Christianity

Hearts being lifted up by a butterfly.

Begin with Love…

The readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter can be seen as encouragement toward, and an opportunity to reflect throughout the week on perseverance, praise, promise, and practice, but most of all, Love.

In the First Reading (Acts 14:21-27), Paul and Barnabas continue their travels, preaching to and teaching the Gentiles about the Way. In this scripture passage, it is written:

“They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, ‘It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.’” (v. 22).

Think about some of the hardships you have encountered or are currently experiencing. Where have you found strength to persevere? What about moments of peace? How do you desire God to be present to you regarding these challenges? Take some time to bring these areas to prayer and express what is in your heart as you do.

The First Reading ends with the following verses:

“From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” (v.26-27).

Continuing to reflect on the questions above, your prayer, and these closing verses, what insight or inspiration comes to you?

——————–

In the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 145:8-13), the response comes from verse 1 of the Psalm which is, “I will extol you, my God and king; I will bless your name forever and ever.” While it expresses the psalmist’s deep sense of gratitude to God, the verses that follow it speak to characteristics of God:

“The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.” (v. 8-9).

In what ways have you encountered, and do you continue to encounter, grace, mercy, patience, and kindness through God, both directly and indirectly? In what ways do you embody and promote these characteristics to others?

The verses of the Psalm continue:

“Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.” (v. 10-11).

“Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.” (v. 12-13).

What strikes you most about the above verses, in terms of the reception of the Creator and the response of the created? As you contemplate this, what events or circumstances come to mind and what feelings do they give rise to? Where and how do praise and gratitude come into play? Pray with this, sharing your thoughts and feelings with the Lord, and allowing yourself to listen to or get a sense of the Lord’s response.

——————–

The Second Reading comes from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 21:1-5a):

“Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away.’
The One who sat on the throne said,
‘Behold, I make all things new.’”

After reading the above passage, when you read, “God’s dwelling is with the human race.”, what comes to mind, and what feelings accompany it?

As you continue to reflect, envision yourself, arm in arm with the Lord, walking along a path, in a place of your choosing. Share the thoughts and feelings that are stirring within you and allow the Lord to respond. Notice the way you receive or embrace each other as you communicate? What characteristics of the Lord do you experience and what ones do you exude to the Lord?

Recalling the last verse in this passage, “The One who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’”, what is your current level of trust in these words? Taking to heart God’s words as God’s promise, and your current reality, what happens? Share what’s going on inside you with the Lord including the areas that pose a challenge to your belief?

As your prayer time comes to its closing, what desire is in your heart? And what is the Lord’s desire for you?

——————–

The Gospel passage for the Fifth Sunday of Easter (John 13:31-33a, 34-35) takes us back to the Last Supper, after Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples and Judas has taken leave of Jesus and the others present.

“When he had left, Jesus said,
‘Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.’”

What’s it like to sit with the notion of the glory of God being in you? In what ways does, and can, being mindful of this truth enrich and/or enlighten your words and actions? In practice, how does it inspire a cooperative spirit with the flow of God’s love in and through you?

“Where do we begin? Begin with the heart.” – Julian of Norwich

Yellow flowers representing hope

Rooted in What?

The Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent (John 8:1-11) can be seen as providing an opportunity to consider what’s at the root of one’s reactions and the ensuing responses or decisions to the situations or news that arises from day to day.

Read the passage below to familiarize yourself with the situation described.

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” – John 8:1-11

Next, take some time to revisit this reading from different perspectives.

First, put yourself in the shoes of the crowd. You’ve come to see and listen to this new teacher. What has drawn you to him?

Envision yourself listening to Jesus preach when suddenly, there’s an interruption. A group of men push there way through the crowd, pulling along and forcibly putting a woman into the middle of the gathering. Then they publicly call her out and ask the new teacher what he has to say about the impending doom called for by the law. What’s your first thought or feeling? What do you imagine the expression on Jesus’s face is as this is happening?

Allow yourself time to process and discuss with Jesus what it’s like to be in the crowd, witnessing this occurrence.

Next, put yourself in the shoes of the scribes and Pharisees. What do you imagine led them to essentially drag the woman, not only to where Jesus was, but also to where there was a crowd around him? The passage tells us they wanted to test Jesus. What about consideration of the woman?

