Joy

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Joy

Faithfully    Await

Transcends   Excels   Rises Above

Peace Surpasses All Understanding

Rejoice

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Zephaniah 3:17 and 18a

The Lord, your God, is in your midst as a mighty savior.

God will rejoice over you with gladness.

God will renew you in Love.

God will sing joyfully because of you!

Philippians 4:7

The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will protect your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection

Our readings from God's Word speak of joy. When we reflect on joy, we think about those special moments in our life when we have felt fully alive and overwhelmed with the beauty and the goodness that surrounds us. 

The challenge that we all face is to keep that spirit of joy with us at all times. When we are in pain, discouraged by a failure, or facing intense opposition, it is hard to keep that joy blooming in us. 

This is where our faithfulness comes into play. Will we be true to the message that Jesus wants to share with us? The Good News does not change. We have been saved, we have been cared for, we have been loved.

We await in hope the fullness of that message. We know it is true. It is a message that transcends our feelings and moods. It is a message that spurs us to excel in following Jesus and to rise above our frustrations and failures.

Zephaniah tells us that God is in our midst. God is with us as a "mighty savior". This presence of God with us and all around us fills us with a joy that no one can take away from us. God is actually rejoicing over us according to Zephaniah!

What an image. God loves us so much and cares about us so much that God is filled with joy. The joy is contagious. It keeps on growing and spreading. It becomes so powerful that God is actually singing with joy.

You have to ask, "If God is singing for joy, how can we stop our singing?". It is this joy that gives us a true peace. Paul describes it in Philippians as a peace that is beyond understanding. 

Some might look at us and wonder how we can maintain our joy and our peace when our hearts are troubled by upsetting news and our minds are clouded by the worries and anxieties that we face every day.

God is there to protect us and walk with us. When we fully realize that, we rejoice. It is a joy that cannot be taken from us. It is a joy that will always be with us. 

Our hearts and our minds will be challenged. Obstacles will have to be overcome. It will not be easy.

However, it will be joyful.

God is singing.

We are invited to join the chorus!

1. When you think of joy, what are some of the experiences that you recall?

2. How have you tried to avoid losing your joy?

3. Do you think faithfulness is important in sustaining your joy?

4. Do you think of God as singing for joy because of you and with you?

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

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

 

Proclaiming

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Proclaiming

Rejoicing   John

Peace   Forgiveness   Repentance

The Fulfillment Of Promises

Saviour

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 3: 3 and 4

John went through the whole region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

He talked about the fulfillment of the promise from the prophet of Isaiah:

"There will be a voice of one crying out in the desert. 'Prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight.'"

Reflection

In our passage from Luke, we encounter John the Baptist proclaiming a message of forgiveness and repentance. It is a message from many years ago but one that is so needed in our own day.

Forgiveness is such an essential part of our lives. Just think of the many mistakes you have made and the times you have had to apologize for an unkind action or a thoughtless word. We have to ask others to forgive us so that our relationships can be healed.

Repentance is equally important. We want to change our habits to become a better person. We have seen the harmful effects of our actions and want to make sure that we do not cause anyone pain or discomfort. We try to improve.

We do this in a spirit of rejoicing. We know that God is with us as we repent and grow to become kinder and more aware of the needs of others and less concerned about our own desires. We are joyful and happy because we are serving others and enriching their lives. We are spreading love. 

John points out that the one whom he is proclaiming will fulfill the promise that God communicated through the prophet Isaiah. The Lord is coming.

It is hard, however, for us to really see the Lord. We are blinded by our selfishness and greed. Our world is small, and our concerns narrow. We turn our back on those in need because they do not come from the right country or the right race. We feel superior to others and look down upon them. We do not see Jesus in them.

We need to prepare a way so that we can really see Jesus and embrace Him as we serve those who are in need. A Saviour has come among us. His path can go straight to our hearts or can be avoided as we wander in the wilderness of confusion and self-absorption.

A proclamation has been made. Jesus wants to share His Peace with us and lead us to joy. Can we overcome the distractions that surround us to truly listen to that proclamation?

