Be a Jesus Freak

Towards the end of Matthew's Gospel, and as we end this liturgical year, we begin to think about the 'end times.'  I was looking at a web-site the other night which detailed the times throughout history that the world was supposed to have ended.  About this time people get more religious and start looking for faith in their lives.  In recent months, and I believe it has something to do with our present cultural chaos, there have been a number of movies on demonic possession and evil spirits.

All of this can be pretty frightening and certainly even the most faith filled person might find themselves a bit perplexed.  Matthew though looks at the challenges of our faith in a very different way.  There will be confrontations and oppositions to our belief and faith throughout our days.  Now we can choose to ignore these difficulties, or squelch our faith to such a degree that it is barely recognizable.  But when we pronounce our faith we leave ourselves open to all sorts of hostility and brokenness.  It might even seem like the end of the world.

I found this neat reflection which I used for my homily last weekend.  It was entitled a 'Franciscan Blessing.'  The prayer invited us to be bothered by oppression, hunger, hurt, and despair.  It asked that we never be comfortable.  As a Christian, we should be disturbed by a lack of peace and human dignity.  Jesus did not have a quota of healing and miracles to do, he responded to the needs that presented themselves.

Faithful disciples look forward to the coming of God's kingdom, with our eyes towards heaven, but our feet firmly planted on the ground.  I remember listening to a woman who stated that she was a mystic.  But throughout the conversation she seemed angry and hostile.  When I suggested that being a mystic should fill one with peace and joy, she became even more belligerent.  Holy people are not put off from doing holy things when they hear about distress.  All the more they are strengthened by their faith and relationship with Jesus the Christ.

Our participation in the mysteries we celebrate gives us the insight and courage to proclaim Jesus even during frustrating times.  Like the first disciples we are told not to worry about our speech since it will be the spirit speaking within us.  It is this truth that sets the modus operandi of our response to God and others in our world today.  Like any good Jesus Freak we should be concerned that justice and peace are proclaimed.  We work to give witness of the very foundation of our faith.  So that in the end people might hear good news and be moved by it.