Put On

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Put On

8 Virtuous Cloaks

Dwell  Imitate  Honor

Do Everything in His Name

Love

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Colossians 3:12 to 14

Put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Accept one another and forgive one another.

When you have an issue with someone, forgive them since Jesus has forgiven you. 

Above all of these virtues put on love. 

It is the bond of perfection.

Reflection

How can your family become a Holy Family?

We can be very busy and get very worried about the clothes we will put on. We want to make sure that we look great. Everything has to fit exactly.

The author of Colossians is encouraging us to put on something else. The eight virtues that are listed describe paths to creating strong families. If we wear these cloaks, our families will flourish.

We will accept and honor each person in our family. Nobody will be left out. All will feel that they have an important role to play. 

We will dwell together with a bond of unity. Compassion and kindness will flourish in our homes. We will be humble with no need to draw attention to ourselves at the expense of others.

We will imitate the gentleness of Jesus in our sensitivity to the others in our family. We will strive to honor each person as we would honor Jesus because we realize that Jesus dwells in each person.

We will develop a habit of forgiveness because this is the great GIFT that Jesus has given us. He came to offer us His forgiveness so that we would build peace and harmony in our families and then share that peace in our communities.

We will do everything in the name of Jesus because Jesus has taught us how to live with others. He has asked us to refrain from judging others so that we will not be judged. 

Instead, Jesus asks us to put on love. It is love that really makes our families holy families.

We become willing to overlook faults and hurts and to look into the hearts of our family members. Our families then become rich in love, and we start to embrace each one as Jesus has embraced us.

As we work each day to put on these virtues, our families grow closer and our lives flourish. Now is our time to step into the dressing room and try on our new cloaks!

1. What virtues do you feel are important to make your family a Holy Family?

2. Why do some people feel left out of their family?

3. How do you practice forgiveness in your family?

4. Is Jesus the center of your family?

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

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

Sacred Night

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Sacred Night

True Light

Acknowledgement By Angels

A Savior Is Born

Incarnation

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  Luke 2: 10 and 11

The angel spoke to the shepherds and said,

"Do not fear because I bring you news of great joy. A savior is born who is Messiah and Lord."

Reflection

The night was quiet and peaceful.

It became sacred when a child was born.

This child united people with God.

This child brought Light.

It was a Light that would never fade because it was a Light that penetrated all darkness. 

It was a Light that reached deeply into the hearts and souls of all.

People were searching for Peace, for Justice, for Compassion, for Kindness.

This child brought all of that to us and more.

The Love was overflowing.

Angels, messengers from God, proclaimed it.

The message overcame our fears---our fear to trust, our fear to embrace, our fear of getting hurt, our fear in being vulnerable.

The angel told us that a Savior was born.

He would save us from our hatred of those who have a different skin color, religion, nationality, social status, sexual orientation, political belief, or cultural practices.

He would save us by bathing us in His Light.

This Light would change us by becoming incarnate with us, taking on our human flesh so that we could become one with divinity.

The Peace of God could dwell within us and among us.

Will we accept it?

1. How do you picture the night of Jesus' birth?

2. In what ways has Jesus brought Light to you?

3. What are some of the fears that you face that keep you from embracing the message of the angel?

4. Has the Light of Christ changed you?

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

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

Joseph

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Joseph

Earthly   Father

Obedient   Spouse   Fulfill

Message of an Angel

Emmanuel

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 1:20

Joseph had found that Mary was with child and was thinking about divorcing her quietly.

An angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him,

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. This child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit."

Reflection

What is your image of Joseph?

Matthew presents him as an extraordinary husband who goes out of his way to accept Mary in a situation where most people would be upset and angry with her. He becomes an earthly father to Jesus when most of us would walk away and leave Mary on her own path.

What makes the difference for Joseph is his ability to be obedient, to listen in the midst of his anger and confusion. We notice his goodness in his decision initially to divorce Mary quietly rather than to expose her to death by stoning which would have been the usual path to follow and the typical punishment.

He is obedient to the angel who comes to him in his dream because he is a holy man who realizes that the voice he must listen to is the voice of God and not the voice of his fellow villagers and friends who will be shocked at his willingness to take Mary into his home as his wife. This simply was not done and, in the minds and beliefs of those around him, should never be done.

Mary will become his spouse because this is what God wants. This was not Joseph's plan. This was not what the law demanded. God had a different way.

How many times does this happen to us? We think that we have it all figured out. We know what we should do to be successful. Then God points us in a different direction, and we are faced with a choice. Should I do what I had planned, or should I follow what God wants for me?

