Beating still, beating quietly, beating nonetheless, Attention becomes the disciple of intention. A stir within, roars within, formation from within. Look and listen closely as true passion is revealed.
Following the leader? Where? To what good do they lead? Igniting hearts? Uniting hearts? On whose behalf? All hearts can and must choose for whom and for what they burn. Discern! Discern! Deception has so many voices.
Does the message uplift all of us, like the true one Who gracefully overcomes the small, in all of us, Helping the steadfast to be ready, set, and to ask, How does this represent the good teacher serving all?
The Lord keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down. The Lord loves the just; the Lord protects strangers. The fatherless and the widow the Lord sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. – Psalm 146:6-10
It’s human nature to try to assign meaning to the things that happen in life. We all have experiences that can leave us wondering, “What was that all about?”. They are situations or encounters that may or may not eventually become more fully known or revealed. However, oftentimes, instead of waiting for that moment to come, where everything comes together and starts to make sense, we rush ahead making our own sense of it.
In those times of “What was that all about?”, temptation seeks to make the situation neatly fit into our own understanding or way of looking at things. That is, the temptation is to see what one wants to see through the lens through which one chooses to see it, rather than allowing time for the grace of God to open the eyes of one’s heart.
In the Second Reading for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17), St. Paul writes:
“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.” – 1 Corinthians 1:17
What words or images come to mind when you consider the meaning of the cross of Christ, and what values do they imply?
How are you influenced by, and how do you remain mindful of, the meaning and those values as you go about each day?
In what ways do you leave room for the possibility that there’s more that you need to consider regarding a situation? How might you rely upon the grace of God more fully?
In the verses that proceed the one above, St. Paul appeals to the church of God—the people—in Corinth not to succumb to temptation, which seeks to separate them and pit them against each other. He starts off by imploring them to be united:
“I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.” – 1 Corinthians 1:10-11
St. Paul’s audience is the early Christian community in Corinth. Surely, they had more than just a few disagreements! Don’t people almost always though? Despite this, people always also have much in common.
Take some time to contemplate areas of disagreement that you may have with family, friends, and/or others. After naming the point(s) of contention, think about at least one thing you have in common and that you both value. How might that become, or continue to be, a source of unity? Pray with the desire that enters your heart as you consider this.
In the Gospel passage for this Sunday (Matthew 4:12-23), in part, it is written:
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. – v. 18-23.
Notice how Jesus called two sets of brothers. Chances are that within each set as well as taken all together, the brothers, didn’t see eye to eye on everything. However, they were all called, and they all left something behind or had to let go of something.
Simon (Peter) and his brother, Andrew, James and his brother, John, certainly must have had their differences, but they all made the individual choice to place their focus on following Jesus, who taught in the synagogues, proclaimed the Gospel, and “cured every disease and illness among the people.” They embraced the Way. And in doing so, they were able to draw closer to God, they were strengthened through their differences, and they stayed united rather than becoming divided.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? – Psalm 27:1
In the Gospel passage for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, John the Baptist gives witness, or testimony, to Jesus being the Son of God.
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” – John 1:29-34
Notice how the passage starts with Jesus coming toward John and John, seeing Him, stating what he has come to know—Jesus is the Son of God. John doesn’t just make this statement or claim, out of thin air. The day before, as written in the previous verses of this Gospel, he was asked who he is, to which he responds, “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” (John 1:23). He continues, explaining to the priests, Levites, and Pharisees sent to question him that he is not the Messiah. John knows his God-given role and accepts it.
Praying with and reflecting on this passage, what have you come to know about your God-given role, and how does the grace of God reaffirm you in it, and help you to accept and live it out?
Contemplating John’s explanation of how he has come to know that Jesus is the Messiah, what do you make of John saying twice in this passage, “I did not know him”? What strikes you about the words that follow each, “I did not know him”?
I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
When you find yourself in a situation of not knowing, how do your instincts and what you know come together with, and make room for, God’s wisdom? How about when you find yourself in a situation where you think, or are sure, that you know?
The Gospel passage ends with John saying, “Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” Recount whatever comes to mind about what you have seen or experienced that is of God, and how you have come to know.
What is your testimony to God? (Keep in mind that there are many ways in which testimony can be given to God.) How do you desire to give witness to what you have come to know?
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. – Psalm 40: 8a, 9a
The Baptism of the Lord in the Gospel according to Matthew describes an interaction between Jesus and John the Baptist. John is a prophet who has his own disciples, and of whom it is written, “At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.” (Matthew 3:5-6). And Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed one, of whom John said, “the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11). Yet, as it is written, they meet and engage with each other without pretense or posturing.
Read and reflect on the Gospel passage for the Baptism of the Lord (below), receiving it as an invitation to prayerfully consider human interactions, both your own and those that you witness. Ask the Lord for insight and wisdom as you do so.
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:13-17
What divine qualities do the words and actions of John the Baptist and Jesus exemplify in this exchange? What strikes you most?
