Voice

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Voice

In Wilderness

Foretold   Coming Of   Messiah

Kingdom Of Heaven Is Near

Repent

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 3: 1 to 3

John the Baptist was in the desert preaching. 

He said, "Repent. The Kingdom of God is here!"

It was of him that the prophet Isaiah spoke: "A voice of one crying out in the desert. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight."

Reflection

What are some of the voices that you have been listening to lately?

There are voices that can lift us up, and there are voices that can tear us down. We enjoy the praise and can be upset with the criticism. We learn over time that the criticism can sometimes help us even more than the praise.

To really listen to the voice of God, which is the only voice that really matters for us, it can be helpful for us to go into the wilderness. We can use the silence and the peace. Our lives can be filled with too many distractions. It's easy to lose focus.

God's Word can help us. The prophets from the Hebrew Scriptures give us many clues about the messiah and the pursuit of justice. If we take time to see what they have foretold, some of those confusing voices can give way to clarity. The prophets give us insight into God's plan for us.

We learn that God will send a Messiah who will help us to embrace God's Love more fully. The Messiah will teach us more about God. Our issue is: will we listen to that voice?

When we do listen, we learn that the Kingdom of God is near. All we have to do is repent of our selfishness and indifference. 

Isaiah speaks about our need to prepare if we are going to embrace the Kingdom of God and live a life in harmony with God's teachings and in service to our sisters and brothers. 

When we do prepare, get ready, and listen to the voice of God, the path is made straight. All those distractions diminish. We see our goal. We are led to the Messiah. 

Enjoy the voice!

1. How have you found the voice of God?

2. Can you think of a time when criticism has helped you?

3. How do you go into the wilderness?

4. What are some ways that you find helpful in preparing to embrace the Kingdom of God?

5. What do you feel as you contemplate Kathy's photo? 

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)

Ready

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Ready

Are You

Be   Prepared   Vigilant

The Hour Is Unexpected

Alert

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 24: 44

Jesus was talking to His disciples about the coming of the Son of Man:

"So too, you must be prepared.

The Son of Man will come at a time when you do not expect!"

Reflection

A topic that always upsets people is thinking about the end of the world. Everyone wants to know the exact day and hour. We want to be ready!

The problem is that Jesus does not give us any clues. We like specifics. Jesus is just too vague on this important topic.

Why do you think Jesus deliberately leaves us in the dark on this one? I think because Jesus feels it is not really that important.

If we live our lives as we should each day, does it really matter when the world will end? Would you make a radical change in the way you live your life if you knew the world was going to end tomorrow?

The advice that Jesus does give is simple: be prepared. If we truly listen to Jesus every day and try to make His teachings the center of our lives, we have no worries about the world ending.

We will be ready!

If we are vigilant and keep our eyes open to the many ways that Jesus appears in our lives each and every day, we will be able to respond to those who are in need of our care and compassion. Those who are hungry will be fed. Those who are sick will be helped. 

We will be ready!

If we are alert to those who are homeless, we will be with Jesus as we reach out to them to make sure that they are not sleeping out in the cold this winter. If we are alert to those who are lonely and feel abandoned, we will be there to look into their eyes with kindness and understanding.

We will be ready!

Come, Jesus!

We are ready!

1. Are you concerned about the end of the world?

2. Would you like to know the exact day and hour when the world will end?

3. If you did know the exact day and hour when the world would end, would it make any difference in the way you live your life each day?

4. How do you prepare for the end of the world?

5. What do you see as you contemplate Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)

Kingship

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Kingship

Humility   Love

Sacrifice   Promised   Salvation

Remember Me In Kingdom

Inheritance

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 23:42 and 43

Jesus was on the cross and two criminals were crucified beside Him. One of the criminals was reviling Jesus while the second recognized the innocence of Jesus.

The second criminal said to Jesus, "Jesus remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Reflection

In the United States we are not too happy with the concept of a king or a queen. We think of kings as individuals with too much power and very little accountability to anyone else. We are used to having a say in how we are governed.

The kingship of Jesus is very different. Jesus does not exercise power over others. He comes with humility. He wants to serve and to help. He brings Good News. He has come to bring freedom and not oppression.

The kingship of Jesus is a kingship of Love and not of power. Jesus thinks of the needs of the people. He feeds them when they are hungry. He heals them when they are sick. He listens to those whom everyone else ignores.

Jesus is willing to make sacrifices and to offer Himself in sacrifice. He faced opposition and eventually death. He remained faithful to His mission from the Father in spite of all the obstacles He would face.

Instead of promising that people would be His subjects and have no freedom, Jesus promised salvation. He spoke about forgiveness and encouraged people to forgive others if they wanted to experience God's forgiveness. On the cross Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were putting Him to death.

In our reading from Luke, we see the contrast between two attitudes toward Jesus. The one criminal attacks Jesus and puts Him down. He wants Jesus to save him without putting any faith in Jesus or trust in Him. 

The second criminal recognizes who Jesus is. He knows Jesus is innocent. He humbly asks Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into His kingdom. He knows that Jesus is different---He is special.

