God did not show any power in allowing his son to be crucified, therefore, Jesus must not be the son of God and the stuff that Jesus’ Disciples were talking about was foolish. The death of Jesus was nothing more than the death of just another man who was killed because he made the community mad and upset at his ideas. He probably deserved to die since the entire community turned against him. If everyone follows the strange words of Christ then there will be all kinds of anarchy and chaos. If you put into law the words of Jesus then you are forcing everyone to be a good Jew.

Have you been called by God? Have you listened for the call to hear what God is doing? It is so easy to hear that it’s almost impossible to buy a gun, rifle, or ammunition, the Financial Crisis is a rollercoaster out of control, embryonic stem cell research is no longer banned, the consciences of health care workers is no longer considered valid, the Freedom of Choice Act is going to be pushed through, the federal budget is worse than St. Anthony’s, the war is raging on, and porn shops are coming to Sterling and the surrounding area. With all this noise how can one hear God’s call? Who would care to hear God’s call?

Power, in human terms, means to make man and machines do what they have been ordered to do, however, God’s power gives us the freedom to be like God in all things. God is infinite (perfectly true, good, wise, holy, intelligent), God is one (grander than the universe that we humans can know), God is simple (not composed of many parts), and God is free and distinct from the created universe. Jesus Christ followed God’s will and in doing so he revealed the power of the resurrection to those who believe. Jesus Christ was united with God his Father in life and in death. Jesus Christ was here not to deceive, not to run some hidden agenda, but to simply be the way, the truth and the life of all peoples. Jesus Christ was perfectly free and distinct from the created universe and had the ability to change anything he wanted yet submitted himself to creation and revealed to those in creation God’s wisdom of the resurrection of the dead.

Now is the time to renew our graces by being open to God’s wisdom. Now is the time to study once again the meaning of our community in Christ. Now is the time to be dedicated to living our faith. Now is the time to prepare for the passion, death, and resurrection by listening to God’s word through the scriptures. Now is the time to participate in the passion and death of our Lord and see – with greater hope – our own call into the resurrection. What value is the good that we do if it is not a cooperation with the living God who is over us, in us, through us, and around us.

Fr. Rob