Joseph decides to fulfill what the angel has told him to do. He knows that he will face mockery and embarrassment, but that does not stop him. God comes first, and he believes this is what God is asking of him.

How do we react when God asks us to do something different and unusual? It is hard to face ridicule and rejection from others. It is so much easier to follow the expected route.

The message of the angel has made the difference. Joseph feels that this is God speaking to him. He makes his choice.

As a result of his choice and Mary's choice, Emmanuel is born. God has become one of us. God will dwell with us.

We will experience how deeply our God loves us and cares for us. God works through two human beings who did the unexpected in their day and time.

God works in the same way today through you and me. When we follow the ways of God and reject the false wisdom and common customs of our day as Mary and Joseph did, we are incarnating God in our world.

Come, Lord Jesus!

1. What do you think enabled Joseph to realize that God's voice was speaking to him through the angel?

2. How difficult was it for Joseph to reject the usual path of the law in taking Mary into his home after he found out that she was expecting a child?

3. How hard is it for you to reject the customs of our day and instead to put God first?

4. In what ways do you see Emanuel present in our world today?

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

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

Doubt

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Doubt

Question   Faith

Impatiently   Waiting   Fulfillment

Is He the One

Answer

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 11:2 to 3

John the Baptist sent some of his followers to question Jesus. John was in prison at the time. 

He told them to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we be looking for someone else?"

Reflection

It is so hard to be certain about anything. Someone tells us something and it can sound accurate and impressive. Then we do a little research, and we find it is just one of those conspiracy theories that mislead people so easily.

No wonder people have so many doubts today. There is, however, a long history of doubt. When we read the scriptures, we see our first parents, Adam and Eve, trying to deceive God and hide from God. One of the twelve apostles, St. Thomas, even has the word "doubting" attached to his name!

It seems like John the Baptist has some doubts about his cousin, Jesus, in our reading from Matthew. Some commentators mention that this might have been a tactic by John to get his followers to focus on Jesus. He might have felt that the response of Jesus would draw some of his reluctant disciples to join Jesus.

In many ways doubt can help us to deepen our relationship with Jesus. Our questions can lead us to find answers that help us to see a clearer path to follow. All of a sudden, we get a new insight into what Jesus was really saying and not just what we thought He meant. The blindness is lifted.

Those answers can lead us to a much deeper and stronger faith. I have often encountered adult learners who will tell me how frustrated they were because they were never encouraged to question or were made to feel badly if they did raise a question or expressed a doubt.

I have also seen the opposite when students raise questions, and we get into a great discussion that illuminates an issue that the students were struggling with for a long time. I love that look of peace that students get when they see a way forward from something that they found puzzling or disturbing.

I think the key is to be patient with ourselves and to realize it can take some time to have our deepest questions answered. That waiting is one of the major themes of the Season of Advent. We wait patiently for Jesus to speak to our doubts and to lead us by His Light.

When we take our time to really listen to Jesus, we can feel fulfilled and energized to begin anew. We know that Jesus is with us as we doubt and wants to help us resolve those doubts. 

The question that John poses is a question for us as well. Who do you think Jesus is? Is Jesus just a nice person who left us with some inspiring teachings or is Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity?

We have a choice.

How would you answer?

1. What are some of your doubts about faith?

2. When you get a doubt, does it upset you or motivate you to find a way to resolve it?

3. Can you think of a time when you found an answer to a doubt that helped you to feel at peace?

3. Is Jesus the Messiah or are you looking for another?

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

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

Voice

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Voice

In Wilderness

Foretold   Coming Of   Messiah

Kingdom Of Heaven Is Near

Repent

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 3: 1 to 3

John the Baptist was in the desert preaching. 

He said, "Repent. The Kingdom of God is here!"

It was of him that the prophet Isaiah spoke: "A voice of one crying out in the desert. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight."

Reflection

What are some of the voices that you have been listening to lately?

There are voices that can lift us up, and there are voices that can tear us down. We enjoy the praise and can be upset with the criticism. We learn over time that the criticism can sometimes help us even more than the praise.

To really listen to the voice of God, which is the only voice that really matters for us, it can be helpful for us to go into the wilderness. We can use the silence and the peace. Our lives can be filled with too many distractions. It's easy to lose focus.

God's Word can help us. The prophets from the Hebrew Scriptures give us many clues about the messiah and the pursuit of justice. If we take time to see what they have foretold, some of those confusing voices can give way to clarity. The prophets give us insight into God's plan for us.

