nearly as much."

Mary's head is tilted upward. Her gaze wants to go where Jesus is looking, but her eyes are caught between heaven and earth. One of her hands wants to touch Jesus, the other is covering her heart as if realizing that this is where he will dwell after he ascends to the Father.

Have you ever wished you could see and touch Jesus in the flesh? Jesus wants you to know that it's better to focus on the blessings of heaven than to wish for an experience that's only brief and temporary. Jesus does hug us — through every hug we get from other people — but the physical touch is never enough. That's why he told Mary not to "cling" or "hold" onto him, instead of saying, "Don't hug me."

To fully embrace the eternal, we have to let go of everything that we cling to on earth. Saints have levitated in prayer because their spirits were stronger than their physical bodies, which were no longer attached to this world. Their relationship with God was stronger than the distractions of this world.

Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit to raise our spirits to the Father. What are you clinging to that hinders this? Sometimes, we hold onto the subconscious idea that God the Father is imperfect like our human fathers. Maybe we're more interested in OUR ideas, OUR goals, OUR desires (which will only satisfy us for a season) than in what the Father wants for us (which will satisfy us for all eternity).

Do we fail to make sacrifices for others because we're clinging to our own earthly comfort? Are we refusing to stretch beyond our comfort zones, because we want to hold on to what's familiar? Are we hanging on to any old habits or addictions?

Resurrected living means letting Jesus raise us from the dying, temporary world of earthly satisfactions into the joys of heaven. We don't need to touch Jesus to feel touched by him. He's inviting us to let our spirits soar heavenward while we're still living on earth. We fly to him whenever we remember that what's earthly doesn't matter nearly as much as what awaits us in heaven.

Monday in the Octave of Easter

2009-04-13T16:40:00.002-05:00

Good News Reflection
Monday in the Octave of Easter
April 13, 2009

Today's Readings:
Acts 2:14, 22-33
Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11
Matt 28:8-15
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041309.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_13.mp3

Living in the good news of Easter

Do you know what it's like to be fearful and, at the same time, overjoyed? That's how the women in today's Gospel passage felt when they encountered the risen Lord for the first time.

I can remember numerous occasions when I felt this way. For one, the moment my first child was born. In the midst of that wonderfully awesome joy, fear made me wonder: Can I be a good enough mom to handle the unimaginable responsibilities of raising this son into a God-serving man? (The answer was: "Yes, but only with the Holy Spirit's help. And when he grows up and seems to stray from My plans for him, it's not because you failed as a parent; it's because the Holy Spirit isn't finished with him yet.")

Think of any overwhelming, maybe even impossible task that you've been given. Or any God-ordained task you did do but apparently failed to do well.

Easter is not merely the end of Lent. Resurrection is not merely the end of an old life or old habits or an old problem that you've wanted to overcome. Easter is a season — an unending season — of joyfully running to others to share the Good News like those first evangelists on that first Easter Sunday. The resurrection experience is a season of letting your faith be a source of joy for those who don't yet know how to find Jesus, like the women did for the disciples on that gloriously surprising day.

How overwhelming does THAT task feel?

If we really understand that we're Easter people, which means that we've been resurrected from the destruction of sin, how can we restrain our joy? When we're fully aware, we don't want to keep this truth to ourselves. We push the fearfulness aside and freely share our life-changing experiences with others.

The movement of growth during Lent was inward. We reflected on our need for forgiveness. Now, the movement of growth is outward. In this, there is much to fear: What if we get rejected? What if we get persecuted for our faith?

But Jesus tells us what he told the first disciples: "Don't be afraid." And why not? The reason is simple and profound: Because he is with us always, and because he fills in the gaps of our inadequacies with his Holy Spirit. Jesus the Man kisses our boo-boos and embraces us in our persecutions. His Spirit gives us wisdom and inspiration.

