Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, The initiative we take towards the Lord is always one we take with other disciples. Jesus said to the crowds, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. The gospel says that they were talking together about all that had happened. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. For this Liturgical Year: Weekday Reflections for 2019/2020 'The Word of God is Living and Active' available at messenger.ie & 'Journeying with Matthew' ~ Reflections on Sunday Gospel, Year A available at @veritas.ie . The Lord points to that relationship to express something of his own relationship to his disciples. for the life of the world.. His death produced a real sense of loss in many Catholics. Very ancient tradition suggests that Marks gospel was written in Rome and that Mark was a disciple of Peter. In the gospel reading, Jesus declares that he came to do his Fathers will, which is that all who see the Son and believe in him shall have eternal life. So the other disciples said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe., Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. These cookies are necessary to let our website work. God was moving in a way that was taking everyone by surprise. Our website uses cookies to give you the best online experience. It seems that in the course of Jesus public ministry he gradually grew in his relationship with Jesus; he allowed himself to be drawn to Jesus more fully. We thank God for all those who are responding to that call in these days. People began to see that this movement wasnt just a particular branch of Judaism. Because we do not yet see him face to face, our faith is always a faith that hopes. Given my very particular circumstances, the relationships and commitments I have at this time, the unique set of gifts and limitations that are mine, what is the Lord asking of me now? They reveal a certain insight into what has happened, but very often a limited insight. In todays gospel reading Jesus declares both everybody who believes has eternal life and anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. One of the images of Jesus that you find in the catacombs is that of the Good Shepherd. Philip and Andrew were very sceptical about Jesus ability to feed the crowds. The source of our courage is the same Holy Spirit who is given to us within the community of faith, when we join with other believers in prayerful petition. It is also a very important place of pilgrimage for Muslims. In the gospel reading, the crowd resist what Jesus had just said about giving his flesh for the life of the world as bread to be eaten. In this situation different people reacted in different ways. In that village culture, a skill could be a small source of income. Every so often the Lord prompts the church to take a new step beyond where it has been. We are all concerned about the church today. In this mornings gospel reading, Jesus sees crowds coming towards him. Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? As risen Lord he was also working with them. The Lord points to that relationship to express something of his own relationship to us. Andrew recognized that one of the crowd had a small amount of food but he dismissed this small resource as of no value. This conflict in the church required the Twelve to clarify for themselves and for the other members of the church what their priorities were to be, We will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word. As the Father sent me, He stands ready to pour afresh the Spirit of his love into our hearts, so that we can be recreated, empowered to share in his mission in the world. It was while the first disciples were at prayer in the upper room on the Jewish feast of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit came down upon them in the form of tongues of fire. They had a story they needed to tell and they told it to each other, and they listened to each others story. Even Marks gospel is placed second in the New Testament, almost all scholars agree that it was the earliest gospel to be written. The stories we tell each other can often be like that. We recognize that in and through the Eucharist we enter into communion with the Lord, and with each other, in a special way. It is an image that speaks to us of the Lords determination to hold onto us and prevent us from becoming separated from him. Scepticism and deep faith can often be found in one and the same person. Our relationship with the Lord is no different. Yes, he desperately wants us to have life and to have it to the full. Jesus has approached us, has entered into a relationship with us, not to get something from us, but to give everything to us. but may have eternal life. It follows that the Lord will never call us to something that would result in a diminishment of life for ourselves. We can make that same discovery. Like the disciples, we can feel hopeless before certain situations. Our reflections on the daily reading at Mass for this coming week have now been uploaded to our website: http://www.carmelites.ie/readingsreflect.html 99 10 Comments Share The questions and doubts of our reason are an inevitable part of seeing dimly. While Jesus was alone, the disciples set out to cross the sea of Galilee without Jesus. We might even find ourselves walking away from something or somewhere when, in reality, we should be staying put, or walking towards it. Heavenly things can be viewed through earthly things. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem at the beginning of the sixth century BC, resulting in the Babylonian exile, and the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in the year 70 AD. Christopher LaRocca, OCD Ash Wednesday, February 22nd - Easter Sunday, April 9th You can also hear them from your phone and receive daily reminders by using the Carmelite Institute App. She also wrote her great work, the Dialogues, describing the contents of her mystical conversations with Christ. What is he saying to me? This is the action of discernment. In Johns version of this episode, which we have just heard, he is first referred to by Andrew, Simon Peters brother, but he is referred to in a way which suggests his relative insignificance, There is a small boy here with five loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many? However, Jesus does not consider the presence of this small boy with his meagre resources to be insignificant. The general call of baptism to be the Lords disciple, which is addressed to us all, is then lived out in particular ways in response to the Lords very personal, daily call to each one of us. Access to our fields would normally be very difficult, both for people and for animals, because of the abundance of ditches and hedging. When Jesus declares in todays gospel reading, my yoke is easy and my burden light, he is saying that his teaching, his understanding of Gods will, is not something burdensome. He breathed new life into them; he recreated them in his love. As the gate, he calls out to us to keep passing through him to find that fullness of life which alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. We need to come to Gods Son, to come out into the light, in the words of gospel reading. Life after such a loss can be very difficult. The gate was intended to keep us in. He has done and is doing everything he can to make possible this intimate relationship between him and ourselves. He never ceases to come to us, and in coming he says to us what he said to his disciples on that first Easter morning, Peace be with you. He remains faithful to us, even when we are less than faithful to him. He presents himself as the unique gateway to God, and, in virtue of that, the unique gateway to a life that is stronger than death, to a love that is stronger than sin, to a light which is stronger than any darkness. The light of Jesus, rather, is the inviting light of Gods love, calling out to us to come and to allow ourselves to be bathed in this light, and promising those who do so that they will share in Gods own life, both here and now and also beyond death. The darkness of Good Friday was still too real for him and prevented him from being moved by their Easter proclamation. In that sense, each of us is called to be a shepherd to others. When the Lord speaks about life to the full there, we might be tempted to think only in terms of eternal life, life beyond death. Mark may have written his gospel for the church in Rome in the aftermath of that cataclysmic event. Philip, who helped to open up Gods word for him, goes on to baptize him. As we bring the broken pieces of our lives to the risen Lord, his Easter grace can restore and transform us. Its natural movement is towards greater simplicity, with less and less talking and more listening. Jesus also speaks as one who invites all who are overburdened to come to him for rest. Lectio Divina - O.Carm There is no other city that is such a significant a pilgrim destination for three major world religions. Carmelite Spirituality, Gospel Reflection / By Ritche Salgado, O.Carm. However, for the good shepherd, the role is not just a job; it is a loving commitment. Even though the Lord drew near to the Ethiopian through Philip, the Ethiopian himself was drawing near to the Lord, through his reading of the Scriptures, his questioning spirit, and his request for baptism. In reality, if the event in question is a complex and significant one, especially if it is somewhat mysterious, there are many stories that could be told about it. The light of Easter shone through the wounds of Jesus, and if we open ourselves to the risen Lord standing beside us, his light can shine through our wounds too. After this encounter with the risen Lord, Paul continued to see himself as a Jew, but he now recognized that the Lord Jesus was the face of the God of Israel. The Lord is always working with us to confirm, strengthen and support us in our efforts to answer his call in todays world. Yet, todays gospel reading suggests that this is not what the risen Lord wants from his followers. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. He stops to read the Scriptures and he is very touched by a passage from the prophet Isaiah. The gospel reading goes on to declare that because Jesus comes from heaven, he is able to bear witness to what he has seen and heard in heaven, what he has seen and heard from God his Father. Yet, because the boy was generous with his few resources, the Lord worked powerfully through his meagre resources for the feeding of the crowd, so that there was more than enough food for all. The gospels suggest that Jesus identified himself with the shepherds of his time because in saw in their work an image of his own ministry. Just as he empowered his disciples to get out behind their closed doors and bring his faithful love to all, he empowers us to do the same. She spent the last two years of her life in Rome in prayer, pleading on behalf of the cause of Pope Urban VI and the unity of the Church. Nowadays we can harness the wind to generate electricity, but there is so much about the wind which is beyond our control and understanding. Thankfully in recent years, along with the whole Church, the Carmelite Order has rediscovered the importance of Lectio Divina as a privileged way of growing in the relationship with Jesus Christ. In the Eucharist we consume Christ in a very personal way. Indeed, Jesus said that unless we become like little children we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Whenever we share our experience with someone else it often takes