We learn that God will send a Messiah who will help us to embrace God's Love more fully. The Messiah will teach us more about God. Our issue is: will we listen to that voice?

When we do listen, we learn that the Kingdom of God is near. All we have to do is repent of our selfishness and indifference. 

Isaiah speaks about our need to prepare if we are going to embrace the Kingdom of God and live a life in harmony with God's teachings and in service to our sisters and brothers. 

When we do prepare, get ready, and listen to the voice of God, the path is made straight. All those distractions diminish. We see our goal. We are led to the Messiah. 

Enjoy the voice!

1. How have you found the voice of God?

2. Can you think of a time when criticism has helped you?

3. How do you go into the wilderness?

4. What are some ways that you find helpful in preparing to embrace the Kingdom of God?

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

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

Ready

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Ready

Are You

Be   Prepared   Vigilant

The Hour Is Unexpected

Alert

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Matthew 24: 44

Jesus was talking to His disciples about the coming of the Son of Man:

"So too, you must be prepared.

The Son of Man will come at a time when you do not expect!"

Reflection

A topic that always upsets people is thinking about the end of the world. Everyone wants to know the exact day and hour. We want to be ready!

The problem is that Jesus does not give us any clues. We like specifics. Jesus is just too vague on this important topic.

Why do you think Jesus deliberately leaves us in the dark on this one? I think because Jesus feels it is not really that important.

If we live our lives as we should each day, does it really matter when the world will end? Would you make a radical change in the way you live your life if you knew the world was going to end tomorrow?

The advice that Jesus does give is simple: be prepared. If we truly listen to Jesus every day and try to make His teachings the center of our lives, we have no worries about the world ending.

We will be ready!

If we are vigilant and keep our eyes open to the many ways that Jesus appears in our lives each and every day, we will be able to respond to those who are in need of our care and compassion. Those who are hungry will be fed. Those who are sick will be helped. 

We will be ready!

If we are alert to those who are homeless, we will be with Jesus as we reach out to them to make sure that they are not sleeping out in the cold this winter. If we are alert to those who are lonely and feel abandoned, we will be there to look into their eyes with kindness and understanding.

We will be ready!

Come, Jesus!

We are ready!

1. Are you concerned about the end of the world?

2. Would you like to know the exact day and hour when the world will end?

3. If you did know the exact day and hour when the world would end, would it make any difference in the way you live your life each day?

4. How do you prepare for the end of the world?

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

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

Kingship

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Kingship

Humility   Love

Sacrifice   Promised   Salvation

Remember Me In Kingdom

Inheritance

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Luke 23:42 and 43

Jesus was on the cross and two criminals were crucified beside Him. One of the criminals was reviling Jesus while the second recognized the innocence of Jesus.

The second criminal said to Jesus, "Jesus remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Reflection

In the United States we are not too happy with the concept of a king or a queen. We think of kings as individuals with too much power and very little accountability to anyone else. We are used to having a say in how we are governed.

The kingship of Jesus is very different. Jesus does not exercise power over others. He comes with humility. He wants to serve and to help. He brings Good News. He has come to bring freedom and not oppression.

The kingship of Jesus is a kingship of Love and not of power. Jesus thinks of the needs of the people. He feeds them when they are hungry. He heals them when they are sick. He listens to those whom everyone else ignores.

Jesus is willing to make sacrifices and to offer Himself in sacrifice. He faced opposition and eventually death. He remained faithful to His mission from the Father in spite of all the obstacles He would face.

Instead of promising that people would be His subjects and have no freedom, Jesus promised salvation. He spoke about forgiveness and encouraged people to forgive others if they wanted to experience God's forgiveness. On the cross Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were putting Him to death.

In our reading from Luke, we see the contrast between two attitudes toward Jesus. The one criminal attacks Jesus and puts Him down. He wants Jesus to save him without putting any faith in Jesus or trust in Him. 

The second criminal recognizes who Jesus is. He knows Jesus is innocent. He humbly asks Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into His kingdom. He knows that Jesus is different---He is special.

Jesus responds with Love. He tells this criminal that He will take care of him. He will protect him forever. He will be with him always. They will be together in Paradise.

Jesus is a different kind of king. He has come to serve others and not to subjugate them. His kingship leads those He evangelizes to form a community that will accept everyone and help those in need and those who are forgotten by others.

When we follow Jesus, we are called to imitate His forgiveness, His humility, and His service to all. Our King will always be with us and encourage us with His Love!

1. What is your feeling about kings?

2. How is Jesus different from other kings?

3. How important is forgiveness to being a good king?

4. What are some ways you try to follow Jesus as your King?

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

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