Daily Readings 05/18/2013: Lovers of Violence and Dr. Kermit Gosnell

Daily Readings: 05/18/2013


"The LORD searches the just and the wicked;the lover of violence he hates." Ps. 11:5


Earlier this week, Kermit Gosnell, a true monster, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for killing a baby born alive in a botched abortion in his facility in Philadelphia. Nobody knows how many times this happened in his 'clinic' over the decades that he was in business. Now I am not going into how many times this probably happens each day that we never hear about it because it's in a facility that's cleaner than Dr. Gosnell's was. And I won't mention that every day babies are injected with drugs to stop their hearts while en-utero before they are dismembered and 'properly' disposed of as 'post-abortive tissue', a process which is, apparently, perfectly acceptable.

The plain truth is, abortion is killing, bottom line, at any stage, and killing should not be tolerated. Which brings me to my point. Kermit Gosnell could have been subject to the death penalty, but through some sort of plea deal, ended up with life in prison. I saw posts on the Facebook stating that, given the chance, he chose life for himself. But what scared me more were the people I know are Christian that were calling for his death, if not his torture and painful, agonizing death. I ask, how do we prove our commitment to life, by sentencing someone to death? During Moses' time the thought was 'eye for an eye' because there was really no effective way to separate dangerous people from society, and as Jesus said, there were things Moses allowed because of the hardness of their hearts. Jesus does not preach this. He taught us to pray for our enemies, not seek vengeance. It was the same feeling I got when I saw the celebrations in the street when Osama Bin Laden was killed. We looked like the people we were angry at just a few years before for celebrating in their streets when 3000 Americans were dead. Jesus does not teach vengeance. And we do not line in a society where we cannot effectively separate these monsters from society.

It's not easy to walk the line between justice and vengeance for these monsters, but as Christians. we are called to a very high standard. So let's pray for each other that we have the strength to pray that Kermit Gosnell, during his life of incarceration, while contemplating the horrific things he has done, can turn to the Lord and seek forgiveness. As the Psalmist writes, "those who love violence, he hates"

If Dr. Gosnell does not seek and acceptance His forgiveness, he will suffer a death far worse than we could ever have given him. And if we give in to anger and vengeance, then we too become those who love violence.

God Bless,

P.D.O.

Daily Readings 05/17/2013: Jesus Irritates Peter or I Only Annoy You Because I Love You Sooooooo Much!

Daily Readings: 05/17/2013

"He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep." Jn. 21:17



This morning, after I ate breakfast, I slipped back into bed where my wife and two daughters were still sleeping. It was getting close to the time I was supposed to get ready for work, so my wife reminded me, "Don't fall back to sleep."
She reminded me twice.... it bugged me a little. Of course, I know I shouldn't fall back to sleep. But I got (ever so slightly) annoyed that she reminded me...... twice, that I should be careful not to fall back to sleep.

Well, we see Simon (soon to be called Peter) starting to get a bit irritated with Jesus as he is asked three times, if he loves him. I can imagine how he felt. "Okay, for the THIRD TIME, Yes Lord, I love you!"

But each time, Jesus passes on part of his plan for Peter. "Feed my lambs", "Tend my sheep", "Feed my sheep", Jesus is telling him that if he truly loves Jesus, he will be the shepherd to his people. He will feed the lambs by telling them the message of the gospel, he will tend his sheep by directing them in God's ways, he will feed his sheep by giving them the living bread from Heaven.


Each time Peter gives the same answer, "Yes, I love you.". Hmmm what other answer had Simon Peter recently answered the same way three times?

Ah yes, it was a chilly night in Jerusalem. The question was phrased three different ways, but his answer was the same each time. "I don't know him!", Simon had said, three different times, before the cock had crowed that morning of Good Friday.

Now I can really relate to Simon / Peter. You see, my wife is not the only one who has to remind me of things more than once. Sometimes it takes a bit for God to get through to me too. Yes, sometimes even He's got to throw the same message at me a few times before I really pick up on it. But eventually, most of the time, maybe, I think, I HOPE, I get it.

And maybe, just maybe, when He's smacking me upside the head with a spiritual two by four, it's not that I have a thick skull, but a hard heart. And he's just giving me the opportunity to make up for the many times I denied Him.


God Bless,

P.D.O.

Daily Readings 05/16/2013: There's a Call for You. Will you Stand for Something, or Fall for Anything?

Daily Readings: 05/16/2013


"The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage.For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.” Acts 23:11



So here we are with St. Paul. He is out persecuting Christians, has his conversion experience and gets dragged out in front of his old friends to be tried. Instead of saying, "Oh, haha, I was just kidding about that whole Road to Damascus thing. I'm still good ole Saul, your best buddy!" He stands up and tells him what he's learned, he shares with them the hope he has discovered. And a great debate ensues.

What we can learn from Paul's conversion is a couple of things. First, it is often those that are found after being lost, that can have the greatest impact on bringing others back to God. Paul could relate to the Pharisees, because he had been a Pharisee.

The second thing we can learn from St. Paul is that if we keep our mouths shut, we help nobody. Imagine the places Christ's message would not have reached had God not touched St. Paul and sent him out to preach and spread the gospel. If he'd just kept his conversion story to himself then sure, he would have had a great personal encounter, but as Jesus said, one does not light a lamp to put it under a bushel basket. We need to share our relationship with Him and our love for Him so that others can see the ways it can change the world. As St. Catherine of Siena said, ""Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."

