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| Please respect Br Luke's work, and ask for permission before copying these mediations. February 2010 Revised Common Lectionary : Liturgical Year "C" Monday 1st Scripture: Mark 5:1-20 Reflection: The man who was healed wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus asked him to tell people about what had happened to him. Perhaps when we focus all our attention on making sure we following correctly, we lose sight of the purpose of our discipleship. When we focus on following we tend to focus on the rules, the regulations, what we can and can’t do. Then we become like the fearful neighbours who sent Jesus away. Is our discipleship about God’s love and mercy, not the rules?
Tuesday 2nd Scripture: Mark 5:21-43 Reflection: The woman knew as soon as she touched Jesus, she would be healed. She had no doubt, her faith led her to this knowledge. Jesus confirmed it, when her told her "your faith has healed you" (part of verse 34). Is our faith that strong that we would reach out and touch Jesus? Or would we allow excuses, the crowd, the disciples - or any other reason - to deter us?
Wednesday 3rd Scripture: Mark 6:1-6 Reflection: "he could do no deed of power there". Their unbelief meant he could not do anything for them. When we know we can help someone, and they either reject us, or spurn our help, it wounds us - on occasions deeply. We can surrender to the hurt and become stuck, or we can try to help - and when we see that we can't - move on to those we can. Remembering always not to carry any guilt about moving on, we are simply trusting that at some point God will lead that person to someone who will be able to help them.
Thursday 4th Scripture: Mark 6:7-13 Reflection: The sending out had a purpose, and a result, among the people whom the twelve met. The twelve, who were not carrying any possessions, did not hesitate to use the "authority" given to them. When we act, do we do so with the same confidence? Would we go on a journey like this unprepared? Or would we take everything we could possibly imagine we may find useful. If we were so laden with possessions, could we leave those we met "better" than when we first met them? How do we know this?
Friday 5th Scripture: Mark 6:14-29 Reflection: "The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her." (verse 26) We could also say that Herod's ego trapped him into making the promise and his pride in having to keep it. Pride and ego are the constant companions to those who have ceased to look beyond themselves. Companions to those whose own welfare is more important to them than any concern for the well being of others. Can you see pride or ego in any of your actions?
Saturday 6th Scripture: Mark 6:30-34 Reflection: Today we would probably describe the trip to a deserted place as "time out". Many of us do this, take a break, complete a period of retreat, or just go away for a weekend. The point is, that rest is important in an active life. If we don’t rest we become drained, and eventually broken. We can have compassion on ourselves, as well as others. So how are your periods of rest?
Sunday 7th Scripture: Luke 5:1-11 Reflection: The nets were empty and had been empty all night. But they were full when they were thrown out a second time. We can be like the nets - empty unless we trust. Peter could have said no, the nets are empty and left the lake, but he didn’t. He trusted, and the resulting catch was immense. So the next time you are tempted to think "no I've done this, it will be no use", remember Peter (and his partner's) and their nets - and have the faith to try.
Monday 8th Scripture: Mark 6:53-56 Reflection: It is possible, perhaps even probable, that some of those who touched his cloak and were healed, stayed with Jesus. It was his reputation as a healer that attracted them. But what would have made them stay? How about you? Do you know what attracted you to the faith? Is it the same attraction that keeps you believing?
Tuesday 9th Scripture: Mark 7:1-13 Reflection: Our lives are full of rituals. Some we are very aware of and choose to do them. There are others we do simply because we like them. Others we do simply because we always have and would be hard pressed to say why we do them. When a ritual has become disconnected to its purpose, it becomes barren. Have a look at your daily rituals. Are there any that no longer have any meaning? Why do you still do them?
Wednesday 10th Scripture: Mark 7:14-23 Reflection: Mark gives us a list of behaviour’s that Jesus describes as “evil intentions” (verse 21-22). I suspect there would be very few of us, who at some point or other, had not “done” at least one of the list. Try to think of a recent example. At the time, did you think of it as an evil intention originating in your heart? Or did you perhaps rationalise it away with your head? Do you think it defiled you? Would you do the same thing again?
Thursday 11th Scripture: Mark 7:24-30 Reflection: “But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ (verse 28). No matter how exclusive, or how selective we want to be, there will always be people who will value the crumbs, even if (or when) those at the table do not. Syrophoenician woman was confident Jesus could help her. She was prepared to challenge him and to show she valued the crumbs. Sound like anyone you know?
Friday 12th Scripture: Mark 7:31-37 Reflection: Have a look at the mechanics of this healing.
Notice anything? Jesus spoke to the man’s body, not to the deaf man. No comment about forgiveness of sins, or faith, he simply commanded the body to be “open” - and it was. We seem to always want things to be done in the way we expect. When something different happens from what we wanted – or expected, we become confused and perhaps begin to doubt. Remember Jesus spoke to the body, The result we wanted/expected may have happened and we missed it.
Saturday 13th Scripture: Mark 8:1-10 Reflection: Jesus fed the people from his compassion. He knew they required food and so he provided it for them. From what seemed like an insufficient amount, he fed a multitude. When we live gospel centred lives, we do something similar. We start with what may seem small, but our witness can touch many more people than we could imagine. When we spread the word like this, we are also feeding the multitude.