Jesus responds with Love. He tells this criminal that He will take care of him. He will protect him forever. He will be with him always. They will be together in Paradise.

Jesus is a different kind of king. He has come to serve others and not to subjugate them. His kingship leads those He evangelizes to form a community that will accept everyone and help those in need and those who are forgotten by others.

When we follow Jesus, we are called to imitate His forgiveness, His humility, and His service to all. Our King will always be with us and encourage us with His Love!

1. What is your feeling about kings?

2. How is Jesus different from other kings?

3. How important is forgiveness to being a good king?

4. What are some ways you try to follow Jesus as your King?

5. What do you feel as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)

Son/Sun

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Son/Sun

Justice   Healing Rays

Judgment   Answer   Salvation

The Day Is Coming

Prepare

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Malachi 3:19 to 20a

The day is coming!

It is blazing like an oven.

The proud and the evildoers will be reduced to stubble.

The day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the Lord of hosts.

If you respect My Name, the sun of justice will come with its healing rays!

Reflection

The Son of God has come to lead us to the Light. We want to move out of darkness and ignorance. It's time now to bask in the Sun and feel the warmth.

We follow that Light when we work for justice. We know that there are people who are suffering discrimination and exploitation. We want to respect the dignity of each person and end the wars that destroy people's lives and homes.

We want to bring the healing rays of the Son to those who are suffering and overlooked. Pope Francis has used the image of the field hospital for the Church. People are wounded, and they need the bandages and medicines of our love and compassion.

When we neglect those who come to us in need, we will face the judgment of the Son. We are accountable for our actions. In our reading from Malachi, we are reminded that if we do evil and are proud, we can be reduced to stubble. 

We have seen this throughout history. Those who were once so powerful and thought that they would never be taken down have suddenly been brought low. We remember the Hitlers who tried to conquer the world and wind up taking their own lives in an underground bunker.

The answer that the Son gives us is to follow the Light. Jesus has come to share the gift of salvation with us. He wants only good for us and asks us to share the Gospel with each person we encounter.

The prophet Malachi tells us that the day is coming. It is the day of ending and new beginning. Our old way of selfishness and neglect for those in need has to end if we wish to begin a new life in the Light.

We prepare for that day each and every time we work for justice. We want each person in our family, our community, our nation, and our world to experience the healing power of salvation.

The Son of God is calling us to walk in His Light and to leave the darkness of selfishness and arrogance.

Enjoy your walk with the Light!

1. How can you walk in the Light?

2. What are the main areas of injustice that you see?

3. Do you see the Church as a field hospital?

4. When were you healed of your wounds?

5. How have you seen evildoers be punished and held accountable?

6. What do you feel as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)

Foundation

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Foundation

Believers   Holy Spirit

Restore   Love   Unity

You Are God's Building

Dwell

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   First Corinthians 3:9c and 10

You are God's building.

Because of the grace God gave to me, I put down a foundation like a wise master builder.

Another is building upon it.

Reflection

Have you ever tried to build something?

When I was younger, my grandfather and I built a shed in the backyard for storing our lawnmower and gardening tools. Our very first step was to buy a bag of cement mix and to put down a sturdy foundation. We wanted to make sure that the wind, snow, and rain did not cause the shed to collapse. That shed stayed up for many years!

I learned from an early age how important a strong foundation was. I realized it also with my education. When we began learning about sentence structure in our elementary education, I could see how important this was for writing compositions.

Paul is telling the people in Corinth that he has given them a foundation in his teaching. He has spent a lot of time with them to help them understand the message of Jesus. 

They have become believers. As Paul proclaimed the Gospel, it resonated within their hearts. They were moved by what they heard, and it made sense to them based on their own life experience. 

The Holy Spirit helped them to accept Jesus and His teaching. They were baptized and joined with the community at Corinth in worship and service. 

This church tried to restore spiritual and moral values to the people of Corinth and faced many challenges in doing this. Corinth had a reputation as a "sin city" because of its wealth and the diversity of the people who called it home. 

The foundation that Paul built with the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit was centered on love. Paul would write to the people at Corinth that there were many great gifts of The Holy Spirit, but the greatest of the gifts was love.

It was that love that bound the church together and made them one. That unity of purpose, that unity of faith, that unity of loving service made the Corinthians a strong and vibrant church community.

They became God's building because all who encountered them saw the presence of God in their concern for the poor, the lonely, the crippled, the hungry, and the homeless. They reflected the Love of God through their actions.

God dwelt in them and with them. Paul had given them a strong foundation, and it lasted when he moved on to other communities.

They became church not as a building but as the People of God. 

Time now for us to build foundations of love and unity to proclaim that God dwells in us today!

1. What are some of the experiences that have built your foundation?

2. Is there a certain part of the message of Jesus that resonates with your heart?

3. Are there any Gifts of the Holy Spirit that have helped you in your faith journey?

4. How do you see your role in the Church today?

5. What do you see as you look into the eyes of the people in Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara) 

Love

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Love

Holy Spirit

Pour Into Hearts

Saved By His Life

Hope

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Romans 5:5

Saint Paul in writing his letter to the Christian community at Rome said:

Hope does not disappoint!

