Living Bread Eating is necessary for life. Do we eat to live, or live to eat? With respect to the Eucharist, the answer to this question—both parts of it—is yes. Eating and drinking the risen Christ’s Body and Blood gives us a share now in divine Life: we eat to live. Further, we must daily deepen our hunger for this divine Food that leads to eternal Life: therefore, in a real sense, we live to eat. Jesus makes clear in this gospel that he is giving himself—his very flesh and blood—to us as our “living bread.” This “living bread” nourishes us now for our life in the risen Christ, and it also nourishes us on our journey toward Life everlasting. Jesus always invites us to his banquet table; it is ours to choose to take, eat and drink, and live this mystery. Jesus’ invitation to eat and drink his flesh and blood is an invitation to enter into his own mystery of self-giving dying and rising. Eucharist is self-giving. We can be self-giving like Jesus because by eating his flesh and drinking his blood we become more perfectly the Body of Christ. This is why we can “re¬main” in Jesus—we are transformed by what we eat. Our relationship to Jesus, then, becomes a relationship of indwelling, of divine Life. This is why Eucharist is a promise of eternal Life: because we already have divine Life within us.[Living Liturgy 2021] It is easy to choose to take part in the Communion procession at Mass—to take and eat and drink. It is the more difficult choice to live the mystery in which we have participated. This is daily living: to choose to nourish others who are hungry both physically and spiritually, to choose to invite others into deeper relationship with ourselves and the risen Christ, to choose to take time to savor the mystery with which God in Christ has blessed us. In this kind of daily living we answer for ourselves and for others the central question of this gospel: Who is “this man”?
Bread From Heaven We seek success, but often misunderstand its allure. We seek happiness, but often misunderstand its source. We seek love, but often misunderstand its cost. We seek Jesus, but often misunderstand where we find him, how he nourishes us, who he really is. When we realize through an encounter with Jesus what it is he desires to give us—bread that lasts—we ask him to “give us this bread always.” But, like the crowd in this gospel, we do not always fully understand what Jesus is actually giving us—not bread but his very Self. This Gift is the work of God; our work is to receive this Gift. [Living Liturgy 2021] We grow in our understanding of Jesus as the Bread of Life by counting the many ways he nourishes us. He nourishes us through the witness of people who are remarkably self-giving, by the kind word or smile of a stranger, by the challenge to grow that comes from a true friend, by the calming presence of a beloved family member, through our own quiet moments of prayer. In all of these examples we receive life from another. This life is Jesus’ gift of Self. This Life is what we ultimately seek. Adapted from Renew International Year B
God Cares What are you hungry for? Really hungry for? Stop for a moment, right now, wherever you happen to be– reading these words, stop for just a moment and ask yourself this question: “What am I hungry for? And how hungry am I?” Whatever your response to that question, God cares about your answer. God cares about your hunger, your desire. God cares about whatever it is you are longing for, hunting for, hoping for. If there’s one thing to be said for certain about today’s Gospel reading, it is surely this: God cares about your hunger. Where is Jesus in all of this? And what does this story say? In John’s version, Jesus has been in Galilee healing the sick. The people have noticed the signs he’s been up to, so a crowd follows him to the place where he’s gone with his disciples. There are so many of them, and Jesus looks at Philip and says, “Where are we to buy bread for all these people? They’re hungry. So what are we going to do?” It’s telling that in John’s version Jesus asks the disciples, while in Matthew and Mark and Luke it’s the other way around. The disciples ask him. In this case, Jesus looks at his followers, looks at the likes of you and me and says, “So what are we gonna do here? How are we going to deal with this problem of hunger?” It is clear that Philip reaches for the usual kinds of categories and expectations. He begins to calculate how much money they need to buy supper for all these folks. He begins to work on logistics. “Half a year’s paychecks won’t do the trick. Our budget just isn’t big enough. Our resources are just too few.” But Jesus knows that conventional answers aren’t what’s called for here. Aren’t what’s really needed. At this point, Andrew walks up. “Well, there is someone here,” he says. “There’s this kid with some barley loaves and a couple of fish.” Andrew looks at who’s around. Who’s on hand? Looks at what’s available. And what’s available is the lunch of a boy who is clearly not a power broker, clearly not someone with rank. Because barley flour is the flour that poor folks used for their loaves, not what the rich folks used. It’s a little detail that only John mentions. Andrew sees that perhaps real needs aren’t necessarily filled by the folks that we’ve often looked to to meet them. But Jesus is saying more than that. Jesus is saying that the hunger goes deeper. The way John tells the story, it’s clear that Jesus is the One who can end real hunger–of every sort, not just the kind that makes for growling stomachs an hour before lunchtime. Because John changes another detail in the story: He makes Jesus the host of this meal, the one who distributes the food. In the other gospels, it’s the disciples who take up the work, and those stories say important things too. But, here for John, there’s something else going on. Something else we’re to hear and see and know. In this version, it’s Jesus who hands out the food. Because in John, it’s Jesus himself who will become the real food; Jesus who will say to us just a few verses later, “I am the bread of life. Those who come to me will never hunger.” Here in John, as in the other gospels, the crowds eat till they are filled, till their hunger is gone. But in John, Jesus also adds, “Gather up the fragments, that nothing may be lost,” because Jesus’ real purpose is to keep things from being lost. To keep us from being lost. From perishing is what the word means. His real purpose is to provide sustenance that lasts, that keeps us truly alive, that won’t feed us one moment then leave us hungry the next. Jesus is saying, “I am the real food. The most important food. Don’t spend your lives on food that spoils. Don’t stock the shelves of your life with perishables. Put me there instead. Make me your staple, the food that’s going to last. When you’re hungry,” says Jesus, “then reach first for me.” [Living Liturgy 2015] It is strange food, this food called Jesus. We consume it, take it into ourselves like ordinary bread. We begin to digest it, till it becomes part of us. But then this bread of life does something else, something the ordinary bread doesn’t do. This bread, this food, this Jesus begins to consume us, begins to make us part of him. We are used to consuming our food, but now our food consumes us. And in that consumption, we ourselves become a non-perishable. We ourselves become food for the world — living loaves. Through our Gospel living we are chosen, blessed, broken and given for the world. Jesus says to us, “Give them yourself.” Adapted from PrayerTime by Renew International
