Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Hebrews 11:1-7
Psalm 145:2-5, 10-11
Mark 9:2-13
Who except God can give you peace? Has the world ever been able to satisfy the heart?
-- St. Gerard Majella
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration.htm#3#ixzz1ERuf8oy4
“He hardly knew what to say.” (Mark 9:6)
“He hardly knew what to say.” (Mark 9:6)
http://wau.org/meditations/current/
Every person has a specific temperament that they tend to carry throughout life. For example, some rarely speak, while others think carefully before they talk. And then there are those people who talk a lot—and who don’t always think before they speak! Peter was certainly in this category. Having a powerful vision of Jesus at the transfiguration, Peter was awestruck; he didn’t know what to say. So, of course, he was the first one to speak up!
If you try to follow Peter’s life in the Gospels, you’ll find that his tendency to speak and act impulsively is consistent—and in a way, even endearing. When he throws down his nets and leaves the catch of a lifetime just to follow Jesus (Luke 5:1-11), we are moved by his humility and devotion. When he is the first disciple to identify Jesus as “the Messiah,” we are impressed—and then we become sympathetic when Jesus rebukes him for misunderstanding the sacrificial nature of his mission (Mark 8:27-33). And here, as Jesus is being transfigured, Peter is at it again. Beholding Jesus’ heavenly glory, Peter wrongly assumes once more that he knows what’s going on. He believes that Jesus’ mission is about to come to its fulfillment, so he proposes erecting a monument to mark so auspicious an occasion.
Like Peter, we all want to try our best to figure out God’s plan—and that is a good thing. But sometimes, the secret to a deeper spiritual life means listening and not rushing to action. So often, the world tells us that we should move quickly to fix or advance every situation that seems out of kilter in our lives. But if we do this, we risk taking action before listening for the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit— whether through prayer, in Scripture, or in the advice of a trusted brother or sister in Christ.
Over time, Peter developed an attitude of waiting, listening, and asking. Through trial and error, he learned how to quiet his heart and discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And that’s great news for us. Like Peter, we too can become better listeners, both to God and to other people. All it takes is practice.
“Jesus, open my ears and my heart. Help me to value listening and learning more than advising and acting. Infuse my words and actions with wisdom and holy timing.”
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