1. How important do you think the message of forgiveness and repentance is for us today?

2. Why should our repentance be done in a spirit of rejoicing?

3. Do you find it challenging to overcome your blindness as you try to see the Lord in those around you?

4. How can you listen better to the proclamation of the Good News?

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

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

Fulfill

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Fulfill

The   Promise

Teach   Increase   Abound

The Lord Our Justice

Vigilant

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Jeremiah 33:14 and 16

The Lord says that the days are coming when I will fulfill the promise that I made to Judah and Israel. The lands will be secure and peoples will call her: "The Lord our justice."

Luke 21:36

Jesus said, "Be vigilant always and pray that you abound in strength to escape any difficulties that are imminent and stand in front of the Son of Man."

Reflection

What a great feeling when someone fulfills a promise! I recently had the joy of celebrating our 55th Wedding Anniversary with my wife, Kathy. The promise that she made to me was fulfilled beyond my greatest expectations.

Advent is a time to reflect on the promises that God has made to us and the promises that we want to make to others in our community. God teaches us through the promises that have been made in the past and the promises that God continues to make every day of our lives. 

God promises security and justice according to the prophet Jeremiah. It seems, however, that we live in an insecure world that is lacking justice in many respects. How has that promise been fulfilled?

Jesus explains in our reading from Luke that the promise is fulfilled when we are vigilant and pray. Vigilance is important so that we keep our eyes open to prevent those who would threaten the security of others and take advantage of others to exploit them and to attack their dignity.

Crucial to this vigilance is our prayer so that we can seek the strength of Jesus and obtain the wisdom and the practical strategies to fight for justice.

The promise has been fulfilled. Jesus has come and will be with us as we reach out to those who are overlooked and ignored. 

There are those who seek their own advantage at the expense of others: employers who do not pay a fair wage or who refuse to pay overtime to their employees; banks and real estate agents who discriminate against those of a different race or creed; businesses that do not pay equal wages to men and women for the same work.

Jesus points us in the direction of justice. The promise has been made.

Will we be vigilant in making sure that it is fulfilled?

1. How do you feel when someone fulfills a promise that has been made to you?

2. What promises have you fulfilled lately?

3. Are there some areas of injustice that particularly upset you?

4. Why is vigilance so important for keeping promises?

5. How important is prayer in your life as you strive to establish more justice in the world?

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

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

King

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

King

Sacred   Divine

Freed    Revealed    Testified

Jesus The Truthful Witness

Alpha Omega

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Revelation 1:5,6, and 8

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the first who was born from the dead and the one who rules over all the kings of the earth. 

We have been freed from our sins by His blood. 

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God.

John 18:37

Jesus replied to Pilate, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. All those who belong to the truth listen to my voice."

Reflection

Did you ever have a desire to be a king or a queen? It would be nice to sit on a big throne and to give commands to your subjects all day. Your servants could bring you whatever you wanted.

Sounds pretty good!

However, Jesus is going to take us in another direction. He will lead us to the sacred, the divine. Jesus is a King who comes to free us from our slavery to selfishness and indifference to the needs of others.

Jesus has not come to sit on a throne and to have others wait on Him. Jesus has come to give Himself entirely to us and to sacrifice His life for us. He reveals what true kingship is all about.

Jesus testifies before Pilate and tells him what a king should do---to lead others to the truth. So many kings and rulers do not want to hear the truth. They do not want to know about the real needs of their people and help them.

Jesus has come with a mission. As King Jesus brings us Good News: we are loved, we are cared for, we are saved.

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega---the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Our life, all of life, starts with Jesus and leads us to Jesus. He has come to bring us truth.

Jesus wants us to reach out to all, especially those most in need. In Jesus' Kingdom all are taken care of and no one is left behind.

Is there any better King to follow?

1. Have you ever desired to be a queen or a king?

2. What type of King is Jesus?

3. How can you follow Jesus in your life?

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

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

Vigilance

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Vigilance

Watchful   Endurance

Anticipate   Eternal   Signs

The Path of Life

Return

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures: Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life.

I will have fullness of joy when I am with You.

I will have delights from your right hand forever.

Mark 13:26 and 27

At that time the Son of Man will come. All of the elect will be gathered together from the end of the earth to the limits of the sky.

