Reading I: Deuteronomy 18:15-20Psalm: 95
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Gospel: Mark 1: 21-28
In our human condition, we have always lived with uncertainty. Farmers were never sure how the weather would affect their crops. At family gatherings, there was always a question whether all would be able to be there the next holiday. Throughout history, there have been threats of wars.
However, there is even more uncertainty in our world today. The effects of climate change bring severe weather conditions: earthquakes, hurricanes, massive forest fires, and mudslides. Besides those, the threat of nuclear war is always a very great concern throughout the world. Parents and grandparents worry about what the world will be like for their children and future generations.
Where do we turn in these troubling times? Little children run to their parents for comfort when they are anxious or afraid. No matter how old we become, we are blessed to have God, our heavenly Father, Mary, our mother, as well as Jesus, our elder brother, to turn to for comfort.
When Jesus taught, his audience was astonished because He taught with authority. He knew who He was and whose love gave Him support. His Father was with Him at all times. How many times had He prayed the Psalms, especially Psalm 46?
God is for us a refuge and strength
a helper close at hand, in time of distress:
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea,
even though its waters rage and foam,
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
— Psalm 46: 1-3, 7
What does the Lord ask of us? When feeling anxious, it is important to remember that God is our Comforter. He is with us no matter what our circumstances may be. Someday, when our Father calls us home, we will have true peace which the world cannot give.
Reflection Question: The sky is a reflection of God. How can it be a comfort to you?
Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...
Él habló con autoridad
En nuestra condición humana, siempre hemos vivido con incertidumbre.
Los agricultores nunca estuvieron seguros de cómo el clima afectaría sus cultivos. En las reuniones familiares, siempre había una pregunta sobre si todos podrían estar allí las próximas vacaciones. A lo largo de la historia, ha habido amenazas
de guerras.
Los agricultores nunca estuvieron seguros de cómo el clima afectaría sus cultivos. En las reuniones familiares, siempre había una pregunta sobre si todos podrían estar allí las próximas vacaciones. A lo largo de la historia, ha habido amenazas
de guerras.
Sin embargo, aún hay más incertidumbre en nuestro mundo de hoy. Los efectos del cambio climático provocan condiciones climáticas severas: terremotos, huracanes, incendios forestales masivos y deslaves. Además de esos, la amenaza de una guerra nuclear es siempre una gran preocupación en todo el mundo. Los padres y abuelos se preocupan por cómo será el mundo para sus hijos y las generaciones futuras.
¿A dónde recurrimos en estos tiempos problemáticos? Los niños pequeños corren hacia sus padres en busca de consuelo cuando están ansiosos o temerosos. No importa la edad que tengamos, tenemos la bendición de tener a Dios, a nuestro Padre celestial, a María, a nuestra madre, así como a Jesús, nuestro hermano mayor, a quien acudir en busca de consuelo.
Cuando Jesús enseñó, su audiencia quedó asombrada porque él enseñó
con autoridad. Él sabía quién era y cuyo amor le dio apoyo. Su Padre estaba con Él todo el tiempo. ¿Cuántas veces había rezado los Salmos, especialmente el Salmo 46?
con autoridad. Él sabía quién era y cuyo amor le dio apoyo. Su Padre estaba con Él todo el tiempo. ¿Cuántas veces había rezado los Salmos, especialmente el Salmo 46?
Dios es para nosotros un refugio y fortaleza
un ayudante cercano, en tiempo de angustia:
así que no temeremos aunque la tierra se tambalee,
aunque las montañas caen en las profundidades del mar,
a pesar de que sus aguas se enfurecen y forman espuma,
aunque las montañas sean sacudidas por sus olas.
El Señor de los ejércitos está con nosotros:
el Dios de Jacob es nuestra fortaleza.
— Salmos 46: 1-3, 7
¿Qué nos pide el Señor? Cuando se sienta ansioso, es importante recordar que Dios es nuestro Consolador. Él está con nosotros sin importar cuáles sean nuestras circunstancias. Algún día, cuando nuestro Padre nos llame a casa, tendremos la paz verdadera que el mundo no puede dar.
Pregunta de reflexión: El cielo es un reflejo de Dios. ¿Cómo puede ser un consuelo para ti?
