Reflection: Matthew 11:28-30

Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent – Matthew 11:28-30

This Gospel is one of my favorite Scripture passages.  In this reading Jesus invites “all who are weary and burdened” to come to Him.  Jesus promises that if we come to Him, He will give us “rest.”  And the rest He gives will renew and restore us.  

Ask yourself: What in your life “wearies” you?  What wears you down or exhausts you?  What do you need “rest” from?  It might be worry about your loved ones, health concerns, financial concerns, feeling overwhelmed by your responsibilities or perhaps you feel alone.  I assume that many of us are weary to some degree.  What do we do at these times?  How do we handle the weariness?  Do we carry our burdens alone?  Or do we take our burdens, anxiety and weariness to Jesus and ask Him for the grace and rest that we need?  

It would be wonderful if simply taking our worries and weariness to Jesus immediately and magically made everything right again.However, we know from experience that this typically doesn’t happen.  Our concerns or worries may still be with us.  However, if we bring them to Jesus, He will grace us with the strength we need to keep going and also to keep hoping.  The question may be: do we truly trust Jesus?  

Today ask yourself: what concerns, worries or anxieties are on my mind today?  Then I invite you to sit quietly with Jesus for a few minutes.  Just simply “be” with Him.  You don’t need to say anything since Jesus already knows what you are thinking and feeling.  Place your anxieties, fears or worries in His hands.  Simply spending time with Him will give you “rest”  and it also lightens your burden.  Trust Him!  Jesus is waiting for you!

Reflection: Luke 1:26-38

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – Luke 1:26-38

Today is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Naturally the Gospel for this feast is Luke’s version of the angel’s announcement to Mary that she was to bear a child.  However, this child would be conceived in an unusual and unexpected way.  We all know the story of the angel’s appearance to Mary, the message that was proclaimed to Mary, as well as Mary’s response.  It is clear by her immediate response to the angel that Mary was a woman of deep faith and trust.  Yet, being human, she also had to be puzzled, shocked and uncertain about what the angel’s pronouncement would mean for her.  

Can you imagine the thoughts and concerns that must have raced through Mary’s mind in that moment?  She had to be shocked, anxious and unnerved.  Yet, she trusted the God who knew her and loved her.  Mary’s trust in God enabled her to willingly place herself and her life in God’s hands.  And in that instant, her life took a completely different path than she expected.  

What a model Mary is for us!  Mary truly was an amazing and holy woman.  Yet she was very human.  Luke writes: “Mary was greatly troubled by the angel’s message.”  What were the thoughts and emotions that raced through Mary’s mind and heart when she heard the angel’s words?  Did she think she was going crazy?  The whole situation was unbelievable.   

However, Mary was deeply rooted in God.  Even though she was confused and most likely unnerved, Mary was open and receptive to God and to God’s call.  Mary must have wondered what this would mean for her and her life, as well as for her betrothal to Joseph.  How would this unfold?  What was she to tell her parents?  Yet Mary simply had complete faith and trust in God.  She freely and willingly assented to God’s plan for her!  

Most likely, we will not have an angel appearing to us asking us to bear God’s child.  However, even if an angel does not come to us, we also are called to be “Christ Bearers.”  How will we respond to God’s call?  Will we trust the God who is calling us?  Will we believe that God will walk this road with us?  When we are fearful, we can turn to Mary.  She will journey with us.  And she will remind us that our God is a God who is completely trustworthy.  Today and every day, may we ask Mary to journey with us!

Reflection: Mark 1:1-8

 

This passage from the Gospel of Mark focuses on John the Baptist.  The first few verses of this Gospel identify who John is.  The opening verse of this Gospel names John as the one who was “sent from God.”  John’s role was to testify to the “Light,” not to be the Light!  John is humble in the best sense of the word. He does not demean himself, nor does he exalt himself.  John understood his role at this time in Israel’s history: he was to point the way to the One who would come! 

 

The priests and Levites kept asking John: “Who are you?” John made it clear to them that he was not the Christ.  They asked if he was Elijah or the Prophet.  John simply responded to their question with three simple words: “I am not.”  John was a man who knew who he was and what he was called to do.  He was not the Christ.  However, he had an important role to play in Jesus’ life and ministry.  First and foremost, John was a “man of God.”  His role was to be the forerunner for Jesus.  He was to point his followers to the way to Christ. 

