Meditation is an ideal way to pray. Using God's word (Lectio Divina) allows me to hear, listen and reflect on what the Lord wants to say to me - to one of his disciples - just like He did two thousand years ago.
The best time to reflect is at the beginning of the day and for at least 15 to 30 minutes.
Prior to going to sleep, read the Mass readings for the next day and then, in the morning, reflect on the Meditation offered on this website.
I hope these daily meditations allow you to know, love and imitate the Lord in a more meaningful way.
God bless you!


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Mt 13:44-46 The Kingdom of God and Gum

Mt  13:44-46  The Kingdom of God and Gum
Jesus said to his disciples:  “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again.”
Recently, I went to see a movie with a beautiful family.  They have three girls and one little boy.  I can’t remember at this moment what movie we went to see, but that’s not the point of this meditation.  During the movie, the youngest child poked me repeatedly.  I thought he was just bothering me, but when I finally looked at him, I saw that he was offering me a piece of bubble gum.  “For me?” I inquired.  The child simply nodded his little head.  “Aw…thank you so much!”
While I watched the movie, I unwrapped the gum as quietly as possible and quickly put it in my mouth.  It didn’t take me long to realize that something was wrong with the gum; it didn’t taste right.  I chewed and chewed but there was no flavor.  In fact, it kind of tasted nasty.  It kind of tasted like it had been tasted before!  I looked over at my little friend and asked him, “Where did you get this gum?”  At that, he put his hand over his mouth and began to giggle; a giggle that reminded me of the JOKER!
I couldn’t believe it!  I was about to tell this child, “Don’t you know I can send you to hell?!!”  I didn’t.  I controlled myself.
Well, I immediately took the gum out of mouth and looked for the wrapper.  I have to admit I didn’t know where it was.  I kind of threw it somewhere in the movie theater.  With no options left, I decided to stick the gum on the front of my chair. 
I know…I know…Sorry, but I did it anyways.  I promised myself I would remove it as soon as the movie was over, I forgot.  Thank God! 
As we were saying our goodbyes and I was heading over to my car, I noticed that I couldn’t find my car keys.  I must have dropped them somewhere, but where?  I headed straight back to the theater and asked if anyone had found a set of keys.  Negative.  I went back inside the theater and to where I had sat.  But with the lights on and everyone gone, I couldn’t exactly remember where I had sat.  I went to one row, checked it, and found nothing. 
That’s when I remembered the bubble gum. 
I began to search for the bubble gum rather than for my keys.  Once I found it, I searched below my seat and found my keys.
If there is anything “unique” about my meditations; if the Lord has blessed me in a special way, then it is in taking the day to day realities of life and applying them to the Gospel truth. 
So often in my life I have considered certain “things” as useless, only to come back to them and find some hidden truth in them.  Take for example, faith.  As a child I considered faith as being meaningless, useless, and impractical only to come back to it later in life and appreciate it beyond belief!   Today, I consider my faith in God (and not in myself) as a treasure that is well worth selling everything for in order to own it.  What I once thought was tasteless, boring and unprofitable; today, I consider it to be a pearl of great price; the key to unlocking so many mysteries in my life.

4 comments:

  1. Very funny! LOL! What makes you "unique" is the sense of humor in applying the Gospel truth to contemporary life!

    Nice ending a hot steamy day with Chick-fil-A in my belly and chuckles from a Father Alfonse meditation. :)

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  2. Happy Feast Day Father Alfonse!

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  3. Ha ha! I remember a mass when you mentioned driving a Nissan. So do I. Those are some expensive keys that gross gum enabled you to find.

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  4. Cute Meditation! So when you found your car keys did you take that nasty piece of Gum off the seat you were sitting on and throw it in the trash can! LOL..........................

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