Name

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Name

Bestowed   Exalted

Humble   Obedient   Submissive

Death On A Cross

Jesus

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Philippians 2: 8 and 9

...Jesus humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 

Since Jesus accepted this, God greatly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name

Reflection

What is in a name?

So much! Names can reveal a lot about who a person is an what a person stands for.

The name of Jesus is a name that we treasure. It is a name that says Love. It is a name that invites us into a relationship.

The exaltation of that name comes from the humility of Jesus. Jesus did not come to seek power or control. He came to share Good News.

He told us that the Kingdom of God was present among us. He told us that love of God and love of neighbor were the ways to make that Kingdom real in our everyday lives.

The cross might seem like a terrible end, and it is certainly a cruel and horrible way to die. It is, however, not an end but a new beginning for Jesus.

Jesus gives us the gift of Himself totally and completely. He holds nothing back. He shows us the depth of His Love. 

God sees this and exalts Jesus and gives Him a name that is above every other name. 

It is a name that saves.

A name that invites.

A name that Loves.

1. What does your name reveal about you?

2. When you hear the name of Jesus, what do you feel?

3. How important is humility in your life?

4. What do you feel when you contemplate Kathy's photo?

Martha

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Martha

Faith     Belief

Rise     Awaken     Promise

I Am The Resurrection

Spirit-Dwelling

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 11:20 to 27

When Martha heard that Jesus was approaching, she came out to meet Him; but Mary remained at their home. 

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you were here, my brother would not have died. I know that if you ask anything of God even now, God will do it for you."

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." 

Martha said to Him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the final day."

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Martha said, "Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

Reflection

We can all imagine what Martha is feeling as she goes out to meet Jesus. She is devastated at the loss of her brother. She is grieving.

She is excited, however, when she hears that Jesus is coming. So eager that she leaves her sister, Mary, at home and goes out to meet Him.

She was hoping that He would come. She knew how much Jesus loved Lazarus and believed that Jesus could have healed him if He had come earlier.

We know that it was risky for Jesus to make this journey. Some of the Jewish religious authorities wanted to arrest Him. That did not stop Jesus.

He realizes that this death will lead to God being glorified. He knows that God has the power over life and death and that He is one with God. He tells Martha that He is the resurrection and the life.

Martha, even in her grieving, believes that Jesus is the Messiah. She says "Yes" to Jesus. She recognizes something special in Him. She has faith!

Martha goes from questioning why Jesus had not come sooner to believing that He is the Son of God. His words touch something deep within her. 

His words are very powerful. He is making a promise to Martha and through her to all of us---if you believe in me you will never die. You will live forever. 

It is an amazing promise. One that only God can make. 

That promise leads Martha to totally embrace Jesus in a deep act of faith and trust. She gave herself to Jesus in Love.

Her mourning would end.

Her grief would be no more.

Life forever had come to her and to Lazarus.

And to us!

1. What are your feelings about Martha?

2. What does Jesus mean when He says that He is the resurrection and the life?

3. Why does Mary believe in Jesus even before He raises Lazarus from the dead?

4. Why does Jesus want to give you life forever?

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

Illuminate

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Illuminate

Blindness     Darkness

Awake     Arise     See

Christ Gives You Light

Visible

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:8 to 14

You dwelt once in darkness

Now you are light in Jesus.

Live as persons of light

As light bears good fruit.

Learn what Jesus loves.

Avoid works of evil

As they produce shame.

Those works done in secret

Will be illuminated by the light.

" Awake from your sleep

Rise from your death,

Christ gives you light."

Reflection

It is so easy to fall into darkness!

A number of spiritual authors I have been reading lately are offering the same advice: turn off the news!

They are not advising us to be out of touch with what is going on but rather to be very careful that we do not get immersed in all the negativity. 

Many of the news shows want to get us upset, evoke fear, and distort reality. We can easily fall into the trap of dwelling on too much "bad" news and ignoring the Good News---the Gospel.

St. Paul warns us in this reading from Ephesians to avoid all that "darkness". He is telling us, as those spiritual writers do also, to dwell in the Light of Christ.

It does not mean that we look at life through rose colored glasses and ignore the evils around us. The Light of Christ leads us to bring the concern and strength of Jesus to those problems and to see each person we encounter as a reflection of Jesus---our sister and brother in Christ.

We try to learn what Jesus loves and we follow His example of reaching out to those everyone else ignores. Instead of passing by, we stop and look into the eyes and hearts of those on the margins.

It is tempting to "fall asleep" as Paul indicates by dwelling on what is wrong instead of following the Light.

Let us embrace the Light of Christ!