the form of a story of some kind. The Ethiopian was searching, but he needed help from someone who was a little further down the road of faith that he himself was. The wind blows wherever it pleases; That restlessness drives us to make contact with other people; it often leads us to set out on a journey of one kind or another, whether it is a physical journey, or an inner journey. They declared to the other members of the church that as the leaders they should be devoting themselves to prayer and to the service of Gods word. God's blessings! The wind blows wherever it pleases; On his search he meets with a companion who helps him to find an answer to some of his questions, who throws light on the word of God that has so intrigued him. In the gospel reading this morning, Jesus makes reference to stealing. When Cleopas had finished telling the stranger their story, the stranger began to tell a different story about the person and the events that were at the centre of Cleopass story. Even older again is Rome, and older again is Jerusalem. The gate gave access to both security and feeding for the sheep. This morning we ask the Lord to channel our energies and our gifts in ways that serve his purpose in the world. The first reading this morning is Lukes dramatic account of the call of Paul. It was the Scriptures that Jesus opened up for the two disciples in order to tell them that story of God, a story which does not end in death, but in glory. In the gospel reading, Jesus declares, whoever eats me will draw life from me. The cross Pope Francis wears around his neck bears the image of the Good Shepherd, bearing the lost sheep upon his shoulders. Nothing we do or fail to do will prevent the light of the gospel of Gods love from shining upon us, but we can chose to turn away from the light, to block it out, just as Judas left the presence of Jesus at the last supper and went out into the night. The Lord calls out to all of us to come to him, to know and love him as he knows and loves us. Having listened to the Lords story from the Scriptures, they pressed him to stay with them, because he appeared to be going on, It is nearly evening they said and the day is almost over. In the opening verses of his gospel, John the evangelist declared, the Word became flesh and lived among us. We cannot manage the Holy Spirit. For God sent his Son into the world Jesus was concerned about peoples physical needs, their physical hungers. The story is a reminder to us that we need each other on the journey of faith. Perth/Singapore/Philippines: 7am; Timor-Leste/Tokyo: 8am; New Zealand: 12pm; Los Angeles: Thursday 4pm; New York/Toronto: Thursday 7pm] to prayerfully reflect on the Gospel of the coming Sunday. Another purpose of a gate, however, is to provide access to an area. On these grounds is sentence pronounced: Alarms, security lighting, codes to get in and out of premises, strong gates and doors have become much more the norm than they used to be. We can be grateful to this former persecutor of the church for opening us for up the riches of our Christian identity and destiny. We recognize him in the Eucharist as the bread of life, in the language of todays gospel reading. Yet, the Lord managed to break through to him and completely turn his life around, so that the zealous persecutor became the equally zealous preacher of the gospel to the Gentiles. We are all invited to turn towards the Lord as the Bread of Life in trusting faith. We may not be physically present at the Eucharist these days, but we are spiritually present and we continue to recognize the Lord in the breaking of bread. Given my very particular circumstances, the relationships and commitments I have at this time, the unique set of gifts and limitations that are mine, what is the Lord asking of me? The Lord will not allow anything or anyone to come between himself and ourselves. In his doubting, Thomas may be like many other disciples today. Listening to the stranger opening up the Scriptures for them led them to the Eucharist. All of a sudden it is bright beyond 7.00 pm. Any passage of Scripture can be used for this way of prayer, but the passage should not be too long. Sundays and Weekdays in Ordinary Time | Weeks 9-16. Even though the Spirit was at work in all of this process, there was a genuine human element at work too. When Jesus says in the gospel reading, I am the gate, he means it in that second sense. Yet, God pours this Spirit of his love into our lives. Todays gospel reading assures us that the Lord understands a doubting, questioning, faith. Noticing that there was one small boy with five barley loaves and two fish, he asked, What is that between so many? However, the way Jesus spoke in response to the problem was much more inspirational. This being born of the Spirit will take more than nine months, the period of human birth. She insisted that she was betrothed to Christ. Our reflections on the daily reading - Carmelites Ireland - Facebook Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. In this mornings gospel reading Jesus invites each of us into that same communion of love with himself that Paul enjoyed. A person filled with the Holy Spirit was likely to discern whether or not this novelty was the work of the Spirit. They were fearful that those who put Jesus to death would come looking for his followers. In todays gospel reading, Gamaliel a leading member of the Jewish Sanhedrin shows a similar openness. But they urged him, Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over. So he went in to stay with them. The letter also concludes with a greeting from my son Mark. AdvertisingOur website places advertising cookies to show you 3rd party advertisements based on your interests. We can all draw strength in these times from that very personal relationship with the