Happy Australia Day

Today is Australia Day-26 January.  there are always plenty of celebrations around the country for its citizens to join and celebrate. Many Australians become citizens of our country on this day at many ceremonies around the country.

On a personal note, today I played the organ for Mass first, playing  the 3 verses of the National Anthem, the third verse being the Christian verse, which sadly we, as a country do not sing regularly.

There is a lot to be thankful for in our country and a lot of issues that need God's grace.

My prayer for all my fellow citizens comes from the feast of our patroness- Our Lady Help of Christians, but I like this prayer for today also. I hope that you will pray it with me.

Lord, You place deep in our hearts the love of Mary Help of Christians,

Through her prayers grant wisdom to our leaders,

and integrity to our citizens,

Under her protection, may Australia be granted 
harmony, justice and peace.

Happy Australia Day to all my readers.

Compendium Series: Unity of the soul and body

69. How do the soul and body form a unity in the human being? (CCC362-365.382)

The human person is a being at once corporal and spiritual. In man, spirit and matter form one nature.  This unity is so profound that thanks to the spiritual principle which is the soul, the body which is material becomes a living human body and participates in the dignity of the image of God.

What does this mean for me?

1. My soul and body is a living human body and participates in the dignity of the image of God.
2. I need to look after both my body and soul so that it may participate fully in the dignity of the image of God in which it is meant to be clothed.
3. In looking after my body, I need to clothe it in a way that expresses the image of God, eat in a healthy manner, exercise regularly and allow my body regular rest and sleep.
4. In looking after my soul, I need to participate fully regularly at Mass and avail myself of the opportunity to repent of my sins and be forgiven by God's mercy through the sacrament of reconciliation, attend to my daily prayers and spend time with God knowing and loving Him.

  Questions to consider:

1. What effect does sin have on my body and how does it affect my participation in the dignity of the image of God?
2. What importance to do give to looking after both my body and my soul?
3. What changes to I need to make in my life to give unity to both my body and soul?

Gospel of Mark: Chapter 1 Section 2: The preaching of St John the Baptist.

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a post about the Gospel of Mark as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark.  I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season of Year B.

 In today's post, we explore chapter 1:2-8 which is the preaching of St John the Baptist. The prologue of Mark's Gospel (1:1-13) introduces Jesus as He really is. He does this first through John the Baptist who was the last of the Old Testament prophets. St Mark compares him with Elijah, God's messenger in the prophecy of Malachy. Like Elijah, John wear a leather belt, and eats a desert food of locusts and honey ((2 Kings 1:8).

The baptism of conversion asked of all by John is more than repentance and turning from self-centredness. It has to be a turning towards God under the influence of his healing and creative action. It is as Mark called it in greek a baptism of metanoia ( meaning other mind or a new attitude of God centredness to replace self- centredness). This whole of the opening passage fixes our vision on the future provided we have a radical change of heart. We need to be people filled with a deep desire for the good that comes from the fture. Raidcal hope coming from interiour conversion is the true way into the future.

St Mark fixes our gaze on John the Baptist because he:

1. symbolized a way into the future by a baptism of conversion.
2. wishes to show us that his baptism in water sumbolised dramatically a personal readiness of heart for a baptism with divine Spirit to be given by Jesus, the more powerful one coming after  him.
3. wants us to realize that God centredness cannot be realized by human effort alone, but we prepare ourselves for it as we wait for it to come as a gift from God.

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

• Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?
• Imagine the atmosphere and stand in the crowd. Try to feel within yourself the atmosphere as the crowds crowd around John to hear his message. How do you feel as you hear his message?
• How am I a messenger of God's word to family/work colleagues, parishioners, those I meet?
• Reflect on a time in your life where you have felt the messenger of God has gone ahead of you to prepare the way?
• How much do I see myself turned toward God and prepared to welcome His coming into my life?
• How will I prepare a way for the Lord?
• What paths do I need to make straight in my life and how will I achieve it?
• What is my attitude to the sacrament of reconciliation- what problems (if any) do I encounter when I think of this sacrament?
• Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• Imagine meeting John the Baptist for the first time.  What is my attitude towards him and towards people whose clothes and behaviour are different from mine? 
• What impact does the message of John the Baptist have on you (1:7-8). Hear his message as God's message to you.
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

  It is important to remember that St Mark wishes us to know the person of Jesus. Using a highlighter, mark all adverbs, adjectives or any phrase that describes Jesus or the people around him. You may wish to review last week's verse  and do the same thing.  As you continue to do this as we journey through St Mark's gospel, you will see emerging the person of Jesus.