Who Does He Think He is? He came to his own, and his own people did not accept him. John 1:11 This Sunday’s Gospel is one of the saddest in the New Testament. Jesus returns home, with his disciples, as a teacher and preaches in the synagogue. At first, all looks promising. They recognise his wisdom and power. They marvel, realising that something more than human is at work in him, and they discuss. Then something goes wrong. Is it that they were challenged by his teaching? They couldn’t remain the same, listening to Jesus. Conversion was at the heart of his teaching. But you can just hear that first criticism: ‘But he is only a tradesman!’ then ‘We know his Mum!’ And it goes downhill from there. You can be sure that the relatives named were not the best people in town. Notice, there is no objection to his teaching or to his miracles. Rather than be honest and admit that his teaching is challenging they find anything they can to ridicule him. Then they close off. Interesting, here. Jesus could face the storm and calm it, confront the demonic and free him, heal sickness and overcome death but against indifference, coldness and disinterest, he is powerless. His love, divine love is constrained by human indifference. This should give us serious pause. He, who will confront death and overcome it, is powerless in the face of indifference and rejection. Maybe we should all pause. Maybe this is an area in which we should often examine our conscience: with whom and regarding what, am I indifferent. For where we are indifferent, we know God’s love is not at work there. [Living Liturgy 2021] When Jesus came to Nazareth he could work no miracles there because of their lack of faith. That makes me pause and ask: How many miracles has God not been able to work in my life because I have been closed to God’s ways? How much good have I rejected because it has not been offered in ways that I am comfortable with? How often have I not heard the message of God because it has been spoken by someone not respectable enough, someone who is not ‘one of us’? As any parent knows, attitude makes the decisive difference Preaching is in vain if people, if we, are closed. Peace-making is in vain if people, if we, are closed. If we are not prepared to consider another point of view, there will be no conversion, no hope, no grace in our lives. Well, we may think that our point of view is right. But nobody has a monopoly on the truth and God can choose to speak the word of grace through the most unlikely people. Even in disagreeing with someone we may find God’s ways in the discussion. So we should pause as ask ourselves: ‘Where am I stopping the miracle of grace in my life?’ Adapted Renew International Year B
Be Set on Fire As I was preparing for the feast of Pentecost, I came across this reflection. In my experience, nothing is by happenstance. Always, it’s filled with a message I need: There is a dangerous tendency in human nature to try to domesticate the spiritual world. Beings and events beyond our comprehension become tame or even silly. Compare Ezekiel’s cherubs, with their bodies covered with eyes, with the fat little babies that we find so often in Christian art. Or think of how absorbed we can become, at Christmas time, with the innumerable variations on the sweet, docile image of the baby in the manger, sleeping quietly or smiling beatifically, surrounded by animals and angels, and sideline the unthinkable reality and awesome mystery that the infant soiling his swaddling clothes is the same God who created the universe and continually holds it in being. How much easier it is to create nice, cozy, safe images of a world that is not only terrifyingly incomprehensible but also very real.Pope Francis has warned against this tendency to bring the uncontrollable under the semblance of our control. Most recently, he has counseled us against underestimating the devil, of taking him too lightly. But he is also fond of reminding us of the immense power and unpredictable nature of our great friend: the Holy Spirit. He is the Paraclete, our advocate and helper, but he is also like the wind, which “blows where it wills” (John 3:8).This image of the Holy Spirit as wind is an important one. It is linked to the understanding of “spirit” evident in the Hebrew word ruah, which means “wind, spirit, breath.” Indeed, we find Jesus in John’s Gospel breathing on his disciples as He tells them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). And every year in the Chrism Mass, in which a bishop consecrates all the sacramental oils to be used throughout his diocese for the coming year, there is a solemn moment in which this successor of the Apostles breathes into each of the urns filled with oil.But wait. Haven’t I just domesticated the Holy Spirit by downgrading it from wind to breath? Not a bit of it. Because the wind/breath identity of the Holy Spirit is closely linked to the image of the Holy Spirit as fire. Don’t forget that before the flaming tongues appeared above the disciples’ heads at Pentecost, they first heard “a noise like a strong driving wind” (Acts 2:2). Under certain conditions, the interaction between oxygen (in other words, the air that we breathe) and some type of fuel causes a chemical reaction, one product of which is heat and light – commonly known as fire. Consider the air, or the breath, as the Holy Spirit, and the fuel as a human soul: your soul, my soul. Given the right conditions – an openness and a willingness on the part of the “fuel,” spontaneous combustion takes place.Have you ever watched a piece of wood being consumed by fire? Sighing and crackling and glowing, getting blacker and blacker until it falls apart completely and nothing remains but ash? It doesn’t just look different from the original piece of wood. It is different, at the very core of its being. Its chemical composition has changed. It has been transformed. [Salt and Light May 20, 2018]This is what we are called to as Christians and what awaits us when we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. Let yourself be set on fire by the Holy Spirit. Let yourself be transformed.
Be Still Growing up on Lake Erie, I had opportunity to see small vessels caught in storms, buffeted by wind and rain. And as a child, storms frightened me. My mother would light a blessed candle, reassuring me that all would be well. Today violent storms cause me to pause. I have expensive surge protectors to protect my electronic equipment. Yet, when a storm arises, I am still fearful and I disconnect everything. In our Gospel today, Jesus is with experienced fishermen who knew the peril of a storm at sea. When a “violent squall” arose, the disciples thought that Jesus didn’t care that they were “perishing.” But Jesus did care; he came precisely to save humanity from perishing. The boat was filling up with water from the waves, while the disciples’ hearts were empty of the depth of faith needed to be calm, to be still, to know that Jesus surely does care for them. The disciples’ faith is weak because the disciples do not yet know who Jesus is and why he came. What they did not yet know was the extent of Jesus’ power and his care for them. From what disaster does Jesus really save the disciples? From a storm? Yes, but much more. Jesus saves them from their lack of faith and trust in him.[Living Liturgy 2017] After Jesus commanded the sea to be quiet, there was a great calm. Were the disciples calmed? Did they grow in faith? The “storms” of our own lives become occasions for us to grow in faith and trust that God is ever present to us, calming whatever threatens us, bringing us to a deeper relationship with the God who cares for us. We have an advantage over the disciples in that boat on a stormy sea: we know who Jesus is. But nevertheless we must still ask the critical question: how strong is our faith?
