Lent

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Lent

Solitude   Fasting

Resist   Evil   Temptations

Cling To His Word

Deliverance

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Psalm 91:14

Because he clings to me, I will deliver him.

Reflection

What happens during the season of Lent? What words describe it for you?

We think of solitude. It is a time to look within and to see how our relationship with God and our sisters and brothers is going. 

The solitude helps us to withdraw from the distractions of the world around us. Can I actually put down my cellphone? Can I refrain from checking all those "really important" emails? Can I turn off the tv and the radio? 

Am I afraid to be by myself for a while?

Am I afraid to spend some time with God?

Do I worry about what God will say to me?

Lent is a time for fasting.

Fasting can be very hard for us. Things that we do not even think about can start to come to mind when I am fasting from them. That ice cream or candy that I have decided to give up for Lent seems to come up more now that I can't have it!

Fasting can help me to resist those things that I should enjoy in moderation. When I am cutting back from some things, I can use the money I am saving to help others who are in need. As I fast, I can picture a family in need sitting down and enjoying a good meal together. We are all one!

My fasting can lead me to overcome the evil in our society. When people are putting another person down and saying negative things about her or him, I can fast from the evil of disparaging another person. That fasting can send a message that can lessen the divisions and hatreds in our society. That fasting can lead to peace!

There are temptations that we face as we fast. We can think that our fasting will not make a difference. We can say, "There is so much evil in the world that one person trying to overcome it will never make a difference. The problems are just too large and intractable." 

Yet we have seen over and over again in history how one person standing for truth against evil has made such a big difference. I think of all those who have been inspired by the brave witness of St. Oscar Romero to work for change and to bring peace and justice to those on the margins of society.

We overcome that temptation and the many others we are sure to encounter as we fast for justice by clinging to the Word of God. We turn to the Word for strength and encouragement. We learn as we ponder the Word that Jesus faced opposition and discouragement and suffering and persevered through it all because He was clinging to the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus led us to deliverance by clinging to the Father and the Holy Spirit. He triumphed over evil by showing us that Love is the strongest power in our world. 

Setbacks will come and the temptation to get discouraged will always present itself. As we cling to the Word this Lent, Jesus promises us that He will show us the way. Our clinging always leads us to His Clinging.

That embrace is always with us and gives us strength. Lent is our invitation to rest in that embrace.

Always!

1. How does solitude help to deepen your encounter with Jesus?

2. Is it difficult for you to enter into solitude?

3. What is your experience of fasting?

4. How do you try to overcome the temptation of discouragement in the face of so much evil?

5. Do you try to cling to God's Word?

6. From what do you think our world has to be delivered?

7. What does Kathy's picture call you to do?

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

  

Ambassadors

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Ambassadors

For Christ

Reconcile    Work   Together

The Day Of Salvation

Now

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Second Corinthians 6:2

Behold now is the acceptable time!

Behold now is the day of salvation!

Reflection

Have you ever wanted to be appointed as an ambassador to another country? It seems so intriguing---especially if it is a country that you would really like to visit and get to know.

No worries. You already are an ambassador. You are an ambassador for Christ.

When you think about it, it is really the most important ambassador you can be. Jesus has entrusted you with a very important mission: to bring His Good News to each person you meet.

As we begin our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday, it is good to reflect on this call that Jesus gives to each of us. We live in a world that is in urgent need of reconciliation.

We see conflicts and divisions all around us and within us. There are political divisions; military conflicts; splits within families; and confusions within our very self.

Jesus calls all of us to put aside those divisions and hatreds and to work together for the good of all. There are people who need to be fed, who need shelter, who are sick and need healing. We are called to see Jesus in each and every one of them no matter if we agree or disagree with them.

We are called in our reading from Second Corinthians to do it NOW!

We all like to put it off but Jesus will have none of that. As good ambassadors we have to share the Good News each day, each moment. It is time to put aside those differences and to let those we meet know that we love them and care for them.

Ambassadors bring a message of concern from their country to the countries where they are sent. As ambassadors for Christ, we bring His Love to all.

Enjoy your ambassadorship!

1. If you were asked to be an ambassador, to which country would you like to be assigned? 

2. What does it mean for you to be an ambassador for Christ?

3. What can you do personally to overcome the conflicts and divisions that you see around you?

4. Why do you think that Jesus says that NOW is the day of salvation?

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

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

Blind

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Blind

Self-Exam

Our Own Sins

Remove the Wooden Beam

Vision

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 6:42

Jesus said,

"Remove the wooden beam from your own eye first; then you will be able to see more clearly to remove the splinter in your sister's and brother's eye."

Reflection

Sometimes we take things for granted.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to have sight don't realize what a blessing it is. We have to become more sensitive to those who are blind.

One way to reflect on that is to think of the ways that we are blind. Do we ever walk by those in need and just ignore them?

Do we sometimes overlook difficulties friends are facing as we are talking with them because we are too busy concentrating on a problem we are facing?

