Incarnation

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Incarnation

Angelic     Message     Sign

Promising     Birthing     Obedience

Fulfillment of the Prophecy

Emmanuel

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 1:18 to 24

This is the way that Jesus Christ was born. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they were married, she was pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Her husband Joseph was faithful in following the law but did not want to embarrass Mary. He decided that he would divorce her quietly.

An angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream when he was pondering this. The angel said, "Joseph, son of David, do not worry about taking Mary into your home. The child within her has been conceived through the Holy Spirit. She will give you a son and you will call him Jesus, because He will lead His people away from sin."

This will fulfill the words of the Lord through the prophet: Behold, the young maid shall become pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will call Him, Emmanuel. This means "God is with us."

Joseph woke up and followed the words of the angel and took Mary into his home.

Reflection

Remarkable news!

How can this be?

How can God be with us?

This is amazing Good News. God loves us so much that God wants to actually dwell with us and live among us.

God wants to share our joys and sorrows. A child will be born to Mary and Joseph through the working of the Holy Spirit.

This is so unusual and so extraordinary that Joseph can not understand how this can happen. We can all understand Joseph's reaction. This seems impossible.

The angel needs to reassure Joseph. We can not limit the action of God. 

We can only wonder at the plan of God and be astounded at God's generosity.

It is a Love that is so deep and so complete that we are left to both delight in it and rejoice. We are humbled by the Incarnation---God taking on human flesh.

The prophecy was made and is fulfilled. God is true to the Word of God.

So true that the Word will dwell with us and remain with us through sign and sacrament. 

We are invited to follow the path of Joseph: to wake up and to take Jesus into our hearts and into our homes.

Emmanuel is here!

1. How can God come to be with us?

2. Can you understand Joseph's reaction when he discovers that Mary is pregnant?

3. What does it mean for you to follow the path of Joseph?

4. What feeling do you get from Kathy's photo?

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

Messenger

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Messenger

Prophet     Exulter

Prepare     Repent     Regain

Make Your Hearts Firm

Rejoice

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures: Philippians 4: 4 to 5

Rejoice in God always; once again I say, rejoice. Certainly our God is with us!

Isaiah 35: 1 to 2a

The desert and the land that is all dried up will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bring forth new life. They will be in bloom with overflowing flowers, and rejoice with a song of joy.

James 5: 7 and 8

We must be patient until God comes. Look at the way the farmer waits for the crops. The rains must come in both the early and the late months. In the same way you need to show patience. Make your hearts firm because our God is coming soon.

Matthew 11: 9 and 10

"Then why do you go out to the desert to see John the Baptist? Did you want to see a great prophet? Yes, you did; but he was more than just a prophet. 

John was the one that the prophet Malachi was talking about: 'Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.'

Reflection

A messenger is here!

I just think of times when someone came to the front door with a message for the family.

A particular memory comes to mind. It was two days before Christmas and we were waiting for a package from Ireland. We had ordered a special coat for our son, Mark.

Kathy and I were disappointed that it had not arrived. The doorbell rang and our mail carrier was at the door with a big box and an even bigger smile. The coat had arrived!

We rejoiced at the good news. Our readings today speak of a messenger who will bring Good News---John the Baptist.

New life will come with this messenger. Land that was barren will now bloom with so many flowers and crops that we will not be able to count them all!

This will bring us so much joy that we will all start singing. It is the kind of joy that fills us so deeply that we can not contain it.

This deep joy sometimes takes time to develop. We have to have patience and stay the course. It is easy to give up hope sometimes and to feel that God is not with us and that things are not going well.

When we keep our hearts firm, we can see the messenger and hear the message. We can follow the path to truly find our God.

We can see God present in those around us who might need an encouraging word, a helping hand, or someone to listen.

The messenger is here!

It is time to rejoice!

1. Can you think of a time when you received an important message?

2.  What is your image of John the Baptist?

3.  How do patience and joy go together?

4. What is the message you get while contemplating Kathy's photo?

Advent

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Advent

Hope     Peace

Prepare     Recognize     Resolve

Walk In the Light

Awake

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Isaiah 2: 1 to 5

This is what came to Isaiah, son of Amoz, about Judah and Jerusalem.

In the future, the mountain of the Lord's house will be the highest mountain and it will be raised far above all the hills that surround it.

Those from every nation shall come and the people will proclaim:

"Let us all go up the mountain of the Lord and come to the house of Jacob. God will instruct us and we will walk in God's paths."

The instruction will come from Zion and God's word from Jerusalem.

God will judge the nations and impose conditions on many peoples.

They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nations will not battle and there will be no more wars.

Come, house of Jacob, and walk in the light of the Lord.

Reflection

An end of war!

That would be amazing. If we could sit down as sisters and brothers and work together to feed everyone, educate all, provide housing and medical care, we would indeed be walking in the light of the Lord.

We know clearly what our God wants. How will we respond?

Advent is a time to reflect on our response to God's call. We can take some time, as the people in the time of Isaiah, to listen to the instruction God wants to share with us.

The paths of God are ways of peace and understanding. Maybe we have been too quick to judge others without taking the time to listen to the message that is in their heart. 

Isaiah says that God will do the judging. Our role is a simple one: we are called to take all of our swords of hatred and beat them into the plows that will prepare the soil of compassion and charity.

We are being challenged to become peacemakers in a world that can be violent and full of hate.

Come, Jesus, in this Advent time and fill our hearts with your Peace so that we might share that Peace with each person we meet.

1. Can there really be an end to war?

2. How do you walk in the light of the Lord?

3. What does Advent mean for you?

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

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

Prepare

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Prepare

Isaiah     John

Repenting     Enduring     Welcoming

Make Straight God's Paths

Hope

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Isaiah 35: 10

Those whom God has helped will come back and enter Jerusalem with rejoicing, crowned with eternal joy. 

They will come together with great happiness.

Sorrow and mourning will be no more!

Matthew 11: 7 to 11a

Jesus began to speak to the people about John the Baptist, "What did you go out to the desert to see?

A reed swayed by the wind?

Really what were you looking for?

Was it someone who was wearing fancy clothing?

Those who wear fancy clothes live in royal palaces.

Then why did you go out to the desert?

Were you looking for a prophet?

Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet.

This is what is written by Isaiah that tells us about John the Baptist:

'Look, I am sending my messenger before you; this messenger will prepare the road for your journey.' 

Amen, I say to you, John the Baptist is the greatest of those who were born."

Reflection

Isaiah speaks about a time of great joy. He is speaking about the time when the people will return from the Exile.

It was a difficult time for the Jewish people who had been taken captive and brought to Babylon. They wondered what would happen to them and if they would ever return to their homeland.

Isaiah assures them that God will help them. God has not forgotten and abandoned them. God will lead them back to Jerusalem and there will be great rejoicing.

We learn more about that time of joy in the reading from Matthew. John the Baptist will prepare the way for the Messiah.

Jesus has come to share the Good News and John the Baptist will encourage the people to repent and to prepare their hearts to receive the Gospel.

As Kathy's poem celebrates, Jesus comes to plant HOPE in our lives.

There are times when we might get discouraged and feel that things are getting worse. Isaiah and John the Baptist knew that people could feel abandoned and forgotten.

They both point out that God always wants to lead us on a journey of hope. God will walk with us and give us prophets to point the way.

Enjoy your walk!

1. What has been a time of great joy for you?

2. Can you think of a time in your life when you have felt God helping you?

3. How are you preparing your heart to receive the HOPE that Jesus wants to bring to you?

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

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?