Invite Jesus into the thoughts and feelings that come up as you contemplate this perspective. Ask Jesus to show you if there are areas where you might be prioritizing something to the extent that it causes a blind eye toward side effects, such as disregard for the circumstances and/or well-being of others.

Now, put yourself in the shoes of the woman caught in adultery. What’s it like to envision being forcibly taken from one place to another, put in the middle of a crowd, having your transgressions publicized, and being used as a pawn, as you await your fate, which doesn’t look good according to Mosaic law, and may or may not be determined by this new teacher?

Again, share your thoughts and feelings with Jesus. Ask him to impart wisdom and grace to you in whatever challenges you face. Also ask him to reveal anything that might be detracting from your ability to be at your best and/or to choose what is best in His eyes.

Finally, put yourself in Jesus’s shoes. You’re preaching to a crowd that has gathered around you. You see and sense the need in each person’s face. Your heart, full of peace, love, and purpose, is moved with compassion. As you’re speaking, the scribes and Pharisees arrive with the woman in tow. What do you notice most as this interruption is occurring? What’s happening internally, and from where does your response come?

Allow yourself time to pray and reflect on this experience with Jesus. What insight does Jesus want you to prioritize at this moment in your life? In what ways, and toward what, is your heart, full of peace, love, and purpose, moved with compassion?

Where can Divinity meet, and raise, your humanity for the greater glory of God?

Yellow flowers representing hope

Hope rooted in the Lord, is well placed; with the Lord, nothing is impossible.

Hearts at the well; Jesus

When Hearts Are Best…

The response to the Psalm for the Third Sunday of Lent is, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Psalm 95:8). In last Sunday’s second reading (Philippian’s 3:17-4:1), St. Paul encourages discipleship with a focus on the Lord and the goal of citizenship in heaven, and instructs us to “Stand firm in the Lord.” (Phil 4:1). What happens when you reflect on the Lord’s nature as being both firm and kindhearted at the same time?

Continuing to think about the Lord’s characteristics, Let’s turn to the Gospel passage, the Samaritan Woman (John 4:5-42 – included below). Through the ebb and flow of their conversation, what touches your heart most about Jesus, the Samaritan woman, and their interaction? In what places do you sense firmness? And kindness? How do the two characteristics work together, and what do they bring about?

Next, take some time to consider a situation(s) you are currently facing. In what ways are your faith experience and your beliefs working? Do they expand your heart, or constrict it? How do they fit with “stand firm in the Lord” and “harden not your heart,” coming together for what is best. Invite Jesus to join you in prayer and to share His insights and guidance as you ponder this further.

Hearts at the well; Jesus

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
“Give me a drink.”
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
“If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?”
Jesus answered and said to her,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her,
“Go call your husband and come back.”
The woman answered and said to him,
“I do not have a husband.”
Jesus answered her,
“You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’
For you have had five husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.
What you have said is true.”
The woman said to him,
“Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus said to her,
“Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth.”
The woman said to him,
“I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything.”
Jesus said to her,
“I am he, the one speaking with you.”

At that moment his disciples returned,
and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,
but still no one said, “What are you looking for?”
or “Why are you talking with her?”
The woman left her water jar
and went into the town and said to the people,
“Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?”
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.”
But he said to them,
“I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
So the disciples said to one another,
“Could someone have brought him something to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“My food is to do the will of the one who sent me
and to finish his work.
Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’?
I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving payment
and gathering crops for eternal life,
so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;
others have done the work,
and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman who testified,
“He told me everything I have done.”
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
“We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” – John 4:5-42

The moon shining bright and full through the trees

The Light of One…

The second reading for the Second Sunday of Lent (Philippians 3:17-4:1) closes with the phrase, “stand firm in the Lord” (Phil 4:1). These words follow verses in which St. Paul encourages the Philippians, and us, “be imitators of me,” and reminds all, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.” (Phil 3:20-21).

Take a few moments to contemplate the characteristics of the Lord based on Scripture and your experience through prayer and faith. Visualize yourself standing firm in the Lord. What comes to mind or stirs in your heart?

This Sunday’s Gospel passage (Luke 9:28b-36) is about the Transfiguration of Jesus. Just prior to its verses, as part of his teaching on what it means to be a disciple, Jesus says, “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” (Luke 9:25).

In seeking to respond to the call to conversion and deepening one’s faith, envision yourself with Jesus, Peter, John, and James, going up the mountain to pray. As you walk, consider an area in which you desire to increase trust in the Lord. Bring the things you notice to prayer. Ask Jesus for the grace to receive his insights, and the wisdom to parse the various facets that are involved.

