Words of Love

May the spoken words of my mouth, the thoughts of my heart, win favour in your sight, O Lord, my rescuer, my rock!
Ps.18:15

Words come from thoughts. Both should win favour in God's sight.

Psalm 18 lists the wonder and power of God's Word. Then, it finishes with a plea for my words. What would make my words, and thoughts by association, pleasing to God? A safe guess would be when they are words conveying love, love of God and love of man. 

Lord, today may the words from my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing unto you.

Stretcher Bearer

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

The faith of the four friends who lowered the paralytic down through the roof brought him the greatest healing he required... the forgiveness of his sins.

This story from Mark's Gospel tells me two things; intercession can move God's hand and, in God's eyes,  spiritual ailments are more serious than physical ailments. 

I hope I could have four friends such as the paralytics, brothers who would carry me physically or in prayer to the feet of Jesus. I hope I can also be such a friend. 

As for the universal need for the forgiveness of sins, I guess this is where our parishes become "hospitals in the field of battle" that Pope Francis desires us to be. I can be a stretcher bearer in such a parish, when not being the patient on the stretcher. 

Cooperate with Love

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

The compassion of Jesus compels him to reach out to touch and heal the leper but this compassion had a cost. 

In a sense, Jesus exchanged places with the leper. The leper could now show himself to the priest and be accepted back into his community. However, Jesus now had to "stay outside in places where nobody lived".

Compassion has a cost. Any ministry I engage in requires sacrifice of some sort. Why do it? Firstly because he who I follow did it first. But also because the cost is worldly and being pared from worldly stuff is not a bad thing. 

Cooperating with love has its own rewards, joy being the foremost. 

Make Known His Deeds

Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. O sing to him, sing his praise; tell all his wonderful works!   Ps.104(105):1,2

The psalmist says don't just be grateful to God, tell the world why you're grateful and who it is you're grateful to.

This is an encouragement for me to pray in another Alpha Course hosted by our parish. It's not the only way to "make known his deeds" but it's a way that works. 

Saint Philip Neri, please pray for us.

Time to Go Fishing

As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.
Jn.1:16-18

Jesus starts his ministry by building a team. Who are these founding members? Fishermen.

Jesus could have formed the core of his team from shepherds. After all, it was to shepherds that his incarnation was first revealed. Jesus even called himself the Good Shepherd. But he didn't call shepherds. He called fishermen. Why?

His meeting on the shore of the lake Simon and Andrew, James and John almost sounds accidental. But, I don't think anything is accidental with Jesus. To help him spread the Good News, Jesus was after fishermen, not shepherds. He didn't want people shepherded. He wanted them caught. 

The Church spends a lot of effort and resources in shepherding, in stroking the wool of the sheep inside the pen. We're not too good at catching. We're all in the Barque of Peter but we haven't dropped any nets.

So, what's this all saying to me? Maybe it's time to start another Alpha Course. It's time to go fishing.

Saints Peter and Andrew, James and John please pray for us.

Be Good News

Anyone who has the Son has life, anyone who does not have the Son does not have life.

I have written all this to you so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God may be sure that you have eternal life.
1Jn.5:12,13

John's assurance to believers of their gaining eternal life also declares starkly to non-believers they can have no such assurance. 

There is a tendency in the Church to believe everyone is going to heaven. Scripture says the exact opposite. Accepting that only believers in Jesus as the Son of God can claim a hope for heaven places urgency in evangelisation. People need to hear the Good News in order to believe the Good News. 

Being Good News is a great way to preach. Saint John the Apostle, pray that I may be Good News to those I meet today.

Faith to Love

And his commandments are not difficult, because anyone who has been begotten by God has already overcome the world; this is the victory over the world – our faith.
1Jn.4:3,4

John has just written down the command to love. Loving can appear daunting at times but John assures us God's commands are not difficult. Why? Because we have victory over every obstacle in the world, through faith.

Faith is the key. Through faith in Jesus and everything he says, I have victory. Through faith I can love even the unlovely. 

I have a family member causing pain. He is difficult to love at times but I know it is love that will eventually heal him. Faith in the God of love, who not only loves me but also loves him, will help me to work in the opposite spirit, to help me love him. 

Saint John the Beloved, please pray for me.