The joy of Easter Sunday is nice, but let's be honest. In our everyday lives, do we live more by fear or by joy? Easter Sunday is the beginning of a season. Easter faith is the beginning of a lifetime of joy. It's time to move beyond the Cross. We have much to celebrate in Jesus. There are people around us who need to see us celebrate our faith. The Good News isn't GOOD news unless it raises people up out of their miseries. This is the evidence that the world needs, proving that Jesus is still very much alive.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T23:08:00.001-05:00

My audio of this reflection is podcast at:
http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts/

Good News Reflection
April 12, 2009
Easter Sunday, Cycle B
The Resurrection of the Lord

Readings for Easter Morning:
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8
John 20:1-9 or Mark 16:1-7 or Luke 24:13-35
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041209.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_12.mp3

Celebrate! This Sunday is the anniversary of the Great Surprise, and just as the first disciples were surprised to find the tomb empty, so too does God have some resurrection surprises ready for you!

In Easter Sunday's Gospel reading, there's a lot of scurrying around and excitement and reporting some amazing news that no one yet understands. Even though Jesus had given them advance notice that he would rise again after being put to death, God's plans took them by surprise. They did not expect a resurrection. They didn't understand that it was a necessary part of the Messiah's mission.

God's plans often take us by surprise. In so many situations of our lives, we don't understand that hard times are going to produce wonderful victories. We fail to realize that the empty tombs in our lives (the losses that we grieve) are beginnings of important new growth. We cannot imagine how Jesus is going to redeem bad times into great blessings.

We suffer through the hardships, just trying to cope, waiting for an opportunity to finally walk away from our crosses. Meanwhile, Jesus wants to give us an Easter morning because of the crosses.

How can we recognize the glory of God when we're depressed? How can we realize our resurrections when we're cursing our crosses? It's impossible!

To be the Easter people that we're supposed to be, we have to learn how to see the hope of resurrection in the pain of the cross. We have to trust that Jesus is always there, working a plan to redeem bad into good. We have to allow ourselves to be surprised by God.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
What trials are you still enduring? What cross are you still carrying? Are you still being nailed for something you did not do? Which of your desires or dreams are dying? Ask the Father to use your sufferings for the glory of his kingdom. What new life is this creating for you?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
What are some of the ways in which God has surprised you? How is this an experience of resurrection?

Good Friday Reflection

2009-04-10T12:35:00.004-05:00

My audio of this reflection is podcast at:http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts/
Good News ReflectionGood FridayCelebration of the Lord's Passion April 10, 2009
Today's Readings:Isaiah 52:13 -- 53:12 Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1 -- 19:42

http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041009.shtml
Audio: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_10.mp3

The healing gift of Christ's death
Over the centuries since his death and resurrection, Jesus has revealed to mystics that those who meditate on his Passion are very dear to him. St. Augustine wrote that "there is no more profitable occupation for the soul than to meditate daily on the Passion of Our Lord."
The crucifixes we see today are cleaned-up versions of the horrible torture Our Lord suffered out of love for us. Today, meditate on this love, this tremendous love. He willingly subjected himself to intense pains because HE LOVES YOU and he knew it would do much good for you.
This is a tremendous gift that Jesus has given to you and to me and to everyone who accepts it. Read today's Gospel passage with the realization that every ounce of pain he suffered was offered for your benefit so that your sins would not destroy you. That's how important you are to God! That's how much he cares!
Looking at Jesus on the Cross should cure any low self-esteem, because it shows how highly he esteems us. Since he has done this for you, will he not also do everything else besides, if it's truly good for you?
What sufferings have caused you to doubt yourself, or to think unkindly about yourself, or to feel poorly about yourself? Take them to the Cross. Imagine giving them to a soldier. Now, watch him nail them into the hands and feet of your beloved Savior.
Let these wounds die with Jesus; no matter how badly they have hurt you, he has already taken the brunt of the beatings for you.
In the Good Friday services of the Catholic Church, we venerate the Cross by kissing it. Let your kiss be a gift of "thank you" to Jesus.
Then rest in the silence of the tomb with Jesus on Holy Saturday. Rest in the truth about how valuable you are to the Lord. On Easter Sunday, as we joyfully celebrate his resurrection, he has a glorious resurrection that he wants to share with you! Open yourself to receive it.
Take your own final step to Calvary: Make a list of all the ways you feel bad about yourself. List the people who've ridiculed you and insulted you. List the times you've felt worthless. List the reasons why you feel unlovable. List everything that gives you low self-esteem.
Then, while looking at a cross, meditate on the gift of sacrificial love that Jesus has given to you. He gladly and willingly subjected himself to intense pains because HE LOVES YOU! He knew it would bring you into the kingdom of God where he wants to spend eternity with you!
To help you meditate on this, read "The Healing Wounds of Jesus":http://www.wordbytes.org/healing/HealingWounds/

