Ever heard the saying  “What’s in it for me?”

In this weeks Gospel, Luke 16: 1-13 it is not about the dishonest manager getting back the amount he is owed but maximizing his losses so at least he would get something back.

 Like the manager in the parable we need to gather what we can without putting a value on it. The question being how can we ever build relationships if we placing expectations on others?

 Hence, we capitalize and achieve our greatest successes when our options are limitless and our outcomes negotiable. We must be careful not to judge others but work in partnership with them so everyone can achieve their goals and no one feels short changed.

 I often wonder when people discuss forgiveness what I would consider to be unforgivable if someone hurt me.

 Jesus in the Parable of the Lost Sheep states there is a need to go after the lost sheep rather than the other ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

 The lost sheep knows they have done something wrong and they need to repent rather they just don’t know how to go about it.

 While the ninety-nine righteous sheep feel they have done nothing wrong and neither need to seek forgiveness or forgive others. The status quo remains no need to change.

The point is people who are unwilling to bend will never change while people who are lost and seek forgiveness want to change. Hence, they are worth chasing after.

To often I become focused on the action and the outcome rather then engaging in conversation and building in relationships.

 In Mark 11:12-14 Jesus curses the fig tree and says no fruit will be ever born from it.

When I reflect on this scripture I think about why Jesus cured the sick and ate with the sinners because they accepted his message of hope and knew that it was a call to change.  Whereas for the non marginalized to accept the message of change required a sacrifice to give to others and not take their life for granted.

To many times if only I had listened to others instead of working on achieving the outcome the missed opportunities of gaining the insights and knowledge that are offered are ignored to attain the goal. Like the fig tree my relationships won’t bear any fruit unless I  am motivated by the process, listen to the ideas of others and engage in the relationships that lead to the outcome rather than just focus on goal.

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 14:11

 I often think that when I do something well and receive compliments for my work I need to keep it in perspective.

While it is important to appreciate the acknowledgement it is equally has important I believe to reflect on what I have achieved.

 What did I do really well and what could I change and build on for the future. For the future is what we look to and ensures we maintain a high standard so when we are asked to adjust and add flexibility to what we do then the change will be seamless and the progression evident.

The end result is from your work others will reap the benefits and you won’t seek out compliments because of the great personal satisfaction you receive from a job well done.

Everybody likes to be recognized or appreciated particularly if they do something for someone else. If they are thanked they are more likely to respond to further requests then if there actions are not acknowledged.

In this weeks Gospel, Luke 10:1-12 Jesus asked his disciples to go out and Proclaim the Kingdom of God to every town and place where he intended to go. To not be discouraged by the people who refused to acknowledge them but to feel elated by those that embraced and spent time with them.

 The question for me is how did the disciples perceive this challenge as a labour of love or a duty? Often I feel when we are faced with a difficult task it becomes achievable when we feel supported by those around us. Success can be achieved because we know we are being listened to for who we are not what we offer.

When circumstances cause me to feel angry I sometimes feel frustrated and act or speak in reflection in a way I do regret later.How many times have I thought if I could only have that moment back I would act so differently?

Sometimes I am thrown into circumstances I am not prepared for or what I thought was going to happen didn’t.  A snap decision is required and there is no time to think about the consequences. Just like in this weeks Gospel, Luke 9:51-62 where Jesus asks us to drop everything and follow him. In other words putting others before self whether we do that or not is just about the timing.

Sometimes I think I don’t realise how powerful a word or sentence can be particularly to the person it may be directed at.  It can inspire, infuriate or hurt the recipient.

 I now understand that you ascertain the setting, gauge the atmosphere and make your point ensuring it is relevant to the context and provides meaning to the person or people it is intended for.

In this weeks Gospel, Jesus says,

‘”For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?”

For the crowd and Jesus’ disciples did they understand what he was saying or did they find that it didn’t pertain to them?

My interpretation is that it is a call to be unselfish and always think of others both in our words and actions. Hence in our relationships both with God and others our rewards will be greater than putting ourselves first.

Have you ever had that feeling that everything was spiraling out of control and that circumstances were conspiring so quickly against you that appeared there was no solution to the difficulties you were enduring?

I often think sometimes you just have to go into free-fall before you can make sense of the situation you find yourself in. Occasionally there is no solution to the problem and you just have to accept the situation has it is.

In this weeks Gospel, Luke 7:11-17 Jesus raises a widows son from the dead.

The key to the Gospel’s message for me was Jesus showed compassion for the widow over the death of her son. The healing occurred not because Jesus wanted to display his power but his love for others.

The message for me is no matter the situation and the improbability of a solution the important thing is to maintain your dignity and keep everything in perspective otherwise everything will continue to spiral out of control.

Why do people join a team? Is it because they are in their neighbourhood,  the emblem, the colours, their friends or were family were members or because of the tradition and ethos that is unique to that particular team?

What happens when you join the team? Are you welcomed, given a uniform, is the team ethos explained and do you feel supported even when the role you have to play is making you feel uncertain?

Last Sunday’s Gospel on the Feast of Corpus Christi raised many of these questions. When Jesus asked the apostles to feed the large crowd imagine how they felt when going through their mind was how was this possible.

 “We have no more than five loaves and two fish.” Luke 9:13

 I believe the ultimate reason why you join a team is through their achievements, vision and game plan they instill a belief that they can achieve the impossible. Also that has a member you feel a part of that process and can reflect on the challenges and celebrate the successes.

Just like Jesus had a plan to feed the multitudes and with the apostles achieved the impossible all because everyone believed it could happen and played their part in the team.

Wanted a Time Machine

There are many times in my life that I would like to travel back in time and change the circumstances of what happened on that day. Perhaps saying a kind word, listening to advice about how to proceed in certain situations or just not intervening when it was totally unnecessary but letting nature take its course.

If only I hadn’t said what I said, listened to the advice given or displayed self-restraint maybe things would have turned out differently.

In this weeks Gospel Jesus says,

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own but will speak whatever he hears and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16-13

Jesus is telling us if we stand back and reflect and the actions we take will be clearer than if we act impulsively. We just need to have faith that the Spirit will guide us in our words and actions and the result will lead to a positive outcome.