Call

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Call

Message   Discipleship

Repent   Believe   Follow

The Time of Fulfillment

Chosen

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Mark: 1: 14 to 16

After John's arrest, Jesus went around Galilee spreading the good news:

"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is here. Repent, and accept the gospel."

Jesus came to the Sea of Galilee and he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew. They were casting their nets into the sea to try to catch some fish. 

Jesus spoke to them, saying

"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Reflection

How do you feel when someone calls you and asks you to follow her or him?

Most of us in that situation would like to take some time to think it over, to evaluate the pros and cons, to consult with others, and to ponder our decision.

In this passage there is none of that. Jesus issues His call and the fishermen leave what they are doing and follow Him immediately.

Why so quickly? 

We can imagine that there was such a special quality in the way Jesus spoke to them, in His gaze, and in His body language that an instant response was demanded. 

The fishermen left everything and followed Jesus. They made no excuses.

They didn't say that they needed more time.

They didn't ask about the salary.

They didn't haggle over perks and benefits.

They just followed the call.

The call was about Good News---the Kingdom of God had come. It was here right now. No more waiting.

All that the prophets had spoken about was now here in Jesus. He came to let everyone know that this was the opportunity that was spoken about: God was here---in the midst of the people.

The apostles were excited to get this call and to proclaim the presence of the Kingdom. They would now have the opportunity to catch people rather than fish.

That same call comes to each one of us today. We reflect on the question: how can I spread the Good News?

We have all been given gifts and talents. We can use them to let others know this Good News: the Kingdom is here!

The Love of God has arrived and is in our midst. God will lead us. 

How will you respond to God's call?

1. How do you picture Jesus calling you?

2. What are the excuses that you usually make when God calls you to proclaim the Kingdom?

3. Why were the apostles so excited to get this call?

4. How excited do you get when you receive God's call?

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

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

Discipleship

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Discipleship

Follow   Messenger

Invitation   Behold   Found

Come You Will See

Listen

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 1: 37 to 39

The two disciples heard what John the Baptist said about Jesus and they began to follow Him.

When Jesus saw them following Him, He said, "What are you looking for?"

They said, "Teacher, where are you staying?"

Jesus said, "Come and you will see."

Reflection

Following.

This is always an issue for us.

Whom should I follow?

What should I follow?

Am I being misled?

Am I listening to the wrong people, am I getting "fake news", am I going down the wrong path in life?

It can be hard for us sometimes to figure out exactly what the right path is and who is really telling the truth. The two disciples in our reading were guided to the Truth by John the Baptist. He pointed them towards Jesus.

They were spiritual seekers. They were looking for guidance and for that special person who could explain the scriptures for them.

Jesus invites them to come with Him and to see where He lives. It is an invitation that they both accept and it changes them forever.

I can relate to that change. When I read the scriptures and reflect on the words of Jesus, my life is changed. I see the wisdom and the power in those words. There is no one I would rather follow.

That invitation to come and see is an invitation that Jesus gives to us today. He wants us to know Him so that we will experience His Peace and His Love.

Who can refuse that invitation? It's time to listen!

1. What voice do you follow in your life?

2.  How do you figure out who is really telling the truth?

3.  Have you ever felt that Jesus was giving you an invitation?

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

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

Star

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Star

Light   Radiance

Guide   Behold   Follow

Seeking New Born King

Compass

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 2:9 to 11

After the magi from the east had met with King Herod, they started towards Bethlehem. They saw the star again that they had been following previously.

The star stopped over the place where the child was.

The magi were filled with joy as they saw the star.

As they went into the house, they saw the child and his mother, Mary.

They knelt down before the child and did Him homage.

Reflection

What an amazing star!

The magi were guided by that star and were brought to Jesus.

In thinking about the journey that the magi made, we can wonder why they set about following a star? There are so many stars in the sky that we can ask why they would follow this one?

If the star was so extraordinary and so compelling, why were the magi the only ones who were following it? If Herod was so interested in finding this special Child, why didn't he go to Bethlehem?

This all speaks to a special characteristic of the magi: they were seekers. They wanted to find  someone who would bring meaning to their lives. They were people of great wealth (as evidenced by the gifts that they brought for the Child) and also great learning. 

Yet in spite of all that they had, they were still searching for more. This star indicated that something special was happening. It was not an ordinary star. The magi saw something different and compelling. They sacrificed much to follow this star. It could have even led to their death because of the jealousy of Herod who did not want there to be any rivals to his position and power.

This passage from Matthew raises many important questions for us: do we put our desire for material comforts ahead of our commitment to following Jesus? What are the stars that we follow in our lives? Where have those stars been leading us?

Jesus comes to make His Light known to all. It was not limited to just one country or one group of people or one religion. It is a Light for all of us to follow. It is a Light that leads us to live lives of justice and peace and to bring love to our brothers and sisters.

