Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean

 

Scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB

In our gospel for today we hear of a healing of a leper who was humble and courageous enough to turn to Jesus to seek healing. Lepers during the time our Lord walked the earth were people that were segregated from the rest of society due to their illness. Leprosy is a very contagious disease that ate away at your body. As a result, for the health and safety of society, lepers were segregated to their own communities just so the disease would not spread. It became a very lonely painful life for those who had this terrible disease.

If they went beyond their community, they had a bell they had to ring and, as they rang the bell, they would cry out, “Unclean” as a warning to those who may come across their path. Understandably people were afraid of contracting this disease. But unfortunately, it meant for a lonely and terrible life for those who did have this affliction.

This leper heard of the healing power of Jesus, and taking a chance, approached our Lord and asked for healing, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He wasn’t demanding to be healed. Rather, he recognized the possibility that our Lord may say no. But he approached the Lord with faith and received the healing he was hoping for.

We all have our own cares and concerns that we carry with us. Different illnesses or family concerns that cause us worry and pain. Like this leper in the gospel for today, we are encouraged to go to Jesus with our cares and concerns, and pray, “Lord Jesus, if you wish, please help me with this care or problem.” Our Lord will be there to respond to you in a way that is best for you. He may not respond in as a dramatic way as he did with the leper in today’s gospel, but our Lord Jesus Christ will respond to you in a way that is best for you in whatever problem or illness you are facing. Just ask the Lord to be with you and comfort you in all your cares and concerns, and the Lord will be there to give you his peace and healing. If the problem continues, just ask the Lord to walk with you as you face your pain.

I am reminded of an old hymn that we can all pray when we’re facing these problems or illness. It’s called “Precious Lord, take my hand”: it goes like this: 

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I’m weak, I’m lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.

Amen

P.L.E.A.

 

Today we have a guest blogger, Arlene B. Muller. Arlene B. Muller (Arlene Clare Muller, OSF) is a lector and EM at St. Pancras parish, a singer in the choir at St. Margaret's parish, a professed Secular Franciscan at St. Adalbert's Secular Franciscan fraternity & an itinerant speech/language therapist working with preschool children with delayed language development. She enjoys writing and music and sharing Christian and pro-life posts on FACEBOOK.

In my first article I proposed an ACRONYM for fighting abortion & the culture of death: P.L.E.A.   P = PRAYER.  L = LOBBY/LEGAL/LEGISLATION. E = EVANGELIZE & EDUCATE.  A = ADVOCATE, which involves charitable donations of money and/or material items, volunteer work, promotion/publicity, & other means of supporting pro-life organizations & resource centers that help women in crisis pregnancies to choose life & often provide support not only during pregnancy, labor & delivery but also after the birth of the child as well.

The first tool to fight abortion & promote the Gospel of the sanctity of ALL human life from conception through natural death is PRAYER. I know there are times when I have felt that our cause seems HOPELESS--especially when the pro-life movement has received a crushing blow when rabidly pro-abortion officials are elected and have begun to seek & threaten to reverse every victory the pro-life cause has achieved under the administrations of officials who, despite their many faults & imperfections, have been extremely supportive of the pro-life cause & the Catholic Church in America. At these times I sigh and say, "All we can do is pray!"  I confess that these words I have tended to say out of disappointment, discouragement, frustration & helplessness, wondering why GOD allowed this defeat, rather than in the spirit of the faith, trust & confidence I should have in our GOD Who is the Author of Life Who works even seeming defeats to our good (Romans 8:28). Prayer is the one thing we CAN do when we don't know what else to do, and GOD still hears our prayers & loves the ones whose lives are at risk more than we do! In fact, prayer should not merely be our last resort but our FIRST course of action, because it is GOD Who can call & inspire us to take additional action & open doors of opportunity to do more good than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) & it is GOD Whose graces, blessings & help we need in every endeavor. There are many people whose health issues, disabilities, family issues or other life circumstances prevent them from taking any action other than prayer, & their prayers & offering of their sufferings can make them uniquely qualified to be prayer warriors like Moses, Aaron & Hur at the top of the mountain while those called to be like Joshua are actively engaged in the battle.

There are many ways we can pray for the victory of the Gospel of life. We can pray that the many states who, thank the LORD, have been passing pro-life legislation, can become test cases at the Supreme Court (and there is a forthcoming case from Mississippi that could be the test case)-- and that our potentially pro-life majority of either 6-3 or 5-4 will have the courage & moral fortitude to overturn Roe v Wade & thus end decades of a tragic & disgraceful national policy of abortion on demand throughout pregnancy for any or no reason & allow decisions regarding abortion up to the states. We can pray for the conversion of our pro-abortion politicians, especially those who claim to be Catholic. We can & should pray for the many pro-life pregnancy resource centers & organizations like Good Counsel Homes & The Bridge to Life, that they may receive GOD'S protection & provision as they help & support women in crisis pregnancies to choose life for their babies. We can & should pray for women in crisis pregnancies that they will choose life for their babies, receive the help & support they need, & make the right decision whether to raise their children themselves or choose adoption & that these babies will live & thrive in safe, secure & loving homes.

