What don't you understand?

Good News Reflection
Tuesday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time
February 16, 2010

Today's Saint: Onesimus
Pray to find justice for your reputation:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Onesimus.htm

Today's Readings:
James 1:12-18
Ps 94:12-15, 18-19
Mark 8:14-21
http://www.usccb.org/nab/021610.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_02_16.mp3

What don't you understand?

"Do you still not understand?" Jesus asks in today's Gospel reading. Whenever we sin, or whenever we respond to life in unhealthy ways, it's because we really don't understand what Jesus taught with his words and with his life – and why he taught it. Thus Jesus said on the cross, "Father forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing." They didn't understand!

We sin when we don't understand the goodness of God's commandments.

We sabotage our lives with bad decisions or addictions, setting ourselves up for failure, chasing away the friends that God has given us, etc., because we don't understand the damage that we're doing to ourselves.

We don't want to love everyone unconditionally, because we don't understand how God loves us. We run from suffering and we reject those who cause us difficulties, because we don't realize the value of embracing our crosses.

We live in non-sacramental marriages, because we don't understand what's missing. Or we live in a valid divorce without an annulment, because we don't know the healing and freedom we' experience in the process.

We're disinterested in ministry, because we don't understand what it's like to be God's partner. We go home from Mass unchanged, because we don't really understand what's happening in the Eucharist.

We reject Church teachings that we don't like, because we don't understand what the Church is really teaching. But if we research them with a humble heart, we discover just how good and loving they really are. They are based on scriptures and on love!

Understanding is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It's one of the fruits of reading the Word of God. It's the blessing that comes from listening when we pray. It's a harvest yielded from retreats, spiritual seminars, and parish missions. It's a grace shared in good conversation with Christian friends. But true understanding is not achieved unless it's heard in the heart. For that, we have to act upon the truth.

We see the truth and we forget it.
We hear the truth and we remember it.
We DO the truth and finally we understand it.
Are you willing to really understand?

To help with this, each year I make my Good News reflections available as a downloadable PDF file (an e-book) that can be printed and taken with you to daily Mass or Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament or any place of meditation. It's published at Catholic Digital Resources for a small fee, but if you cannot pay for it, please select the "Alternative Ordering Methods" below the order form to request a free gift voucher, which I offer as part of my tithing to our Lord. Start here: http://catholicdr.com/ebooks/Lent.htm

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.

WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections


Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...

Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!

Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.

______________________________________________________________
This is the "Good News Reflections - American Edition" mailing list.
MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION:
Change your address
Unsubscribe