Jesus is our Star! 

1.  What are some of the obstacles that you face in following Jesus, our Star?

2. How des following Jesus lead you to Light?

3. Why is the Light of Jesus given to all people?

4. What are some gifts that Jesus has given to you?

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

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

Family

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Family

Holy   Purified

Imitate   Consecrate   Forgive

Put On God's Love

Joy

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Colossians 3:12 and 13

Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience for you have been chosen by God.

Bear with one another and forgive one another.

If someone has done something to harm you, forgive them as God has forgiven you.

Reflection

What are some of the elements that make for a good family?

We hear repeatedly about the importance of family values. There is much commentary also about the breakup of the family in contemporary society and how this has led to many problems for teachers in trying to educate their students, to an increase in poverty, and to more crime.

Our reading from Colossians gives us some ideas on how to make our families stronger. If we can practice more compassion, we can reach out to family members who are upset or suffering.

When we are kind to the members of our family, we begin to think about what we can do to help them. We want to do more to ease the burdens on our parents and siblings. 

Humility helps us to know our own role in the family, to accept it, and not to brag about our accomplishments or the actions we take to help others in the family. Our gentleness forges a path towards reconciliation and harmony in the family.

Patience stops us from complaining when things are not happening on our time schedule. From simple things like when we eat to more consequential decisions like where we live and the type of house we live in, we can learn the importance of waiting for the right time and respecting the schedules of others in our family.

As we work on these important virtues in our families, we know the need for strength to faithfully practice them. None of this is easy. Our reading gives us the key to following the path of virtue---we realize that we are called by God. We are not alone in building up our families and making our families holy and purified. God, who has called us, will help us strengthen our families.

If we want to bring joy to our families, another important element is our efforts to forgive one another. Yes, we want to work on the important virtues that Colossians mentions. Inevitably, though, there will be times when we fail to be as compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient as we should. We all have bad days and times when we lose that patience and hurt others by our remarks, inaction, or lack of sensitivity.

When that happens in our family and we feel that one of our family members is being mean to us or picking on us, we need to practice the forgiveness that our reading celebrates. We forgive others in our family because we know that God has forgiven us. If we have been forgiven by God, how can we withhold our forgiveness from one of our family members?

It is that type of forgiveness that helps us to put on God's Love and spread true joy in our families and in our community. 

Inspired by the love in the Holy Family, we try to transform our families through putting into practice the virtues our reading recommends, forgiving those who have hurt us in some way, and spreading joy to each person we encounter.

A great recipe for stronger families!

1. What are the best ways to make your family stronger?

2. How have you had to practice forgiveness in your family?

3. Have you been inspired by the Holy Family to try to create more holiness in your family?

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

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

 

Message

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Message

Prophetic   Writings

Reveal   Proclaim   Manifest

The Promises of the Lord

Incarnation

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Romans 16:25 to 26

To Him who can give you the strength to proclaim the message of the Good News, in unity with the revelation of the truths that were kept hidden for many ages but are now revealed to us in the prophetic writings and, according to the promises of the Lord made known to all nations to bring about the obedience born from faith.

Reflection

Have you ever received a message that made you very excited?

I remember a phone call that I got one night from our son-in-law asking for my blessing as he was going to ask our daughter if she would marry him. I was so thrilled with this good news and so happy for both of them. I immediately told my wife when I got off the phone and she was so happy as well. 

Paul in this reading from Romans has an amazing message. It is a message of Good News. It is the message that Jesus has come to dwell with us. Jesus is fulfilling the promises that were made long ago. God will be one with us!

It is a message not just for us. Not just for a few people. Not just for the most intelligent, the wisest, the most talented, the richest, or the most influential. It is a message for all nations.

The Love of God is not limited. It comes to all who can accept the revelation of Jesus in faith. The prophets have prepared us for this message. They speak of the promise of God to send us a messiah, an "anointed one". 

We ask God for the strength to accept this message and to share it. It is Good News. We can not just keep it to ourselves. God is asking us to share it with everyone we meet.

We share it more by the way we lead our lives than by our words. We share it when we reach out to those in need and work for justice and fairness in our community. As Kathy's photo shows us the power of light shining forth, we are called to be the light in our world today.

We ask for the strength to be that light as we proclaim the message that the Light has come into the darkness at the Incarnation. 

The Light is with us.

Always!

1. Can you remember a time when you received a message that made you very excited?

2. What is the message of the Incarnation?

3. Why is the message of the Incarnation for all nations?

4. How do you try to share the Good News of the Incarnation?

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

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

Gaudete

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Gaudete

Rejoice   Rose Colored

Await   Prepare   Make Ready

Joy Of My Soul

Emmanuel

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Isaiah 61: 10

I rejoice completely in the Lord, my God who is the joy of my soul.

