I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
| Jeremiah 20 |
Today’s readings, just one week from Good Friday, grow more ominous as the enemies of Jesus search for evidence of his misdeeds. What threatens them the most is that Jesus looks them squarely in the face and speaks the truth, one they don’t want to hear. They want to kill him, to stop the message of the gospel he brings to them.
What kind of courage does it take for us to speak out with an unwelcome message, a message that might threaten our own well-being?
Can I look at the way I live my life and see where I lack the kind of courage Jesus had? How am I being called to live the gospel in a counter-cultural way? How mocked or threatened would I be if I chose to live my life more simply? More importantly, how much would it matter to me that I was mocked or threatened? What courage would it take to speak out or even work on behalf of the poor or marginalized?
Do I have the strength to take stands that are unpopular? How might others view me if I speak openly in defense of all life, not only the innocent life of the unborn but on behalf of the less-attractive, less innocent men and women on death row? In many places in America the death penalty is so well accepted, it isn’t even a part of the political discussion. Is this an evil I recognize but lack the courage to confront more openly?
Lord, I want to walk with you in the week ahead. Let me admire you, fall in love with you, desire to imitate your own courageous fidelity to the truth. Where I am filled with fear, let me feel your love, strengthening me. Attract my heart and give me strength, even the fire of your own spirit. I want only to have the courage to stay with you, to stay awake for you, in the days ahead.
Maureen McCann Waldron
The most important part of my life is my family – Jim my husband of 47 years and our two children. Our daughter Katy, a banker here in Omaha, and her husband John, have three wonderful children: Charlotte, Daniel and Elizabeth Grace. Our son Jack and his wife, Ellie, have added to our joy with their sons, Peter and Joseph.
I think family life is an incredible way to find God, even in (or maybe I should say, especially in) the most frustrating or mundane moments.
I am a native of the East Coast after graduating in 1971 from Archbishop John Carroll High School in suburban Philadelphia. I graduated from Creighton University in 1975 with a degree in Journalism and spent most of the next 20 years in corporate public relations in Omaha. I returned to Creighton in the 1990s and completed a master’s degree in Christian Spirituality in 1998.
As our children were growing up, my favorite times were always family dinners at home when the four of us would talk about our days. But now that our kids are gone from home, my husband and I have rediscovered how nice it is to have a quiet dinner together. I also have a special place in my heart for family vacations when the kids were little and four of us were away from home together. It’s a joy to be with my growing family.
Writing a Daily Reflection is always a graced moment, because only with God’s help could I ever write one. I know my own life is hectic, disjointed and imperfect and I know most of us have lives like that. I usually write from that point of view and I always seem to find some sentence, some word in the readings that speaks right to me, in all of my imperfection. I hope that whatever I write is in some way supportive of others.
It’s an incredibly humbling experience to hear from someone who was touched by something I wrote. Whether the note is from someone across campus or across the world, it makes me realize how connected we are all in our longing to grow closer to God.