This Is How It Is As a child, I listened to the news each night, not really understanding what I heard. However, one phrase repeated each night: “And that’s the way it is.” The familiar voice of Walter Cronkite, his factual details and his faithful coverage all helped us to believe ‘And that’s the way it is.” It was his person that made that line believable. It was his person that entered homes each night for so many years. Our Gospel today, points to “This is how it is.” Jesus shares with us more than events, more than facts. He is reporting the “mystery of the kingdom.” A kingdom not of this world, but it is in this world. It is divine presence, our growth and eternal life. The kingdom of God is a call to us to live lives as faithful disciples. It is a call to live divine life even while we are caught up in our own human life and events.The kingdom is found in the intersection of our work [plant the seed] and God’s work [mystery of life growing and bearing fruit]. The Good News is that God’s kingdom is assured – the seed will yield a harvest; the tiny seed will grow into a large plant. [Living Liturgy 2015] It doesn’t matter if we do tiny things or earth-shaking things. What matters is that we take up God’s work of planting life. Our cooperation with God is simply to be faithful followers of Jesus. Our tiniest acts of kindness – a simple smile or hello- bring forth life and make the kingdom present. Our lifelong journey is to live the gospel making the kingdom of God present. God uses us to make the divine presence known. This is how it is!
Corpus Christi: Chosen, Blessed, Broken, Given Jesus’ actions in this Sunday’s Gospel – choosing, blessing, breaking and giving – foreshadows the total gift of self on the Cross, in the Eucharist. The fullest presence of the kingdom of God is revealed by the total gift of self. When we receive Jesus’ gift of self in the Eucharist and choose to be transformed into being that same gift for others, we are the visible presence of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God comes to fulfillment in every act of total self-giving. Jesus is the one who gave himself totally and continues to give himself to us in the Eucharist. In this gospel, Jesus not only fills the hungry with good things, he fills them to overflowing. Human food leaves us hungry and desiring more. Jesus’ food leaves us satisfied. But the satisfaction comes from what the eating and drinking lead us to do: give ourselves over to others in self-surrender as Jesus did. The focus of this feast is not limited to the Eucharistic elements but leads to our pledge of self-giving. When we eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ we are transformed more perfectly into the presence of the risen Christ for others. This transformation is both a gift and a challenge. It is the challenge to spend ourselves for others, to give of ourselves. The deepest mystery of this feast is that we, too, must give our very own body and blood to others so that they may be satisfied. And when the leftover fragments of ourselves are gathered up, we will find ourselves sharing in the everlasting abundance of the banquet! Such a mystery! Adapted Renew International Year B
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age’.(Matthew 28:16-20) In the event described in this Gospel reading, the disciples were invited to a special encounter with Christ, and, through them, the whole world was invited as well. Imagine the fear and doubt the disciples must have experienced as they made their way toward the meeting place in Galilee. They must have hoped that the words the women spoke were true, that Jesus was no longer in the tomb and had risen from the dead, yet they probably tried not to get their hopes up too high. They may also have been afraid of what Jesus would say to them. They had, after all, abandoned him after his arrest. Jesus did not only appear to them. He told them some of the greatest news in the Gospel, that he would be with them (and us) always! He commissioned them to go and make disciples of all nations and to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This encounter helped the disciples move from hiding in fear to being courageous evangelizers. Like the disciples, we may at times be hesitant to believe that God will meet us where we are, and to allow our encounters with God to make a difference in our lives. However, having faith and responding to our encounters with the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – will open up new horizons for us and may help us to find needed direction in our lives. What encounters have changed the direction of your life? How did you see God in those encounters? Adapted from “Word on the Go”, a downloadable resource from RENEW International
Feast of Pentecost Artist He Qi As the saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” Horses can have a mind of their own and be stubborn. So can humans! We often need prodding—motivation—to do something, especially if it’s something we don’t enjoy. When it comes to us humans, motivation plays a huge role in why we do anything and how we do everything. Need is a strong motivator, as is love. This solemnity is really about motivation, the reason why we listen to Jesus and choose to follow him. We followers of Jesus never stand alone. We have each other to motivate ourselves toward faithful action. But even more: we always have the Spirit who dwells within and among us and binds us into one. Through the Holy Spirit we all share in the same risen Life, the same saving mission, the same love. There is strength in numbers. There is motivation in numbers. Our strength is the gift of the Spirit who binds us in love and unity as the one Body of Christ. Our motivation is that with the gift of the Holy Spirit we become one with God’s love in a unique way. We become bigger than ourselves. In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us that our love binds us together and to him. Our love motivates us to keep his commandments and word, the measure of our being together in community. Love is a strong motivator. The strength of our love for Jesus is the measure of how well we keep his commandments and word, how well we care for each other. Why and how we keep Jesus’ command¬ments and word is, in the end, keeping him—the divine Word who was sent by the Father. Pentecost is a celebration of both the gift of the Spirit and the effects of that gift—we are sharers in the one Body of Christ who take up Jesus’ mission to preach the Good News of salvation. [Living Liturgy 2013] The Father sent the “Advocate, the Holy Spirit” to teach us “everything.” What is this “everything” we need the Spirit to teach us? Why and how keeping Jesus’ commandments and word is the unconditional condition of loving him. Why and how this love is the wellspring of our relationship to Jesus and his Father in their Spirit. What the Spirit teaches us, in the end, is why we do anything and how we do everything.
