1st Lenten-Sunday C Lk 4.1-13 (17.02.2013)

We know already JvN likes to realize the "Kingdom of God" (Lk 4.21)
and we have found a translation thereof:
                              "to participate with the fullness of Life".

The story "temptation in the wilderness" (Lk 4.1-13) clarifies quite well
what is meant by "to participate with the fullness of Life".

Temptation A) "turn stone into bread" ! If yes
it means: the resources (bread) are un-limited...   (= fullness of Life).
Jesu' first answer: No ! because Christian Life-style accepts that all resources
are and remain limited (water, food, oil, forest / power, love, freedom, peace...)
and they draw thereof the consequences.
Jesu' second answer: No ! because we don't live for the use (waste) of the resources (bread), we live because of the challenge of the Word of God.

Temptation B) "worship the devil". If yes
it means: all the kingdoms of the world are un-limited given.
Jesus answers: No ! our worship is limited. We worship the Mystery of God;
nothing else! and therefore we accept all our power and glory as limited.
We don't worship the sun, not the Government, not the money, not the science...

Temptation C) "throw yourwelf down". If yes
it means: angels will allow un-limited behaviour (do whatever you like).
Jesus: No ! our behaviour is limited and we accept it (our view, knowledge, hearing etc... is conditioned and limited). We don't put in question the creation-law.

As we strive to participate with the fullness of Life, we have to recognize:
the resources, the worship, the behaviour - all is limited.
The Life-chance between birth and death is limited - once and for all.
We are Earth-dust or Star-dust...   our AMEN means: we accept to be limited;
we live within limits. We are ambassadors of terminability ( 2 Cor 5.20)

If you fast, you establish a sign of free limitation - you not only accept limits,
you see a great value in the Life-limitation.
How do we integrate our "participation with the fullness of life" into the
experienced Life-limitation ?

ASH-Wednesday (13.02.2013)

Today the Church brings to our attention a FACT: Life is dust, limited!
We are STAR-DUST sure! but we are more - Life is limited!
Birth and Death are the two main facts - we are between - and this is dust.
In the meantime we are blossom and decay, we are Children of God and sinners,
we are lovers and figthers, we are constructors and destroyers;
we are artists... we are...   but all is DUST / STARDUST!
It's wise and rational to accept the fact that all is limited!
Exactly the exercise of this fact is LENTEN-time. To become realistic...
To learn to see things as they are...
Our balance between objective and subjective perception will help us to get a realistic world-view - but more: by this way we let the reality reveal itself.
For this - following Paulus (2 Cor 5.20) - we are Ambassadors: to bring into this world, to bring to our people the reality we have discovered, the reality revealed to us. We hope as baptised Christian we have also discovered the reality of Jesus
Christ; maybe also the reality of the Mystery of God.
It doesn't matter:  remember - you are stardust
                                                and to stardust we will return.        Amen

FISHING Lk 5.1-11 (10.02.2013) 5th Sunday C

Jesus calls Simone Petrus (this means the whole Church) to become
"fisher of men". Every Religion, every Idea, every concept... needs this
activity: to bring people in; to get coworkers. to have members...
it's a natural law to get people to carry the idea further...
the "fishing of men" is all over, at all time - it's the fight for survival.
It's not Jesus Christ, it's not the Holy God, who decides about the
religious majority; it's the people called "fishers of men"!

Jesus has convinced Petrus Simon + Co: if you go out fishing in my name
there will be a great catch! In 2013 the Christianity is the bigest "fishing- enterpriese" between the Religions of the World. But things are going to change!
If we like to have in future a "Christian World" we must increase our fishing-effort!

 "Simon Petrus follows Jesus" - means: he takes over the fishing-method of Jesus.
It's a pity, the Church has not all the time kept to the method of Jesus.
Not "fishing men" is the problem - the problem is the method! And this is what we have to learn again.
We learn the method of Jesus A) as we meditate the gospel
                                               B) as we work togehter with a Christian group
                                               C) as we have the courage to make experiences.
In my view the method of Jesus is composed of:
1.) INVITATION (no force, no order, no gratification, no tricks...)
2.) ATTRACTION (the Church must be made attractive in a good sense)
3.) ANIMATION (to empower people for a free YES)