Today’s Thoughts: In our Responsorial Psalm (Ps. 85: 8, 10, 11-12, 13-14) for today’s mass we are presented with the image of kindness and truth meeting and justice and peace kissing. We are presented with the kind of world, the kind of life that speaks only on God’s presence to us. We long for the world that the psalm presents to us, but we know that we are far from it because we often forget about God and go our own way, thinking that we know better. We often neglect the truth and put aside kindness because of selfishness. However, if we work at putting God at the center of life the world the psalmist describes is possible.
Jesus names his twelve closest friends in the Gospel today (Mark 3:13-19). He goes up on top of the mountain. In Luke's version of this story Jesus first prays and then calls his friends together to embody his mission to the world. The image of a mountain throughout the Scripture is one of a sacred place of prayer and of God’s presence, where profound things happen. It is a place where covenants are handed on to the people through their leaders. The mountain is a place where God acknowledges his beloved and where the Spirit empowers. In the Letter to the Hebrews, we hear of a new covenant that will replace the old covenant making it obsolete. These words that Hebrew’s quotes are from the Prophet Jeremiah, and this is the longest quotation of an Old Testament passage in the New Testament. Jeremiah is not saying that the Mosaic Covenant is obsolete, no longer. If he was the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah would not be part of the Hebrew Scriptures. Jeremiah is saying that something new is afoot. The covenant is not about an obsession with externals and legalistic conformity, it is about a new spirit. The spirit of loving God with our whole heart, soul and being, and making this love a part of the way we interact with others and live life. So, what is our challenge today? Perhaps it is to trust in the ongoing care and concern of God for us but also to know that through that love and care we are sent forth into the world to proclaim the Good News, Good News grounded in the mercy, love, presence, and spirit God. Today we are also asked to pray for the dignity and gift of life, especially for the unborn. If we want a new spirit of life, especially for the unborn then we must also see all of life, every moment of life as important not just the life before birth. If we want to change the attitude of people about abortion, then we must create a world worth bringing life into. We must be committed to living a life where kindness and truth stand front and center with justice and peace! Have a blessed and holy Friday everyone!
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Fr. Paul R. Fagan, C.P. "Preacher on the Run"Just a few thoughts to help you on your journey through life...let me know from time to time what you think... Archives
April 2024
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