Who is the person of Jesus in this passage? We know from last week that Jesus has a title and mission.

What will we learn about the person of Jesus this week?                

Opening Prayer Series: Collect 3rd Sunday of Year B

The Collect for the Third Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

Let us pray,

Almighty and ever-living God,

direct our actions according to Your good pleasure,

that in the name of Your Beloved Son 

we may abound in good works.

through our Lord Jesus Christ Your son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit 

one God for ever and ever.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. Why do I wish to pray that God dircts my actions this coming week?
2. What actions in my life need God's direction?
3. What specifc actions in my life will I work on with God's assistance this coming week?
4. Why do I need to direct my actions to God's good pleasure?
5. Define what ''good works"' means to me?
6. How will abound in good works in my family, workplace, parish and those I meet this coming week?

In the opening two sentences of today's Gospel we are given two clues: (1)John had been arrested and (2) Jesus proclaims the Good News from God.  In this opening sentence, with John's arrest, John's task of pointing the way to Jesus is over and now, Jesus begins His mission, not just any mission, but to proclaim the Good News from God. The message Jesus proclaimed to His listeners is just as relevant amd stark today as it was then '' Repent and believe the Good News".  We are to do this, not because we feel like it or it is fashionable but remember the second sentence "There He proclaimed the Good News from God".   So we have a choice to follow God's advice or ignore it at our own peril.

 

We also need to consider God's message to us '' Repent and believe the Good News".  Repentance is not just going to confession and then forgetting all about God's message until the next time we participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation. No, one we have repented, we are given the task to believe the Good News.  This requires us to know what the Good News is. We may need to take some time to study the Good News and lovingly come to know God more. Then as we are given greater understanding, then we can take the next step to believe.  The point is, wherever we are at in our lives today as we hear this Gospel, we have the choice to "'Repent and believe the Good News".

The third aspect of the Gospel is the calling of the disciples. They hear the call of Jesus and leave their employment to follow Him. Again these disciples, like us had to make a choice. They could have said '' no or not now Lord''. They heard the call and answered it.  

 

We too need to hear the call, but we need to be listening as well and provide an environment which enhances the possibility of us hearing the call.  We need to remember in our prayer time that we have two ears and one mouth.  This is easy to forget when we have alot to share with our loving God. I have been guilty of this lately with so many life changing decisions to be made in my life that I have been yakking and yakking and yakking with Jesus. I have to remind myself to stop and listen and wait for the answer.

Let us make a resolve this week to " Repent and believe the Good News" and to be listening with our heart to hear the  call Jesus may give us.

 

 

Reflection and Prayer Series: Be at Peace

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My post is called:

BE AT PEACE 

The shelter of Your love, Lord, is my haven, 

Freed from the sturggle of trying to fulfill my own dreams 
and  order my own life. 
I can rest in Your arms and be at peace.

May we Be at peace this coming week.

Compendium Series: Why does the human race form an unity?

68. Why does the human race form an unity? (CCC360-361)

Compendium states:

All people form the unity of the human race by reason of the common origin which they have from God.  God has made ‘from one ancestor all the nations of men’ (Acts 27:26). All have but one Saviour and are called to share in the eternal happiness of God.

What does this mean for me?

1. All people have a common origin with me which they have from God.
2. All people are called to share in the eternal happiness of God.
3. I am called  to share in the eternal happiness of God and I prepare myself to  live in this happiness  by living in this happiness in my life each day.

 Questions to consider:

1. When I see behaviours which are opposed to God’s plan, how do I be at peace with the fact that these people are also called to share the eternal happiness of God?
2. How might I evangelise those who do not yet believe in God and their Saviour?

Gospel of Mark Series: Overview & Jesus introduced- Part 1-The Title.

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a post about the Gospel of Mark as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark.  I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season of Year B.

During the previous introductory posts to this series, I set the scene and talked about the Gospels in general and defined and discussed the meaning and implication of the Gospel in our lives.  Then I explored the Gospel of Mark examining the purpose of Mark's writing and its style and structure.

So how will we explore Mark's Gospel?

Using the format below  which I have found effective, can take as little as 10-15 minutes or as long as you wish and is suitable for an individual,family or group of parishioners.

