Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8 Ps 112:1b-2, 3b-4, 5-6 Mk 12:1-12

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

In the first reading the Lord appears to Moses in a burning bush.  This is a remarkable story of the mysterious ways the Lord makes himself known.  It must have been startling to Moses that the Lord would appear to him in a burning bush, but he listened to the Lord and followed his directions.  There are times in my life that I wish the Lord would appear to me in such a noticeable and visible way, giving me instructions to help me follow the plan God has for me.  I often find myself trying to listen for God to tell me something or lead me in the right direction, not hearing anything.  Listening is often the hardest thing for me in prayer.  It is much easier to continue talking to God, but this is not a relationship; I must listen for God’s response to my prayers. Often I see God has been clearly giving me a sign or speaking to me in an unexpected way that I didn’t recognize.  In time it hits me like a rock: Wow! God has been telling me something for a very long time; I just wasn’t listening closely enough.  
           
The second reading is like a warning of what will happen if we do not follow God willingly.  The word ‘grumble’ seems to stick out in this reading.  I can relate to grumbling about a test, big project, or any task I am not looking forward to.  Often when I’m very tired and stressed I seem to grumble about every task that must be completed, like it is just another chore.  I realize that God does not want us to grumble about anything in our lives.  God wants us to approach every task with spirit and the desire to include God in our lives.  I believe that grumbling less in is something we can all work on.  Keeping a positive attitude in every day life will improve the tasks at hand, and may even brighten someone else’s day.

In the Gospel Jesus tells us to repent; otherwise we will perish.   The parable describes how the ground around a fig tree needs to be cultivated to produce fruit.  Just like the ground around the fig tree needs attention, so do our lives.  We need to experience humility and to repent in order for God to forgive us.  Just as the gardener did not give up on the plant and just cut it down, God will not give up on us.  God is willing to be patient and give us the attention we need to live out our lives: to “produce fruit.”  It is up to us to listen to God and receive his attention in our lives.