Dwelling Place

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Dwelling Place

Eternal      Home

Way     Truth     Life

Take You to Myself

Promise

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 14: 3

Jesus was speaking to His disciples after the Last Supper and said,

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am going to come back and take you to Myself.

Where I am, you also will be."

Reflection

Our dwelling places are very important for us. We are willing to make sacrifices, work multiple jobs, and spend many hours sprucing up our homes. Many people devote a big chunk of their time watching home improvement shows and videos.

They are so central in our lives because we all need a place of privacy and relaxation. There are times when we are eager to invite friends to our homes and other times when we want to be alone or with close family. 

However, our homes are temporary. Many of us have lived in several homes. I was talking with a friend recently who has lived in 35 different homes. I felt like a slacker for living in only 12 homes!

In our reading from John, Jesus is pointing us toward a special home. It is a home with Him, an eternal home. 

Since we are so used to change and many different places to live, it is hard for us to imagine an eternal home. On a certain level, it is something that we desire. Many people will talk about putting a lot of time and effort into their homes and say that this is their "forever" home. 

Forever in that case means that they have worked so hard on their home, they do not want to move again. They are satisfied with how it looks. They are comfortable.

Jesus is leading us to His home. He tells us that He is the Way. If we follow Him, we will find a true home. 

In His Home, there is truth. We do not have to be concerned about people lying to us. We do not have to be concerned about fraud and scams. No one will be selling us snake oil or the Brooklyn Bridge. The truth will be clear and obvious because Jesus will never deceive us or mislead us.

The home to which Jesus is leading us will be full of Life because Jesus has conquered death through His resurrection. We will be leading a life of joy because Jesus wants to take us to Himself. 

He is so full of Love for us that His only desire is to bring joy to us, joy to the full. He wants us to dwell with Him forever. He has promised us that He will always be with us.

Those 12 dwelling places that I have experienced have all left memories with me. I can picture each one of them and remember those who were with me. 

They were all temporary. The dwelling place that Jesus wants for me and for all of us is different. It is our true Forever Home. 

It is a Dwelling Place of Love and Joy. 

It is a Dwelling Place with Jesus.

He wants to take us to Himself, to embrace us always.

1. Of all the homes you have lived in, which one was your favorite?

2. Do you enjoy working to make your home more comfortable?

3. Have you found your "forever" home or are you still looking or struggling to find a home or apartment?

4. How should we try to help those who are homeless find their dwelling place?

5. What do you hear in your heart when Jesus says that He wants to take you to Himself?

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

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

Footsteps

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Footsteps

Follow   Shepherd

Recognize     Voice     Model

I Am the Gate

Salvation

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  John 10: 7

Jesus was speaking to some of His disciples and the Jewish religious leaders about the importance of being a good shepherd.

He said:

"Amen, amen, I am the gate for the sheep."

Reflection

Did you ever want to follow in someone's footsteps?

A few years ago, I was visiting a home of a family that I knew from their involvement in our Youth Ministry to pray with them after the death of their dad. While we were talking, the young man that I knew left the living room and came back with his dad's shoes and put them on. 

He was sending all of us a message: he was now the man of the house as the oldest son. He would be trying to follow in his dad's footsteps and help his mom and his siblings. 

In our reading today from the Gospel of John, Jesus is talking about being a good shepherd. If you are a shepherd, you are a leader. The sheep will listen to your voice, they will know your voice, and they will follow your footsteps. 

They recognize your voice. The sheep can be in a pen with many other sheep with a variety of owners and shepherds. When their shepherd comes in, they will respond to that voice and follow. 

Today we are all looking for someone to follow. We have so many choices. Sports fans consume information about their favorite stars and follow what they are doing, wearing, and saying. Music fans flock to concerts with their favorite performers. Movie enthusiasts will line up to see their favorite stars in their latest films. 

We ask ourselves, "Are these the voices that are really important for me to follow? Do I really want to walk in their footsteps? Are they the gate that I want to pass through to find meaning and direction in my life?"

Jesus is telling us that He is the gate. He is inviting us to come to Him, to go through Him, and to follow in His footsteps. 

He is telling us that He will take care of us and make sure that we do not get lost or encounter any danger. When we go through the gate of His Love, we realize that He will always be with us. 