Are we blind sometimes to the struggles of our sisters and brothers who are fighting for justice because they might be of a different race or cultural background?

It is good to take a self-exam and look at how we are doing on the blindness scale. Are there things we could be doing better? Who are the people we need to reach out to?

Our own sins can blind us to those areas in our life where we need to make changes. We can be too self-centered and selfish. We sometimes concentrate on our own needs and don't realize the needs of others, especially those who are on the margins of our society. It is easy to overlook and ignore when our sight is limited.

Our vision can be blocked by the wooden beam of our insensitivity. When that happens, all we concentrate on is ourselves. 

I have had many conversations with people who complain that they don't have a nicer car or a bigger home. When we reflect together on those who live without food or shelter and who have no access to medical care, their eyes are open to how fortunate they are and to our responsibility to reach out to our sisters and brothers in need.

Jesus gives us the right vision in our passage from Luke. He is telling us to look at our own behaviors first and to work on that wooden beam that blocks our eyesight. After we remove that huge beam, we can see clearly.

When we have that accurate vision, we will see what our neighbors really need and can help them to achieve it. Our vision then will more closely be aligned with what Jesus wants.

It has been my experience that our sisters and brothers who are physically blind are many times more sensitive to reaching out to others who are in need. Let us follow their vision and the vision of Jesus to bring God's compassionate Love to all.

Those wooden beams have to go!

1. What are some things that you have taken for granted in your life?

2. What have you found to be the most persistent blind spots in your life?

3. When is the last time that you did a self-exam about your own blind spots?

4. What are some of those wooden beams that you have to remove so that you will see more clearly?

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

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

Agape

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Agape

Unconditional   Love

Forgive   Be Merciful   Give

Ask Nothing In Return

Practice

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 6:35 and 36

Love your enemies.

Do good to them.

Lend and ask nothing in return.

You will receive a wonderful reward.

You will be children of the Holy One for God is kind to those who are ungrateful and mean.

Be merciful for your Father in Heaven is merciful.

Reflection

Can we really and truly love our enemies like Jesus is asking us to do in this passage from Luke? Isn't Jesus asking the impossible?

Enemies are those who hate us, demean us, and cheat us. They are out to get us. They can't stand us and constantly fight against us. They are always thorns in our side. They are dedicated to making our lives miserable.

The Greek word agape speaks to this. It is a deep love that is founded in God's Love for us. We realize gradually in our lives that God loves us unconditionally. 

It is very hard to realize this and to take it in. We can say it very glibly and not realize how amazing it truly is. Most of us will love someone who treats us well and who respects us.

God's Love is not based in that. It is a Love freely and completely given because God views us as GIFTS. God loves us because we ARE and not because of what we have done, are doing, or will do.

When we begin to realize this and start to glimpse even a little bit of this LOVE, it is possible for us to forgive someone who has hurt us very deeply. We can be merciful for we begin to realize how merciful God is towards us.

We can give more to others because we know how much we have been given. God loves us into existence and surrounds us always with that Love. 

We do good to our enemies because we start to see them how God sees them. We know that God loves them unconditionally also and does not wait for them (or us!) to be perfect in order to love them. 

We give to them when they are in need because we remember how much God has given to us. We give and do not expect a return because we know that we can never possibly even begin to return all the Love that God has given to us.

Our perspective has changed. We have been touched by God's Love. We are different. We are transformed. 

We don't hold grudges. We are not out for revenge. We pray for those who are because we realize that they don't know how deeply God loves them.

We try to practice the forgiveness and mercy of our God.

We have been loved. AGAPE dwells in us.

1. Is it possible to really love your enemies?

2. When did you truly realize that God loves you unconditionally?

3. Why does God love you?

4. What has helped you to really forgive someone who has hurt you deeply?

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

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

Tree

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Tree

Raised   Dwelling

Relying   Hope   Trust

Stood On Level Ground

Resurrected

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 6:17

Jesus came down with them and stood on level ground. A big crowd followed Him, and they gathered from Judea, Jerusalem, Tyre, and Sidon.

Reflection

I always remember the thrill of climbing a tree when I was younger. It gave me such a sense that I was so much taller than everyone else and I really loved the difference in perspective.

I was literally raised up. I felt that I was dwelling in a different space. 

I loved looking down on my friends. I felt powerful and superior.

I was relying on myself and on my ability to go higher than everyone else. My hope was that all my friends would think that I was special. I quickly found out that they were up for the challenge and climbed even higher than me!

As I matured, I realized that those trees that I climbed were signs of God's majesty and power. When I look at trees today, my admiration and trust in God grows. If God could gift us with so many varieties of beautiful trees, I know God will take care of me as well.

Our passage from Luke reaffirms this. Jesus is going to share His teaching on the Beatitudes or Blessings with a huge crowd. He does not climb a tree or a mountain (as in Matthew) to claim superiority as I tried to do.

