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The Word Among Us

Tuesday, September 09, 2003

Meditation
Luke 6:12-19

The scorching sun stood high above the eager crowd as they gathered to hear the traveling rabbi preach. Hour after hour, ignoring hunger and exhaustion, the people listened intently to his gentle yet powerful voice sounding out over the plain, echoing from the nearby hills—and reverberating in their hearts.

If you imagined yourself in the crowd surrounding Jesus, what would you see? What would you hear, smell, and feel? Picture the landscape. Picture Jesus. What does he look like? How do you react as you see him coming down the mountain toward you? As he passes by, do you say anything to him? Do your eyes meet, or do you turn away and try to conceal yourself in the crowd? Maybe you’re one of the multitude pressing in on him from every side, trying desperately to touch him. What are your thoughts as you see him healing the sick and curing the demon-possessed?

Watching this gospel episode unfold in your imagination and mentally putting yourself into the action can be a very helpful way of getting in touch with Jesus and responding to him. For many who have tried it, this type of prayerful meditation has brought new insights to the text and even led to a new understanding of Jesus as someone who is present for each of us, here and now. Give it a try. You don’t have to have the most vivid imagination in the world or know lots of details about first-century Palestine. Simply begin with the framework in the gospel account and then fill in some of your own details. The important thing is to dwell on Jesus himself, to observe him, and then to interact with him.

Take a moment to reread today’s gospel, then let the Holy Spirit and your imagination guide you through the scene. Let the characters come alive on the stage of your mind. Allow yourself to encounter Jesus as he walks about ministering to the crowd—and to you! With your eyes closed to the world and your heart open to God, you never know what blessings the Lord has in store!

“Lord, send your Spirit to guide me as I seek to draw closer to you in prayer. Fill my mind with your presence. Refresh my faith and make your word ever new and alive to me.”

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, September 9, 2003 >>

St. Peter Claver

Colossians 2:6-15

Psalm 145

Luke 6:12-19

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MORE OF JESUS

“Continue, therefore, to live in Christ Jesus the Lord, in the spirit in which you received Him.” —Colossians 2:6

Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9:3ff). Jesus struck Saul blind and implied that Saul should stop persecuting Jesus’ Church. In three days, Saul was baptized into Jesus and thereby accepted Jesus as Lord, Savior, and God. This was the beginning of Jesus’ revelation of Himself to Saul.

Saul (later to be named Paul), became “rooted in [Christ] and built up in Him” (Col 2:7). Paul came to realize that “in Christ the fullness of deity resides in bodily form” (Col 2:9) and that Jesus “is the Head of every principality and power” (Col 2:10). Paul came to know more deeply that God has brought us “new life in company with Christ. He pardoned all our sins. He canceled the bond that stood against us with all its claims, snatching it up and nailing it to the cross” (Col 2:13-14). Paul came to realize that Jesus also disarmed “the principalities and powers. He made a public show of them and, leading them off captive, triumphed in the person of Christ” (Col 2:15).

Where are you in your personal knowledge of Jesus? How much new revelation of Jesus have you received in the last year? Are you letting the Holy Spirit lead you more deeply into the mystery of the person of Jesus? (see 1 Cor 2:10) Do you love Jesus more deeply than ever? Is Jesus your Life and your Love? (see Jn 14:6; 1 Jn 4:8,16)

Prayer: Father, lead me deeper into Jesus, Your Son.

Promise: “Indeed, the whole crowd was trying to touch Him because power went out from Him which cured all.” —Lk 6:19

Praise: St. Peter was led by the Spirit to leave his home to minister to poor strangers, “a slave to the slaves.” He baptized several hundred thousand slaves in his years of ministry to them.