06-01-2012, 10:01 AM
Scripture Reflections
Friday 01 June, 2012, 8th Week, Ordinary Time
A FRUITFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ROOTED IN THE PRAYER OF FAITH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 PT 4:7-13; MK 11:11-26
The first reading from the letter of St Peter is situated in the context of baptism and the persecution of Christians. The author was reminding the Christians how they were to conduct themselves in a non-Christian environment and among themselves. In other words, their conduct must flow from their baptismal commitment. They were to live lives of love, sharing their talents and serving each other so that they can be “like good stewards responsible for all these different graces of God.” However, it is good also to note that the author also speaks about the test by fire; that Christians are also called to share in the sufferings of Christ.
The implication is that loving and serving is still not sufficient. The truth is that in any community, those who try to serve may not be really appreciated. Very often, even when we are generous with our service and wealth, we are often misunderstood. Sometimes, jealousy and envy make any good work impossible. But more difficult still are the disagreements and bickering in the ways in which some projects are carried out. As a result, such goodwill people soon become bitter, frustrated and resentful over the rejections and misunderstandings they encounter. When such a situation happens, then we become the barren fig tree that Jesus condemned in today’s gospel; just like the Jews during the time of Jesus. Instead of promoting love and service, we become like the money changers, the pigeon vendors and the priests who made money out of the poor people, caring for their own self-interests and benefit. So how can we be really fruitful in our Christian life and ministry?
The answer is clear: we must become the temple of prayer. Yes, if we find ourselves incapable of generous love and service; if we find ourselves unable to work with others for the common good of the community, then it is because we are not people of prayer, both as individuals and as community. His prophetic action in today’s gospel is His way of telling us that all, without exception, are called to union with God and with others by being people of prayer. Only the power of prayer can transform us all into truly loving and caring people. However, it is not sufficient simply to be people of prayer; we must be people of faith as well. In other words, a fruitful Christian life is dependent on people who pray in faith. What then is required if we want to be people of faith? The key is openness. Faith is primarily openness; and this openness is on two levels.
Firstly, to pray with faith is to be open to new perspectives. Not to have faith is to see life only from one angle. A person of faith is able to see life in different and varied perspectives. He is not narrow-minded but thoroughly broad-minded and global in perspective. Hence, a man of faith can move mountains because he can transform the mountains into stepping-stones for growth. A person without faith is always a negative person. He sees the mountain and bemoans his misfortune; whereas a person of faith will immediately see the mountain as a challenge for him to scale and to grow. Changing perspectives therefore will transform everything that is negative into something positive. If we come across people who are difficult to deal with, then we must thank God for using them to help us to be more ingenious in dealing with them. If we have people who like to hurt us, humiliate and disagree with us, then we thank God that these people are actually helping us to grow in humility, in understanding and in compassion. They are our spiritual benefactors. So instead of getting angry with them or with God for these difficult people in our lives, we must praise and thank God that through them we are actually being purified. Such gratitude will also in turn make us pray for them as well.
Secondly, to pray with faith is not only to be open to others and to new perspectives on the horizontal level, it is also to be open to God’s power as well. Faith means that we should never put obstacles in the way of God, especially in His power to work miracles in our lives. That is why Jesus told His disciples, “everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours.” This certainly means that whatever we pray for, we must believe that the prayer is already answered; and that it is already happening and taking effect in our lives. Thus, it is of great importance that we mean what we pray and that we identify ourselves with the prayer that we say; experiencing every word deeply and profoundly with our whole being. Unless we pray in that manner, our prayers will not be as efficacious.
However, the prayer of faith is dependent on the most important pre-requisite, namely, forgiveness. That is why Jesus spoke of the need to “forgive whatever you have against anybody.” This is the crucial factor in our ability to be open to God and to others. Without forgiveness, we block others from coming into our lives. An unforgiving heart is not only a closed heart but also a closed mind as well. That is why forgiveness from our heart is vital in our ability to be open to others. Forgiveness is also essential in allowing the power of God’s grace to work in and through us. God, we know, is love. Unless we experience the Father’s forgiveness, we will not be able to forgive others and ourselves as well. As a result, our hearts remain hardened.
Forgiveness, be it received from God or given to others, is absolutely indispensable if we are to be efficacious in our prayer and fruitful in our Christian life. A person who bears no grudges or bitterness in his life against anyone is already filled with the love and life of God in him. And because he is one with God, we can be sure that whatever he prays for is always answered. This explains why scripture and theology also say that the prayers of a holy man works wonders, especially the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.
Yes, if we want to be productive in our Christian life and ministry, then we must take the words of Jesus seriously and transform ourselves both as individuals and as a community into a house of prayer; a prayer that is made in faith and in openness. Only prayers of faith offered by people who have experienced forgiveness and therefore can grant forgiveness, can transform them into the fruitful fig tree that we are all called to be. In this way, with the author of the first reading, we will be able to say “in everything God may receive the glory, through Jesus Christ, since to Him alone belong all glory” and power forever and ever.