The Ascension of The Lord We, who have lost a loved one, know that their “spirit” often lives on long after their death. Certain situations will trigger our memory of them. Recalling what they said or did, we are inspired to live up to the legacy they have left us. In this way their presence continues through our words and actions. We might well imagine the disciples overwhelming sense of grief and absence when Jesus ascended into heaven. As time will tell, Jesus’ absence will really mark the beginning of a new kind of presence. We, his followers, are commissioned to preach that suffering and death lead to new life and that forgiveness will be granted to all who seek forgiveness. His ascension is our commission because we are now His presence on earth. His very absence calls us to be and do as Jesus. To put another’s needs above our own desires; to seek amends when forgiving another or letting go of grudges. And we don’t do this on our own, we are gifted with the very power of the Holy Spirit. Having experienced God’s saving action, we can be that saving action for others. Adapted from Renew International Year B </p> </div><!-- .entry-content --> <footer class="entry-footer"> <span class="cat-links">Posted in <a href="https://www.ursulinesistersmission.org/category/weekly-reflection/" rel="category tag">Weekly Reflection</a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer --> </article><!-- #post-## --> <article id="post-10059" class="post-10059 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-weekly-reflection tag-put-aside-your-fear"> <header class="entry-header"><p><br /></p> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://www.ursulinesistersmission.org/put-aside-your-fear/" rel="bookmark">Put Aside Your Fear</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header --> <div class="entry-content"> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><a href="http://www.theursulines.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/the-doubt-of-st-thomas.jpg"><img decoding="async" src="http://www.theursulines.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/the-doubt-of-st-thomas-300x300.jpg" alt="the-doubt-of-st-thomas" class="wp-image-10058"/></a><figcaption>HeQi artist</figcaption></figure></div> <p>What happens when we meet a close friend whom we’ve not seen for a long time? We embrace the person warmly. We talk about shared past experiences. We share how our lives have changed. In the midst of this encounter is a deep sense of happiness and peace. Months and perhaps years of separation seem erased as we and our friend encounter each other in the here and now.</p> <p>It’s been only three days since the disciples have seen Jesus alive. But it must seem like an eternity to them. The disciples are gathered behind locked doors. They are afraid. They are confused about what to do. So they stay put. They are stuck. They’ve lost the sense of confidence they had when Jesus was with them. Probably their sense of peace has been shattered as well.</p> <p>On Easter evening, the risen Jesus appears and shows the disciples “his hands and his side.” It is Jesus who makes the first, convincing move to enable the disciples to believe that he has truly risen from the dead. It is he who wants the disciples to see him, to regain their confidence and peace. To this end, he bestows upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit. With this gift, the disciples are able to rejoice, to believe that he is truly risen.</p> <p>But this Jesus is not just an old friend who has been absent for a time. The disciples have never before seen this Jesus. He bears the marks of suffering and death. Yet he is risen, never to die again. He has conquered death. For himself and for all of us.</p> <p>Thomas is a convenient stand-in for all of us as we strive to deepen our belief in the risen Lord. Unlike Thomas, however, we do not literally “see” the risen Lord. Whether we see clearly like the gathered disciples, or only through doubting like Thomas, the risen Jesus is, nevertheless, always present in our midst removing all obstacles to belief. This is also how the risen Lord comes among us: in those in need, in those who reach out in self-giving to help those in need. Going from disbelief to belief is not a mental exercise. It is encountering the risen Lord in the people and circumstances around us. Believing is living faithfully the risen Life Jesus gives us.[Living Liturgy 2015]</p> <p>The challenge of this gospel is that we put aside our own fears and embrace belief, with all its consequences. Just as the risen Jesus was relentless in bringing the disciples from disbelief to belief, so is he with us. He is also just as relentless with us as he was with the disciples in bringing them to the cross. Even after his resurrection, Jesus always challenges us to both dying and rising. Having passed over from our Lenten discipline to Easter rejoicing doesn’t mean that we can forget about the dying required for living the paschal mystery. Now, however, our “seeing” is heightened: we have experienced once again Easter joy, a glimpse and promise of the fullness of Life to come. This glimpse of the fullness of Life gives us the confidence to believe, to live the Life given us now, to embrace the risen Jesus.</p> <p>Adapted from <strong>Renew International Year B</strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe loading="lazy" title="Behold the Glory of God" width="1170" height="878" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B8AdY-n5otc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen>
The Resurrection Of The Lord The Women at the Tomb Artist: HE Qi On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.’ So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead (John 20:1-9). John’s account of Jesus’ Resurrection speaks to the tremendous power of personal witness. Mary visited the tomb, mostly likely to anoint the body, since Jesus had been buried quickly to avoid ritual defilement for Passover, but she found the tomb empty. She did not keep this information to herself but ran to Peter and the other disciple—the apostle John. Mary was not afraid to tell them what she had experienced and act on what she had witnessed. She believed in what she saw and shared it. Such trust in God is at the heart of personal witness.[Living Liturgy 2018] We don’t know when our moment to witness to God’s love for all people will present itself. We don’t know when we will be asked to speak the truth that others may find challenging. We can, however, draw courage from Mary’s willingness to speak and to act. We are the powerful personal witnesses to Jesus in the world. Like Mary, we are invited to continue to speak the truth of Jesus, never knowing when our words and witness might draw others closer to God. How do you witness your faith in your daily life? How can you be a better witness to your faith? Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International
Palm Sunday_Passion Sunday I love ‘ensemble stories’ – you know books, plays, films where we see a number of different characters reacting within a story. When we look at the Passion Narratives, especially Mark’s, we miss the point if we focus solely on Jesus’ suffering and death. In fact, the Narratives make little of Jesus’ physical suffering. More emphasis is placed on how people react to Jesus. This is an especial feature of Mark’s account. His Passion account proper begins with the unnamed woman, lavishly pouring costly ointment over Jesus’ head. Somehow, she has recognized what all the other disciples have missed: Jesus is going to his death. She gives a most precious gift in response to his most precious gift. At the end of Mark’s account stands the Centurion, also unnamed, who is the ultimate witness to Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. This man of violence, who probably supervised the scourging, the ridicule, as well as the crucifixion proper sees ‘the Son of God’ in the ignominious failure and death. These two people stand as models of discipleship: one the faithful follower who risks ridicule to show love to Jesus; the other, a hard person transformed, converted to believer. [Living Liturgy 2015] In between these two figures of faith, we have all sorts of other characters: scheming self-serving priests, a weak politician, frightened disciples, a cocksure Peter shamed at the crow of a cock. These people are written into the story that we might see us there. We know our weakness and failures of character. As we see ourselves echoed in the Passion Narrative, we can remind ourselves that Jesus loved these, all these, and us, to the end. Adapted from Renew International Year B
