Monday, February 13, 2006
Atheists will believe anything.
Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
http://www.usccb.org/nab/021306.shtml
Reflection:
We have an interesting collection of readings for Monday. There is clearly a central point to be made in the connection between the first reading from James and the Gospel from Mark. Oh, and for good measure the central theme is supported nicely by the Psalm.
If I were telling a joke, this is where I would scroll down so the punch line would not show on the screen. The central theme today is the one I fight with every day - lack of faith.
In the Gospel, Jesus is being taunted by the Pharisees again. This time they are asking him for a "Sign". How many times have we heard that from people who do not want to believe, ("If your God is up there, why doesn't he give you a sign?) or by those who want desperately to believe but are not quite sure ("God, if your up there, please give me a sign!"). In this instance the Pharisees are arguing with Jesus so it is assumed they fall into the first category. Remember Christ's temptation in the desert?
Mt 4 5b-7 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and 'with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"
7 Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'
Is it any wonder that he "He sighed from the depth of his spirit"? He was probably profoundly saddened to find the words he had once heard from his arch nemesis coming from the people of his own faith.
In the reading from St. James (no relation) talks about the positive benefit of having your faith tested. (Note, in the Gospel we just discussed Jesus faith was not being tested, he was saddened by the lack of faith.) He goes on to talk about those who lack singleness of purpose in the faith as being tossed about like waves on the sea. In this passage I am reminded of something said by an early Catholic philosopher (I could look it up, I saw it on the First Things web site, but I'm lazy this morning.). What he said was -Atheists will believe anything. If you don't have singleness of purpose, your prayer will not give you anything to help you since you don't know, if an answer comes, where it is coming from. (Yes, the Evil One answers prayers as well).
This morning I pray the Psalm and ask God the Father, through His Son to have the Holy Spirit give me wisdom today, that I might live the faith as His genuine witness.
Pax
Atheists will believe anything.
Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
http://www.usccb.org/nab/021306.shtml
Reflection:
We have an interesting collection of readings for Monday. There is clearly a central point to be made in the connection between the first reading from James and the Gospel from Mark. Oh, and for good measure the central theme is supported nicely by the Psalm.
If I were telling a joke, this is where I would scroll down so the punch line would not show on the screen. The central theme today is the one I fight with every day - lack of faith.
In the Gospel, Jesus is being taunted by the Pharisees again. This time they are asking him for a "Sign". How many times have we heard that from people who do not want to believe, ("If your God is up there, why doesn't he give you a sign?) or by those who want desperately to believe but are not quite sure ("God, if your up there, please give me a sign!"). In this instance the Pharisees are arguing with Jesus so it is assumed they fall into the first category. Remember Christ's temptation in the desert?
Mt 4 5b-7 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and 'with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"
7 Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'
Is it any wonder that he "He sighed from the depth of his spirit"? He was probably profoundly saddened to find the words he had once heard from his arch nemesis coming from the people of his own faith.
In the reading from St. James (no relation) talks about the positive benefit of having your faith tested. (Note, in the Gospel we just discussed Jesus faith was not being tested, he was saddened by the lack of faith.) He goes on to talk about those who lack singleness of purpose in the faith as being tossed about like waves on the sea. In this passage I am reminded of something said by an early Catholic philosopher (I could look it up, I saw it on the First Things web site, but I'm lazy this morning.). What he said was -Atheists will believe anything. If you don't have singleness of purpose, your prayer will not give you anything to help you since you don't know, if an answer comes, where it is coming from. (Yes, the Evil One answers prayers as well).
This morning I pray the Psalm and ask God the Father, through His Son to have the Holy Spirit give me wisdom today, that I might live the faith as His genuine witness.
Pax
posted by Deacon Jim | 5:10 PM
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