Spontaneous Joy

Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry...
Lk.1:41,42

Mary's visit to Elizabeth becomes the first earthly acknowledgement, apart from Mary's, of God's incarnation. It involves leaping with joy and loud acclamation.

Elizabeth's and her unborn baby's reactions are spontaneous and joyful. I recall my first discovery of Jesus was also joyfully spontaneous. He has that sort of effect. Sombre restraint is the opposite and I find myself in that mood when I'm feeling distant from him. 

Guess who has moved? Not Jesus.

Lord Jesus, I turn back to you today. Give me spontaneous joy to acclaim you.
Saint Elizabeth, please pray for me.

Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.

Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ 
Mk.10:51

Why does Jesus ask Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, what doesn't require asking? To draw faith out of him. Faith not only gives Bartimaeus his sight, it saves him.

Jesus uses every situation to draw out faith from people. Where there is faith, miracles happen. Simply by reading today's gospel story of Bartimaeus' miracle healing, my faith is built up. As the crowd said to Bartimaeus, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”

Come Lord Jesus. work miracles in my life and the lives of those I love.

Listen

They said to him, ‘Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus said to them. 
Mk.10:37-38

Jesus has just explicitly outlined what is about to happen to him. It's the third time he's predicted his death. But, what is it the apostles want to talk about? Who gets the glory.

Selective listeners are described as people who are really good at listening... to what they want to hear. James and John's question to Jesus shows just how much they hadn't heard him. 

I'm guilty of selective listening, of listening only to what I want to hear. I could be missing out on what is really important. The antidote is to be present to the speaker, to actively listen regardless of what I think about their topic. Children are great ones on which to practice this.

Jesus, you are totally present to each individual. Give me that gift so I can fully engage with those you send my way today.
Saints James and John, please pray for me.

Open Hand

‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’
Mk.10:26-27

Jesus has just insisted on the difficulty for rich people to enter the kingdom of heaven. The disciples see this as an obstacle to salvation. Jesus says no, with God all is possible.

There is always someone poorer than me. Put another way, I'm always a rich man when compared to some others. There is always the poor to whom I can give. Jesus is concerned about my tendency to grasp. My hand is more naturally closed than it is open. This reflects the state of my heart.

Am I a lost cause? On my own strength, yes. With God's help, no. 

Jesus, help my hand be open to the poor I meet today.

Forgiven and Loved

For as the heavens are high
above the earth
so strong is his love for those
who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west
so far does he remove our sins.
Ps.102:11,12 

Psalm 102(103) paints a picture of God the Father head over heels in love. With whom? With me.

The writing of this psalm is attributed to David. It certainly has his fingerprints all over it. As Jesus said, he who has been forgiven much shows much love. This psalm was written by someone who had been forgiven much and knew he was loved.

What a marvelous word to take into my day. Yes, I'm a dirtbag. Yes, I'm forgiven. Yes, I'm loved.

Loving Father, you have crowned me with love and compassion. I press myself into your loving embrace.

Focus on Following

Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ 
Jn.21:22

Peter asks Jesus what is to happen to John the Apostle. Jesus' answer is a mild rebuke to Peter to be concerned about his own business only. What is that? To follow Jesus.

Peter's question came from curiosity, not concern. These days we are encouraged to be curious by the world. Worldly curiosity is insatiable and a distraction. Jesus says no, be curious only about how to best follow him. Being a stumbling follower is not such a bad occupation after all.

Jesus, I do become curious about things that are not my concern. Help me stay focused on following you.
Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Fuel in the Tank

'Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.
Jn.21:17

The risen Jesus reinstates Peter as leader of the early Church with his three-fold question, "Do you love me?" Peter's love for Jesus is to be expressed by his love for the Church.

As Saint Paul wrote, no matter what works of piety or service I do, if I do not have love as my motive I have nothing. 

Holy Spirit, help love be the fuel in my tank as I serve my local Church. Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.
Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Take Courage Dear Heart

Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.’
Acts.22:11

Paul has just witnessed as a prisoner before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Jesus now calls him to witness in the center of the then known world, Rome.

Paul must have known Rome would herald the end of his life. He was about to step into the lion's mouth. Jesus gave him the virtue necessary... courage. 

Proclaiming, witnessing, the Good News about Jesus takes courage. There is a boldness in the Gospel that either attracts or repels. Paul's powerful witness came from his courage and confidence in not being afraid to say what he knew to be true.

Jesus gives courage when it's needed.

Jesus, give me a boldness in witnessing for you in the Alpha Course tonight.
Saint Paul, please pray for me.

Not Alone

I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one.
Jn.17:15

Jesus is in the upper room, knowing what is about to take place on Cavalry. His final prayer is for his disciples who are left behind in the world. They are to stay behind, for the moment, under the protective hand of God. 

It's good to remember that while in the world I am in a spiritual battle. There is an adversary, the evil one, who wants my heart, my soul. But look who's protecting me. God himself! All the more reason to press into him each morning in my prayer time, to seek God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in the sacraments. 

Thank you Jesus that you have not left me alone, that you walk with me into this day. Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.

Holy Spirit Fall Afresh

But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth.
Jn.16:13

Jesus continues to elevate the Holy Spirit before the apostles. He is about to leave them but they will not be left alone.

Jesus is introducing the Holy Spirit to the early Church. The third person of the Trinity is the essential leader of the Church once Jesus has ascended, of the Church of today. "Complete truth" encompasses everything that the Church needs to know, that I need to know. 

Come Holy Spirit, Fall afresh on me
Fill me with your power, satisfy my need

Only you can make me whole
Give me strength to make me grow
Come Holy Spirit, Fall afresh on me

Come Holy Spirit

It is for your own good that I am going because unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I do go, I will send him to you.
Jn.16:7

Jesus is preparing his disciples for his approaching death. His departure is for their good. How? Because the Holy Spirit will then come.

Jesus elevates the importance of the Holy Spirit by doing a John the Baptist. "I must become less so that he can become more." This means the Holy Spirit is a key figure in my Christian walk. He is my advocate, my comforter, my guide and source of divine power. 

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Way Truth Life

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jn.14:6

Jesus is answering Thomas' question, "How can we know the way?" Jesus' answer is unambiguous. I am the only way.

The way to God the Father is only via Jesus. Other religions are not just different paths to the same destination, as much as we wish it were so. This clarifies how I should be living, by following him and him alone. Not only that, but pointing to Jesus as the only way should be my major preoccupation. Others need to know.

Jesus, you are my way, my truth and my life. I place my trust in you.
Saints Philip and James, please pray for me.

Complete Joy

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete
Jn.15:11

Jesus has just told his disciples, and me, that we have been loved and are being loved by him. The result? A complete joy.

Yesterday, I was listening to a song by Mat Mayher taken from The Song of Songs. There is one line, "You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes" that penetrated my soul. I realised I am the one who has stolen God's heart, that he is head over heels in love with me! 

My joy is complete...

 

Flatmates

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you.
Jn.15:4

Jesus is emphasizing the importance of being connected with him, the vine. He then raises the bar, saying not only are we connected but we are at home, living with each other.

I remember back in my single days living in a flat shared with others. When I first moved in, some of the flatmates I didn't know very well. That soon changed as we lived together. There is an intimacy that comes with sharing the same toilet and bathroom. In some cases this resulted in lifelong friendships. 

Jesus invites me to make my home with him. He wants to be my flatmate, to share my daily living with him. He is no distant, cold God. He's the closest and best of friends. 

Jesus, make your home in me as I make my home in you.