Reaching the top of the mountain, there is a pause for greater solitude—a change or shift in appearance, dazzling white, Moses and Elijah joining Jesus. It is as if time has stopped. You watch and notice, becoming more fully aware of everything around you.

Then, as Moses and Elijah depart and Peter is saying something to Jesus, you hear, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” (Luke 9:35). You turn to Jesus, your light and salvation, and he tells you what you need to know. You receive his wisdom as the loving guidance that it is.

Preparing to rejoin Peter, James, and John for your journey back down the mountain, you express a sentiment to Jesus, and he to you, as this intimate moment winds down.

Walking down the mountain, you continue to hold onto and savor what has transpired. When you arrive at the base of the mountain, you look back up to the top, remembering this Scripture verse:

The Lord God took Abram outside and said,
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the Lord,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.– Genesis 15:5-6

The moon shining bright and full through the trees

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? – Psalm 27:1

Gold circle representing the world filled with sky blue color and a white heart with a white cross in the center.

United…

The eyes through which you see,
The ears through which you hear,
The mind through which you pull it altogether,
Can lead you here and there,
Sometimes, everywhere but straight.
But the heart through which you care,
Cries out, drawing you close,
To the Heart that lies within.

In the Gospel passage for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, it is written:

Jesus told his disciples a parable,
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” – Luke 6:39-45

Contemplate the qualities you look for and tend to gravitate toward as you go about each day. Pray with what you notice. Express your desire to be united with Jesus throughout each day.

In the light of the Lenten season, consider how you have experienced the Scripture verse, “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the wilderness I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers.” (Isaiah 43:19). Then take some time to reflect on the ways you are open to seeing God in what is new or different. As you pray, ask Jesus to help in discerning what your heart desires and how to distinguish between good fruit and rotten fruit.

Winter sun shining down on lake

Go in Faith…

After ministering to many people in Capernaum, Jesus sets out for a deserted place, yet the crowds search for, and find him. They don’t want him to leave. However, he explains that he must go because his ministry and proclamation of the Kingdom of God must extend to other villages and towns. After witnessing and hearing his preaching, and all the healings, how do you imagine the people of Capernaum took this news? Do you think they were skeptical or upset at the idea of other people, from a different village or town, and who perhaps they considered as outsiders, being the recipients of Jesus’s preaching and healing, too?

What’s it like when you consider Jesus’s mission as one that extends to all people, regardless of who they are or from where they come?

The Gospel for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 5:1-11), begins with Jesus having moved on to Judea and then Lake Gennesaret. It is written:

“While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.” – Luke 5:1.

Take some time to put yourself in the crowd. As you draw in toward Jesus and listen to the word of God, what comes into your mind, and how is your heart stirred? What prayer arises within you?

As the Gospel passage continues, Jesus gets into Simon’s boat and asks him to push away from the shore. This is not so that he can leave the crowd that has been closing in on him. Rather, it is so that he can continue to minister, teaching them from the boat.

Envision yourself on the shore with Jesus and then in the boat a short distance from the shore. What’s different when you’re in the crowd versus when you’re in the boat? What might Jesus want you to learn from his actions in this situation? What words does Jesus have for you and the crowd?

When Jesus’s preaching to the crowd ends, it is written:

“…he said to Simon,
‘Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.’
Simon said in reply,
‘Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.’
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.’
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.’
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.” – Luke 5:4-11

After working hard all night to no avail, Peter does as Jesus asks. He goes back out into the deep part of the sea, and with Jesus by his side, where there was nothing, now there is an abundance, so much so that his nets and the boats can hardly hold it. However, for this to be possible, Peter had to first leave behind and let go of what he had already come to know—he was out all night and there were no fish to be caught—and rather than holding onto defeat or being discouraged, he had to put his hope, faith, and trust in Jesus.

Recall a time when you experienced a challenge, difficulty, or drought of some kind and how faith and Jesus’s presence helped you? What were your prayers like during that time? In what ways did you avail yourself, or help yourself, to be open to listening to and being present to Jesus? Thinking of that time, how can you relate to Peter in this Gospel passage?

Turning to today, think about a situation you’re currently facing. How are you inspired as you continue to seek and draw nearer to Jesus?

