Sunday, February 5, 2012
Meditation: Mark 1:29-39 Readings
“Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
Jesus certainly had a full day. With his first four chosen disciples in tow, he went into the synagogue and not only taught but cast out an unclean spirit. He next slipped away and healed Simon’s mother-in-law. Then, as soon as sunset marked the end of the Sabbath, a horde of people crowded around the doorstep begging Jesus to heal and deliver them. He extended himself to the whole crowd, touching each person with the power of God. Surely this exhausting ministry lasted beyond a normal bedtime.
We could certainly understand if Jesus burrowed under the covers the next morning. Instead, Mark tells us that Jesus rose in the wee hours and headed out to a deserted spot to spend time with his Father. Instead of assuming he knew what God wanted and how to accomplish it, he stopped and listened for God’s guidance. Out of that profound communion emerged clarity about his next step: It was time to preach in other villages.
That’s the way it was with the Lord: never a dull moment! Jesus was constantly on the move. Even his prayer was dynamic. He didn’t get up early just to enjoy a good sunrise and recite a few prayers. No, he was asking, seeking, and knocking. He was determined to discover his Father’s plan, and he was ready to make any adjustments he needed in order to stick to that plan.
Make no mistake. Jesus was active, not just busy. Like a runner crouched at the starting block, his prayer was one of active waiting, not passive wandering. That’s what God wants for us as well. There’s a kingdom to be built. There are people to evangelize and ministries to advance. The hungry need feeding, the wounded need comfort, and the confused need direction. What part does God want you to play? Seek him in prayer, and you’ll find out.
“Here I am, Lord! Show me what you want me to do today. I want to be your servant!”
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Meditation: 1 Kings 3:4-13 Readings
“Give your servant … an understanding heart.” (1 Kings 3:9)
If a genie suddenly appeared and offered to grant you three wishes, what would you ask for? A bigger retirement savings account? A better job? A new car? This is the kind of offer that God made to Solomon. And what did he ask for? Wisdom, of all things! Of course, Solomon also got the riches thrown in as well, so maybe he didn’t make such a bad choice after all.
As promising as Solomon’s start was, we know that after several years of building the Temple and acquiring many wives and possessions, Solomon’s heart was led astray (1 Kings 11:4). He began to worship foreign gods, and he let the Israelites—God’s chosen people—get mixed up with the pagan nations around them. It seems that Solomon lost sight of God and stopped seeking the wisdom that he so eagerly desired in his early years.
Jesus probably had this kind of story in mind in today’s Gospel reading when he took his apostles away to “rest a while” after their first preaching mission (Mark 6:31). The twelve must have been very excited as they saw demons submitting to them. Jesus knew that if they took off on another mission without first reconnecting with the Lord, they might collapse and burn out along the way. He wanted to prevent them from falling into the same trap that Solomon fell into when he went too long without seeking fresh wisdom from God.
Take a lesson from Solomon! Every day, find a “deserted place” where you can retreat for a little while. Sit with Jesus and let him speak his wisdom into your life. It may be a quiet spot in your house, or a favorite park bench by the lake, or, even better, at church in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Wherever it is, make it a point to put aside all the distractions, worries, and clutter of the day. Read a passage of Scripture, or say some familiar prayers, or just sit quietly before the Lord. However you choose to spend your time, know that the Lord is thrilled with your choice, and he will reward you with fresh insights, renewed strength for the journey, and deep peace.
“Jesus, I want to come away with you for a while. Refresh me, renew me, and strengthen me. Then send me out to build your kingdom.”
Friday, February 3, 2012
Meditation: Mark 6:14-29 Readings
“Herodias’ own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests.” (Mark 6:22)
According to the Jewish historian Josephus, her name was Salomé. She was young, maybe only twelve, like the girl Jesus raised from the dead. (Mark uses the same Greek term to describe them in 5:42; 6:22,28). But like an experienced exotic dancer, this girl already knew how to delight men. She knew something about ruthlessness as well: Instructed to ask for the head of John the Baptist, Salomé went one better, demanding her prize “at once” and “on a platter” (6:25).
