A Hint of Life To Come

 Mk 9: 2-10

The Transfiguration

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

As we enter the second week of Lent, we receive an incentive glimpse  of what is to come: the glorified, and as it turns out, the RISEN JESUS . With Peter we can say it is good for us to be here, not only  at whatever point we are in our spiritual life, or Lenten journey, but also with the the glorified with Jesus at the end of our lives.  Doesn't this preview give us the "moxie" to bear with the trials life throws at us, as well as the Lenten program we have assigned ourselves, and to continue our efforts to shed what stands in the way of an intimate, life-giving relationship with Jesus?  The Apostles were so captivated by the scene that they wanted to "set up house" on Tabor. A bit too early, for the vision ended and the rest of the chapters had yet to be written, but obviously this event stayed alive in their minds and made even more sense after they had seen and touched the Risen Christ. 

 Let us join the gathering on Tabor today in quiet reflection, and find the strength we need to be strong in our Lenten resolves and in our efforts to be true disciples of Jesus.

Bro. Rene

 

A Huge Challenge

 Mt 5: 43-48

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

These five verses might be the most challenging in all of Matthew's Gospel:  Love your enemies, those who challenge you, criticize you, find fault in everything you do, oppose you in everything, seek to discredit you and what you've accomplished, belittle you and insult you to your face.  Love this?  Is it humanly possible?  No, only with divine help. If we find ourselves in this position, let us pray for "that person",  and let us pray for ourselves, that we might bear the assaults without allowing them to destroy us and that we may be given the heart of Jesus which loves all his brothers and sisters.

Bro. Rene

 

Clean The Slate

^{Mt 5: 20-26}

^{Be Ready to Give}

²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Jesus presents us with a "new age of morality"...clean slates, nothing held back, no obstacles between people to impair relationships.  Would that we could  so pure and transparent, but we always seem to have something to hide, as did Adam and Eve after breaking God's command no to eat the fruit of the tree of life. We follow that path consciously or unconsciously but perhaps this Lent we can change things, clear the decks and our hearts and be up front with those with whom we are having difficulties.  Let us pray for one another that we might have the courage to clean our slates.

Bro. Rene

 

Persistence

 Mt 7: 7-12

Ask, Seek, Knock

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

These few verses reassure us that we must be persistent in prayer, although we might be tempted to give up when God does not answer our prayer immediately, as we so wish.  Yes, it's a question of HIS time, and the answer will come in HIS way and in the way that  is best for us.  In the meantime,  our "stick-to-it-iveness" provides the opportunity to spend more time with God, deepen our faith and trust,  open our hearts to receive his love and begin to see HIM and HIS plan more clearly, a gift which might not have come our way unless we had to keep on praying and praying.  Let us take verses 8 and 11 literally: "everyone who asks, receives," and "how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Bro. Rene

Remain Faithful to the Plan

(Note:  For some unknown reason, yesterday's slice did not appear.  I hope it accompanies today's.)

 Luke 11: 29-32

The Sign of Jonah

²⁹ As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰ For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

Lent began a week ago, with the sign of ashes proclaiming to others and to ourselves as well that the next forty days were going to be devoted to renewal of our relationship with Jesus through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It's still early in Lent and we might have slipped here and there on our Lenten resolutions, but as Jonah pressed forward on his mission, although he first balked at it, may we return to our "program" as if it were the first day and press on.  God's grace is there to help us; the key is to rely on it rather than on ourselves. The "prize" is Jesus, and a life conformed more and more according to the outline he has left us. This is a time of training and practice; fidelity to and confidence in the help of Jesus will bring us to our desired goal.  Let us not grow weary or discouraged, Jesus is with us.

Bro. Rene

The Lord's Prayer

Mt 6: 7-15 

How We Should Pray

⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Jesus advises us to cut out the babbling in our prayers and to make them simple and direct.  The Lord's Prayer is the prime example:  three petitions directed toward God; four directed toward our needs.  If we want to multiply words, we might pray this prayer slowly and often during the day. We've been saying it since our youth, and, no doubt, we rattle it off without paying adequate attention to it. Time to change that.  Perhaps for Lent we might pray it with the attention it deserves, since Jesus himself gave it to us.

Bro. Rene  

"You Are The Messiah"

Mt 16: 13-19

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

 As we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, we might use the occasion to hear the question Jesus posed to Peter addressed to us.  Who do we, who do I say that Jesus is?  The number of people searching for the truth, letting go of their family traditions and faith, or just drifting aimlessly, is staggering.  We pray for ourselves and for them during this Lenten Season, that, like Peter, we might renew our commitment to "the Messiah, the Son of the Living God."

