“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” Luke 19:10

I have been reading the Gospels as part of my daily prayer and one verse that has continued to strike me is Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” Jesus makes this statement several times throughout the Gospels and in them I find great comfort. Often times I feel misplaced and confused and just at odds with this world. I never quite seem to have it all together and often times I don’t really know where I’m headed or what God is calling me to do. In other words, I often feel lost. Yet Jesus tells us time and time again that “the Son of Mas has come to seek and to save what was lost.” These words show me that I’m not alone, that I have Christ on my side who is constantly seeking me and calling me (the lost) and he has come to save me. One of the key basis of Christ’s ministry is that he came for the lost sheep of Israel and that he seeks those who feel lost, misplaced, and alone or abandoned. Jesus didn’t come into the world to call those who are perfect and have it all together, instead he came to call sinners; he seeks the broken, and those in need. So the next time you feel lost or misplaced and beside yourself, remember that you aren’t alone, find comfort in knowing that “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” I believe when Jesus said that so many years ago, he was talking about you and me.

Healing and Forgiveness Talk

[Here is a talk I gave last week on a Confirmation Retreat about the Sacrament of Reconciliation]

                So tonight we have an opportunity to go to confession and receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Now raise your hand if this makes any of you nervous? I totally get the whole nervous thing. I mean we literally call what we are going to do “Confession.” When I think of the word “Confession” my mind goes straight to the whole dramatic Hollywood movie scene where you have the criminal in jail locked up for questioning and the mean cop comes in and demands the person take responsibility for the wrongs they have committed.  Often times I think that’s how we look at confession. We have to go to a room where a priest is waiting for us to confess all the terrible things we have done and the sins that we’ve committed. So if you look at it this way, confession can seem like a pretty scary thing.

                For a really long time that was my perception of confession and it scared me so much that I never went. So a little bit about myself, I grew up Catholic, was baptized as a baby like most of you and made my first confession when I was 7 and then received my first communion not too long after. My family wasn’t that strong in their faith and so we went to church sometimes, but never on a consistent basis. It wasn’t until I went to college that I really found my faith and was introduced to Jesus. So I went to confession when I was 7 and then I didn’t go again until I was 19 years old. It wasn’t because I didn’t have the opportunity too, I was just too scared to go. I remember there were times growing up where my grandma or my aunt invited me to go with them, but I always found a way to get out of it.

                When I was younger I never went because I never thought I did anything bad enough to need to seek forgiveness. I thought going to confession was something you did only if you had done something really really bad and you didn’t want to go to hell because of it. I remember telling my Grandma, “I don’t have to go to confession, I haven’t done anything that bad.”  When I was a kid I hardly ever got in trouble, sure I fought with my brother here and there, but I didn’t steal, I got good grades, I wasn’t a bully, for the most part I was pretty well-behaved. I think the worst thing I did was not clean my room. (Which I still struggle with by the way). So at the time growing up going to confession just wasn’t all that pressing for me.

                Then, as I grew older I never wanted to go to confession, because I was too embarrassed to go. I was worried that a priest would judge me for cheating on a test or lying to my parents. I thought that since it had been so long since I had gone, I would have to list every terrible thing that I had done, like every time I fought with my brother or every time that I had lied,  and so the list just seemed to long for me to want to go. For a while I was ashamed to even go because I would think “What am I gonna tell the priest when he asks ‘how long has it been since your last confession?’” I mean who wants to say “Father forgive me for I have sinned, its been 5 years since my last confession.” Ok well you laugh, but imagine saying “it’s been 12 years.” Because that’s how long I waited to go.

                But eventually, I did make it to confession, and surprisingly it was not as bad as I thought it would be. It was actually an amazing and liberating experience. So when I was a sophomore in college I wanted to get confirmed since I didn’t do it in high school. For those who don’t know I graduated from SDSU. (Aztec for life!) When I was there I went to a Catholic church on campus called the Newman Center. The Newman center offered confirmation classes and so one of the requirements was we had to go on a retreat. It was there at the retreat that I had my confession. Now the retreat that I went on was not a big as this one, um actually there were only 3 participants who went and 8 leaders so it was a lot different, but it was still beautiful. There were 5 girls in my confirmation class, but somehow they all managed to get out the retreat, but I went. And let me just tell that retreat was an amazing experience and completely changed my life. It just really opened up my eyes to our catholic faith and it was there that I learned that Jesus was someone I could have a relationship with, someone who I could talk to everyday, and someone that I could become friends with.