The Love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Reflection

We have all had to deal with disappointments. It might have been a job that we really wanted that we didn't get. Maybe it was a relationship with someone we really liked and we got rejected. Remember the candidate you voted for who lost?

How did you overcome those disappointments and move on? St. Paul in our reading from Romans shows us one path forward. It is the path of Love.

The Love that St. Paul is speaking about is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a Divine Love. When we truly realize that we are loved completely and totally by God, we are able to overcome our disappointments and put them into perspective. 

It does not mean that there will be no more disappointments. They will certainly come because we realize that there are many injustices in our world, and we have to constantly strive to fight against them.

One sometimes humorous take on this happens when a friend reads a paragraph about inequality and prejudice in society and reveals that the author lived in 250BCE. We look at it and say, "Not much has changed in over two thousand years!" We often see the same thing when we read the Book of Psalms.

Yes, the disappointments will be there. In the midst of them we know that the Holy Spirit has been poured out on us. I love that expression "poured out". I think of the generosity of God who does not just give us a little bit of the Holy Spirit (that would be more than enough!), but who lavishly pours the Holy Spirit all over us. Imagine yourself drenched with the Holy Spirit!

Jesus has come to save us by His Life. He holds nothing back and makes the ultimate sacrifice for us. He has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate His Love for us. He never wants us to feel alone in our disappointments, so He has sent and continues to send the Holy Spirit to be with us and to guide us as we try to overcome the disappointments that we have faced and will continue to face.

This leads us to hope. We have experienced those times when we were disappointed one day and surprised the next.

One of the experiences that brings this home is in the world of sports. Yes, there are many disappointments when our favorite team loses. We can be crushed when the star player leaves the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and out team loses by one run. 

The amazing thing is the very next day that same player might hit a walk-off home run when we gave up and thought our team was going to suffer another loss.

The Holy Spirit can surprise us like that also. We can be so upset when we observe people being discriminated against because of the color of their skin, sex or sexual orientation, nationality, or religion or lack of religion and then surprised when the Holy Spirit touches the heart of that person who was being prejudiced. 

The same person who was exhibiting so much prejudice and ignorance has a change in attitude and becomes more understanding and accepting. So many times, I have heard someone say, "I never thought that would happen in my lifetime!"

Hope comes because we continue to believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to touch all of our hearts with the power of Love.

Keep on hoping!

You will not be disappointed!

1. How do you deal with disappointment?

2. Have you ever experienced a surprise from the Holy Spirit?

3. Do you feel that Jesus has poured out the Holy Spirit on you and drenched you with the Holy Spirit?

4. Can you think of a time in your life when hope overcame disappointment?

5. What do you feel as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)

4. 

Parable

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Parable

Humble   Proud

Seek   Humility   Repentance

Be Merciful On Sinners

Exalt

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 18: 13

Jesus was telling a parable to those people who thought they were righteous and looked down on others. It was a story of a Pharisee who went to the Temple and told God how good he was. The other man, a tax collector, said:

"O God, be merciful on me, a sinner."

The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not even raise his eyes to heaven. He beat his breast as he prayed.

Reflection

How do you feel when you meet someone who is always bragging about her or his accomplishments?

It can really turn us off. We can get tired of all the self-praise. We might be saying to ourselves, "Enough is enough!"

The parable that Jesus shares in Luke reminds us of those experiences. The Pharisee is telling God about all the good things he does for God. The tax collector is asking for mercy. She or he is acknowledging sin.

Humility is so important for our spiritual growth. It literally means to tell the truth. The proud person is drawing attention to her or his accomplishments. It is much better if that praise, when it is deserved, comes from another person. 

We don't seek praise or ask for it. We try to live our lives by loving God and others. If someone points that out and thanks us for it, we praise God for the gifts given to us by our Creator. 

We seek God first; and we realize that we find God in serving our sisters and brothers in need. We see that in so many holy women and men who founded religious orders to serve those in need. For example, those who founded schools observed the world around them and noticed that there were children who needed an education and responded by starting institutions to help them.

They served others with humility. When they sinned, they asked for forgiveness and repented. They realized that they were human and had many faults. They never looked for glory for what they had done. They thanked God for the inspiration and strength they were given to help others despite their own weaknesses and limitations.

They were merciful to others because they had received mercy from God when they confessed their own sin.

They never looked to exalt themselves---only to reach out to others who were hurting and in pain. 

As we look around us today, we can ask ourselves about the needs in our communities. Like the tax collector, we acknowledge our sin and weakness. We turn to God for mercy and ask for the wisdom and the strength to extend that mercy to those who are most in need. 

We try to lift them up and exalt them because we know how much our God has lifted us up and exalted us.

God calls us not to brag but to repent and serve--to bring people to the Light! Enjoy your serving!

1. How do you feel when you hear people bragging about their accomplishments?

2. What is humility for you personally?

3. After you have acknowledged your sin and repented from it, do you feel any changes in your life?

4. Is it difficult for you to extend mercy to those who have hurt you?

5. As you contemplate Kathy's photo, what feelings fill your heart?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)