Was Salomé a “bad seed” especially inclined toward sin? More likely, as a member of the house of Herod, she had fallen into truly bad soil. She was, after all, the great-granddaughter of a brutal king who executed one of his ten wives and three of his sons. Herod Antipas, her stepfather, was dissolute and wily— “that fox,” Jesus called him (Luke 13:32). Her mother, Herodias, bore poisonous grudges and was a scheming social climber who married two of her uncles in succession.
The Herod family—and this mother-daughter team—did so many terrible things that it’s tempting to just sit in judgment over them. But let’s look at their appalling story as an invitation, instead—an invitation to assess the “soil” in our own families.
Take a good look at your home life today, but do it in the light of God’s love and mercy. It can be easy to focus all our attention on all the areas that need to be changed. But that can lead to discouragement and even paralysis. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of your family life. List them out, and make it a point to commend your children for the good you see in them. Then choose only one or two negative elements that need work. Develop a plan to reduce one of these elements over the next few weeks, and see where that leads you. Above all else, be encouraging. Be hopeful.
In the spiritual life, as in farming and gardening, it’s God who gives the growth. But we can plant, we can water, and we can fertilize the soil. Let’s do all we can to give the seed a chance. And let’s pray for an abundant harvest.
“Father, have mercy on all the vulnerable young ones who have no one to protect them and to teach them your ways.”
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Meditation: Luke 2:22-40 Readings
The Presentation of the Lord
The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. (Malachi 3:1)
Simeon was watching. God promised him that he would not die before seeing the Messiah, and the Spirit had told him to be in the Temple that day with his eyes open. Would he recognize him? Would he witness an uprising that would overthrow the Romans? Would he meet a holy man destined to bring consolation to Israel? Or would it be something altogether different? Imagine his surprise when the Spirit nudged Simeon toward a poor couple with their infant son. Him? This child is the promised one?
Has God ever surprised you? He doesn’t always work in ways we expect. Sure, we can be moved by a good homily, or when reading the lives of the saints. But when was the last time you truly felt that you heard God’s voice speaking to your heart? Perhaps it was not as clear as Mary’s experience at the Annunciation. Perhaps it was not as vivid as her husband Joseph’s angel-inspired dreams. But it remains a truth of our faith that God is always speaking to those who seek him.
Jesus came to the Temple that day as a helpless baby, but Simeon was still able to see that he was the promised Messiah. The same Holy Spirit who opened Simeon’s eyes wants to open our eyes as well. As St. Paul wrote, the Spirit wants to enlighten our hearts so that we can know the length, depth, height, and breadth of God’s presence and his love (Ephesians 3:16-19).
The Holy Spirit lives in you. He longs to speak to you. All he is looking for is an open heart. All he needs is for us to listen, watch, and wait in faith. The moment we believe that God wants to speak to us is the moment that we begin to hear—faintly at first, but then more and more strongly—his words of hope and inspiration.
Every night before you go to bed, write down something that you sensed the Spirit was putting on your heart that day. Soon enough, you will find yourself sensing more and more. You may not always get it right, but time, and trust, will win out.
“Father, open my ears to the ways you will speak to me today. I want to receive your revelation and embrace your word, just as Simeon did!”
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Meditation: Mark 6:1-6 Readings
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place.” (Mark 6:4)
There had been much talk about Jesus’ miraculous signs. Everywhere he went, people strained to get close to him and be healed. The crowds were so large in one place that Jesus had to sit in a boat on the shores of the lake just so he could teach unhindered (Mark 3:9). Yet here he was in his own hometown, and there are no crowds, no streets lined with the infirm, no rush to see him. Instead, Jesus is met with unbelief and doubt. What happened?
Their initially favorable feelings about a local boy making it big gave way to petty jealousy and a condescending attitude. “Not so fast!” they thought. “We remember this guy. He’s just the carpenter’s son. He’s nothing special after all.” They all thought they knew Jesus, and their human way of reasoning left no room for the possibility of the miraculous—or for the possibility that they didn’t really know Jesus at all.