1. What do you think about the advice to turn off the news?

2. How do you avoid the trap of dwelling on the "bad" news instead of the Good News of the Gospel?

3. What does it mean for you to dwell in the Light of Christ?

4. How can you learn what Jesus loves?

5. What does Kathy's photo say to you?

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

 

Thirst

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Thirst

Living     Water

Fill     Drink     Quench

Jesus I Am He

Wellspring

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 4: 13 to 15; 25 to 26

Jesus said to the woman, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty once more; but whoever drinks the water I shall provide will never thirst; the water I shall share will become in each one a wellspring that will lead to a life without end."

The woman responded to Jesus, "Sir, please share this water with me. Then I will never be thirsty again. I will never have to come here again to fill my water jug."

The woman then said to Jesus, "I have heard that the Messiah is coming. He is the Anointed One. When He is in our midst, He will tell us all things."

Jesus said to her, " I am He, the very one who is talking with you."

Reflection

The importance of water!

Jesus has a conversation with a woman who is coming to the well to perform a crucial task. Her family needs water.

We can be very spoiled by our access to water. It is so easy for us to obtain that we can take it for granted. We get upset when our water quality is threatened by pollution.

This woman knew what it was like to struggle to find water. She had to journey outside of her town and carry the water back to her home.

Jesus knew that this was hard for her. He pointed her, however, in a different direction. He spoke to her about our thirst----our thirst for truth, for meaning in our lives, for a sense of purpose, for fulfillment, for love.

We have deep hungers in our soul. We certainly need the water to survive; but if we have an abundance of water without meaning and purpose in our lives, we will soon dry up within.

Jesus wants to offer this woman something more. Jesus wants her to feel good about herself. Jesus wants her to know that she has a precious dignity as a human being.

Others might have made fun of her and even ignored her or left her on the margins. Jesus cared so much about her that he broke the taboos of the time about a man speaking to a woman in public.

He took time to get to know her and to share her story and to feel the pain in her heart. In the Gospel of John she is the first one to whom Jesus reveals that He is the Messiah.

In that same spirit Jesus comes to you and me today. He tells us that He wants to satisfy our deepest thirsts. He wants us to know how deeply He cares for us and Loves us.

That special Love helps us who are open to receiving it the power to minister to the thirsts of those we meet. We are called to share the living water of Jesus with them.

Drink deeply!

1. Do you take your access to water for granted?

2. What do you thirst for in your life?

3. Why do you think Jesus reveals that He is the Messiah to this woman?

4. How do you minister to the thirsts of others in your life?

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

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

Listen

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Listen

Wholeheartedly     Lovingly

Hear     Accept     Transform

Light Through The Gospel

Speak

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   2 Timothy 1:8b to 10

Carry your share of the burden for the gospel with God's power.

God redeemed us and brought us to a holy life, not due to our own works but according to the plan and the grace gifted to us in Christ Jesus even prior to the beginning of time, but now shown to us through the coming of our savior Christ Jesus, who overcame death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Matthew 17: 1 to 5

Jesus took three of the apostles, Peter and James and his brother John, up a high mountain by themselves. He was transfigured before them; his face was as bright as the sun and his clothes appeared white as light.

Moses and Elijah also were there. They were talking with Jesus.

Peter said, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you would like, I will build three tents right here, one could be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

As he was talking, behold, a bright cloud brought a shadow over them, then a voice spoke from the cloud and said, "This is my beloved Son. I am deeply pleased with him. Listen to him."

Reflection

What an amazing scene the author of Matthew describes for us. The three apostles are overwhelmed. They are deeply moved.

It reminds us of moments in our lives when we were left speechless. The news that we heard, the scene that we saw, the feelings that stirred within us were so awesome that we could not find the words to describe them.

They probably could not believe that Jesus was transformed before them. Added to that were Moses and Elijah. Then a voice out of this bright cloud (a shocking scene in itself!) that tells them to listen to Jesus.

The importance of listening!

We know it is a great blessing when someone actually listens to us. We feel affirmed and truly loved. We know this person really cares for us.

We are challenged here to take time to listen to Jesus. Certainly not an easy task because there are so many voices that we hear each day. Those voices can easily distract us.

There were no distractions for Peter, James, and John on that mountain. When they came down and joined the crowds and the other apostles, there would be many.

The author of Matthew is encouraging us to take time to listen to Jesus. In 2 Timothy we are reminded that Jesus has overcome death and He wants to bring us to life and immortality. 

Jesus does this through sharing the Gospel---the Good News---with us. In this amazing scene on the mountain the three apostles witness the Good News. They see Jesus transformed before them.

They know that Jesus has overcome all of our limitations of time and space. Death has no power over Him. They are beginning to realize the importance of listening to Him. 

Prayer is our opportunity to listen to Jesus as He speaks to us. His message is simple and yet so profound. 

He tells us how much He loves us and cares for us. He wants to be with us. He delights in us.

Come and listen!

1. What are your thoughts and feelings as you ponder the scene of the Transfiguration? 

2. How do you feel when someone truly listens to you?

3. How do you try to overcome the many distractions you face as you try to listen to Jesus?

4. What is the Good News that Jesus has shared with you personally?

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

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