Piety
Let us pray: Jesus, lead us to a close encounter with you today beside restful waters. Some of us will drink your life-giving water. Some will bask in your sun light. Some of us will fish. Some of us will immerse ourselves entirely. Each is a unique way renewing our baptism and unity with your creation.
Have pity on us when we follow the wrong path. Find us and bring us back. Help us to follow you -- the leader who bring us down the right path.
As we follow you, give us a rest that will renew our strength and help us to carry on your word and works through piety, study, and action. Teach us the wisdom of life besides the restful waters as you taught the crowd there 2006 years ago. Amen.
Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/072306.shtml
“The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while.” Mark 6:30
It sounds like Jesus is leading us to the beach today after we just completed a group reunion (reporting all we had done and taught).
Jesus has every intention of giving us a time of rest…a change of scenery. After the journey, we arrive with him and walk to the water. As we get closer, the packed dirt of the path gives way to the boardwalk. At the bottom of the wooden steps, we step onto loosely packed sand – hot from the summer sun. Shedding our shoes, the sand shifts under our feet and burns our soles until we get to the edge of the water. Broken shells feel like knives cutting our feet.
Finally, we try to enter the water. It churns under the waves and changing tides. Forces far away – storms at sea – winds in the Gulf Stream – weather patterns around the world, can send strong currents crashing to the shores – currents so strong it is hard to stand. Currents so strong our knees buckle, the sand shifts beneath our feet and the riptide pulls us down shore.
Standing with Jesus is not like fighting the tides…it is like standing on concrete. His message is consistent. His challenge universal. There is no slippery moral slope. There is just the way, the truth and the light.
Setting up the umbrella and relaxing is the next order of the day. But the people keep on coming to him like sheep at feeding time. Jesus, his nature is as master and teacher, shepherd and Holy One, can not deny his sheep what they crave.
So Jesus does what comes natural. Even though the man in him wants to grieve for the execution of John the Baptist, the Messiah continues to teach the crowd picking up right where John left off speaking truth to power – truth that would eventually move the religious and political leaders of his day move to attempt to silence Jesus through another execution. After that crucifixion/execution, the responsibility to teach the flock falls to us.
Action
We all have our own agenda…things on our “task list” or “to do” report. Do you put your piety, study and action on your Outlook calendar or whatever kind of daily, weekly and monthly agenda that you keep?
Why? Why not?
Even when Jesus had other plans, he was brought out of his vacation time and into action. So, no matter where you find yourself this week, make time for Jesus by putting Him and His mission in your plans.
Make time today to pray especially for peace as requested by Pope Benedict XVI and the patriarchs and heads of the churches in the Holy Land.
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