The devastation and loss resulting from extreme weather events and the threat of nuclear war can surely cause worry and anxiety. To your question, “what does the Lord ask of us,” I would answer that He wants our trust. My Aunt Doris would always tell me that if we truly trust Jesus, there is no need to worry. Thus, worship instead of worry.
ReplyDelete2 Corinthians 1:3-4 speaks of God as our Comforter: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
I find it interesting that you mention the sky as being a reflection of God. As a child I enjoyed lying on the ground and looking up at the sky and visualizing the clouds as images. I saw faces, animals and mountains in the sky and I recall feeling a sense of serenity as I watched the clouds drift by. I didn’t know about meditation and visualization but looking back I realize that I did a lot of it. I found sky gazing to be a peaceful, soothing activity. I felt very small compared to the sky but I also had a sense of greatness in the connectedness I felt to the heavens as I looked up.
As adults, we are programmed to worry and dread what might be next. St. Katharine Drexel has a quote to calm those fear filled instances, “By the gift of God we have the present moment.” The only time we can be certain of is the present moment so it’s a good spiritual practice to fully live each moment in a spirit of love. We could use our fearful moments to examine our own thoughts and words. Do I have judgments about racism, prejudice, hatred, or any other issue that creates separation? Thought by thought we are either adding more love or more fear to the world.
I follow a blogger, Susan Gregg, who lives in Hawaii. Susan is a life coach. She wrote of the state’s recent nuclear scare, “Saturday morning I awoke to the ear splitting scream of a civil defense warning of incoming missiles, telling us to take shelter…” She never thought to panic stating, “it was too late to do anything other than express my love to my spouse and snuggle with our parrot, cats and dogs.” She continued that the next day on Facebook people were still stressed out and there were images of parents putting their kids in storm drains and people running around screaming.. “Fear can be a powerful driving force. Fear is the reason we have nuclear war heads to begin with.” This incident is a wakeup call to those of us who have slipped into spiritual complacency to shift into high alert and turn our attention to God. It is also an opportunity to reflect on how we journey through life – do we tread fearfully or do we walk by faith? Just as Jesus drew his strength from knowing he was supported by the Father, so it should be with us.
The Catholic Catechism (#301) affirms, “God not only gives his creatures being and existence, but also, at every moment, upholds and sustains them in being, enables them to act and brings them to their final end. Recognizing this utter dependence with respect to the Creator is a source of wisdom and freedom, joy and confidence.”
Fellow travelers, let’s look skyward to shift our perspective from fear to remembrance. The world is a fallen place but ours is only a temporary stay; our Home is Heaven. Behold the vastness of the universe, which seems to extend all the way to infinity without boundaries and borders, filled with sun, stars, planets, and galaxies – His grace is with us; His Presence is with us, He died so that we may have Eternal Life and dwell with Him forever. His Peace is with us. Pat C., ASBS
Unfortunately, it is very true that we sometimes encounter serious uncertainties, which could be followed by tragic situations; but we know that hope and help come from Above. Thank you, Sister, for the reference to Psalm 46 and the reminder that God is our Stronghold and Comforter.
ReplyDeleteThe following excerpts are from a homily delivered by Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Pellegrino, Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida:
"In today's Gospel reading, the Sacred Writer, the Holy Spirit, speaks about the authority of the Lord. The reading is taken from the first chapter of the earliest of the Gospels, the Gospel of Mark. Jesus begins to teach in Capharnum. The people are held spellbound because He speaks with authority, not like the scribes. A man comes before Jesus who is in the power of evil. Jesus makes the devil come out of the man. The bystanders are amazed because Jesus has such authority."
"When we talk about the authority of the Lord, we recognize that He is the Creator or Author of the universe. He has the power to govern the universe. Just as an author can determine what takes place in the short story he or she writes, God can determine what takes place in the universe He has created."
"We share the authority of the Lord to the extent that we are united to the Source of this authority. When we are confirmed, we receive the power, the authority, to defeat evil in the world and lead others to Jesus, the Source of all truth. We can make Jesus' presence real for others. People want to learn to live their lives in such a way that when they conclude their lives they can stand before the Lord saying that they have made His Presence known in the world."
"Today we pray that we may remain united to the Lord, the Source of the power and the authority we have received."