Persistence

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Persistence

Asking   Seeking

Prayer   Focusing   Belief

Door Will Be Opened

Answered

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 11:9

Jesus was teaching His disciples about prayer:

"I tell you ask, and you will receive.

Seek and you will find.

Knock and the door will be opened to you."

Reflection

It is a real challenge to be persistent. When we face difficulties and failures, our tendency is to give up. We convince ourselves that we made a mistake in trying something new. We write it off as beyond our reach and abilities.

There are amazing exceptions. The story of Michael Jordan not making his seventh-grade basketball team and then going on to become such a dominant player is famous.

 On the religious level the story of St. John Vianney is also inspiring. He was dismissed from the seminary because he found it hard to learn Latin and went on to become the most sought out priest in the France of his time after receiving tutoring from his parish priest. The railroad had to build a special branch to the town of Ars where John ministered to accommodate all the pilgrims that were flocking to his church.

In our reading from Luke, Jesus speaks of the importance of asking. We might be reluctant to ask God for the help we need or for the patience to hang in there and to be persistent. 

Instead of giving up on our dreams, Jesus encourages us to keep on seeking. Those dreams might not materialize in a few months, a few years, or even in our lifetime. If they are from Jesus and inspired by His teachings, they are always worth pursuing.

At the heart of our seeking is turning to Jesus in prayer. We converse with Jesus about our hopes and dreams for a world that is more just and more peaceful. 

As we pray each day, we focus on the Good News of Jesus. As we savor the scriptures, we try to truly hear the word that Jesus wants to speak to us. It is a word that both encourages and challenges us to be persistent as we realize that Jesus will be with us to help us reach our goals.

Our persistence flows from our belief that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We have encountered Jesus in our prayer and know that He will lead us to overcome our doubts and failures.

We are wise enough to know that the path is not always smooth and easy. There are rocks that we will stumble over. There will be bends in the road. Sometimes the journey will be very steep, and we will wonder if we have enough energy to make it to the top. 

Jesus assures us, however, that the door will be opened. Jesus came for that very purpose. He wants to help us and guide us.

We speak of the frustrations we encounter when we have doors slammed in our faces. It can lead us to giving up. 

Jesus shows us another way. He wants to open the doors that lead to peace, true happiness, and justice. He wants to help us build community and unite people.

He wants to answer the deepest longings of our hearts. When we are persistent and patient, we can hear those answers. 

I picture Jesus opening the door of our striving and embracing us with His Love.

He knows us.

He cares about us.

He always answers!

1. Do you find it difficult to be persistent after you have failed at a task?

2. Have you ever felt reluctant to ask God for something?

3. Do you always feel that God should answer your prayers immediately?

4. Do you find it difficult to hear the word that Jesus is speaking to you?

5. What are some of the doors that Jesus has opened for you?

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

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

Priority

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Priority

Christ Within

Cultivating   Nurturing   Relationship

Need Only One Thing

Word

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 10: 41 and 42

Jesus said to Martha,

"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about a lot of things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has discovered the better part, and no one can take it from her."

Reflection

Every once in a while, it is good to take a step back from the hectic pace of our lives and evaluate our priorities. Who are the people and what are the issues that I should be emphasizing every day? Have I gone off track in my relationships and my values?

It is easy to do. We can get caught up in trivia and lose sight of what is truly important in our lives. We become angrier and more irritable.

When we start to reflect and examine what is going on in our hearts, we discover the Christ that is within us. Jesus comes to bring us peace. he wants to connect with us and lead us to rediscover our priorities.

Jesus helps us to cultivate the garden of our soul. We can pull out the weeds that are threatening to take over. We can enrich the soil of our relationships. We can trim the branches of our distractions.

In doing that we are nurturing our relationships with Jesus, our family, and our friends. We become more aware of others and eager to listen to them. We are not caught up as much in our own worries and problems. Our burdens seem lighter.

In our reading from Luke, Martha has gotten caught up in the tasks that she needs to do. They are important---the meal has to be prepared. It is a sign of the love Martha has for Jesus. When we have a guest for dinner, we like to share something special. 

Jesus reminds Martha of the better part. The meal is good but listening to Jesus is better. When we sit at the feet of Jesus in prayer, we discover the way to Peace and 
Love.

Our life now has direction. We find our priorities. Our concerns, while still with us, do not seem as overwhelming. We are assured that Jesus will help us with them.

Jesus is the Word of God dwelling with us and within us. Can there be any better priority?

1. Do you find it helpful to take time to reflect on your priorities?

2. How do you know when your life is off track?

3. What role does Jesus play in helping you discover your priorities? 

4. Why do you think that Jesus says Mary has chosen the better part?

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

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

Accountable

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Accountable

Commandments     Statutes

Care     Show Mercy

Who Is My Neighbor

Love

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 10:36 and 37

Jesus shared the story of a Samaritan who helped a man who was robbed and beaten. A priest and a Levite passed him by. Jesus asked the scholar of the law who was questioning him,

"Which of the three in this story was the neighbor to the robber's victim in your opinion?"

The scholar of the law responded,

"The one who treated him with mercy."

Jesus told him,

"Go and act in the same way."