Bro. Rene

 

 

40 Days

 ^{Mark 1: 12-15}

^Preparation

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Jesus Announces the Good News

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

In these early days of our 40 day Lent, we find that Jesus began his mission with 40 days of fasting and prayer.  We're in good company.  During that time, Jesus experienced hunger, thirst, dryness in his throat , heat, fatigue and temptation:  three of them. His desert time was HARD, demanding and strengthening.  While we may not have as markedly a desert experience such as Jesus had, if we are taking Lent seriously, there will be a "pinch" of varying degrees here and there, as there should be.  We do this only once a year, so it should be substantial and worthwhile. At the end of our 40 days, we will also follow the pattern on Jesus, having risen with him, we will be commissioned to preach the same theme:  "Repent and believe the good news."   May we make the best of this Lenten Season to allow God to purify us. strengthen us,, and prepare us for the work that lies ahead.

Be strong.  Jesus is with us.

Bro. Rene

 

"Follow Me."

Luke 5: 27-32

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners

²⁷ After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, ²⁸ and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

²⁹ Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

What was going on within Levi that made him respond so quickly to the command, "Follow me" ? There must have been some inner discontent with his life that made the invitation to change so enticing that he left his tax booth immediately and became a disciple, one revered and to whom we owe one of the four gospels.  

Am I hearing the same kind of call during Lent?  What do I need to leave behind to follow Jesus more closely? Have I been faithful to my Lenten goals so far?  Is there anything interfering with them or causing me to neglect them?  We're only four days into the forty; it's too early to be slacking off.  What is Jesus asking of me today? Asking Matthew for advice might help.   Verse 32 puts things in proper perspective.

Bro. Rene 

 

Why Fast?

 Mt 9: 14-15

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

¹⁴ Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

The first Friday of Lent.  Our bridegroom is in heaven and now is the time for us to fast.  In the United States, we are asked to avoid meat on this day and all the Fridays of Lent  A good start if we can do it.  Perhaps we might add the Stations of the Cross  to our menu, to commemorate the death of Jesus on what we call Good Friday. We might pray the Rosary and consider the Sorrowful Mysteries, using a booklet or pamphlet that might enrich our meditations on each decade.  We might also refrain from a favorite drink, substituting water...or we might forgo a favorite TV program or reading the many tempting articles that appear on the internet,  to spend extra time with the New Testament...Let's set our imaginations loose to match the desire of our heart and purpose of Lent to grow in our love for Jesus, who showed his love by laying down his life for us.

Bro Rene

Take Up Your Cross

  ^{Luke 9: 22-25}

^{The Son of Man Must Suffer}

^'22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

As we enter this second day of Lent, may we remember with whom and for whom we are making our Lenten journey.  Life hands us crosses every day, and taking them up with Jesus might be enough "penance" to draw us closer to him.  We might simply reflect on how we share these crosses with him and ask him for the fortitude, strength, and love that enabled him to carry his.  If that's not enough, then yes, let's do something extra, but make it something that will deepen our love for him and union with him.

Bro. Rene

Bro. Rene 

For A Fruitful Lent

Matthew 6:1-6

Giving to the Needy

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18

Fasting

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Today's Gospel sets the tone for what we all hope will be a time of cleansing, renewal and drawing closer to Jesus. Jesus presents the guidelines that will yield a fruitful Lent. The important question to ask ourselves frequently is:  Am I loving God and my neighbor as a result of my fasting, my prayer, and my almsgiving?  We can get caught up with doing "spiritual pushups" but not growing in love for Jesus or compassion for "the least favored", the poor and neglected. Being faithful to daily prayer, perhaps adding some extra time, will help us "stay the course" and keep us focused on the WHY of all these sacrifices, and efforts to eradicate bad habits, or become more self-disciplined. 

Jesus admonishes us not to broadcast our Lenten regimen, which fits into our Maris Way of "doing good quietly in the Way of Mary." Let us ask her for the grace we need to do all for Jesus, and to do it quietly.

Make it "A Lent Well Spent".

Bro. Rene

 

Why Doubt?

 Mark 8: 14-21

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

¹⁶ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

We might feel like the disciples:  What are we to understand?  That we should not doubt?
That God always provides? Our memories fall short when we are besieged by demands and circumstances that we feel are "beyond us."  They may be, but they are not beyond our loving, all-knowing God.  He sees our plight, he knows our inadequacies and our plight. He has been there in the past. Will he abandon us now?  We need to grow in the trust he was trying to instill in his disciples. That might well be a goal to seek over the next 40 days.

Bro. Rene

No Sign Given

 

Mark 8:11-13

Asking For A Sign

¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. ¹² He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

Do we cause Jesus to "sigh deeply" by our lack of faith, by asking for a sign when there is already so much evidence from our past lives and even the events of this day to convince us that he is truly the Messiah, is with us, knows what we are going through and will never abandon us?  With Lent coming soon, let us resolve to reflect on yesterday and all the yesterdays that have brought us to today.  Is there any reason for us to ask for more signs?

