Gatekeeper

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Gatekeeper

Shepherd      Sheep

Follow     Voice     Recognize

I Am The Gate

Salvation

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 10: 7 to 9

So Jesus said once more, "Amen, amen, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All those before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not recognize them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will obtain salvation, and will go in and out and find pasture."

Reflection

What a gate we have!

Did you ever think of Jesus as your own personal gate? It is truly amazing.

Jesus is telling us that when we follow Him, we will not have to worry about the thieves and robbers who want to harm us. We all face obstacles and difficulties, and Jesus is telling us that He will always be with us to guide us to the "pasture".

It is a pasture where we can feel secure and accepted in spite of our failings and anxieties. In this pasture we can be truly ourselves because Jesus is there and He wants us to be safe and to feel good.

There are so many options for us. Every day new gates and new possibilities are presented to us. The choices can confuse us, and, if we choose the wrong gate, it can lead us to a bad place. 

The gate might look attractive on the outside. It might seem that it will lead to success and fame and fortune.

When we take a minute to reflect, it is good to ask ourselves if Jesus is opening this gate for us or if it is a gate of selfishness. The thieves and robbers can steal our soul away.

Jesus is offering His Way, His Path. It is a way that challenges us to love God and to love our neighbor. It is a way that leads to peace and caring for others. It is the Way of the Cross that leads to Resurrection. 

It is the Way of Unconditional Love.

It is a gate that is always open for us.

What a Gate we have!

1. What does the image of Jesus as our gate mean to you personally?

2. Who are the thieves and robbers that you face in your life?

3. What is the path that Jesus is opening for you?

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

Disciples

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Disciples

Witnesses     Companions

Unknowing     Interpreting     Identifying

Their Eyes Were Opened

Resurrected Jesus

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 24: 25 to 31

Then He said to the two disciples whom He met on the road to Emmaus,

"How blind you are! You are slow to believe what the prophets told us! Didn't you realize that the Messiah would have to suffer and then enter into His glory?"

He began with Moses and then all of the prophets and interpreted to them the scriptures that referred to Him.

When they came to the village to which they were going, He seemed to be going on further. The two disciples urged Him, "Stay with us, for it is almost evening and the day will soon be over."

He went in to be with them.

As they were gathered around the table, He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and shared it with them.

When that happened, their eyes were opened and they realized it was Jesus.

He vanished from their sight.

Reflection

What does it mean to be a disciple?

A disciple tries to follow the example of Jesus. These two disciples that we encounter in the Gospel of Luke are understandably discouraged. Jesus has died by crucifixion and these disciples expected that He would be the Messiah.

As disciples sometimes are eyes become closed to Jesus. We can follow our own ideas about who Jesus is and what Jesus would do and where to find Jesus. 

Jesus points out where we can find Him.

The scriptures clearly point to Jesus. As we read the scriptures, we can find many passages that point to a Messiah who would suffer for us and lay down His life for us. 

We can wonder why the disciples did not understand this. Yet they had also seen Jesus perform many great miracles. It is easy for the disciples to focus on the power of Jesus and to overlook the scriptures that speak of the suffering servant.

The disciples were so impressed with the wisdom of this person they did not recognize in explaining the scriptures to them, that they wanted Him to stay with them and explain even more.

The second way that Jesus is made known is in the breaking of the bread. Jesus gives us His very self in the Eucharist. 

At that moment the eyes of the disciples are opened. They recognize the Risen Jesus in their midst. They eagerly share this news with the other disciples as they return to Jerusalem at once.

It is easy for us to be blind to Jesus in our midst. As disciples we are blessed to have the scriptures and the sacraments to open our eyes to Jesus.

Jesus does not want us to be alone as His disciples. He will be with us to guide us by the power of His Word and His sacraments.

