Reflection

Heart image

Seek With All Your Heart…

In the First Reading for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, it is written:

If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;
if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water
to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.
Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.
Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.
The eyes of God are on those who fear him;
he understands man’s every deed.
No one does he command to act unjustly,
to none does he give license to sin. – Sirach 15:15-20

Take some time to reflect on your words and actions this past week. Consider to what or to whom you “stretched forth your hand” as you went about the week. Invite Jesus to reflect with you. As you review situations that come to mind, how is your heart touched? How do you imagine Jesus’s heart is touched?

The final verse in this week’s Psalm is verse 34 of Psalm 119:

Give me understanding to keep your law, to observe it with all my heart.

There are 613 laws within the first 5 books of the Old Testament (the Torah), there are 10 commandments revealed by God at Mount Sinai, and there are Jesus’s words and example among which is:

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments. – Matthew 22:37-40

Taking what you have learned through both Scripture and personal experience, how would you describe the heart of God?

In the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 2:6-10), St. Paul gives voice to the fact that knowledge born of the earthly is different than wisdom, pure and true, which is a gift that emanates from God.

But as it is written:
What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
and what has not entered the human heart,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. – verses 9-10

Contemplate these verses. Notice where your heart is drawn and what comes to mind. As you do so, enter into conversation with Jesus. Reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings and ask him for whatever you need (healing, peace, insight, etc.).

In the Gospel for this week (Matthew 5:17-37), Jesus tells his disciples:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” – verses 17-20

As you navigate the world around you, how is your heart informed and motivated by God’s laws and commandments, and the spirit of them, along with Jesus’s words and example?

The Gospel passage continues with Jesus stating a few examples of what the disciples have heard or what’s been said of the law of God followed by “But I say to you…”:

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you…”

“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you…”

“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you…”

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you…” – excerpted verses 21-37

In these verses, Jesus is teaching the disciples a deeper understanding of what they have heard or what’s been said; what they’ve come to know. He’s shifting the focus to connect the law/commandments back to their divine intent—preserving the goodness of God in our hearts.

How might the wisdom of God bring a new understanding or bring greater depth to what you have heard or what’s been said? In what ways might your heart exercise more like the heart of God, the intent of God’s law and commandments, and the teachings and example of Jesus?

Lord, God, creator of all, stretch forth our hearts,
So that your goodness and mercy may shine through.
Let our words and deeds, give you honor and praise.
May they spread hope and love, light and peace, to all.

Heart image

Blessed those who keep the Lord’s testimonies, who seek the Lord with all their heart. – Psalm 119:2

Strands of lights rising up from the snow at night.

Bound for the Greater Good…

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?

Strands of lights rising up from the snow at night.

“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

Water flowing from under an iced over pond

The Way He Moves…

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.

Water flowing from under an iced over pond

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?

Moon with a rainbow around it

The Moment Will Arrive…

Moving along, sometimes more quickly than others,
Sometimes more like hobbling, or barely there at all,
But hope and faith, always looking and taking pause,
Trust that the moment will arrive, and take its place.

Moon with a rainbow around it

“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.” – Psalm 72:7

During the season of Advent, we wait in anticipation of what’s coming—the birth of Jesus Christ. However, so much of life is about waiting and anticipating what’s coming. And persevering through it requires a level of trust. The response for the Second Sunday of Advent’s Psalm (above) tells us there will be “justice” and “fullness of peace” and it will be “in his time”.

What gets in the way of your ability to trust and be patient? How do you overcome it?

In the Gospel for this Sunday, it is written of John the Baptist:

It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
“A voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.’” – Matthew 3:3

Take some time now, and throughout the week, to envision yourself as the voice crying out in the desert. The way has already been prepared, and you are crying out, but to the Lord. Share what is on your mind and happening in your heart as this time. What do you need from the Lord? What does the Lord desire for you?

Waterfall

The Temple…

Lots handed out, or so it seems.
Making the best, letting it go.
Sojourners weathered… worn, but blessed.

Persevering Hope and Great Love,
No doom nor great gloom can upend
The temple within The Temple.

Released into pockets of space
Throughout the passages of time,
All of creation, born sacred.

Water and Spirit flowing free
By the earnest beat of One Heart,
Bringing Light, bringing Life, to all.

Waterfall

Be still and know that I am God. – Psalm 46

Roadside view into great wide open

All Souls

In the eye of one’s heart—soul,
Each step on this great journey
Giving not away, but way
To the will of Greater Glory.

Lives come and pass, to behold,
With examples that linger
And great lessons that remain;
Teach what to hold or let go.

In sacred remembrance,
All souls living on the earth
Have been given the honor
To seek what is wise and true,
And choose what is eternal.

Roadside view into great wide open

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. – Psalm 23:1

Celtic Healing Cross

You, have redeemed the world…

“The Holy Scriptures were not given to us that we should enclose them in books, but that we should engrave them upon our hearts.” ― St. John Chrysostom

Praying with the scripture readings for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Numbers 21:4b-9; Psalm 78:1b-2, 34-38; Philippians 2:6-11; and John 3:3-17), contemplate what it means to engrave them upon your heart.

In the First Reading, we hear of the Israelites, at wit’s end, upset by their situation in the desert, and making it known to Moses. We also learn of the punishing arrival of saraph serpents, leading to the surmise of many, and the subsequent realization of sin and prayer for relief. Following this, Moses prays for the people to be spared from the serpents, and the Lord replies, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live.” (Numbers 21:8).