Jesus becomes one with the crowd. He stands on level ground. He wants to show the people that He loves them and understands them. 

For Jesus it is never about position or power. He has come to serve and to teach by His example. 

He gave His life for us and then showed us His resurrected self. He sanctified all trees by dying on the tree of the cross. He overcame death and let us know that resurrected life awaits us also. 

The trees that we admire and climb lead us to a deeper appreciation of our God who shows us how deeply we are loved. 

Enjoy the trees that God is sending to you!

1. Did you ever climb trees when you were younger?

2. What do you feel when you encounter a beautiful tree?

3. Why do you think Luke has Jesus standing on level ground as He shares the Beatitudes or Blessings with the crowd?

4. Where have you encountered the resurrected Jesus in your life?

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

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

Paul

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Paul

Corinthian   Letter

Accordance    Resurrection   Scripture

Preach So You Believe

Word

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   1 Corinthians 15:10 and 11

However, by God's grace I am what I am. 

This grace has not been ineffective.

I have worked harder than all the other apostles.

It is not I.

It is the power of God's grace within me.

Whether it is I who preached or the other apostles, we preached and so you believed.

Reflection

Did you ever wonder what St. Paul was really like?

We think of him as an extraordinary apostle who endured tremendous difficulties and obstacles in spreading the faith. He never gave up.

This passage from First Corinthians gives us a little glimpse into the man. He is honest in admitting his limitations. He knows that he is not perfect. He initially persecuted Christians.

God's grace led him to embrace Jesus and to devote his life to following Him completely. He held nothing back.

He did not claim any credit for this. He had experienced the power of the resurrection. On his way to Damascus, he encountered Jesus. 

He had lived his life in accordance with the scriptures. Gradually he saw Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophecies that were contained in the Hebrew Scriptures. He realized that Jesus had to suffer to redeem His people. 

He saw that the suffering and death of Jesus was not the end of the story. Jesus had risen and He was seen by many witnesses. 

This personal experience of the resurrection that Paul and the other apostles beheld with their own eyes led them to preach and to share with others the message of Jesus, the Good News. It was this preaching and the grace that was poured out from it that led so many to believe.

They believed because of the power of the Word. These were not just human words (although the message was expressed in those words). It was the power of God's grace working in the hearts and the minds of the believers.

They saw in the life of Paul his witness to the Word. He lived in harmony with that Word and dedicated his whole life to letting others know how much and how deeply God cares for them.

We have heard that Word. It has been shared with us by all those who are successors of St. Paul and who have also been touched with God's grace.

Now is our time to live the Word as Paul did. 

1. What is your image of St. Paul?

2. How do you overcome the temptation to give up?

3. Do your limitations inhibit you from proclaiming the Word of God?

4. When have you experienced the power of the resurrection in your life?

5. What do you see as you contemplate Kathy's photo of the painting of St. Paul?

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

Simeon

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Simeon

Faithful   Prophet

Recognized   Identified   Acknowledged

Eyes Have Seen Salvation

Sight

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 2:29 and 30

"Now, O Holy One, you may dismiss your servant in peace, as your word has proclaimed, for I have seen Your salvation with my eyes."

Reflection

Have you ever thought about actually seeing salvation? Salvation is an amazing gift, and it is overwhelming to think that somehow, we might be able to come face to face with it.

Simeon is older and he has been awaiting the coming of redemption for the people of Israel. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would see the Messiah before he died.

He was faithful to the traditions and teachings of his Jewish faith. He was very familiar with the writings of the prophets. He lived in a time of great anticipation. People were looking for someone who could lead the people to a deeper relationship with the Holy One and true freedom from oppression.

Simeon recognized something extraordinary in this young child whom Mary and Joseph brought to the Temple in Jerusalem to be presented to the Holy One. He knew that this child was the Messiah.

He identified special characteristics in this young boy. He was guided by the Holy Spirit. He was excited to share this news with Mary and Joseph. They must have been so happy that Simeon acknowledged the mission of their young son.

It was an unexpected encounter. Mary and Joseph were just going to the Temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law. What a surprise to encounter Simeon and then to hear him speak so highly of their son.

It was a special moment for Simeon also. He proclaimed that his eyes had now seen salvation. He knew that this child would bring the Good News of God's Love and care for all of us. He knew that all of us would never be the same because of what this child would do. Redemption and forgiveness had now arrived among us. 

His eyes were opened to what God wanted to do for the People of God. What a feeling of pure joy for Simeon and for all of us as we reflect on what God wants to share with each one of us.

God is not holding back. The Son of God has taken on human flesh. He is one with us. Pure Love surrounds us. 

We just need the sight, the eyes of faith, to recognize it as Simeon did!

1. Have you ever seen salvation?

2. How did the Holy Spirit work in Simeon's life?

3. If you were Mary or Joseph, how would you have reacted to Simeon's message about your son?

4. What are some obstacles that have stopped you from seeing Jesus in your life?

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

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