DEEP WATERS

Jesus calls to us and says "Follow me..." There are many ways one can follow Christ; but the only way to be effective is to surrender completely. This sounds easy but most of the time its not. It's hard. A ruler asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. He told him to obey the Law of Moses, the ruler said he already does this. Then Jesus told the ruler he had one last thing he had to do; he had to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. The ruler could not do this. Complete surrender, no less is what Christ wants. Can you?
Jesus told the ones following him that "that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them." And many of his followers left him. Complete surrender, no less is what Christ wants. Can you?
Jesus borrowed a boat from a fisherman and sat in it as he spoke to the crowds. When he finished talking to them, Christ turned to the fisherman and said, "Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." This made no sense to the man called Simon. He and his partners had fished there all night and not a single fish. The sun was high, this was not the time of day to go fishing. But yet, Simon answered Jesus, "...But because you say so, I will let down the nets?" Complete surrender, no less is what Christ wants. Can you?
This same man, Simon Peter, later stepped out of the boat and walked on water until he focused on the world and not Jesus. Complete surrender, no less is what Christ wants. Can you? Later this same Peter denied knowing Christ three times and yet this is the man Jesus chose to build his church. Yes, complete surrender is what Christ wants but he knows we are human. We turn our focus from Jesus to  enticements of this world and he forgives. He picks us up, dusts us off and asks us for complete surrender one more time. Can you?

LESSONS OF CHRISTMAS--MARY AND JOSEPH

Matthew and Luke tell us the events leading to the birth of Jesus. Some of us have read these verses many times; for others of us, it's the first time. Six months apart, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and then to Mary. To both of them he said a son was going to be born. Zacharias responded with disbelief. Under the same circumstances, most of us would have reacted in the same manner. A young, betrothed, virgin does not react with disbelief but questioned why she was being addressed in this manner, then questioned how, and then assurance. So be it! Never giving any consideration to the reality of the very good possibilty of being stoned to death. She knew God would protect her.  Put yourself in Mary's sandals: She is approached by a total stranger, told she is favored by God, then told she is going to become pregnant with the Son of God. Can we come up with a crazier scenario for not believing it's God talking to me? We question if we can do what God is asking of us? Many times we are like Zacharias and respond with complete and total disbelief. It is the disbelief that silences Zecharias until the birth of his son John.  It is our disbelief that silences us, that cripples us with inaction. Mary believed Gabriel immediately. Federica Mathewes-Green in the book,  Lost Gospel of Mary says: "It is this same woman, so holy and God-loving, so real and human, who is lauded with extravagant praise. She is held up as the example for all Christians to imitate. She is honored for one particular moment in her holy life: she said yes to God." Mary was an ordinary woman who became extraordinary by saying "Yes" to God. Mary teaches us to surrender ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually to God and God will give us the necessary tools to complete His assignment.
Joseph hearing of Mary's pregnancy was also filled with questions: I didn't, then who? What do I do now? He couldn't believe Mary would be unfaithful, but she was pregnant. I don't want her stoned, but how can I marry her now? I'll be the laughinstock of the whole village if I marry her? Lord, what do I do? Help me here!! We know well how Joseph feels. The circumstances may be different but the questions are the same. We have been in this very same situation. We are told, "It is God!!" But if you follow through with it, people are going to think your crazy. But, just a minute, God didn't leave Joseph with questions and He's not going to leave us with questions. We need to ask. We need to converse with Him. We must earnestly seek God. We must be completely open to receiving God's answer. When Joseph was given the complete picture by the angel he no longer cared what others thought, he knew what he had to be done. Joseph surrendered physically, emotionally and spiritually to God.and God gave him the necessary tools to complete His assignment.
Once surrendered, Mary and Joseph were given the strengeh, the tenacity, the courage necessary to birth God's Son. Mary and Joseph, ordinary people able to perform an extraordinary feat by saying "Yes" to God. This Advent Season chosoe to say "Yes" to God.