Daily Reflection for Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Tuesday readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/012820.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: 2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19
Responsorial: Psalm 24:7-10
Gospel: Mark 3:31-35
Our reflection on Tuesday’s readings:
“A crowd was sitting around Jesus; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And gesturing at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:32-35).
What is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian? The answer to that question would certainly be that as Christians, we are called to say “yes” to doing God’s will.
At age 45, I realized that I was Christian in “name” only. I had no idea of God’s will for me, and no experience with exploring the meaning of my religious faith for how I am called to live my daily life. I needed to experience a kenosis . . . a “self-emptying” of my “acquired” will so I could be aware of and understand God’s divine will for me.
My kenosis included getting an annulment of my previous marriage, preparing myself to marry Margot, having conversations and counseling with two Catholic priests, and, ultimately, learning from my journey through RCIA. While I’d been raised under the mantra of “like father, like son,” this kenosis also led me to discover a much greater empathy with my mother’s side of the family, which included an Episcopal priest. It also wasn’t long before I realized that I had a strong personal attraction to “teaching,” “religion,” and “relationships.”
Most important, I began to see the blessing of God’s divine will for me. I soon came to realize that we are all created incomplete. Blessings help us discover and grow in the completeness of our faith. I also realized that most of my blessings come from my relationships. They open my eyes to God’s presence and grace . . . they help strengthen me for the journey of discovering God’s will for me. Relationships “fill [me] with the utter fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19) . . . which is love. And it is God’s will that I not simply possess love, but that I share it with others!
With the assistance that we can get from being part of a Christian community, we become much better equipped to discover God’s divine will for us. We are also much more open to accepting this as a life-long journey . . . not simply a short-term goal. I can also assure you that, based on my personal experience, the sooner we begin that journey, the longer we will enjoy the benefits. We can dance with joy before the Lord even as “senior” citizens!
Peace, my friends, I love you,
Bill Bradbury