Unite

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Unite

Prophesied Messiah

Stand   Courageously   Follow

He Proclaimed the Gospel

Faith

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 4:23

After the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus began to preach about the Kingdom and He called apostles to help in the mission. He went all around Galilee. He taught in the synagogues.

Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease and illness among the people.

Reflection

In our contemporary scene many people bemoan the lack of unity in our country. They mention political, religious, and social differences. This can lead to screaming matches where people do not take time to listen to one another and try to understand the viewpoint another person has.

This of course is not new. Jesus faced similar differences and disagreements as He tried to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. The religious leaders of His day had different opinions about following the law and associating with those who were "unclean". 

The prophet Isaiah had spoken about the Light that would shine in the darkness. Jesus tried to bring that Light to the people but there was resistance to His message. He came from Galilee and that was considered to be a territory that was not very significant.

Jesus would not let that stop Him. He took a stand for justice and reached out to those on the margins. He did not back down when there was opposition to His ministry. He reacted courageously and called others to minister with Him. 

The first apostles He called were fishermen. He asked them to trust in Him and to follow as He proclaimed the Gospel.

The amazing thing is that they did not hesitate to leave their nets and to walk with Jesus. They were attracted to His message and to His person. They saw something special in Him. They came to believe that He was the Messiah and the Son of God. 

They put their faith in Jesus and became one with Him. They were moved by His teachings and by His care for the people. They sensed His Love for them and His desire to heal their hurts. 

The apostles united together to spread the message that Jesus had shared with them. That spirit of unity is a challenge for us today.  We are asked to put all divisions aside and to unite with our sisters and brothers to bring justice to those who have been neglected and oppressed. 

It's time to unite!

1. Why do you think there are so many divisions in our society today?

2. What can we do as followers of Jesus to unite people today?

3. How did Jesus react to the opposition and disunity that He faced?

4. Can the Good News of Jesus bring unity today?

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

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

Prologue

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Prologue

The Baptist

Identifies   Bear Witness

The Spirit Came Down

Lamb of God

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 1: 32

John the Baptist was speaking about Jesus and said:

"I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon Him."

Reflection

What was the prologue to the public ministry of Jesus? What was Jesus doing to prepare for His ministry? What was He thinking about?

He knew that His cousin, John the Baptist, was preaching about repentance and preparing people for the coming of the Messiah. John was asking the people to turn away from selfishness and greed and to turn back to God's covenant with the People of God. 

Jesus sensed that this was the right time to approach John for baptism. He did not need to be baptized. He did not need to repent because He had never sinned. 

His baptism had another purpose. It was the prologue to His ministry to the people. He was saying that His time to proclaim the Good News was now.

John identified Jesus in the crowd. He knew that Jesus was special and that He was the one who would teach people about the Kingdom of God. John knew that the prophets had spoken about the person who would lead the people from darkness to Light and who would inaugurate a kingdom of justice and truth.

John was bearing witness to Jesus. He was letting the people know that Jesus had come to teach and to heal. John had noticed the hunger in the people who were coming to listen to him as he preached in the desert. He saw that they were eager for a deeper relationship with God.

The decisive moment for John was when he saw the Spirit come down upon Jesus. This was most likely also the confirming moment for Jesus as He felt the power of the Spirit fill Him. Jesus realized that this was the time to "go public", to speak out, to share the instruction that God had given Him.

In His human nature this must have been a challenging moment for Jesus. He had prepared many years for this; but He must also have had an inkling that this was not going to be easy. There would be people who would be threatened by His message and question His background.

Think of that moment when the Spirit came down upon Him. He knew He would not be alone. The Father and the Spirit would be there for Him. He would prevail over the opposition.

John says that the Spirit "remained" upon Him. John was able to discern something special in Jesus. He called Jesus the Lamb of God. 

This title echoes the covenant that God made with His People. The lamb was sacrificed by the people at the time of the Passover as a sign that God would liberate His People from the slavery that they were experiencing in Egypt. 

Jesus came with a message of liberation as well. He wanted to let the people know how deeply God loved them---so deeply and profoundly that God sent Jesus to them.

John sensed that when he saw the Spirit remain with Jesus.

Jesus knew it when He felt the Spirit come down upon Him to let Jesus know that the prologue was over and the ministry was starting.

We feel it today when we experience the Spirit in our lives.

We are called to accept the Good News and embrace God's Love.

The Lamb of God has come to free us from fear and to help us to know how much we are loved!

1. How was John the Baptist able to recognize that Jesus was the Lamb of God?

2. Why did Jesus begin His public ministry after His baptism by John?

3. Do you think that it was difficult for Jesus to "go public"?

4. Have you experienced freedom as you follow the Good News?

5. What do you feel as you meditate on Kathy's photo of people who are attending a protest?

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

Mission

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Mission

Fulfill   Prophecies

Blessed   Trinity   Revealed

This Is My Beloved Son

Public Ministry

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 3:17

When Jesus was baptized by John a voice came from heaven:

"This is my beloved Son. In Him I am well pleased."

