Weekdays of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Reflections

The Way to Know Jesus
 

We get to know Jesus through the Gospels. We read a part of a Gospel, understand it and then discover through prayer God's message for us.

Jesus is a real Person. We can get to know him but like everything worth doing we have to work at it.

First we have to give time each day. Without giving time each day we shouldn't expect any results.

Second, we need silence and solitude so that we can enter into 'the cave of our hearts'.

Third, we need to pray that God's Holy Spirit come upon us.When his Spirit comes upon us, he will lead us .

Fourth, we must realise that Jesus is present deep within us. We need to make contact with him. We are to sit quietly in his presence. To help you concentrate your mind and heart on him, you can recite a word or phrase (no more than seven syllables) such as "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus". "Jesus, my Saviour", "Jesus, I sit before you", "Jesus, my Lord & my God" .

At first try ten minutes every day, sitting quietly and comfortably all alone. Do this sincerely every day without fail and over the weeks and months you will notice a difference and people will notice a difference in you too. The more generous you are, the more you will be able to receive. Jesus will be at work in you and create a spring of peace within you. The secret is not effort but fidelity to it day by day.

Monday July 12^th 2010

Matthew 10:34-11:1

Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me

'Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set son against father, daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law; ³⁶ a person's enemies will be the members of his own household. ³⁷ 'No one who prefers father or mother to me is worthy of me. No one who prefers son or daughter to me is worthy of me. ³⁸ Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. ⁴⁰ 'Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹ 'Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have a prophet's reward; and anyone who welcomes an upright person because he is upright will have the reward of an upright person. ⁴² 'If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not go without his reward.'

¹ When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.

Jesus gives peace in our hearts and in the community but causes deep divisions in the world. Jesus’ love is so great that he wants us in our totality. He too is the only one who fills our heart with the joy we all long for. He desires our wholehearted and faithful response to his love. When we give our heart to him in love we are indeed able to love everyone as he loves them. But no one, not even the closest, can ask us to do what displeases to him. Our love for him will always refuse their request. Hence the division and the sword that he brings into our lives. We cannot be unfaithful to his love even at the cost of our life. But even to lose everything for his sake is no loss. We have him and he is everything. How do you love him?

Tuesday 13^th July 2010

Matthew 11:20-24

Then he began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent. ²¹ 'Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² Still, I tell you that it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on Judgement Day than for you. ²³ And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be raised as high as heaven? You shall be flung down to hell. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing yet. ²⁴ Still, I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on Judgement Day than for you.'

There will be a day of judgement. The secrets of men’s hearts will be revealed. Have we been sincere in the decisions we have made? Have we loved everyone? We can be no more than fully sincere with love. Everyone who has acted according to the truth as he knows it will stand without fear. Our judge is just. He declares what we are. The worst rebuke of Jesus is reserved for Capernaum where Jesus ‘made his home’. ‘When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person.” (Luke12:48). In the Church Jesus has made his home. We are weak and rightly fear the judgement. Are we just nominal disciples? Let us now come close to Jesus in our prayer. Daily sit at his feet with our weakness and sinfulness. If we are sincere, his mercy will heal us. Do you rely on Jesus?

Wednesday 14^th July 2010

Matthew 11:25-27

At that time Jesus exclaimed, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. ²⁷ Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

To reveal the Father is not just to tell us about him. That is great enough – that he is our Father, a God of compassion and love who delights in his children and wants to share everything he is and has with us. To reveal the Father is to introduce us to the Father, to bring us close to him so that we call on him as Abba – Daddy. He wants us to experience his Father as Someone close and loving, on whom we can rely and so live without worry or anxiety. He wants us to relax knowing that he will provide for us in every way. All we need to do is respond to him with all our hearts and live according to his love and justice. Then he can be Father to us and we will rejoice in being his children. Have you experienced God as Abba?

Thursday 15^th July 2010

'Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.'

The demands of Jesus are  heavy for ordinary mortals. He demands that we take up our cross and follow him. It is a crucifixion of the longings of the human heart. Then what makes his yoke easy and his burden light? Once we know Jesus, have tasted how good the Lord is and love him, then everything changes. Through his grace, it is love for him that makes his burden light. We rest and rejoice in his friendship knowing that everything is well and everything will be well. Our love for him urges us to come closer to him and to become like him in everything.  Though the God of the Universe he has become a human being to invite us to share life with him in intimate friendship. Have you penetrated the silence and darkness of faith to find rest in his embrace? He waits to give you life.

Friday 16^th July 2010

Matthew 12:1-8

The Pharisees loved the Law. Its observance was their distinguishing mark. The Sabbath was a crucial element in their observation of the Law. In Exodus this Law is very simple, “You shall keep my Sabbaths”.(Ex.31:13). This was clarified with my subsidiary laws. The conflict arises with Jesus’ disagreement with the interpretation of the Pharisees. For Jesus the supreme Law is the ‘Law of love’ – God wants mercy. They interpret what the disciples are doing as reaping and harvesting and so forbidden. Jesus says it is not. He gives the example of David and his followers ‘breaking the Law’ and of the Temple priests too. He claims to be equal with David and greater than the Temple and further Lord of the Sabbath which is a claim to be equal with God. For them Jesus is a dangerous radical. Do you follow the Law of love in the face of opposition?

Saturday 17^th July 2010

Matthew 12:`14-21

¹⁴ At this the Pharisees went out and began to plot against him, discussing how to destroy him. ¹⁵ Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many followed him and he cured them all ¹⁶ but warned them not to make him known. ¹⁷ This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ¹⁸ Look! My servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul delights, I will send my Spirit upon him, and he will present judgement to the nations; ¹⁹ he will not brawl or cry out, his voice is not heard in the streets, ²⁰ he will not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick, ²¹ until he has made judgement victorious; in him the nations will put their hope.

Jesus has taught us not to resist the evil one. The Pharisees want to kill him. Jesus knows this. His response is to withdraw and reduce his publicity by ordering silence. He does not cease from his work of mercy. He continues to reveal God’s love by healing ‘them all’. This is God’s response to man’s evil intent. It is to show more love. He wants to overcome evil with good. Jesus is the manifestation of the invisible God full of God’s Spirit. God’s judgement is to continue to show mercy. He wants to make us his beloved children. He proclaimed this of Jesus at the Jordan with today’s words of Isaiah. Through Jesus he wants to proclaim it of everyone he has created. What is your response to Jesus? Wholehearted love? Hate? Lack of interest? Whatever, He will continue to love you. Are you the manifestation of Jesus?