All

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

All

Holy Ones     Light

Redeemed     Forgiven     Inheriting

The Tribes Go Up

Reunion

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Psalm 122: 1 to 4

I was glad because they said to me,

"We will go up to the house of our God."

And now we have come

Within your walls, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, built as a city

With compact unity.

To it the tribes go up,

The tribes of our God.

Colossians 1:12 to 17

Let us give thanks to God, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.

He freed us from the power of darkness and brought us to the kingdom of His Beloved Son.

In Him we have redemption.

In Him we have the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God.

He is the firstborn of all creation.

For in Him all things in heaven and on earth were brought into existence.

The visible.

The invisible.

Thrones, dominions, principalities, powers.

All things were made through Him and for Him.

He is before all things.

In Him all things come together.

Reflection

Our readings celebrate a time of great joy. The people in our Psalm are thrilled to go to the house of God. 

They are coming together with the other tribes in Jerusalem. It is a wonderful experience of solidarity with their sisters and brothers in the faith. Such excitement!

In our reading from Colossians we can feel the joy of those who now share in a special inheritance---an inheritance of the holy ones in light. 

What a great inheritance to have!

The amazing thing is that Jesus wants to give this inheritance to all. He holds nothing back.

He brought all things into existence. He holds all things together. 

What an amazing and awesome plan God has. 

Let us rejoice together in the goodness of our God who surrounds us with so many gifts and offers us the special inheritance of His Love.

For ALL!

1. How do you feel when you come to pray in the house of God?

2. What is the inheritance that God wants to give to you? 

3. Why does God reach out to all?

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

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

 

   

Sun of Justice

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Sun of Justice

Healing     Rays

Work     Imitate    Persevere

The Day Is Coming

Arise

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Malachi 3:19 to 20a

The day is now coming

Flaming like an oven

Evildoers and the proud destroyed

The day coming will set them on fire

Neither root nor branch left

If you respect my Name

the sun of justice

will arise!

Reflection

Malachi gets our attention!

We are told that a special day is coming.

This day will be a time of purification.

Frequently you can wonder: what can I do about all the evil in the world? How can I work with others to eliminate all the exploitation and prejudice that we see around us?

The day is coming!

The key is to respect the Name of God and to follow the path God shows us. This leads us to justice.

The search for justice is difficult and takes time and much effort. God assures us in this reading that God will help us. We are not alone in this struggle. 

It might seem like evil is winning and the proud are having their way. Malachi assures us that those who embrace evil and pride will be reduced by "fire".

Many times in the scriptures a connection is made between fire and the Holy Spirit. It is fire that purifies and transforms. Tongues of fire come upon the apostles at Pentecost and give them the courage to proclaim the message of Jesus in spite of their own fears and the difficulties that they face.

It is this same fire that God sends upon us to help us stand up for justice and overcome the evil and pride that always challenges us.

The day is coming!

Are you ready?

1. How do you try to overcome the evil in the world?

2. What are some ways that you have tried to establish justice?

3. How does the Holy Spirit work in your life?

4. As you look at Kathy's photo, what do you see?

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

Resurrection

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Resurrection

New     Creation

Alive     Living     Eternally

Sharing In Divine Life

Believe

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 20: 27, 34 to 38

Some Sadducees came forward to question Jesus. They do not believe in the resurrection.

Jesus spoke to them:

"Those from this age marry and remarry.

Those in the age to come who are worthy of the resurrection of the dead do not marry.

They do not die.

They are similar to the angels.

They are the children of God.

They will rise.

Moses spoke about this resurrection when he encountered God in the burning bush:

' The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.'

The God of the living, not of the dead.

In God all are alive."

Reflection

In this passage from Luke, the Sadducees try to trap Jesus. They do not believe in the resurrection so they ask Jesus about a woman who was married to seven brothers. She was childless and each brother died. They want to know to whom this woman would be married at the resurrection.

The trap does not work because Jesus teaches them the meaning of resurrection. It is about our relationship with God---the God of the living.

Resurrection is about our joyful encounter with God. 

God is gifting us with a Love beyond all description. 

At the moment of death God embraces us with the warmth of Eternal Light.

All our fears, doubts, and worries are left behind. We enter into a new realm of caring and community. 

Jesus clearly tells the Sadducees and us what God wishes to share with us.

Life.

Forever!

1. When you think about resurrection, how would you describe it?

2. What does it mean for you to be alive in God?

3. What does God want to share with you?

4. As you contemplate Kathy's photo, what do you feel?