 

John must have been a mesmerizing preacher.  People from all walks of life had heard about John.  They wanted to see for themselves!  Seekers from all areas of Judea as well as citizens of Jerusalem gathered to hear John preach.  He was a powerful orator but he also had a powerful presence.  First and foremost though, John was a “man of God.”  Many people came to him to be baptized.

 

John did not desire acclaim for himself.  His knew that his call was to proclaim the coming of the Messiah.  John told his listeners that “one mightier than I” would come after him.  John also said that this man also would baptize but He would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  Ask yourself: How would you react if a “prophet” in your town began proclaiming that “one mightier than I” will be coming?  Would we automatically discount this prophecy?  At various times we have heard prophecies telling us that the “end of the world” was coming---and yet we are still here on this planet.

 

Yet one day Christ will come again!  We don’t need to wait for that day to come.  Christ comes to us every day of our lives. Are we aware of His coming?  Do we notice His presence as we go about our day?  Today be attentive: Christ will come to you! 

I know that on some days I “miss” Christ’s coming.  Perhaps I am too busy or my mind or heart is closed. Today is a good day to consciously and deliberately look for Christ as we move through our day.  Christ is among us!  However, we must be awake and alert for his coming! Or will we be too busy or too preoccupied to notice Him?  I pray we have eyes to see Him and hearts to trust Him!

Reflection: Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

Saturday of the First Week of Advent – Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

In this Gospel reading, Jesus was traveling to villages and towns, teaching and preaching in the synagogues.  He was proclaiming the Gospel of his Kingdom.  He also cured many people who were ill or in need.  Matthew says: “When Jesus saw the multitudes He was filled with deep compassion for them.”  Jesus recognized how lost, hungry, and alone the people were.  Truly, they were sheep without a shepherd.  They had no one to tend them or care for them.

Jesus then called His twelve disciples.  He gave His disciples the power and ability to heal, to drive out unclean spirits and to cure every disease.  Jesus then instructed His disciples to find the “lost” sheep of Israel.   I wonder how the apostles responded to Jesus’ instructions?  Were they awed?  Did they truly believe that they would be able to heal or drive out unclean spirits?  Or were they skeptical and doubting?  Even if the disciples had some doubts, they must have felt empowered and excited.  

Today Jesus also gives us the power to heal.  We may heal simply by listening to another person.  Or we may heal by giving an unexpected gift of our time or ability.  We may heal by truly “seeing” another person.  We all have the ability to “heal.”  The question may be: Do I truly believe this? And do we use our gift of healing? 

Who will we reach out to today?  We may heal another person with a touch, with loving words or perhaps by simply giving our full attention to each person we meet.  And also be mindful of the individuals who share their time and love with you.  It is a great gift to give and receive!

Reflection: Matthew 9:27-31

Friday of the First Week of Advent – Matthew 9:27-31

The principal characters in this Gospel are Jesus and two blind men.  As Jesus was walking along, two blind men begin to follow him.  They must have heard of the wonders and healings that Jesus had done.  The men continually cried out, begging Jesus to have pity on them.  Eventually Jesus stopped and asked them if they truly believed that He had the power to heal them?  They simply answered: “Yes, Lord.”  In response, Jesus reached out, touched their eyes and said: “May this be done according to your faith.”  Instantly their sight was restored!  They could see clearly.  

What is the healing that we wish to ask Jesus for?  Do we cry out to Him?  Do we follow Him?  Do we truly believe that Jesus has the power and the desire to heal us?  Do we trust that Jesus will answer our prayer?  Have you ever cried out to Jesus but He didn’t seem to hear you?  If/when this happens, how will you respond?  Will you turn and walk away from Jesus?  Or will you continue to cry out, trust and follow Him?

Jesus does hear us and He does respond to us.  However, it may not be a direct answer to our prayers.  At these times, we need to attend closely to what Jesus may be saying to us or what He may be doing in our lives.  Often His presence and action may be very subtle rather than an outright miracle.  Jesus may be working through other people or insights or perhaps He is gracing us with the love and strength that we need. 