Sunday 14th Scripture: Luke 6:17-26 Reflection: We have come to know this passage of scripture as the Beatitudes. Jesus has turned what we would expect on its head. Those poor and needy are blessed, those rich and powerful warned about hard times ahead. These views are as radical today as they were all those centuries ago. When we look at them as a source of joy, we can perhaps see some of the reasons why Francis & Clare of Assisi chose to live their lives the way they did. How about you, do you see the Beatitudes as guides to live your life?
Monday 15th Scripture: Mark 8:11-13 Reflection: There are times when we want more than what we are being offered. It does not matter how people try to explain, or demonstrate the ideas, we simply want proof. Something tangible. Something we can touch, taste or feel. This is what the Pharisees wanted - a sign - proof. Jesus refused them a sign, he wanted them to have faith. So how about you? Are you always wanting proof? Why?
Tuesday 16th Scripture: Mark 8:14-21 Reflection: The disciples, focused on the literal, mistaking the reference to yeast as bread, and not the deeper meaning Jesus was intending. We can easily do the same as the disciples. When we focus only on what we think, and perhaps become intransigent, we may miss the message that we were meant to receive. Do you focus on the literal and miss the message?
Wednesday 17th Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Reflection: “Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (verse 1). Practising piety can take many forms, some of them very subtle. When we do this, we may think the people watching us are impressed by our actions, or our deeds. Yet piety that is simply used as a show piece, is usually hollow, or of little substance. It often falls away, revealing the void beneath it. It is ego, and not service, driven. Have you fallen for this type of piety?
Thursday 18th Scripture: Luke 9:22-25 Reflection: What does it profit someone to gain the whole world?. Well there’d be some in this world who would gladly achieve this aim. I suspect these folk will not even give the second part of Jesus’ sentence a second glance, let alone take any notice of it. But it is the most telling. There is a cost to gain the world – and the price is very high. I wonder how many are willing to pay it?
Friday 19th Scripture: Matthew 9:14-15 Reflection: The disciples were not behaving as other people expected them to. They seemed to be having an easier time, so others complained about them. Those complaining, did not understand, they saw and measured the observed behaviour against what they expected. We so often fall into the same pattern. We have our expectations of others, our opinions about how others should behave towards us, and we measure these people against our standards. So often this practice is used to exclude, and not seek to understand the other. Have you done this recently?
Saturday 20th Scripture : Luke 5:27-32 Reflection: Matthew was called from his tax booth. He followed and later introduced his friends to Jesus. The idea of following when called is something most people today would baulk at. Their lives have become so focused on possession, or getting the latest toy (gimmick, phone, computer, etc, etc), they have lost touch with themselves and their faith. But recall, that Matthew was wealthy and well connected. He shared his faith experience. Who would you share your faith experience with?
Sunday 21st Scripture: Luke 4:1-15 Reflection: When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.” (verse 13). If we look at our lives, we can probably see the same pattern. We resist the things that tempt us away from the Gospel path, and while we are busy congratulating ourselves, we discover that we were tempted at another time that we did not expect. While we know that we are forgiven, when we err, perhaps we could also rely on God, and not ourselves, to help us at the times of temptation.
Monday 22nd Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46 Reflection: ”And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (verse 40). This is a passage we’d often like to ignore. We can find a myriad of reasons why we can’t help someone. We often struggle to find the time, and make the effort, to act as we know we should. Of course there are times when we are truly unable to help, but the next time you are tempted to say you can’t help, when you know you can, ask yourself is this Christ you would be serving?
Tuesday 23rd Scripture: Matthew 6:7-15 Reflection: We have come to know this passage of scripture as the Lord’s Prayer. It is probably the one prayer that we can all recite, with little thought, from memory. It is also probably the one that is the most well known. I wonder though just how many of us actually stop and think about the words we are praying? Have the words lost their meaning for us – do we believe what we ask for in the prayer?
Wednesday 24th Scripture: Luke 11:29-32 Reflection: “For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation.” (verse 30). A sign is something that gives us information, or instructs us, or helps us make decisions, it has a practical purpose. It is different from a symbol. Have you ever thought of Jonah as a sign? Or do you think of him as a prophet? We have all seen the many marketing type material that proclaims information, opinions or emotions about Jesus. But if you think about what Jesus said, did and taught, can you see him as a sign?
Thursday 25th Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12 Reflection: Read verse 12 again. Here is one commandment that so many of us fail to remember, let alone do. I suspect many of us don’t want to remember this commandment, because if we did, then we would need to see ourselves as the other person does. And that is an uncomfortable place, one that we often want to avoid at all costs. Yet that place is where we may get the best opportunity to truly see how we treat others. So are you brave enough to go there?
Friday 26th Scripture: Matthew 5:20-26 Reflection: Jesus is reminding us that we can take the initiative in repairing damaged relationships. Have you got a relationship you’d like to repair? What’s stopping you from doing something about it?
Saturday 27th Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48 Reflection: “And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?” (part of verse 47) We all have a tendency to be exclusive in some way or another. By and large we like, perhaps only want, to be with those who are like us, who think as we do, who see the world as we do. We would probably agree that these people are our brothers and sisters. Yet, in these passages Jesus asks us to think, to see and to act beyond ourselves, and this group we gather around us. He asks us to see the other and treat them as we would our group? Do you? Can you? Will you?
Sunday 28th Scripture: Luke 9:28-36 Reflection: The disciples were afraid when the cloud covered them, and they heard a voice giving them instructions to listen to Jesus. Perhaps your conversion experience was not so dramatic (or fear filled). Can you recall when you first “heard” the call to follow Christ? Was it a moment of fear or one of joy?
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