ITS ALL ABOUT THE TIMING

When circumstances cause me to feel angry I sometimes feel frustrated and act or speak in reflection in a way I do regret later.How many times have I thought if I could only have that moment back I would act so differently?

Sometimes I am thrown into circumstances I am not prepared for or what I thought was going to happen didn’t.  A snap decision is required and there is no time to think about the consequences. Just like in this weeks Gospel, Luke 9:51-62 where Jesus asks us to drop everything and follow him. In other words putting others before self whether we do that or not is just about the timing.

 

Powerof Language

 

Sometimes I think I don’t realise how powerful a word or sentence can be particularly to the person it may be directed at.  It can inspire, infuriate or hurt the recipient.

 I now understand that you ascertain the setting, gauge the atmosphere and make your point ensuring it is relevant to the context and provides meaning to the person or people it is intended for.

In this weeks Gospel, Jesus says,

 

‘”For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?”

For the crowd and Jesus’ disciples did they understand what he was saying or did they find that it didn’t pertain to them?

My interpretation is that it is a call to be unselfish and always think of others both in our words and actions. Hence in our relationships both with God and others our rewards will be greater than putting ourselves first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Losing Control

 

Have you ever had that feeling that everything was spiraling out of control and that circumstances were conspiring so quickly against you that appeared there was no solution to the difficulties you were enduring?

I often think sometimes you just have to go into free-fall before you can make sense of the situation you find yourself in. Occasionally there is no solution to the problem and you just have to accept the situation has it is.

In this weeks Gospel, Luke 7:11-17 Jesus raises a widows son from the dead.

The key to the Gospel’s message for me was Jesus showed compassion for the widow over the death of her son. The healing occurred not because Jesus wanted to display his power but his love for others.

 

The message for me is no matter the situation and the improbability of a solution the important thing is to maintain your dignity and keep everything in perspective otherwise everything will continue to spiral out of control.

 

 

 

 

 

Being Part of a Team

Why do people join a team? Is it because they are in their neighbourhood,  the emblem, the colours, their friends or were family were members or because of the tradition and ethos that is unique to that particular team?

What happens when you join the team? Are you welcomed, given a uniform, is the team ethos explained and do you feel supported even when the role you have to play is making you feel uncertain?

Last Sunday’s Gospel on the Feast of Corpus Christi raised many of these questions. When Jesus asked the apostles to feed the large crowd imagine how they felt when going through their mind was how was this possible.

 “We have no more than five loaves and two fish.” Luke 9:13

 I believe the ultimate reason why you join a team is through their achievements, vision and game plan they instill a belief that they can achieve the impossible. Also that has a member you feel a part of that process and can reflect on the challenges and celebrate the successes.

Just like Jesus had a plan to feed the multitudes and with the apostles achieved the impossible all because everyone believed it could happen and played their part in the team.

 

 

Wanted a Time Machine

Wanted a Time Machine

There are many times in my life that I would like to travel back in time and change the circumstances of what happened on that day. Perhaps saying a kind word, listening to advice about how to proceed in certain situations or just not intervening when it was totally unnecessary but letting nature take its course.

If only I hadn’t said what I said, listened to the advice given or displayed self-restraint maybe things would have turned out differently.

In this weeks Gospel Jesus says,

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own but will speak whatever he hears and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16-13

Jesus is telling us if we stand back and reflect and the actions we take will be clearer than if we act impulsively. We just need to have faith that the Spirit will guide us in our words and actions and the result will lead to a positive outcome.