Losing One's Life for the Sake of God

In today's Gospel, Mt. 10: 37-42, Jesus says to us "whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."  You may have seen the Special Olympic race in Seattle a few years back when, as the race started, a little boy lost his footing and another racer came back to help him. Seeing that, the other six racers returned to the starting line also to help!  It was not about winning for those children, it was about helping another little boy who had fallen and scraped his knee and elbow in the process. I also recall seeing, in another racing incident, an example of "losing" and thus finding.   A racer falls down during a race and a fellow racer stops to help him. Both lose the race but know what Jesus meant in today's Scripture!  The generosity of God to those who  put helping others ahead of material gains is beyond measurable now and in eternity!

We see God's generosity working through Elisha in today's first reading.  A wealthy woman built a room on the roof of her home and furnished it so that the prophet Elisha, when he visited again, would have a place to stay. Elisha, in turn, wants to do something for this woman and asks: "'Can something be done for her?' His servant Gehazi answered, 'Yes! she has no son, and her husband is getting on in years.' Elisha said, 'Call her.' When the woman had been called and stood at the door, Elisha promised, 'This time next year you will be fondling a baby son.'"

God is never outdone in generosity!  How generous am I, are you, in being there for others and giving a helping hand? Would I, would you, do what the one special Olympiad had done to help one of the racers who lost his footing and thus risk losing the race oneself? 

Lord, may I have my priorities straight! May I live for You and not for things this world promises when such would replace doing what the Spirit invites me to do.

Seeking Help, Being Helped, Blocking Help

In today's Gospel, Mark 2: 1-12,  some friends of a paralytic man bring him to the house where Jesus is healing the sick. The crowd has blocked entrance to the house, so the men climb up on the roof, create an opening and lower the paralytic man. "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him. 'Child, your sins are forgiven." Some scribes who were in the house object and, in their minds, accuse Jesus of blaspheming: "Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knows what they are thinking and says to them: "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may  know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth'--he said to the paralytic, 'I say to  you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home'!" 

Who are you, am I, in that scene? The persons who bring their friend to the Lord for healing? the paralytic in  need of Jesus' healing? the scribes who question Jesus' authority? or part of the crowd seeking healing from Jesus?  You or I may be any or all of those persons!

We might ask ourselves the following questions:  What in me, like the roof or the crowd, blocks Jesus from getting to me or me going to Jesus for healing?  From what do I need healing? What keeps me, also, from helping others in need of healing? Am I willing to do whatever it takes to help others or am I one who blocks others from getting the help they need from the Lord and from others? Furthermore, am I one questioning Jesus' authority; or, when God works through another person, am I one who is accusing them of overstepping their authority?