Unless A Grain Of Wheat…. Each day, as I drove to the parish where I served, I encountered folks driving into our property to exercise-either in the pool or in our SilverSneaker program that is in our home. I was reminded of the saying…No pain, no gain! Those who come to exercise forge ahead with the painful task because their desire for the end result is stronger than their impulse to avoid pain. In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of different kinds of pain. There is the physical pain of his crucifixion, alluded to when he speaks of his being “lifted up from the earth.” He also speaks of the pain of dying, of losing our life, of serving him by following him. In all this pain, the focus is not on the suffering, but on the fruits that come from being faithful. The dying grain “produces much fruit”; losing one’s life now “preserves it for eternal life”; serving brings “honor.” In all these examples, Jesus does not so much emphasize the pain, but the gain. [Liturgy 2015] By dying to self for the good of others we come to new life. Giving ourselves for the sake of others is never easy. Sometimes it even makes demands on us that seem impossible. Both the gospel and second reading make clear that Jesus did not want to suffer. Gospel: “I am troubled now . . . save me”; second reading: “he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears” to his Father. We hear a similar plaintive cry when Jesus prays to his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking his Father to save him from the cup of suffering he must drink. Jesus, however, taught us the most important lesson about the paschal mystery: death (self-giving) is the way—the only way—to fullness of Life. The dying itself is a gift and grace because it is a harbinger of new Life. Our glorification is in the very dying because in dying we fully identify with Jesus, who passed through death to risen Life. So will we. Opportunities for dying to self, losing life for the sake of others, and serving Jesus in others are abundant; we need only to see them and respond. For example, parents giving time and energy to help their children grow; employees speaking the truth even when there is personal cost; neighbors responding to the needs of the poor. The glorification we receive for being other-centered is given to us even now in the joy that comes from deepened relationships, from seeing the relief and gratitude of others, from our own satisfaction for having acted like Jesus. In such faithful discipleship, we grow toward the ultimate glorification of eternal Life. Adapted from Renew Internal Year B
Fourth Sunday of Lent: The Light And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen and done in God. In Jesus’ time, light was a valued and scarce resource. Oil for lamps was expensive and carefully rationed. Moving away from the light of a village campfire was risking danger. Traveling in the darkness of night meant exposing oneself to wild animals or criminals. For Christians around 100 AD, the metaphor of Christ as the light would have particular resonance. They frequently lived in dark times of persecution, and to attest to believing in Jesus was dangerous. They looked forward to a time when their belief in Jesus could be safely expressed in the full light of day. Today, for those of us fortunate to live in a country where religious freedom is protected, the “darkness” we encounter manifests itself in things like greed, exploitation, violence, racism, and sexism. These aspects of life can cloud our vision and lead us to choose evil over good. Jesus lights the path for us to pierce the darkness and come into the light of goodness, truth, and faith. Think of a dark time in your life. Who or what did you reach out to? Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International
Third Sunday of Lent: Justifiable Anger Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, ‘Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace. John 2 :13-16 This Sunday’s reading invites us to examine the underlying tension that runs through all of the Gospels. Jesus’ mission brought him into conflict with the powerful institutions of religion and state. This tension ultimately led to Jesus’ arrest, trial, and execution. For pious Jews in Jesus’ day, and for Jesus himself, the Temple in Jerusalem was a sacred place. It was a center of pilgrimage for Jews from all over the world, a place where ritual sacrifices and prayers were offered. The presence of money changers and merchants was common in the outer courtyard of the Temple. Pilgrims who traveled a long distance to make a ritual sacrifice would find it easier to buy an animal on the spot than to bring one from home. In order to make this purchase, they would need to change their foreign currency for the only coins accepted in the Temple.[Living Liturgy 2015] Faith is not a matter of convenience. When religion exists solely to keep the wheels of commerce rolling or exploits the poor, it is fraudulent and disgraceful. Jesus was not an avoid-conflict-at-any-cost kind of character. He made a whip and chased the moneychangers out of the Temple. Jesus’ actions are a reminder that Christians can, and at times should, resort to the kind of righteous anger that cries out against hypocrisy and against the exploitation of the most vulnerable. In Jesus, Christians have a model of someone who had the courage to challenge and question. Those who claim to follow Jesus can do no less. About what in your life have you felt justifiably angered? What action did you take? Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International
Second Sunday of Lent Today’s readings are all about signs and promises, signs requested, signs given, and signs difficult to discern. A sign misunderstood, this time in the Transfiguration. The disciples are already struggling with the mission of Jesus as he tries to unfold it to them; in the previous chapter Jesus tells them they are right to call him Messiah but wrong in their expectation of what a Messiah will achieve. The disciples are uncomprehending of his description and while only Peter questioned, doesn’t mean the others clearly understood. So how will the transfiguration affect them? Are the words spoken, act as God’s seal on all that Jesus has said? Or will God’s words merely approve what they believe to be their interpretation of what Jesus is all about? Might they be inclined to think that If God loves Jesus so much he will certainly make him victorious? There must have been a temptation to believe that God was on their side and to discount the picture that Jesus has been painting of the suffering servant. After the resurrection, the story can take on a different perspective and taken in its proper perspective by the reality of Jesus life death and resurrection. They understand that God does indeed love and approve of everything that Jesus is and has done, and they can see the pattern their own mission must take and that it must follow the hard path to life, not the easy path to success. The issue with living the paschal mystery is always to take theory and put it into practice! Peter responded practically. Christian living is about being touched by Jesus so that the fleeting moments of glory are made permanent in bettering the lives of others. We don’t build tents, we feed the hungry, clothed the naked, touch the downhearted, encourage the discouraged. In this way Christ touches others through us. This is the sign! Adapted from Renew International Year B </p> </div><!