Reflection

It can be a challenge to hold people accountable for their actions. We can face a lot of opposition, excuse making, and avoidance.

God holds us accountable through the commandments. They are guidelines for us to help us live a happy life. These statutes maintain order and unity in society. They teach us to do good and to avoid evil.

The commandments help us to show care for others. We learn to respect the person and the property of others and to be honest with them. This care leads us to show mercy. 

The commandments are based on loving God and loving our neighbor. Jesus gives a good example of loving our neighbor in the story of the Good Samaritan. 

The scholar of the law questions Jesus about who our neighbor is. Is he trying to avoid being held accountable for his actions?

Jesus explains His concept of our neighbor: those who are in need. It doesn't matter if there are racial, ethnic, or religious differences. If someone is in need, we are accountable to show mercy.

Jesus is telling us that we have a relationship with each person in the world. We have all been created in love and to love. Jesus will hold us accountable. 

He will question us: did you help your neighbor in need, or did you walk on by and ignore her or him? 

Are you ready to be held accountable?

1. Do you find it difficult to hold people accountable for their actions?

2. Do you find the commandments are helpful in your life?

3. Do you agree that our neighbor is any person we meet who is in need?

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

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

Appointed

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Appointed

72   Laborers

Reap   Gather   Resurrect

Peace to this Household

Harvest

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 10:1 and 2

Jesus appointed seventy-two whom He sent out in pairs to go before Him to the towns He was intending to visit. 

Jesus told them, "The harvest is great but there are few laborers."

Reflection

How do you feel when you get an appointment to do a special task? 

Sometimes we can think of it as a great honor. We can wonder if we have the necessary skills to carry it out. We can be afraid of the obstacles we might encounter.

In our reading from Luke these seventy-two disciples (a group that is distinct from the twelve apostles) are sent out to reap a harvest. Jesus believes that the people will respond to the teachings, healings, and exorcisms from the seventy-two. He has tremendous confidence in both the mission and those He has appointed to carry it out. He says quite clearly that there will be a harvest.

Their task will be to gather up that harvest. Jesus knows that the people are ready to hear the Gospel. They want to embrace the Good News of the Kingdom of God. They are eager to hear how deeply God loves them. 

The seventy-two will resurrect a feeling of joy in the people. They have been burdened by the oppression of the Roman occupiers and unfair taxes. They have been searching for someone who can lift them up and renew them.

Jesus instructs them to bring a message of peace to each home they enter. Jesus wants the people to know how deeply God cares for them. He knows that many people do not feel that peace. They battle with worries, resentments, and disappointments. 

As we look around today, we can see the same lack of peace. We hear every day of the numerous wars and bombings. We see people displaced and threatened in their native lands. We see too many people arguing and raising their voices against others. 

We need true peace. Jesus knows this well and sent out the seventy-two to work for peace. Jesus sends us out today with that same mission.

Jesus assures us that there will be a great harvest. He has appointed us to share the Good News of God's Kingdom with each person we meet. 

It is harvesting time!

Are you ready? 

1. Have you ever been appointed for a special task? How did you feel?

2. Do you believe that people are eager to hear the Good News of Jesus today?

3. Why does Jesus stress that the seventy-two should bring a message of peace to the people in their homes?

4. Do you feel that people need that message of peace today?

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

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

 

Answer

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Answer

Jesus   Question

Who Am I?

Son of the Living God

Peter

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 16:15 and 16

Jesus said to His apostles,

"Who do you say that I am?"

In replying Simon said,

"You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God."

Reflection

Some questions are very difficult to answer. They demand a lot of thought and reflection. It can take years or decades to answer some of the most challenging questions we face.

In our reading from Matthew, Jesus poses a very decisive question for His apostles. They had been following Him for some time. They had seen that there was opposition to Jesus growing in the leadership of the Jewish religious establishment. 

Some of the religious leaders were comparing Jesus to the devil. Others were talking about putting Jesus to death. Many were troubled that He had been doing healings on the Sabbath.

In this atmosphere many of the apostles must have been wondering exactly who Jesus was and what His mission was all about. Jesus had been clear. He came proclaiming Good News about the Kingdom of God. He came as a healer. He wanted to lift people up and liberate those who were in captivity.

In posing the question of His identity to the apostles, Jesus was making Himself very vulnerable. Would His apostles also reject Him?

Simon responds quickly and firmly. He tells Jesus that he knows that Jesus is the Messiah. He goes even further and proclaims Jesus as the Son of the Living God. 

Jesus is impressed with the faith of Simon and tells him and the other apostles that Simon will now be known as Peter. He is the rock on which the Church will be established.

The question for the apostles is, of course, also the question for us. It is one that we each have to answer individually. Who do we think Jesus is?

Is Jesus different from every other person who has lived? Is he truly the Son of the Living God?

As we all pray over and reflect upon this important question, it leads us to ponder the scriptures and to try to ascertain in whom we are to believe.

As we answer that question, we determine what will be the foundation, the rock, of our lives. Will we follow Jesus or is there someone or something else that we feel is more worthy of our allegiance, our commitment and our faith?