When we feel that presence, our footsteps can walk on many paths; but we will not be alone. We know that there are many challenges we will have to face and many rejections that we will encounter. Our footsteps will remain steady and sure as we follow Jesus.

When we walk through the gate that Jesus opens for us, we find that Jesus has a gift for us: the gift of salvation. He has come as a shepherd with Good News for us. Jesus wants to offer us eternal life and a path to freedom.

My young friend led his family with dad's shoes. His younger siblings followed in his footsteps. Jesus is offering us a gate. We can follow in His footsteps, listen to His voice, and embrace His Good News.

He is our gate.

It is our time now to follow in His footsteps and come through His gate. 

He is our Shepherd!

1. In whose footsteps do you follow?

2.  Do you see Jesus as your Good Shepherd?

3. Are there too many voices today for you to follow? Can this be confusing for you?

4. How is Jesus your gate?

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

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

Walking

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Walking

With   Us

Recognize   Broken   Bread

God Raised This Jesus

Easter

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 24:34

Two of the disciples of Jesus were walking from Jerusalem and encountered Jesus. At first, they did not recognize that Jesus was with them as He explained the scriptures to them. They recognized Him in the breaking of the bread and then went and told the apostles. They heard the apostles saying,

"The Lord has truly been raised and appeared to Simon."

Reflection

I really enjoy going for a walk. I love the fresh air and all the discoveries that I can make as I look around. I never know what I will find as I walk in the woods or by the beach.

In our Gospel story from Luke, the two disciples who are walking are both upset and confused. They are upset that Jesus has died. They are confused because they have heard that the tomb is empty and Jesus might be alive!

Little did they know that Jesus was with them. They did not recognize Him. It reminds us of the many times Jesus has been with us and we have ignored Him. We fail to see Jesus in the people who surround us who are in need of food, shelter, or simple companionship. 

Jesus breaks bread and eyes are opened. The two disciples finally know that Jesus is with them. 

They realize that Jesus is truly risen. The stories they heard are not just stories. Jesus has conquered death. The scriptures have prepared the disciples for this. David has told them about a special person God will send who will not undergo the corruption of death. He will lead the people to New Life!

The Easter season is a great time to take a walk with Jesus. He is patient with us.

He knows that we can be easily distracted. We get upset and confused by the challenges we face. Jesus then appears in places where we do not expect Him. 

He always is walking with us. He delights in us. 

He explains the scriptures to us and wants us to know the Word of God. 

Jesus loves us so much that He desires to share His very self with us in the breaking of the bread. He gives us the strength to face the challenges that we encounter and to overcome our worries and anxieties. 

Jesus wants to Easter in us as He showed Himself to the two apostles who were walking on the road to Emmaus. They realized that Jesus was truly risen. 

It is the same Risen Jesus who says to each one of us, "Walk with Me. I will always be with you."

Enjoy your walk!!

1. Can you remember some special walks you have taken?

2. How do you recognize the many ways Jesus is all around us?

3. Does Jesus help you to overcome your challenges in the breaking of the bread?

4. Has Jesus ever appeared to you in a place where you did not expect to encounter Him?

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

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

Eyewitness

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Eyewitness

Crucifixion   Resurrection

Touch   Transformed    Unbelief

My Lord and God

Revelation

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 20: 28

On Easter Sunday Jesus appeared to the apostles but Thomas was not present and did not believe that this was possible. A week later Jesus appeared again.

Thomas responded to Jesus and said,

"My Lord and my God!"

Reflection

It makes such a difference when you are an eyewitness to an event. I can remember being an eyewitness to an auto accident.

I was driving home from work one evening and saw a car in front of me veer into oncoming traffic in the other lane and cause an accident. I gave my name and phone number to a police officer at the scene and was called upon to testify at a trial three years later during which the driver who caused the accident was trying to sue the other party (who just happened to be from the Sherrif's Department!). 

After the trial, I was informed that my eyewitness testimony was crucial in having the case dismissed. When you actually see something clearly, it can make a big difference.

Our scripture today from John presents us with a challenging situation for Thomas. He did not see the first appearance of Jesus to the apostles after the resurrection. We can totally understand his reluctance to believe something so amazing. 