Winter sun shining down on lake

“On the day I cried out, you answered; you strengthened my spirit.” – Psalm 138:3

Receive Each Moment…

Driving on the highway on a clear but overcast winter morning one moment. Aimlessly sliding across lanes in the next. But through the grace of God, control was regained and the trip continued. In an instant, never mind a day or more, all sorts of things such as situations, environments, etc. can change drastically.

We can know that something is coming and do our best to prepare for it. For example, cold weather can bring icy conditions. Yet even being aware and extra careful, one can’t make any, and all, ice on a road or highway visible to the naked eye. And sometimes, like it or not, there is ice that’s both invisible and inescapable, extending across a road.

So, what’s one to do in these kinds of unavoidable situations? Shrink away from them? Or face them?

The fact of the matter is that there isn’t any one way or one answer for most things. However, there is always a best way to meet the moment. And oftentimes, arriving at it requires relinquishing the notion of control. Whether sliding across the highway in the cold, or steering the wheel on a warm, sunny day, it is the grace and love of God that sustains us.

We all have experiences that can shake us, literally and in other ways. Ones that can create anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and more. Yet, in all of them, we may not be in control, but we always have a choice(s). We can always strive to focus on what is best, what is possible, and most especially the spirit in which we proceed.

Last week’s Gospel was about the Wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-11). When Mary tells Jesus that the wine has run out, he responds in part, “My hour has not yet come.” Yet, Mary still tells the waiters to do as Jesus tells them. Jesus instructs the waiters. They follow his instructions—essentially becoming part of the miracle—and through the grace of God, the problem is resolved. It wasn’t time… but it was. The time for the goodness of God—love, mercy, compassion, etc.—is always.

In the Gospel for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21), we start by going back to the beginning of Luke’s Gospel. We are reminded of Luke’s motivation. In his own words, he is striving to preserve an accurate account of Jesus life and ministry. And part of that account follows as we read about Jesus in the time after his baptism and temptation in the desert.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. – Luke 4:14-15

What do you imagine Jesus, “in the power of the Spirit,” was like? What characteristics would you use to describe someone in the power of the Holy Spirit?

As the Gospel continues, Jesus enters the temple in Nazareth and proceeds to read from the scroll handed to him—the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” – Luke 4:17-21

Take some time to think about what you have learned and come to know about Jesus’s life and ministry. In what ways did Jesus’s words and actions fulfill this passage? How have you experienced these and other qualities of Jesus?

Whether it was at the wedding feast in Cana, in the temple in Nazareth, or elsewhere, and no matter what time it was, the Spirit in which Jesus lived and ministered was consistent and unwavering. And at the same time, he was fluid in meeting the moment with love and mercy, lifting all up as the glory of God, rather than making it his own.

Jesus’s life and teachings show us that the moment is always upon us, and the times is always right, to reflect the goodness of God. And more than that, our time is ours only thru the grace of God, and as such, it is always ripe with opportunity to be an expression of love and mercy in the world.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me. – St. Ignatius, Suscipe

More Than a Wish…

The magi, or three wise men, are first drawn to Jerusalem by the star signifying the birth of a newborn king. Once there, they encounter Herod, who acting on fear, deceptively seeks to have them locate this king so that he may bring about his demise; not pay homage as he has claimed.

For the wise men, this journey began with the beckon of a bright, new star. Then, from Jerusalem and their exchange with Herod, that same star leads them further onward, guiding them to Bethlehem, and Jesus Christ. And after paying homage and offering gifts to the newborn king, it is a dream that directs them back home, rather than returning to Jerusalem to reveal the location of the newborn king to Herod.

Along the way, and at each stop, the wise men, like us, undoubtedly had choices to make. What, do you imagine, inspired them to keep following the star from its rising all the way to Jerusalem? And then onward to Bethlehem?

What led them to listen to the dream and go home a different way rather than returning by way of Jerusalem, stopping to give Herod the information he wanted from them?

After taking some time to contemplate the Gospel passage for the Epiphany of the Lord (Matthew 2:1-12), reflect on the choices that you may be facing at this time and how you go about making decisions.

What influences your decisions and from where do you take direction or draw inspiration? What are the factors that motivate you? How do they reflect a posture of paying homage to the Lord? (Perhaps they are born out of, or hold at their roots, love, patience, or something similar.)