Reflection

It is so important to keep our eyes open and to be vigilant. We see this all the time is sports. A player takes her or his eye off the ball and disaster follows. 

We are called to be watchful for the signs of the times so that we can spread the Good News of Jesus in our culture today. That is why we try to use all aspects of the media to reach out to people where they are.

This watchfulness helps us to endure and not give up. We realize that God will give us opportunities when we least expect them. We never give up.

We anticipate that God will never abandon us. Jesus talks about the Son of Man coming to us. We know that Jesus will always be with us to guide us----if only we are vigilant for the signs of His presence in our lives.

It can be easy for us to walk by someone who is in need and then later realize that person was really Jesus reaching out to us. We can be so involved with our own thoughts and desires that we take our eyes off Jesus in our midst.

The psalmist tells us that God wants to give us delights that are eternal. These gifts from God will last forever.

God sends signs to us that can point us in the direction of those delights. We can experience true joy when we listen to beautiful music that lifts our spirit. We can know how deeply God cares for us when we encounter the power of creation as we explore the limits of the sky.

When we are vigilant for these signs, we are led on the path of life. We grow closer to God and to our sisters and brothers. 

Jesus talks about the return of the Son of Man in our passage from Mark. We see that return all the time each time we care for those who have no home, no food, no friends, and no hope. We are called to show them the way to the path of life.  

Will we keep our eyes open?

1. How do you try to stay vigilant for the signs of God's presence in your life?

2. What are some of the opportunities God has given you recently to spread the Good News?

3. What do you experience as you meditate on Kathy's photo?

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

Widow

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Widow

Sacrificially   Unhindered

Trusting    Offering   Generously

She From Her Poverty

All

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Mark 12:44

Jesus was talking to His disciples about a widow who was making her contribution to the treasury:

"The others have given from their surplus wealth, but the widow, from her poverty, has given all that she had, her whole livelihood."

Reflection

Jesus notices the widow as she approaches to make her contribution to the treasury. He frequently points out people that others overlook. 

She becomes an example of a person who is willing to sacrifice all that she has for God. Her giving is not hindered by her lack of means.

She puts her trust in God and becomes an example for all of us. Are we willing to give all as she did?

Many of us hold back because we want to make sure that we have enough to cover our needs. This widow challenges us to examine the ways we give and to ask if we can do more.

Her generosity is amazing. We have all been touched by either personal experiences or stories we have heard about people who reach out to give when they encounter someone in need. That type of kindness stays with us forever.

This widow was poor in the material sense; but certainly, she was rich in her love for God and others. She did not hold back.

She gave her all. 

Jesus noticed and pointed out her example.

Will we follow it?

1. How much are you willing to sacrifice for God?

2. What hinders you in giving your all to God?

3. Are there some areas of your life where you can give more to God and to others?

4. Who are some of the people who have touched you with their generosity?

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

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

Plan

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Plan

  God's   Salvation

Commit   Commandments   Love

Whole Heart Mind Soul

Shema

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Mark 12:29 to 31

Jesus said, "The first great commandment is: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone. You shall love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.'

The second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' These are the greatest commandments."

Reflection

How important is it for you to have a plan for your life? Most of us like to set goals for our year, our month, and our week. After we set those goals, we try to come up with a plan to accomplish them.

Many businesses work that way. If you are running a car dealership, you want to sell a certain number of units during the month. Each of the salespersons is tasked with a goal for the month.

What is God's plan for us? Jesus shares it with us as He responds to a question about which of the commandments are the greatest. Jesus knows the Jewish tradition very well and quotes the famous Shema from the sixth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy. Jesus would have started His day and ended His day with this prayer.

The plan that Jesus gives us is a simple one but a very powerful one. We are called to love God with all our strength. This is the way to our salvation. 

When we commit to this plan, the Love of God can fill us. With the power of that Love within us, we can then love our neighbor as Jesus urges us.

For this plan to work, we have to commit our "whole" self as Jesus says. We can't give a half-hearted effort. We have to be dedicated to the plan.

Jesus leads us to the Shema and to God's Love.

There is no better plan! 

1. What is your plan for life?

2. What are some of the goals you have set to accomplish your plan?

3. What is God's plan for us?

4. How can you make God's plan work in your life?

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

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