-- .entry-content --> <footer class="entry-footer"> <span class="cat-links">Posted in <a href="https://www.ursulinesistersmission.org/category/weekly-reflection/" rel="category tag">Weekly Reflection</a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer --> </article><!-- #post-## --> <article id="post-3959" class="post-3959 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-weekly-reflection tag-proclaim-the-message"> <header class="entry-header"><p><br /></p> <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://www.ursulinesistersmission.org/change-your-life-believe-the-message/" rel="bookmark">Change Your Life – Believe the Message</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header --> <div class="entry-content"> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><a href="http://www.theursulines.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/jesusdeseret.jpg"><img decoding="async" src="http://www.theursulines.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/jesusdeseret-277x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3965" title="jesusdesert"/></a></figure></div> <p>It’s a humble journey, a humble journey with Jesus that we begin in Mark’s Gospel today, this First Sunday in Lent. It’s a quiet, unassuming, modest journey. At the same time it’s an amazing, remarkable, life-changing journey for us Jesus people, for us Easter people, because we peek out of an empty tomb to watch it begin, and we know that this journey is filled with God’s voice ringing in our ears and hearts, Satan’s temptations and wild beasts lurking in the shadows of our lives, angels when we need them, and our unashamed witness about how we follow Jesus.</p> <p>Our journey is like Jesus’ journey. It’s both humble and obedient to the point of death, as well as it is glorious and world-changing.</p> <p>It begins with an undignified smudge of ash on our foreheads, foreheads that were splashed with baptismal waters years earlier and a voice: “Child of God, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and marked with the cross of Christ forever.” “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”</p> <p>Our travels are marked by a trail of muddy footprints as we make our way through a wilderness littered by the beastly issues of home and school and office, stress and sickness and sadness, confusion and chaos and violence. F</p> <p>We struggle all our lives to say yes to what is good and to be faithful, as Jesus was, to our covenantal relationships. The issue isn’t temptation. The issue is fidelity. Temptation always presents a choice. Making the right choice brings growth, strengthened relationships and a time of fulfillment.</p> <p>Like Jesus, we call out as we travel with words similar to those that Eugene Peterson uses in his rendering of the gospel The Message: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”</p> <p>Adapted from<strong><em> Renew International Year B</em></strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe loading="lazy" title="Beyond the Days" width="1170" height="878" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FbnzbZG9xLU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen>
Ministry of Jesus This Sunday’s Gospel concludes the paradigmatic ‘day’ of Jesus ministry. He heals one individual – Simon’s mother-in-law – then at dusk, after the Sabbath has ended, the place is flooded with people bringing their sick and possessed. “Immediately”, “straightaway”, “all” – these words are repeatedly used in these few verses and underline the vibrancy of Jesus’ ministry and how readily he drew people in their need. The response of Simon’s mother-in-law is an example for all followers. The verb for her service is a significant one for Mark: it is used of the angels who served Jesus (1:13), the women who stood beneath his cross (15: 41) and of the service of the Son of Man (10:45) both in his living and dying. This story is not just a homely little miracle but offers a paradigm of the proper response to the Good News of Jesus. After this extraordinary day, Jesus makes a concerted effort to get away and pray. Having burst on the religious scene in such a manner and having had such an overwhelming response from the people to his power, he goes away to commune with his Father. When Peter and his companions ‘hunt’ him down – yes that element of desperation is in the text- he responds with calm decisiveness. He knows why he has come and he will not allow the short term demands of people to deflect him from it. [Aapted Rev Kyme Himes]
With Great Authority Did your mother ever say any of the following to you? I could plant potatoes in those ears.I’m not your maid.If your friends jumped off a cliff does that mean you have to jump too? Perhaps these phrases are familiar to you as well Just wait till you have kids of your ownDon’t talk with food in your mouthYou weren’t born in a barn, so stop acting like you wereAnd of course I am sure you have heard, if not uttered, the all time classic“Because I’m your mother, that’s why!” Each of these statements are expressions that have been passed from generation to generation. They are expressions of authority – the authority of a parent over a child. Authority however is weaker in some people and stronger in others. We have all heard parents who say things like “I really mean it this time” and known that it means nothing. Equally, we have heard others say simply and quietly – “Children, come” and seen an entire brood tumble into the room, waiting for what is to be said next. The strength of a person’s authority comes from the strength of the Spirit within the person. Further, the Spirit within a person can be good, or it can be evil- exercising its authority negatively not only upon other but also upon the person in whom it resides. Today’s scripture readings are about authority and power . The gospel reading concerns itself with the authority that Jesus held – an authority that allowed Jesus to command evil to depart and to teach in a manner unlike that of the scribes and Pharisees. As Christians each one of us is granted authority by God to speak in his name, we are called by Jesus to go out and to preach, and teach, and heal; to care for others and to show them God’s love. Jesus even gives the authority to forgive the sins of others in the name of God, saying to Peter “what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven..” [Living Liturgy 2021] Jesus gives to us a tremendous power, a tremendous authority.. All true power and authority, that power and authority that creates and heals, and does good instead of evil comes from the Lord that is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. All other power and authority is either a corrupted version of this true power and authority, or it is the power and authority that comes from pure evil. In the gospel reading today we see a man who possessed by a demon. The people around this man surely knew what he needed. Demon possession is pretty obvious stuff. Those who are possessed are no longer in control of themselves. They are sick – not in a way we normally think of sick -but sick anyway – and it causes them to do things that they do not want to do, to behave in ways that they do not want to behave. Those around this man knew he needed to be healed, that he needed to have the demon cast out – but none of them could do it. They may even have said to one another – “its too bad about that poor guy, someone should do something about it”. Kind of like what we say about a lot of situations. Someone should do something about violence in the schools.Someone should do something about the hungry in the third world.Someone should do something about battered women.Someone should do something about all the kids who go on welfare. Then Jesus came – and he commanded the demon to come out of the man – and it did. The spirit obeyed him and the man was healed. Jesus had the authority and the power needed to make a difference. He had the authority and power of God, a power that can change any situation, heal any person.n Jesus still has this power and this authority. And he offers it to us. He calls us to use it to do the work of God in this world. He calls us to employ it to heal, to teach, to bring justice, and to grant mercy. When we put ourselves at Jesus disposal. When we go forth to speak his word. When we act according to the teachings he has given us. When we pray and study on the word of God and ask God to use us – even us – to accomplish his will. The demons around us will begin to disappear. The trick is – we need to get in tune with what God wants us to do and say. And this requires that we spend a large amount of time seeking out the will of God. Adapted from Renew International Prayer Time Year B