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy this reflection, go to:http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Holy Thursday

2009-04-09T00:06:00.002-05:00

Holy Thursday (Year 1)

My audio of this reflection is podcast at:* http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts/

Good News Reflection

Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper April 9, 2009

Today's Readings:*Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14Ps 116:12-13, 15-181 Cor 11:23-26John 13:1-15 http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/040909b.shtml

Audio: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_09.mp3

Washing away our reluctance to serve*Jesus did not come into this world to be served, although he is God and surely deserves it. He came to serve. He came to serve YOU. And through you, he wants to serve everyone you know.After inviting us to sit back and enjoy being served by our wonderful God, Jesus says in today's Gospel passage: "I have given you a model to follow — what I have done for you, you should also do." His foot-washing ceremony is a model of service. Such a Godly model is hard to imitate, very difficult. It means loving others so much that we do good deeds for them, including the people we dislike, those whose feet are dirty and disgusting. In other words, while we're upset about the folks who have not served us the way we think they should (and probably we're right), we unite ourselves to Jesus by becoming Eucharist for them.What does it mean to "be Eucharist"? Receiving the body and blood of Jesus unites us to him and to his whole Body, the Church. We walk up to Christ in the communion line as individuals, responsible for our own conversions, saying, "I am not worthy to receive you...", but after we receive the Eucharist, we return to our pews as members of the Body, "with union" (the meaning of "communion"). As part of Christ's body, we are now as much the Eucharist as that bread and wine have become. At the end of Mass, we're commissioned to go out and be Eucharist — be the real presence of Christ — in the world.Years ago, God drove home to me this point. In a prayer meeting, I surprisingly found myself washing the feet of a priest who had betrayed his parishioners (and me and my family and some friends) through his alcoholism and lust. I tell you, his feet were ugly! But much uglier was his refusal to accept the truth about his addictions and sins.What did the foot-washing accomplish? It made a clear statement about mercy. On a personal level, it gave me the opportunity to show him that I was willing to serve him if he was willing to accept it as part of a healing process. He wasn't, and eventually I had to report him to the authorities, but the foot-washing ceremony healed me of my own unwillingness to love unconditionally. Jesus washed MY feet along with my heart. And I gained a much greater understanding of the love that Jesus has for me every time he washes my ugly feet (my sins).Remember, though, that Jesus never gives up on anyone. Years later, he washed the feet of this priest with the gift of mercy in a much firmer way. God gave him a redemptive time of earthly purgatory in the form of a painful disease that started with his feet and worked its way up through the rest of his body. Confined to bed, enduring pain that medications couldn't totally eliminate, he allowed the disease to purge him of his pride and his addictions. Although his priesthood was never fully what it should have been, Jesus embraced him with passionate love.*Today's step on the Lenten journey: *To be able to do good for others when it's not pleasant, first understand why Jesus washes your feet. Spend time in prayer today visualizing your own personal foot-washing ceremony with Jesus. Imagine him kneeling in front of you gently rinsing off the dirt from your feet. Then go to Holy Thursday Mass with a question for Jesus about how you are being called to go and do likewise.