Reflection

Most of us go through life on a day-to-day basis. We try to make a living and meet our expenses. When we think about our mission, we might say, "To survive and to help our family as much as we can."

Our mission is actually larger than that. It is based on our relationship with Jesus. We ask ourselves, "What does Jesus want me to do with the precious time He has given to me?"

Jesus took some time to enter into His mission. As He grew, He reflected on the Hebrew scriptures. He learned about the Torah and the prophets. In His human nature, He deepened His knowledge of the history of His people and God's covenant with them.

He realized that His mission from God was to fulfill the prophecies about the Messiah. He was to proclaim the Kingdom of God and let the people know how deeply God loved them. He knew that it was going to be a difficult mission.

To assist Him in His mission, Jesus knew that the Blessed Trinty would always be with Him. The Father and the Holy Spirit guided Him every step of the way. His mission was hard because God's fulfillment of the promise through the prophets to send a Messiah was much greater than the expectation of the people. 

God's Love always exceeds our understanding. The very idea that God would become one with us by assuming a human nature was unfathomable for so many both in the time of Jesus on earth and in our time today. 

God gradually revealed the depth of His Love through the prophets and then in the mission of Jesus. 

Jesus was affirmed in that mission at the time of His baptism by John. The Holy Spirit and the Father let Jesus know that He was not alone.

The Holy Spirit came down on Jesus in the form of a dove, and the Father spoke about how pleased He was in Jesus. He let Jesus know that He was beloved.

That close relationship sustained Jesus in the challenges He faced as He invited people to become part of the Kingdom of God by loving God and their neighbor. Jesus found the strength He needed to face rejection and execution.

During His public ministry, Jesus would always take time to go off quietly in prayer to speak with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus becomes a model for us as we reflect on our mission.

We are invited to spend time in prayer to ask Jesus what He would like us to do to let people know how deeply God loves them. 

As we quiet all the distractions and worries that we face every day, we can hear that voice of Jesus.

It is like the voice of the Father that Jesus heard.

It is telling us that we are beloved.

God is pleased with us.

God will encourage us and make up for our shortcomings.

We are never alone in our mission!

1. What is your mission in life?

2. How do you deal with the challenges you face as you try to embrace your mission?

3. Does reflecting on the Hebrew and Christian scriptures help you to discern your mission more clearly?

4. In what ways does the Blessed Trinity support you in your mission?

5. As you reflect on Kathy's photo of the first responders on 9/11, what do you feel?

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

Star

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Star

Divine   Guidance

Illuminated   Faith   Journey

When Jesus Was Born

Epiphany

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 2: 1 to 2

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, magi from the east came to Jerusalem.

They said, "Where is the king of the Jews? We saw His star as it was rising. We have come to worship Him."

Reflection

Stars fascinate us. The light attracts us. We become aware of the vastness of the universe.

The magi in our reading from Matthew saw a star that was different. The brightness of this star was unusual. The magi knew that it would lead them to Someone special and extraordinary.

They believed that God was guiding them. It is the feeling we get when we sense the presence of God in a person we meet, in a passage we have read, in a walk in the forest or on the beach, or as we are praying.

The star gave them light and pointed them in the right direction. There are times when all of us become adrift. We lose our way and can get confused. We need illumination. We seek someone to show us the way.

We ask, "In whom should I place my faith?" We look for true wisdom. The magi put their faith in the star. They decided to follow it. We can wonder if some of their friends and family thought that they were crazy.

You can hear them saying, "Follow a star? What a waste of time and money! Do they seriously believe that they will find the king of the Jews by following a star?"

Faith is like that. It leaves us open to ridicule and mockery from others. It takes us on a journey that others refuse to take and think it is foolish to take.

The star takes the magi to Jesus. They encounter this young child and immediately know that He is special. They discover it in His face and in the faces of Mary and Joseph.

Their hearts are touched in this epiphany. This baby becomes their GIFT as they share the gifts that they brought for Him.

The star led them to Jesus. This story helps us to reflect on the stars in our lives that can guide us to a deeper relationship with Jesus.

We know how deeply Jesus loves us. We know He wants to fill our hearts with His Love. This is why He came into the world. 

This is why the magi came.

They felt Love.

The star had led them.

They had faith.

Their hearts were full when they left Bethlehem.

Jesus wants to fill our hearts as well.

Follow that STAR!

1. What are the stars that you have been following?

2. How important is faith in your life?

3. How do you react when people ridicule you for your faith?

4. When you lose your way and become confused, what helps you to get back on track?

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

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

Put On

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Put On

8 Virtuous Cloaks

Dwell  Imitate  Honor

Do Everything in His Name

Love

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Colossians 3:12 to 14

Put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Accept one another and forgive one another.

When you have an issue with someone, forgive them since Jesus has forgiven you. 

Above all of these virtues put on love. 

It is the bond of perfection.

Reflection

How can your family become a Holy Family?

We can be very busy and get very worried about the clothes we will put on. We want to make sure that we look great. Everything has to fit exactly.

The author of Colossians is encouraging us to put on something else. The eight virtues that are listed describe paths to creating strong families. If we wear these cloaks, our families will flourish.