The Gospel of John 1: 23

The priests and the Levites came from Jerusalem to question John the Baptist. They wanted to know who he was. He told them:

"I am the voice of the one who is proclaiming in the desert: make ready the path for Emmanuel."

Reflection

Isaiah tells us that it is time for us to rejoice. We refer to the Third Sunday of Advent as Rejoice (or in Latin Gaudete) Sunday. We are rejoicing as Advent is drawing to a close and our celebration of the Coming of Christ is drawing near. Even the color of the vestments that the presider wears changes from purple to a pink rose color.

Our problem is that it is hard to rejoice when we are told to do so. We think of joy as something that happens spontaneously when we get good news. One of our cousins just won a large amount on some lottery tickets. It was hoped for but unexpected and she was definitely rejoicing!

What allows us to have that kind of joy? Isaiah answers it by telling us that our joy is in God. We all have a deep hunger for God. When we have truly found God, when we have experienced an intimacy with God, when we feel at one with God, our soul is full. 

When we feel that closeness, we rejoice always because we realize that God will always be with us---even after that money from our lottery winnings is all spent! We know that we can always turn to God and God will be there for us. It is a joy that grows deeper the more we turn to God, the more we listen to God and for God. 

Our eyes become open to the many ways God wants to come to be with us and inspire us. I was outside recently doing some yard work and I felt the peace and love of God all around me. The joy was overflowing! It was a Gaudete moment!

In the reading from John we encounter John the Baptist. He is being questioned by the "authorities" from Jerusalem. They are trying to figure out exactly who he is and what his mission is. It must have been a little unsettling for them to see many from their flock coming out to hear the message John was preaching and even more upsetting when they started to follow him and to be baptized by him.

His message is simple: he is going to prepare a way so that the people can come to Emmanuel---God with us. 

His message is just like our message. We want to lead people to Emmanuel. We have encountered Jesus. We have been touched by Jesus. We feel the JOY of Jesus. We are Gaudete People.

We all know that when we experience joy, we want to share it with everyone. Our cousin was bursting at the seams to tell us her good news about the lottery.

How much more are we called to be bursting at the seams to tell all about our God who Loves them with a Love beyond all description---a Love that will never end.

Rejoice in that Love!

Always!

1. How do you feel when someone tells you to rejoice?

2. How have you found intimacy with God?

3. Have you ever experienced a Gaudete moment?

4. Do you feel that you are like John the Baptist?

5. Have you ever felt that you were bursting at the seams to tells others about the Love of God?

6. What do you see as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

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

Herald

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Herald

Kindness   Truth

Prepare   Cry Out   Hasten

Justice And Peace Kiss

Repentance

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Isaiah 40: 9

Climb up on a high mountain, Zion, herald of good news.

Cry out as loudly as you can, Jerusalem, herald of good news.

Psalm 85: 11

Love and truth will live together; justice and peace will kiss.

Mark 1: 2 and 3

As Isaiah wrote:

"Behold, I am sending my messenger before you, he will prepare your path.

A voice of one heralding in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make all his paths straight.'"

Reflection

Our scripture readings speak to us of Good News. The news is so good that we are told by the Prophet Isaiah that we should go to the top of a mountain and proclaim it as loudly as we can. Don't hold back. Let everyone know!

What is the exciting message that we are called to share? Someone special is coming!

This person is so special that He will have a messenger that comes before Him and this messenger will prepare the people.

It reminds me of a wedding reception that I attended recently. The Master of Ceremonies introduced the family of the bride and groom, the members of the wedding party, and finally the bride and groom. All of the guests were prepared for their entrance. We were all clapping and cheering. 

This Special Person who is coming will lead us to a new reality as Psalm 85 describes. Love and truth are going to live together. These two profound realities can now shape our lives. There will be no more deception, no more lying, no more confusion. We will repent of our false ways and be guided by truth in the direction of love.

We sometimes hear people say. "I thought that I loved you until I found out the truth about you." In the world that Psalm 85 points towards, love is rooted in the truth. We share our love honestly and completely with everyone we encounter. We are heralds of the Good News that our God Loves us and that this Love fills our hearts and our souls and enables us to love others.

In a beautiful and compelling image, Psalm 85 tells us that justice and peace will kiss. This is a kiss that we all want to share in. We hunger for justice to be established for all so that we can have true peace. We have seen the disturbances that come when people feel that they are being treated unjustly.

We are called to be heralds that prepare the way of the Lord. We have been entrusted with the Good News. With that Gospel, that Good News, in our hearts we can work for justice and become peacemakers.

It is our time now to be heralds!

1. What is your Good News?

2. Have you ever been in a situation where you were called upon to be the herald of Good News?

3. Why is it such a challenge in our society for love and truth to live together?

4. What do you picture as you read about justice and peace kissing?

5. How have you been called to be a peacemaker?

6. What do you see as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

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