Eternal Life

SCRIPTURE
‘You study the scriptures, believing that in them you have eternal life; now these same scriptures testify to me, and yet you refuse to come to me for life!"

Jn.5:39,40

OBSERVATION

Jesus has just healed the man lying beside the pool in Jerusalem, attracting the wrath of the Pharisees because it was "work" done on the Sabbath. Here He addresses the Pharisees explaining what it is He is offering them (eternal life) and by whose authority He offers it (God the Father’s).

These particular verses are all the more significant when I realise what is coming in the next chapter of John; John Chapter 6 is the great discourse Jesus gives on the Eucharist…

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day”. (Jn.6:53,54)

The accusation from Jesus about those studying scriptures and still refusing to come to Him for life is just as true for many today.

APPLICATION

Holy Eucharist is such I gift that I often take for granted.  I forget that Jesus has promised me eternal life when I eat His flesh and drink His blood.  What a wonderful promise!  Today I need to go to Mass with this renewed appreciation of who it is and what it is I am receiving.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, I come to you today for eternal life.

Little Flower, please pray for me.

Get up and Walk!

SCRIPTURE

‘Do you want to be well again?’ ‘Sir,’ replied the sick man ‘I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; and while I am still on the way, someone else gets there before me.’ Jesus said, ‘Get up, pick up your sleeping-mat and walk.’
Jn.5:6-8

OBSERVATION
Jesus is in Jerusalem and is moved with pity for the one sick man among the many lame and crippled who are lying there waiting for a miracle.  Jesus heals the man on the Sabbath, incurring the wrath of the Pharisees who intensify their persecution of Him.

OBSERVATION
On more than one occasion in the Gospels it is recorded where Jesus asks this type of question of a person who is obviously in need.  "Do you want to be well again?"  The question demands a response.  The sick man in this story responds by telling Jesus why he can't be healed.  Jesus then tells him how he can be healed, "Get up... and walk".  There is healing power in simply recognising Jesus' authority over sickness and acting on it.  Then man gets up, and he walks!
I am sick.  The illness of sin lies in me and cripples me.  Jesus asks me, "Do you want to be well again? Do I give Jesus excuses for my ailment, or do I recognise the authority of Jesus over my sickness?
Today I choose to get up... and walk!

PRAYER
Lord Jesus.  Thank you that You bring me life and life in abundance. You are my Hope and Joy!
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Love God and Love Others

SCRIPTURE
 Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’
Mark 12:29-31


OBSERVATION
Jesus is replying to a question from a scribe, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’  No doubt the question was more about testing Jesus than from a real desire to know.  But Jesus took the question at face value and went deeper with it, knowing it would reveal not only a truth to the world but a truth about the scribe himself.  The scribe was taken past his cynicism to a genuine truth that lay deeper within him: he loved God and he loved others.  The scribe's spontaneous response showed who he really was and led Jesus to proclaim, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’


APPLICATION
Loving God and loving others does that.  It gets past all my human pride, my judgmental-ism, my greed, my lustfulness.  In short, it gets past my brokenness, which is still there like the scribe's, and allows the real me to shine...  the me God made me to be.  It truly is the most important thing for me today.


PRAYER
Lord Jesus, today I want to be not far from the Kingdom of God.  Teach me how to love.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Unity

SCRIPTURE
‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses.
Luke 11:17

OBSERVATION
Jesus has just delivered a man from a demon. Most people marvel at what He has done but some criticised Jesus, accusing Him of working for the devil. Jesus refutes their accusation with pure and simple logic; “a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan…”

APPLICATION
The logic Jesus uses to counter the claims against Him is a universal law. Anything divided becomes a weaker entity. This law is like gravity, you can’t escape it. It applies to everything, physical, social and spiritual. It applies to the entities I am part of; my church, my parish, my family. A major plea in Jesus’ priestly prayer at the Last Supper was for the unity of His followers; “Father, may they be one as you and I are one…”. Disunity is a curse from the devil while unity is a blessing from God. This being so, today I make unity the hallmark of all my relationships. It is the sign of an authentic Believer.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, remind me by your Spirit to be one who unifies and builds up, not separates and tears down.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

The Price Has Been Paid

SCRIPTURE
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.
Mt.5:17

OBSERVATION
Jesus gives this startling proclamation immediately after giving the beatitudes during His Sermon on the Mount.

APPLICATION
I often wrongly think that Jesus came to replace the Law of Moses, that He came to free us from the Law which ends in death. While this is true, I still need the Law to convict me of my sinfulness. It is then that I rush into the loving arms of my Father in Heaven and throw myself into His mercy. Jesus completion of the Law was carried out on the cross when He took the punishment the Law demands of me. He took my death-sentence that I might live. What a price he paid! What a gift I have received! Today I live with a deep sense of thankfulness for what Jesus has gained for me.

PRAYER
Jesus my Redeemer, thank you for all you have done and are doing for me.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

He is the Answer

SCRIPTURE

Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.

Lk.13:4,5

OBSERVATION

Jesus is responding to the news about people who had been slaughtered by Pilate while in the Temple.  No doubt the people were trying to make sense of what seemed a travesty of justice to them.  Jesus puts it into a bigger perspective and draws His listeners into the picture.

APPLICATION

Travesty and injustice continues to happen.  Bad things still happen to good and innocent people.  Our friends little eight-year old daughter has just been diagnosed with a brain tumour.  Why Jesus?  Why does this happen?

This is the wrong question of course.  I should be asking “How?”  …How am I to live with this Lord?  Jesus’ answer is the same… Repent.  Draw closer to Him and then it will obvious as to how I am to respond to the injustices of this world.  He always is the answer.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you are the answer to all my questions.  Help me draw closer to you today.

Little Flower, please pray for me.

A Beloved Son

SCRIPTURE
While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly.
Luke 15:20

OBSERVATION
The Pharisees were complaining that Jesus welcomed sinners, even eating with them. In response Jesus tells them the three beautiful parables about those who are lost and the lengths God the Father goes to find them… The parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep and finally the greatest revelation of God’s love, the parable of the lost son.

APPLICATION
This parable Jesus tells always resonates with me. Often I identify with the lost son, sometimes I see more of myself in the jealous older brother, always I rejoice in the picture Jesus paints of the loving Father. No matter what “pig pen” I have come from, He is the one who runs to me, takes me in His arms and says “Son, welcome home”.
Today I see myself rightly, I see myself as the beloved son.

PRAYER
Father in heaven, what can I say that conveys my gratitude for your love… nothing. I simply sit in your love and bask in it.
Little Flower, please pray for me.