Small is Great

I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mt.18:3,4

Jesus is asked who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. His answer is unexpected... a little child.

Here is the blueprint for Christian life, in a nutshell. To be great I must be small, humble and weak. This is counter cultural in a world that esteems the powerful, rich, good looking and intelligent. 

Jesus, help me be small today.
Saint John Bosco, please pray for me.

Expectant Faith

But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. 
Mk.5:40

Jesus casts out unbelief and brings in faith before raising Jairus' daughter from the dead. It's a constant theme of the Gospels. Faith always precedes signs and wonders. 

Yesterday my son asked me why everyone for whom we pray for healing doesn't always receive it. The only answer I can give is that of C.S. Lewis. When I meet God I'm going to have some damn good questions... and I'm expecting some damn good answers. 

However, I have to say that part of the reason is the lack of expectant faith. There are more laughing scoffers in the world than faith-filled believers. Jesus' game plan is still good today. Push out the scoffers. Call in the believers. Then, go for it. 

Jesus, give me more expectant faith for miracles, that you may be glorified. 

Restoration

The unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.’ So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs.
Mk.3:13,13

Jesus is restoring a demon possessed man. He uses whatever is at hand to achieve this, in this case a massive herd of two thousand pigs.

Restoration is what Jesus is still about. I am a testimony to that. How he achieves this is as many and varied as there are people in need of restoration. It may be via pigs or, as in my case, through children. I'm learning not to second guess, or question, God's methods. What is important is that I recognise and cooperate with them. 

Jesus, help me see and cooperate with your work of restoration today.

Less is More

It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds 
Mk.4:31

Jesus is describing the kingdom of God. It starts small, insignificant and then grows into something mighty giving shelter, protection and nurture.

Christian life is like living in back-to-front land. Small is powerful. Less is more. The weak get preference. I become lesser in order to become greater. Leaders are servants. Children enter the kingdom ahead of adults. No wonder our conversions are Copernican and no wonder they are so liberating.

Saints Timothy and Titus, please pray for us.

The Story

I was on that journey and nearly at Damascus when about midday a bright light from heaven suddenly shone round me. I fell to the ground...
Acts.22:6,7

Paul is telling the story of his conversion to authenticate his message. 

Testimonies are powerful. Why? Because they are a story and we all love a good story. They aren't right or wrong, they just happened and so can't be argued over. 

Testimonies are simply... me before I met Jesus... me meeting Jesus... me after meeting Jesus. It's good for me to remember mine, a) So I can remember where I have come from and be thankful and b) So I am ready to share it to authenticate what Jesus can do in anyone's life when they accept him. 

Saint Paul the Apostle, pray for us.

Rich Soil

And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.
Mk.4:20

Jesus explains his Parable of the Sower culminating in the people of rich soil, those who hear his word and accept it.

Luke's Gospel expands on the people of rich soil, describing them as people with "noble and generous hearts" (Lk.8:15). I find that a great benchmark to measure my thoughts and actions. Am I being noble (high moral principles) and/or generous (giving more than expected).

This litmus test has driven me to the confessional many times.

Jesus, help me be a rich soil person to those I meet today.

Saint Francis of Sales, please pray for us.

Family

And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.
Mk.3:35

WIth his family outside calling for him, Jesus expands on what it means to be in his family. Anyone who does the will of God.

It's tempting to think that to do the will of God and qualify as God's family one has to be perfect. However, here we have a circle of people simply listening to Jesus and he called them family. Now that I can do and in fact are doing right now. 

What a relief...

Thank you Jesus that, by including me in that gaze around the circle, you make me family.

Bless not Blaspheme

Let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.
Mk.3:29

Scribes have accused Jesus of doing the work of the devil by casting out demons. Jesus warns them that to ascribe the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan is an unforgivable sin.

It is surprising and sobering to learn there is an unforgivable sin. Yet, here we have it directly from Jesus. I need to be very careful before calling someone evil. Their actions may be different, unsettling, annoying, even hurtful yet still be the work of the Holy Spirit. 

That grit in my teeth, that pebble in my shoe, that rock on which I stubbed my toe could be Jesus at work. Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

Holy Spirit, help me recognise you at work so I may bless and not blaspheme.

The Master

The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.
Mk.2:28

For the Pharisees, religious law was paramount. For Jesus, human need is paramount. 

I cringe when I hear factions in the Church arguing religious points of view, both conservative and liberal. The unbelieving world just shakes its head and walks away. Let's shine the spotlight back on Jesus. When he is lifted up all men are drawn to him. That's his promise.

Jesus, help me shine on you today, our master. 

New Wine Fresh Skin

No! New wine, fresh skins!
Mk.2:22

Jesus defends his disciples from the accusation of lack of fasting. He is something new that requires something new. A relationship with him is more important than religious observance.

When I invite unchurched people to an Alpha Course, a common obstacle is their repugnance of religion. I explain to them they're not being invited into a religion, they're being invited into a relationship. 

I love our Catholic liturgy, but it only makes sense to a person who has a relationship with the one to whom it all points. I had to experience the love of Jesus before religion was rightly seen as a way to get closer to him. First, my heart had to be softened. Kerygma then catechesis.

Thank you Jesus for always being something new. May I always be a fresh wineskin. 

Rubble

It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.
Mk.2:17

Jesus works miracles in broken lives. His favourite building material is a pile of broken rubble. It's hard to rebuild a solid concrete wall. 

It's my pharisaical pride that puts up walls to Jesus working in my life. 

Jesus, I knock down the walls. Rebuild me into the person you want me to be.

