A SPRING IN THE DESERT
“Yes, days are coming, says the Lord God, when I will send famine upon the land: not a famine of bread, or thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the Lord.” – Amos 8:11
I had to ask my husband about this verse when it struck me. He explained that the book of Amos spoke of the many injustices of the people during those times. Through Amos, the Lord spoke of how He was to punish them for their wrong deeds. The chastisement would progress from bad to worst, this verse being the ultimate end. “You will not hear me,” God was saying, “I will no longer speak.”
As I thought about it, I remembered a time in my life when I somehow felt like that. The Lord seemed so distant and quiet. Yes, it was much worse than a famine or drought.
I prayed to God for guidance. Then a patient told me about the Retreat in Daily Life that she attended. A program given by the Center for Ignatian Spirituality, the retreat is an adaptation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola and is most suitable for “those who want to attend to their spiritual thirst or hunger.” Perfect, I thought. I signed up.
I thank God for drawing me closer to Himself in ways I cannot even imagine.
I thank Him that He chose not to be silent. Lallaine Gogna (lallygogna@yahoo.com)
REFLECTIONS:
“When you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
Lord, mold me as clay in the hands of a potter. May the droughts and famines in my life serve only to bring me closer to You. Amen.
MERCY AND SACRIFICE
What does Jesus mean when He tells us that He wants mercy and not sacrifice? One way to interpret these words has to do with their general context.
When we make a sacrifice, we do not necessarily consider anyone else. Some sacrifices may include considering others but this is not always the case. However, mercy is impossible without the context of a relationship with the person to whom we are to give mercy. Thus, perhaps Jesus is emphasizing to His listeners that there is greater imperative to work on relationships with others rather than just the things and issues that affect one’s self.
Here we are drawn into the fundamental nature of humanity as a communal being. People cannot and do not flourish well on their own, apart from relationship with other human beings. Yes, we all need space and time to be alone, but we also need to be in relationship with others. Otherwise, we will lose our humanity. It is important that we realize this for our own mental and spiritual health.
One of the traps of religion is that it can become very selfcentered. “My” relationship with God becomes the only imperative in my life and everything revolves around it to the point that we become isolated from our fellow human beings. This can be a subtle process that affects anyone attempting to grow spiritually. We have to realize that we need one another in order to grow in our relationship with God or we will risk the possibility that we will begin to live in an “unreal world,” detached from the responsibilities towards those around us.
We probably know people who are partially or well down this path. We need to pray for them and do what we can to draw them back to their relationships with their families and communities so that they will not lose touch with reality. We need to do this carefully and gently so as not to disillusion or hurt them.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
Reflection Question:
How are my relationships with my family, friends and community? Is there anything in particular that needs my time and attention to make it better and healthier?
Lord Jesus, help me to realize that having good people around me is always an asset in growing in my faith. Help me to listen to the wisdom they have for my life.
St. Otto of Bamberg, pray for us.