1. What are some of the most difficult questions you have had to face in your life?

2. How would you answer the question from Jesus?

3. Do you think that Jesus is different from every other person who has ever lived?

4. What do you feel about the foundation, the rock, of your life as you ponder Kathy's photo?

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

Eucharist

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Eucharist

Bread   Wine

Blessing   Breaking   Distributing

In Remembrance Of Me

Shared

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   1 Corinthians 11:24

After Jesus had given thanks, He took bread, broke it, and said,

"This is My Body that I am sharing with you.

Do this in remembrance of Me."

Reflection

Our reading from 1 Corinthians leads us to reflect on what the Eucharist means in our lives. It is an amazing gift. Under the simple signs of bread and wine, Jesus comes to share His very self with us.

Jesus says the blessing over the bread and breaks it so that it can be shared with all of us. He wants to be part of our lives in an intimate way. He wants to make sure that He is always with us.

Jesus does this so that we will always remember what He has done for us. It is so easy for us to get involved in so many other things and to forget how deeply we are loved by Jesus.

The Eucharist is given to us so that we can take what we have been given and share it with others. We have been blessed to build---to build up our community and to reach out to those who are in need of the healing Love of Jesus in their lives.

Jesus first gives thanks to God. We get our name for this special sacrament, Eucharist, from this act of thanksgiving. It reminds us to always give thanks to God for the many blessings we have received. 

One of my favorite prayers, one that I repeat throughout the day, is simply, "Thank you, Jesus!" As I pray it, I am reminded of all that I have been given.

Jesus wants to share His very self with you and to become one with you. It is truly amazing that our God who created the whole world loves us this much. Jesus holds nothing back. He gives His total Love to us. 

When we begin to realize this, we are moved to share this Love with each person we meet. We realize that we are all connected. We cannot turn our backs on anyone. We know that Jesus has never turned away from us. How can we turn away from any of our sisters and brothers?

As we reflect on the gift of the Eucharist, let us give thanks for the blessing that we discover in the breaking of the bread. Let us distribute that blessing of bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus and share it with all.

What a GIFT!

1. Why does Jesus share the gift of Eucharist with us?

2. How can we build up our community through the Eucharist?

3. What are you most thankful for?

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

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

Spirit

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Spirit

Truth   Understanding

Sent To Guide

Make Known Wondrous Mystery

Love

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:  The Letter to the Romans 5:5

Hope does not disappoint because the Love of God has been sent into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who dwells with us.

The Gospel of John 16:13a

When the Spirit of Truth comes to you, you will be guided to the Truth.

Reflection

How does the Holy Spirit work in your life?

For many of us, this can seem like a real mystery. As we reflect on it, however, it becomes a wondrous mystery because we begin to realize how generous Jesus is.

In our reading from The Gospel of John, Jesus is preparing the apostles for the time when He will no longer be with them on earth physically. He will be returning to the Father. 

Paul tells us in our reading from The Letter to the Romans that we can still have hope even though Jesus is with the Father. It is a very special hope because we will never be disappointed.

Usually we always encounter some disappointments in life. This hope overcomes all disappointments. The Holy Spirit will be with us and fill us with God's Love. 

Even in difficult moments in life, that Love will strengthen us and encourage us to persevere. We all encounter times when things look bleak, when it feels like there is just too much evil to overcome, too much senseless death and destruction. How can we possibly have any hope that things will get better?

The Spirit sends us Truth and gives us the understanding to deal with the evil that we confront. The Spirit guides us to discover the wonder of creation. We realize that we have been blessed with the Gifts of the Spirit to overcome the injustices and the indifference to suffering that we can encounter.

We realize through the gift of understanding that we do not have all the answers. There are mysteries that we cannot fully comprehend. We begin to trust and hope in the Spirit.

As we hope, we are gently guided to the truth and to the realization that evil and injustice can be overcome through the power of Love.

We are loved so deeply that Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. We feel the power of the Holy Spirit when we are inspired to try a new approach as we fight for those in need.

A great example of this is the Jesuit priest Fr. Greg Boyle. He saw the difficulties that many young people were facing in the Los Angeles area. They were struggling with issues of drug abuse, crime, and poverty. They were turning to gangs to help them find a community that would feel like a family and would accept them.

Fr. Boyle guided them to hope and founded Homeboy Industries, giving them an alternative to a life of crime. They discovered that they are loved and have dignity as a child of God. They realized that the Holy Spirit dwells in them.

The gangs had given them a sense of belonging that many of them had never known. It was a feeling, however, that did not last when they saw many of their friends die or spend time in prison. 

Fr. Boyle helped them to experience the power of Love. 

It is a Love that Jesus wants to share with us through the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

It is a gift that will dwell within us.

It is a gift that will guide us to the truth.

It is a gift that fills us with wonder.

It is a gift that leads us to a hope that will never disappoint.

Enjoy your GIFT!

1. How does the Holy Spirit help you?

2. Have you ever experienced the hope that never disappoints?

3. What do you do when you find it hard to persevere against the injustices and evil you encounter?

4. Is it difficult for you to trust in the Spirit?

5. How can you follow the example of Fr. Boyle in your life?

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

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