Lord he invites us to have with him. What is the Lords call to me in the particular circumstances of my life here and now? Given my very particular circumstances, the particular relationships I have at this time, the particular set of gifts and limitations that I have, what is the Lord asking of me? As we listen, we are gradually transformed from within. No one who believes in him will be condemned; When we allow the Spirit of the Lord to shape our lives, others can see something of the life of God in and through our lives. My hosanna has come forth from the crucible of doubt. A contemplative, her life of prayer expressed itself in the loving service of those in need. His way of speaking reflects what he said at the last supper where, having taken, blessed and broken bread, he gave it to his disciples and said, This is my body. That is why we treasure the books of the gospels so much, because if Jesus bears witness to God, the gospels bear witness to Jesus. In this mornings gospel reading, Jesus tells the Jews that the works he does in his Fathers name are his witness; what he does bears witness to his identity as the one sent from God. We are more used to thinking of Jesus as the shepherd than the gate. Was it not ordained, he asked, that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory? As the stranger told his story, something happened within the two disciples. LEARN MORE. When a parent dies in a family, for example, the siblings can be a great support to one another in the weeks and the months that follow. Yet, the Lord had wonderful plans for this almost helpless figure. Yet, the Father draws us to his Son in and through each other, just as God drew the Ethiopian to Jesus in and through Philip. He certainly helped to create, with Mary, the religious environment in the home which allowed Jesus to grow in his relationship with God. Saint Paul expresses that truth in these terms: Gods power is made perfect in weakness. In todays gospel reading, Jesus presents himself as the only one who can truly satisfy the deeper, spiritual, hunger in our lives. what is born of the flesh is flesh; Up until the time Mark wrote, there was no continuous written account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The wind is beyond our control; it doesnt blow where and when we want it to blow. and yet you people reject our evidence. He respected where they were on their journey. The story of Pauls conversion on the road to Damascus has captured the imagination of many people in the course of the centuries, including the imagination of many artists. The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep. In that sense, we all find ourselves in the situation of Nicodemus. That is what we find happening at the beginning of this mornings gospel reading. The fourth evangelist is also clear that Gods initiative needs our response if it is to be effective. The Lord is there before us even if we have not invited him in, even if we have locked ourselves away from him. Jesus brings God to us and brings us to God. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. In the gospel reading this morning, he describes a scene that would have been familiar to his contemporaries in Galilee. The Lords light is not in any way threatening. Jesus communion with God in prayer directs him to those who labour and are overburdened, inviting them to come to him and receive the gift of rest, the revival of their drooping spirits. When we have suffered a great loss we often feel the need to talk about the loss with someone. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. AdvertisingOur website places advertising cookies to show you 3rd party advertisements based on your interests. It was only looking back on their encounter that the two disciples came to realize that the stranger was the risen Lord. Believing in him as the one sent by God will open them up to receive all that he wants to give them. He acknowledges Jesus as a teacher come from God. In different ways we too can abandon the Lord; we may deny and even betray him by something we say or do. The city of Jerusalem had been a centre of pilgrimage for Jews for hundreds of years before the coming of Jesus. Eight days later, Jesus came again and stood among them. This realization can keep us hopeful and energized in difficult times. He entered into their situation; he invited them to tell their story, What matters were you discussing as you walk along? The story they told was the reason they were leaving Jerusalem, the very city where the Lord wanted them to remain. John was very aware that none of those things could be said about himself. Todays first reading makes reference to the persecution of the early church. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon. Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread. On our pilgrimage of life, the Spirit is always at our back. The first reading suggests that no human power can block the preaching of the gospel, not even the imprisonment of the apostles, Jesus closest associates. In the evening the disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake. It was that full story that Jesus went on to tell them, Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory? Having heard Jesus version of the story, they changed direction; they went back to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven assembled together. Yet, the story we have just heard relating to that road is a good news story. Above is the Holy Spirit radiating down on this ministry of mercy and compassion. That is because, in the words of todays gospel reading, God so loved the world. While listed as an optional Memorial, today's liturgy honors the Blessed Mother in her role as patroness of the Carmelite tradition.
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