Daily Gospel Reflection for December 7, 2020

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Colleen O'Dowd

Today's Gospel: Luke 5:17-26 - Memorial of Saint Ambrose

This is one of my very favorite gospels – because it causes me to check myself in my own life: am I the guy on the stretcher? Am the 1 of the 4 friends? Or am I in the crowd or among the disciples?

If I’m the guy on the stretcher – I must be in pretty bad need of restoration from Jesus if I have succumbed to my 4 friends who seemingly have decided not to listen to my protests that “I’m fine,” and have taken my situation into their own hands. Probably at great personal risk…

….climbing up on someone else’s roof with me on a stretcher,
…cutting a big hole in the top of someone else’s roof,
…lowering me down into someone’s home,
…and I’ll bet I am not being very kind to these 4 friends

I am challenged to consider – who are the people in my life who would risk everything to get me to Jesus?

If I’m one of the 4 friends – I must feel pretty strongly that whatever is going on with the stretcher person is out of my depth as a friend or family member. I must have found 3 others who see what I see and care enough about this person to risk our own lives and livelihoods -- and our friendship with this person.

I am challenged to consider – who is the person in my life who most needs me to get him/her to Jesus? Who is the person I don’t want to upset, I don’t want to butt in, the one I think I can handle myself? What’s my next move?

If I’m the crowd or disciples – I must be pretty indignant that Jesus has allowed Himself to be interrupted to pay attention to this stuff.

I am challenged to consider – Am I jealous of another’s lightheartedness or joy in the gospel? Or am I inspired and called to do better at being a herald of the Good News?

Ponder:

What is it that I need Jesus to restore in my life today?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, help me to know when to listen to people who love me enough to get me to You.

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Copyright 2020 Colleen O'Dowd

Colleen O’Dowd is the Director of Lifelong Catechesis at Our Lady of Ransom in Niles, IL. She loves being Catholic, her Converse all-stars are always liturgically correct, and she is a super-saint-geek! She blogs ultra-occasionally at www.ourheartswereburningwithin.wordpress.com and can also be found @catholiccolleen on Twitter and Instagram.