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, April 24, 2013

Jn 12:44-50 Believe In Me

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me…I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.  And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.”
Darkness.  Has darkness fallen upon your life?  Are your days filled with anguish, despair and anger?  Has sin overcome your life?  Are you a slave to your passions and emotions?  Regardless of how bright the day is, is your mind filled with dark thoughts?  Regardless of how joyful and full of life everyone is around you, is your heart filled with sadness?
Have you given up?    
Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me.   There’s been a marked increase in the number of people who suffer from severe depression and disorders.  Is this an illness that has always been with us and only recently understood and diagnosed?  Or is it something our dysfunctional society and inhumane ideologies create in us?  I think it’s both.
We humans need to know why we exist.  We need to know why our life matters.  We also need to know that life itself (our life) has just as much of a purpose as our body parts.  We need to know that we can make a world of difference.  If not, then the world, with all its weight, will crush us.
It’s clear the “Universe” generated thinking, rational human beings with needs that go way beyond the evolutionary needs of hunting and gathering.  It’s clear the “Universe” generated thinking, rational human beings with subjective emotions and an urge for striving.  Why?  For what?   Philosophically?  To discover; to discover the world around us.  Theologically?  To know, serve and love the one True God. 
Obviously, the “Universe” “thought” it was important for us to do so.  After all, no other creature shares this need.  Is it a defect?  Is it the result of some blind disorder?  Is it a weakness?  Or is it a weakness that is turned into a great strength (virtue)?      
Well, the “Universe” must have thought it was important, just as important as creating food and water and a billion other things necessary for life and its maintainability.  Our profound desire to know who we are, why we are here and what we are supposed to do here is not some trivial matter.  It keeps us sane.  It is necessary for our survival (and I don’t mean it as a gentle means to absorb a crushing end.  I mean it as a means to an ultimate end).
Lightness.  Technically speaking science offers us theories, not “laws,” for to prove a thing would require proving a universal negative (that the hypothesis does not fail under any circumstance).  And, as they say, to prove a universal negative requires universal knowledge.  So science offers us theories, all sorts of theories, but we know that some theories stand up much better to testing than others. 
Philosophers and political scientists offer us theories as well, and some theories are better than others.  For centuries we have seen various forms of government.  We have come to believe that “democracy” is the best form of government.  We live by it and even die defending it.
Jesus Christ offers us His theories as well.  He speaks of forgiveness and of loving one’s enemies.  He speaks of God as our Father, and God being Love.  He speaks of marriage as an in dissolvable union between a man and a woman.  He considers life, all life, as sacred.  He offers us a philosophy where humility reigns:  “the first shall be last and the last shall be first; to be great means to be the least; to give is better than to receive, etc…”  Jesus offers us not only His philosophy but also a way to life.  He even offers us His Father.  He calls himself the Light of the world. 
Is this true?  Is He the best? 
Well, like political and scientific theories, let’s give Him a try.  Like science, let’s put Him to the test and let’s observe what we get.

6 comments:

  1. Father....to add a quote in support of your meditation today and its ref to moments of darkness ...' When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."

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  2. Father, are you saying that the darkness you talk about initially is a part of the "subjective emotions" that are necessary for our survival? If so, why would the "Universe" feel that these dark emotions are important to us, considering the negative effects they often bring?

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    Replies

    1. It seems like science is finally catching up to God.

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2314781/Believing-God-help-treat-depression.html

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    2. Father, all that is says is that the BELIEF in god may help, not GOD helps.

      From the article -
      "And more than 30 per cent of patients claiming no specific religious affiliation still saw the same benefits in treatment if their belief in God was rated as moderately or very high."

      This seems to state that you would get the same benefit from believing in Zeus as it would God.

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    3. "Father, all that is says is that the BELIEF in god may help, not GOD helps."

      So how would they know that God didn't help? And how would they know that God didn't help those who never even asked him for help? Scientists can only observe what they can see, nothing more.

      Remember, God is not like us, anonymous. He can love those who do not love Him. He can also help those who do not ask Him.

      What is clear is that belief in God is not a bad thing, even belief in Zeus (Zeus Latin: Deus = Deity, God). By the way, did anyone say they prayed to "Zeus". You know I call people by the wrong name all the time and yet they still know that I am talking to them. :)

      Christians believe that salvation only comes from Jesus Christ. But what they fail to remember is that Catholics believe that even non-Christians can be saved, but it is always Christ who saves.

      I hope you understand?

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  3. I think in this meditation, Father wants us to realize the "universe" is God (or The Trinity).
    He created us with an inclination to truly discover this world -- which leads us to seek and serve God (and our fellow man).
    If we deny or reject that "inclination" (not the best word), we suffer darkness.

    But you asked Father and not me. I replied to perhaps help and/or to be set straight by Father Alfonse :)

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