Next, put yourself in John’s shoes as the prophet of whom it is written, “A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” (Isaiah 40:3). What’s it like to encounter Jesus, knowing that He is the one of whom you’ve been preaching and waiting for? and knowing that it is time for you to step back while He steps forward? What thoughts and feelings arise when you envision saying to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you” and he replies, “Allow it now. For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”?
Now, ask Jesus to help you to envision His experience in this passage. In what ways might His perspective enlighten your interactions and/or assessments of interactions to which you have been a witness?
How might you be inspired by the example of Jesus and John the Baptist in interactions and when you encounter something or someone known, new, or different?
“You are sent into this world to believe in yourself as God’s chosen one and then to help your brothers and sisters know that they are also beloved sons and daughters of God who belong together. You’re sent into this world to be a people of reconciliation. You are sent to heal, to break down the walls between you and your neighbors, locally, nationally, and globally. Before all distinctions, the separations, and the walls built on foundations of fear, there was a unity in the mind and heart of God. Out of that unity, you are sent into this world for a little while to claim that you and every other human being belongs to the same God of Love who lives from eternity to eternity.” – Henri Nouwen
From the warmth of Christmas, Hearts brighten and faces glow; Generosity abounds.
The origin of one and all Drawing out our spirits; His Spirit placed within.
Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. – Colossians 3:15a, 16a
Reflecting on this Christmas and the days surrounding it, envision your heart resting within the heart of the Lord. What feelings and experiences come to mind? How was your heart moved?
The following is the Gospel passage for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph:
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 had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazorean. – Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
What speaks to your heart most from the above passage? What quality or characteristic would you assign to it?
Again, thinking of Christmas, the birth of our Lord, and the days surrounding it, what do you desire to carry forward? What does the Lord desire for you?
Although the colder air that accompanies this time of year in the Northeast can be quite refreshing, after some time, it can leave one wanting for the warmth of shelter, a soft blanket, or hot beverage to offset the chill.
In the Gospel passage for the Fourth Sunday of Advent (Matthew 1:18-24), we learn about the warmth of St. Joseph’s response to his betrothed, with whom he had not yet lived or had relations with, being pregnant. Imagine the response, gossip, or chill in the air, created by those around Mary and Joseph. Yet, even before his dream in which the Lord appeared, reassuring him of Mary’s faithfulness, Joseph had decided to respond in a way that was filled with warmth, gentleness, and mercy:
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. – v. 18-19
Envision yourself in Joseph’s shoes. He is described here as being righteous. What do you make of his initial decision to quietly divorce?
Reflecting on situations that are on your mind and in your heart, how do you seek righteousness? What does it look like? And what qualities does it manifest?
As the Gospel passage continues, Joseph has a dream in which the Lord visits him.
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” – v. 20-21
Recall a time when you had made a decision and then something occurred that reaffirmed your decision or created a new sense of the situation. What happened? What were you praying for, and how did things turn out? How were you saved or blessed? What was the warmth of God like?
Invite the Lord to revisit this with you. What grace from this experience awaits you today?
Spend some time contemplating the verses below and noticing what word, phrase, or image speaks to your heart most:
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” – v. 22-23
Continuing to pray with what caught your attention, ask the Lord to grant you insight so that you may see, or have a greater sense of, “God is with us.”
Before ending this prayer time, return to the image of St. Joseph.
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. – v. 24
As you strive to be faithful to God, what inspires you? What do you need from the Lord to draw comfort and strength from Him, as you journey through your days, while also reflecting the warmth of His presence.
Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory. – Psalm 24:7c,10b
With the news of yet another mass shooting in the United States along with violence and conflict around the world, on top of any personal challenges, from which no one is spared, a sense of doom or a feeling of imprisonment can hang in the air and weigh on one’s heart and mind. Yet, as we enter the Third Week of Advent, Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday, our faith encourages us to remain a people of hope, holding firm to the Lord, and continuing to strive to be living testaments to the Way, knowing that there is something greater, and that God is with us.
In today’s Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11), it is written:
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” – v. 3
This is the question that an imprisoned John the Baptist, having heard about “the works of the Christ,” (v.2) had his disciples ask Jesus.
With the events occurring around you, and in the world today, what are you looking for?
Taking a step back, in the First Reading (Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10), it is written:
Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. – Isaiah 35:3-4
Spend some time recalling some of the ways that you have been strengthened by the Lord. What happens as you allow yourself to remember?
Read aloud today’s Psalm (146:6-10):
The Lord God keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down. The Lord loves the just; the Lord protects strangers. The fatherless and the widow he sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations.
Reflecting on the qualities of God expressed in the Psalm, bring forth your own petitions, praying for the cares and concerns that are pulling at your heart at this time. Following each one, say the response, “Lord, come and save us.”
In the Letter of Saint James, from today’s Second Reading, it is written:
Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates. Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. – James 5:7-10
Share with Jesus, the ways or situations in which you are feeling challenged when it comes to patience, complaining/criticizing, and/or a heart firm in the Lord. Allow Jesus to impart his wisdom regarding this.
When you are ready for this prayer period to come to a close, offer an expression of gratitude, and ask the Lord to help you to draw inspiration from the experiences recalled and the insights gained during your prayer.