Friends

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ 
Mk.2:5

The faith of the paralytic's four friends results in him receiving two great gifts, physical healing and forgiveness of his sins.

Friendship is such a gift. It can be life changing. I was helped and welcomed into the Church through friends. I have three very close friends who I call my 3am Friends. We have prayed together for years. If I were to call them in need at 3:00 am, I know they would respond. I am blessed by these men, my life is richer because of them.

Today's Gospel has prompted me to contact these men and thank them for their friendship.

I thank you Jesus for the friends you have placed in my life. Help me be a faithful friend to them.

Irresistable

Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ 
Mk.1:41

Jesus heals the leper motivated by love for a man deemed unlovable. 

When I feel like a dirtbag I judge I am out of reach of God's love. Wrong! That's exactly when I am irresistible to him. Jesus came for the sick, thanks be to God.

Praise you Jesus. Your love conquers all.

Make it Count

When they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ 
Mk.1:37,38

"Let us go..." Jesus has just started his public ministry. His modus operandi is one of energy and dynamism. He doesn't wait for people to come to him. He goes to them.

If Jesus' life is a model for me to follow, it is a physically challenging one. Today's gospel records Jesus preaching and ministering to crowds late into the night and then up before dawn to pray. I believe Jesus made everything he did count. When he ate, he ate well. When he slept, he slept well. He was intentional about all he did. 

Sometimes when I recollect at the end of the day, I struggle to list what I've actually meaningfully done. The day has been frittered away. Life is too short for that. It's time to be more intentional. Even spontaneity can be planned. 

Jesus, help me make today count.

A Beloved Son

It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John.
Mk.1:9

Jesus' public ministry starts with his baptism and the declaration from God the Father as to who he is.“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

A father's blessing is powerful. When my son turned twelve I wanted to give him a public blessing, a bar mitzvah of sorts. In front of extended family and friends I stood behind him and gave a "This is my beloved son..." speech. Initially he was embarrassed by the attention of course but I noted his head lifted and shoulders pulled back. He understood what was being said. 

I never received this from my father. He didn't know how to. This lack of a father's blessing stunted my growth into manhood. I didn't know I was a beloved and pleasing son until I became Christian. It is one of the greatest gifts I've ever received. 

Saint John the Baptist, please pray for me.

D Day

No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’
Mk.1:10,11

John Baptises Jesus and witnesses the blessing of God the Father over him and the Holy Spirit descending on him. For the first time the Trinity is manifest on earth.  

This is like D Day. The war on sin is won. The tide is turned on Satan and his minions. What follows are simply mop up operations. It's good to remember I'm on the winning side. 

Saint John the Baptist, please pray for me.

But Wait, There's More!

‘From Nazareth?’ said Nathanael ‘Can anything good come from that place?’ ‘Come and see’ replied Philip.
Jn.1:46

Nathanael's skepticism is met by Philip's invitation to come and see. On seeing, Nathanael's skepticism is replaced by a zeal for Jesus that would lead to a martyr's death. 

There's that compelling invitation again, first spoken by Jesus to the two disciples of John the Baptist. "Come and see". On seeing Jesus, Nathanael's life is spontaneously turned around. I imagine Jesus laughing as he says to Nathanael, "You ain't seen nothing yet!" 

And Nathanael did see more. The Gospels record him as part of the group who saw the risen Jesus on the beach. 

Our faith is like that. "But wait, there's more! You ain't seen nothing yet!" There's always more to come and see. It doesn't stop until I meet Jesus face to face. This is why it's so exciting being Christian. 

Saint Nathanael, please pray for me.

Come and See

They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day.
Jn.1:39

The two disciples of John the Baptist are drawn to Jesus by John's recommendation. They are about to personalise their relationship because of the simplest of invitations.... Come and see.

I like that style of invitation. I use it when inviting unchurched people to an Alpha Course. It is non-threatening as the initiative is with the invitee. They stay in control. If they don't like what they see they can leave, no pressure, no expectations, no chase-up. It's also risky for the same reasons. I, as the inviter, don't have control. I have to trust the Holy Spirit to do his work.

Lord, place in my path today people who I can invite to come and see.

There Stands Among You

John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ 
Jn1:26,27

John is interrogated to reveal who he is. He replies by saying who he isn't and who that it is the questions should be addressed to, the one unrecognised among us.

I am reminded how Mother Teresa is purported to have said on seeing the dying beggar on the Calcutta railway station platform, "My Jesus, I've found you".  

Our local supermarket has a beggar regularly sitting outside, constantly counting a few coins in his hand and mumbling to himself. He clearly has mental health problems. One day I observed a lady had stopped and was talking with him. I experienced a pang of guilt which drove me to the confessional. 

The young priest gave some good advice. "Get down on his level, ask him his name and give him yours". This I did on my next trip to the supermarket and I gave him some food. His name is Shane and he lives with his mother. We say hello to each other now. He stopped being a beggar. He's now a human being with a name.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for me.

Tell the Good News

When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say.
Lk.2:17,18

The shepherds respond to the glorious angelic apparition they are given by rushing to the baby in the stable and worshiping him. They don't stop there. They then share the Good News, to everyone's astonishment.

I like that the shepherds are the first evangelists. Ordinary people spreading an extraordinary message gives it more authenticity, more punch. My ordinariness isn't an obstacle, it's an asset to my spreading the good news about Jesus. There's enough bad news. People want to hear good news. This year, I can be someone who tells them.

And the Good News is? God loves you and has a plan for your life, a plan found in following his son Jesus. 

A blessed New Year to you all and your loved ones. 

Mary Mother of God, pray for us.