The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021017.cfm)
reminds me how important it is to have alone time with God.
They say that the environment has a big influence on what you become.
Behavior is affected by the environment you are in. if you are in a conducive
environment and are always with intelligent and diligent people, you tend to be
like them. You get and learn their attitude and behavior. If you are always
with church friends who take their faith and spiritual growth seriously, you
will most probably put a premium on your faith. You would be influenced by
them. However, this can also affect in a negative way. when you are with people
who don’t give importance to their faith, you may also become affected. This is
probably the reason why in the gospel, Jesus took the man by himself away from
the people before healing him.
Alone time with
God is important, and powerful.
Probably
there were people in the crowd who were doubting Jesus. Probably they did not
believe in his love and power. Probably their intention from bringing him the
man was not for his healing, but to see if Jesus has power. Probably the man’s
faith would be affected if he stayed with the people. Or probably, what's
important to Jesus is not what others think, but what the man thinks. so Jesus
took him by himself away from them.
Others
can influence us in a negative way. In the first reading, we see Eve tempted by
the serpent, which she eventually gave in to. Worse, she also tempted the man
and they both sinned. This shows that being surrounded by negative influences
can affect us. This is why our relationship with God should be stronger than
our external influences.
Personal
relationship with God is very important.
No matter what other people may
say or think, no matter what the situation may be, it is important to have
faith in God. And this can be strengthened if we have a deep and personal
relationship with him. and this relationship will be developed just like any
other relationship – if we spend time alone, if we give importance, if we get
to know him better.
In
life, people will have different opinion. Some will encourage you, and some
will dishearten you. it is because of this that it is important to have our own
personal relationship with God. No matter what other people may say, we should
be firm in faith, focusing on Him and his love and trusting his plans.
May
we be encouraged to work on our personal relationship with God, and regularly
spend time alone with him.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another chance to love
and serve you. Thank you for the reminder on the importance of having a personal
relationship with you. Sorry for the times I ignore the importance of this.
Sorry for the times I am too lazy to work on and develop my personal
relationship with you. I want a deep personal relationship with you. help me
work on it. I promise to make the effort to build and strengthen it,
and I ask you to bless my effort. Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflections:
February 10, 2017
Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin
Lectionary: 333
Reading 1 Gn 3:1-8
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
"Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?"
The woman answered the serpent:
"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
But the serpent said to the woman:
"You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil."
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.
When they heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the garden
at the breezy time of the day,
the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God
among the trees of the garden.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Alleluia Acts 16:14b
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 7:31-37
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man's ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
"Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!")
And immediately the man's ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
"He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
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