Sunday Gospel Reflection, July 22, 2018

Sea of Galilee

February, 2018

The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught.  He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.  So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.  People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.  They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.  Mark 6:30-34

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Reflection

In today's Gospel Mark tells us of the return of the apostles and how they reported to Jesus about their journey.  I think Jesus was aware of their need to rest because he had experienced it himself.  So, at his suggestion he says, "Lets go somewhere quiet, rest and think about what you learned from your time with those you taught."  I think he was saying, "You need time to consider what they had experienced.  

How often do I fail to take time to really take time to think about what my day has been to me.  Maybe it's been a day full of joy.  Perhaps, it been one full of challenges.  Or maybe, there was anger and frustration as part of the day.  

I think we know we need time to rest in, reflect on, and accept the day.  But often we avoid this by being too busy.  What happens to us when we get busy?  We relegate today to the "finished pile", and prepare to start tomorrow without the least regret that we have not taken time to be grateful for the present.  Yes, grateful!  For without the experiences of "today" it's hard to live tomorrow.  We need to ask ourselves, "What happened today that was good and I hope I experience again?  What happened today that I regret happened and hope to rectify?  Ddi I thank God heartily for the day?"

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Action

I know it's been suggested before that you just take time, be quiet, and spend time with God.  I can only suggest it again.  You have to be committed to this time.  What part of the day was good?  What part was a disappointment?  And it's important to place Providence in the midst of the day,  the ever present rudder that steers this vessel called life.  For as the apostles took time for quiet in the boat with Jesus, we also must take time to be in the boat as well.   And so be quiet!

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Thanks be to God!

Cathy

Just like Saint Mother Theodore many saints "leaned on Providence."  They are lessons we can all learn if only we will try.  Don't you know it's so much easier to do it ourselves.  "Leaning" is not what we are raised to do.  Well, now it's time we did learn to "lean."  I know I'm trying/.

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In all your undertakings rely wholly on God's providence, through which alone they can succeed; but seek steadily on your part to cooperate with it, and then rest satisfied that if you are trusting all to God, whatever happens will be best for you, whether it seems to your own judgment good or bad.

St. Francis de Sales

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Thanks be to God!

Cathy

Guidance In Prayer

I have been wondering how to pray for guidance during this political campaign in order to discern more effectively the candidates, and the answer came during my prayers this morning the form of Psalm 12.  I invite everyone to pray it with me until Election Day, 2016/.

Psalm 12

Help, O Lord, for good men have vanished:

truth has gone from the sons of men.

Falsehood they speak one to another, 

with lying lips, with a false heart.

May the Lord destroy all lying lips,

the tongue that speaks high-sounding words,

those who say: "Our tongue is our strength:

our lips are our own, who is our master?"

"for the poor who are oppressed and the needy who groan

I myself will arise," says the Lord.

"I will grant them the salvation for which they thirst.

The words of the Lord are words without alloy,

silver from the furnace, seven times refined.

It is you, O Lord, who will take us in your care

and protect us for ever from this generation.

See how the wicked prowl on every side,

See how the wicked prowl on every side,

while the worthless are prized highly by the sons of men.

I believe this prayer holds the answer as to how we are to pray.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!

Cathy

Justice

In the absence of justice what is sovereignty but organized robbery.  

~~Saint Augustine~~

I would ask you to reflect on these words in light of the world we live in today.  Then consider what it is you have to do insure that there is justice for all where you live.  This is an awesome task, but if we are to live as followers of Christ in the world today we cannot sit on our sofas and do nothing.  We must and can be disciples of the one who was sent by the Father.

Be as Christ to the world.  Ask yourself, "Do I promote justice where I live?"  Or am I one who chooses to ignore those in need saying, "This is not my problem.  I have problems of my own."  

I would hope you would see yourself in those who suffer and even with those problems you face you will offer justice and peace to those who are also in need!

Thank you!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Lesson from Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

"We are certainly more agreeable to the Divine Majesty when, in obedience, we are forming and teaching those poor little orphans than if, of our own will, we are praying all the day long on our knees."

~~Saint Mother Theodore Guerin~~

And so we have been called to continue to care for the poor and the orphans even as our Holy Father teaches us the way.  

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Thanks be to God!

A Birthday Celebration

". . . but the protecting hand of the Lord,

which guarded us on the deep,

preserved us from accident and harm on the land."

(Written while crossing the Alleghenies on the way to  Indiana.)

~~Saint Mother Theodore Guerin~~

Today we celebrate Labor Day and my son, Wes', birthday.  I try not to take anything for granted, though I know at times I do.  I have 5 wonderful children and each one is special in his or her own way, thanks be to God! 

And so today I celebrate the life God gave Wes and his wife and two beautiful daughters.  I can never be grateful to God enough for them.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!

Cathy

Serving the Poor

When we serve the poor and the sick, we serve Jesus.  We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus.

~~Saint Rose of Lima~~

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Thanks be to God!

Cathy