In What Name Do I Act/What's In My Heart?

God,

There is far too much division amongst your people, and often it seems like we are saying such similar things, yet because we are wrapped up in our ego and not your love we see the distance between each other instead of how close we are to each other. Please give us the grace to come together as your people and to love one another, then take that love into the streets of life, proclaim your Gospel and share the love you have given us with all that you meet.

For it is when we turn away from each other we are more inclined to sin and teach to sin. It is when we turn away from your love and towards the love of self that we cut ourselves off from life and your love. It is then when we walk away from you, though we are blind of it, we are actually willfully walking towards sin the devil and his hell. Help us to overcome the deceptions and hate in this world and see your love and all it has to offer.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,

Amen

Gospel Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

At that time, John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us." Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

I often dream of the day when we come together as one people and love. All to often we get hung up on the smallest of things. Often it mimics what I see around my home with my own children. They playing together with blocks are trying to create the best castle ever, but eventually a disagreement arises, an argument ensues and the partially built structure ends up falling to the ground before it is finished. I watch the news and see struggles for power instead of solving the worlds woes. I see churches pitted against each other over disagreements that are often imagined or that are over small points of tradition. As a father I see my children and I love them all. They each have great talents and can achieve much, but so much more when they work together in love, through love for the betterment of each other. I think of times when even myself has been held back because of assumptions, ego or desire. I would accomplish so much more if my first action would always be to open my heart and hands rather than to close my mind and cross my arms. God offers the grace to do so much, but are our hearts open to it? Are our hearts open to his love and his gifts?

As I sit and consider what causes me to sin it is not my hand, eye or foot. It is the things that I hold too dearly in my heart. Perhaps it might be a new guitar, or money that I think might buy me happiness. It might be a new car that I think will give me the respect that I think that I deserve. Perhaps even a beautiful woman that I see may cause my thoughts to turn to lust. The thing that needs to be plucked out is my misplaced love of self. I need to cut off my selfish desires. I need to open my heart and place the love of God and others into my heart. Guitars are nice but I can only play one at a time. Money can be used to do good like feeding the hungry. A new car is not sinful in and of itself but where is it taking me? And each beautiful woman I see is someones daughter, and is a child of God. They deserve my love and respect and not to be treated as a thing to be used. So daily I open my heart and take stock, I look what's inside and why it is there. Occasionally I find things that do not belong and so I pluck them out. Sometimes that are rather embedded so I have to cut them out. With them gone I have more room for the love of God and through that love I find happiness and peace. I don't feel as weighed down. I feel more free and clean.

And that's all I got to say about that.