In the 1980s I found the following prayer that is non political & that has been attributed to the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, & I have tried to pray this daily ever since I found it in an elevator at work. It is a daily prayer to spiritually adopt an unborn baby (one baby per year) who is in danger of being aborted, with the hope that the babies whose lives we have saved by our prayers of spiritual adoption will someday greet us in heaven when both they & we have lived our full lives:

"JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH, I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH. I BEG YOU TO SPARE THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN BABY I HAVE SPIRITUALLY ADOPTED WHO IS IN DANGER OF ABORTION." 

Pax et Bonum,

God is your Father, not your Mother

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be

 

The scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB

What do we treasure most in our lives? What are the things that are most important to us? Our families? Our belongings? Our homes? What are the things we treasure most that we think we can’t really live without? Are these the things we consider more important to us than God? Are our family and possessions more important to us than God?

For myself, I have a large collection of books at home, both religious and secular. Books that I love very much. I even own several copies of the bible. I have asked myself, “Do I really need all these books?” Do I really need more than one copy of the bible? Or should I just have one copy of the bible to use for meditation on the mysteries of God?

My bibles and books are important to me, but they are only tools that I need to develop that closer relationship with God. They are the tools I should use to bring me to realize that God is the “treasure” of my life.  It is when they become a distraction from my relationship with God that I have to refocus my attention and focus on making God the center of who I am.

To overcome these distractions, I turn to the bible and make some quiet time to meditate on where I am in my relationship with God. I would choose the scripture readings for Mass that day and sit down and meditate on what God is trying to teach me at that moment. I make God the treasure that I seek. God is that treasure in heaven that we are all called to seek out. Sometimes I may not get a clear message of what God is trying to tell me, but then I receive the peace and comfort that can only come from spending time with Him in prayer. Time alone with God is the most important treasure that we can seek out.

Our Lord goes on to point out in today’s gospel, “If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light…” God is the one that will supply the light to our eyes in order to bring us closer to Him and to develop that healthy relationship that will give us true peace.

Let us take time each day to be alone with God. Make time to pray, meditate and let God know that He is the most important treasure in our lives. Nothing is more important than having that loving relationship with God, our true treasure in heaven.

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: Immediately blood and water flowed out

 

The scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus | USCCB

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Officially part of the liturgical calendar since 1856, it is one of the greatest devotions of Christianity. The Sacred Heart stands as a powerful symbol of the whole human body of Jesus Christ. The heart is at its core, representing the very real life of Jesus our Saviour; a heart which was formed in Mary’s womb; a heart which beat as he preached the Good News and healed the sick; a heart that stopped on the cross and was then pierced by the soldier’s lance. It is also the heart that beat once more at the Resurrection and continues to do so for us today.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a powerful reminder of the love of Christ poured out for us all. It is at once a representation of His divine love and His human love. In the Sacred Heart we see the love of God which created the heavens and the earth; a love which created humankind and then redeemed us in our fallen nature. But the Sacred Heart is also one of fully human love; one which expressed itself in the love of Jesus for His Mother; the love of Jesus for His disciples, and the love which He showed for all He preached to and cared for. It was a love that was able to forgive those who nailed Him to a cross.

We can adore and praise the Sacred Heart of Jesus each time we come to Mass or to just pay a visit to church during the day. During Mass, Jesus becomes truly present during consecration and comes to us, with His Sacred Heart, at each Holy Communion we receive. We can also adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in each tabernacle in each Catholic Church we visit. Further, when we adore our Lord in Eucharistic adoration, we are adoring His Sacred Heart.

Let us take this love of Jesus and His Sacred Heart to all those in our lives to let them know that Jesus and His Sacred Heart loves them and that He wants to be the center of their lives. As Jesus loves His mother and His disciples, He loves each one of us. We are called to bring that love of Christ, beating in His Sacred Heart, into a world that so much needs His love, peace, and forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, through your Sacred Heart, help us to bring the love you have for all people to those in our lives that are in most need of knowing your love. Help us to be faithful and good Christians in a world that seems to lack your love and healing. Amen.

You Can't Call Yourself a Catholic if . . .

The great crowd heard this with delight

 

The scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB

The Gospels of the past few days have all been about truth in one way or another. The truth, as Jesus once said, will make us free. In today’s Gospel, we see another effect of the truth - it brings us joy - “the large crowd was listening to him with delight”. Jesus was telling them the truth about who he was, and they were delighted. Earlier in this chapter of St. Mark, we hear Jesus teach about God not being the God of the dead, but of the living.  Jesus also teaches of the two great commandments: love of God and love of neighbor.

The Pharisees believed that the Messiah would come as a conquering hero. They also believed that the ceremonial rites such as the shedding of the blood of a bull or a ram somehow set the captives free or gave hope to the downcast and the oppressed. For many of the Pharisees, their relationship with God seemed to consist of these “rites.” True, they were doing what was required. However, did they truly know God? Or did they simply know “about” God? Or did they have a personal and loving relationship with God?

As a result of all that Jesus said and did, the crowds were able to enter into that personal relationship with God that the Pharisees seemed to be missing out on. We, too, are called into that loving relationship with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t need sacrifices of a bull or ram. Rather we have the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus here at every mass, under the form of bread and wine. We develop that closer relationship with God by first listening to God’s word in the scripture read at each Mass, and then the frequent reception of Holy Communion that follows.

Let us continue to be delighted by Jesus Christ at every mass as we hear what he’s trying to teach us in Holy Scripture and then to receive Him in Holy Communion. And then let us bring the Good News of God’s love to all those that we encounter in our day to day life.

The Faithlessness of Small Thinking