Mass Readings and Meditations “The Word Among Us” Tuesday, 7 January 2014

Mass Readings and Meditations “The Word Among Us” Tuesday, 7 January 2014

Meditation: First Letter of John 4: God Is Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Saint Raymond of Penyafort, Priest

In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us. (1 John 4:10)

The second law of thermodynamics tells us that there can be no such thing as a “perpetual motion machine.” This means that a machine can’t keep running on its own power indefinitely; it will have to stop eventually. A power plant can’t generate electricity for your home without some kind of fuel to keep it going. An engine that isn’t hooked up to a battery can’t power your car. There has to be a constant energy source for a machine to keep running.

Our spiritual engines are no different. We know this because Scripture tells us to “love one another, because love is of God” (1 John 4:7). We can’t love without being filled with his love. We can’t share his compassion and mercy unless we are receiving them ourselves. It’s humbling, and at the same time very freeing, to admit that God is the source of our goodness and kindness, not ourselves.

So how can we maintain our connection to Jesus? There are a number of ways, but chief among them is the Eucharist. As the source and summit of our life in Christ, the celebration of the Mass is the place where Jesus is present most fully and where we can receive him most completely. Yes, we need to pray every day; we need to study Scriptures; we need to have good relationships with other believers; we need to do good works. But above all else, we need Jesus.

The good news is that Jesus loves to meet our needs! He is present to us in the physical form of bread and wine, showing us that he is our life, our strength, and our nourishment. He lavishes us with grace as we gather to hear his word and celebrate his resurrection. He pours out his power and guidance as we join together in worship. It is Jesus’ own life within us that makes our lives shine. This, more than anything else, is the hope of glory for the people in our lives (Colossians 1:27).

When you find it difficult to answer God’s call to love, remember where you can go to refuel. Jesus is always there for you. He’s always ready to embrace you, to feed you, and to build you up.

“Thank you, Lord, for loving me first! Thank you for being my life, my strength, and my joy.” Amen!

Psalm 72: Prayer for Guidance and Support for the King

Of Solomon.

1 Give the king your justice, O God,

    and your righteousness to a king’s son.

2 May he judge your people with righteousness,

    and your poor with justice.

3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,

    and the hills, in righteousness.

4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,

    give deliverance to the needy,

    and crush the oppressor.

7 In his days may righteousness flourish

    and peace abound, until the moon is no more.

8 May he have dominion from sea to sea,

    and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Mark 6: 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 35 When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii[a] worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And all ate and were filled; 43 and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Footnotes:

a. Mark 6:37 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer

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