Bro. Rene

Reaching Out

(Note: Apologies for the two-day absence of your Daily Slice of Bread.  With the help of our school Tech Guru, Chuck Putney, I am able to compose and send a slice for the day. Almost had the same problem today, but I learned how to fix it well enough to be back with you without any help.  "Reaching Out" is a helpful principle to incorporate in all facets of our lives.)

 Mark 1: 40-45

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

⁴⁰ A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.  He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

 Desperation brought the leper to his knees and his kneeling stance and request set the template for us.  "If YOU wish, YOU can make me clean,"  When we find ourselves, not necessarily covered with leprosy, but in situations, physical or family or work related, when there seems no answer; this is when we reach out for help with the faith and confidence of the leper.  May we not be afraid to do so, and keep doing it, even when Jesus seems to be ignoring us.  He is not.  

I include this link to Bishop Robert Barron who treats this Gospel in a dynamic way.  I highly recommend you take 10 minutes to listen to him.

Bro. Rene

 https://youtu.be/Eh2otY27BCo

Persistence

 

Mark 7:24-30 .

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

²⁴ Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. ²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

This Gospel passage is fitting for the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, as a reminder that God does not refuse our prayers for healing, but grants them as requested or in some other beneficial way. Lourdes in southern France is a renowned place of pilgrimage and for the huge number of healings both physical and spiritual that have occurred there for over a century and a half.  The waters of its miraculous spring continue to bring solace to those, like the Syrophoencian woman implore God for healing. 

We may not get to Lourdes in our lifetime, but for those of us who have been there, the sense of Mary's presence, the faith of the people, and the prayerful atmosphere are "miraculous" and bring healing and peace to the soul. From wherever we are, may we not hesitate to bring our needs to the Father through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, and be open to receive whatever HE wants to grant us.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Fom Within

^{Mark 7: 14-23}

^{What Defiles}

⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” ^[16] 

¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Aren't we often surprised and even embarrassed by some of the thoughts that come to our minds at the oddest times and in the most unlikely places?  Where do they come from?  Perhaps from the evil demons that "prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls", or from the internet where the simple click of a key can open a world we should not be entering, or from conversations "that would make a sailor blush". Whatever, but they are disturbing and we wish we could flush them out as fast as they appear. And we can, by repeating the name of Jesus over and over until he fills our hearts and our thoughts. A simple solution that works.. Try it.

Bro Rene

 

Wash Inside and Out

 Mark 7: 1-13

That Which Defiles

7 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus ² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
⁷ They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’^{[e] 11} But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— ¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. ¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

We see today how Jesus again comes down hard on the Pharisees (and all who simply fulfill the letter of the law and carry out its directives superficially). It's not just external observances to be seen and applauded, but a disposition of the heart.  The cleansing of motives, of relationships which spring from the heart, is more important than washing the dirt off of one's hands or feet. How often do we just try to "get by" in observing the letter, rather than making in the internal adjustments needed to live an authentic Christian life?  With Lent a week and a day away from us, we might examine our actions and motives to see if they match, and then determine what we can do to clean the inside of our cup as part of our Lenten regimen.

Bro. Rene  

All Were Healed

 Mark 6: 53-56

More Cures

⁵³ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. ⁵⁴ As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. ⁵⁵ They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Would that Jesus were still walking among us, through the halls of our hospitals, treatment centers and hospices curing all!  Our prayer lists are full of those needing healing; we pray, and and occasionally our prayers are answered in a positive way, but for the most part, they are not, at least from our point of view.  Were all these prayers a waste of time? Or did we learn the important lesson that was part of Jesus's Gethsemane prayer: "your will be done, not mine."?  Did we benefit by our daily prayers for healing and grow closer to the God whose ways are not our ways, but whose love for all is everlasting?  Did we learn that even though we at first don't like it, his ways are always the best?  Let us not stop praying for healing, let our trust grow stronger, let our wills come to match and accept HIS will.

Bro. Rene

Prayer and Healing

 Mark 1: 29-39

Jesus Heals Many

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

We read this Gospel last week but we have to remember that most Catholics attend Mass on Sundays, not during the week,  hence they are not aware of its being repeated. For those of us partaking of these daily slices of bread, there is always a new insight or angle that pops up. Notice that this rash of healings  takes place after Jesus had been to the synagogue  and after his early morning prayer.  We might easily suppose that this was the pattern Jesus followed daily:  communion with his Father in quiet prayer followed by the "work" of preaching and healing. For him (and for us) the two go hand in hand. How can we deal with the demands made on us daily or the lack of appreciation for our efforts to be of service?  Unless we have the attitude of Christ, which comes from communion with him, we might want to give up with the opposite attitude of "what's the use?" forgetting that Jesus gave without limit and never asked for a thank you, though he appreciated it when it came. He was not centered on himself, but on the others he came to serve.  Can we do the same?