What do you make of the notion that to be cured, or to overcome the serpent’s bite, requires looking at the bronze serpent mounted on the pole?

Take some time to consider a situation or area in which your patience is worn thin, or where you have been bitten. What has your reaction or response been? And how might you ask for, and receive, God’s grace to move toward peace and healing—a better way?

The response for the Psalm (Psalm 78:1b-2, 34-38) is, “Do not forget the works of the Lord!” (Ps 78:7b). Like it was in the desert for the Israelites and Moses, it can be tempting for anyone to react or respond out of feelings of discontent or anger, when it feels like needs are not being met or answers are nowhere to be found. This psalm invites us to recall what is true. None of us are without mistakes and missteps along the way. Still though, God is merciful and forgiving. This psalm encourages us to recall and remember the ways that God has been, and is, steadfast toward us.

Think about your experience of God turning something bad into something good?

Throughout the week, in moments with or without concern or upset, pause to acknowledge and give praise to God for God’s faithfulness to you. Allow yourself the space and invite God into it, to help you to see the entire picture, and to remember what is true.

In the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (Philippians 2:6-11), it is written:

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Continuing to pray with the thoughts, feelings, and situations that have come to mind and heart thus far, where might the words emptied, humbled, exalted, and bestowed—the past tense verbs used by St. Paul to describe actions of Jesus and God—be applicable or come into play? Ask the Lord to help you to identify ways that these words operate in your life, and what purpose they might be serving.

Turning to the Gospel passage (John 3:13-17), Jesus is mid-conversation with Nicodemus, a Pharisee who has come to see Jesus in the darkness of night. Nicodemus is trying to understand what Jesus means by, “no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” (Jn 3:3).

What does being born from above mean to you?

For the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we are reminded of where, and who, we currently are—our place as well as our call—eternal life through Jesus.

In the Gospel passage, Jesus refers to Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the desert and says, “so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (Jn 3:14-15). He knows that Nicodemus will be familiar with and understand what has been written in Scripture. However, an earmark of Jesus is to elevate and help us along toward living Scripture. This is what he is trying to do, when he follows up with:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn 3:16-17).

Enter into conversation with Jesus about these two verses, inviting him to elevate and help you along in your journey toward living Scripture, or living it more fully. When your prayer time comes to a close, add the following:

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your Cross you have redeemed the world. – St. Francis of Assisi

Celtic Healing Cross

At the Banquet…

Dependent on one’s point of view,
and from one end of the spectrum,
to the long, far away other,
the distance between here and there,
holds no relevance to the Heart.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. – Luke 14:11

Cadence…

As much as quick or easy rank preferred,
And rushing, running, hurry, get it done,
Is it really for better or for worse?

The world turns, as hearts beat to the rhythm,
Thru the rhythm, all due to the Rhythm.
Quick beats run astray, pushing the limits.

Generate an energy all their own,
Making chaos, pulling things all apart,
Breaking promises, breaking hearts, untold.

Tell those beats, “Too, too quick, it’s time to quit!”
Slow it down, take the time, create some space.
Stop and listen, look and learn—Hope awaits.

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. – Luke 12:34

A view of the ocean from a stone arch

Overarching…

The readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time present food for thought and prayer about what’s written, how it’s read, and what is brought to life from it. In the first reading (Deuteronomy 30:10-14), Moses urges the people to heed God’s voice and the commandments and statutes passed on to them and written in “this book of law”. He points out that God’s voice and words are not out of reach, but instead, he says, “No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” (v. 14).

Spend a few minutes with this verse. Then, think about this past week, an ongoing situation that is before you, or something that you have coming up. Invite the Lord to help you parse through all the thoughts and feelings of which you become aware as you ponder.

For the responsorial psalm, there are two from which to choose (Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 or Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11). Read each of the responses listed below in silence.

Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live. (cf. Ps 69:33)

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. (Ps 19:9a)

Next, read each response aloud. Notice if one response draws you in, or catches your attention, more than the other.

Bring into your prayer a Psalm response(s) and ask the Lord to guide you and lead you to greater awareness as you continue your contemplation from above. [Allow yourself to go with whichever response you land on first or feel more drawn to. It might be both, or even another verse that comes to mind.]

In the second reading (Colossians 1:15-20), St. Paul writes:

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.

Sometimes it can be tricky, and trying, to face big and small choices every day among relationships, dilemmas, situations, etc. Think about how you have been managing. What brings you comfort? And, from where do you draw strength?

Pause to hold the words St. Paul writes of Jesus and remember that “Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God”, and that you are created in the image of the invisible, and indivisible, God. What happens when you let that reality saturate your heart? Bring to prayer the thoughts and feelings that arise.

Turning to the Gospel passage (Luke 10:25-37), it begins:

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”

Notice how Jesus points the scholar, and us, to the Word of God (“What is written in the law”), how it is processed internally (“How do you read it?”), and how it is lived out (“do this and you will live.”).

Like the scholar, we can know what is written in the law, but if we skip over considering how we are reading it—heart, mind, and soul, how can we possibly live it out authentically, united with God in both Word and Spirit, as intended?

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” – Luke 10:29-37

Thinking about this passage and the Scripture in the readings and psalm before it, what is most on your mind and in heart at this moment?

Continuing to pray. Ask the Lord to reveal to you whatever God wills, and to help you to bring together what is written, how to read it, and what “Go and do likewise” looks like or means for you today.

A view of the ocean from a stone arch

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.