God is not happy when His people suffer, regardless if the suffering comes from one’s own bad choices or as a result of living in a fallen world.
This weekends Gospel demonstrates the life-changing power of true friendship, when our friends stop at nothing to position us before the Lord!
In a culture that perpetuates the lie that, “all roads lead to the same God,” our readings this weekend recall the truth that there are dispositions that separate us from the body, as illustrated in the image of leprosy, which Jesus (the head) alone can remedy.
What, in my life, is separating me from deeper union & communion with the Church? Or how can I better position myself so as to receive the “touch” of God.
Job, through unrelenting suffering, hits bottom and loses hope as he declares, “I shall not see happiness again.”
Simon’s mother-in-law is hopeless as she lay sick.
Whether our illness is physical, mental or spiritual, hope and true healing come when we meet the living God.
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta reminded us that, “We are called to faithfulness, not success.”
How can we be faithful though, when so many who call themselves Christians, fail and cause scandal?
The first reading from Deuteronomy offers us this assurance:
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin, and will put my words into his mouth;
he shall tell them all that I command him.
Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it.
But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.’”
God has a way of working all these things out so Let’s be faithful!
It’s popular today to separate Jesus from His bride, the Church, usually siting the inefficiencies of His bride to validate their choice.
While this line of thinking may (erroneously) excuse some from taking their personal call to conversion seriously, it’s simply not biblical.
It is within the very process of answering the call, that true conversion takes place.
From St. John’s gospel this weekend:
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”
Every human person is making a pilgrimage – a search for meaning and purpose. Some people are aware, alert and attentive to this journey, many are not.
In the search, there are many signs given to assist, guide and point the way. Some people see these tools for what they are, utilizing them to the fullest. Many do not.
Let’s give thanks this weekend for the many “stars” in our lives which have led us to the stable, affording us the opportunity to adore the Christ through the offering of our gifts!
Moses, Aaron and his sons, Israelites, St. Paul, Shepherds, Mary, Joseph and the angel are all referenced in this weekends readings. We, with all our “limitations,” are invited to be intimately involved with the Lord and the work He entrusts to us.
As we reflect today on the Virgin-turned-Mother, we are invited to imitate her disposition as recorded by Luke, ”Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.” Luke 2
