Sunday Inbox Inspiration: August 20, 2023:20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 20, Cycle A

Sunday Inbox Inspirations 

 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

 Cycle A

 August 20, 2023

 

“Somos personas” 

 

There is a magazine called Spirituality and Health.

 

In its current issue, the July/August issue, a writer named Paul Sutherland tells an inspiring story. He says that he and his family were on vacation and heading to a beach in Nicaragua. 

 

They were driving in their van and came to a narrow street in the Nicaraguan village of Santa Teresa. And suddenly, THUD!

 

One of the front tires went down into an uncovered drainage hole. Some men from the village saw what happened and came over to help Paul push the van.

 

But it wouldn’t budge. Sutherland was trying to figure out what to do when a farmer drove up on a tractor. 

 

The farmer pulled ahead of the van and stopped in the middle of the narrow street. Then he looked under the van and, without saying a word, walked to a nearby shop and came back with some rope. 

 

The farmer tied one end of the rope around the van’s chassis and then attached the other end to a chain that he had with the tractor. Within a minute, he pulled the van out of the drainage hole. 

 

Paul Sutherland and his wife and children were overcome with gratitude. He said, “Gracias! Thank you! Gracias!”

 

Sutherland tried to hand the farmer some money. But the farmer refused and said, “Somos personas!”

 

Sutherland said, “This is for you and your family.” But again, the farmer refused to take the money and just said, “Somos personas!”

 

When Paul and his family got back in the van, his daughter asked, “Dad, do you know what he was saying?” Paul responded, “No!”

 

“Dad, he was saying, ‘We are people.’ He was saying we are the same, we are all people, persons. 

 

“We are here to help one another. We are people, persons. ‘Somos personas.’”     

        

Are We All People? 

 

In today’s gospel, we see this same vision eventually emerge.

 

A Canaanite woman comes up to Jesus and begs him to heal her daughter. There are big differences between this woman and Jesus and his disciples.

 

First, there is gender. In that time and place, women were treated as second-class at best, and they were not even to be talked to unless they were accompanied by their husband.

 

Then, there is religion. This woman is not a Jew, and that’s why she is called a “dog” – the very demeaning expression of that day for all non-Jews.

 

Next, there is culture. This woman is of a different culture and probably dresses differently and has different social customs. 

 

And finally, there is nationality. This woman is a Canaanite, and they are viewed as enemies.

 

Jesus’ Ultimate Response: Yes 

 

So, Jesus’ first two responses to the woman are very off-putting, to say the least. 

 

He begins by saying that his mission is only to the house of Israel – to the Jews. And then he says that it is not right to give the food of the children – meaning the Jews – to the dogs – there’s that awful expression again.

 

There could be two reasons for these responses from Jesus. One, even though he is God or the Son of God on this earth, he is human. 

 

And, as human, maybe even Jesus had to work through the prejudices and human barriers that existed. The other possibility is that Jesus was just setting up the disciples for what he was going to do.

 

He was voicing the prejudices and barriers that he knew they had. He was setting them up as a contrast with how he would end up respecting and caring for this woman and her daughter. 

 

“Somos Personas” 

 

So, in Spanish, “Somos personas.”

 

“We are people. We are persons.” 

 

Jesus, today, something like that Central American farmer, opens our minds and hearts to see one another as God sees us – regardless of differences. Being a follower of Jesus demands that we look beyond labels and stereotypes and prejudices and barriers. 

 

It demands that we see everyone as a child of God, as brother and sister. “Somos personas.”  

 

 

Fr. Michael Schleupner

 

Inbox Inspiration: July 26, 2023: Holy Spirit 1-4

 

INBOX INSPIRATIONS

July 26, 2023

 

Holy Spirit – 1

 

Dear Friends,

Today begins a series of Inbox Inspirations on the Holy Spirit. Who is the Holy Spirit? And maybe I should be very transparent about what I am doing here and say: Who is the Holy Spirit for me, personally? 

 

Most basically, the Holy Spirit is God within me. The Spirit is God actually abiding within me. This means that we do not have to look beyond or outside of ourselves to find God. God is within me. And even more, God abides within me. This word – abide – means that God isn’t going anywhere and isn’t going to leave me. God is here to stay. In fact, it cannot be otherwise. If God were not within me, I would not be. To put it another way: if I were to cease to be, only then would God not be there – and I don’t think that happens or will happen even when I physically die. God just abides, resides in, and stays with and within me. 

