Is God in Your Reflection ??, Sunday August 9th 2009

[Rev. Bob]

Is God in Your Reflection
A reflection for Sunday August 9th 2009
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Reformed Catholic Church International of New England
www.missionstsergius.org

When you look in the mirror what do you see looking back at you? Is
the person you see reflecting God within them? Is the reflection cast
back at you sharp and clear? Are there streaks or dirty spots on the
reflection? Do you see, in your reflection, the infinite and
everlasting mercy and love of God reflected back at you?
Every Sabbath in every Church and Synagogue, the priest, Reverend, or
Rabbi preaches on scripture readings. This preaching is called a
homily, a Sermon or a Teaching. I call mine reflections because it,
like those of the pastors, priests or Rabies’, they are meant for you
to think about during the following week and reflect on how well you
are doing in following God’s intent.
This week I am asking you to imagine that you are looking at your
reflection in a mirror and trying to discern how well you, in your
daily life, are reflecting God’s teachings to those who you encounter.
Perhaps, in your reflection you cannot discern the inner God within
you because you are not totally open to accepting yourself as a
infinitely loving God‘s child because other have told you that you are
not welcome in God‘s house for one reason or another.
Maybe it is because you spend too much time thinking about yourself
and your desires instead of finding out how you can reach out and help
others less fortunate than you.
One thing that can cause distortions and streaks in your reflection is
a distance you put between you and Almighty God. You believe in God
and turn to Him when you are in need, but you do not take time every
day to communicate with him as you would with your best friend and
thank Him for all he has given you.
Sometimes, just possibly, when you look in the mirror you do not
recognize the person staring back at you. You need to ask why you not
recognize that person.
There is of course those times when you can see another figure behind
you who seems to be calling to you. That reflection can either be a
dark and foreboding presence that should frighten you because it is
trying to entice you to do go against God’s teachings and as they used
to say in Star Wars “Have you go to the Dark side”.
The image you see reflected back at you might be a beautiful
luminescent image that seems to glow from within which is the
reflection of God and the Holy Spirit alive within you.
Take a good look at yourself in that mirror, do you reflect the
infinite love and mercy of Jesus Christ to yourself and to all you
encounter on your life journey?
Do you live your live in a way that would prompt God to praise you as
“My good and faithful servant”?
If so, your image is crystal clear and exactly what you want to
envision when you look in your mirror.
What you see in that mirror is how others see you.
If you live your life striving always to be kind, generous,
thoughtful, forgiving, and not discriminatory of any person, even
those you disagree with, you are well on the way to seeing God in your
reflection and others will see that in you.
If, however, you discriminate because someone is divorced, not of the
same nationality, race or religious denomination as you, or because
God created a person with a same sex orientation, then your reflection
is going to be full of blotches, stains and streaks and your image in
the mirror needs to be cleaned up.
Jesus Christ never rejected anyone who came to him and neither does
God. Christ called and welcomed all even those who were sinners so
that he could forgive them and encourage them to “Go and Sin No More”.
Christ sat at table with all political and religious persons,
rejecting no one, teaching them how to attain salvation. Christ
endured suffering and even death on the cross in order to free us from
the burden of sin and open the gates of heaven to all. His example
showed us how to live. He told us it would not be easy and that we
might be ridiculed and rejected and even have to suffer in order to be
truthful and live according to God’s will.
Christ and His Almighty Father have even given us a source of strength
in the gifts bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit; Wisdom,
Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the
Lord.
The secret here is, we have to seek them out and we have to ask for
them. Christ told us “Love one another as I have loved you”. Christ
loved us so much he was willing to die so that our sins would be
forgiven and we could attain heaven at the end of our “Proving Time”
here on earth. Like Gold that is purified in fire, we also must
endure times of testing to become worthy of eternal life with God and
the heavenly elect.
May your reflection have few flaws and may God grant you the fortitude
to make the changes necessary for you to see God clearly in your
reflection. AMEN