                Just like this one at the retreat we had an opportunity to go to confession and I remember that they didn’t actually call it confession instead they called it by its actual name “The Sacrament of Reconciliation.” The priest Father Bruce when he was explaining it said that reconciliation is where you come to God and ask for his mercy. It’s not really about confessing every horrible thing you have ever done in your life, but instead admitting the things that have kept you away from God and saying that you don’t want those things to keep you away from God anymore.  He explained that when we go to confess rather than say every bad thing we had done, instead just talk about what is keeping you from being in union with God. Hearing it explained this way really opened up my heart to the sacrament and gave me some relief because I was worried that I was gonna have to list every terrible or mean thing I had done in the last 12 years. Instead, I was given perspective and rather than look at all the petty things I had done, instead I could focus on the things keeping me apart from God. Like the things listed on the wall. For me what kept me from God was my pride, or my lack of prayer, taking others for granted, or missing Mass, it was my attitude and the way I lived my life.

                So when the time had come for Confession, I remember I was the first person to go. Part of it was because I was so nervous I knew if I didn’t go first I wouldn’t go at all.  At the same time, I was simply tired of not going and I knew that 12 years was far too long to wait. When I went I talked to Father Bruce told him that it was only my second confession, and I hadn’t been since I was a kid. Then I waited for him to scold me for waiting so long, but instead he just looked at me and smiled and said “The Lord is so happy that you are here right now.” Hearing that was all the encouragement I needed to tell him my sins and my failures and ask for forgiveness. It was like with one smile, God completely knocked down my wall that I had been building for the last 12 years. We talked for a while, then he gave me some words of encouragement and tips on how I could better devote my life to God and sent me on my way. As I walked away to say my penance I remember leaving and just filling such relief and freedom. I knew that I was forgiven and loved by God, and I felt so silly for waiting so long to experience that. The experience was just so much different than I thought it would be. I mean I expected to be scolded or condemned, I thought I would be judged or ridiculed but none of that was true. Instead I was offered mercy and peace, I was met with a gentle spirit and a guiding hand. The experience really opened my eyes to the abounding love and mercy of God.

                When we go to reconciliation we get to experience firsthand all the love and mercy that God has to offer us. The priest who hears our confession, is a representation of Jesus himself and is there waiting for us with open arms to welcome us back into the Body of Christ. A sin is anything we do to separate ourselves from God. When we sin we put up walls between us and God, but when we go to Confession we have a chance to knock down those walls and move forward away from the things that hurt our relationship with God. Confession doesn’t have to be a scary daunting thing, rather it can be a beautiful thing that we experience that offers us a clean slate and fresh start to be the people that God created us to be. Often times, I think the hardest part about Confession, is not telling someone our sins, but rather admitting to ourselves that we aren’t as good of a person as we thought we were, admitting that we aren’t perfect or are flawed in some way. It can be uncomfortable to examine your life and look at your personal flaws or admit the things that you’ve done wrong, but at the end of the day we are all in need of God’s love and mercy and we have all sinned in one way or another.

                So tonight I invite each of you to open your heart to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and take advantage of the Love and Mercy that God has to offer you. Stop holding on to the sins that tear you down, but rather take a chance to let them go and be liberated. Jesus died so that sin would no longer have power over your life. It doesn’t matter what you have done in the past, tonight you have a chance to let it all go and start over. That’s the beauty of reconciliation, being able to have a clean slate and a second chance to do what is right and live a life pleasing to God. I promise you that there is nothing in your life that you have done in the past, that God won’t forgive you for, all you have to do is ask for his forgiveness. Scripture tells us “If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.” (1 John 1:9) The lord’s mercy and grace is yours for the taking all you have to do is take it. So don’t be like me and wait 12 years to experience God’s love and mercy take advantage of the opportunity that is right here before you right now. It’s been 3 years since that confession, and I have never regretted going for a second. In fact the only thing I have regretted is not going sooner.

               

               

                

We Plan, but the Lord Decides

It is human nature to make plans and have dreams; we live in a very futuristic society. We are always preparing, always planning, and dreaming about the future. As children we were asked “who do you want to be when you grow up?” and if you’re a student the question is always “what are you going to do after you graduate?” we learn at an early age to look towards the future. There is nothing wrong with setting goals for your life, or having dreams. We need to have dreams for our lives, we need to set goals, and its normal to hold desires in our hearts; these things can motivate us and give us something to work towards or offer us hope and something to look forward to. It is ok to dream and make plans for our life, but we must never forget that it is God who is ultimately in control of our lives. Proverbs 19:20-21 states:

“Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may eventually become wise. Many are the plans of the human heart, but it is the decision of the LORD that endures.”

When making plans for our lives we must always listen to counsel and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. It is important to remember that the plans we make for own lives and the dreams we have for ourselves are nothing in comparison to the plans that God has always made for us. At the end of the day God is the creator of the universe and holds the power, and in our planning we must never lose track of God’s power and direction in our life. It is the decisions of the Lord that endure and withstand the test of time, not ours. We have no reason to fear because our God is faithful and abounding in love and mercy; Jesus came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. 