How can someone who is dead and in a tomb for three days possibly rise? It defies logic and our human experience. After you have been crucified and a lance and has been plunged into your heart, there is no possible way you could still be alive.

Resurrection makes no sense. Thomas is most likely thinking that this is something that his fellow apostles are wishing for. He has not been an eyewitness to it. He will not believe it until he can actually touch Jesus and put his hands into the wounds of Jesus.

Once he actually sees Jesus and touches Him, he is transformed. He now believes. He has faith. The resurrection becomes real for him. He knows that Jesus has fulfilled what He said He would do. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. He, who is the Word, is true to His word.

Thomas goes from unbelief to the clearest proclamation of the divinity of Jesus in the Christian Scriptures. He proclaims that Jesus is his Lord and his God.

He has received a revelation from God. His eyes and his heart have been opened. He is now an eyewitness to the resurrection.

That is our challenge today. We are called to proclaim the resurrection and to witness to our faith in Jesus. 

We believe even though we have not seen as Thomas did because our hearts have been touched by the gift of faith. We have heard the Good News proclaimed and have embraced it.

Jesus is risen!

   He is risen indeed!

He is our Lord!

  He is our God!

1. Have you ever been an eyewitness to an important event?

2. What difference does the testimony of an eyewitness make?

3. Can you blame Thomas for not believing that Jesus has risen when the apostles first tell him?

4. What helps you to believe in the resurrection of Jesus even though you have not seen and touched the Resurrected Jesus?

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

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

Unleavened Bread

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Unleavened Bread

Sincerity   Truth

Remove   Rebuke   Sins

Clear Out Old Yeast

Celebrate

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   First Corinthians 5: 7

Clear out the old yeast. In this way you can become a fresh batch of dough. You are unleavened. Our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. 

Reflection

How do you feel when you are trying something new? I always have a sense of excitement. I'm looking forward to a new way of doing things. I don't know exactly what will happen. Things might go well or it could be a disaster. 

In our reading from First Corinthians that newness is conveyed by St. Paul through the image of unleavened bread. That bread is simple and can be made quickly. It was used by our Jewish sisters and brothers when they had to leave Egypt in a hurry.

They were starting over. A great way to begin anew is to do so with sincerity. We can take an honest look at what we have been doing lately and see if any changes should be made. Are there things that we can do better or in a different way? 

I remember as a teacher I would always look at how I taught a course the year before and see if there were any new approaches that would be more effective for my students. The unleavened bread of teaching can lead to many different loaves. 

The changes that we make after we reflect and pray are based on our search for the truth. We want to find what is helpful for us and for others. We want to improve ourselves and our community so that we can bring new life to others. Our unleavened bread is meant to feed both ourselves and others, especially those most in need of our assistance.

Sometimes this involves removing our blinders that have been causing us to miss things that are very obvious. I can think of baseball players who are in a slump and will make simple adjustments with great results. They are starting anew and rebuking their old habits. It can be as easy as standing a little closer to the plate to cover the outside corner.

It can also mean taking a sincere and truthful look at certain sins we might be committing. Sometimes we can fall into habits of being too selfish or self-centered. We can keep all of that delicious new bread for ourselves and refuse to share our blessings with others.

It might be time for us to clear out that old yeast and take a look at what we can do to reach out to those in our community who are in need, who are afraid, and against whom others are discriminating. That old yeast of selfishness is not really going to help us as we try to make our new bread of kindness and compassion for all.

Jesus has given his life for us as our reading indicates. He is our Paschal Lamb. Jesus is offering us new bread---the Bread of Life. When we open our eyes fully and realize what we have been given, we can feast on that unleavened bread and ask ourselves what we need to change to participate more completely in that New Life.

Alleluia!! Alleluia!!

1. How do you feel when you are starting something new?

2. Did you ever feel like unleavened bread?

3. Why is sincerity so important when we are taking a look at some changes we should make in our lives?

4. Whom have you been feeding with your unleavened bread?

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

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

Betrayal

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Betrayal

Silver   Kiss

Self-Examination   Reflection

Is It I Lord?

Acknowledgement

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 26:25

At the Last Supper Jesus was talking to the apostles about one of them betraying Him.

