Come Closer

~~~ Isaiah 2: 1-5 ~~~ Psalm 122 ~~~ Matthew 8:5-11 ~~~

Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;

only say the word and my servant will be healed.

The words we speak before receiving Communion at every Mass 

are taken from today's gospel reading.

The centurion was not asking Jesus to go out of his way

or to change his plans for the day.

The centurion was only asking Jesus to
speak his healing words.

This soldier had a greater faith then
 we often have when praying.

This soldier was recognizing the authority
 Jesus had over sickness.

This soldier believed that Jesus had his healing power

extended beyond his immediate physical reach.

...That he may instruct us in his ways,

and we may walk in his paths.

God never hears us because of our worthiness;

he hears us because we are his own.

We belong to him.

If we believe for one minute that we can sustain

 ourselves without God we are surely doomed.

We have life through him...he alone gives life...

he alone takes life.

We must come face to face with Jesus,
just as this centurion did, when making our requests.

A teacher, surrounded by her students, is able to use 

visual cues to assess her instruction.

A student benefits a great deal by being in close

proximity to the teacher

for similar reasons.

Jesus invites us to come closer 

so that he may instruct us in his ways.

Jesus invites us to come closer so that he can

instruct us as we walk together.

We are Blessed to have a God that does not allow our 

'worthiness' to get in the way.

Our lack of 'worthiness' is no obstacle for him.

~~~Peace~~~

Three years ago, this blog was begun

below is the post written for these readings in 2012.

From a Distance

Speaking Words of Peace

 ~~~ Isaiah 4:2-6 ~~~ Psalm 122 ~~~ Matthew 8:5-11 ~~~

 

Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, “Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.

Jesus is met by a centurion soldier whose child is sick.
He does not ask Jesus to change his plans.
He does not take up Jesus' time with idle gossip.
He does not try to question Jesus in order to trap him.

This centurion officer knows the power of a command.
He gives orders to the men under his command daily.
He is accustomed to having his orders followed promptly and precisely.
So he simply says to Jesus....
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
By now you should recognize this sentence;
we say it during the Mass before we receive the Eucharist.
 

 

So what, you may ask, does this have to do with advent? 

This centurion has greater faith than many of us who claim to follow Jesus today.
Here we have a man who was not called by Jesus to be one of his followers.
Here we have a man convinced that his child's healing was possible...
even from a distance.
The physical presence of Jesus was not required for healing
only his words.
We are waiting for this 'Word' to become flesh and blood. 

Many come to touch and to be touched by Jesus,
 but this man only sought the healing intention of Jesus. 

 

This soldier was asking Jesus to pray for his child.
Every day we are asked to pray for someone.
How attentive are you with responding in prayer?
 

 Blessings come in consciously
 sharing the Peace of the Lord with others.

 Sometimes in knowing this kind of peace we can find healing.
Sometimes the person may just need to know that someone cares.
I invite you to be that one who cares enough
to pray and extend God's peace.

From a Distance

~~~ Isaiah 2: 1-5 ~~~ Psalm 122 ~~~ Matthew 8:5-11 ~~~

 

If your heart is filled with loving care and compassion,

as was the centurion's, Jesus will respond.

It is the right disposition of the heart that allows

Jesus to act from anywhere.

It is not necessary to be in any one physical location for God to hear us.

We do not have to recite certain prescribed prayers for God to heal us.

We must only have our heart under the influence of love...concern

for another.

 

We are invited to walk in the light of the Lord.

This can only be possible if our heart is washed in love.

If we do not have love in our heart we cannot walk in the light of the Lord;

it would be too uncomfortable.

We could not stand the intensity of the light.

If we do not love in our heart the light from the Lord

would cause us to turn and flee.

 

God never hears us because of our worthiness;

he hears us because we are his own.

We belong to him.

If we believe for one minute that we can sustain ourselves without God

we are surely doomed.

We have life through him...he alone gives life...

he alone takes life.

 

 

In 1990 Bette Midler won the Grammy for the song...

'From a Distance'

Julis Gold, composer and lyricist of this song, writes...

"The job of a song is to take a person on a musical journey for 3 minutes.

In those 3 minutes you can transport your listener to a better, higher place.

When they return to their starting point,

hopefully they'll be changed forever for the better."

From a distance things do not appear as they are close up.

From a distance things often seem to be better.

Distance is a word with many different interpretations.

There is physical distance...

Jesus was physically distant from the one needing to be healed.

 

There can also be a distance within one's heart.

The Scribes and the Pharisees mostly kept their hearts distant from Jesus.

But this centurion used his heart to connect with Jesus.

He was present both physically and emotionally to Jesus.

He took advantage of his heart connection with Jesus, you might say,

by making his request.

His request was for Jesus to heal someone 'from a distance'.

From a distance Jesus could not interact with the servant

nor could the servant interact with Jesus.

Distance is immaterial for Jesus.

 

Today's psalm asks us to pray for peace for Jerusalem.

Even from a distance we can intercede on behalf of others through our prayers.

 

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings."

 

Distance is never an issue when it comes to Jesus.

There is hope even for those who appear to be distant of heart.

In right relationship with Jesus there is no distance...

physically or emotionally.

 

Be honest...speak and write from your heart.

 

 

Below are the lyrics for 'From a Distance'

 

From a distance the world looks blue and green,
And the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
And the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony,
And it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
It's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
And no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
No hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments
Marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They're the songs of every man.
God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,
Even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
What all this fighting is for.
From a distance there is harmony,
And it echoes through the land.
And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves,
It's the heart of every man.

It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.
And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.
Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.
God is watching us from a distance.

God is watching us from a distance

yet he is also here among us.

 

Come, Lord Jesus...Maranatha!

May you abide in his Peace!