The third thing we can learn is that the truth is the truth, even when it is controversial. Paul's proclamation starts a battle between the two differing opinions. So much so that he is removed for his safety and brought somewhere else. But that night that the Lord comes to him he doesn't shy away from the message he is meant to deliver at all. He goes out into the world to spread the good news as he was called to do. We often shrink a bit when God's word is controversial or when people tell us it should 'get with the times'. God's word is timeless. It is not up to the sway of public opinion or current and changing social mores. And as His followers called to proclaim the truth, we should stand like St. Paul. Otherwise, who are we? Judas?


God Bless,
P.D.O.

Daily Readings 04/28/2013: Jesus' Fix-it Shop or What can you Bring to Him Today?

Daily Reading: 04/28/2013


The One who sat on the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.” Rev. 21:5a

In Revelation it talks of the One on the throne creating a New Heaven and a New Earth, a New Jerusalem, etc., but we have seen this One make things new already. From a few fish and a couple of loaves, He fed thousands, from water at a wedding feast, He made wine, for Lazarus' family, He made a time of grieving into a time of joy, bringing their loved on back from the dead. For a Samaritan woman he made a trip to the well a first step toward believing and everlasting life.

Time after time, Jesus takes the ordinary and makes it the miraculous and He lets us share in the miracle if we let him work through us. Whether it's feeding those crowds, showing compassion to an adulteress, rebuilding the life of an addict, or turning the love between a husband and wife into a new life, Jesus takes all that we bring to Him and can turn it into something miraculous. He turns the seemingly simple into something new and amazing!

Daily Reading 04/27/2013: Prove it to Me, or, Excuse me, But your God is Showing

Daily Readings 04/27/2013
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works." Jn. 14:8-10

Philip asks for something that at some point, is asked of everyone who believes in God by someone else, who does not believe. He asks for 'proof' that God exists. I see it in news story comment sections all the time; there is no proof that God exists; what proof do YOU have for God's existence; etc. It's phrased many ways, but it's all the same question.

Often, this argument is rebutted with, "Well, can you prove that God does not exist?" Not a bad question, but that's not how logic works really, is it? I think a better question would be, why do you love? Why do we, as humans, feel love and compassion for others? It serves no practical purpose really. Sometimes it even goes against our instinct for self-preservation. People will sacrifice their own lives for others. But why?

Even those who don't believe in God are capable of loving others or being compassionate. I've heard them say, "I don't need to believe in God to be a good person.", and they're right. There are plenty of people who don't believe in God but do a lot to help others. I hate to be the bearer of bad news for them, but even though they are denying Him, they are showing and sharing God's love. You see, His love transcends mere humanity and is written on our hearts.

There are two dangers in denying His existence. First, for those of us who are Christian, denying God's existence also denies His son. If Christianity is correct, then not having faith and belief in God will lead to eternal separation from Him and true torment of the spirit; i.e. Hell. Second, if one does not believe in God, then they likely do not believe in the devil. This is exactly what the devil is looking for, because if you don't believe in evil, then evil gains a very strong foothold without you even knowing it. Again, leading to eternal separation from God and a tormented spirit.

We do not need some miraculous revelation or apparition to believe in God, we need only look around at what men and women of goodwill do to help others and show care for them. We need only to look back at our own lives and see those moments when we thought everything was going totally down the tubes and how they somehow turned themselves around when we didn't even see it coming. God loves us, and in that love, He reveals Himself to us regardless of whether the person spreading that love acknowledges its source or not.

God bless,

P.D.O. 

Daily Readings 04/13/2013: Today's Boating Forecast, Stormy with a chance of Messiahs Walking on the Sea

Daily Readings: 04/13/2013

"The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
When they had rowed about three or four miles,
they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,
and they began to be afraid.
But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” Jn. 6:18-20

Imagine the apostles, at sea in a storm. They are probably a little bit anxious about getting across to the other shore alive. They are struggling through a difficult time and suddenly, they see Jesus, walking on the sea. This had to be a bit surprising. I mean, it's not like it was something you see every day. "Oh, it's just Jesus showing off again!" This was truly a miracle beyond belief, and they are frightened even more.

But Jesus tells them, "It is I. Do not be afraid.", and the next thing they know, they've arrived at their destination. They were carried through their worst fears.

Sometimes when our lives seem tumultuous and we are scared, an opportunity presents itself that may frighten us even more. But we can't rule out the possibility that the opportunity may be the door that God is opening for us. And if we can trust Him and take that leap, He will lead us through the storm and guide us to where we are supposed to be.

Don't be so stingy with those gifts of the Holy Spirit!

Daily Readings: 04/11/2013

"For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.
He does not ration his gift of the Spirit." Jn. 3:34

The one whom God sent, is obviously, Jesus. I love this line that he does not ration his gift of the spirit. It means that a full measure of God's mercy is available to all of us. So is His love, and His guidance, all of it, to all of us! What a gift!

But to those who much is given, of course, much is expected. If we are followers of Jesus Christ and beneficiaries of all of his blessings and graces, then we are also responsible to share ourselves as fully as we can. We must try to love as selflessly as Jesus, forgive as often as Jesus, and try to teach what he taught.

We must try to be as generous as we can when sharing the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us. We must try to never hold back; enthusiastically taking in and developing these gifts and then sharing them as generously as we can, to benefit others and help lead them to Jesus too.

God bless,

P.D.O.