 SUGGESTED FORMAT

1.  Collect your journal (if you choose to use one) and pen.  I find that if I do not use a journal, then I have a notepad ready since as I gradually still my mind, distractions such as what should be on the shopping list occur. Pen and paper help to keep these distractions to a minimum. 
2. Light a candle, then sit quietly letting go of the éxcess chatter of the brain. Move onto step 3 when your heart and mind are stilled enough to focus.
3. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit in prayer and ask Him to guide you in your study of the designated scripture passage.
4. Read designated Scripture passage for the week.
5. Pause for reflection on relevant scripture questions.
6. Have family members/parishioners share. If you are embarking on this journey alone, then share your findings with the Holy Spirit.
7. Ask The Holy Spirit to enlighten your heart and mind and listen to what He wants to share with you.
8. Close with a prayer or hymn.

In the following posts, I will not repeat the format. You may be comfortable with a different format or you may adapt this format for your situation. The important thing is that we come to know and love Jesus more through our study of St Mark's Gospel.

The overall structure of St Mark's Gospel can be divided as follows:

1. Jesus is introduced-           1:1-13.
2. Jesus calls His discples-    1:14-3:6.
3. Jesus with His people.-     3:7-6:6.
4. Jesus in His mission-         6:6-8:30.
5. Jesus forms His disciples   8:31-10:52.
6. Jesus comes to Jerusalem: 11:1-13:37.
7. Jesus dies on the Cross      14:1-16:8.
8. Appearances of the Risen Christ 16:9-20.

Within each section above, there are key stories upon which to reflect. Each week I will discuss these.

SECTION 1: JESUS IS INTRODUCED:

1.  St Mark introduces us to Jesus by using His title.(1:1)
2. The preaching of John the Baptist. (1:2-8)
3. The Baptism of Jesus. (1:9-11)
4. Jesus in the desert. (1:12-13).

This week, let us explore  Section 1.1- The title of Jesus.

Although we are looking at the very first verse and only one verse, it is significant. It reads:

"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God". 

Straightaway, Mark gives Jesus His title as Christ and Son of God. Christ means Messiah. In ancient times, it meant king, a priest,  or prophet anointed to God with oil for a task, but especially an anointed one yet to come. 

Christians confess Jesus to be the Christ and the Son of God because He:

• fulfilled Old Testament prophesies.
• was raised to life by God, not by oil but with the Holy Spirit.
• shared equally with the Father and the Holy Spirit in His life on earth.
• breathed the Holy Spirit into the world by His resurrection in God's power.

These two title terms become a centrepiece of Mark's Gospel in Chapter 8:29- Peter's confession of Jesus as "Messiah", and in chapter 15:39, the roman centurion's confession of Jesus as " Son of God".

When Mark wrote " the beginning of the Gospel", he wanted us to understand along with the audience of his own time that eveything he wrote about Jesus is the beginning and foundation of the Gospel which the church was sent to announce. Mark is the only evangelist who used the word  "gospel"or the"  good news".

It is interesting to note that the word " Christ" occurs seven times throughout his gospel, whereas Jesus is named the "'Son of God" twice by God Himself and on five other occassions. As we explore Mark's gospel, we may wish to keep this in mind and perhaps make a note of it in our journal, since we may wish to find these examples and understand the title in context of the texts.

On reflecting on this short verse, we may wish to appreciate the difference between the evangelists.  Each week at Mass, we hear ' the gospel according to...

As a family/parishioner or small study group, why not explore the following:Each member tell a story/event that all members are familiar. 

1. Allow a certain time for each member to share.
   b)Have one member of the group write each member's contribution.
   (c)When each member has finished, allow the recorder to reflect back what he/she wrote.(d)Observe and discuss the similarities and differences in the same story/event by each member.
   NB: It is important however to remember that the evangelists were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Listen to Jesus as He introduces Himself to you.
2. What does it mean to know Jesus as Messiah- the one who saves  in my life? What areas of my life need Jesus as Messiah to save?
3. How might you tell the Gospel- spread the good news to others ( family, work colleagues, parishioners, those we meet each day).
4. Share with the group your own reflection thoughts on how this verse has introduced you to Jesus in a new or different way.

 In the next post, we will further explore being introduced to Jesus by the preaching of John the Baptist.

Often we say no news is good news. In some instances, this is indeed true.  However, when it comes to introducing others to Christ, it is indeed good news to hear the Gospel, appreciate more fully terms such as Gospel, Christ, Messiah and Son of God mean at a deeper level and introduce Our Messiah  to others.