1. What does it mean for you to be a disciple of Jesus?

2. Why do our eyes become closed to Jesus sometimes?

3. How do the scriptures and the sacraments help you to become a disciple?

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

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

Mary Magdalene

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Mary Magdalene

Encounter      Rabbouni

Recognize     See     Believe

Announce To The Disciples

Resurrection

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 20: 11 to 18

Mary Magdalene was outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she looked into the tomb and realized that there were two angels in white sitting there, one by the head and one by the feet where the Body of Jesus had been.

They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?'

She replied, "They have taken the Body of Jesus and I don't know where they have placed it."

As she was speaking, she turned around and saw Jesus there; but she did not recognize Him. 

Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you trying to find?"

She was thinking that this could be the gardener and said to Him, "Sir, if you took His body, please tell me where you placed it, and I will go get it."

Jesus replied, "Mary!"

She turned to Him and said in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher.

Jesus said, "Stop clinging to Me. I have not yet gone to the Father. Go tell the brothers, 'I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'"

Mary went right away to the brothers and told them, "I have seen Jesus," and then told them all that Jesus had said.

Reflection

What an amazing encounter Mary Magdalene had!

She went quickly from weeping to rejoicing. Such a range of emotions so quickly.

Probably most of us in this situation would think just as Mary did. We would jump to the conclusion that someone took the Body of Jesus.

Mary loved Jesus very much and must have found it very difficult to see Him crucified. Such a cruel death for a wonderful friend who was innocent of any crime.

She was so overwhelmed with her grief that she did not even recognize Jesus at first. Again we can relate because when we are mourning, it is easy to be blinded to what is going on in the world around us. We can even get upset that everyone seems to be continuing with life as usual when we are in such deep pain.

It all changes when Jesus says her name. She recognizes the Teacher. Mary truly believes that Jesus is risen. 

Her grieving is gone. She is so overcome with joy that she hugs Jesus. Her happiness overflows!

Jesus commissions Mary to tell the brothers the Good News. What a special mission.

We are also called to share that Good News. By our words and, even more importantly, by our actions we can let everyone we meet know that Jesus is Risen. 

He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

1. Why do you think that Mary did not recognize Jesus at first?

2. Do you ever feel that Jesus is calling your name?

3. How can you tell other people that Jesus is Risen?

4. What do you feel as you look at Kathy's photo?   

Empty Tomb

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Empty Tomb

Burial     Cloth

Believe     Truth     Resurrection

All Prophets Bear Witness

Unbind

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   John 20: 6 to 8

When Simon Peter arrived after him, he entered the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered the head of Jesus. 

It was not with the burial cloths but it was in a separate place rolled up.

Then the disciple who came first to the tomb went in. He saw the empty tomb and he believed.

Acts 10: 40 to 43

God raised Jesus on the third day and wanted Him to be visible, not to all the people, but to us. We are the witnesses chosen in advance by God.

We ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

He asked us to share the Good News with the people and testify that He is the one God chose to be the judge of the living and the dead.

To Him all the prophets bear witness.

Everyone who believes in Him will be forgiven of their sins through the power of His name.

Reflection

What amazing news!

The tomb is empty.

How can the apostles process this? Even though Jesus had tried to prepare the disciples for this moment, it was beyond their understanding.

What explanation could be offered? The apostles even noticed that the burial cloths were there. The cloth that covered the head of Jesus was even in a separate place.

The apostles were coming to believe that the tomb was empty and that Jesus was risen.

In the book of Acts Luke is sharing the words of Peter months after the events he had experienced. He was able to actually eat and drink with Jesus after His resurrection. 

Peter knew at this time that Jesus had overcome death. Jesus was the one about whom all the prophets had spoken. 

Jesus had come to share a special gift with us: the gift of forgiveness.

It is that gift which allows us to celebrate life forever.

The tomb is empty.

Our hearts are full!

1. If you were at that empty tomb, what would you think?

2. How important is the gift of forgiveness for you?

3. How do you react today when you reflect on the empty tomb?

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