 

And then, I like to say that God the Holy Spirit is my center, the center of my being. Deep down, within me, God is at my center. Sometimes I need solitude, silence, and stillness to try to be in touch with this center. This is why I am, what makes me be, and it is who I really am. And that takes me to my next reflection or word of praise. 

 

The Holy Spirit is my core, my deepest identity. Maybe this is just another word for saying what I just said above, but I think it gives a slightly different nuance. The idea is that God is at the core of my being. In fact, I think we can say that the Spirit is so core to me that the Spirit is my being. Again, without God, without the Spirit here, I would not be. God’s presence, the Spirit’s presence is essential. It creates and sustains me in being. The Spirit is my hidden, unseen, invisible core. I am of God. Isn’t this what Genesis means when it tells us that we made in God’s image and likeness?   

 

So, for today, three words about the Holy Spirit: abide, center, and core. More to come next week! 

    

Fr. Michael Schleupner

Holy Spirit – 2

 

Dear Friends,

Last week’s Inbox began this series by praising God the Holy Spirit as abiding within us, as the center of our being, and as the core of our identity. Today’s Inbox continues this prayerful reflection.

 

The Holy Spirit is my strength for everyday living:

v the energy that keeps me going in doing the day in and day out things that I have to do;

v the empowerment for doing things that I don’t want to do but am responsible for doing, like my job when it gets boring or challenging;

v the faithfulness that helps me to stick to the duties of my vocation when the grass looks greener on the other side, and this might include marriage or priesthood or immediate and extended family and friends;

v the motivation that helps me to say something to someone that I don’t want to say but feel called from within to express;

v the wisdom to know what to say and when and where and how to say it;

v the enlightenment of seeing what I am to do or what God is calling me to do in each chapter of my life;

v the inspiration to seek a spiritual director or a counselor to walk the journey of life with me;  

v the steady presence that leads me to be truthful and authentic, first with myself, and then with others, and yes, with God too.

 

And then the Holy Spirit is my refuge in time of trouble:

v the One to turn to when I feel overwhelmed with too many commitments, especially when they are of my own doing;

v the One who can help me to know when to say Yes even though it will stretch me beyond my comfort zone;

v the One who can help me to know when to say No even though this will disappoint someone;

v the One who provides some space for peace when I feel so upset by divisions in my Church or in my country or even in my family;

v the One who is always there, always with me when I feel alone or outright lonely and even abandoned;

v the One who understands me when I feel misunderstood by others;

v the One who will be just and fair with me when I feel unjustly and unfairly treated by others;

v the One to whom I can turn in times of sickness;

v the One whom I will never lose as I face other losses in my life.  

 

More on the Holy Spirit in next week’s Inbox Inspirations!

 

Fr. Michael Schleupner

Holy Spirit – 3      

 

Dear Friends,

This edition of Inbox Inspirations continues the series on the Holy Spirit.

 

God, the Holy Spirit, is my wisdom:

v The One within me who helps me to discern what I am to do 

v The One within who sometimes gently nudges me to do something that I am not even thinking of doing

v The One within who sometimes makes me restless until I am open to do something that I am resisting

v The One who moves me to use my gifts and become all that I am created to be

v The One who often expresses himself through my own deep desires, longings, and even my feelings, and who wants me to tune in to them and not discount them

v The One who enlightens me to see the inner meaning of things and of what’s really going on 

v The One who awakens me to the connectedness of everyone and everything that is

v The One who leads or even pushes me to look beyond myself to the overall good of everyone.    

 

And then the Holy Spirit is my consoler or comforter:

v The One who encourages me when I feel discouraged 

v The One who energizes me when I feel tired and worn out 

v The One who stays with me when I feel alone, lonely, even abandoned

v The One who strengthens me when I am suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually  

v The One who helps me to hope when I feel hopeless or am wondering if there is any hope to be found 

v The One who helps me to love when I dislike or even feel hostile toward another 

v The One who steers me away from self-rejection when I feel rejected 

v The One who accepts me when I am judged by others.  

 

More on the Holy Spirit in next week’s Inbox Inspiration!

 

Fr. Michael Schleupner

Holy Spirit – 4           

 

Dear Friends,

This column concludes the series on the Holy Spirit. There are four traits that are inter-connected and describe who the Holy Spirit is for us: the presence, the love, the healing action, and the grace of God. 

 

 The most basic statement of all is that the Holy Spirit is the presence of God within us. Some spiritual writers, especially some contemplatives, refer to God within us simply as the Presence. It is as if we can intuit, almost feel or sense something or someone within us: a Presence. This is the Presence of the divine. So, we can rest in this Presence. The Presence is essential to our being. We are because the Presence is within. 