Friday 01 June, 2012, 8th Week, Ordinary Time
A FRUITFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ROOTED IN THE PRAYER OF FAITH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 PT 4:7-13; MK 11:11-26
The first reading from the letter of St Peter is situated in the context of baptism and the persecution of Christians. The author was reminding the Christians how they were to conduct themselves in a non-Christian environment and among themselves. In other words, their conduct must flow from their baptismal commitment. They were to live lives of love, sharing their talents and serving each other so that they can be “like good stewards responsible for all these different graces of God.” However, it is good also to note that the author also speaks about the test by fire; that Christians are also called to share in the sufferings of Christ.
The implication is that loving and serving is still not sufficient. The truth is that in any community, those who try to serve may not be really appreciated. Very often, even when we are generous with our service and wealth, we are often misunderstood. Sometimes, jealousy and envy make any good work impossible. But more difficult still are the disagreements and bickering in the ways in which some projects are carried out. As a result, such goodwill people soon become bitter, frustrated and resentful over the rejections and misunderstandings they encounter. When such a situation happens, then we become the barren fig tree that Jesus condemned in today’s gospel; just like the Jews during the time of Jesus. Instead of promoting love and service, we become like the money changers, the pigeon vendors and the priests who made money out of the poor people, caring for their own self-interests and benefit. So how can we be really fruitful in our Christian life and ministry?
The answer is clear: we must become the temple of prayer. Yes, if we find ourselves incapable of generous love and service; if we find ourselves unable to work with others for the common good of the community, then it is because we are not people of prayer, both as individuals and as community. His prophetic action in today’s gospel is His way of telling us that all, without exception, are called to union with God and with others by being people of prayer. Only the power of prayer can transform us all into truly loving and caring people. However, it is not sufficient simply to be people of prayer; we must be people of faith as well. In other words, a fruitful Christian life is dependent on people who pray in faith. What then is required if we want to be people of faith? The key is openness. Faith is primarily openness; and this openness is on two levels.
Firstly, to pray with faith is to be open to new perspectives. Not to have faith is to see life only from one angle. A person of faith is able to see life in different and varied perspectives. He is not narrow-minded but thoroughly broad-minded and global in perspective. Hence, a man of faith can move mountains because he can transform the mountains into stepping-stones for growth. A person without faith is always a negative person. He sees the mountain and bemoans his misfortune; whereas a person of faith will immediately see the mountain as a challenge for him to scale and to grow. Changing perspectives therefore will transform everything that is negative into something positive. If we come across people who are difficult to deal with, then we must thank God for using them to help us to be more ingenious in dealing with them. If we have people who like to hurt us, humiliate and disagree with us, then we thank God that these people are actually helping us to grow in humility, in understanding and in compassion. They are our spiritual benefactors. So instead of getting angry with them or with God for these difficult people in our lives, we must praise and thank God that through them we are actually being purified. Such gratitude will also in turn make us pray for them as well.
Secondly, to pray with faith is not only to be open to others and to new perspectives on the horizontal level, it is also to be open to God’s power as well. Faith means that we should never put obstacles in the way of God, especially in His power to work miracles in our lives. That is why Jesus told His disciples, “everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours.” This certainly means that whatever we pray for, we must believe that the prayer is already answered; and that it is already happening and taking effect in our lives. Thus, it is of great importance that we mean what we pray and that we identify ourselves with the prayer that we say; experiencing every word deeply and profoundly with our whole being. Unless we pray in that manner, our prayers will not be as efficacious.
However, the prayer of faith is dependent on the most important pre-requisite, namely, forgiveness. That is why Jesus spoke of the need to “forgive whatever you have against anybody.” This is the crucial factor in our ability to be open to God and to others. Without forgiveness, we block others from coming into our lives. An unforgiving heart is not only a closed heart but also a closed mind as well. That is why forgiveness from our heart is vital in our ability to be open to others. Forgiveness is also essential in allowing the power of God’s grace to work in and through us. God, we know, is love. Unless we experience the Father’s forgiveness, we will not be able to forgive others and ourselves as well. As a result, our hearts remain hardened.
Forgiveness, be it received from God or given to others, is absolutely indispensable if we are to be efficacious in our prayer and fruitful in our Christian life. A person who bears no grudges or bitterness in his life against anyone is already filled with the love and life of God in him. And because he is one with God, we can be sure that whatever he prays for is always answered. This explains why scripture and theology also say that the prayers of a holy man works wonders, especially the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.
Yes, if we want to be productive in our Christian life and ministry, then we must take the words of Jesus seriously and transform ourselves both as individuals and as a community into a house of prayer; a prayer that is made in faith and in openness. Only prayers of faith offered by people who have experienced forgiveness and therefore can grant forgiveness, can transform them into the fruitful fig tree that we are all called to be. In this way, with the author of the first reading, we will be able to say “in everything God may receive the glory, through Jesus Christ, since to Him alone belong all glory” and power forever and ever.