By
Phil Russell
"Fill
us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!"
Psalm 90:14
“Indeed
the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to
discern reflections and thoughts of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12
Peter
began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you." Jesus
said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or
brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and
for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in
this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and
lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." Mark 10:28-30
Piety
I prayed, and prudence was given me; I
pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and
throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her. Wisdom 7:7-8
Study
Today's readings have so very many images
that have been so very much a part of my adult Faith Journey! Many years ago when I embarked on my own
journey to/with Jesus. (I was young -- about 34 years old.) I was attending a Friday night "Prayer
and Praise" evening at a church nearby my home. There was always wonderful anointed music,
powerful teaching from the Word of God, and blest prayer. This one evening a song was being sung by
the Pastor, the words of the song very much akin to the Wisdom Reading. It went like this:
LORD YOU ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN SILVER.
LORD YOU ARE MORE COSTLY THAN GOLD.
LORD YOU ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN DIAMONDS....
AND
NOTHING I DESIRE COMPARES TO YOU.
The congregation sang it in rounds and
rounds. Tears, joy and prayerful worship. Then, the Pastor still strumming on
the strings said something stunning: "Now Jesus wants to sing his response
to you." He continued to play and
began the words that Jesus was singing to us:
MY CHILD YOU ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN SILVER.
MY CHILD YOU ARE MORE COSTLY THAN GOLD.
MY CHILD YOU ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN
DIAMONDS....AND
NOTHING I DESIRE COMPARE WITH YOU!
Now there were tears of worshipful prayer
spilling over in that place. I have
never forgotten it. That night, that
song and most especially the words that seemed so very alive that Jesus was
speaking to me, just as he spoke to that young man that had come to him with
those questions.
Fast forward to years later. I had been asked to serve as Rector for the
110th Men's Cursillo. In October of the year previous to the weekend, I was
attending the Mass and the Readings were the very same readings. As the Cantor led us in the Responsorial Psalm,
I knew in my heart that I had received the Scripture theme for that Weekend.
"FILL US WITH YOU LOVE, O LORD, AND WE WILL SING FOR JOY."
Psalm 90. Bingo! Joy and singing in the heart.
One year later, we were off on the 110th
Men's Cursillo. That Sunday of closing
was the Feast of The Exaltation of The Holy Cross! We sang that Psalm each day and each day we
used it as our psalm at Liturgy.
"The word of God, living and effective, penetrating between soul
and spirit, joints and marrow." Hebrews 4.
Action
In today's Gospel from Mark, Jesus is still
SPEAKING TO OUR HEARTS, "Follow Me!"
Some days my TRIPOD, just feels right, and
strong and very stable! Piety, Study and
Action working. Lifting, supporting,
carrying me.
To Jesus, Good Teacher. Help me to keep the Faith, to follow because
" For human beings, it is impossible, but for God. All things are possible for God."
In reality can we speak the words of Peter? "We have given up everything and
followed you." I know that I
cannot speak those words. I know all too well the need for Prudence. And to trust, in a precious Jesus for the
possibility.
DE COLORES!
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