Daily Gospel Reflection for January 19, 2017

Today's Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

Sometimes I just want to be alone. I want to sneak away and just “be”. No more questions. No more requests. No food to prepare. No more due dates. No schedules. No interruptions. No ‘to-do’ list. No laundry. No cleaning up the messes of life in a busy household.

I crave quiet time, away from the “crowd” of our house. BUT… I am a mom. Even when I am physically alone, my mind is mostly filled with the needs of our family.

God is no different. Our needs are always present in His plan. He has to make tough calls about consequences, budget, fairness and priorities – all day, every day.

It’s good to know Jesus also wanted to get away from the crowds. I feel validated. Each time Jesus sought sanctuary from the crowds, he returned stronger. I need to remember that.

Physically, it is often impossible to get away. However, silence, solitude and prayer ARE “away”. Five minutes can serve to renew my energy and calm my spirit. I emerge stronger and ultimately, a better mom.

Five minutes. I have that. We all do. Five minutes of sanctuary - just God and me. Five minutes and I gain a refreshed soul. Five minutes of peaceful prayer and I am suddenly a stronger force for good in God’s world, and most importantly, my home.

God is that sanctuary. Any time. Any day. In the midst of a crowded house or in the quiet of a sleepless night, He’s available. If I remember to seek calm and sanctuary, I find peace. I am stronger – just like Jesus. Five minutes can do all that.

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Ponder:

Have you ever watched your child struggle through a task? You want to help, but they need to learn a valuable lesson, so you wait for them to come to you. Can you imagine how many times God has watched us struggle, waiting for us to realize that all we have to do is take five minutes and ask for help?

Pray:

Father, help me realize that You are always waiting. Just as I want my children to need me, so do You. Just as I want to wrap my child in a hug and help them work through their challenges, so do You. Help me remember that You are always watching, ready to provide sanctuary. All I need to do is give You five minutes. Amen.

Lisa Connor and her her husband, Mike, are the parents of five children, ages 8-17. She volunteers in a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program each school year. She was blessed to take a break from work as a chemist and a strategist fifteen years ago to focus on being a mom. Right now, she enjoys reading, dabbling in writing, gardening and projects with her children. She thinks teaching may be her next career move.