We will accept and honor each person in our family. Nobody will be left out. All will feel that they have an important role to play. 

We will dwell together with a bond of unity. Compassion and kindness will flourish in our homes. We will be humble with no need to draw attention to ourselves at the expense of others.

We will imitate the gentleness of Jesus in our sensitivity to the others in our family. We will strive to honor each person as we would honor Jesus because we realize that Jesus dwells in each person.

We will develop a habit of forgiveness because this is the great GIFT that Jesus has given us. He came to offer us His forgiveness so that we would build peace and harmony in our families and then share that peace in our communities.

We will do everything in the name of Jesus because Jesus has taught us how to live with others. He has asked us to refrain from judging others so that we will not be judged. 

Instead, Jesus asks us to put on love. It is love that really makes our families holy families.

We become willing to overlook faults and hurts and to look into the hearts of our family members. Our families then become rich in love, and we start to embrace each one as Jesus has embraced us.

As we work each day to put on these virtues, our families grow closer and our lives flourish. Now is our time to step into the dressing room and try on our new cloaks!

1. What virtues do you feel are important to make your family a Holy Family?

2. Why do some people feel left out of their family?

3. How do you practice forgiveness in your family?

4. Is Jesus the center of your family?

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

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

Sacred Night

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Sacred Night

True Light

Acknowledgement By Angels

A Savior Is Born

Incarnation

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  Luke 2: 10 and 11

The angel spoke to the shepherds and said,

"Do not fear because I bring you news of great joy. A savior is born who is Messiah and Lord."

Reflection

The night was quiet and peaceful.

It became sacred when a child was born.

This child united people with God.

This child brought Light.

It was a Light that would never fade because it was a Light that penetrated all darkness. 

It was a Light that reached deeply into the hearts and souls of all.

People were searching for Peace, for Justice, for Compassion, for Kindness.

This child brought all of that to us and more.

The Love was overflowing.

Angels, messengers from God, proclaimed it.

The message overcame our fears---our fear to trust, our fear to embrace, our fear of getting hurt, our fear in being vulnerable.

The angel told us that a Savior was born.

He would save us from our hatred of those who have a different skin color, religion, nationality, social status, sexual orientation, political belief, or cultural practices.

He would save us by bathing us in His Light.

This Light would change us by becoming incarnate with us, taking on our human flesh so that we could become one with divinity.

The Peace of God could dwell within us and among us.

Will we accept it?

1. How do you picture the night of Jesus' birth?

2. In what ways has Jesus brought Light to you?

3. What are some of the fears that you face that keep you from embracing the message of the angel?

4. Has the Light of Christ changed you?

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

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

Joseph

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Joseph

Earthly   Father

Obedient   Spouse   Fulfill

Message of an Angel

Emmanuel

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 1:20

Joseph had found that Mary was with child and was thinking about divorcing her quietly.

An angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him,

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. This child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit."

Reflection

What is your image of Joseph?

Matthew presents him as an extraordinary husband who goes out of his way to accept Mary in a situation where most people would be upset and angry with her. He becomes an earthly father to Jesus when most of us would walk away and leave Mary on her own path.

What makes the difference for Joseph is his ability to be obedient, to listen in the midst of his anger and confusion. We notice his goodness in his decision initially to divorce Mary quietly rather than to expose her to death by stoning which would have been the usual path to follow and the typical punishment.

He is obedient to the angel who comes to him in his dream because he is a holy man who realizes that the voice he must listen to is the voice of God and not the voice of his fellow villagers and friends who will be shocked at his willingness to take Mary into his home as his wife. This simply was not done and, in the minds and beliefs of those around him, should never be done.

Mary will become his spouse because this is what God wants. This was not Joseph's plan. This was not what the law demanded. God had a different way.

How many times does this happen to us? We think that we have it all figured out. We know what we should do to be successful. Then God points us in a different direction, and we are faced with a choice. Should I do what I had planned, or should I follow what God wants for me?

Joseph decides to fulfill what the angel has told him to do. He knows that he will face mockery and embarrassment, but that does not stop him. God comes first, and he believes this is what God is asking of him.

How do we react when God asks us to do something different and unusual? It is hard to face ridicule and rejection from others. It is so much easier to follow the expected route.

The message of the angel has made the difference. Joseph feels that this is God speaking to him. He makes his choice.

As a result of his choice and Mary's choice, Emmanuel is born. God has become one of us. God will dwell with us.

We will experience how deeply our God loves us and cares for us. God works through two human beings who did the unexpected in their day and time.

God works in the same way today through you and me. When we follow the ways of God and reject the false wisdom and common customs of our day as Mary and Joseph did, we are incarnating God in our world.

Come, Lord Jesus!

1. What do you think enabled Joseph to realize that God's voice was speaking to him through the angel?

2. How difficult was it for Joseph to reject the usual path of the law in taking Mary into his home after he found out that she was expecting a child?

3. How hard is it for you to reject the customs of our day and instead to put God first?

4. In what ways do you see Emanuel present in our world today?

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

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