Thursday, March 08, 2007

Friday word, 09 Mar 2007

2 Lenten Friday (09 Mar 2007) Gn 37. 3-4,12-13a,17b-28a; Ps 105; Mt 21. 33-43,45-46
Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J.
Faith: Foundation? Or Frosting?

Joseph prefigured Jesus for early Christians. Details of being handed over to others, and for several pieces of silver, are obvious details. I want us to consider ourselves in the light of the accusation Joseph’s brothers long leveled against him: Here comes that master dreamer!

God communicated with people in dreams and other altered states of awareness. Dreams and visions riddle the bible from beginning to end. Singular and plural of dream is 95; of vision is 103. The numbers call us to pay attention.

Dreaming in the bible is connected with God. People were constantly called to connect with God. Faith is our connection, our relationship with God. Jesus gives new access to faith.

Do we treat our faith as a nicety, as an inconsequential pipe dream? Or does our faith shape our vision of ourselves, of others, of the whole world? Do we cultivate our faith to sharpen our vision?

Faith is one of those things that money can’t buy. Yet God in Messiah Jesus by their Spirit offer it to us each moment. Do we set aside time and effort to make faith the cornerstone of our lives? Do we marvel at it, even when it upsets how we consider the world and others around us?

Lent is progressing day by day. Is our faith, our relationship with the Jesus, progressing the same way?

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