AI Radio Antenna – looks like a cell phone tower to me.
Greetings on this the Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Hebrews 4:12-16; Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15; Mark 2:13-17
The Word
The word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit,
joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
Penetration of Soul and Spirit
From a Catholic perspective, the Soul is the animating force of one’s life and the Spirit is the way we achieve the divine connection.
When I taught RCIA (now OCIA), I would describe the Human Spirit as a built-in radio antenna. An antenna is used to capture a signal and draw it into the receiver. Whichever direction you point the Spirit it will receive ‘that’ signal. The purpose of the Spirit is to reach back out to the Lord God and hear, feel and know Him.
CCC 367 Sometimes the soul is distinguished from the spirit: St. Paul for instance prays that God may sanctify his people “wholly,” with “spirit and soul and body” kept sound and blameless at the Lord’s coming. The Church teaches that this distinction does not introduce a duality into the soul. “Spirit” signifies that from creation man is ordered to a supernatural end and that his soul can gratuitously be raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.
Men and Women Hearing the Lord
This first week of Ordinary Time we are bracketed with the calling of disciples, Monday and Saturday. The gospel readings between them are about the marvelous things the Lord does for humanity. Setting our antenna to hear the Lord (as we are designed to do) allows us to know him and to respond to life’s events in a like way to him, with compassion and support.
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
The Lord Calls Us
Sinners all. The difference is hearing the Lord’s call.
A favorite quote: The Lord doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.
Do you hear the Lord, at all? (fix your antenna).
Do you hear the Lord calling you into a new life free from the bondage of sin?
Do you hear the Lord calling you to the Priesthood or Religious Life?
Do you hear the Lord calling you to be Just and to do Social Justice?
Answering the Call
Prayer and reading of sacred scripture are good antenna practices. Attending Mass ever more so. Talking with others (bible study, prayer gatherings) allows you to give voice to the desire to connect with the Lord. Know this, we are built to be in communion with the Lord.
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011825.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry
In services where I grew up, we were taught and noting raising our hands in worship helps to connect with God’s power.
cjsmissionaryministry@gmail.com
Perfect!