 

Then, we must also say that the Holy Spirit is the love of God within us. This must be so because the Holy Spirit is God and God is love itself. The Spirit is God’s continuous giving of Himself to us and to each person. This is why we are drawn to love. There is something within that moves us to love and to want to be loved. We are unsettled when we do not love another or when we feel unloved by another. We feel incomplete in that situation because we are not being our full or true self – persons with the One who is love itself within us.  

 

It follows that the Holy Spirit is the healing action of God within us. God makes us whole. We become all we are created to be through the presence and love of God. So, as the healing action of God, the Spirit nudges us to deal with the fragmented, injured, incomplete parts of ourselves. The Holy Spirit is a healing power when we feel confused about ourselves, isolated, put down, mistreated, misunderstood, or treated unjustly. The Spirit helps us to make us whole persons, to become the real me. 

 

Finally, maybe to sum it all up, the Holy Spirit is the grace of God within us. God’s presence, love, and healing action are all gratuitous. They are all gift. This is what grace means. In fact, grace is not something that God gives. Rather, it is God, God’s gift of himself, given freely, not earned or merited by us. It is in and through this that we find our peace and fullness as persons and our taste here on earth of eternal life. 

 

Fr. Michael Schleupner

Sunday Inbox Inspiration: August 13, 2023:19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 13, Cycle A

 Sunday Inbox Inspirations 

 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

 Cycle A

 August 13, 2023

 

Physical Balance

 

Five years ago, I participated in a strength and balance class at a fitness center.

 

One of the balance exercises was to stand on one foot. We were to concentrate on placing all of our weight on one foot – let’s say my left foot.

 

Then we were slowly to raise the right foot about six inches off of the floor, and touch the side of our left leg with the right foot. We were to try to stand that way, with all weight on one foot for about ten seconds.  

 

But, to succeed in doing this, the trainer advised us not to look at ourselves or others in the mirror or at anything in motion. Instead, we were to keep our eyes focused on a fixed, still point on the floor.

 

The reason is that if we were looking at something or someone that was moving, we would move too and would not keep our balance. So, keeping my eyes focused on that fixed, still point helped me to maintain my balance standing on one foot.  

 

Peter’s Balance in the Storm 

 

Well, I am not here today to lead us in exercises for physical balance – unless you would all like to stand and give this a try!

 

I am suggesting that the trainer’s guidance is also excellent spiritual guidance. Look what happens to Peter in today’s gospel.

 

Peter steps out of the boat to walk on the water. At first, his eyes are on Jesus, and he is okay.

 

But then, Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus and gets focused on the wind and the waves. He gets focused on the storm and quickly starts to sink.  

 

The point is that when Peter keeps his eyes focused on Jesus – the fixed or still point – when Peter keeps his eyes there, he keeps his balance and is dealing fine with the storm. But when he takes his eyes off of Jesus, he’s in trouble.  

 

Our Storms 

 

I believe that there are storms in all our lives – no exceptions!

 

For me, one that I remember very well is when I was thirty years old.  I had been a priest for four years and seemed to be doing well.

 

But all of a sudden, I began seriously questioning my vocation. Eventually things got sorted out and resolved, but wow, that was quite a storm for me for the better part of a year.

 

There are lots of other possible storms. Waiting for a doctor’s report about a possible cancer, a heart attack, the death of your husband, wife, child, or parent, an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or gambling, the loss of a job, the break-up of a marriage, and on it goes.

 

Our Balance in Storms 

 

I believe that keeping our eyes focused on Jesus in these storms is crucial.

 

We need to keep our eyes on Jesus as our fixed or still point. He will help us to keep our spiritual balance and get through the storms.

 

Practically speaking, I offer two recommendations to help with this. First, at the beginning of each day, pray. 

 

It can be your own prayer, right from your heart. It can be a prayer you have learned or a prayer in a prayerbook.

 

It can be one of the psalms or a short passage from one of the gospels. It doesn’t have to be long – maybe five minutes or even less.

 

But every day – no exceptions – pray in the morning. And then, second, think of one word or a phrase that you can repeat throughout the day – maybe from your prayer or maybe from the Scripture.

 

For example: “Jesus, be with me.” Or “I am with you always.” Or “Do not be afraid” – as Jesus says to the disciples in todays’ gospel.

 

They are just examples. The idea is to pick a word or phrase, and then, repeat it throughout the day – wherever you are, whatever you are doing.

 

It is a good way to keep our eyes on Jesus as the fixed or still point of our lives. It is a good way to keep our balance and get through the storms of life. 

 

Fr. Michael Schleupner