Behold Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist and would have heard his assertions that someone was to come who would offer a greater baptism: baptism of the Spirit. He would, therefore, have shared John’s sense of expectation and been on the alert for the one who was to come. The Gospel passage does not record any conversation between John and Jesus – but emphasizes that John looked hard at Jesus – weighing up the man he saw before him. What he saw – and what he sensed – led him to announce that this man was indeed the one who was to come: the Lamb of God. [Living Liturgy 2015] Andrew and another disciple are intrigued and set out to follow Jesus. He becomes aware of them and asks what it is they want from Him. Their answer seems strange – they want to know where He lives. His response is to invite them to come to His home and, we are told, they stayed with Him for the whole day. The next day, Andrew finds his brother and tells him about the Messiah he met the day before and takes him to meet Jesus. Like John the day before, Jesus looks hard at Simon – getting the measure of the man and in the light of what He discerns about him, changes his name to Cephas – or, as we more usually know it, Peter. The two encounters are life-changing – and yet, seem very ordinary. Jesus was not proclaiming a message – making erudite speeches – or performing great miracles. Instead, He was simply walking past John – and, when Andrew and his friend introduce themselves, takes them to His home and offers hospitality and companionship. When He meets Peter, He does not ask searching questions or makes solemn declarations – He just looks at him – makes an assessment of his character – and accepts him as a friend. The simplicity of Jesus’ manner reinforces His willingness to receive people “where they are” – but also to see their potential. He does not offer lengthy explanations or list His credentials but takes people to His home and lets them see for themselves. What does it mean for us? Our own journey of discipleship is a process of coming to know Jesus more fully, being more attracted to him, following him more faithfully even when the cost is great. What might that cost look like? We might have to walk away from the watercooler at work to avoid gossip. We might lose friends when we speak up for justice. We might be shunned by a social group when we live out our gospel values. In all these ways we unite ourselves more fully with the total self-giving of Jesus and grow in faithful discipleship. Adapted from Renew International Prayer Tme Year B
Whose We Are One element of our baptismal ceremony for babies and children who have not yet reached the age of reason is clothing those being baptized with a white garment. The words accompanying this gesture include “You have become a new creation, and have clothed yourselves in Christ . . . the outward sign of your Christian dignity.” The rite goes on to suggest that it “is desirable that the families provide the garments” (Rite of Baptism for Children). My family has a tradition of using the same baptismal coat for all the children— down through several generations and so the baptismal coat and blanket has become a cherished family heirloom. It symbolizes a double identity: a member of our particular family who share a common blood bond as well as a member of the family of God, of Christ’s Body, who share a Life bond in the Holy Spirit. Baptism, then, is about who we become through our new relationship with God and each other. The event of Jesus’ baptism with water in the Jordan revealed who he already was: the “beloved Son” with whom God was “well pleased.” Jesus’ baptism did not change his identity, but revealed who he was. The event of our baptism with the Spirit announces to all present who we become: beloved children with whom God is “well pleased.” We are plunged into the baptismal waters and rise out of those waters a new creation grafted onto Christ. We spend our lives growing into our identity as members of the Body of Christ. We spend our lives appreciating what it means to be God’s beloved and the kind of life that relationship requires of us. We spend our lives continuing Jesus’ saving mission. We spend our lives being the risen Presence of Christ for others. Being Christlike is what our baptismal identity is all about. [Living Liturgy] Every choice we make on our Christian journey either deepens our identity as God’s beloved or weakens it. We either respond to a person in need, or walk away. We either put in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, or we steal time and money. We either take time for daily prayer, or neglect conversation time with God. We either strive to grow in understanding our faith, or remain content with inadequate formation. Who we are is God’s beloved, that is, the Body of Christ. Our baptismal call is to become every day more fully who we are. Growing in our identity is our most important lifelong task, doing works with which God is well pleased. Adapted from Renew International Prayer Time Cycke B
La Befana: The Epiphany of the Lord As children, my father would tell the story of Le Befana on 6 January. La Befana is one of Italy’s oldest and most celebrated legends. Each year on January 6 the children of Italy awaken in hopes that La Befana has made a visit to their house. This is a significant day to Italians because it marks the end of the Christmas season and the day that the three Wise Men arrived at the manger of the Christ child. Over the years the Epiphany has been a more celebrated holiday for the children of Italy than even Christmas. As legend has it the three Wise Men were in search of the Christ child when they decided to stop at a small house to ask for directions. Upon knocking, an old woman holding a broom opened the door slightly to see who was there. Standing at her doorstep were three colorfully dressed men who were in need of directions to find the Christ child. The old woman was unaware of who these three men were looking for and could not point them in the right direction. Prior to the three men leaving they kindly asked the old woman to join them on their journey. She declined because she had much housework to do. After they left she felt as though she had made a mistake and decided to go and catch up with the kind men. After many hours of searching she could not find them. Thinking of the opportunity she had missed the old woman stopped every child to give them a small treat in hopes that one was the Christ child. The feast of Epiphany celebrates the revelation of Christ to the pagan nations. And it points to Israel’s place as the source of God’s revelation. The Magi came to seek the newly born King, the one who would be a light to the nations. Their encounter acknowledged Israel as God’s chosen people. They would be the source of God’s blessing, a living fountain of God’s revelation for all people. In the feast of the Epiphany, we rejoice in the worship of the first seekers. And we are reminded to honor God’s people who gave us the great gift of Jesus, our Lord. [Living Liturgy 2015] When have you searched for the Lord? When has that search encountered road blocks or deception or wrong turns? How has God kept you on track? As we look back on the story of the Epiphany, let us remember who called, guided, and revealed himself to the Magi: God. The story was God-driven from the first verse. Let us not forget God himself calls us from the surface experience of daily living to seek something higher, something better. He is the one who turns us from those who expect experience into those who receive grace, pure gift, at every turn. In God, we find someone to give our hearts, our minds, and our lives to. We find the goal of our quest. Adapted from Renew International Prayer Time Year B How has God called you this week? How has God graced you this week? How can you pass your call and your grace along to others? Here’s a musical reflection on Epiphany from a well-known source:
The Holy Family Toddlers seem to need only two words in their vocabulary: “No!” and “Mine!” As soon as they are able they assert themselves forcefully. This is a survival tactic. As the little ones become aware of themselves, their instincts for survival kick in. They grab for whatever they think they need to preserve the precious life they are and to ensure their perceived happiness and well-being. With great patience do parents (and often siblings) teach these little ones that they are not the center of the universe, that the best way to preserve life is to co¬operate with the community of people around them, that what ensures happiness and well-being is loving relationships. In this gospel Mary and Joseph bring their forty-day-old Son to the temple “to present him to the Lord.” Simeon takes the Child “into his arms” and recognizes him to be “a light for revelation” to all people. The prophetess Anna encounters the One whom she recognizes as “the redemption of Jerusalem.” Such lofty words about this tiny Child! The gospel then tells us that the “child grew and became strong.” Can we imagine this Child uttering “No!” and “Mine!”? Cannot we presume that Mary and Joseph exercised the same patience with the toddler Jesus as they taught him how to live as a member of their family? Right relationships in families and other communities don’t just happen. They are taught by example, patience, care, and take a lifetime of openness and growth. [Living Liturgy 2014] This gospel describes three ways to be righteous. Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple “according to the law,” fulfilling their obligation as new parents. Simeon is open to the Holy Spirit’s Presence, guidance, and revelation to him of the “Christ of the Lord.” Anna spoke prophetically to others about the redemption that was at hand. Faithfulness to the law, openness to the Holy Spirit, prophetically speaking about what has been revealed deepen our right relationship with God. Families are holy when they, too, act righteously as did Mary and Joseph, Simeon, and Anna. God so cared for the family of humanity that God gave us the only-begotten Son; we show our acceptance of membership in God’s family by caring for each other, by building just and loving relationships, by growing in righteousness. This process of being holy usually begins with our own family members. This feast calls us to care for one another in practical ways. Perhaps this means phoning an elder who lives alone or is in a retirement center or nursing home. Maybe this means sharing toys more generously on the part of little ones (learning words other than “No!” and “Mine!”), or pitching in to help without being asked on the part of adolescents, or husband and wife listening more intently to each other. Emptying self for the sake of the other is what builds up each of us and our families and relationships, and this is being holy. Righteousness is very concrete. So is holiness. Adapted from Renew International Prayer Time Cycle B
A Voice Cries Out Christmas is a time for cluttering.Be honest, most us know that our lives, our homes, our schedules, our world is already over stuffed and here we bring out more stuff. When we begin to decorate, boxes are pulled out from the attic, the basement, a closet or maybe from all these places. As we begin to unpack the decorations, they bring out with them so many memories. But in order to find a place to put them, we have to rearrange some of the things that are already out in our homes during the year. Most of our homes already have things filling the shelves, the tabletops, and the cabinets, and here comes more. The world doesn’t stop for Christmas. Many will still have to work or keep appointments or do those things that keep our lives running. We add to an already hectic world more things we must do. Then there is shopping. The economic times we live in make this even a greater challenge, as we desire to please those we are giving gifts to with the budget we have to spend. This means more time and more effort. We don’t know how much the wise men paid for their gifts, much less, if they found them on sale. We really don’t know how much time or effort was invested by the shepherds, but we know that both the wise men and the shepherds all came for one reason: to worship and adore the one who came at Christmas. They were not distracted by clutter in their lives. Out of all the stars that filled the sky, the wise men stayed focused on one. The sheep had for a moment to be set aside to go to Bethlehem and see what the angels told of. [Living Liturgy 2018] John the Baptist, who speaks out in our Gospel this day, was one of the most colorful characters in all of history. He went out into the wilderness, away from the city, away from the crowds, to attract a great crowd. He seemed almost determined to fail. Despite all these things we would call poor marketing, Luke tells us that people from all over the region were flocking to hear his message. There will be new power and hope that comes from God’s presence in our lives and in our world. In these days leading up to Christmas may we see beyond the clutter of living to the hope that was born so many years ago in Bethlehem. We, too, can find the way home. The call is for us to find the way to God to be in our days and our hearts. Look at your calendar for the days between now and Christmas. Where have you set aside time for prayer or to find a worship service, for some quiet time? A major part of uncluttering is making sure there is time for God to touch our lives and shape our days. Maybe a friend or loved one needs you more than the gift you will spend hours trying to find. Maybe more important than perfection in our decorations is a smile on our face as we spend time with those dear to us. Preparing a way means to be willing to ask some tough questions and make some hard decisions. To prepare the way of the Lord means to make choices. We must decide what we are to focus our lives and days on. We must decide what we will keep. The challenge is for us to surrender to God’s control, to prepare the way of the Lord. The challenge is to get our lives in such order, that our hearts will be open to the way of the Lord. Once we have settled the issue of who is first in our lives, we do not have to deal with the clutter of divided loyalties. The one who was born at Bethlehem will be the Lord of our lives if we are willing to let God prepare the way. The Gospel also calls for us to make the crooked places straight. We are told to make the rough ways smooth. In our lives, this may mean for us to forgive those who have hurt you, to refuse to allow what has happened to you to control your life. We need to make sure there is enough time for those that we care about. The call for us is to find a way for God to be in our days and our hearts. Those who went to the wilderness were challenged to turn and go in a new direction in their lives, leaving behind much of what they had believed and looking for a new way. Few people are kept from Christ by some great, overpowering evil. Most fail to see or hear because they are preoccupied with good things, busy at work, acquiring wealth, enjoying entertainment, being comfortable, but not seeking the best. We are challenged to unclutter our lives to find the Christ who is there with us, in us, and calling for us to come and follow. Adapted from Renew International
As We Enter Into Advent This 5 minute Advent meditation focuses on the coming of Christ into our world- not just as a child in a stable but as the bringer of justice and freedom. Music for the meditation features Kyrie – I Call to You from the CD, Standing Still by Jeff Johnson (www.arkmusic.com). Used with permission. All Rights Reserved.
