“The measure with which you measure
will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given.”
- Mark 4

Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

On the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Luke's gospel continues the story of the Jesus teaching in the synagogue. The crowd, although “amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth” began to challenge Jesus. He responds that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place” and challenges their assumptions, angering the crowd. When they try to drive him out of town, he passes through their midst.

Wednesday is the Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. Thursday is the Memorial of the Japanese Jesuit Saint Paul Miki and his Companions, Martyrs.

The first reading this week continues with the Letter to the Hebrews. Jesus is priest and we should not be discouraged.

In Mark’s Gospel this week, Jesus continues to heal and teach. A man in the Gerasenes is healed of unclean spirits and wants to stay with Jesus but he tells the man, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” The young daughter of a synagogue official is sick and on the way to cure her, as Jesus stood in a crowd, he felt the power go out of him as a woman with a hemorrhage touched his cloak. “Your faith has saved you,” he reassures her. To the synagogue official he says, “Do not be afraid; just have faith” and heals his daughter. He teaches in the synagogue in his hometown “and they took offense at him.”  He was not able to perform miracles there, because of their lack of faith. Jesus sends his apostles, in twos, to share the good news. After publicly promising a dancer anything she wants, Herod reluctantly gives the girl her wish and orders John the Baptist to be beheaded. When Jesus' disciples return from their journeys, he encourages them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” But as they tried to get away “and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.”

On the Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, we reflect on Luke's Gospel's marvelous call of Peter. Jesus preaches from Peter's boat, invites Peter out into “deeper water” and shows him his power to catch fish. When Peter recoils in fear, Jesus calls him to gather people with Jesus' same power. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus tells him, and says that from now on he will be catching people instead of fish.

Daily Prayer This Week

This week is set at the beginning of Jesus' ministry and the pictures we get of how challenged and pushed he is prepare us to hear the simple parables he tells us. All of us get challenged and pushed in our daily lives. Even when we are on the right road and following a faithful path, there are forces, conflicting demands, tempting alternatives, differing values that batter us. It takes grace and courage to trust our real mission and that our Lord will be with us through it all.

Each morning this week, we can take a moment, to ask for what we desire. The entire day will be different just by spending 20 seconds sitting at the edge of the bed saying, “Lord, I want to keep my eyes open today. Whatever comes at me today, I want to stay in touch with you. Thank you.” Another morning I may be aware of a big decision I have to execute that day or a conflict I am planning to face, and I might pray, “Okay, Lord, this is the day. This is how I live out my relationship with you. Be with me and give me what I need. Keep reminding me I can't do it without you.”

Each day will offer a different brief moment of connection with our Lord, but each will ground the day. Then it is so very easy, while in the shower or walking down a hall, for just brief moments here and there in the background of our day, to stay in touch with our Lord. These guides can help keep us focused on the nourishing Word which interacts with our daily life. Every day can seem like a living Parable of the Sower. There is seed being scattered all around us and we can see and experience our degrees of receptivity. And while we are doing the best we can, all day, every day, in a variety of things, we can be consoled by the Lord's smile reminding us that the Kingdom is like a mustard seed. The real graces come from very small seeds, the smallest of efforts that make a big difference. Most of all, when things get rough, during any day, we can pause and take a breath and ask him to calm the wind and sea in our hearts.

Every night we can thank him for his presence and ground our growing relationship with him.