We face the same choice today as the people of Nazareth. Will we allow our own limited, human reasoning to dominate our thoughts and keep us from recognizing Jesus? Or will we exercise our faith?
It’s not always easy to step out in faith and believe that God will be there to catch you. And, frankly, it’s not always advisable to ignore the warnings that come through what seems like common sense. But there is a difference between “not always” and “never.” There is a difference between being cautious and shutting Jesus out, a difference between exercising hopeful discernment and living in a state of constant doubt. Most of the time, the difference is just a matter of letting down our defenses and giving the Lord a chance to prove himself. Try it today, and see what happens.
“Lord Jesus, right now I lay aside my doubts and hesitancies. I ask you to come into my heart and speak to me. Give me a renewed faith in you and your power to work in my life.”
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Meditation: Mark 5:21-43 Readings
“Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” (Mark 5:34)
Jesus’ compassion and love really shine out in the miraculous events described in today’s Gospel reading. Moved with pity, he showed great mercy toward people who were in distress and without hope. It’s not surprising, then, that Jesus’ miracles have frequently been called “the good news made visible.”
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that ‘God has visited his people’ and that the Kingdom of God is close at hand” (CCC, 1503). Restoring health to the sick and life to those who have died also points toward the transformation that will take place at the end of time. That’s when our mortal, perishable bodies will finally be clothed with imperishability and immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53).
When Jesus worked miracles two thousand years ago, people saw his love and were moved to embrace his message of salvation. The same thing can happen today when we read about these healings in the Gospels. We can see in them Jesus’ invitation to open ourselves to his mercy and to put our faith in his saving power.
Day by day, God continues to work miracles to bring us to wholeness and deeper conversion. We may not understand why everyone is not healed when we pray. Still, while some are not healed, others are! Even if we haven’t experienced God miraculously healing us, many of us know of wondrous deeds that he has done in our midst—perhaps a parishioner whose brain tumor inexplicably disappeared after prayer or a friend whose hearing improved dramatically just moments after she received the Eucharist.
Just as the woman with the hemorrhage reached out to Jesus, we can reach out to him right now. He will tell us the same thing he told Jairus: “Do not be afraid; just have faith” (Mark 5:36). So let’s all press closer to Jesus. Let’s cry out to him for healing and hope. He loves to answer us with miraculous signs of his presence and love!
“Jesus, unleash a wave of healing power throughout your church. Touch the sick and the suffering, and restore them to wholeness and wellbeing.”
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Meditation: Mark 1:21-28 Readings
“Quiet!” (Mark 1:25)
Today’s Gospel warns us to be on guard because evil spirits are constantly at work tempting us and harassing us. This warning is even more urgent today, as the world has practically dismissed the reality of evil spirits.
Evil spirits are always on the prowl. They whisper lies and half-truths to us and try to confuse us. They try to influence us to do things we know are wrong—even things we don’t want to do. We have all felt their influence at different times. We know how they have tried to sow division, to make us fearful, to get us down on ourselves, to lie, to manipulate people, or to doubt God’s love.
Yes, we have a free will. Yes, we make the final choices for our lives. But these choices are never made in isolation. They are always influenced by the people around us, by the media, by the Holy Spirit, and by Satan.
All this may sound intimidating, but we shouldn’t be afraid. Jesus overcame one evil spirit in today’s Gospel, and he overcame them all on the cross. We just have to be more alert to what is coming into our minds, especially more alert to the devil’s tactics.
Another thing we can do is begin every day by praying for protection against evil spirits. All we have to do is say the words that Jesus taught us: “Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Finally, we should believe in the power of the name of Jesus. Scripture tells us how St. Paul, in dealing with an evil spirit that was harassing a woman, commanded: “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And the spirit left immediately (Acts 16:18). Likewise, we need to call on the name of Jesus throughout the day, especially when we are feeling tempted or harassed.
“In the name of Jesus, I command all evil spirits to be quiet and to depart from me and from every member of my family. Lord, deliver us from the lies of the evil one and help us to be ever more alert.”