Then Judas, His betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?"

Jesus responded and said, "You have said it."

Reflection

One of the most difficult experiences that we can face is a betrayal. All of our relationships are based on trust. When we have given that trust to someone and it is violated, it is crushing. We can wonder if we can ever trust someone again.

In our reading from Matthew, we hear Judas implying that he would not betray Jesus when we know that he has gone to the religious authorities and received thirty pieces of silver to do exactly that. We do not know the motivation of Judas. Was it the silver or could it have been some disappointment that Judas had with Jesus?

We do know that just a short time after his conversation with Jesus about betrayal, Judas pointed Him out to the crowd that he led with a kiss. That intimate sign of love and caring was turned upside down to become a sign of betrayal. 

This incident can lead us into our own self-examination. What do I do in my life to betray Jesus?

We can reflect on the times when we have not reached out to those in need, walked by a homeless person, did not call someone we know who was sick, or did not respect the gift of creation. Jesus gives us so many opportunities to show our commitment to Him and to the Gospel.

It can become easy for us to choose the path of the "silver". We can get involved in pursuing the material things in life. The desire for more comfort and more "toys" can lead us to betray what Jesus is asking us to do.

The question that Judas asks, "Is it I Lord?", is a great question for us to reflect on. Jesus is challenging all of us to be more compassionate and more involved in pursuing justice for those who are discriminated against and ignored. 

When we acknowledge our betrayals and choose a different path, Jesus will lead us to His Peace. It might seem to some that Jesus lost everything when He was betrayed by Judas. 

However, Jesus knew that loss in the eyes of some would lead to the ultimate gain because He was being faithful to God. Before His betrayal by Judas, Jesus prays to the Father and acknowledges that it is the will of the Father that He will follow.

When we overcome our betrayals, Jesus will fill us with His Love. We walk in His footsteps. We leave the silver behind. 

There is a better treasure!

1. Have you ever had an experience where someone betrayed you?

2. Why do we tend to betray Jesus?

3. How have you tried to overcome your actions that betray Jesus?

4. What help does Jesus offer us as we try to follow Him?

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

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

    

Unbinding

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Unbinding

Jesus Wept

Call Back to Life

I Am the Resurrection

Rise

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 11: 43 and 44

A good friend of Jesus, Lazarus, was very sick and passed away before Jesus could come to him. His sisters, Martha and Mary, were very upset but yet expressed their belief in Jesus. 

Jesus went to his grave in a cave, and He cried out in a loud voice,

"Lazarus, come out!"

The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. 

So, Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

Reflection

It is so easy to get wrapped up in things. Our worries can drive us crazy. Political conflicts can get us upset. Miscommunication with friends can cause resentments. Wars, homelessness, crime, poverty, disease can all frustrate us and make us angry.

We are reminded in this reading from John that Jesus faced these difficulties as well. Confronted with the death of His friend Lazarus and the grief of his sisters, Jesus wept. He could feel the pain of Martha and Mary and His own personal loss. Those who were gathered at the grave of Lazarus could see how deeply Jesus loved him.

Jesus calls Lazarus back to life. In an amazing and awesome moment, Jesus overcame that ultimate obstacle, death. He showed all who were gathered that He truly was the Resurrection and the Life.

This puts the issues that wrap us up and bind us in a completely different light. Yes, we get worried. Yes, we get anxious. Yes, we get angry. Yes, we get frustrated. We are human.

But we ask ourselves, " Haven't all of those difficulties been overcome by Jesus?"

He has told us, "I AM the resurrection." If death has been conquered, all of the "wrappings and bindings" that tie us up can be broken and disposed of. His power is awesome!

Jesus shows us His concern for us as we see Him weep for His good friend. He calls us in Love to be His friends also. 

Jesus invites us to rise from our concerns and to embrace the New Life He wants to share with us. He shows us how deeply He loves us and cares for us.

It's time for us to rise.

It's time to take our bindings off and walk with Jesus!

1. What are the concerns that bind you?

2. As you ponder the raising of Lazarus, how do you feel?

3. When you hear that Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus, how does that relate to your own experience of grief and loss?

4. What does it mean to you when Jesus says, "I AM the resurrection."?

5. What do you see in Kathy's photo?

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