Bro Rene

No Rest Working With Jesus

Mark 6: 30-34

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. ³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Let us put ourselves into this scene.  How often do we find ourselves weary but constantly besieged by others or our own TO DO List, leaving no time to recoup our energy?  So too Jesus and the apostles, even with no time to eat. When they found a "safe haven", the crowd found them,  and Jesus began to teach them.  So went the intended rest.  The word COMPASSION leaps out at us...Jesus with the most compassionate heart ever to beat in human flesh put rest aside and continued his "work".  No doubt the apostles too were involved and gave up their needed rest.  As important as rest is, it takes second place to compassionate care of others.  When absolutely needed, rest will come, but following in the footsteps of the compassionate Jesus should come first. Let us ask for the grace to give of ourselves as much as we can while at the same time acknowledging our limitations and need for compassionate care of ourselves (including food and rest), so that we might be able to continue our ministry to others.

Bro. Rene

 

Backed Into A Corner

 Mark 6: 14-29

John the Baptist Beheaded

¹⁴ King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵ Others said, “He is Elijah.”

And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”

¹⁶ But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, ²⁰ because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³ And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵ At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

We might take a lesson from King Herod's rash promise to Salome:  Don't make statements, promises  or pronouncements you can't back up. In this case a prophet lost his life. The need to impress others exists in all of us to some degree, but it can be a dangerous tool causing harm to others and to ourselves. We might take some time to listen to ourselves, or review ways in which we interact with others and see if there's a bit of King Herod lurking there, and if so, give him the boot!

Bro. Rene

In The Footsteps of Jesus

 Mark 6: 7-13

The Call of the Twelve

⁷ He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; ⁹ but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰ He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. ¹¹ If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” ¹² So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. ¹³ They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

After preaching and working miracles in the sight of the Apostles, Jesus then sent them out to do the same.  He made sure that they remained totally free of worry and concerns about food, lodging, or clothing, but commanded them to rely totally  on him  What an exciting ideal!  The Apostles carried it out with huge success and set the bar high for us, their followers.  Over the centuries the bar was lowered, and abuses crept in, but periodically there were reforms, such as the one inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, and the Church picked up its mission in pristine fashion again. The many ups and downs in the Church's history fill volumes, but again the call goes out to us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  

We celebrate Catholic Schools week to honor these institutions which attempt to instill the ideals of Jesus and his first disciples into the hearts and lives of our students. We present Jesus as the model teacher and encourage our students and teachers to embrace his mission, his values, his way of loving and inviting others into communion with him.  In this currently upside down world, may we renew our energy and commitment to spreading the Good News by our words, but more so, by our actions.

Bro. Rene

Amazing Lack Of Faith

Mark 6: 1-6

A Prophet Without Honor

6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. ² When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,^[ Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” ⁵ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Despite his amazing preaching and miraculous cures, Jesus was still regarded as the "local boy", the carpenter's son. Why should he be treated differently from anyone else?  In turn, he was amazed at the lack of faith among the people of his own town, which hindered his ministry there. 

What would have been my reaction if I were one of those Nazarenes?  What is my reaction NOW as each day I see "minor miracles" (or even big ones) occur through my prayers or those of others? Faith is a gift, but it still needs work to expand it and apply it to my everyday circumstances.  Lord, I do believe, help my unbelief!

Bro. Rene

 

Candlemass Day

Luke 2: 22-40

Jesus Is Presented In The Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss  your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.  She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

February 2nd, The Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemass Day signaled the end of the Christmas Season in the old liturgical calendar and in some ways puts the final period on our Advent/Christmas cycle by highlighting the theme of LIGHT.  Jesus is the "light for revelation" as the old Simeon proclaims. In his public life, Jesus also asserts that he is the Light of the World.  Appropriately, then the candles for the new liturgical year are blessed today.  May they serve as reminders that we too are the light of the World, and our call is to let our light shine in the darkness.

Bro. Rene

The Need For Healing

Note: As you can see, I'm still facing some technological difficulties... Please bear with me until this is rectified, I hope, by tomorrow. Thank you. Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Seems like a demon is in possession of this computer.... What is it like to lose control of one's being, never mind one's computer? Mark's description of this "wild man" is as vivid as one would want to get the frightening picture of this man possessed by "Legion". Jesus sets him free but the swineherd loses his pigs in the process. Possession is costly! We are not so dramatically possessed,but do face "demons" within and without,demons only Jesus can control. Let us not hesitate to ask him for release, healing, restoration, whatever it may be. If he could confront and disptach "Legion", he can chase the mean and tempting spirits that besiege us daily. Bro. Rene