Second Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - What Are We Looking For?_011721

Deacon Tom Writes,

What Are We Looking For?

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

What is common to the scripture readings as we once again enter into these early days of Ordinary Time is how God has chosen certain individuals to partner with Him in first revealing and then laying the foundation for His Kingdom on our earthly realm. That call to share in the divine effort comes from John the Baptist who points to Jesus as the “Lamb of God” and then watches as his followers turn away from him to follow Jesus. When Jesus notices them, He wastes no time confronting them about their motives asking, “What are you looking for?”  What a great question for us to reflect upon as we continue our faith journey in these new and challenging times. 

The disciples did not hesitate in their response. They wanted to know where Jesus was staying. Simple enough isn’t it? At least on the surface that is. How do we respond to the question raised in the gospel today? What are we looking for? 

I believe we all have the natural tendency to pursue those things that we desire most in life, those things that we believe will give us the greatest amount of happiness and joy. We want the good things this life has to offer… material success and good fortune, a prestigious career, the praise and adulation of others, good families and friends, ad infinitum. But, as we may have experienced so often in the past, once we have what we desire, the happiness that we imagined is seldom realized or, at best, is brief and fleeting. Soon disillusion surely follows and we begin the chase all over again!

Does that mean we are never to achieve true happiness in this life? Not at all! In today’s Gospel Jesus, “the teacher”, gives us some practical advice on how to find and maintain a spirit of true AND lasting happiness in this life. He invites us to join Him as He begins His public ministry, to “Come and…see” the marvelous things He has in store for those who tag along with Him as He preaches the gospel, the Good-News of the dawning of the reign of God. In the Gospels Jesus teaches us that it is by deepening our personal relationship with Him that we “Come and see” that only He can satisfy the innermost longings of our hearts. It is only through Christ that we can experience healthy and mutually beneficial relationships and have a sense of well being, be satisfied with who we are and what we have and to thus be filled with a joy and a peace that the world cannot give. 

As we begin this new and overly challenging year, may we respond to Our Lord’s invitation to “Come and see” as did Samuel, James and John, Peter and the first disciples. May we, like all those faithful souls whose self-sacrifice and genuine love have carried the seed of faith through the ages so that it could be passed on to us, discover the truth that, above all else, Jesus is our hearts greatest desire. 

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Waiting For The Lord

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Waiting For The Lord”

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

The Responsorial Psalm today is from Psalm 40, “I have waited, waited for the Lord, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.” These words are a reminder that God works in His time and that waiting for the Lord is a habit we must form if we are to deepen our relationship with the One who hears all our cries.

We live at a time when we want our demands to be fulfilled instantly; we don’t want to wait for anything. I can pop a dinner in the microwave and sit down to a full meal in 2 minutes. I can go on-line, order a book or anything else I want and have it in my hands tomorrow. I can send money around the world with a click of the mouse. I can even watch my grandkids in Virginia decorating the Christmas tree while I am sitting in my living room in Weeki Wachee. It’s almost too good to be true! But when it comes to forming good habits or developing virtue, these things take time, effort, and prayer. Notice you don’t see the words “instant” or “easy”! Perhaps that’s why we all seem to be experiencing this growing sense of impatience which seems to be making the virtuous life ever more elusive than in the past.

We don’t know what the person who prayed Psalm 40 was asking God to accomplish in his or her life. It must have been something very important…comfort from some sorrow...forgiveness for some sin, some transgress, healing from some pain or compulsion. Whatever it was, God delivered, in God’s own time, filing this prayerful, penitent, and patient person with a new song, a hymn to God.

Waiting on God is never easy. Waiting for God to act in our lives is never something that we have on our list of things to do today. We turn to God when our world comes tumbling down, usually when we have no other place to turn.

Today’s Responsorial Psalm is an invitation for us to sit quietly before the Lord and wait for Him to act in our lives…. No crises going on…. great, that’s even better. In any event, if we place ourselves before God patiently, He will come into our lives and give us a new song or two to fill us with joy and remind us of His presence to guide us and abide with us throughout the day.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom