<TW>Weekend of 09 and 10 February 2008
- From: "Fr. Pat Umberger" <frpat@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Fr. Pat Umberger" <frpat@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2008 19:34:10 -0600
.=: T H I S W E E K E N D :=.
from Father Pat Umberger
.=: V O L U M E 2 0 0 8 , Number 01-27 :=.
.=: T H I S W E E K E N D ' S S C R I P T U R E S :=.
First Sunday of Lent, Year A.
Weekend of 09 and 10 February 2008
Follow this link for this weekend's Scriptures:
www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
.=: R E F L E C T I O N Q U E S T I O N S :=.
"Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?"
What are the temptations that give us the most trouble? When we fall to
temptation, why is it so hard to get back on track again?
"God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and
you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil." What would
life be like if there were no such thing as good or evil, if we were
naturally responsible and used all things as God intends? What, in this
world, reminds us of God's intent?
"Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned." Why is it easier to admit that we
have sinned than to own up to the nature of our sins?
"If by the transgression of the one, the many died, how much more did the
grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for
the many. How does the death and resurrection of Jesus save us from our
sins?
"If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of
bread." Why is it not a good idea to go shopping when we're hungry? How do
the hungers of the human heart sometimes get us into trouble? What are those
hungers? How can they be satisfied?
"If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down." When are we tempted to
"show off?" When others show off, does that make us like them better? How
would it be better for us if we were more modest?
"All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship
me." What are the "things" the world tells us will bring us happiness and
fulfillment? What has been our history? When have we obtained something that
was supposed to bring happiness and find out that it didn't help us at all?
What are the "things" that bring happiness that really last? How much do
they cost?
How are these readings challenging? Comforting?
(c)MMVIII Fr. Pat Umberger. These Reflection Questions are found each week
at the Web Site www.frpat.com. Feel free to link to this page or reproduce
them for parish use as long as this credit remains.
.=: S P I R I T U A L R E F L E C T I O N :=.
In today's first reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah we hear the
familiar Advent prophecy: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a
great light ..." We certainly associate this light with Jesus, light that
came into the world. Along with light comes great hope. Things will
surely get better!
We find ourselves in the Season of Ordinary Time. The days are short, the
nights long and cold. We go about our business. Yet in the very
ordinariness of our days and lives God calls us. Sometimes that call can be
so subtle that we hardly notice it. Sometimes we've been programmed not to
listen to it. And the call is repeated, over and over again.
This season of the year is one of depression for many people. They're
deprived of the sunlight they need, and the fresh air and flowers that makes
life so much nicer. Many people are confined to their homes almost all week
long. We're told that it's not a good idea to make major life decisions
this time of year.
Sometimes our general crabbiness leads to division. Paul says, "I beg you,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree in what you say. Let there
be no factions; rather, be united in mind and judgment. I have been
informed by certain members that you are quarreling among yourselves." Those
quarrels and struggles can be very detrimental. They can tear apart our
family, work place, school or Church community. God's call to us is one
that leads us to unity. That can mean not listening to the kind of talk
that brings about division.
We need to recognize what is the most important. When Jesus called Simon
and his brother Andrew ... and James, Zebedee's son and his brother John and
asked him to follow they did just that. They abandoned their father and
went off in his company. What an act of faith! Yet somehow they were free
enough to respond and follow.
God calls us to live as men and women of God. As such, we need to see
beyond the deception of the values of the world's values. We need to see
the damage our quarreling and fighting causes, not just to us, but to others
as well. We need to focus once more on what's really important. When
making decisions we need to leave self-interest behind and seek God's will.
This weekend's readings call us back to what is truly important. We know
the light of Christ has come into the world to break the barriers of sin,
death and darkness. We are called to be people of that light. We need to
shun anything that distracts us from doing God's work. We need to keep
ourselves free enough to respond to God's call when it comes.
God calls us to be the ones who bring light into this darkened world. He
calls us to be the ones that remove the yoke that burdens those around us
that they can live in the freedom of God's children. He calls us to be
people who see beyond our differences, follow God's call to reconciliation
and build the kind of peace God would like us to have. When Jesus says,
"Follow me," we need to be free enough to get up and go! We need to set an
example that will help our children and grandchildren to do the same.
So we live this ordinary week as God's children. We encourage one another
as best we can. We look for God's way as we hear so many confusing
messages. We strive to respond and to follow, and to show our children and
others around us how to do the same. God's call will come to us many times
this week. As men and women of God, we need to keep ourselves free enough
to respond. Have a good week!
(c)MMVIII Fr. Pat Umberger. This Spiritual Reflection is found each week at
the Web Site www.frpat.com. Feel free to link to this page or reproduce them
for parish use as long as this credit remains.
__________________________________________________
<TW>This Weekend is free, and comes from:
Father Pat Umberger, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse
in Wisconsin U.S.A.
Web Site: www.frpat.com
Evangelization (reaching out): www.cmonback.com
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