But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house. And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith. We can be distressed at the degree of doubt that we experience within ourselves, troubled that such doubts may even become more pronounced as we get older. The relationship between the shepherd and his sheep was more immediate than it is today. After the question Jesus went on to speak not only of eating his flesh but of drinking his blood, which would have sounded even more shocking. However, the Spirit can enter a human life and we know what a Spirit-filled life looks life. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.. In the gospel reading, the crowd resist what Jesus had just said about giving his flesh for the life of the world as bread to be eaten. If that is to happen, we must believe in him, as he said to the crowds in todays gospel reading, this is To believe in him is to relate to him as he relates to us, to remain in him as he remains in us. Yet, he is also a seeker after truth. His own reasoning did not allow him to believe that life had triumphed over death, that the crucified Jesus was now the risen Lord. What we want from him does not always correspond to what he wants for us. The clarity with which the apostles could identify their priorities amid competing claims on their time is admirable. Yet, the story we have just heard relating to that road is a good news story. Catherine was both a mystic and a woman of the world, who served those in greatest need and involved herself in the great issues of church and state of the day. When we do than, like Paul, we too can become the Lords chosen instruments to bring his presence into the lives of others. Our website places social media cookies to show you 3rd party content like YouTube and FaceBook. Barnabas introduced Saul to the church in Antioch and Saul went on to become a leading member of that church, and the church became an important spiritual home for Saul. Just click on the month of interest and scroll to the day required. Mark portrays Jesus as the suffering Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve, and who was ready to lay down his life in the service of all. Clearly the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd that we find in todays gospel reading spoke to Christians from the earliest days of the church. He calls us to eat his flesh and to drink his blood. The relationship between the shepherd and his sheep was more immediate than it is today. because you are no sheep of mine. We are all concerned about the church today. That is our fundamental calling, to come to the Lord in faith; all else follows from that. Each of us has a responsibility for a flock of our own, whether we are married or ordained or a religious or a single person. Our calling is to surrender to the movement of the Spirit in our lives, to allow the Spirit to shape and mould us. The bread of the word prepares us for the bread of the Eucharist. It speaks of Gods love for the world, of Gods generous way of expressing his love by giving the world his Son and of Gods desire that all people would experience eternal life through receiving Gods Son in faith. He calls out to all of us to come to him, to know and love him as he knows and loves us. In todays gospel reading, Jesus speaks as the shepherd who will never allow any of his sheep to be stolen from him. The first words of the risen Lord to his disciples in todays gospel reading are, Peace be with you. The church is the community of those who believe in and love the Lord, without having seen the Lord in the way Thomas and the other eyewitnesses did. Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries Jesus presents himself as the one who can satisfy this spiritual hunger. We know that Jesus has a unique relationship with God his Father; that relationship is characterized by a profound loving intimacy. Yet, in many ways, he too represents us all. Yet, because the boy was generous with his few resources, the Lord worked powerfully through his meagre resources for the feeding of the crowd, so that there was more than enough food for all. Eight days later Jesus came and stood in their midst. The second stage is meditatio (reflection) where we think about the text we have chosen and ruminate upon it so that we take from it what God wants to give us. That is why he could say in his letter to the Philippians, a little written from prison, from a very unpromising situation, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Her life shows us very clearly that the life of faith has both an inward and outward dimension. Even though those first disciples were trying to lock away their relationship with the Lord, the risen Lord refused to be locked out.
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