Lord, help me to discern what’s important as I face the moments before me today, and in the days to come. Help my choices to reflect your goodness, and my prayers to reflect your heart.
The readings for the First Sunday of Advent begin with the prophet Isaiah’s vision:
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: “Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!” – Isaiah 2:1-5
What does your vision of walking in the light of the Lord look like?
Picture yourself ascending the mountain to receive instruction from the Lord. Be attuned to the stirrings of your heart as you do so. Thinking about your ways (words, actions, and general way of being), ask the Lord to join.
Letting the Lord be the judge, what adjustments might help you to greater reflect the image of God?
The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 122 (verses 1-9):
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the Lord.” And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love you prosper! May peace be within your walls, prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my brothers and friends I will say, “Peace be within you!” Because of the house of the Lord, our God, I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
What phrase(s) draws your attention most? In what way does it strike a chord with you? Spend some time praying with this verse(s). How are you inspired? Share the thoughts and feelings that arise with the Lord. Ask the Lord to deepen your understanding and the grace to embody the wisdom of this psalm.
In the Second Reading (Romans 13:11-14), St. Paul writes that time is of the essence as he urges the Christians in Rome to embrace that which is eternal, the Light of Christ, over “works of darkness” (verse 12). Knowing that works of darkness can enter through the disguise of light and that the Light of Christ is not stagnant, in what ways do you invite the Lord to be with you as you make decisions, and how do you keep the Lord in your heart and on your mind, as you proceed through the tasks of each day? Ask the Lord to help you in areas you find challenging and to awaken you to areas of potential growth.
The Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent is from Matthew, chapter 24, verses 37-44:
Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
“Stay awake!”, “be prepared,” the time is unknown to you. It could happen in the next breath, far into the future, or somewhere in between. What is your initial reaction to this Gospel passage? And, in what ways does it move you?
Part of awareness and preparation involves thinking about when something will be coming or how long it might last. However, no matter how much one might plan, things can change. And while there are things that one can do regularly to be ready, faithfulness to God is about holding fast to the Lord with an openness or flexibility that allows one to cooperate with His grace. In this way, impediments to staying awake and being prepared are cast out, rather than interfering with discernment and a greater sense of God’s will.
What gets in the way of your openness to change, or things being different than what you thought, hoped for, or planned? Think of a situation where you were open to change. What was that like? And what role did prayer play in it?
Now think of a situation where you were resistant or hesitant to change because what you saw was different than your way of thinking, your approach, or what you pictured. What were you clinging to that removed the choice of being flexible? Ask the Lord to step through this situation with you and for the willingness to accept His point of view, whether it includes reaffirmation, further instruction, or gentle correction.
Continue to reflect on and pray with the insights revealed to you throughout the week. Ask for the grace to be inspired and guided by the will of God, and the desire to draw closer to God this Advent.
Show us, Lord, your mercy; grant us your salvation. – Psalm 85:8
The Gospel for The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Luke 23:35-43) gives witness to how honesty, and owning up to the truth, leads to the path of healing and salvation. And, as the days in the week ahead lead to the First Sunday of Advent, it can also be seen as an invitation for personal reflection and contemplation on areas of growth as well as places or spots that could benefit from greater attention through prayer and other practices throughout the journey toward Christmas. While the Gospel for this week has us at the crucifixion, as always, the focus is ultimately on salvation—Resurrection.
Turning to the Gospel for this Sunday, of the men on either side of Jesus at the crucifixion, one cast shade at him, while the other set the record straight, and then said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The first man seems unable to look beyond himself, and only lashes out at Jesus, and doubts him. It is written:
“Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.”
The man on the opposite side of Jesus, responds differently. He seems better able to look at the situation he is in with greater clarity. He recognizes and accepts (or owns up to) the truth. Not only that, but he also speaks it. Furthermore, he expresses to Jesus, his desire to be remembered by Him. The second man’s response is, in effect, an act of repentance. It is written:
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Take some time to re-read and consider this Gospel passage more deeply.
What do you imagine is at the heart of each man’s response? How does your heart respond to them? Given your experience of Jesus, how do imagine his heart responds to each man?
During our lifetimes, there are various challenges of varying degrees that we all face. We all have ups and downs, and days that are better than others in terms of how we respond and react. However, our faith tells us we are not alone and encourages us to do our best, and to remember Jesus, and His example.
Think about honesty, healing, and salvation and what your experience has been. Bring whatever comes to mind and heart into conversation with Jesus, trusting that it will be received with sincerity, love, compassion, and mercy.
Acknowledge areas of improvement and growth and how that came about. How are your practices (words, actions, prayer, etc.) an example of honesty, healing, and salvation?
Invite Jesus to share insight on areas where you know you can do better and to reveal ones in which perhaps, you may not be aware.
When your prayer time is coming to its completion, envision yourself asking Jesus for whatever you feel you need at this moment, and then saying to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Close your eyes, take comfort, and trust that Jesus, who said to the criminal asking to be remembered, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”, remembers you always.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Corinthians 1:17
HopeThatFloats 
You must be logged in to post a comment.