Take what you notice into prayer, inviting Jesus to share Light and Wisdom with you. Pray with any feelings or desires that arise in you. And when this prayer time comes a close, ask Jesus to reveal one parting word, phrase, or image that will help to draw and lead you, like that star, to where you ought to be.

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. – Matthew 2:2

More than Believing…

In the First Reading for the Feast of the Holy Innocents (1John 1:5-2:2), it is written:

“Now this is the message that we have heard from him [Jesus] and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.” (verse 5)

In the past week(s), how have you experienced God’s light? In what ways do you desire for the light of God to shine through you, inspiring and leading you?

A few days ago, the celebration of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, began. The days leading up to Christmas can often be filled with anticipation and perhaps a rush, or a last-minute push, as if trying to cross the finish line in first place. Even in less busy years, this time of year can be as if there is something in the air, leading to reaching and stretching or a feeling of pressure and tension.

Similarly, some of the Scripture readings in the days after Christmas can change the feeling in the air as we read about stoning of St. Stephen and the Holy Innocents.

However, when and where there is darkness, there is also Light to be found.

In the Gospel for the Feast of the Holy Innocents, we are told of the Holy Family’s Flight to Egypt:

“When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
‘A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.’” – Matthew 2:13-18

What do you imagine the experiences mentioned in this passage were like for Rachel, Herod, and Joseph? As you contemplate this along with your own experiences, what captures your attention most?

In the Gospel passage for the Feast of the Holy Family (Luke 2:41-52), Jesus at 12 years old is separated from his parents. After celebrating the Feast of Passover, Mary and Joseph are traveling as part of a caravan of relatives and others they know, heading back home from Jerusalem. They are more than a little way into the journey when they realize that Jesus is not with the group.

We read:

“After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor
before God and man.” – Luke 2:46-52

Picture what it was like for Mary and Joseph as they retraced their steps back to Jerusalem trying to find their son. What do you think the experience was like for the others in their caravan? Who, if any, searched with and returned to Jerusalem with Mary and Joseph? And, how about what it might have been like for Jesus and the teachers in the temple?

Sometimes, when going through an experience, it can be easy for the scope of consideration to shrink, becoming narrower and leading one to consider fewer perspectives. However, faith calls us to be both focused (on God, Jesus, and the Way) and broad (open to different perspectives and willing to be guided and led by the Holy Spirit) in our approach and our endeavors.

What do you notice about God’s light and Divine intervention through the Flight into Egypt and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple? Pray with whatever insights you have. Talk with and listen to Jesus, as you share what you notice and any needs and desires that arise from within you as you continue to contemplate these passages and your own encounters and experiences.

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. – Colossians 3:12-15

Hope, Faith, and Letting God be God…

Ushering in the Second Week of Advent, the readings for this Sunday (Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126:1-6; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; and Luke 3:1-6) can be taken as a reminder of the all-encompassing nature of God, and a call to hope, faith, and letting God be God.

In the Book of the Prophet Baruch, we read:

Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God. – Baruch 5:5

What’s it like to reflect on this image, “being gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One”?

Recall some of the ways that you have been remembered by God and what God has done for you. Maybe there is a situation(s) where you have benefitted from or experienced God’s grace without even realizing it. How have you responded to God, both then and now?

When you think about challenges you may be facing or concerns that you currently have, what’s it like when you envision yourself enfolded in the “word of the Holy One” and as one “remembered by God”?

In the Second Reading, St. Paul offers a beautiful prayer for the Philippians.

And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:9-11

However, just prior to this, in verse 8, St. Paul writes:

I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.

Notice how St. Paul continually emphasizes or directs his audience (whom he addresses as “all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and ministers” in verse 1) to God as the object (or focus) and the source of good and righteousness—at the beginning, the end, and everywhere in between.

What strikes you most, or what desires arise within you, as you consider St. Paul’s words as well as his approach in the Second Reading?

In the Gospel According to St. Luke, verses 1-6 of chapter 3, we turn to a listing of who’s “in charge” (Caesar, Pilot, and tetrarchs) at the time that John the Baptist is in the desert, fulfilling prophecy. We read:

As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one crying out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”– Luke 3:4-6

Take some time to consider these verses in the light of the God who remembers you… who loves you… and whose living, breathing Word seeks to protect and guide you to salvation.

As you journey through this week, how do you wish to respond to the all-encompassing nature of God, and the call to hope, faith, and letting God be God?

The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. – Psalm 126:3