Finding Courage in the One Who Conquered the World!

John 16:33 I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.

We all find ourselves in times of trouble every now and again—suffering and distress are simply a part of life. Still, when times are tough, we can find peace in knowing that Christ is with us throughout our troubles and is always by our side. We can draw courage from Jesus who has conquered the world and will never cease to do so. We must not forget the greatest victory that took place when Christ died on the cross and then rose on the third day. In conquering the world through this great sacrifice we were forgiven for our sins and have been offered new life in Christ Jesus. If Jesus was willing to die for us in such a way, then how can we not believe that Jesus won’t also be with us during our troubling times? The Lord is faithful and is with us through every trial we encounter in our lives; he is always there to offer us the grace and strength we need to overcome our hardships. So the next time we experience trouble in our lives let us turn to Jesus, the one who conquered the world, and ask him to feel our hearts with peace that we may take courage and keep moving forward in our lives knowing that he will be with us every step of the way. 

Do Not Fear: The Lord is With You

The world is filled with struggle—loved ones die, kids get sick, parents lose their jobs, hearts get broken, nations go to war—this is the reality that we live in, but in the midst of a terrible world filled with pain and suffering, one thing remains: God is faithful.

Deuteronomy 31:8 states “It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be

with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.”

Though we may suffer in this world Jesus is always with us throughout our suffering, ready to pick us up when we fall and comfort us in our hurting. When we cry, the Lord cries with us, and when we turn away from him, he never abandons us, but is always there with arms wide open offering us his unconditional love and mercy. Though often times we fail or lose faith and turn away from the Lord, Jesus remains constant and never turns away from us. When we falter Christ is there to be reconciled with us and never forsakes us for the wrong we have done, rather the Lord is always with us offering us his love and his grace abundantly without conditions. We can find comfort in knowing that God will always remain faithful and continue to offer his love and grace to us until the end of time. We can find strength in knowing that Jesus conquered the world and will never fail us, so we have no reason to fear or be dismayed.   

Finding Joy in Life’s Trials

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. - James 1:2-3

It’s a popular saying, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” or as St. James puts it, “trials and testing of the faith produce perseverance.” The experiences we have in this world shape our perspectives on life and give us wisdom; they are something we can look at with great pain or something that can give us hope and be a cause for joy. Trials test our faith, but when our faith is tested it allows us to persevere and gives us the ability to grow. We all know how terrible life can be at times, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find joy in even the worst of circumstances. It’s important to remember that most circumstances are temporary, and even the worst day in your life must come to an end, offering you at the very least a tomorrow. As Christians we believe in the joy and the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His life, death and resurrection, teach us that there is a life after the one we have in this world, a life where our joy may be complete in him. So rest assured that the trials in your life are only temporary, and there will come a time when the suffering in this world will no longer hold power over you. Remember that Jesus offers us fullness of life and one day we too shall be resurrected with him; hold on to the hope given to us by God’s grace. Times may be tough, but they teach us to persevere and they give us reason to turn to the Lord and ask Jesus for his grace. Christ is the greatest joy that we will ever receive in this world and no trial can ever overcome or overturn the promise of Salvation grated to us through Christ’s death and resurrection. 

Love of Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” –Matthew 5:43-45

This week I had a bible study with some friends on the topic of “loving your enemy.” We talked about how important it was to love everyone in this world, even people who have hurt us in the past and to remember that every person in this world was created in the image and likeness of God and deserves to be loved and treated with human dignity regardless of how we feel about them. Growing up my aunt always reminded me that even the worst of people in this world still had a mother and father who loved them and offered their children support even when they did wrong. Furthermore, even the worst of people who may not know their parents or have no family still have a heavenly Father and creator who continues to love them even when they reject him or turn away from his love.

What stood out to me from this passage was the verse “for he makes the sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and unjust.” I particularly like this verse because here Jesus tells us that God holds no favorites, and simply loves everyone, even the just and unjust. God freely offers his love and grace to all of creation with the passing of each day regardless of the wrongs or rights we have committed in our lives. In addition, everyone in this world will have to live through the rain or struggle at some point of their life. The challenge Jesus gives us is to love not just our family and friends, but especially our enemies and all of his people. I believe when he uses the word love he simply means “treat every person with dignity and respect” or “wish the best for every person,” and always “treat others as you would treat yourself.” Though this often times may be hard, especially with people in our lives who have hurt us, this is the challenge that Jesus gives us and we must comply.

Today, I challenge you to take some time to pray for someone who has hurt you, maybe someone you consider an enemy; sometimes even offering a prayer for them to God is the most loving thing you can do for a person.