Jesus does hear us and “touch” us.  We need to be alert and attentive to how Jesus may come to us---for He will come!  May we have the faith to place our confidence and hope in Him! 

Reflection: Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Thursday of the First Week of Advent – Matthew 7:21, 24-27

This Gospel passage is a very familiar one.  Once again, Jesus is preaching about the Kingdom of heaven.  He tells his listeners that any person who attends to His words and then acts on His words will build their house on the foundation of “rock.”  

We all know that there is a clear difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is much simpler than listening.  When I hear the other person, I literally hear their words and the content.  However, I may not hear the layers of emotion or meaning that the individual may be trying to convey.  When we truly attend to what another person is saying, we not only hear their words, we also are attentive to their tone of voice, facial expression, anxiety level or their sense of calm.  We also may get a sense of what they have not said.  

Much of our day is spent hearing what others are saying.  And this is appropriate.  Most of our conversations are functional or casual conversations.  However, do we recognize it when another person needs us to truly listen to them?  At times, we all need someone who will do more than simply hear our words. We need individuals in our lives who take the time to truly listen to us.  

However, Jesus also wants us to listen to Him.  He desires that we truly attend to what He is saying.  In his Holy Rule, St. Benedict instructs us: “listen with the ear of your heart!”  Listening with our ears is second nature to us.  However when we “listen with our hearts,” we are fully present and attentive to the other person.  Today Jesus will invite you (and me) to “listen attentively with the ear of your heart.”  Will we take the time and give Him the attention He desires? 

Reflection: Matthew 15:29-37

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent – Matthew 15:29-37

The opening scene of today’s Gospel is Jesus walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  After a time, Jesus went up on the mountain and a multitude of people followed Him.  When Jesus sat down, the people came bringing to Him the sick, the lame and others with all sorts of illnesses and diseases.  When each of these individuals approached Jesus, He quietly healed them.  He didn’t make a “big to do” about it.  He simply had compassion for them.  

Naturally the crowds were astonished when they realized that the mute were talking, the blind were able to see and the lame were walking.  Can you imagine what a wondrous experience it must have been for the individuals who were healed?  They must have been amazed and awed at the great gift Jesus had given to them.  

Each one of us is in need of healing.  It may be a physical or emotional healing.  What is the healing you desire at this time in your life?  Have you asked Jesus to heal you?  How do you think you would respond if Jesus did heal you?  Would you be amazed?  Would you also glorify God?

In today’s world, it may not appear that many miracles are happening.  We know that it is rare for a person who has a serious disease or illness to be cured.  Yet if we look with eyes of faith, if we look deeply, we may see the miracles that happen every day.  They may be small miracles and yet what a gift they are.  We all are lame or ill in some way.  Today may we bring our request, our longing for healing to Jesus!  May we pray for eyes to “see” and hearts to trust Jesus! 

Reflection: Luke 10:21-24

Tuesday of the First Week of Advent – Luke 10:21-24

This Gospel begins with Jesus rejoicing in the Holy Spirit and praising God.  Ask yourself: how often do you praise God and the Holy Spirit?  I have to confess that much of my communication with God and Jesus is to ask for what I need.  With all my needs, I often forget to thank God for the many blessings I have received.  I have a great deal of abundance in my life.  I have good friends and a loving family, food on the table, heat in this cold weather, warm clothing and medical care.  I am not “rich” in the world’s eyes, yet I am very “rich.”  I am blessed!  How sad that I usually take these “riches” for granted!

The numbers of people in our country and our world who every day are hungry, cold, lonely or frightened, is overwhelming and tragic.  Yet, I may complain about the least inconvenience.  And yet we all lack something.  It may be a shortage of emotional support, education, money, good health or healthcare coverage.  You can fill in the blanks!  

Today however, may we stop and reflect on our blessings – small though they seem to be.  We are blessed!  Our blessings may look small or insignificant yet still they are a blessing and gift. Yes, we also have our pain, loss, or difficulties.  Despite the difficult or painful circumstances in our lives, can we still rejoice, give thanks and praise God?  I pray we can!