This week's readings Week of September 1 - 7 Sunday, Sept. 1, 2002 Reading I: Jer 20:7-9 Reading II: Rom 12:1-2 Gospel: Mt 16:21-27 Monday, Sept. 2, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 2:1-5 Gospel: Lk 4:16-30 Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 2:10b-16 Gospel: Lk 4:31-37 Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 3:1-9 Gospel: Lk 4:38-44 Thursday, Sept. 5, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 3:18-23 Gospel: Lk 5:1-11 Friday, Sept. 6, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 4:1-5 Gospel: Lk 5:33-39 Saturday, Sept. 7, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 4:6b-15 Gospel: Lk 6:1-5 Pope's Prayer Intentions August General Intention Development of consciences that respect the environment: That all of us, individually and collectively, may develop a growing respect for the environment as God's gift to us. August Mission Intention Prayerful support for missionaries who work in the world's shantytowns: That the missionaries in the world's vast shantytowns may manage to alleviate the suffering that injustice inflicts and help the people living in them to develop to the fullest.

Ante up:
The stakes are your eternal life

		Word of God  Word of Life  Fr. John G. Stillmank

There's a scene in the movie "Titanic," at the beginning. Four men are playing poker. On the table, all they possess: some money, tickets to the ship, a jack knife . . . nothing significant, really.

"Jesus is a kind of dealer in the poker game of life - in fact, he has dealt each of us a winning hand!"

The moment of truth arrives, when each puts his cards on the table. Two of the men have nothing in their hands. One has two pair - he looks to be the winner. Finally, the dealer places his cards face up on the table with a triumphant "whoop!" He has a full house, and he and his partner win the hand, the tickets, and all.

Jesus is a kind of dealer in the poker game of life. He has given each of us our cards. He knows what each of us has in our hand (no, he's not cheating). In fact, he has dealt each of us a winning hand! Every one of us, man, woman, child, has received from Jesus all that we need to live a life of faithful discipleship - a winning hand. There need be no losers.

Readings for 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sept. 1) Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21-27

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us the stakes: "whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." If we play our hand in such a way that we recognize how Jesus wants us to win - if we play that hand for him, by his rules, if you will - we will win! Jesus guarantees it!

But if we play that hand by our rules, trying to win a different game, working so that others will lose - then we will be the losers. Big losers.

"What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" You could play those cards in that poker game of life and win the whole pot, win everything - maybe you'd have to cheat a little, though- become wealthy, powerful, be a person of influence as the world accounts it, not worry about how the little guy gets hurt - and yet lose what most counts: eternal life in God's kingdom.

Or you could live your life in the spirit of Jesus Christ. "Take up your cross and follow me," Jesus says. Look at the cards I have given you - a winning hand - and play them according to your heavenly Father's will. You might not "win" in the way the world would define it, but in God's book you would be a big winner indeed.

Inbetween these two extremes is where most of us fall. We might not want to take the risk to win it all for Jesus - we're happy to stand pat. Or maybe we fold too soon, not trusting in God's love and his promises, not trusting in our own ability to be his faithful disciples. That's not an option either. With Jesus it's winner take all - and all can be winners.

Peter, in the Gospel, urges Jesus away from his mission. "God forbid," he says, that Jesus should be arrested and killed. Peter thinks the deck is stacked. He's watching the deal and he doesn't think Jesus has it right. He tries to call a misdeal, as it were.

But Jesus says no. "Get behind me, Satan!" Jesus says to Peter. "You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." By telling Peter to get behind him, Jesus is saying "get out of my way." But he might also be saying, "look at what's in my hand" - a winning hand, because God cannot lose.

Nor can we, Jesus reminds us. "What can one give in exchange for his life?" Nothing. There is nothing of value that we can ante up that will save us if we aren't willing to play our hand as Jesus has dealt it to us.

Good thing he's a dealer that wants everyone to win, don't you think?

Fr. John G. Stillmank is Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Madison and pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Verona, and St. William Parish, Paoli.